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Chapter Sixteen

A lexander entered the great room and looked about the people gathered. Despite the fact it would be a busy day, with so many waiting for an audience the air in the room felt light. After so much chaos and danger, disputes between people was an easy task.

When a soft hand slipped into his, he didn’t have to look to ken it was Nala. He turned to find his wife frowning up at him. “Ye left the bedchamber without speaking. Is all well?”

Not caring that there were others around, Alexander bent, wrapped the beauty in his arms and kissed her soundly.

There were murmurs and chuckles as he released the now blushing Nala, who looked around with round eyes. “Alex.” Although she attempted to give him a stern reprimanding look letting him ken that type of behavior was not acceptable, the corners of her lips twitched.

“I apologize for leaving without talking to ye. I thought ye required rest and I didnae wish to disturb ye.”

She leaned into his side as they made their way to the high board. There was no other place he ever wished his wife to be.

First meal was brought to them, and he ate without hesitation. Having made love and then talked until late into the night before another bout of love making had left him ravenous. He looked to Nala, who seemed to be just as hungry.

“Why would ye think anything was wrong? After the night we had, I expected ye to be sleeping in.”

Although her complexion was a becoming shade, a result of a Caribbean mother and Scottish father, her cheeks darkened as she blushed. “What has gotten into ye. Ye need to not speak so loudly.”

“I am a fulfilled husband. With a perfect wife,” he teased, then whispered. “I love ye, Nala.”

There was a commotion in the back of the great room as a man hurried in followed by two guardsmen. His personal guards moved closer to his back as the man neared.

The man was well-built, young, perhaps late twenties with a beard and thick arms. He slowed as he neared to assure the guards he meant no harm.

“Laird, danger comes to our lands. Ye must send warriors to the western shore.”

Knowing his men regularly patrolled that shore, Alexander wasn’t sure what the man stated was true. Although the western shore was exposed to the open sea, anyone planning some sort of attack would be confronted by two strong clans as a portion belonged to Clan Grant.

“Do I ken ye?” Alexander asked.

Alexander stood and rounded the table, placing himself between the man and his wife. Then he motioned for Cynden and Liam to come and the warriors came to stand beside him.

The man shook his head. “I have only arrived a pair of months ago, I am called Niven McConnell. I am nephew to Maira and Malcolm McConnell. They grow old and require help with the farm, so I came to help.”

The McConnell’s were indeed elderly and were checked on every sennight by the men when patrolling. They were a kindly couple, who seemed to look forward to the visits.

“What did ye see?” Cynden asked.

“Two bìrlinns crowded with men came ashore late last night. I saw them when out for a walk. They were just south of where the farm is. They pulled the bìrlinns into the wooded area near there.

“My uncle said I should alert ye, so as soon as dawn broke, I rode here as fast as I could.”

Alexander looked to Cynden. “Knox is meeting the patrol there this morning. Take twenty men and ride there immediately.”

His cousin alone would be outmanned and could be taken or worse killed. He motioned to Liam to wait and returned his attention to Niven. “Were ye able to see their manner of dress, anything about them that gave ye any idea who they are?”

The man shook his head. “I went as near as I dared without them seeing me and hid behind trees to watch. They were quiet, so I could nae hear any accents. They wore warm clothing, fur cloaks, and thick boots.”

There was the possibility they were travelers, who came ashore to rest. If not familiar with the area, they wouldn’t ken where to send a messenger to alert the laird of their presence. After not so long ago being invaded by the McLeods, Alexander would take every precaution.

“Yer coming to alert me is much appreciated,” he said to Niven. “Remain for a meal if ye wish.”

Niven shook his head. “I must decline yer kind offer, but I wish to return as soon as possible and ensure my aunt and uncle are nae harmed.”

“A pair of guardsmen will go with ye.”

Once the men were dispatched and an obviously perturbed Liam remained, Alexander turned to the table. He gave his wife a reassuring look. He took a piece of bread, tore it open, and placed the other items on the plate into it, then turned to Liam. “To my study.”

Once in the study, the guard and the leader overseeing the wall and gates joined them.

“Ensure all is well secured and every corner of the wall is manned. Wake the men who worked last night and make them aware of what happens, so they are mentally prepared tonight. Liam, the rest of the men who remain must be split, half inside the courtyard and the other outside the gates.

Liam nodded. “My men would prefer to go to the shore and defend our land.”

“If it comes to it, ye can go later, right now I require men to remain here to ensure the safety of the keep.”

The leader studied him. “Ye cannae go. Ye do understand that.”

He’d already planned to ride with his personal guard needing to ken what occurred. “I cannae just remain here not knowing.”

“A messenger will arrive as soon as the men get there and find out what happens,” Liam rebutted. “Until then, ye must stay.”

One of the most frustrating things of being laird was his limited battle engagement in defending his clan. He was a born warrior and staying behind the safety of walls went against his nature.

As much as he wanted to argue, he finally blew out a frustrated breath and looked to Liam. “Go see about the walls.”

Once again Alex spoke to Liam. “Ensure the men posted around the outside are fully armed and remain alert. Instruct the ones inside to walk the perimeter constantly.”

With that, he waited for the men to leave and then stalked back to the great room. There were the day-to-day duties to be seen to. After all, life didnae stop because of reports of people arriving on the shoreline.

The ride to the southern shore was long, but it was to be Knox’s patrol area that day. His men would arrive soon after, so he took his time getting there. Having left Hendry’s parent’s home early that morning, he’d planned for a leisurely ride. Unfortunately, the time alone gave him the opportunity to think and revisit the last interaction he’d had with Sencha.

At the time when she’d repeated not believing he was ready to settle, Knox had not allowed her judgement to affect him. Part of the reason was his training as a warrior not to show emotion.

Truthfully, the main reason was that he’d been caught off guard. Not only by her reaction but by how deeply he cared for her. It was the first time he’d ever declared himself to a woman and had no idea how to prepare and what to expect.

One thing he knew for sure was that he’d not expected her to laugh or for her to be so certain in her lack of belief in him and his feelings. The more he pondered on it, the deeper her words cut. If only he’d waited, known that it was her mother marrying and not her, then he could have found out how she felt for him.

From the way she melted under his kisses and trembled at his caresses, it was clear Sencha wasn’t immune to him. The woman had gone as far as to confess she had deep feelings for him. He’d felt triumphant in that moment.

If he continued to revisit the interactions between himself and Sencha again and again, he would go mad. If nothing else, he’d gained experience and would never dismiss heartbreak again. So many times he’d been annoyed when a member of his team had been disheartened over a woman.

So far into his thoughts, Knox looked around to gather his bearings. He was near the coast as the salty air reached his nostrils. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, a sense of foreboding taking over and he guided his horse away from the path and into a wooded area. Something was amiss.

Once in the safety of the trees, Knox dismounted and tethered his horse. Keeping low to the ground, he made his way on foot. Whenever he peered around trees and bushes, there wasn’t anyone in sight. Yet the feeling of being watched kept him moving forward.

He stopped and leaned behind a tree hoping he hid in the right direction. Slowing his breath, he listened for any sounds that didn’t belong.

The birds were silent, a good indicator that someone was about. Of course it could be it was him that had quieted the feathered creatures.

Just as he was about to give up and return to the horse, there was a sound of more than one person nearby. Whoever they were they spoke in low tones, as if not wishing to be overheard.

Most hunters would speak softly, so it could be there wasn’t anything to be worried about. And yet, these were the laird’s lands, and no one was permitted to hunt unless first seeking permission. Since this was his area to patrol, he would have been informed of the grant.

Crouching low, he peered around the tree. In a small clearing, a group of men, perhaps six had gathered. None of them were familiar to him.

Just past them, two bìrlinns had been dragged into the woods, so they would not be visible from the shoreline or from the road.

Knox looked over his shoulder then to the ground to ensure he would not step on anything and moved backward. If the men were not friendly, it would not do to be caught alone. By the fact he had a sword strapped to his back, it would be obvious he was a warrior.

When a safe distance away, he straightened and hurried back to his horse, then stopped in his tracks. Two men stood by his horse looking straight at him.

Four other men came out from both sides and approached but kept a safe distance.

“Who are ye?” Knox asked. “These are Ross lands, ye must make yerselves known to my laird.”

The men remained silent and exchanged looks.

When his horse bobbed his head and neighed, getting everyone’s attention, Knox pulled his sword from its sheath. “Answer me,” he called out whilst turning side to side. He wouldn’t last long against so many. His only hope was that his team of six men would arrive in time.

“Let me guess,” one of the men said approaching. The others looked on, so it seemed the man was possibly their leader. “Ye are a guard to this Laird Ross?”

The man’s accent was unfamiliar, perhaps from another isle or they could be a gang of rogue criminals who’d come together.

Keeping his eyes moving, he met the man’s gaze. “I am.”

“Unfortunately for ye, it is best nae to leave anyone who has seen us.” The man looked back at Knox’s horse. “How to make it seem as if ye met an unfortunate end that had nothing to do with another person?”

One of the others chuckled. “Some men hang themselves.” He eyed the horse. “Stand on the horse, throw a rope, and complete the deed.”

Thankfully Knox didn’t have a rope and from a quick scan he gathered neither did any of the idiots surrounding him.

The man motioned to everyone with both hands. “I need a better idea.”

“Fell off the horse and broke his neck.”

“Hit his head on a rock.”

“Trampled by the horse.”

The ideas, although creative would be hard to pull off, because Knox had no intention of being taken without a fight.

“What about the dead bodies they find lying about?” he countered.

The spokesman nodded toward him as if in approval. “There is that.”

Despite the strange conversation, Knox was not fooled for one moment. These men were dangerous, they fled from somewhere and didn’t want to be found out.

One of the men closest to him, a younger one, took a step back and narrowed his eyes. “I say we cut him through and throw him into the water.”

“He will wash up,” another countered. “We should kill him and go.”

“Not until we find food. We must get something to eat,” the leader countered. He turned to Knox. “Where is the nearest house?”

Knox gave him an incredulous look. “Should I slaughter a pig and roast it for ye?” If he was about to die, he would not show any fear. What bothered him was that once they killed him, they would probably find the nearby farm and kill the defenseless people who lived there. The elderly couple, who lived at the nearest farm wouldn’t have a chance.

“It is best ye leave. I am sure word of yer arrival will have reached the laird by now.” At least it was what Knox hoped, although he doubted it. They didn’t patrol this coastline during the night.

The leader of the group motioned to Knox. “Best to kill him and bury the body. He will nae be found.” He then pointed to one of the men standing by the horse. “Take the steed and find the nearest house. Return quickly so we can be on our way.”

Then he looked to those flanking Knox. “What are ye waiting for? Kill him.”

As one man mounted and rode away, Knox’s stomach sank. He would reach the farm before anyone could beat him there to stop him.

Hoping to defend himself for as long as possible, Knox turned from side to side watching the men surrounding him. His sword out, he pulled a dagger from his belt and palmed it in his left hand. His aim with the dagger was reliable, so he turned to the left and threw it. The dagger sunk into the younger man’s chest. Caught by surprise, he stumbled backward dropping the blade he held.

Not waiting to see what happened, Knox palmed a second dagger. He only had three, which was unfortunate.

As the duo on his right advanced, he flung a second dagger at the one in front; unfortunately, he missed the chest and it sunk into the man’s shoulder. Still it was a good hit as it was the man’s sword arm. The man yelled but continued advancing. Thankfully, the pain must have kept him from thinking clearly because when he pulled the dagger free. Blood spurted from the wound and for a moment the man hesitated pressing his hand over the wound. He swayed side to side before passing out.

As the man on his left advanced, he swung his sword effectively blocking him and then he quickly turned to the right to defend against another. He wouldn’t last long, but at least he’d wound them enough to make it easier for his men.

“Kill him!” the idiot who continued to stand watching called out, and motioned for the other one standing next to him to join in.

Knox jumped backward to avoid being hit, causing the two men on his sides to turn to avoid striking each other. Reaching for the third dagger as he tried his best to block the three advancing men, he knew it would be best to aim for the leader, but the man was a distance away. Instead he opted for the one who had been to his left.

Before he could throw the dagger, the trio advanced all at once, swords held high. With no other option, Knox turned and took off running.

He ran toward the road he’d been on, hoping to be out in the open where he could be seen. Thankfully, he was used to physical exertion and was able to put a bit of distance between himself and his pursuers.

Upon reaching the road, he turned and waited for the three to get closer, then he threw the dagger at the one in front. He missed.

The man bent and picked up the dagger, then threw it in his direction. Knox managed to avoid it, but just barely. He was growing tired.

Once again, he ran. His sword in hand. The men were talking to one another, and he expected they were formulating a plan.

When something hard hit him in the back, Knox realized they’d thrown a rock. He had to admit it was a good plan, but not a deadly one. So he began running in an unpredictable pattern, hoping to keep from being hit.

One of the men was catching up to him. If he were to guess, it was the one who’d not been fighting.

Taking a deep breath, he glanced over his shoulder and then when the man was close enough to strike, Knox came to a dead stop, turned with his sword straight out, and cut the man across his midsection.

The man let out a loud yowl, but not seeming to realize the extent of his injuries, he lifted his weapon and swung. Knox blocked the strike and countered by cutting into the injured man’s side. The strike must have brought awareness, because the man looked to his gaping stomach and dropped to his knees. Grasping his midsection, he began to moan whilst kicking his legs out in pain.

The other two circled Knox, their eyes moving from him to the man who thrashed on the ground dying.

“I am nae easy prey,” Knox called out. “Take yer chances if ye must.”

One of them let out a loud growl and advanced, while the other man came up behind him. It was then shouts sounded nearby. Knox didn’t have to look to ken Ross warriors had arrived.

The eyes of his attackers widened, and they turned and raced back into the trees. No doubt to alert the others of what came.

It wasn’t just his team, but two. There were at least twenty men, more than enough to rid their lands of the opponents.

Cynden Ross brought his horse to a stop and jumped down. The laird’s youngest brother neared and looked him over. “Ye should sit.” He took Knox by the arm. “Now.”

“I dinnae need to sit.”

The warrior gave him a droll look. “Believe me, ye do.”

Knox held his arms out and turned in a circle. “I am perfectly well.”

“Ye should inform yer left arm of that.”

It was then he looked to his left bicep and noted the wound. One of the idiots had cut his arm open.

“That must be why I missed,” he said and swayed. “Someone must go to the McConnell’s. One of them took my horse and headed there to find food. He will probably kill them. There are three of them left in the woods and seven more camped just past the bend.” He pointed and hissed in pain when he tried to lift his injured arm.

Annoyed that he couldn’t go with the men to fight the intruders, Knox allowed Cynden to help him to sit. A wagon appeared that had been dispatched to tend to any injured and moments later Knox was in the back of it. The healer wasted no time washing out the wound and stitching it closed.

Since he’d barely eaten that morning and had downed an entire wineskin whilst being sewn up, Knox was unable to fight the sleep that claimed him.

When he opened his eyes, the sun was still up, and he was still in the back of the wagon. He sat up grimacing, at the pain brought by the movement.

The healer looked to him. “Ye had another cut on yer upper back. I stitched it up as well.”

“Thank ye,” Knox said and looked around. “How long did I sleep? Have the warriors nae returned?”

Hendry’s face loomed over him. “A messenger was sent to Alexander. We think all of them have been dealt with swiftly.”

“What about the McConnells?” he asked, fighting the urge to close his eyes.

“They were found well, their nephew is there. He is who alerted us to the intruders. We have nae found the man who took yer horse. We hope yer horse will return to the keep on its own if left unattended.”

Knox gritted his teeth. “I must find my steed.” He slid to the end of the wagon. “Hendry, get me a horse.”

“I dinnae think it wise for ye to ride at the moment,” the healer said in a patient voice. “There were herbs in the wine. I would be surprised if ye can stand.”

Not willing to listen, Knox placed both feet on the ground and stood. It lasted only a moment before he stumbled sideways. Thankfully Hendry caught him or else he would have landed on the ground.

Hendry walked him back to the wagon and helped him to sit. “We will find both the man and yer steed. Tomorrow is soon enough for ye to join in the search. Already our warriors, led by Liam, are on the hunt. If anyone can find him, it is he.”

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