Chapter 19
Marcas gasped as he watched the scene unfold before him. More arrows fired across the sky as soldiers poured towards the castle, ready to strike at the heart of the Monroe clan.
“What’s happening?” Kirsten asked.
“An attack, finally. It’s finally happening. I knew it would, but I haed no idea that he would be behind it all. How could he dae this? Hae could he betray us like this? I hae tae find him. And I hae tae fight,” he growled.
“Marcas, surely ye cannae fight? Ye hae just recovered from poison. Ye are tae weak.”
“I cannae stay out of the fight,” he said with a resolute tone.
“I hae tae defend my clan against every threat, even the ones within my own family. I hae no idea what Roderick haes done and what he is telling the guards. I must fight before it is tae late.” He went to move away, but before he did, Kirsten pulled him back.
She was desperate for him not to fight, but she knew that he had to.
It was in his nature, and the men of the Monroe clan needed him to stand tall.
“But what about Roderick?” she asked before he left.
Marcas turned and frowned. “I will send a guard tae fetch him and bring him tae yer cell. Wait here; otherwise, people might think ye hae escaped.” Kirsten could do nothing but agree as Marcas strode away.
There was a slight stagger to his steps, and she feared that the poison had affected him too much to be effective in battle.
Even with his strength sapped, he would still be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, but it would be easier to strike him down.
Still, she couldn’t be anything but impressed by the way he handled himself and his devotion to the clan.
Her heart swelled with love for him. She hoped he would survive the battle and return to her because they had unfinished business.
The wait was anxious. Kirsten remained near the dungeons, keeping to the shadows as she waited.
She was glad that Marcas had trusted her when the moment arrived, and it showed her that she had made an impact on him, and that their marriage was worth fighting for.
It also showed that his heart wasn’t completely made of ice either.
She paced frantically, gnawing her lower lip and wringing her hands before she saw figures approach.
“Unhand me! This is crazy! I will hae yer head for this!” Roderick yelled.
“Aye, but I’ve seen what Marcas does tae people who disobey his orders, and I’m nae gaeing tae be one of them,” the guard said.
Kirsten grinned with grim delight when she saw Roderick approach, being humiliated in the same way as she had been.
In his wake was Moira, who looked distraught.
When Moira saw Kirsten, her face rippled with confusion, although she was happy to see Kirsten out of her cell.
“Kirsten? What’s happening? All I know is that this guard arrested Roderick and claimed tae be working on Marcas’s orders. What’s gaeing on? I’m sae confused.” Moira asked.
“Ye will find out soon, Moira, if ye want tae come with me down tae the dungeons,” Kirsten said, and followed the guard down.
The hallways were filled with Roderick’s anguished cries and his struggles to be free, but the guard was burly and strong, and he effortlessly chucked Roderick into the dungeon, locking the door behind him.
Roderick’s face twisted in rage as he clutched to the iron bars, rattling the door like chains.
“What hae ye done, ye witch! Ye hae twisted Marcas’s mind against his own family!
Moira, dear, sweet Moira, surely ye must believe me?
I hae never wanted anything but the best for this family.
I hae only wanted tae take care of ye and Marcas.
She is the one who wants tae tear this family apart.
There haes only been trouble since she arrived.
” Kirsten was afraid that Moira might believe him, but the bond of friendship and sisterhood was powerful.
Moira pressed her lips together and shook her head.
“I hae always trusted ye, Uncle, but I cannae believe ye in this. I know Kirsten would never want tae hurt us. She’s my friend.” Moira turned to Kirsten. “What is happening?”
Kirsten wore a smug look on her face as she spoke, turning her attention between Moira and Roderick as she explained the story. Moira gasped as it all made sense.
“The only thing I’m nae sure about is why he would want tae dae this in the first place, and why the poison wouldnae claim Marcas’s life?” She framed the words as a question and directed it towards Roderick.
The man looked sullen and defeated. Shadows crossed his face, and there was terror in his eyes. He breathed heavily, his words laced with venom. “Because ye didnae use the right amount. He needed more for it tae take full effect,” he finally admitted after being cornered.
“Uncle! It’s true?” Moira gasped.
Roderick flung his arms up and paced around the cell.
“Aye, it’s true. It’s all true!” he spat.
“Why would ye dae such a thing?” Kirsten asked.
Roderick stopped pacing and wore a wry smile. He clicked his tongue against his teeth and spoke in a low burr.
“Ye wouldnae understand what it’s like tae grow up with someone like my brother.
He was always the strongest, the fastest, the tallest. He won every competition and was gaeing tae be the laird.
All of this was gaeing tae be his birthright.
” He stretched out his arms, as though he was encompassing all of the Monroe land.
“And why? Because he was more deserving than me? Nay…it was only because he was born first. It was just a quirk of fate that put him in that position, and then there was me, the forgotten brother who haed tae make sure that my dear kin got everything he wanted. Well, I made sure of that. I gave him the battles he craved because that was all he was interested in.”
His attention turned to Moira. “Dae ye truly think yer da could hae made this clan sae successful? All he wanted was tae fight. I was the one who took care of everything else. And there was only one person who appreciated me: his wife.” His thin lips spread into a malevolent smile.
“She was the only thing that made life worth living. She saw him for what he truly was—a brute who cared for nothing other than himself. We formed a plan tae take the clan for ourselves. With the laird gone, I was in control, but of course, wee little Marcas was going tae grow and take his rightful place as the laird once he was old enough. I told her to poison him, but she made a mistake and drank the wrong cup. She poisoned herself instead.” He spoke with derision and shook his head, as though he couldn’t understand how she had made such a mistake.
Kirsten thought she might know, though. She couldn’t imagine any mother murdering their own child.
Surely she would rather have died herself than bring such a fate to Marcas.
“Sae all this time I hae been waiting for someone tae come along, and finally the stars aligned and brought Kirsten tae us. In all this confusion, I haed arranged with the Calbraiths tae make an attack. It was nae hard; they were quite willing tae make a deal for a slice of our land. It’s all in motion now.
As soon as the battle is over, I’ll be free tae be laird, and Marcas will be honored.
And I’ll make an example of the both of ye! ”
Kirsten and Moira recoiled in horror at the evil in this man.
“Ye are a monster!” Kirsten said. “How could ye put power and greed above yer family?”
“They were never my family. They treated me more like a servant. I’m just getting what’s due tae me,” Roderick said.
“Well, ye are wrong. Ye are gaeing tae rot in here,” Kirsten said. She pulled Moira away, leaving Roderick to his lonely cell. A grim laugh chased them, and they were glad when they were outside again as they left the laughter behind.
Kirsten clutched Moira tightly. She could see the girl was trembling.
“Are ye well?” Kirsten asked in a gentle voice.
“I never…I never believed that he was capable of such a thing. And Ma as well…I knew that Da wasnae always the perfect husband, but I never thought she would dae anything like that. There are sae many secrets, and I was blind tae them all!” she sobbed.
“Ye cannae blame yerself, and ye shouldnae feel bad. Roderick played the part well. He fooled us all. I thought all he wanted was tae help me, but he had his own dark plots. At least the truth is out. It’s better that we see him for the monster he truly is rather than let him scheme.”
“Does Marcas know?”
“He knows that Roderick is responsible, but he doesnae know about everything else.”
“Dae ye think…dae ye think ye could tell him? I’m nae sure that I could make it through the conversation without breaking down in tears. I can barely face the truth even now.” Moira nestled her face into the crook of Kirsten’s neck.
“Of course, I will. I’m here for ye,” Kirsten said.
“I’m sorry, Kirsten. I’m sorry for nae fighting harder for ye. I should never hae believed him. I was just sae worried for Marcas. I didnae know what tae think.”
“I dinnae blame ye, Moira. Ye haed no reason tae doubt him. He’s family.”
Moira lifted her head to look at Kirsten directly. Tears swam in her eyes. “Aye, but ye are family tae. I know we are nae bonded by blood, but we are bonded. Ye are my sister, truly, and I promise that I will never doubt ye again.”
Kirsten smiled, and emotion overwhelmed her.
She wrapped her arms around Moira’s shoulders, and they hugged while in the distance, the battle raged.
The air was filled with furious cries and the sounds of steel clashing.
The night was alive with fire and blood.
Kirsten was very afraid of what might happen.
She had claimed the truth from Roderick, but what good would that be if Marcas died?
It was so difficult to see what was happening out on the battlefield, and she could not tell which warrior was Marcas, but she held Moira tightly as they remained safely by the dungeon and prayed that Marcas would make it through yet another battle.