Chapter 17

17

A fter a hearty meal, Elvira set off towards the rendezvous point. Rory waited for a while, and then followed her. She glanced over her shoulder, watching him amble along, trying to look inconspicuous, but only drawing more attention to him as he did so. He loped along, not marching like a warrior, but rather like someone on a morning stroll without a care in the world. Only he did have a care, lots of them. Elvira turned ahead, watching where she was going. A scowl adorned her face. Once again, the men overruled her, thinking that they knew better. This time, Rory had joined in with her. When were they going to accept that she knew this land better than they did? Her judgment was never enough for them, apparently, and she feared that this was never going to change.

Still, she supposed that there was reason for them to be cautious. They were in enemy territory after all, and Rory did have a point when he said that just because Samuel was trustworthy, it didn't mean that anyone else was. If Elvira did run into a wayward guard patrol, it would be difficult for her to escape, so perhaps it was for the best that Rory had joined her. It was really the principle of the matter that troubled her. She hated people casting doubt on her words. It made her feel unwanted and ignored. It was really a microcosm of the way the Romani people had been treated, and she was tired of it.

Elvira pulled her hood over her head and slipped into the thicket, using the trees to obscure her appearance from the road that led around the forest. If anyone came upon her, it was likely they would know her as Romani from a first glance, so she had to stop that first glance from ever taking place. Walking through the woods brought memories of running freely with Tereza and Ollie, telling them stories about how the trees came alive and how, if they listened at the right time, they would hear the song of the wind. Elvira reached out and brushed gnarled trunks with her fingers, wishing that the trees did indeed come alive. She imagined they would have infinite wisdom to pass on. She smiled as she thought about the look on Laird McKovac's face if an army of trees descended on his keep, their roots running underneath the stone walls and uprooting the building, turning it into a ruin before the Laird could do anything to defend himself.

The smile faded as Elvira sighed. Sadly, so many rumors and myths had been spread about the Romani that some people thought they were capable of causing such arcane effects. Then again, reason and logic were always blinded by hatred. The ones who found themselves dominated by fear were superstitious and cowardly. They allowed themselves to be ruled by these dark emotions and struck out without thinking at all. A bitter expression descended on Elvira's face. She could only hope that when Hamish took control, he would change things for the better and people would begin to see that the Romani were just people of a different culture, and there was nothing to fear from them.

Her trek through the woods was largely uneventful. There was one moment where she heard voices in the distance. A patrol of guards were not making a stealthy approach, so she ducked down and hid behind a gorse bush. In the distance, she could see them walking along the road, laughing to themselves. They passed without suspecting a thing. Elvira looked behind her and saw Rory crouched down as well, his hand resting on his sword, ready to draw it in case danger came her way. It was as though he were her sworn guardian, ready to march into the depths of the underworld to defend her honor. It was flattering really, and now she wished that she had been braver the previous night. They had shared a few moments now where it felt they had been close to something wonderful, yet something had always held them back. Elvira yearned to know what it was like to feel love's kiss, to caress something more than a palm.

She pushed these feelings away from her mind before she fell into a stupor. The path she took was a winding one, unmarked on the ground, only in her mind. To an outsider, the trees would have looked identical, but she could see the different grooves, the different tilts, the different colors of the leaves. It was all intimately familiar, but then reality came crashing back to her as she came across her home again. For a moment, she believed she would see the house intact, for that was the most prominent memory. Instead, she saw the charred ruins, the scorched ground, the ash that lingered in the air. If this place were a body, then she would be looking at a dark hole where the heart would have been, ripped out of the chest and leaving a void behind. She stumbled and blinked tears away from her eyes, having to remind herself that this was just a building. Mirella, Tereza, and Ollie were safe elsewhere. This did not have to be their fate.

When she focused her gaze, an unsettling feeling washed through her. Samuel was there, but he was not alone. Accompanied by three guards, all clad in McKovac colors, he looked in every direction. Elvira's heart sank. She remained hidden as Rory joined her.

"Did he say he would be bringing other guards with him? I thought he wanted tae meet ye alone," Rory asked, frustration and fear sharpening his words.

"I suppose he must hae meant that I should be alone. I'm sure that it's fine. As I said, Samuel hae always been loyal tae us."

"At the moment he looks pretty loyal tae the Laird. I dinnae like this, Elvira," Rory grit his teeth.

"If ye emerge with me, then they will hae every reason tae think this is an ambush. At least give me a chance tae discover what is happening. Perhaps these men are loyal tae Hamish's cause as well. It must be difficult for them. We cannae afford tae take unnecessary risks."

"Which is why I should gae down there with ye."

"Nae," Elvira said. "We must dae as Samuel asked. I cannae jeopardize the opportunity tae speak with Hamish. Remember, it is nae just my people we are here tae help. It's yer village as well. If we dinnae stop McKovac, then the Highlands are gaeing tae be plunged intae war and tae many people are gaeing tae suffer. Let me dae this. Ye are here if anything gaes wrong," Elvira said, placing her hand on his heart. Rory hung his head, looking at it. Then, he lifted his gaze. His eyes were ringed red and there was an anxious look on his face.

"Just be careful. If anything should happen tae ye…"

"This is all part of the plan," Elvira said, wearing her most convincing smile. She turned away from Rory and emerged from hiding, striding towards the farm. She held her head high, attempting to show no sign of fear at all. As she approached, she noticed the guards tense. Their hands went to their weapons. Samuel strode forward, although he did not have a welcome look on his face.

"I thought ye wanted tae meet alone," Elvira said, glancing towards the guards. "I assume that they share yer feelings taewards the Laird?"

A shadow of regret fell over Samuel's face. "Aye, they dae. They share my loyalty tae the Laird," he said, the words dripping with betrayal. Elvira's eyes went wide as she realized what was happening. She stepped back, shaking her head, eager to run back to Rory. The guards approached menacingly, drawing their weapons. Samuel was closest, though, and it was his hands that reached out to her, that captured her. It was a friend who had betrayed her, and that was far worse than if she had fallen to the cruelty of an enemy.

"Samuel… I trusted ye! We all did!" Elvira cried, struggling to break free from his grip.

"Just surrender, Elvira. It'll be easier on ye if ye dae. I'm sorry… but I hae tae dae this."

"Oh, ye hae tae? Why? Why would ye betray me now, of all times?"

"Because I need the reward. I need healers for my sister. I cannae afford them, and all of the Romani healers are hiding."

"Then why nae side with Hamish? Drive the Laird out."

"I cannae wait that long. I need the medicine now," Samuel's eyes burned like two coals, and it was clear he had convinced himself that this was the only way to help his sister. Elvira looked at him, stunned. The shock of having such a staunch ally turn on her had sapped all of her strength. Her knees went weak. She fell into his arms without any resistance at all.

"I hae tae dae this, Elvira. I hae tae dae it," Samuel repeated over and over again, as if by reputation his decision would have been justified. Elvira wasn't sure if he was trying to convince her, or himself. Either way, she felt sickened that Rory and the others had been right to suspect a trap. She had placed too much faith in Samuel, and now it was costing Elvira her freedom. She looked back, hoping that Rory would have more sense than to come chasing after her. There were four of them and only one of him. The odds were insurmountable. The most sensible thing to do was return to the tavern, tell the others what had happened, and find some other way to get in contact with Hamish.

But Rory was not always a sensible man. If the situation hadn't been so fraught with tension, then Elvira might have appreciated the irony of Rory throwing caution to the wind for her, when she wanted him to be reticent and avoid trouble, as had been his intention when he turned her away from the forge. Instead, he broke through the bushes with his sword held high in the air, charging like a demon ready to wage war. Elvira looked at him with passion rising in her heart. What a sweet, sweet fool he was. He had damned himself for her. It was utterly romantic, and utterly foolish, and she couldn't help but love him for it. She only wished that she had been able to tell him how he felt, because now they weren't going to get a chance.

Rory cursed himself for not walking down with her. He chastised himself for not dragging her away as soon as they had seen that Samuel was accompanied by three other men. Every instinct in his body told him that this was a trap, but no, he had to trust her, he had to give Samuel the benefit of the doubt, he had to turn against his own judgment because he trusted Elvira. Anger burned inside him, but it was not anger directed at her. This man, Samuel, had betrayed Elvira, betrayed them all. As soon as Samuel stepped towards Elvira, Rory knew that something dreadful was happening. He unsheathed his sword and wished that Tarbuck and Rab were beside him to even the odds.

But they weren't.

It was just him. He would have to be enough. He had been enough with the bandits, although these were hardened warriors, and there were two extra men. Still, Rory wasn't about to turn back and allow Elvira to be hauled off by them. A red mist descended over his eyes and, like a beast whose pride was threatened, there was nothing in his heart other than a need to protect what he loved.

"Get yer hands off her!" he yelled, charging towards the guards. They immediately went on the defensive, with Samuel hauling Elvira away. The other three came to meet Rory. His fury and passion charged the sword with a crackling energy. He swung it with such force that if he struck truly, he would have cleaved them in half. Unfortunately, his skill did not match his ferocity. It had been enough to disarm the bandits, but three guards were too much, although Rory did put up a better fight than they might have anticipated.

He barreled through the first man, cutting a chunk out of his arm. A plume of blood sprayed in the air, splashing the ground with crimson drops. But the second guard was ready for him. He caught Rory's sword and pushed him back. Rory was forced to go on the defensive, holding his sword tightly to absorb the blows. As it was, he managed to defend himself, and then shifted his weight to fight back. He got some good blows in himself, although his opponent seemed to be able to predict where he was going to strike. He didn't seem to be in any danger of breaking through the guard's defenses. Then, the third guard joined. Rory was faced with two skilled, trained warriors. One sword was difficult enough to manage, but two were impossible. Sweat poured down his forehead, stinging his eyes and tasting bitter on his tongue. He strained as he angled his sword to guard against both weapons crashing down upon him. He felt proud of being able to do so, and was summoning his reserves of strength to push them away. However, one of the guards kicked at his knee, putting so much force into the kick that Rory's leg buckled and he sank down.

The other guard ran forward, the point of the sword stopping short of running Rory through.

"Yield," the guard snarled. Rory's nostrils flared as he looked up to see his strained face reflected in the man's blade. The battle was over. He had failed. He hung his head as his sword was wrenched from his hands. The guard who took it looked at it approvingly. Rory's stomach turned at the thought that a weapon he created might be used by this monster. His hands were bound, and he was hauled over to sit by Elvira.

"How could ye dae this? How could ye betray her like this?" Rory spat as he met Samuel face to face for the first time. Samuel averted his gaze.

"I dinnae need tae explain myself tae ye. I will leave ye for yer men tae find. A warning. If they continue with this treachery, then their blood will be spilled as well," Samuel said, drawing his sword. Rory jutted his chin out, ready to meet his destiny without fear. He looked towards Elvira, wanting her face to be the last thing he ever saw.

"Wait!" Elvira shrieked, grabbing Samuel's attention.

He hung his head. "This is already hard enough. Dae ye think I like daeing this?"

"I think ye hae twisted yer mind beyond all reason," Elvira spat, "but that is beside the point. Ye dinnae want tae kill him. That man there is the finest blacksmith in the land. If ye keep him alive he can be of use tae ye. I'm sure Laird McKovac would want him tae make weapons."

Rory grit his teeth. He would rather die than arm the enemy, but he knew that Elvira was trying anything she could to save his life.

"If he made this sword, then she's telling the truth. I hae rarely seen finer craftsmanship," the guard who had taken Rory's sword said, offering the weapon to the others. They examined it and seemed to come to the same conclusion.

"Very well, perhaps there will be a better reward for a blacksmith and a witch," Samuel muttered. Rory felt strong hands being placed upon him as he was dragged away. He fell into step with Elvira, trying not to look at her because he was ashamed of his failure. He had come along on this mission specifically to help her, to protect her, but they had both been captured. He wished he could reach out and hold her hand, but his hands were bound. Well, no matter what happened, he wasn't about to forge weapons for the enemy. He would rather die. However, as long as he was alive, then there was a chance. At least he and Elvira were together, and he had a sense that while this remained true, they could accomplish anything.

And, once Tarbuck, Rab, and Michael did not hear from them, they would know that something had gone wrong. This wasn't over by any means, the only thing that was uncertain was whether Rory would be around for long enough to see the outcome of all of this. He shook his head, thinking that none of this would have happened if he had stayed firm in his reluctance to help Torrin. Then again, he wouldn't have been able to live with himself. This was where he belonged, by Elvira's side, even though they were being led to a dark fate. Since he was with her, though, there was nowhere he would rather be.