Hearts of Highland Fire

Chapter 7

7

“Nay. I am not changing the borders of mah land.”

Ian glared at the laird before him, feeling the start of his head hurting growing steadily by the moment. For hours they had been engrossed in a heated discussion on what each clan should give up for the sake of peace and none of it seemed feasible to agree to. The laird had started out with livestock that Ian had declined, and now they were up to Ian giving part of his land, the very land that the battles had raged on, for the MacGregor clan to do as they wished. “Perhaps, we should start tae discuss where yer borders are.”

“I’m not giving up mah land,” the laird shot back, his eyes glittering with rage. “Tis been in my family for generations.”

“Then ye can understand why I refuse tae do so as well,” Ian replied evenly.

Laird MacGregor placed both of his hands flat on the table and stood, his advisors with him. “Then we have nothing else tae discuss, Wallace. Yer clan refuses tae give anything for the blood they have shed over the generations!”

“The lot deserved it,” Dalziel muttered, who had been quiet up until that moment.

“Wot?”

Ian swore under his breath as the laird’s face turned red with anger. “Ye think that mah clan deserved their deaths?”

“Laird MacGregor,” Ian replied, standing and putting himself between the laird and his own captain. “Tis was naught but a slip of the tongue.” He could ill afford for whatever steps he had made with the laird to be pushed aside because his captain couldn’t keep his trap shut.

“A slip?” he seethed, his eyes fastening on mine. “Tis not a slip! He knew wot he was saying!”

“And I would say it again!” Dalziel shouted, stepping forward.

Ian pushed at the captain’s chest, forcing him back a few steps and silencing him with a hard look. He wasn’t helping the situation and Ian didn’t understand what Dalziel was attempting to do. “Get out,” he growled at his captain. “Before ye are run through with a sword!”

Dalziel sniffed and after one hard look at the seething laird, stalked out of the room, followed by James. Ian drew in a breath and turned back to the laird. “Mah apologies.”

The laird’s jaw tightened and he shook his head. “Nay I willna accept yer apologies, Wallace. Git out before I decide that this isna worth mah time.”

Ian opened his mouth to attempt to placate the laird, but one quick shake of his sister’s head told him that he should rethink his next steps. The laird was likely beyond any sort of reasoning right now and this wasn’t the time to have more discussions. “As ye wish,” he said mockingly, inclining his head before walking out himself.

He had failed. In all his years of being a warrior and his da’s son, Ian had never tasted bitter defeat as he did now. It slammed into his insides, robbing him of his breath and leaving utter misery in its wake. He had let down his sister, who had put her neck on the line for this meeting and his entire clan. Ian didn’t know if Laird MacGregor would call off the ceasefire and attack his clan, but if he decided to put the plan in motion, Ian would never make it back to his land in time.

Because of his ill-planning and hot-headed captain, he had put the fate of his clan in jeopardy.

“Ian. Ian!”

Iris’s voice broke through his thoughts and he turned to find her standing a few feet away, worry creasing on her brow. “Iris, I…”

She shook her head, motioning for him to follow her instead. He looked around and realized that there were many MacGregors milling about now, clearly waiting to report back to their laird what the angry Wallace would do next. He couldn’t give the laird any other reason to make some drastic move, so Ian followed his sister away from the council room and up the stairs to the second landing, pulling him into what looked like a study. She shut the door behind him and Ian dragged his hand through his hair roughly. "I donna know wot happened,” he admitted in a whoosh of his breath. “I donna know how it got tae that point.”

“Tis not yer fault,” Iris replied with a heavy sigh. “Dalziel should have kept his trap shut.”

Ian couldn’t disagree with that statement. If his captain was truly seeking peace like the rest of them, he wouldn’t have antagonized their enemy. He would be having a word or two with his right-hand man later.

Iris leaned against the heavy door, her worry deepening. “Do ye need tae leave?” Ian asked softly, now afraid for his sister’s life. What sort of danger would she be in given who her relations were?

She shook her head, a broken laugh escaping her. “Nay we will be fine. The laird, he trusts James and I’ve given him no reason tae worry aboot mah either. He knows that our home is here.” She found his eyes. “But he’s also aware that I willna betray mah own family.”

Pride seized in Ian’s chest. “Ye will do wotever it takes tae survive Iris,” he stated firmly. “Ye have more than yer lot of brothers tae worry aboot now.” Iris had always been the one who took care of them, made sure that they ate and broke up their fighting a time or two.

Now he had to take care of her.

Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away rapidly. “Aye, yer right. I have others tae worry aboot but it doesna mean I canna worry aboot ye.”

“I will be fine,” Ian lied. In truth, he was worried about what could be lurking around the next corner. A Scot couldn’t very well defend himself against his enemy if he never saw them coming. Right now, he was in the nest full of vipers, waiting to strike.

“Ye lying Scot,” she muttered, pushing away from the door. “I will try tae smooth things over, ask for another council meeting for ye. He had to expect that the first would go this way.”

That was the problem in Ian’s eyes. He hadn’t expected it to be so hostile and that was a mistake he couldn't go back against. All his fanciful notions of the laird readily accepting him because of Iris were just foolish. He hadn’t anticipated his enemy’s moves, which was something that his da had taught his children long ago.

Now his sister was left cleaning up after his mistakes.

Iris sighed. “Why donna ye go for a ride and clear yer head Ian? Tis would do ye some good tae get out here.”

It would do him some good to have the fresh air on his face. Ian was never one to remain still for long, but since becoming laird, he had no choice but to stay in the keep, tending to the duties of the clan. In fact, this journey had been the longest he had been on a horse in quite some time. “I donna know,” he said slowly. “I donna know if I should leave ye right now.”

Iris snorted, pushing at his chest. “Of course, ye can, ye daft Scot! James is here and he can protect mah.”

Ian lifted a brow. “Truly? I think I remember it being the other way around.” Lennox, damn him, had allowed Iris to win the games because he was in love with her. There was little doubt in Ian’s mind that his sister was a better swordsman than his brother-in-law was.

James likely would agree.

Iris’s mouth broke out into a grin. “Donna bring that up around James. He’s still sore that I beat him.” Her eyes grew soft. “Though it was a declaration of love.”

Ian scoffed. “Tis was no declaration of love. He knew he couldna beat ye.”

His sister broke out into laughter and Ian was relieved to see the fight back in her eyes. “Och donna bring that up either. Ye will wound his manly pride.” She moved to the door, pausing to look back at her brother. “I will do mah best tae fix this Ian but I canna guarantee anything.”

“I understand,” he answered watching as she disappeared out of the room. He knew that Iris would take this to heart if the talks fell through but in the end, it would be Ian’s fault. He had come ill-prepared for the generations of hatred that was between the two clans. This was a mistake he wouldn’t make again.

Striding out of the keep, Ian found Remy standing on the stairs, waiting for him. “Wot is the plan?”

Ian glanced around, noting the whispers that were already taking place. His failure would be all over the clan by luncheon. “I need tae leave.”

Remy didn’t ask any questions, following him directly to the stables.

The stables. Ian drew up short. He couldn’t face Ida right now, not in his current state. He had failed her, just like he had failed both clans. She had said that she believed in him, that he could stop the bloodshed and keep from innocent people dying, yet all he had done was enrage her laird even more and now their fragile ceasefire hung in the balance. “Git the horses.”

Remy gave him an odd look but strode to the stables alone, disappearing inside. Ian kept his wits about him, eyeing those that were close enough to strike out while Remy was gone, feeling as if someone had drawn a target on his back. There were always the ones that would want to be in favor of the laird, and what better way to do so than to cut down his enemy? Suddenly, the village was too small, the places where one could hide too numerous and Ian felt his chest tighten.

He was naught but a deer in the midst of a clearing, waiting for the arrow to be lodged in his back.

Remy finally emerged from the stables with their horses and Ian was a bit relieved not to see Ida following him. He didn’t know what he would say to her right now or how he would beg her forgiveness for not following through with his promise. Ian couldn’t bear to see the disappointment in her eyes as well.

Swinging up onto his horse, he rode out of the village and to the forest, where some of the worry he was feeling started to ease off. “Want tae tell mah wot happened?” Remy asked when they were far enough away.

“Dalziel,” Ian muttered, holding the reins loosely in his hands. “He insulted the laird and set back any process that we had made.” Ian gave his friend a brief account of the words exchanged, including the fact that the laird wanted Wallace lands. “I am not willing tae give up everything mah da worked hard tae protect for the sake of this alliance.”

“Nor should ye,” Remy added, a thunderous look on his face. “They can call us a bloodthirsty lot but we didna make them pick up their swords and kill our kin. They are just as guilty.”

Ian couldn’t disagree. Laird MacGregor hadn’t sent out his farmers and women to fight them for generations. He had amassed his own warriors, wanting to take over the Wallace land just as much as the Wallaces wanted to win. If he wanted to see what was wrong with their clans, he only needed to look in the mirror himself. Ian was not going to shoulder all the blame for generations of fighting. “Maybe we should leave now,” Remy finished. “Before they slit our throats in our sleep.”

“Nay not yet,” Ian said. “Mah sister is still working on another council meeting. I canna run now or he will see it as a sign of war.” He then looked at his friend. “I want ye tae send some men ahead of us. Make sure that there isna any attacks happening that we are unaware of.” He wouldn’t put anything past the laird.

“Aye,” Remy replied, arching a brow. “Is there any reason that ye are asking mah tae do that and not yer captain?”

Aye, there were plenty of reasons that Ian was leaning on the one person he trusted.