Chapter 32
Damn! That was close to his heart if it had sunk through his flesh. If not for the stolen chainmail tunic, the bolt… Callum looked down at his shoulder where he had yanked the bolt free. It would have finished him for sure.
If not for Nella’s efforts they would have been taken fully unprepared. His stare moved toward the lady who rode beside him whose horse he was leading with the reins while she shuffled through the parchments from the late Lord MacMardan’s chambers.
“My lady,” Holger said in a demanding whisper at her as the three young smiths conversed among themselves a few strides back, “a chronicle should be in order, directly before riding through this open meadow.”
Callum’s eyes narrowed. How dare he order Nella about! Her scalp tilted slightly before he could say as much. If he spoke now, it may harm her. He clenched his jaw.
Her eyes met Callum’s first. It was a small gesture, but did it smooth his anger slightly? Aye. She whispered to him and Brayden and Holger. “All silent, except creatures born of the forest.”
“That would be my mother-in-law,” Brayden groused before the three glanced at him.
“’Tis true, the lady is the same as the woodpecker a stretch back except instead of a tree she is always pecking upon my lady and me.
‘Lady Maise, your knight is too short. Lady Maise, your knight slouches.’” He paused as he shrugged his shoulders.
“Pardon, near brushes with death tend to bring out my sour side.”
“Then you should be as sour as the unripe blaeberry there, Sir Brayden,” Holger huffed, nodding at the bramble the horses stomped over before staring at, “Lady Fawnella, you were rather extraordinary.” Holger practically batted his eye lashes at her.
Callum’s fist tightened on the rein. “I would care for you to join me at King Magnus’s court once we are from here.
” Nella pursed her lips. Aye, she is not going anywhere with you!
Holger winked with his eye which was re-opening from the earlier swelling while he boasted, “I will save my sister first by slaying the treacherous Sir James, then the three of us sail off to—”
Kameron’s voice boomed. “Shite, are you daft, Lord Kolson?” Thank you, Kameron, couldn’t agree more. Holger glared at the young lad who rode up on Nella’s far side. “I believe you missed a few steps in there. What of Sir Callum’s brother, Alec, or our lord king’s life or the treaty?”
“I believe placing Sir Sean in irons should be upon that list as well,” Brayden added.
“Agreed.” Callum looked toward Nella. “Any insights on who our mysterious lord is that stole Sèidrich and Sir Sean’s loyalty from Keithen? The same lord Keithen was going to name before being killed.”
Nella shook her head. “Nae; however, there are many missives Keithen wrote about who he was considering to approach once the crown was acquired.” Nella handed over a missive with titles written. Sir Brayden on his right, they scanned over the list.
A groan etched with a reply sounded from Brayden. “Half the king’s court is listed upon there and it states this is a lone page of two. There is nae second page?”
“Nae, Lord MacMardan must have laid it to waste in the hearth before we could reach him.”
“Impressive.” Holger’s lips twitched upward. “Such a loyal following in the kingdom of Scots.”
“Lord Kolson,” Nella called.
“Yes, my lady?”
“Here is the list, which did survive, on those whom Lord MacMardan thought to approach in King Magnus’s court.”
A low chuckle sounded by Kameron. “Ah, Northmen, they are forever loyal unto their kings.” Holger glared at Kameron before he snatched the parchment from Nella’s outstretched grasp.
“That weasel bastard! I should have known never to trust him,” Callum heard the Northman curse as he scanned his possible traitors to the Kingdom of Norway’s crown.
Callum looked at Nella. “Keep searching, my lady.” She nodded, re-raising the parchments in her grip when a breeze ruffled all their garments as Kameron fell back to tell the pair of young lads about the development.
Perth. Callum’s eyes searched the darkened forest beyond the bright meadow they currently rode through.
The lather under Luss’s mane declared after hours traveling they could not ride onward indefinite toward the burgh.
Sometime after late nightfall they would have to rest the horses before the final stretch.
How to do this and not lay prey to the Sèidrich’s hunters who certainly would be trailing them?
Had Nella told him what Sèidrich’s final words had been when they escaped?
Aye. Yet somehow, they had to reach their first before the Keithen’s slayer found them or Chief MacHarris.
Holger broke his thoughts as if sensing his dilemma.
“We must reach Perth first and I must seek Sir James before boldness, which runs the bastard’s veins, causes him to act upon a plan of his own with any of these.
” The Northman’s mirth gone as he ruffled the parchment so loud his horse leapt forward a stride.
“I shall be taking my leave of you to do just this. I know the path the clergy were to travel with Sir James for the treaty signing. It lies north of Perth. I believe my lord king would wish the same as yours regarding ‘discretion’. Thus, I shall quietly ensure Sir James is not present at the signing nor any harm befalls my sister.”
Callum took a breath, about to reply, when Nella whimpered.
“Nella?” His concern outweighed her title’s propriety.
Her eyes flicked up to meet his. No pain. His shoulders lowered.
“Two matters, my knight,” she whispered… Wait, she whispered; why? His gaze darted further into the forest whose edges they had just reached. The shadows from the pines were dark like gates to hell on the ground. “We must halt, the MacHarris encampment is to be just beyond that stream.”
Luss’s stride paused mid-step as Callum pulled on Nella’s reins, stopping her horse. Everyone followed their lead.
“Perfect,” Holger muttered, “perhaps we should introduce the king’s hunters to our hunters.”
Nella’s attention snapped toward the Northman. “Perhaps.”
“’Twas a jest, my lady,” he retorted in a low tone. “Do not act daft, ’tis not becoming.”
“Lord Kolson,” Callum growled, “before one more step forth there is a matter we must settle. You dare insult or order or place one more flirtatious comment at my lady’s feet, I shall finish what Lord MacMardan began upon your face, understood?”
Holger narrowed his eyes. “’Tis a rather un-knightly threat there, Scotsman.”
“Nae threat but a matter in fact if you seek another word torn at her in an uncomely manner, Northman,” Callum countered.
“If not for her efforts, your hide would have been bolted onto the trees by those crossbows outside Lord MacMardan’s keep after Sèidrich’s order.
” He released Luss’s rein to jab his finger toward where they had come.
Holger looked at him a hard moment before he nodded toward Nella. “Pardon, my lady.”
Callum lowered his hand then looked at the one whose lips were parted with surprise. “My lady, what is the second?”
“Per… perhaps,” she stammered, “we would wish to seek Chief MacHarris. I believe he would care to know of this.” She handed the parchment from the top of the pile toward him.
His fingers brushed hers hidden beneath the parchment’s folds and her eyes remained locked on him.
Only him. Aye, lass, nae one shall speak ill of you, ever.
***
Callum stood strong. He had stood strong for her!
There had been moments since they had reconciled but she had never seen a Scotsman declare it so boldly in her honor as at the Northman.
The same Northman whose crass offer in journeying with him to Norway had made her bite her tongue on the reply she truly wanted to say which was unfitting for the young lad’s ears present.
Her skin burned from Callum’s touch in the secret exchange between them. She took a breath.
After Callum read the missive, his lashes widened while he glanced at her.
“’Tis brilliant, my lady.” If it were any other time she would have smiled at his compliment, but what they were about to endeavor upon was wrought with danger.
“Lord Kolson, you are to ride with us upon this stretch and meeting Chief MacHarris.”
Holger raised a brow. “Meet with a chief and an unknown amount of warriors flanking him.”
“Over three dozen,” she enlightened. At least that was how many voices had been in the chronicle.
“Three dozen?” Holger’s second brow met the first at his hairline. “I believe the daft title falls upon you, Sir Callum.”
Callum replied to Holger somberly, “We shall know soon enough.” Looking at Nella, he advised, “My lady, remain close. Lads,” he called upon the three at their back, “we are to journey forth into an enemy encampment. If you wish to seek your leave, I shall not hold it against you.”
Kameron spoke with the two young lads in hushed tones.
“I want to return to my kin,” the first whispered at Kameron as the second declared, “Kam, as do I.”
Kameron nodded, and the copper hairs brushed across the young smith’s eyes as he replied toward Callum, “They seek to take their leave for home. I will remain at your side, Sir Callum.” Kameron’s wide shoulders set. “Your lady saved my kin.” He nodded at her. “I shall help you keep ’er safe.”
Nella’s brow furrowed. “Lads,” she said quietly at those planning to leave, “journey eastward first.” She pointed toward the landscape filled by many boulders.
“’Twill take you away from those who would hunt us.
” The pair nodded before Kameron bequeathed a share in provisions and flagon of ale for them.
As they rode away, Kameron turned toward her.
“Kameron, you need not feel any obligation toward me about your kin. If you wish to take your leave as well, I shall harbor nae ill feelings.”
“Nor I,” Callum added.
Kameron regarded them then winked. “There is a selfish root in my purpose, a yearn to impress my lass when I return to her side with tales of glory.” His lass was a fortunate one indeed.
“As you wish,” Nella whispered then paused. Never had she declared her instinct in senses so quickly or openly. That was about to change right now.
The lad’s eyes doubled moments later. “Shite,” was his reply once she had explained the element in her grasp.
Brayden grinned. “’Tis more ‘harkening’ than shite.”
“P… pardon, my lady.” The lad’s cheeks matched his hair. “I have heard the rumors upon the Highlands. I always thought it was a simple bluff in gaining a superior air from one clan toward another who was an enemy.”
“Are we to take our leave or discuss matters in clan warfare?” Holger groused.
Nella glanced at the Northman. “Warfare, Lord Kolson.” She tilted her head slightly in a full chronicle.
A moment later she explained the findings.
“Regarding the encampment’s occupants. Chief MacHarris is southwest beyond your shoulder, Lord Kolson.
” She pointed at the section only bearing bramble at their current angle.
“Warriors are making use of nature’s chamber pot by watering the trees northwest from us, over there.
” Her hand motioned past Kameron, who bore an open-mouthed expression.
“So, if my knight wishes to unleash a surprise upon our arrival, this would be the best path.”
Holger huffed to himself under his breath as he turned his charger. “The lady is definitely returning with me and my sister back to King Magnus’s court.” His breath caught when he snapped his head back up toward her, realizing his mistake at saying his thought out loud. Not happening, Northman.
“My lady?” Callum summoned in low voice.
“Aye.” She rode her charger directly alongside his till they touched as they ventured southwest. Callum sought the chief first. Bold and determined and forthright. That was her knight.
He handed her back the missive. “Be ready to unleash this upon Chief MacHarris.” His fingers once more held hers a brief moment more than needed to hand off the parchment. “You are a most formidable lady,” he said for her ears alone.
He released her fingers. She folded the precious missive separate from the other remaining parchments before tucking them all carefully into the satchel strapped across her shoulder.
Her pulse raced like the breeze ruffling her cloak.
Was it caused by the chance they were about to undertake or Callum’s touch with declaration? Hard to tell.