CHAPTER SEVENTEEN #2
Everyone froze and turned to see Cailean shaking his head.
"What do ye mean 'no'?" Kier demanded.
"I mean no, simple as that," Cailean told him. "I already told ye not so long ago me objections tae yer plan tae invade Darach Castle."
"Bruce Castle," Kier said with a growl. "They took me home from me, and now I'm gonnae get it back, lad. Think about what we have before us."
"He's nae wrong," Senan said thoughtfully. "Now that we have Maeve, there's more we can do than ever before. We've been searchin' for an advantage for so long, and—"
"I said no," Cailean interrupted. With sudden, unexpected decisiveness, he got to his feet and turned and left.
Maeve gaped after him, then turned to the elders.
They didn't try to stop Cailean or object to him leaving.
Kier had a look of defeated annoyance on his face but otherwise didn't say a word.
Ewan and Hamish had turned to each other and were talking in low voices.
Senan met Maeve's eyes and gave her a tight smile.
"What are ye waitin' for, lassie?" he asked her.
She got to her feet. "I cannae thank ye enough for letting me stay," she said, though her mind was already outside the tent, trying to understand what on earth she'd just witnessed.
Why had Cailean been so forceful, and why had the elders not objected?
And why had he gotten so upset and just left like that?
The suspicions that had been at the front of her mind pushed harder than ever, but she was too exhausted, too overwhelmed, and too relieved to make the final connection that she knew was close.
She realized that she had to go after Cailean — to find out the truth, to thank him, to do she didn't know what.
All she knew was that she needed to be with him right now.
"Thank ye," she said again, and Senan gave her a smile. Kier, Ewan, and Hamish each gave her a nod, and then she hurried out of the entranceway into the night.
"Wait!"
Maeve turned around, faltering in her pursuit of Cailean, to see Ferda approaching her.
Her friend wore an indescribable look of confusion and determination on her face, and Maeve's relief faded a little to be replaced with more anxiety once more.
She'd known this confrontation would come, but she'd hoped that she'd have more time to prepare.
"I'm lookin' for Cailean," she told Ferda. "Can we talk in the mornin'? Or when I come back tae our bedroom tonight? I—"
"No, we need tae talk now. Ye can go find Cailean after," Ferda told her. They stood there in the center of the camp, though everyone was giving them a wide berth. Maeve could feel eyes upon them, though. "What's goin' on? Why are ye covered in blood? Why were ye meetin' with the elders?"
"It isnae me own blood, mostly," Maeve told her in a poor attempt at a joke to alleviate the mood. Ferda didn't look impressed. "It's been a long night, and I—"
Ferda held up a hand. "I cannae let ye go, not until I have the truth. Who are ye?" she asked. "Darren says yer name isnae even Mary. Everyone wants tae ken what's goin' on."
Maeve's guts twisted. "I… listen, I plan tae talk tae ye, tae all of ye. There's much tae be told. But right now, I need tae find…"
"No, ye'll talk tae me now. I saw Cailean go by, but I willnae tell ye where he went until ye've been honest with me.
" Ferda folded her arms, but although her tone was aggressive, Maeve could see the pain and uncertainty in her friend's eyes.
In a softer voice, Ferda said, "Please, Maeve.
Tell me the truth. Dinnae make this worse. "
Maeve considered just walking away, but her heart went out to Ferda, who had, after all, been the first to make her feel like this could be a home. She couldn't leave her like this. "I…" she started, then sighed. "Me name is Maeve," she told her. "Let's talk in private."
She and Ferda went off to the side out of earshot of others, and Maeve told her a short version of the story.
She told her everything — how her father had never cared for her, how she'd only had her older sister as comfort, how she'd been sold to Malcolm Darach and how she'd been accused of his murder.
She told Ferda about her time at the inn and how Senan had rescued her, and about how the Darachs had probably been here for her.
By the time she finished talking about the fight in the woods, Maeve felt exhausted, and there were tears on her cheeks, but she did not stop until the whole truth was out at last.
"So that's the full story," she said at last. "All of it, as much as is mine tae tell ye anyway. I'm so sorry that I lied tae ye, but I hope ye can understand why. And the elders have seen fit tae let me stay, but if ye want me tae ask them if I can sleep elsewhere…"
She was interrupted as Ferda suddenly reached out and wrapped her arms around her. "Hush, ye silly lass," Ferda said, holding her close. "Hush now. Ye poor thing, ye've been through so much."
Maeve was stunned, but leaned into the hug, enjoying the warmth and the friendship. "I dinnae understand. How are ye so kind?"
"Ye're me friend, whatever yer name might be.
Ye lied about yer name, but ye never lied about yer friendship, did ye?
" Ferda told her. She pulled back from the hug, but kept her hands on the sides of Maeve's arms, looking her intently in the face.
"We all have our secrets. I understand why ye did what ye did.
I'm a scout in the middle of an endless war; I ken what it is tae have tae protect yerself. "
"I… I… thank ye," Maeve said simply. "I'm so lucky tae have ye."
Ferda grinned, and for a second, she looked so much like her cousin Darren that it almost made Maeve laugh despite everything. "Of course ye are," she said. "I'll help ye talk tae the others, too, if ye like." She paused. "How did Cailean take it?"
Maeve hesitated. The one thing she'd left out of the story was her trip to the blacksmith and the conversations she'd had with Cailean after.
That felt private, especially after everything that had just happened with the elders.
"I… I'm nae sure," she admitted. "He was angry, but nae unkind. But I need tae find him."
"Come back tae our hut and have a wash and a rest," Ferda advised. "Let Cailean brood, and ye can talk with him in the mornin'. Ye can…"
"No," Maeve said, though the idea of resting sounded better than anything right now. "No, I… somethin' strange happened, Ferda. I dinnae ken exactly what's goin' on, but I dinnae think Cailean should be alone right now."
Ferda tilted her head, frowning slightly, but obviously in thought rather than annoyed. "What about what ye need?"
"I need tae ken he's all right," Maeve replied. "Which way did he go?"