“Ailsa, quickly, get in the wagon with the baby,” said Rhoswen, helping her sister get to safety. She turned to see her little brother fighting with a guard. He was quick and managed to avoid the man. And then Oliver darted out of the shadows to help him with a sword in his hand as well. Rhoswen knew she had to do something before they both ended up dead.
“Newell, Oliver, over here,” she called, and boys came running.
“Rhoswen, I’m going to protect you,” said Newell.
“Me, too,” cried Oliver.
“Leave the fighting to the men,” she told them. “The best thing you two can do is to get up to the battlements and raise the gate and lower the drawbridge.”
“I dinna ken how to do that,” said Oliver.
“I do,” Newell told him, having lived in a castle his entire life.
“Go quickly,” said Rhoswen, looking over her shoulder to see Logan still fighting with Drummond. “Hawke is up there and will protect you.”
“I’ll watch over Ailsa and the child,” offered Bug, crawling into the back of the wagon.
Rhoswen spied her sword on the ground where the guard had thrown it. She ran over and picked it up, ready to fight as well. There were just too many Drummonds, and without that gate open and the drawbridge down, they had no chance of winning or even surviving. Logan obviously knew it as well, because of what happened next.
“Stop the fightin’, Drummond,” said Logan.
“Never,” spat the man.
“Give me the Sword of Triumph and we will leave peacefully.”
“Dinna make me laugh, MacKeefe. I hold the sword with all the power now. No one who wields it ever loses.”
The sound of the gate going up caught Rhoswen’s attention and she saw Hawke helping the boys turn the winch. Then the chains rattled and the drawbridge started to lower as well.
“This is the last time I’ll ask,” shouted Logan. “The MacKeefe Clan is about to come over the drawbridge and I dinna want to see either side with as many dead bodies as the last time we fought. Fight me one on one.”
“Ye bedded my daughter and because of ye, she is dead!” yelled Drummond. “It is ye who started all this.”
A guard swung at Rhoswen and she blocked his blow with her sword.
“Then fight one on one with me and we’ll end this feud once and for all.”
The sound of horses coming across the drawbridge was heard as well as the MacKeefes calling out their war cry of Buaidh no Bas.
“All right!” shouted Drummond. “Call off yer men and we’ll settle this one on one.”
“Hold up,” yelled Logan, holding his hand in the air. “Dinna attack,” he called out.
“Logan, what is this all about?” said Storm from atop his horse.
“There will be no more battle,” Logan told him. “Drummond, call off yer men as well.”
“Stop!” shouted Drummond, and the fighting ceased. Mumbles were heard since no one understood what was happening.
“There has been enough killin’ and too many from both our clans have died,” said Logan, speaking loudly so everyone could hear him. “Ranulph Drummond has agreed to a one on one fight. The winner – whoever unarms the other first, will win the Sword of Triumph. Either way, both sides will cease the fightin’ and no’ get involved.”
“But it is our clan’s sword,” shouted one of the MacKeefes. “We will fight to the death to get it back.”
Several of the MacKeefes yelled, and so did the Drummonds.
“Stop it,” shouted Storm. “Logan is right. There has been too much bluidshed and it’s over a sword. Now, I agree that we should settle this in a one on one fight with swords. No’ to the death, but to win the rights of the Sword of Triumph only.”
“And I get to use the Sword of Triumph in the one on one battle,” said Drummond.
“What? Nay, that’s no’ fair,” shouted Ethan. “No one ever loses with that lucky sword.”
“That’s my deal or we can all die here today, I dinna care,” said Drummond. “I use the Sword of Triumph, and I get to choose my opponent, too.”
“Nay, it’s goin’ to be me fightin’ ye in challenge for the sword,” said Logan.
“Nay, I willna fight ye because I dinna trust ye after what happened with my daughter, MacKeefe.”
“Well, we dinna trust ye either after ye killed Rhoswen’s sister,” called out a MacKeefe.
“He didn’t kill her,” said Rhoswen. “Although he kept her imprisoned and beat her, my sister is still alive. Ailsa, show your face.”
Her sister got out of the back of the wagon still holding the baby as Bug helped her get to the ground.
“Yer sister’s alive?” asked Storm.
“That still doesna bring back my daughter,” spat Drummond.
“And neither does it bring back my parents who also died because of you,” Rhoswen ground out.
“Mmmph,” grunted Drummond, his hand going to his back where Rhoswen had stabbed him. He looked to be losing a lot of blood.
“Now, agree to the one on one fight to see who wins the sword,” Rhoswen boldly spoke up. “There are women and children here and innocent people who do not deserve to die.”
“She’s right, Ranulph,” Rona tried to convince him. “Let’s end this once and for all.”
“I agree to it, but under the conditions I’ve stated,” said Drummond. “But do the MacKeefes agree to it and promise no’ to go back on their word?”
“Of course we do,” Storm spoke for his clan. “The MacKeefes have always kept their word. We will battle ye one on one and the winner keeps the sword. And there will be no more fightin’. The losers will let the winners take the sword and leave.”
“Or stay, in this case, since I willna lose,” said Drummond.
“Choose yer opponent and let’s get on with this,” growled Logan.
“Anyone I want? Ye’ll agree to it?”
“As long as it isna a Drummond,” said Storm, making everyone laugh.
“All right, then I choose Rhoswen to battle me for the Sword of Triumph.”
The laughing suddenly stopped and all eyes were on Rhoswen.
“But she’s a lass,” said Caleb. “That’s no’ fair.”
“And I’m injured, so that’s no’ fair either,” said Drummond.
“She’s no’ a MacKeefe. Ye canna choose her.” Logan stepped forward, talking in Drummond’s face. “Choose me, Drummond. Ye ken ye really want to fight me, so do it.”
“I fight Rhoswen, or the deal is off and we can all fight to the death instead,” said Drummond. “Ye told me I could choose anyone besides a Drummond, and I did. Now, are the MacKeefes goin’ to go back on their word?”
“Storm, do somethin’,” said Logan, looking over at him. “I refuse to let Rhoswen fight. It’s no’ right.”
“I don’t agree,” said Rhoswen, coming forward with her sword clutched in her hand. “The Drummonds have agreed that it isn’t a fight to the death. The winner will be the one who disarms the other first.”
“We’ll never get our clan’s sword back if he fights her,” complained a MacKeefe clan member.
“Ye tricked us, Drummond,” yelled Logan. “This isna right.”
“Logan, calm down,” said Storm. “We gave our word. Would ye rather see everyone here die if we continue to fight?”
“I agree to the challenge,” said Rhoswen, stepping forward to face Drummond.
“Nay, Rhoswen. I willna let ye do it,” protested Logan.
“You can’t stop me, Logan,” said Rhoswen. “Now, step aside so I can fight one on one with Drummond and win back the MacKeefe’s sword.”
Chapter 23
Logan took Rhoswen’s hands in his, and looked her in the eye. “Ye dinna have to do this, lass.”
“Nay, I do. The MacKeefes made a deal and I won’t let your clan go back on your word.”
“But Drummond tricked us. No one will think less of ye if ye decline.”
“Logan, a deal is a deal. No
w, please, step aside.”
“Logan,” warned his father, Aidan from atop his horse. “Ye need to think of the entire clan, no’ just yerself.”
“I am thinkin’ of the clan,” said Logan. “The sword belongs to all of us.”
“Are you sure it’s not your own guilt making you want to be the one to fight Drummond for the sword?” asked Rhoswen.
“Are ye sure it isna yer quest for vengeance why ye want to be the one to do it?” asked Logan in return.
“I think it’s a little bit of both,” said Storm from atop his horse. “Now, let’s do this so we can all get home to our families in time for dinner.”
“I agree,” said Rhoswen, stepping in front of Drummond, holding her sword. “I’m ready.”
“You can do it, Rhoswen,” called out Newell from the battlements.
“We believe in you,” said Ailsa.
“Just do yer best, lass,” said Storm.
“Ye’re guid with a sword,” called out Hawke from the battlements. “I’ve seen it for myself.”
“Just remember what I taught ye,” said Logan, praying that by some miracle Rhoswen could pull this off. He should have known Drummond was going to trick them. It was only the MacKeefe pride to keep their word that was stopping Logan from taking back the Sword of Triumph like he wanted to do. He should be the one to bring it home since it was his carelessness in the first place that lost it. But right now, he would stand with his clan and, most of all, he would support Rhoswen – the girl he loved.
“Dinna blink or ye’re all goin’ to miss this, it’ll be so fast,” said Drummond with a chuckle. “Even wounded and with one hand tied behind my back, there is no way I’ll lose to a Sassenach and a lassie!” All the Drummonds laughed at this. “I promise ye, the Sword of Triumph is goin’ nowhere,” Drummond told his clan.
“Plus, no one who has ever used the sword has ever been defeated,” added Tamhas. “We’ve already won before it’s even begun.”
“Dinna underestimate Rhoswen,” said Logan, trying to help the girl out. He had to mess with Drummond’s head the way he did to them when he tricked them. If Logan could distract him enough, it would give Rhoswen a chance. Hopefully. “After all, the lass did stab ye.”
“In the back,” said Drummond, bringing down his sword to clash with Rhoswen’s. Logan bit the inside of his cheek hard when she almost dropped her sword from the force.
“Use two hands, Rhoswen,” he told her. “It’ll give ye more support.”
“All right,” said Rhoswen, gripping her sword in both hands now. “I’m ready.”
“Ready to lose,” chuckled Drummond, striking again, and this time almost hitting Rhoswen. She managed to hold on to the sword, but stumbled backward, catching herself before she fell.
“Come on, Rhoswen. Ye can do it,” Logan called out, even thought he was sure with one more blow from Drummond, Rhoswen would fold under the pressure. She was a small thing and no match for a full-grown man who was used to swinging a sword. Even though Drummond was wounded, this wasn’t going to last much longer. There was only one way Rhoswen could disarm Drummond, and Logan hoped to hell she would understand what he was trying to tell her.
“It’s in the wrist action, Rhoswen. Just like when ye –” he closed his eyes when he said this, hoping it would work to distract Drummond and not Rhoswen instead. If it backfired, Rhoswen would hate him forever, and they would never see the Sword of Triumph again. “Just like when ye put yer hand on my –” He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t do anything to embarrass Rhoswen, even if it would distract Drummond and win the sword.
“I understand,” said Rhoswen with a smile, even though several people in the crowd gasped by what Logan almost said. “You mean just like when I put my hand under yer plaid and grabbed yer bare arse and ye cried out?”
“And the wrist action. Dinna forget how ye used that to –”
“What?” asked Drummond, his eyes flashing over to Logan. “What did she do with her wrist?” Logan laughed inwardly, envisioning what was going through that lusty cur’s head.
“It went somethin’ like this,” said Rhoswen, locking the cross-guard of her sword with his, and flicking her wrists in a circle, using both hands to turn his sword and flip it up in the air.
The crowd gasped in surprise. Logan rushed forward, holding out his hand and caught the Sword of Triumph by the hilt, holding it high over his head.
“The Sword of Triumph is the MacKeefe’s again,” he cried, causing his clan to go wild.
“Thank ye, Rhoswen,” said Logan, turning to kiss her. But Rhoswen’s eyes opened wide and she shouted.
“Behind you, Logan!”
Logan turned to see that Drummond had grabbed Tamhas’ sword and was about to stab him in the back. In one motion, he thrust the Sword of Triumph though Drummond’s chest and the man fell to the ground, dead.
Everyone was silent.
“I didna mean to kill him, but he came at me with his sword behind my back,” said Logan, hoping to hell they wouldn’t have a battle to the death after all.
“Ranulph,” cried Rona, running to the man and falling to her knees crying. However, she was the only one who seemed to care that Drummond had died.
“We willna hold it against ye or the MacKeefes,” said Tamhas, stepping forward, to pick up his sword from the ground. “That is, if ye dinna hold it against the Drummonds that Ranulph went back on his word and tried to kill ye.”
“We want peace, no’ war,” said Storm from atop his horse.
“I am the chieftain now that Ranulph is dead,” said Tamhas, bending down and taking the badge off Drummond’s shoulder. “Come, Rona. Ye will be mine now.”
Rona stood up and wiped away her tears and held on to Tamhas’ arm.
“I’d like to see an alliance between our clans from this day on,” said Logan.
“I agree,” said Storm. “Will ye do it, Tamhas?”
“The last alliance we had that included a weddin’ didna seem to work,” said Tamhas, looking over at Ailsa holding her baby to her chest. “I’m sorry, lass, for everythin’ Ranulph put ye through. I was no’ in agreement with him and I should have done somethin’ about it.”
Ailsa nodded but didn’t say a word.
“I am also sorry to hear about the death of yer mathair, Rhoswen, and that our clan members killed yer faither. That wasna supposed to happen,” Tamhas continued.
“Thank you,” said Rhoswen with a nod. “My father would be happy to know that Ranulph Drummond is finally dead.”
“Then how about a truce?” asked Logan. “The MacKeefes and the Drummonds agree to stop fightin’.”
“I agree,” said Storm.
Tamhas looked at his clan and several nodded. “We agree,” said Tamhas, clasping hands with Logan.
“Guid,” said Logan. “Now, let’s get the hell out of here and go back to the MacKeefe camp where we belong.” He put his arm around Rhoswen and headed for the gate.
Chapter 24
Two days later, Logan stepped from the waters of Loch Linnhe, naked as usual. He climbed atop a rock and raised his face to the sun. His wolf, Jack, lay under a tree, watching the surroundings intently.
Today, Logan would marry Rhoswen, the woman of his dreams. He’d come to the loch early to bathe and find a moment of peace to still his mind before the ceremony.
The dead from the battle with the Drummonds had been buried and things at the MacKeefe camp were getting back to normal. While they hadn’t lost but a few men, Logan wanted to make sure proper respect was paid and the men’s deaths mourned before he went about celebrating the happy event of his wedding.
Life was about to change drastically for Logan. Now he, just like Ethan and Hawke, would be married and have a wife. Hopefully someday, Logan would also have a family. Ethan and Hawke had already seemed to adapt to being parents, but Logan worried that he wouldn’t do a good job.
He’d been a warrior his entire life, and only had to care for himself. Fighting had been all that
mattered. But after he’d almost lost Rhoswen, he realized how precious life really is. The girl had lost almost everything lately. He needed to be there for her, and he always would. He decided he would take time to learn how to be a good husband and, hopefully someday, a good father as well. After seeing what happened with Rhoswen’s father, he wasn’t sure she was even going to want children. The man she’d trusted had almost been the demise of her entire family. Logan felt lucky to have parents and siblings. And now that Storm granted permission for Rhoswen and her siblings to live with the MacKeefes, he wanted to make sure she knew his family was also hers.
“There ye are, ye ugly buzzard,” came Ethan’s voice from behind him. “No one wants to see this, now get dressed.”
Logan opened one eye to see Ethan, Hawke, and Caleb on horses all heading in his direction. Trapper led the way.
“What does a man need to do to get a little peace and quiet?” grumbled Logan, closing his eye again.
“Get up,” said Hawke. “Yer weddin’ is about to take place and ye arena even there.
“I hope ye’re no’ thinkin’ about leavin’ Rhoswen at the altar the way Alana did to me . . . the first time,” Ethan added the latter part since everything had worked out between them in the end.
“Dinna fash yerself. I’d never do that,” said Logan, sitting up and pulling his leine over his head.
“I dinna think yer new wife is goin’ to approve of ye always struttin’ around showin’ off yer bare doup,” said Caleb with a chuckle.
“She’s no’ my wife yet,” Logan reminded him. “And on the contrary, I think Rhoswen rather enjoys seein’ my bare doup, thank ye.”
“Slink found somethin’ ye lost,” said Caleb, reachin’ down and digging into the travel bag attached to the horse. His pine marten poked his head out, saw the sun, and slipped back down inside, waiting for nighttime when it normally came to life.
“What are ye talkin’ about?” asked Logan, putting on his shoes and grabbing his plaid from the ground.
“See for yerself.” Caleb tossed something to him from atop his horse. Logan dropped his plaid and caught his sporran in two hands.
Highland Steel: Highland Chronicles Series - Book 3 Page 19