Highland Trails of Love

by Barbara Bard

  “You are about to meet your end,” Lord Flynn said, and unleashed all the anger and rage he had been holding inside his black heart. Alastar tried to brace himself against the barrage of blows, but they came with such thunderous force that he was unable to prevent himself from bending one knee.

  Alastar didn't want to admit defeat, but every time he tried to counter one of Lord Flynn's blows, he found himself having to defend himself again. Lord Flynn was confident in his supremacy. He raised his sword again, ready to strike the final blows that would see the end of the Blue Thistle forever. Alastar didn't want it to end like this, but there seemed to be no other way out. He had let down the Highlanders. He had let down his father. But worst of all, he had let down Rebecca. With great shame Alastar felt his strength falter, and his head began to bow.

  The tide of battle had not gone the way he wanted, but as he prepared himself to meet his doom he had no regrets. The turning point had been when he had gone to save Rebecca. If he hadn't she would be dead now, and that would have been an even greater loss. It was not a foregone conclusion that Lord Flynn would triumph. Rebecca was smart and brave. She could flee, and the two of them had warned the Highlanders, who were rallying a powerful army. But there was so much that Alastar wanted to do with his life, so many memories he wanted to make with Rebecca.

  Alastar still had his sword held over his head, but he knew it was only a matter of time before Lord Flynn broke through his defenses. Alastar didn't want the last thing he saw to be the English lord, so he turned his face to look at Rebecca, wanted her to see the love in his eyes, hoping that she knew how much she meant to him.

  But when he saw her his eyes widened and a smile came upon his face. Perhaps all was not lost after all, and in that decisive moment his heart overflowed with love for her.

  Chapter 36

  Rebecca watched with great desperation as Alastar suffered at the hands of Lord Flynn. It had all been her fault that he had given up the advantage, and now she didn't know if he was going to reclaim it. He was putting up his best effort, but Lord Flynn barely had to try to keep him at bay.

  Elayne had been hurt by Alastar and was cradling her arm. As soon as Rebecca had been released from Elayne's grip, she picked up Elayne's weapon and towered over her former friend.

  “Do what you must,” Elayne said miserably. Rebecca's heart was filled with fury, but she was not a killer, and even after all that Elayne had done to her she could not bring herself to end Elayne's life. More than that, she noticed marks and bruises on Elayne's arms, and knew they could only have come from Lord Flynn.

  Rebecca had told Elayne to stay down, thrusting the points of her knives against Elayne's skin. She was only bluffing, but Elayne didn't know that. She nodded, tears streaming down her face as she pulled her legs into her body and started to tremble and shake. Rebecca could only pity her.

  Rebecca turned and watched on grimly, wishing she could do something to help Alastar, but she wasn't sure what. She kept glancing at Elayne until she was sure that her former friend posed no more threat, then her attention was solely focused on the fight between the two men.

  Rebecca's heart went out to Alastar. If he fell, she was not confident that she could escape in time, for Lord Flynn would surely raise his men. She was too deep into their camp to be able to escape without being seen. The hope then would lie with the rest of the Highlanders.

  Lord Flynn's face was a picture of hatred and unbridled rage. He brought his sword down relentlessly. Alastar turned his head, and in his eyes, Rebecca saw everything he wanted her to see. All the love, all the regret. In that moment the future she had dreamed for them was shattered, and her heart broke. She choked, and almost collapsed, for it seemed inevitable that Lord Flynn had defeated them, even though the thought was impossible.

  All this time she thought they had been on the side of justice and righteousness, and that they would triumph because they loved each other.

  Life was not so simple. If Rebecca hadn't known it before then, she knew it now.

  But there had to be something she could do. While she was alive and free there would always be a choice, and she was determined to try anything she could to help Alastar. Then she realized she was still holding the knives. Lord Flynn was focused on Alastar. He wasn't even looking at her. He raised his sword, opening his whole body to her, and she knew exactly what she had to do.

  With all her might, she flung the knife in her right hand. It went spinning through the air and landed in Lord Flynn's shoulder with a thud. He cried out in pain and staggered back. It was the moment Alastar needed. He grinned and quickly leaped onto the table beside Lord Flynn, who was reeling from the blow.

  Rebecca watched and smiled as Alastar started attacking Lord Flynn, making up for the last moments of the fight when he had been on his knees. He pressed his advantage. Lord Flynn was sweating now. Blood dripped from the wound, and the hilt of the knife protruded from his shoulder. His parries were weak, and he was pushed back. The maps and other documents shuffled under their feet and were pushed to the floor. The flames of the candles flickered as their weight made the table wobble.

  Rebecca's heart was seized by uncertain anguish. She had given Alastar a chance, but not a certainty. She watched the two men clash, then Alastar gained the advantage. She never expected to take such glee in the defeat of a man, but in Lord Flynn's case she would make an exception.

  Alastar's body moved gracefully, the sword seemed like it was an extension of his arm, and there was no doubt in her mind now that he would win.

  But then the devious Lord Flynn kicked out at the candles that were on the table. They fell to the floor, and the flames licked at the edges of the tent and the papers that were on the ground. Fire soon spread, and the tent was filled with heat. The air sizzled and glowed orange, and Rebecca was scared for her life. But still the two men fought.

  “If you want to kill me then I will make you burn!” Lord Flynn cackled, sounding like a madman as every moment brought him closer to death. Rebecca wanted this to be over before they burned. The heat grew more intense with every passing moment, but still Lord Flynn was alive.

  She worried that her confidence had been misplaced, and that Lord Flynn could never be killed. But then, with a flick of the wrist so swift that Rebecca wasn't sure how he did it, Alastar had disarmed Lord Flynn and knocked him to his knees. Lord Flynn rolled off the table onto the floor, surrounding by flames, looking completely helpless. The knife stuck out of his shoulder. Sweat poured down his face. Alastar jumped down and held him at knifepoint.

  This was it, Rebecca thought, the end was coming.

  Chapter 37

  The heat seared Alastar and his clothes clung to him. His muscles ached, and his throat was raw. Every breath scratched his insides, and the smell of smoke suffocated him. He stood before Lord Flynn. The man clasped his hands together, begging for mercy.

  “We can come to some arrangement. Show mercy on me,” he pleaded. The man was a pathetic sight, and Alastar was disgusted.

  “Ye nae showed my father any mercy,” Alastar said.

  “But I showed you mercy! I spared your life!” he said.

  Alastar paused for a moment. He had come so far in his journey, and now that the moment was upon him it didn't give him any joy to see Lord Flynn like this. Over the years Flynn had become a symbol for all Alastar's hatred, and he had always relished the moment where he would stand over him like this and prove that he was the better man, but the moment wasn't as fulfilling as Alastar had once believed it would be.

  There were other, more important things in his life now.

  However, as he paused Lord Flynn took this as an advantage. With a huge cry of pain, he wrenched the knife out of his shoulder. Blood dripped from the blade, and he slashed at Alastar, looking to cut his stomach open. Alastar was quick to react though. In one smooth movement he drew his sword across Athelred's hand, wounding it. The man howled in pain, and then Alastar drove his sword through the man's gut.

>   In an instant it was over.

  Lord Flynn still wore his look of surprise.

  Alastar drew his sword back and Lord Flynn's body fell to the ground. He stood there, clad in sweat, as Rebecca ran up to him. The tent blazed around them, and they were only afforded a moment of intimacy as they knew they had to leave.

  “How are we going to get out? Surely the rest of the army will be awake now because of this fire?” Rebecca asked.

  “Aye, but there is a way,” Alastar said grimly.

  Lord Flynn was dead, but there was still much to do.

  The tent was burning. Alastar picked up Athelred's body by the scruff of its neck and began to drag it outside. They passed Elayne on the way.

  “What dae ye want tae dae with her?” Alastar asked. He saw confusion run across Rebecca's face.

  “We can't leave her here to burn,” she said, and helped her up. Elayne was sobbing fretfully and seemed to have lost whatever composure she'd had. Rebecca took her outside and sat her down. Alastar looked around, worried that they would be attacked, but the camp was in confusion at the appearance of the fire.

  “Elayne, I know what he did to you. I know what he did because he would have done the same to me if I had stayed. You need to let this idea of nobility go. It was awful what happened to your family, but you don't need to define your own life by it. You've seen what he was like. He may have been noble in name, but you must find someone who is noble in nature. You need to be happy Elayne, that is the most important thing. I hope you find peace,” Rebecca said.

  Alastar wasn't sure if Elayne was aware of anything Rebecca said, but it was a sweet sentiment. However, they couldn't spend any time standing around. They had to move.

  Alastar picked up a log from a dying fire and held it to the fire that was consuming the tent. He threw it high into the air, and repeated it, launching logs to cause confusion. Fire soon spread across the camp. The orange blaze lit up the calm night. There were shrieks of pain as English soldiers ran from their tents, awakened from their slumber.

  Alastar watched them for a moment. He was like the eye of the storm, calm while the world around him was thrown into chaos. He held Lord Flynn's body aloft and bellowed at the top of his lungs.

  “Englishmen! I hold here the body of yer leader. Lord Flynn is dead, and the same fate awaits ye if ye remain. Ye hae nae reason tae fight anymore. There are hundreds of Highlanders waiting in the woods ready tae come and kill ye if ye stay. Leave our land. Gae back tae England and live ye lives. Ye hae nae cause for war now that Flynn is dead,” he said, and threw the body at a nearby gathering of soldiers. They looked at the body and fear struck their face.

  Alastar puled Rebecca away and they ran through the camp as quickly as they could, but they were met with no resistance. The English were too busy trying to put out the fire that had caught every tent and was quickly getting out of control. They seemed to believe him about the other Highlanders, and he heard them offer shouts of surrender. None of them wanted to die for a lost cause.

  The heat followed them, but it diminished as they grew further from the camp. They ran back to their horse and then caught their breath. As soon as they were stationary Alastar gripped Rebecca tightly and pressed his lips firmly against hers.

  “Thank ye lass, ye saved my life,” he said.

  “You saved mine first,” she teased.

  “Ye were right tae want tae come along.”

  “I'm just glad that we made it through this alive. For a moment there I thought we would fail.”

  Alastar put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest.

  “The Blue Thistle never fails,” he said with a grin, then added in a lower voice, “nae when he hae the love of his life beside him. Rebecca will ye dae me the honor of marrying me?” he asked tenderly. To his great joy, she nodded and tears filled her eyes. They kissed passionately. The smell of smoke clung to them as they descended to the ground. Their hands grasped passionately as they pulled away each other's clothes.

  They had come within a hair's breadth of losing their lives. It seemed a good time to celebrate. Lord Flynn was dead. The Blue Thistle had returned, and war with the English had been averted. The highlanders could go back to living in peace, and Alastar and Rebecca could begin their lives together properly.

  Under the moonlight, with a huge fire blazing nearby, Alastar and Rebecca enjoyed each other's bodies. The more they were together the more they became experts in delighting the other. They knew where all the sweet spots were on their bodies, and although they were exhausted by the events of the night it did not make their lovemaking any less intense. Their bodies shuddered and writhed together as the passion took hold of them, and when the release came, they both let it wash over them, as though it cleansed their spirits.

  Then, they gazed up at the moon and ignored the chaotic sounds of the English camp. The two of them were alone, and that was the most important thing to them. As Alastar cradled her in his arms he thought about the lonely, grief-stricken nights he had spent alone in the dungeon as Lord Flynn's prisoner, how he had never imagined a life like this for himself. But Rebecca had shown him that there was hope for everyone, and he was going to spend the rest of his life earning her love.

  The night fell upon them as did sleep. They were hidden from the English camp. Nothing bothered them through the night, and both of them slept as easily as a summer's breeze, sharing a dream of paradise.

  Epilogue

  The following morning, Rebecca and Alastar awoke at the same time. A warm breeze washed over them, and although the smell of smoke clung to their clothes, they were happy. They greeted each other with a kiss, and shared even more love, almost unable to tear themselves away from each other.

  “Did you really mean what you said last night?” Rebecca asked.

  “Aye lass, I meant it with all my heart. Ye are the lass for me. I want tae prove tae ye that I am the man for ye.”

  “You don't have anything to prove Alastar,” she said, and smiled widely, kissing him lovingly. Then, she looked up and was suddenly afraid. “What of the English?” she asked, for she was afraid that in the night they had gone back on their agreement to surrender.

  “There is only one way tae find out,” Alastar said. He rose and walked to where he could see the field, then he laughed and rubbed his hands together with glee. Rebecca was a little taken aback by his reaction, so she scrambled to her feet so that she could see what he was looking at. When she reached his side, she had the same reaction. The field was completely empty. There were old fires and torn tents strewn about, but the wagons and carts were all gone. The English must have been so scared that they fled as soon as possible.

  “They will nae return soon,” Alastar said. Rebecca couldn't help but think of Elayne though.

  “I hope that Elayne finds her happiness. I almost wish that she had stayed. Perhaps up here in these lands she might realize that nobility is not the meaning of life.” She looked up at Alastar, who had a confused expression on his face, no doubt not being able to understand how she could have mercy for the girl after everything Elayne had done to them.

  “She was hurt by Lord Flynn too,” Rebecca explained softly. “I know she did us wrong, but there are some things that nobody deserves.”

  “Everyone hae their own paths tae walk,” Alastar said, putting an arm around her shoulders, leading her back to the horse, “and ye hae shown me that there is always a way tae happiness, nae matter how much suffering there is in a life.”

  Rebecca sighed, supposing that he was right, but she would continue to worry about Elayne for a long time yet. The two of them shared a meager breakfast and then made their way back to the McCalls to tell them the good news. On the way, however, they stopped to bathe in a lake, dipping their naked bodies in the cool water.

  Afterward, they were refreshed and felt as though they could take on anything, although Alastar was happy to take a break from fighting for the time being. He finally had time to spend with Rebecca and wa
nted to make the most of it.

  The two of them rode back to the castle and were met with great cheers. Hundreds, possibly thousands of Highlanders had pitched their tents over the course of the night, and it was a sight to see indeed. Banners wave in the breeze, meat was being cooked, songs were being sung. Alastar was greeted as a hero as word spread through the camp, and the two of them made their way to the castle, where Blair and the others were waiting for them.

  They were met with warm embraces from all quarters as they sat down in the feasting hall.

  “There will be nae war. Lord Flynn is dead,” Alastar said. Blair and Drew clapped each other on the back and there were smiles all around, although Rebecca noticed that Catherine was subdued. She intended to speak to her alone as soon as she had the chance.