Chapter Twelve

Thane

Thane made his way across the bridge to his castle, past the gates, waving to the guards on the wall. He glanced back at the moat, noticing the water was getting higher. That was a good thing.

He bellowed to one of the guards. "Stop pishing in the moat or I'll cut your rod right off."

"Sorry, Chief. It was an accident. I waited too long," the man answered with a grin.

"Mayhap you'll see your log floating down the way if you have another accident." Hell, but he hated to see men act like pigs. They'd all worked so hard to take care of this castle that he'd never allow them to destroy any part of it.

Even the moat.

"Pish in the forest or lose it, Bearnard."

"Aye, Chief!"

Bearnard was in charge of the men when he, Artan, and his brother were not around. Perhaps he needed to rethink this. As if reading his brother's mind, Brian said, "He does the job well whether he pishes in the moat or not."

Thane cast a sideways glance at Brian that let him know he still didn't appreciate people degrading their land. "We've worked too long and too hard."

His brother followed him to the stables, two stable lads rushing out to take care of their mounts, handling them while he dismounted, calming the beast the way they should. "I'll brush him down, Chief."

"Many thanks to you, Theo. Take good care of him. I hope to have a warhorse for you someday soon."

Mora must have seen them approaching because she came barreling down the steps from the keep, across the courtyard, waving her arms before she jumped on him to give him a big hug. "Where is she?"

He set her down so she could hug Brian. Then she swung back around to face Thane, chasing behind his long steps as he continued toward the keep.

"Tamsin. The lass in the water who nearly drowned. Is she coming along? Where does she live? Did she die?"

The villagers who had come inside to work stopped to listen, but he waved his arm to insist they move on and ignore their conversation. He knew that wouldn't happen, but he wanted them working, not gawking.

"We left her with the new healer in Duart Castle."

Mora began her usual barrage of questions. "Who is that? And who is at Duart Castle? What's her name? Where are they from? Who—"

He turned to her and took both her hands in his. "Mora, I promise to reveal all, but do your brothers a favor and find us a couple of meat pies. Lamb, beef, whatever you have. And bring me a goblet of ale or two into my solar, and then I'll tell all. It was a long journey."

Mora smiled and said, "Of course, Thane. I'll gladly get you some food. Cook just made berry tarts. Would you like one? Or mayhap two?"

"Nay, just the meat pie and a hunk of bread. Something not too stale yet."

Mora took off on a run as soon as he opened the door for her, then he stepped inside, Brian behind him. He hung his mantle on the peg by the door and left his sword in the stand nearby, his own stand he insisted to have for himself. He couldn't imagine handling anyone else's weapon. Plus, it prevented anyone else's hands from touching his beloved sword.

Brian followed him into his solar and sat at a chair on the other side of his desk, setting his feet up on a stool once he removed his boots.

"Are you comfortable now, Brian?"

"Aye, quite. That was a long trip you dragged me on, Thane. Two days nearly. We didn't need to stay so long. I don't know why you insisted on talking with the man who was leaving with his wagon of goods. How did he know they were there, anyway?"

"Because word travels fast on the Isle of Mull."

The door opened and Mora flew in, balancing a tray just so before whirling around to set it on the desk. "Four meat pies and a big hunk of the dark bread just dropped off here. Fresh. And it's delicious. Cook bought it from the traveling minstrel just this morn. Unusual, but he had extra bread. And I'm sure you will love it, Thane. It's the dark kind you prefer."

Thane's mouth watered as soon as his gaze fell on the fragrant meat pie and the chunk of bread. "You brought honey, Mora. Many thanks."

"Aye. I missed you both, Thane." She smiled, her innocence and bright outlook something he depended on every day. After the situation the three were left in many years ago, he often wondered how she could stay so positive, so happy, but he'd have it no other way.

His dear sister announced, "So I'm ready to hear all." She sat down and folded her hands in her lap, looking from one brother to the other. "I can be quiet so you may talk. Either of you or both of you. Who wishes to go first? I love to hear all that happens outside our clan."

"Not much to tell," Brian said before he took a big bite of the beef pie.

Her face fell, but then she turned to Thane. "Nay? Naught?"

Thane took two bites of his meat pie and closed his eyes to savor the taste before leaning back in his chair with a sigh of pleasure. "Brian may not have learned much, but I learned more than I expected."

Brian stood up and said, "What? What did you learn from that world of no ones?"

His brother loved to be dramatic, something else he depended on. If he wanted someone to stir up the villagers, Brian could do it and do it well.

"I visit and ask questions. Mora, will you allow me to tell you what I learned without interruption?" He took another bite and a sip of ale while he waited for her to accept what he asked.

"I'm ready, Thane," she declared with a wide smile and a nod.

"So, while you were napping in the stables, Brian, I had a chat with Alaric Grant. I also spoke with Eli and Dyna Grant, along with a merchant just leaving their castle."

Brian said, "Dyna Grant? I only saw one lass, and her name was Eli."

Thane grinned. "True. You were snoring when I found the lass in a meadow with an archery target set up on bundles of hay. Too bad because I've never seen any archer better than that woman. She made me think there might be a few women in this world worthy of getting to know, unlike many of the ones in my past."

Mora scowled. "We are not all like Mama or her petty friend Maidline either."

"You are right, Mora. I have complete respect for Eli Grant the healer, Dyna Grant the archer, and you. Three."

"And Tamsin," she announced with a scowl.

"Nay, I do not know her well enough to declare that. So may I continue?"

Mora hung her head and nodded. "Please continue."

"Clan Ramsay and Clan Grant ran a patrol to protect the Highlands from the English who were on a mission to kill as many Scots as they could. King Robert was in Ireland assisting his brother. Once that battle was won, he returned and awarded Duart Castle to the Ramsays to do as they wish. His anger with the MacDougalls has not changed, apparently.

"So, Clan Ramsay and its allies decided to send six of their people to manage Duart Castle under the name Clan Grantham. Eli Ramsay is newly married to Alaric Grant."

"Who the hell are the Ramsays and the Grants? Why did the MacVey healer know them?"

Brian's face had changed from boredom to curiosity. His brother never understood how important it was to search out information. They'd have never found Artan or their castle if Thane hadn't been one to talk with others. He pursued information the way his brother searched for the best meat pie.

"Alaric's grandsire is Alexander Grant and Elisant Ramsay's grandparents are Logan and Gwyneth Ramsay."

"Hellfire, truly? Even I have heard of Alexander Grant and his battle prowess. Did they bring warhorses?" Brian asked, wide-eyed.

"If you'd checked the animals in the stable besides sleeping in the one next to it, you would have seen one of the most beautiful black destriers I've ever seen. Midnight Moon was his name, and he was glorious. He pranced for me a wee bit, and I was duly impressed. And he snorted at me when I stepped near Dyna. Apparently, he's fond of both lasses. I've never seen a woman ride a warhorse."

"I've never seen a warhorse," Brian drawled. "I've only heard of them."

Mora shook her hands in front of her like she often did when she got upset. "Wait. You have not answered the question. Who are they? The Grants and the Ramsays. What did they do? Why do you know them? And how did you know they had warhorses?"

Thane brought the tone of his voice down to that calm tenor he often used for his sister. Living with mostly men had not been easy for her. "Alexander Grant and his brothers fought in the Battle of Largs, his huge warhorse dressed in chain mail. They have the finest horses of any clan, and he and his sons have been renowned as the finest swordsmen that live. Their horses can fight laterally, so its rider can swing on both sides, so they say."

"And the female? Who is she?"

Knowing how Mora ached for female kinship, he decided to tell her all he knew of the women he'd met. They were the kind of role models she needed to see, not the kind their mother had been for her. Ruthless, nasty, and selfish. Those were not the characteristics he would hope to see in his sister. Perhaps he would take Mora with him for the next visit to Clan Grantham. "Logan and Gwyneth Ramsay were spies for King Alexander before his death. Gwyneth Ramsay is known as the finest archer, even better than the men, and she's trained her daughters to be the same."

"Eli is one and Dyna? But you said she was a Grant."

"Eli is Gwyneth's granddaughter. Doiron knew that her aunts were the finest healers in the land. Can you believe our good fortune?"

Brian stared at Mora, who looked back at him. "Nay, please explain, Thane," Mora said.

"If we can become allies of Clan Grantham, we could learn archery, train someone to be a healer, train our guards to be better swordsmen, and pay for the use of the stallion. They have all the things our clan is lacking."

"Wonderful. What will I be?" Mora asked. "And what about Tamsin? Did she fix her? Will she come and live here? Will I have a new friend finally?"

Thane took two more bites of his meat pie before he spoke again, chewing slowly. He knew Mora would be disappointed. She was the only female who lived in the castle, though there were a couple who came to visit occasionally, but not exactly the kind his sister should befriend. All his guardsmen lived in the village down the path from the castle. Some were married with bairns, some were not.

"Tamsin stopped talking on our journey, Mora. She never awakened after we arrived at Clan MacVey. Doiron took a look at her, then came out and shook her head, said she'd never seen a lass beaten so badly. Said she couldn't help her since she had no wounds or broken bones. The poor lass was barely breathing by the time we reached Duart Castle. Eli said she hoped to help her, and she knew exactly what to do for her."

"What could she do?" Mora asked. "Did she save her? How long will it take?"

"I don't know. She said it would take a while for her to heal."

"What will you do now?" Mora asked. "Didn't you wish to take over Duart Castle? Do you plan to do that still? I think you should change your plans now. We should be friends, should we not?"

Brian said, "We'd hoped to take it over before anyone arrived. But we surely cannot jump into a sea of archers. We need to make our decision soon while there are only two women and one man there. Do you not agree, Thane? Once their reinforcements arrive, we'll not be able to attack at all. We must hurry."

"Nay, we are not attacking the Grants and Ramsays, Brian. Do not be a fool. If we did, their reinforcements would take it back. We do not have the soldiers to battle two huge clans like that, even if they are mostly on the mainland." He frowned, thinking on how this one development changed everything for him, and for his clan.

Mora said, "Good. Then we could become friends. They have lasses there. Are we going back to visit? Can I come along this time?"

Brian nodded. "Mayhap you are right, Thane. We could benefit from their existence and knowledge. Then how do we become allies with Clan Grantham?"

"And what about the man who hurt Tamsin?" Mora asked. "Will someone go after him? Or will you forget him and focus on Clan Grantham?"

Thane rubbed his hands together, because he knew everything had changed in a vein he hadn't anticipated. He would not even attempt to take over Duart Castle, especially since King Robert viewed it as his to assign. If Thane wished to expand his own clan, he had to give serious thought to what his new choices were, and this would take time. He would not rush this decision. "I haven't decided yet."

He had much to think on.