CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE –Willow–
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
–Willow–
WHILE I KNEW things were getting strange, allowing me to hope Sutherland Castle wouldn’t be my permanent home, especially when the infamous wizard Grant Hamilton appeared under the willow tree in my father’s tapestry holding my mother’s ring, from there things got far more promising.
After all, King Robert had just declared he was leaving with me and Sloan.
How could he not when we returned to the dungeons, only to find it as it should have been, with hardly any damage at all.
In fact, there was nothing but a man-sized break in the wall allowing Sloan to exit before he shifted.
A man-sized hole, which proved my dragon had been aware of the castle's integrity above, making clear it saved Sloan without risk to anyone else.
If that were not damning enough, everything else had returned to normal, and King Robert could clearly see the horrible conditions Sloan would have been subjected to in the dungeons before undoubtedly dying a slow, horrible death.
“I assure ye, ‘tis Willow’s magic at work, my King,” Elspet tried to tell him as he strode back upstairs with his guards in tow and at arms no less. “Ye must believe me.”
“’Tis hard to believe anything I see or hear right now, Elspet,” he bit out, dishonoring her with the use of her given name rather than her proper title.
“Neither ye nor yer son were honest about Lorna and her father from the start, but I forgave ye that as times are trying, but what I just saw with my own two eyes in yer dungeon speaks to trickery even to yer king.”
Though I could tell Sloan was relieved his friend had finally seen the truth of things, I also sensed his distress.
Fear now, since the truth about the Sutherlands and their duplicity was out, in full view of the king no less, that it might start not just a clan war but a far larger war, leaving the Scots vulnerable to the English.
Then things only got worse for the Sutherlands when the king stepped outside and found the massive willow tree that had clearly been there when he arrived, gone.
“Bloody hell,” King Robert exclaimed, clearly not bothered with decorum as his eyes widened at where the tree once stood, and he and his men headed down to the courtyard. While incoming storm clouds chopped up the moonlight, the missing tree was clear as day.
Seeing more and more hope in our situation, as Sloan and I followed him and his guards down to the courtyard, I yanked up my sleeve and looked at my wrist, never more relieved by what I discovered.
“It’s gone!” I exclaimed. “My tattoo’s completely gone.”
“Somehow that doesnae surprise me,” King Robert groused as Dugal joined Elspet in their mad dash to attempt to fix things.
Yet it seemed the king was having none of it as he strode toward his horse awaiting him in the courtyard, only for things to escalate in a way I never could have anticipated.
It seemed my inner beast had, though, because one second Dugal was striding after the king with a look of defiant fury and getting ready to unsheathe his blade, and the next, everything went red, and I shifted.
That’s when I became one with my inner beast in a way I hadn't during my previous shifts.
This time, I was fully in control when I leapt between Dugal and King Robert and roared with all the fury I possessed at the man who had not only mistreated his wife and daughter but meant to do the same to me and my three other sisters.
Not just that, but I roared with all my might at the man intent on harming our king.
While I sensed everyone who could shift was about to embrace their dragons and all hell was going to break loose, it seemed none were able, and I knew why when I felt the warmth of my hairpin clasped in my talon.
Now wasn’t the time for a slaughter, and it would have been just that.
The Sutherlands would never let us get away, and King Robert needed Sloan to be the man and friend he had always been. He needed him to be steadfast and reasonable and to point out the obvious.
“She doesnae have the gem on her chest anymore,” he said as the king and his men marveled at the sight of me.
“Just as she no longer wore the marking before she shifted and protected the King of Scotland.” He raised his voice so all might hear.
“For he is our righteous protector and must be guarded at all times if we mean to keep our freedom intact!”
Robert’s men roared their agreement as they surrounded their king, weapons drawn, ready to fight to the death to protect not just Robert but what he represented.
I figured Dugal would act impulsively and attack anyway because at this point, he had nothing to lose, but things only got stranger.
Moments before, it had been clear Dugal and Elspet meant to engage in battle and start war here and now, but in the blink of an eye, something changed, because Dugal glanced at his wrist, and instead of confirming his tattoo was gone, too, he calmly nodded, fell to a knee, and lowered his head.
“Hail to King Robert, may yer travels be safe and yer battles well fought.”
Seeming to be on the same page as her son, Elspet followed suit. “Indeed, may ye forgive us our trespasses and ken ‘twas just our desire to see old promises kept.”
As I shifted back effortlessly now, they seemed genuine, too genuine, and Sloan and I found that more than alarming. Yet, as more and more clansfolk emerged from their cottages, as if silently summoned to witness this, King Robert had little choice but to show mercy.
Or in this case, forgiveness for all to see.
Honestly, I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t show mercy or forgiveness given Elspet and Dugal’s sizeable deception, but he wouldn’t be the man my fated mate considered one of his closest friends or the man so very many followed into battle if he didn’t religiously put his people first.
And hell, if he didn’t stay true to that.
Though he walked no closer to Elspet and Dugal, still on bended knee, King Robert didn’t swing up on his horse just yet and ride out of there without a backward glance, but looked down on them with the pity they had earned and spoke loud enough for all to hear.
“Whilst I no longer require nor want Sutherland warriors fighting alongside me for ye have proved to be a clan I cannae trust,” he said, “yer people, tradesmen, women and wee bairns cannae be held accountable for the actions of a few so ye will still be considered allies and I shall heed the call if yer people are ever in need.” He shook his head.
“I have never abandoned my countrymen, nor will I start now. May yer leaders once again earn back my trust in the future.”
Swinging onto his horse, he waited until Sloan and I had mounted, giving us no choice but to ride together.
Soon after, the king’s men surrounded us as we headed through the gate, over the drawbridge, and left Sutherland Castle behind just as icy raindrops began falling and thunder rumbled in the distance.
While Sloan and I could shift and fly home to MacLeod Castle, we knew it was best to remain by the king’s side at least for now.
Not because we feared retribution, but because we simply wanted to be with him and see after him as he had seen after us in a form that was less jarring. A form that was familiar.
“’Tis a long journey back to the border,” Sloan eventually said as we rode alongside a now-silent, contemplative king.
Although we traveled beneath the tree cover, the sting of the icy wind and rain could still be felt.
“Tavish is an able leader in yer absence, and MacLeod Castle is far closer, so come home with us, my friend.”
Robert didn’t respond at first, staying true to his nature.
“Nay.” He shook his head. “As tempting as it sounds with my old bones, and the faith I have in Tavish, my men need me as much as I need them to hold the line against the Sassenach.” He steered his horse closer and stopped, prompting us to do the same.
“And we both know what happened tonight will only spark strife from within because the Sutherlands willnae go down without a fight and ‘twill be mighty.”
“Aye,” Sloan agreed. “But many will stand by ye, my king, including three of the most powerful clans in Scotland, so there is that.”
“There is that,” Robert agreed softly, knowing full well many would likely support the Sutherlands, too, because their grasp had become strong in matters of politics. His eyes met Sloan’s. “Yet we both know ‘tis never that easy.”
“Nay,” Sloan conceded, holding out his hand and keeping his eyes with Robert’s. “But ye’ve proved yerself a just king this night, and word will spread so hold that in yer heart and know we MacLeods will stand by ye always.”
“And for that I am truly grateful.” King Robert met my eyes and nodded before he looked at Sloan and grasped his arm, hand to elbow, in return.
“Not that ye need it, but some of my men will see ye safely home. Wishing ye and yers all the best in what lies ahead, my friend.” He nodded once at me.
“And my eternal thanks to yer fated mate for saving my life tonight because I dinnae doubt she did.”
I nodded at him in return and watched the King of Scotland fade into the stormy night, heading into an uncertain future, just like us.
And sadly, it only became more uncertain when we returned home with no targets on our backs, finally free to be together, which should have been cause for celebration.
That is, until we learned why, in the end, Elspet and Dugal had been so compliant.