No…she couldn’t believe that anyone could have kissed her with the passion that Rhys had and not meant it. She couldn’t believe that anyone could make love like he did and not feel a complete connection within her soul. No…she was not going to give in to doubt. As bad as this seemed, as worried as her father was, she wasn’t going to accept it without speaking to Rhys first. She had to hear the truth from his lips, and then she would know what to believe.
She pulled a shawl around her shoulders and raced out of the room, ignoring her father’s pleas for her to stay in safety, ignoring his warnings that it would do no good. In a flurry of tears she made her way to the deep, dark dungeon, where her husband waited.
16
Rhys had been unceremoniously dumped into a small cell. The walls were damp. There was barely any light apart from that which came from a flickering torch outside the cell. Mark had taken great delight as he thought that the true nature of the Frasiers as a wild and dishonorable clan had been confirmed. Rhys had thought about wrestling the sword away from him and making an escape, but he knew it wouldn’t have done his cause any good, and it wouldn’t have convinced Caitlin of the truth. That was the only thing that mattered to him now. He didn’t want to see the love fade from her eyes.
The bars of the cell were solid iron and would not budge even when he used all of his mighty strength. Mark had left him down here, his cackling laughter echoing through the hall that led back up to the civilized part of the keep. This place was grim, and there was a sense of being lost and forgotten. Rhys had barely been in here and he was already feeling suffocated and oppressed. There was a sense that nobody would ever come to find him again, and that he would be left to rot here, only ever having enjoyed one night of pure passion.
His heart roiled as he thought about what Bryn was telling Caitlin, for he surely wasn’t going to let her languish in ignorance. He hoped that his love was strong enough for her to believe him, but compared to the words of her father…the Frasier name was a blight that hung around his neck like a noose. What right did she have to believe him?
He sat on the damp floor and pressed his back against the stone, hoping that his warning had come in time and that at least the keep could be saved and disaster could be avoided.
Soon enough he heard the patter of footsteps coming along the corridor. The stones were illuminated by the orange glow of a torch. He pushed himself up, not daring to hope that it was Caitlin, but his heart leaped when he saw her. It sank when he saw how stricken she looked. She came up to the bars. The glistening tracks of her tears were visible on her cheeks, and she wiped them away, sniffing back her sadness. Rhys’s heart broke, for he hated that he had caused her this much pain, suffering, and confusion. All he wanted to do was take care of her.
“Caitlin…” he began, but she threw up a single hand and shook her head.
“I dinnae want tae hear it from ye Rhys. I just want ye tae answer me one question,” she said. He could tell she was struggling to maintain control of her voice. Emotions ran high. He gripped the cold iron bars tightly, hating that they were separating him from her. He wanted to wrench them away and take her in his arms again, wanted to kiss her with all the feeling he could muster so that she need never doubt his loyalty and devotion to her.
“Dae ye want this war?” she asked. “I’ll know if ye’re lying,” she added.
“I’d never lie tae ye,” Rhys said quickly, and then his head hung. “At first I was excited. I was proud of Da for thinking of a plan that would give us an advantage, and that we might be seen as something more than powerful brutes. But then I met ye and I spent time with ye and yer family. Ye hae shown us great hospitality and I like yer plans for the future. The thought of growing a new clan through trade is appealing. All my da wants is war. I tried tae get him tae reconsider. I tried tae find allies within the clan, but they are all loyal tae him. They cannae see anything other than their glory, for being the ones tae finally end the threat of the McCleareys.” He took a breath. “But I dinnae want that. I want tae live with ye, tae be happy with ye. I hae loved every moment of ye being here and ye hae shown me that there is a different way tae live than tae be in war with each other. I want peace, just like ye dae. Ye hae shown me around tae yer way of thinking and now I cannae want any other way.
“Da blames ye all for my ma’s death. He cannae see anything but hatred, but I can. Yer love makes me a better person, Caitlin. I want tae be worthy of ye. I want ye tae be proud when ye look at me.”
His words were earnest and he imbued them with all the sincerity his heart could muster, but he wasn’t sure it was enough. There were still tears in her eyes.
“How can I believe ye? Why did ye wait this long tae tell us?” Her voice cracked with emotion.
“I tried tae tell ye lass, but I could never find the right time. I love ye, Caitlin. Ye are the only thing that means anything in the world tae me now.”
“How can I believe that? How can I know that this is nae some kind of trick tae escape?”
“Ye said that ye could tell if I was lying. Dinnae doubt yerself now, Caitlin. Ye are the girl who can throw axes better than anyone I hae ever met. Ye are the one who taught me how tae dance. I could never love anyone like I love ye. All I want is for us tae hae a life taegether. And I’ll dae anything tae prove it tae ye…even if it means stopping my da myself,” he said.
Caitlin looked at him directly.
“Dae ye think ye can win?”
“I dinnae ken, but I hae tae try. Even if it means my life, I want tae die knowing that I’m daeing what’s right, that I’m protecting my wife, the woman that I love. I’d rather have one Frasier die than know that a McClearey has been killed,” Rhys said.
He hung his head as he came to terms with his plan. He knew it was the only way, but it didn’t make it easy to cope with. But he had made solemn vows to Caitlin and nothing could break them. His loyalty to her overwhelmed his loyalty to everything else—even his own flesh and blood. She was his family now, and if he had to kill his father to stop harm from coming to her, then he would.
Whether she believed him or not was another matter. He was certain that if Bryn was there, the McClearey laird would have thought it was another trick to try and escape imprisonment. But Caitlin had seen inside Rhys’s soul and knew his integrity. The door whined as it opened. Caitlin had pulled the keys from the wall and unlocked the door. Rhys stepped out and clasped her hands tightly.
“Stop ye da,” she said as she flung her arms around him. He held her trembling body close and was overwhelmed with emotion himself, knowing that his father was a mighty warrior and his chances of coming back alive were slim. But sometimes all it took was one man to stand up against injustice. “And stay alive,” she offered, looking at him with forlorn hope. Their lives had only just begun and it was painful to think of them being over before they had a chance to enjoy it fully.
Rhys allowed himself to feel the sadness pervade his heart, but then he pushed it away as he strode out of the dungeons ready to meet his father. Raw anger and primal emotion flooded inside him as he prepared to fight for the glory of his wife.
17
Caitlin felt the fleeting emotion linger on her lips. She ran out of the dungeon herself, but instead of following Rhys, she went to find her father and brothers. Bryn, Mark, and Dominic were with the warriors of the clan, getting ready to fight in battle.
“Da, please dinnae gae! This is nae what any of us wanted. The fighting should be over!” she cried.
“I wanted that, I truly did, but Malcolm has other plans. I’m nae gaeing tae stand by and let us be attacked. We’ll take the fight tae them,” Bryn said. Caitlin looked astonished. “I’m sorry for forcing ye intae marriage like this. I should hae known better. Keep ye ma safe,” Bryn said, and then rode off before Caitlin could even have a chance to tell him that Rhys was going to fight his father. She watched helplessly as the clan rode away, the horses’ hooves thundering against the ground. She cried out, begging them
to stop, but her plaintive pleas were lost amid the noise of war.
But Caitlin was hardly the type of girl to stay behind and wait while the most defining battle of her life was taking place. She looked around frantically and hopped on a mare, pushing it to its limits as she rode away from the keep and followed the trail of warriors to the battlefield.
Unfortunately for her, all the most powerful horses had been taken and while the mare she was left with had all the heart in the world, it was still slower than those her clansmen had ridden away on. Thus, when she finally reached the battlefield, she saw that the fight was well underway. The clans were fighting and she was taken back to that moment in her youth when she had seen the remnants of battle, the sick glory of blood and guts having been spread about the world. Her stomach retched as she heard the clashing of swords and the cries of deathly anguish. Bones crunched as soldiers crashed into each other. The area was a swirling morass and Caitlin had to move the horse quickly to prevent herself from being caught in a fight. She skipped away and soon found that she had lost her bearings. The world was a blur and all around her was a cacophony, but then something happened that rang a clear bell in her mind. She held onto her horse’s reins tightly when she heard a loud cackle. The air thrummed as Malcolm’s war hammer came crashing down and slammed into the ground. The horses managed to skip away to evade the blow, but it was startled and in its fear, it threw Caitlin off.
She fell to the ground as the horse road away. Her throat was raw with a scream. Malcolm came forward and he was so big he blotted out the sun. Cast in shadow, she had never been more afraid as the blood-stained head of his war hammer promised death.
18
Rhys was lost amidst the flurry and fury of battle. He had managed to escape the keep and flee to the battlefield, and there he had gained a sword from a fallen soldier. He had seen Bryn and his boys ride into battle, which had galvanized the McClearey soldiers. But Malcolm was wreaking havoc with his war hammer. Rhys had tried desperately to reach him, but he was always prevented by another wave of enemies. He had them on all sides. He had to defend himself from all angles and soon enough his brow was covered with sweat as he desperately battled through the crowd.
But then he saw something that filled his heart with fear and delight. Caitlin rode in on a mare, but she was caught in the sea of battle and lost her way. Rhys battled to get to her, and then his face turned ashen as he realized that Malcolm had seen her. The horse was driven away and Malcolm was bearing down on her, ready to kill her. Rhys was filled with primal hatred and found hidden strengths. He pushed himself forward, swiping and slashing away anyone who dared try to get in his way, as he wasn’t going to be prevented from saving his wife. She cowered and pleaded for mercy, but it fell on deaf ears as Malcolm was crazed with bloodlust.
“My wife was taken from me. Now I’m taking everything away from him, starting with his daughter!” Malcolm roared as he lifted the war hammer above his head. Rhys’s heart stopped as he flung himself forward, desperately needing to be with his wife. He threw himself over her, shielding her from the blow.
“Da! Stop!” Rhys cried out. Malcolm was stunned to see his son there. The war hammer froze, and while the battle raged on around them, there was a moment of calm. Rhys looked back to check on Caitlin. He took her hand and squeezed it tightly. She panted heavily. Dirt had been smudged over her clothes and skin, but otherwise she looked unharmed. Rhys breathed a sigh of relief.
“Get out of the way lad,” Malcolm growled.
“Nay! She is my wife. If ye want tae take vengeance on the McCleareys then ye are gaeing tae hae tae kill yer own son. I wilnae let ye dae this Da. This is wrong.” Rhys’s voice cracked with emotion and his throat was raw. His eyes were wide as he implored his father to make the right decision, but he worried deeply as he could see the madness in his father’s eyes, the madness that always took hold of him in battle.
“They did naething but treat us kindly! They welcomed us intae their home and showed us all the compassion they had. They were able tae put aside generations of war for the sake of this marriage. Cannae ye dae the same thing?”
“I cannae,” Malcolm replied through gritted teeth, “and ye should know that better than anyone. Peace is impossible. It’s been proven time and time again. There can be only war, and there can be only one victor.”
“Then ye will hae tae prove yerself against me.” Rhys let go of Caitlin’s hand and stood up, clutching his sword. He wiped sweat away from his brow and gripped his sword tightly in both hands. Fear rippled through him as he hated the idea of facing his father, knowing full well that no man could stand against Malcolm when he was in the full depth of his anger. “I cannae let this pass without standing against ye Da. This is wrong. Bryn didnae take Ma from ye. Ye cannae blame him for that, and even if ye did ye would be nae better than him if ye took Caitlin away from me. I love her Da, with everything I have. We can make peace between the two clans. Trust us. We can dae it,” he said.
For a moment he didn’t think his words would get through to Malcolm. Fire flickered in his eyes, and Rhys braced himself for a violent fight. But the longer Malcolm hesitated the more Rhys felt confident of being able to convince his father.
“Think of the children that hae nae been born yet. Think of yer grandchildren that will be born one day. Dae ye really want tae be known as the man who massacred an entire clan, including his own son? If Ma were here dae ye really think she would want ye tae dae this? Naebody here wants this, Da. They’re only following yer lead. Stop this, please.”
Malcolm’s face twisted in fury.
“Get out of my way!” he roared, and swung the war hammer in front of him, but in such a way that it was always destined to miss Rhys. The rush of air made his hair blow back. Rhys stood firm. By now the attention of the men around them had been caught by their argument. Others had ridden up, including Bryn.
“The lad is right, Malcolm. I dinnae want this. I believed in the treaty. I believed in what ye said. If ye turn away now and stop this battle I’ll dae the same, for the sake of our children. Look at them…is this what ye wanted their wedding day tae be like?” Bryn gestured to the couple. Rhys was standing in front of a cowering Caitlin. They were stricken with fear. “Cannae ye see that this is the way forward? We need tae let gae of the past and let our children take control of the future.”
Rhys continued to hold his sword just in case his father did not stand down. But the fighting had stopped all around them as the parley took place. Rhys reached behind him and helped Caitlin to her feet. She stood by her husband, staring resolutely at Malcolm. It was all in Malcolm’s hands now. If he continued fighting then the slaughter would continue, but Rhys knew there was a good man inside, he just had to allow himself to seek out compassion rather than vengeance. He needed to dispel the cloud of darkness that had settled over his mind ever since his wife had died.
The long, agonizing moments stretched out for an eternity and then Malcolm finally did rest the head of his war hammer on the ground. He leaned against it like a cane, and the soft grass sagged underneath his weight. He sighed heavily. The roar of the battle slowly begun to turn to silence as the sight of Malcolm stopping spread as a wave across the battlefield. Everyone hoped that this time it would be for good. Enough blood had been shed.
“Ye can put yer sword away, Son. I’m nae gaeing tae fight ye. I cannae.”
He looked around him. He was an old man. His judgment was flawed. His son would soon be Laird, that was obvious now. “When yer ma died I lost a part of myself, but seeing the two of ye taegether makes me remember the way she made me feel. Aye…she hated me gaeing off tae war. She hated all of this.”
“Then let’s have peace in her name, Da,” Rhys said.
Malcolm nodded. The decision was already taken by his son. The feeling was bitter-sweet. He felt obsolete but he knew his son was a man of his own right and would lead his clan well. Both clans…
Malcom raised his war hammer, bellowing out in a
booming voice that the battle was over and everyone should lay down their arms.
Relief swept over Rhys and he turned to embrace Caitlin. They held each other and kissed as their lives had come so close to being over. Their marriage had come so close to being ripped from the tapestry of the world, but they had proven themselves stronger than any force that could threaten them.
19
In the aftermath of the battle, the dead were gathered and mourned, while the living rejoiced in the fact that peace had broken out. Caitlin rode with Rhys back to the keep, clinging to his body as the horse galloped along underneath them. For a moment her life had flashed before her eyes, and the only thing that had been on her mind was Rhys. The way he spoke about their future together made her fall in love with him all over again, and she was eager to begin their married life in earnest after this unfortunate episode. She was able to leave behind her fear of Malcolm as they all returned and sat around a table to discuss peace.
Caitlin stood behind Rhys as the treaty was discussed and signed, with a few more clauses added given what had happened. The clans agreed to work together for mutual prosperity and to always be prepared to defend each other against threats to the clan. They pledged to share resources and to encourage more intermarriage between the clans, in the hope that the ties of blood would prove to make peace a lasting thing. Rhys and Caitlin were determined to do everything they could to make peace last as long as possible. With each other, they saw great hope for the future, one that was resplendent in glory and would lead to their clans being talked about in respected whispers, rather than ridiculed for being petty and bickering.
Highlander's War 0f Clans (Scottish Medieval Historical Romance) Page 12