Chapter 9 #2
“What are we takin’ to the Lowlands?” she asked Leod, curious as to what was under the tarp.
“We take food, supplies, and weapons to the rest of our clan that resides in the Lowlands,” Leod explained. “They are no’ within the protection of the castle walls, so we need to make sure they are safe.”
“Weapons?” she asked. “What kind of weapons?”
“Take a look.” Leod pulled back the tarp, showing Spring. She was taken aback by what she saw. Atop barrels and bundles were a half-dozen bows and many arrows. Each one was beautifully etched and decorated much like the one she used.
“These are beautiful.” She pulled an arrow out of one of the quivers and ran her fingers along the shaft. It was light and smooth and had small flowers etched into it. “Where did they come from?”
“Shaw made them.”
“He did?” She looked up in wonder.
“Aye,” said Leod. “Our father taught him the craft. They used to make bows and arrows together.”
“So I’ve heard.” It took her breath away to see a weapon of destruction looking like a work of art.
She thought she was the only one that had a weapon like that.
Now she could see that Shaw wasn’t lying.
He really had helped his father make the bow and arrows that she’d stolen. No wonder it meant so much to him.
“All right, let’s go.” Shaw walked up behind her. “Children, get in the wagon. We should have been on the road by now. It’s a long journey and we will have to stop at an inn for the night. We should arrive there sometime tomorrow.”
“I want to ride next to Spring,” said Colina.
“I dinna want to sit anywhere near her,” grumbled Leith.
“Ye’ll both ride in the back with Baen. Spring will ride up front with me,” Shaw told them.
Spring was happy to hear that Shaw wanted her next to him, but she thought it would be better if she sat with the children and tried to work on getting Leith to like her.
“I’d like to ride with the children in the wagon,” she said.
“Ye do?” Shaw didn’t seem to like the idea.
“I’ll be able to keep an eye on them better that way.”
“Yes, I suppose so. Baen, ye’ll ride in front with me, then.”
“Aye, my laird,” said Baen, hopping up to the driver’s seat as Leod tied the tarp down over the shipment. Leith got into the back of the cart and Colina grabbed Spring’s hand.
“Come on, Spring. We can play a game on the way there. I ken a game where we spy things along the road.”
“Mayhap Leith will want to play as well,” said Spring, following Colina into the back of the wagon.
“Never. No’ with ye,” said Leith, frowning and leaning over the opposite side.
They had just left the castle when Spring noticed Shaw constantly looking over his shoulder. At first, she thought he was looking at her, but then she realized he was looking farther down the road. He turned around and she heard him tell Baen that someone was following them.
Sitting up straight, she scanned the area, glimpsing two riders on horseback that were wearing the Gunn plaid. She immediately knew they were her brothers.
“Shaw, stop,” she shouted.
Shaw stopped the wagon and started to dismount with his hand on the hilt of his sword. Baen did the same.
“Nay, wait!” She flipped her body over the side of the cart and ran to them.
“We’re bein’ followed and I’m goin’ to take care of this,” said Shaw.
“It’s only my brathairs,” she told him, putting her hand on his arm. “Let me talk to them, please. They are probably just missin’ me, that’s all.”
She didn’t think Shaw was going to agree, but then he nodded slightly. “Go fast. We want to make it to the inn before the sun sets. It’s no’ safe for the children to be sleepin’ along the road at night. If ye are in any trouble, just call out.”
“They’re my brathairs. They willna harm me.”
“It’s no’ ye I’m worried about.” Shaw’s eyes traveled to his children. “I dinna usually bring the young ones along because there might be bandits on the road and it’s dangerous. I’m no’ sure this is a good idea.”
“I understand.” Now she knew why Shaw didn’t let his children travel with him. She thought it was neglect but, in reality, it was overprotection.
She ran to meet Bodil and Egil who emerged from the woods when they saw her coming.
“What are ye doin’?” she asked, once she approached them. “Ye are goin’ to cause trouble. Now, get back to the camp.” She hoped her father wasn’t in the woods as well. She didn’t want to talk to him yet.
“Faither sent us to find out when ye’re goin’ to help us get inside the castle walls,” said Egil.
“Shhhh,” she warned and glanced back at Shaw, glad he was too far away to hear them. “Tell him I need more time.”
“He’s impatient,” said Bodil. “He said he found a weakness on the battlements. Only one guard is posted at night and we could take him quietly with an arrow and no one would even ken.”
“Ye mean I could take him with an arrow,” said Spring. “No one else in the clan can shoot that far.”
“Then ye do it,” said Bodil. “Afterwards, ye can open the gate and let us in.”
“Nay.” She glanced back at the children. She would feel terrible if anything happened to them. “It’s no’ time yet. Now go back and wait. I’ll let ye ken when to move in.”
“Mayhap now is the right time after all. Ye’re leavin’,” said Egil. “With Shaw gone, it might be easier to attack.”
“Nay!” she said, a little too loud. She checked to make sure Shaw hadn’t heard, then finished speaking in a softer voice.
“It’s no’ time yet. We’re no’ goin’ to be gone but an hour,” she lied, not wanting to let them know they’d be gone for a few days.
“I’ll sneak out and come to our camp when the time is right.
Now please, just leave. Ye’re goin’ to arouse suspicion. ”
“Nay, we willna,” said Bodil, looking up at Shaw and nodding. “We’re friends now.”
“That’s right,” said Egil, waving at the children. “We’ve got an alliance thanks to ye. Shaw Gordon willna suspect a thing.”
“Dinna be so sure about that.” She turned and headed back to the others.
Shaw didn’t like the fact Spring’s brothers were following them, hidden in the woods. If it had been a friendly visit, they would have made their presence known. Something was amiss.
“I’m ready to go.” Spring hopped back into the wagon.
“Were those yer brathairs?” asked Colina.
“Aye,” she answered.
“What did they want?” asked Leith.
“It was just a friendly visit, naught else. Now, shall we play that game while we travel?”
“Do ye believe that?” Baen whispered to Shaw.
“No’ on yer life.” Shaw sat back down and took the reins. “I think we’ll go back to the castle,” he announced, getting disappointed complaints from his children.
“Nay, I want to go on a trip with ye,” said Colina.
“Me, too,” added Leith. “Faither, ye promised.”
Spring’s head shot up and she stared at him intensely. He felt it all the way down to his toes.
“Is there a problem?” she asked. “Does this have somethin’ to do with my brathairs? Dinna ye trust them?”
His children were both staring at him the same way as Spring now and he didn’t know what to say.
His new wife had put him in a very awkward position.
If he admitted he didn’t trust them, Spring would be angry with him.
He already had enough trouble with her. And if he went back on his promise to take the children to the Lowlands, that could be a problem, too.
The children were so excited that he didn’t want to disappoint them.
Nairnie’s words kept ringing in his ears that he needed to work harder to be the father his children wanted him to be.
He turned around and talked to Baen under his breath.
“Go back to the castle and tell Leod to double the guards at the gate. I dinna want the Gunns attackin’ when I’m no’ there to protect it.
Tell them to keep a close eye on the surroundin’s day and night.
If there is any doubt at all, have them close and lock the gate until I return. ”
“But it’s no’ safe if I leave,” said Baen. “The dangerous part of the woods is comin’ up. What if ye meet bandits on the road?”
“Reed and some of the others from the Lowlands always meet Leod halfway on this trip. They ken we’re comin’ and should be here soon, so dinna worry.”
“Aye, my laird.” Baen got to the ground and started to walk.
“Where are ye goin’?” asked Spring, getting out of the wagon.
“I – I . . .” Baen’s eyes shot over to Shaw.
“Baen’s not feelin’ well and is goin’ to skip the trip after all,” Shaw told her.
“Really.” Spring’s eyebrows raised and her face remained stone-like.
“Goodbye, children, have a fun time,” said Baen sounding much too cheery for feeling ill. He hummed to himself as he started to walk back to the castle.
“I think Baen should take the extra horse back to the castle if he’s no’ feelin’ well, dinna ye?” Spring said.
Suddenly, Baen doubled over and moaned, remembering he was supposed to be ill.
“He can walk.” Shaw sat down, preparing to go. “We’re no’ that far from the castle. Besides, I like to have an extra horse in case anythin’ happens along the road. We’ll switch them out so they dinna get too tired on the journey. Now, get back in the wagon, Spring, we need to go.”
She stood there with her arms folded over her chest, just staring at him. It ate away at him and he let out a huge sigh. He talked to Baen without looking at him. “Take the damn horse, Baen and get goin’.”
“Aye.” Baen untied the horse, mounted, and rode back toward the castle.
“Now, get back in the wagon, Wife, or I’ll leave ye here.” He started away without waiting. Before he knew it, she ran up alongside the driver’s seat and pulled herself up to sit next to him.
“I thought ye wanted to ride with the children.” He looked straight ahead when he spoke.
“I changed my mind.” They continued their journey in silence for a while and then she started up with the questions. “How often do ye make the bows and arrows?”
So, she’d seen the shipment. Why didn’t that surprise him?
“Whenever I have the time.”
“Is it hard to do?”
“No’ for me.”
“I’d like ye to teach me how to do it.”
He chuckled and she didn’t seem to like that.