Chapter 27
“Oh, come now,” Nella heard Keithen counter at Callum.
“All those years at court, you are a noble one, Sir Callum, but do not be naive as well! There are forever whispers and threats and vipers who garner to earn the king’s favor.
I seek only the same; however, my favor shall be answered tenfold after the crown is placed in my hands then set into the awaiting hands of its final keeper.
Once bequeathed, my lady shall make certain all is as it should be with her most eloquent talent at court.
The timing is perfect; a fresh treaty fills the air with anticipation while others are angered by the loss.
Lord Kolson, not all Northmen whose roots are Viking and hail from the western isles must be pleased by the dire turn at losing to Scotsmen.
” Holger remained silent. “I shall take your silence as an aye. Why one rushes directly into my thoughts who was most gravely upset by the ill turn toward the Kingdom of Norway.”
“Sir James,” Brayden remarked.
“The very one. A knight in your post not so very long ago till he turned ‘traitor’ to King Alexander, yet embraced by the Kingdom of Norway. Seems to me the term ‘traitor’ is only deemed by the side they turned upon. So, pray tell, how is Sir James a traitor if he was only remaining loyal to his Northern roots?”
Callum narrowed his gaze. “You have been speaking with him, haven’t you.”
“I see why the lady fancies you, Sir Callum. Clever and pretty,” Keithen replied.
“Aye, Sir James and I have traded missives on more than one occasion since Largs. Once the fresh King of Scots is crowned, he will bequeath those western isles unto Sir James, who nae longer seeks only to be made a duke but a king of those very same isles.” A pile of traitorous toads, the lot of them.
All that was missing was a loch or puddle.
Nella crossed her arms. “Dare I ask how you plan such an ambitious strike against a king who is unparalleled in strength?”
Keithen began pacing again. “A king is but a man. Feasts, shites, breathes same as any. The difference lay with those who surround.” Nella glanced at Callum as he met her gaze.
The guard. Keithen meant to control the royal guardsmen.
Oh, hell! “From the earnest expressions worn by all I am guessing those clever minds have deduced the strength I mean to harness.” Keithen threw his hand toward the shuttered entry.
“I have warriors, ack, many as I wish. However” – he looked at Callum and her stomach dropped – “I need the king’s men-at-arms. Control the swords, control the kingdom.
You, Sir Callum, and those blades which surround the king are the true keepers of the Highlands’ crown.
” Keithen pointed at him. “Then there is a dash from chaos which will be feathered in.”
“Chaos?” Nella whispered the word ridden by fear.
“Well, you declared it, my lady. King Alexander is upon the very pinnacle of his reign, a male bairn, his heir, already born. There simply is nae other way. Forthwith, the king must die. In a most grand way, of course.”
“This!” Nella shouted. “You claimed my dowry for this! Slaying our King of Scots!” She tried lunging at him again. “How could you!” Sèidrich held her.
“My lady, if not for your dowry none of this would have been possible.” Keithen’s words froze her into stillness.
Whose fault was all this? Right here – hers! She never saw what a monster this Scotsman was and now King Alexander was about to pay the ultimate price. Tears blurred her sight as fate kicked her in the gut.
“Nella.” Callum’s quiet summons swung her gaze his way. “Listen to me. ’Tis. Not. Your. Fault.” She bit her lip trying to halt a sob by his act in kindness at her pure witlessness.
Holger questioned Keithen’s original boast. “A grand way; which ‘way’ do you refer?”
“The treaty. Before the final quill may be cast upon parchment an arrow shall be seated in King Alexander’s back. An archer, but not just any warrior; one beyond reproach.” Keithen looked at Callum with a twisted grin.
“Never,” Callum vowed, “I will never slay the king.”
“I carry a very strong quality in reading one’s actions before they are cast,” Keithen countered.
“I never expected you to kill King Alexander. The only true threat I would have within my grasp which may sway you is Lady Fawnella. We both know I cannot harm her for her part forthwith. Thus, I have someone else considered.” Keithen locked eyes with Sèidrich. Why?
The iron grip released her a moment before Sèidrich re-emerged from the far archway, but he was no longer alone. Her mouth gaped. The stranger from a distance looked like a MacCade brother… No, he looked like Callum! The stride was shorter at the walk like a pigeon as he approached them.
“Chief MacHarris,” Keithen introduced as if they all had sat down for cup of ale, “Sir Callum MacCade.”
Clan MacHarris… where did they hail from?
A northern isle was their territory. Chief MacHarris’s gaze locked on her.
Brown eyes, not blue and strong willed. She inwardly cursed; whatever task was laid would be done.
The stare then focused on Callum. “Sir Callum, captain of the royal guard,” he declared in a rough voice before he turned his attentions toward Keithen.
“All my requests have been seen to, Lord MacMardan?”
“They shall, Chief MacHarris.”
“The deed will be done.”
“You dare harm King Alexander,” Callum warned, “I will see your head on a spike at Stirling’s gates.”
MacHarris glared at Callum. “Sir Callum, a king such as yours deserves to meet his grave.” The intense stare looked at, “Lord MacMardan, upon your word, I am prepared to take my leave.”
“Sèidrich shall fetch you in but a short while,” Keithen advised with a nod toward the archway which MacHarris vanished through. Sèidrich re-approached then stood beside her.
“I believe MacHarris who is chosen for the deed shall appear from a distance a keen likeness to yourself.” He pointed at Callum’s chainmail tunic.
“Wearing your signature tunic, of course. The arrow, which shall stun the realm, will bear your name. My wee brother, Sir Sean, who is settled currently at your post, will hunt ‘you’” – Keithen lowered his voice – “MacHarris down.”
“My brother shall not be so easily fooled,” Callum declared.
“Ah, the youngest MacCade brother. Chieftain MacCade will be well occupied,” Keithen assured, then countered, “Once Sir Sean slays MacHarris, who believes coin and grain awaits him at the task’s end, none shall question if ’tis Sir Callum once my wee brother damages the face and eyes with his fist and blade.
” Keithen raised his arms with a grand gesture.
“My wee brother, Sir Sean, will be hailed a noble knight after he slays the one who killed the king! Thus leading Sir Sean to be a natural choice for the post of captain, one which should have been his after Sir James’s departure.
The men-at-arms under my wee brother’s command, we forge ahead.
You as my prisoner serving me to hold your lady from making any rash choices.
If she does, it will force me to torture you or slit your throat or mar those pretty features.
Once the fresh King of Scots is seated, times may offer even grander places yet.
Such as claiming the throne only recently taken by King Magnus.
” Keithen looked at Holger, who clenched his jaw.
“The lawmeander? Ack, weak, a shadow of his late sire! With James appointed king of the isles, I am certain there are those in Norway’s court who would be chomping at the bit to reclaim their chance at the crown. ”
“What is your reward?” Brayden questioned.
Keithen tapped his fingers together in a methodical way before his torso.
“Power. True power. In its most pure sense. Kings have always been hailed as the highest; however, those who stand behind, whispering in the king’s ear, those with the will to sway or control more than the one who wears the crown are the most formidable.
Not the king, who only bears a perennial target upon his back.
Imagine a portrait in your mind of stepping into the solar, alone with the king, one who bends to nae others’ whim but yours alone.
This is the strongest reward, more intoxicating than any ale or lady or fortune one could ever capture.
The four of you should be honored to even stand in this hall with the kingmaker before you. ” Silence filled the air.
Keithen was trying to fill the void. “Keithen,” she said softly, “the power of all the kingdoms will not bring him back.”
The captor’s eyes flashed from greed to despair.
In a blink it was gone. “My lady,” Keithen replied somberly, “he was weak. Same as his mother, thus is why they both failed me.” His next words hit the rafters.
“One never fails me! This is a lesson you will come to know. Guards!” Almost half a dozen fierce faces appeared in a blink.
“Restrain them,” he demanded harshly. Nella’s eyes darted as two guards moved to place an iron grip on Brayden, and Callum with a lone guard holding Holger.
“Sèidrich, remain by Sir Callum,” Keithen demanded.
Sèidrich’s hand dropped from her, obeying the command.
What was Keithen going to do to her Callum?
She cried out when Keithen went at her, his eyes dark as his soul.
The hall turned into chaos by shouts when a manacled palm wrapped her throat while Keithen threatened, “Never attempt to twist my emotions regarding my late wife who could not even birth a lone bairn. Weak! Devil have her and the damned lad!”
“RELEASE HER!” Callum roared, battling against the pair holding him.
Sèidrich began raising his sword at Holger, who broke free from the lone guard.
The Northman advanced a step toward Keithen, who warned, “Before you lay a hand upon me, Lord Kolson, think hard. You believe I would carry nae weight to unleash upon you? Who do you consider is journeying with Sir James?” Holger froze.
“Aye, your younger sister. She is a pawn Sir James will use as required for his gain; this includes any token of need I require. Do not try my patience or your sister shall earn my wroth.” Keithen’s fingers held Nella steady.
“Time to place you in the chambers above, Lady Fawnella. The dungeons buried deep in the undercroft is for your knights and the Northman who shall only hear the rats till we are ready for the next step forth. Sèidrich, see to them. Seize King Magnus’s signet ring from Lord Kolson directly.
Then MacHarris leaves at once with his clansmen. ”
Keithen’s palm dropped quick, like she almost did onto the floor when he released her then stormed out.
Callum struggled to reach her, fighting against the two guards gripping his upper arms as Sèidrich approached her. She raised her hand at Callum while coughing the words, “I… I am unharmed.”
Sèidrich grabbed her elbow, directing her toward the passageway’s archway. Tears began blurring her vision.
“Nella.” Callum’s voice, a wisp, but weighed by iron only for her, sounded from behind. “Listen. Listen well for me as I will search for you. We shall take our leave soon, I vow it.”
She glanced over her shoulder. Callum rubbed his fist on his nose with his bound hands as a distraction, covering his mouth while he spoke to her in secret. He vowed it. Did her knight ever break one of those? Never. Keithen, you chose the wrong knight to cross!