Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
’ T was a calm and peaceful evening, with the entire Randall family gathered for a fine meal. Even Brodie had decided to join them.
As he looked around the space, with the tables filled with food and family, Aiden couldn’t help but to feel a tinge of pride and relief. Pride for his strong family and relief that they were finally able to eat well and enjoy a moment of peace.
His wife, as always, looked resplendent and beautiful. Tonight, she wore a beautiful deep-green wool gown, the sleeves and neckline adorned with goldenrod and purple stitching. Her dark hair cascaded down her back in luxurious waves. He began to wonder if she would ever allow him to run his hands through those thick tresses.
“I am famished,” Margaret told him as she took a piece of brown bread from the tray. “It has been a good and busy day.”
Pushing the thoughts of loving his wife to the side for a moment, he poured wine into her glass. “I find those are the best days,” he said. “Good and busy days.”
Any enjoyment Aiden was having sharing the evening meal with his wife was torn asunder. Their conversation about crops and gardens came to an abrupt halt when Peter and Gregor came rushing inside.
Aiden knew at once that something was horribly wrong. The two men looked besides themselves with anger. With clenched jaws and scowls, they met Aiden half way across the room. George, Thomas, and Emery were right behind him.
“The MacKinnons have raided again,” Peter bit out angrily.
“We have lost Phillip,” Gregor added sharply.
Anger boiled in the pit of Aiden’s stomach. Phillip was a good man, and now the MacKinnons have left his wife a widow to raise two young boys on her own.
Infuriated, Aiden looked to his brothers. Not for advice, but for acknowledgment and agreement. Unspoken words passed betwixt them, each of them knowing full well what Aiden was about to do.
“Have horses and supplies readied at once. We leave within a quarter of an hour.”
Margaret was at first confused by the disruption of their evening meal. But it didn’t take long to figure out something was horribly wrong.
She watched in silence as Aiden and his brothers spoke to the two men. Clearly, she could see her husband’s countenance change.
Oh, she’d seen him angry before. But this was something entirely different. ’Twas as if a black veil of outrage had fallen over him.
Her stomach tightened with dread.
As she watched the small group of men, she couldn’t help but to worry over what was going to happen next. Soon, Lizabet, Annabella, and Elayne were standing around her.
“Can anyone make out what they are sayin’?” Lizabet asked to no one in particular.
“I think Peter said somethin’ about the MacKinnons,” Elayne said as did her best to read the men’s lips. “Och! We have lost Phillip Randall.”
Lizabet and Annabella gasped at the news. “Oh, poor Raina!” she exclaimed in a sorrowful whisper.
While she had no idea at all who Phillip and Raina were, a tug of sadness pulled at Margaret’s heart. The worry continued to build as the women around her spoke of what a wonderful man Phillip had been.
Moments later, Aiden, George, and Emery approached their wives. “We have lost Phillip,” Aiden informed them.
“We ken,” Lizabet said. “Elayne was able to read yer lips.”
Margaret was apparently the only one impressed with Elayne’s ability. The others were quite used to it.
Soon, everyone in the gathering room sprung to action, clearing tables and gathering children into their mothers’ loving arms.
Lizabet kissed her husband on the cheek before turning to the women. “Ladies, we all ken what to do.”
Elayne gave a curt nod before kissing her husband on the cheek and heading back to where their children sat. She took wee Magnus from her eldest son’s arms and began to usher them above stairs. Faith, Grace, and Hope were following behind, grabbing children on their way.
Annabella scanned the room, her brow creased with worry. “Where is Thomas?”
“He is fetching Brodie for me,” Aiden reassured her. “He will nay leave until he speaks to ye.”
While she looked relieved, she was still quite worried. “Then I shall hide where he cannae find me.”
Aiden chuckled softly before drawing her in for a warm embrace. “Dinnae fash over it, Annabella.”
“But I do worry, Aiden. Every time ye are all forced to leave to deal with those...those savages.”
As Aiden tried to reassure her that all would be well, Thomas came bounding down the stairs. Brodie was right behind him, armed to the teeth. His broadsword hung from a belt at his waist, and daggers were tucked into his belt. Still others were tucked into his boots.
Annabella rushed into her husband’s arms. Brodie stepped around them and went immediately to his older brother. “Ye ken how much I despise the MacKinnons.”
“As do the rest of us,” Aiden said.
Margaret finally got to her feet, awash in confusion. She’d been watching Aiden’s married spouses hold each other as they whispered tender words to one another. Lost in this sea of affection, she suddenly began to feel all alone in the world again.
While everyone else seemed to know what they should do next, she was at a complete loss. People were scattering like leaves in the autumn winds, while she stood like an ignorant ninny.
Seeing her distress, Aiden approached her with an affirming smile. “All will be well, lass. Dinnae worry over it much, aye?”
Oh, she wanted so much to run into his arms and tell him she was not only afraid, she felt foolish for not knowing what she should do. She was, after all, the chatelaine now. ’Twas her duty to know these things.
A knot lodged in her throat, making it impossible to speak. Not just because she was worried over the possibility of an all-out war but because she was worried for Aiden’s safety.
“Aiden,” she whispered as she searched for the proper words to express how she was feeling. But just as she thought she’d found them, someone called out his name from across the room.
Without saying another word, Aiden quit the room, leaving Margaret all alone. At least, that was how she felt until Annabella, Hope, Grace, and Faith came to her. “Dinnae fash yerself over much,” Grace said. “They will nae leave without sayin’ goodbye.”
Oh, she knew she was only trying to lift her spirits and that her intentions were good. The old Margaret would have had something vile and cruel to say to this sweet young woman. But the old Margaret was gone, dead and buried along with the memories of her mother.
“Thank ye, Annabella,” she said, forcing a smile. “Now, what can I do to help?”
The first order of business was to make certain Phillip Randall’s body was given over to his wife. Aiden, together with Emery, Keith, Danial, and David, retrieved Phillip’s body from the men at the gates.
The man’s body was a mangled mess, covered in blood, his face distorted and twisted as if he were wincing in pain. He hadn’t been dead for too long, for his body was still slightly warm and the blood not quite dried.
Fury bubbled deep within Aiden’s gut as he stood looking down at Phillip’s body. “He was a good man,” he muttered. “Such a waste.”
“He loved his wife,” Keith added. “And his bairns.”
Aiden glanced over at his young brother. “Ye knew him well?”
Keith nodded, unable to take his gaze away from Phillip. “He was a good friend,” he whispered. “He always took his time to help me train.” Although tears were forming in Keith’s eyes, he could not look away. “He was a good friend.”
Guilt stabbed at Aiden’s heart. Keith was only six and ten. He should not have been witness to the murder of anyone, let alone his friend.
Aiden had left the duty of training his brother to someone else. The responsibility was his, as Kieth’s older brother and chief. Aiden had used the excuse that he was simply far too busy with other duties. Add to that the fact that Keith was so bloody quiet. He had never given anyone in their family a moment of trouble. Mayhap that was why it was so easy to forget about him.
“When we are done with the MacKinnons, I will personally see to yer trainin’, Keith.”
Aiden let his arrogance get the better of him. Instead of looking happy or thrilled, Keith looked angry. His eyes turned to slits, his jaw tightened, and he was balling his hands into fists.
“Mayhap, brother, had ye seen to that before, I might have been able to help stop Phillip from gettin’ killed.”
Aiden knew his brother was devastated by the loss of his friend. “I ken ye are hurt by yer friend’s death,” he said. “As am I.”
Keith ignored his brother and continued to stare at his fallen friend. “We should clean him up before we give him over to Lela,” Keith said. “She is heavy with their third child.”
While Aiden was glad for Keith’s concern, he couldn’t necessarily agree with his idea. “She will want to tend to him herself.”
Keith looked up at him with anger flashing in his brilliant blue eyes. “Ye dinnae understand. They were verra much in love. She is due to give birth at any moment?—”
Aiden wouldn’t allow him the chance to continue. While he understood Keith’s grief, he couldn’t allow him to continue. “I said nae. She will want to see to his final care herself.”
“Nay,” Keith bit out. “Ye want her just as angry as everyone else is. Ye want her to feel the rage ye feel so that ye can justify goin’ after the MacKinnons!”
Aiden grabbed Keith by his tunic and slammed his back against the stone wall before anyone could stop him. “Think long and hard before ye utter another word, Keith,” Aiden seethed, his eyes burning with rage.
“Do ye truly believe I want to go to war with the MacKinnons? Or anyone else for that matter?” He pushed him harder against the stones. “The last thing I want is war.”
Keith shrugged out of Aiden’s tight hold. “She will nae want ye to avenge his death, Aiden. Lela would nae want that.”
“’Tis nae vengeance I seek, Keith,” Aiden told him as he stepped away. “If we dinnae do somethin’, the attacks will continue. War is inevitable when ye deal with the likes of Alex MacKinnon.”
Keith let out a frustrated breath as he raked a hand through his hair. “I ken, Aiden. I just wish there was another way. I also wish I knew why in the bloody hell they keep testin’ us this way. Why do they hate us so much?”
’Twas a question Aiden had been asking himself for years. “I have no answer for ye,” he admitted. “The only thing I can think of is greed. He wants our lands, our holdings, in order to make himself richer and more powerful.”
Keith grew quiet and solemn as he considered his brother’s words carefully. “Then we must stop him, else we will be decimated.”
She didn’t get the chance to say goodbye.
By the time she made it to the gates, Aiden was out of sight, leading his men to a battle that could lead to their ruin.
Regret stabbed at Margaret’s heart. Aye, her life had been one regret after another. But not being able to set things right with Aiden before he left...
If anything were to happen to him, she would never forgive herself.
There was no time, however, to wallow in that regret or grief. Lizabet was pulling on her arm, all but dragging her back into the keep. “We have much to do, Margaret,” she said most seriously. “Ye can give that brother of mine a fine welcome home when he returns.”
She felt her face burn red with Lizabet’s barely veiled innuendo. But there was no time to dwell on that either. In a matter of moments, the inside of the keep was a whirlwind of activity.
As the men had armed themselves to the teeth for war, the womenfolk were arming themselves as well, not only to defend themselves against a possible invasion but preparing as well for the aftermath that lay ahead.
Tables were covered with clean linens. Bowls were placed at each linen-covered table, along with whatever tools they might need to stitch up a wound. Along the southern wall, a large table had been set up, covered in fresh linens just as the others. But this one was quickly being filled with potions, salves, bone needles, threads, and the like.
As Margaret stood near the entrance of the gathering room and looked around, she felt an overwhelming sense of peace fall over her. These women were hurrying here and there, some shouting out orders whilst others followed them. Each of them knew what their roles were. Each of them moved and spoke with such a sense of confidence and seriousness that it made Margaret’s heart swell.
If the men were not successful in their retribution of Phillip’s death, then she had no doubt these women would defend their home and children with a fervor and zeal that would make grown men proud.
The children were safely ensconced in a room above stairs. Grace, Faith, and Hope were put in charge of keeping the children busy whilst their mothers worked below.
A sense of nervous anticipation filled the air around her. She could feel it on her skin and in the pit of her stomach. ‘Twasn’t an air of excitement, as one might have if the king were coming for a visit. Nay, ’twas quite the opposite.
’Twas a blend of foreboding and unease. It hung in the air, as thick as smoke. You couldn’t see it, but you could feel it.
“What can I do to help?” she asked Elayne as she raced by.
“Go to the kitchens and ask young Charles to fetch more water,” she answered as she hurried toward the staircase.
Margaret didn’t know who young Charles was but supposed it didn’t matter. She would draw water from the well herself if she had to.
Aiden and his men thundered across an open field, heading for MacKinnon lands, but truth be told, it felt more like heading straight into the bowels of hell.
He was done. He was done with these border wars and skirmishes. He was done losing fine men. He was done with his clan living on the brink of starvation.
Nay, he could not continue to live like this.
He wanted peace.
Peace of mind, peace between these clans, and peace for his people.
‘Twasn’t vengeance he sought today but peace.
They stopped less than a mile from the MacKinnon borders to wait for those on foot to catch up. It didn’t take long, for these men were hell bent on vengeance and retribution.
Soon enough, the clearing was filled with more than two hundred of his best soldiers. Those who were mounted stayed at the front, near Aiden, waiting for whatever orders he might give.
From atop his mount, Aiden studied the men before him. Many were married and had children. Some even had grandchildren now. Nary a coward or complainer in the bunch.
These were good, strong, faithful men.
The thought that any more lives would be lost this day made his stomach turn. He knew his first duty to his people was to protect them. Somehow, leading them to battle didn’t feel like he was keeping any of them safe.
But he had reached the ends of his patience with Andrew MacKinnon. The man was more than just a thorn in his side; he was the bane of his existence.
Aiden slid from his mount and began to order for camp to be set. He would choose four liaisons to go from their encampment and back to the keep, either to deliver injured men or information, or to gather more supplies.
His gut felt as though he had swallowed a beehive, and those bees were growing angrier by the moment.
There was much to do to set up camp and to prepare for war. Tents were being erected, wood for fires was being gathered, and water was being brought up from the small river that ran to the east.
While there was much action taking place, the men worked mostly in silence. The occasional grunt or low-whispered question blended with the sound of axes against wood and hammers against tent stakes.
Even the horses were eerily quiet.
Twas the stillness beyond the glen that began to bother him most. The MacKinnons should have known he would retaliate for their attack earlier. They should be nearby, preparing for that retaliation.
Yet something was eating at his gut, and it wasn't just the hive of bees.
With long strides, he headed towards his brothers Danial and David. They were busy tending to the horses who were tied together near the embankment.
Danial saw him approaching first. He gave David a nudge to his shoulder. Aiden didn’t wait until he was closer. He began speaking to them immediately. “Danial. David. With me,” he ordered as he walked past them.
They gathered away from everyone, at the edge of the river. It was still quite frozen along its edges; only a quiet trickle of water moved in the middle.
“Somethin’ is off,” Aiden told them. “I dinnae ken what it is, but somethin’ is wrong.”
They glanced at one another before Danial spoke. “David was just sayin’ that verra thing.”
He wasn’t sure if he should be glad to know he wasn’t alone in his thinking or if he should worry. To David he asked, “Tell me what ye think.”
Before he could answer, their attention was drawn to the sound of heavy boots crunching through the snow. George, Emery, and Thomas were heading towards them.
“Aiden,” George said as the space between them closed. “We need to speak to ye.”
Aiden could tell from their expressions and demeanor that they, too, were worried. “I take it ye are as concerned as we are?” he asked.
Each of them nodded in unison.
“Why is it so bloody quiet?” Emery asked to no one in particular. “The silence is makin’ my teeth itch.”
Aiden pursed his lips for a moment as he glanced at each of his brothers. “I ken they attacked to draw us out,” Aiden said. “To draw us into a war. Andrew MacKinnon knew how we would respond, aye?”
They were all in agreement.
“Where, then, is the trap?”
None of them had any answers.
“Is it possible they thought we would nae retaliate so quickly?” Aiden asked, even though he didn’t believe it himself.
“They attacked knowin’ full well we would respond quickly and with great fervor,” Emery said. “We have been preparing for this moment for an age.”
Thomas went suddenly pale. “Do ye think they drew us out so they could attack the keep?”
That thought had crossed Aiden’s mind. “That is why I left half our men there,” Aiden replied.
They felt into silence, each of their minds working hard to think of what Andrew MacKinnon was up to.
It wouldn’t take long to find out.
In his youth, Alex MacKinnon had been a force to be reckoned with. Not only had he been quite successful in his endeavors, he’d been a rather good-looking fellow.
But time hadn’t been good to him.
A portly fellow now, his once black hair nearly completely gray. No longer did he look as though he’d been chiseled from stone. Nay, he more resembled an old boar on a spit.
While he had not aged well at all, he was still the ruthless, savage son of a whore he’d always been, if not more so.
“Ye’ve changed,” Aiden told him, his tone dripping with disgust.
“Age often gets the better of us,” Andrew MacKinnon said.
They were only feet from one another, each mounted on their trusty steeds and each on their own side of the border. The area separating their holdings was a rather wide, flat piece of earth, perfect for grazing animals and naught much else.
Flat rocks and boulders were scattered here and there, separated by large spans of tall brown grass peeking through the white snow. The sky overhead was a blend of aged steel and ocean blue. Dark clouds slowly floated by at a snail’s pace.
Wind whipped in from the west, sending bits of snow spiraling in the air before landing on the men. They were alone here. Well, mayhap not completely alone. Each man had warriors hidden behind larger boulders, while the rest of their armies were waiting a few hundred yards behind them.
“What is it ye want, MacKinnon? Besides my head on a pike and our land and holdings?”
The MacKinnon chuckled as he adjusted himself in his saddle. “While I will have yer head on a pike and possession of all yer lands someday soon, that is nae why I am here.”
Aiden continued to glare at him in disdain. The MacKinnon could not be trusted. He was most assuredly up to something.
“I dinnae order the attack on yer men this morn.”
Aiden showed no response to the MacKinnon’s declaration of innocence. He maintained his glower and let the silence fall between them. ’Twas a tactic he had learned from his father. Let silence fall when negotiating with your enemies. The silence will eventually turn into a rope with which to hang them.
The MacKinnon let out a long, heavy breath of frustration. “Ye are just like yer da,” he said through gritted teeth.
“I thank ye for your kind compliment,” Aiden said dryly.
“It were nae a compliment, ye fool,” Andrew said with a good measure of exasperation. “He was a bloody stubborn fool. Ye could nae talk to him anymore than ye could talk to a wall and receive any response!”
“Again, I thank ye,” Aiden said with a devious smile and a slight inclination of his head. He was getting a good deal of enjoyment from irritating the MacKinnon.
Silence fell between them once again. Aye, the MacKinnon was growing more and more annoyed.
“I did nae order the attack this morn,” he repeated. “’Twas nae my men who attacked yers.”
Maintaining an air of indifference was not an easy task. What Aiden truly wished to do was to run Andrew MacKinnon through with his sword.
“Randall, I tell ye true. It were nae us.”
Aiden knew if he remained silent long enough, he would get a name. It probably wouldn’t be the real name of the attackers, if he knew Andrew MacKinnon at all.
Andrew urged his horse a few steps closer and lowered his voice. “I tell ye, it were nae us, ye bloody fool. Half my clan is down with an ague right now!” His whisper was harsh and filled with genuine grief.
In that moment, Aiden knew the MacKinnon wasn’t lying. There was far too much concern and genuine grief in his tone.
Aiden remained still and quiet, his fierce glare pinning the MacKinnon in place.
Andrew let out a gruff breath. “’Twas the McLeans.”
And there it was. The truth.
Without uttering a word, Aiden tapped the flanks of his horse and headed back to his men waiting at the border.
“I would nae go against the McLeans,” Alex MacKinnon shouted. “Ye will nae win against them!”
Aiden pulled his horse to a stop, turned and went back to the MacKinnon. Maintaining his composure was easy. He was not nearly as worried as the MacKinnon sounded.
“Oh, I will win against the McLeans,” he told him. “And when I finish with them, I will come for ye.”
The MacKinnon must have taken Aiden’s threat to heart. All of the color drained from the man’s face. And, for the first time Aiden could ever recall, Andrew MacKinnon looked terrified.
That’s when Aiden realized there was more to this recent attack than he had originally thought. Far more. But what that something was he couldn't yet know.
Even his horse must have sensed the seriousness of the moment. The stallion pawed at the earth, chortled, and shook his head, jangling his bridle and bit.
With his mount having the last word, Aiden turned and headed back to his men. They had another war to prepare for.