Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

Alison was feeling a little bit better, but still weak when Finn came into the room where she was staying. "Good morn, lass. We will be leaving on the morrow. I have arranged to have a cart so ye can rest on the trip."

She frowned. "Wouldn't it be faster if I rode a horse?"

He shook his head and sat alongside her. "Nay. The healer thinks it would be too hard on yer body. We could wait a few days?—"

"Nay," she said. Tears filled her eyes. "I want to go home. To our home."

He stretched out alongside her on the bed and pulled her into his arms. "Do no' fash yerself, my love, we will take the cart."

She nodded and wiped away the tears.

Finn placed his hand under her chin and turned her face to his. "The healer mentioned a bruise on yer back and seemed reluctant to say it. Were ye injured on the ride here?"

"Aye. Archie tossed me onto his horse when they grabbed me. Of course, I gave him a hard time and, eventually, he punched me on the back."

She could feel Finn's entire body tense. "Is that all?"

"Aye."

He nodded and brushed her hair back from her face. "I want ye to eat and sleep as much as ye can today. Even riding in the cart, it can be an arduous trip back home."

"Is that an order, husband?"

He grinned. "Since we're talking about yer safety, aye, ‘tis an order."

She yawned. "I doona think I will have a problem with that order since that's what I want to do anyway."

Finn kissed her lightly on the lips, but she wanted so much more. He smiled as he pulled away. "Get yer rest now, wife. We can continue this when ye're feeling better." He pulled the bedcover up and quietly left the room.

Finn had one chore to complete before they left. James and Albert were preparing the cart since they would leave tomorrow first light. The cook had promised she would have food packed for them before they left. Aside from The Sinclair and his sons, everyone in the keep seemed accommodating and pleasant.

The healer had even said she would send a bit of sleeping draught to make Alison's trip easier.

He hadn't seen his father-in-law since the meeting with The Sinclair. When he inquired, he was told that he had returned to the bedchamber he'd been assigned and stayed there.

Finn pushed the mystery out of his mind. He stopped and asked one of the guardsmen where Archie Sinclair was.

"He's at the lists right now, Mackay. If ye want to see him, go into the outer bailey and ye'll see them on the right side of the keep."

The morning was bright with sunshine, and Finn dearly hoped it would continue for their trip on the morrow. With using the cart he figured it could be a two day, or possibly three day, trip instead of the full day and part of the evening it took them to arrive here.

He touched the top of his sword as he made his way to the lists. Hundreds of men were practicing. It didn't take him long to spot Archie swinging his sword at one of his brothers.

"Archie Sinclair!" Finn called out.

His voice carried over the clash of swords and men's grunts. Most of the men stopped to stare at him.

Archie wiped the sweat from his forehead. "What do ye want, Mackay."

"A challenge."

Buzzing began with the crowd of warriors. Archie smiled brightly and strode up to him. "A challenge, eh? Ye think ye can beat me?" He laughed and turned to his men who laughed with him.

"Aye, I do." Finn removed his shirt and, like the other men, also his kilt which left him naked. The best way to fight.

Archie smirked as he approached him, strutting along, smiling at his men.

The two of them circled each other with shouts and taunts coming from the Sinclair men. Now was when Finn had to use his well-honed control, even though it was hard to control his rage. The idea of Archie harming Alison made him want to remove the man's head from his shoulders, but that would make their departure a bit difficult.

To defeat the man he had to be careful of every move.

"Do ye enjoy the whore in yer bed?" Archie shouted as he circled Finn.

Knowing it was his way of distracting him, Finn shoved down the extra rage. "No whore in my bed, but there is sure one in yers."

They began to strike, the men appearing at first to be evenly matched, but, as the fight continued, Archie began to make mistakes, resulting in Finn slashing him on the arm. The man jumped back and looked down at his arm.

A mistake.

Finn continued to come at him and struck him on the leg, now leaving the man bleeding from two cuts. Finn had to fight himself to keep from killing the man, but Archie's injuries kept him from continuing effectively and within minutes, Finn had him flat on his back. He brought the tip of his sword to Archie's throat.

"If I dinna believe killing ye would interfere with whatever deal yer da and The Mackay worked out, ye would have been dead already."

"What's yer problem, Mackay? Ye got the lass as yer wife."

"Aye. My wife . And ye had the nerve to punch her in her back while holding her captive on yer horse. Doona think this is over. Were I to see ye again with my sword handy, ye will be dead."

With those words, Finn turned, dressed himself and headed to the keep.

He couldn't leave this place soon enough.

Within minutes, he knocked on The Mackay's bedchamber door. "Aye."

Finn entered. The man was still in bed. "Are ye ill, my laird?"

"Aye. Sick in my heart."

Finn drew up a chair. "Do ye wish to talk?"

"Nay. I canno' right now." He turned to Finn. "How is my daughter? Is she recovering? I'd like to leave here as soon as possible."

"She is recovered enough to leave tomorrow. The Sinclair has offered the use of a cart to bring her home in."

The laird nodded. "Aye, ‘twill be good to be home again." He remained silent for a minute. "When we get back to Castle Varrich, I will be turning over all the Clan Chief duties to ye."

Although Finn wasn't that surprised at the laird's words, he wasn't quite sure he was ready.

Almost as if he read his mind, the laird said, "Ye're ready, Finn. I already spoke with the council and they agreed. We will have a loyalty swearing event upon our return."

He pushed away the feeling of panic. Aye, he could do this. He always knew that. It was just that the assumption of the laird's duties came sooner then he'd expected.

The next morning, he bundled Alison up and carried her to the cart. The men were already on their horses, ready to go. Finn would like to never lay eyes on this place again.

Once she was settled, he reached down and kiss her lips. "We will be home soon, love. Just let that draught the healer gave ye do its work and take a nice sleep."

The trip was long and Finn knew the men didn't like traveling at such a slow pace, but Alison came first. She wanted to go home, and going home she was.

Upon their return, as promised, there was a loyalty swearing event where the men of Castle Varrich knelt before Finn and swore their allegiance to Finn Mackay, the new Clan Chief of the Mackay clan.