Highland Trails of Love

by Barbara Bard

  “You are a fool,” she said.

  Before Declan could reply the door creaked and swung open.

  “Ah, there ye are, lad, I thought ye had left yer post again!” Drew said, a broad smile on his face. He looked at Declan and Catherine with interest. “Are ye well?”

  “Aye, I was just making sure this lass disnae die of boredom,” Declan said.

  “Would ye like tae come on a hunt with me and Blair?” Drew asked. Declan's face lit up. This was all he had wanted, to be included, to have some time alone with his cousins.

  “I would be honored,” he said, accepting the invitation. The two men left, but as he shut the door Declan glanced at Catherine and noticed how pitiful she looked. He found himself admiring her strength. Many other women would have lost their minds and spent their days endlessly wailing to be set free, but Catherine was far more resilient. Declan locked the door and hung the key back up as another Highlander came to guard the prisoner.

  “We are gaeing tae have a big feast tonight, cousin, so I hope ye are ready for a good hunt!” Drew said.

  “I am, cousin!” Declan replied, smiling widely. He walked side by side with his cousin, admiring the way Drew strode powerfully through the castle, his muscles taut, his face weathered by experience. Blair was waiting for them at the entrance of the castle with the horses ready. The two of them were everything Declan wanted to be in life. Strong, powerful. They were warriors like his father. One day Declan wanted to stand as an equal with them, to be seen as a fierce warrior in his own right, but as yet he did not quite have the patience to wait. After having been involved in the battle with the Sassenach he wanted all of that now.

  Declan jumped astride his horse and the three men led the hunting party away from the castle. Declan gazed back, looking at the high tower, knowing that Catherine was in there. She was an intriguing girl, far more so than Declan had first thought. She was much different from all the other women Declan had known as well, although the only woman he had known really well had been Deirdre, and as time progressed Declan was beginning to realize that Deirdre wasn't the prime example of femininity.

  As soon as they were on the ridge of the valley Blair bellowed out and laughed, forcing his horse to gallop. Drew gave chase, and Declan had no choice but to join the race. He strained as hard as he could, but he could not quite match the speed of his cousins and was the last of the three of them to run into the forest. On their mighty steeds they rode through the forest, bows and spears at the ready, looking out for the perfect quarry. The rest of the hunting party was behind them, and it split up into smaller groups which went off hunting independently, meaning they could cover more ground.

  “A feast like this is a fine idea!” Declan said, enjoying the sights and smells of the forest. The hooves of the horses crunched the ground beneath them, a few birds cawed in the background. The air was comfortably warm and the aura of nature had a calming effect on him.

  “Aye, it was the idea of the girls,” Blair said, a twinkle in his eye. Declan felt his cheeks redden.

  “Cousins...I wanted tae apologize for coming tae ye like that. I meant nae disrespect.”

  “We were all young once,” Drew said, a calm smile upon his face. “We all make mistakes.”

  “I just wish ye could see what I see,” Declan continued. “I know ye dinnae want tae listen tae me because I am young, but that disnae mean I am blind. Ye are putting all of us in danger-”

  Blair's horse whinnied as he whipped it around and stood in front of Declan, looking like a majestic king. Declan's heart caught in his throat, worried that he had pushed his cousin too far. Blair was a fierce warrior and it was well known that his temper burned as hot as fire. The last thing Declan wanted was to be subjected to Blair's temper. He stopped his horse and suddenly felt very young, and very vulnerable. For all of his bluster in front of Mont, Declan knew that in hand to hand combat he would be bested by his cousins rather easily.

  “Declan,” Blair began gravely, “I am gaeing tae say this tae ye once and only once. Push these things from yer mind. Dinnae be sae concerned with the danger of the clan. That is our job. We are grateful that ye are sae vigilant. Ye have proven that ye are dutiful, and we love ye for that, but ye cannae continue like this. Ye cannae keep fighting us on this matter, because ye will nae change our minds. I can speak for Drew as well when I tell ye that we love our lasses, and nothing will change that.”

  Declan was about to reply, but Blair raised his hand before Declan could say another word.

  “I understand why ye are troubled by their presence, but there is much for ye tae learn about the world. Ye have a long life ahead of ye, and it will pass all tae quickly. Enjoy yer youth while ye can, and let us worry about everything else. Ye will have a better time, trust me on this.”

  “Aye, and if I were ye I would stop daeing whatever ye are daeing with Deirdre. She is nae good, that woman. There are plenty of other young girls that like ye. I have heard many of them speak about ye. I think they like the scar,” Drew said.

  “Really?” Declan said, unable to hide the surprise from his voice.

  “Aye, ye see, Declan, ye may find that it is actually ye who have been blinded. There is much for ye tae see if ye would just open yer eyes. Now, let us get on with this hunt and enjoy life as it is meant tae be lived.”

  Blair whisked his horse around and carried on through the forest. Declan followed, thinking about Blair's words. They made sense, as much as he was loath to admit it. The thought that the girls were speaking about him made him blush with pride, and he sat astride his horse a little taller, absently stroking his scar. But when he thought about the other girls they faded when compared with the image of Catherine, and no matter how much he tried to shake her from his mind he was unable.

  It was strange to him, for she was Sassenach and thus the thing he hated the most, yet she was the only girl, aside from Deirdre, that he had had any kind of lengthy interaction with. When he thought of Deirdre his heart did not burst with passion as he thought it once would have. In truth, the two of them had only shared a few warm embraces and nothing more.

  Declan had always felt ashamed of being seen with her since she had been Blair's woman once, and he hadn't wanted to do anything to disrespect his cousin. Deirdre, too, had been preoccupied with Blair, so Declan was still inexperienced when it came to women.

  That didn't mean his hunger did not burn fiercely though. Sometimes it was difficult to think straight, such was the urgency of his burning desire. Battle had been a good way to distract himself from such thoughts, and now hunting would be too. He hoped that this time would be a good way to forget about Catherine too.

  “I'm sorry, cousins, I just did nae want the clan, or ye, tae be in danger.”

  “We know, Declan, and that is why we are nae angry, we just want tae help ye. Gods know that I made enough mistakes when I was of a similar age tae ye,” Blair said.

  “Really?” Declan said, wide-eyed.

  “Aye, nae that ye will be hearing them today,” Blair said with a wink.

  “And ye must understand, Declan,” Drew said, “that we are nae just letting Rosemary and Sarah get away with everything. We dinnae agree with everything they like. It is only because we have tempered them that Catherine is under lock and key. They would have her walk freely.”

  “What is yer opinion of the lass?” Blair asked.

  Declan considered his answer for a moment. His first instinct was to speak bitterly about her and her character, but he found that he could not do so.

  “She is frightened, and determined. She is stronger than I thought she would hae been. She is convinced that her father is coming for her with an army, and she’s been trying tae get me tae help her escape,” he said.

  Drew and Blair had thoughtful looks on their faces.

  “Aye, Sarah and Rosemary hae both said that he may come, and by all accounts he is more formidable than his son. We should prepare for battle,” Drew said. “If he does come, we will need
ye tae get yer father, for he fought with Catherine's father in the war.”

  “Would it nae be easier tae let her have what she wants? I dinnae want tae let a prisoner gae, but are we gaeing tae keep her under lock and key forever?” Declan asked, although he swelled with pride at the thought that his father could be a part of the war again, and that his mind could be useful even if his body prevented him from fighting.

  Drew and Blair glanced at each other.

  “We shall discuss it,” Blair said firmly.

  That was the end of the matter, and Declan knew not to press any further. The three of them fell into silence as they alighted from their horses and skulked across the ground, knowing that they were in a good spot for hunting. Declan was emboldened by all that he had experienced in recent weeks.

  Plucked from his humble home, he had been a part of an army and had survived where many others had fallen. It felt as though he had a grand purpose in the world, and now that he was beside his cousins he knew that he could be their equals one day. This was just one small step to the destiny that he wanted for himself, and he tried to take Blair's advice to enjoy every minute of it.

  The three of them kept low. Declan held a bow and arrow, while the other two had spears. Their eyes darted through the forest, trying to spot movement through the thick branches. The dark green leaves made it difficult to spy anything, but then Drew hissed and pointed to his right. Declan followed the direction and his eyes sparkled when he saw a huge stag. It was the biggest one he had ever seen, and would make a good prize for a feast.

  Without speaking, the three men moved as one, spreading out to cover as much distance as possible to cut off the stag's avenues of escape. The stag had no idea that predators were lurking nearby. It went about its business, neck bent, chewing on some leaves. Declan carefully drew an arrow from his quiver and fitted it against his bow, holding it ready to strike. He breathed deeply and carefully, knowing that silence was paramount. Through his peripheral vision he could see his cousins raising their spears, but Declan wanted this kill. He wanted to prove to his cousins that he was capable of these great feats, just like his father before him.

  Declan took an eager step forward, but it was too eager. He was so concerned with speed that he had not taken the proper care to look where he was stepping, and his full weight was placed on a twig. It snapped, and the crack of sound popped in the air. For a moment everything was still, but Declan knew he had made a grave error. The stag picked its head up and twitched, then began to run without hesitation.

  Its powerful legs moved swiftly, carrying the heavy body with it. Antlers crashed through the leaves and branches. As soon as Declan became aware of what he had done, he loosed his arrow, but the shot was wayward for the stag had moved quickly, and the arrow only grazed the flank of the stag.

  The stag itself had turned and was running straight for Declan. The ground thundered underneath his feet. Blair flung his spear, but it narrowly missed. Declan scrambled to arm another arrow, but the stag was bearing down on him. For a moment he hoped that he could fire the arrow into the heart of the animal before it was too late, but when he looked up the terrible sight of the antlers was storming towards him. At the last instant Declan ducked and rolled out of the stag's path, narrowly missing being crushed by the heavy hooves.

  “Are ye alright?!” Drew and Blair asked as they rushed to his side. Declan pushed himself up and slammed his fists into the ground. His face was a picture of determination. He wasn't going to let this stag get away.

  “I'll be fine once I get this stag,” he said, and before either of his cousins could speak he was sprinting away in pursuit of his quarry.

  Inside, he was angry with himself for it was his mistake that had let the stag get away. For all he wanted to be like his cousins he knew that he had far to go. Neither Blair nor Drew would have made the same mistake, so Declan chastised himself.

  Declan's chest burned as he tried to keep the stag in view. He panted, and the stag only got further away. The animal was a fine beast, and was certainly determined to stay alive, but Declan was even more determined to bring it back for the feast. Sweat dripped from his brow as his legs pumped against the ground, propelling him on.

  He was blind to everything else in the forest. The world around him became a blur of green and brown. The only thing that mattered, the only thing that existed, was the stag. As he ran, Drew reached behind him for another arrow. He knew he would only get a few more chances. If he missed again the stag would likely escape into the depths of the forest, perhaps for someone else to kill. No, Declan wasn't going to let that happen. This was his quarry, his chance to prove that he was a formidable hunter, and he would not let it go to waste.

  Declan focused on the stag and sprinted forward to gain as much ground as he could before he stopped and fell to one knee. He raised his bow and caught the stag in his sights, breathed once, and then let the arrow fly. The bowstring sang as the arrow burst through air. Declan waited, holding his breath, but as soon as he fired the arrow he knew that his aim was true.

  The arrow struck the stag in the neck. The animal yelped and twisted horribly, almost losing its balance. Declan watched as it staggered forward, trying to brace itself against the pain, but it lumbered and its step faltered as the life seeped out of it. As it turned, Declan could see a dark stain flowing from the puncture, and then the stag fell to the ground.

  Declan strode up to the animal, chest heaving, and had a look of pride on his face. He pulled the arrow away and a burst of blood shot out. The stag took its last breath, and then the life slipped away from it.

  “Ye hae done well. That was a mighty beast. Ye will be the star of the feast tonight,” Blair said, slapping his cousin on the back. There was nothing more that Declan wanted other than the respect and admiration of his cousins, so this gesture meant the world to him. It finally felt as though he had accomplished something.

  “Aye, and ye will be dancing with a fair few maids,” Drew added. Declan beamed, feeling more like himself. Over the past few days he had been troubled with many things, but spending time with his cousins like this was refreshing to his soul. He felt more a part of the family, and could forget the war. Perhaps it had taken more of a toll on him than he thought. Out here, in the woods, he could think about life as it should be, as it could be, and how he could be perfectly happy living as a Highlander should.

  He took Blair's words to heart and let go of his anguish. He still wasn't convinced that the Sassenach girls were a good idea, but if it was a mistake to love them then it was his cousins' mistake to make. There was little he could do about it, and after accepting this truth he felt instantly better, as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. All that was left was to enjoy life, and the feast that awaited him in the evening.

  Chapter 7

  Catherine had spent a while alone. From the window she had seen the hunting party leave, riding their horses to the valley and the forest beyond. She looked at them with envy, being able to leave this place and have freedom of movement. The guard that had replaced Declan wasn't as talkative as him, and didn't hold the same allure.

  She found it fascinating to actually speak with a Highlander when they had only been part of nightmarish stories her entire life. In truth, she found them to be more complex than she had initially thought, and it was clear they were not the mindless savages that she had been told. However, they lacked the refinement of the Sassenach, and their way of life was indeed primitive, lacking the home comforts that Catherine had become accustomed to.

  The sooner she got out of this place the better.

  It took a few hours before Sarah came to speak with her again. At one point Catherine thought she would go the rest of the day without seeing her once more, but then she turned up, looking as humble as a mouse as usual. Sarah had the unique quality of turning anger to pity. She was so gentle that it was impossible to hold any enmity towards her, even though she had been entirely responsible for landing Catherine in thi
s mess.

  “I came to ask if you would like to borrow a dress for the feast tonight?” Sarah asked. “I had some clothes brought with me from the Sassenach camp, and we are of a similar size.”

  “I do not even want to go to this feast. I can only imagine the barbaric sights I will have to witness. It will hardly be like a dinner on the estate,” Catherine said. Sarah chewed her bottom lip anxiously.

  “Please come, Catherine. I so want you to enjoy life here as much as you are able to. For your own sake you must at least try. It may not be so bad as you think. There will be music and singing, it is rather loud, but it is a unique experience, and I am sure that you will find something to like.”

  “I am sure of the opposite, but just to stop your pleading I will agree to come, although I shall wear my own clothes. Even in this tattered, stained gown I shall remain the best-dressed lady.”

  “I am sure,” Sarah replied, trying to hide her smile, but failing. “I promise you that after tonight everything will be different. You will see what this place is truly like. You will see that it is not so bad a fate to live here after all.”