Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
Kenneth sat at the head of the breakfast table, his mind already on the day's tasks ahead. The quiet murmur of conversation and the clinking of cutlery filled the air when suddenly, the doors burst open. Lachlan, his man-at-arms, rushed in, his face flushed with urgency.
"Me laird," Lachlan whispered breathlessly, leaning close to Kenneth's ear. "There's an altercation at the castle gates. It's Lady Sophie's brother. He's brought Mistress Colette, and she's in a bad way."
Kenneth's blood ran cold. He stood abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the stone floor. "Sophie, stay here," he commanded, his voice brooking no argument. "It's nae safe."
But as he strode towards the door, he heard the rustle of skirts behind him. Turning, he saw Sophie following, her chin set in determination.
"I said stay here," he growled.
"It's me brother," Sophie replied, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. "I'm comin'."
Kenneth grumbled under his breath about stubborn women, but he didn't have time to argue. "Fine, but stay behind me," he ordered, setting off at a brisk pace.
As they reached the courtyard, Kenneth's eyes narrowed at the scene before him. Mason Allen stood at the gates, roughly holding up a battered and bruised Colette. The moment he saw Sophie, a cruel smile twisted his lips, and he let Colette drop unceremoniously to the ground.
Sophie gasped, moving to rush forward, but Kenneth's hand shot out, grasping her wrist firmly. "Daenae," he said, his voice low and dangerous.
Mason's cold eyes flicked between them. "Give me back me sister," he snarled, "and we'll let this whole unfortunate incident go."
Kenneth felt a surge of possessiveness, mixed with a fierce protectiveness he'd never experienced before. "Nay," he said, his voice calm but laced with steel. "Sophie is mine now."
He saw Sophie shiver out of the corner of his eye, but he kept his gaze fixed on Mason.
"I've vowed to protect her," Kenneth continued, "and I will, nay matter what."
Mason's face contorted with rage. "This means war, MacAdams," he spat.
Kenneth's lips curled into a cold, dangerous smile. "I'll be waitin'," he replied, his voice so menacing that Sophie shuddered beside him.
With a final glare, Mason spat on the ground and turned on his heel, storming away. Only when he was out of sight did Kenneth relax his grip on Sophie's wrist.
"Lachlan," he called, "take Lady Sophie inside." As his man-at-arms led Sophie away, Kenneth moved to Colette's side, gently lifting her into his arms and carrying her towards the healer's quarters.
As he carried Colette, Kenneth's mind raced with the implications of what had just transpired. He had known this was a possibility when he'd taken Sophie from her brother's keep, but the reality of it still hit him hard.
Colette stirred in his arms, her eyes fluttering open. "Kenneth," she whispered, her voice weak. "Sophie... is she safe?"
"Aye," he assured her, his voice gentle. "She's safe. I willnae let any harm come to her."
A faint smile touched Colette's lips before she slipped back into unconsciousness. Kenneth quickened his pace, worry gnawing at him. Colette had been like a mother to him in his youth, and seeing her in this state filled him with a cold rage.
Reaching the healer's quarters, Kenneth carefully laid Colette on a bed. The healer, an older woman named Fiona, immediately set to work.
"Will she be alright?" Kenneth asked, his voice gruff with concern.
Fiona looked up, her eyes grave but not without hope. "It'll take time, me laird, but aye, I believe she'll recover. She's a strong woman, our Colette."
Kenneth nodded, relief washing over him. "See that she gets the best care," he ordered. "Spare nay expense."
Leaving Colette in Fiona's capable hands, Kenneth made his way back to the great hall. He needed to gather his council, to prepare for the war that was surely coming. But first, he had to check on Sophie.
He found her pacing in the great hall, her face etched with worry and guilt. The moment she saw him, she rushed forward.
"How is Colette? Will she be alright? This is all me fault, I should never have—"
"Sophie," Kenneth cut her off, his voice firm but not unkind. "Colette will recover. Fiona is tendin' to her now."
Sophie's shoulders sagged with relief, but the guilt didn't leave her eyes. "Perhaps I should go back," she said softly. "I cannae bear the thought of more people getting' hurt because of me."
In two long strides, Kenneth was before her. He cupped her chin gently but firmly, tilting her face up to meet his gaze.
"Listen to me, Sophie," he said, his voice low and intense. "Ye're mine now, and I will protect ye with me life. Do ye understand?"
Sophie's eyes widened, a mix of fear and something else – something warmer – flickering in their depths. Slowly, she nodded.
"Good," Kenneth said, releasing her chin. "Now, I need ye to be strong. War is comin', and we must be prepared."
Sophie straightened, her chin lifting with determination. "What can I do to help?"
Kenneth felt a surge of pride at her resilience. "For now, help Fiona with Colette's care. I'll need to meet with me council."
As Sophie hurried off to the healer's quarters, Kenneth called for Lachlan. His man-at-arms appeared quickly, his face grim.
"Gather the council," Kenneth ordered. "And send riders to our allies. We need to ken who will stand with us when the time comes."
Lachlan nodded, turning to carry out his orders, but Kenneth stopped him with a hand on his arm.
"And Lachlan," he added, his voice low, "double the guard. I want eyes on every approach to the castle. If Mason so much as sneezes in our direction, I want to ken about it."
"Aye, me laird," Lachlan replied, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "We'll be ready for the bastard when he comes."
As Lachlan left to carry out his orders, Kenneth moved to the window, his eyes scanning the horizon. He could almost feel the storm gathering, the tension in the air palpable. War was coming, and with it, challenges he had never faced before.
But as he thought of Sophie – her strength, her kindness, the way she had stood up to her brother despite her fear – Kenneth felt a resolve settle over him.
I'll protect her, no matter the cost
The sound of footsteps drew his attention, and he turned to see his council members filing into the room. Old Fergus, his most trusted advisor, approached him first.
"Is it true, me laird?" the old man asked, his bushy eyebrows furrowed with concern. "Are we truly facing war with Clan Allen?"
Kenneth nodded grimly. "Aye, it seems we are. Mason Allen has made his intentions clear."
A murmur ran through the gathered men, a mix of concern and determination. Kenneth raised his hand for silence.
"I ken this isnae what any of us wanted," he said, his voice carrying to every corner of the room. "But we cannae back down now. Lady Sophie is under our protection, and we will nae abandon her to a cruel fate."
He met each council member's eyes in turn, gauging their reactions. Some looked worried, others determined. But none, he was relieved to see, showed any sign of wavering in their loyalty.
"We need to prepare," Kenneth continued. "Strengthen our defenses, gather supplies, call in favors from our allies. I want every man who can hold a sword to begin trainin' immediately."
The council burst into activity, each member offering suggestions and taking on tasks. Kenneth listened, offering guidance where needed, his mind working furiously to anticipate every possible scenario.
As the meeting wore on, Kenneth found his thoughts continually drifting to Sophie. He worried about how she was coping, whether the gravity of the situation had fully sunk in.
For a moment, doubt crept in. Had he made the right decision? Should he have found another way to help Sophie, one that didn't put his entire clan at risk?
But then he remembered the fear in Sophie's eyes when she spoke of her brother, the way she had blossomed in the short time she had been under his protection. No, he had made the right choice. Sophie deserved a life free from fear and abuse, and he would ensure she had it.
As the council meeting drew to a close, Kenneth felt a new sense of purpose settle over him. Yes, they faced a formidable enemy. Yes, the road ahead would be difficult. But they would face it together, as a clan united in purpose.
"Me laird," Lachlan's voice cut through his thoughts. "The riders have been sent, and the guard doubled as ye ordered."
Kenneth nodded his approval. "Good. And what of our defenses?"
"We're shorin' them up as we speak," Lachlan reported. "Every approach to the castle is being fortified. If Mason Allen wants a war, he'll find us ready and waitin'."
"Excellent work," Kenneth said, clapping Lachlan on the shoulder. "Keep me informed of any developments."
As Lachlan left to oversee the preparations, Kenneth thought of Sophie, of the way her eyes had widened when he'd declared her his. There had been fear there, yes, but also something else. Something that made his heart race in a way he wasn't entirely comfortable with.
Kenneth shook his head, trying to clear it of such distracting thoughts. He couldn't afford to be distracted, not now. He had a clan to protect, a war to prepare for.
And yet, as he turned away from the window, ready to throw himself back into the preparations, Kenneth couldn't quite shake the image of Sophie's face from his mind. Nor could he ignore the fierce protectiveness that surged through him at the thought of her.
"She's mine now," he had told Mason. The words had come unbidden, driven by an instinct he didn't fully understand. But as he reflected on them now, Kenneth realized they were true in more ways than he had initially meant.
Sophie was his to protect, yes. But she was also becoming something more. Something he wasn't ready to name, but something he couldn't ignore.
With a sigh, Kenneth pushed these troubling thoughts aside. There would be time to sort out his feelings later. For now, he had a war to prepare for, and a vow to keep.