Chapter 11

11

B efore Isobel could leave the meadow and return to the croft, about twenty riders approached. Friend or foe? Alasdair unsheathed his sword, and she quickly followed suit. Hans and a dozen men suddenly rode out of the outer bailey, and she realized the guards on watch must have alerted Hans that they had company.

Then Alasdair smiled and sheathed his sword. “They are our allies from Hillshire Keep, east of us. The one in the middle is Laird Baldur of the Hamilton clan.”

The breeze blew their scent in her and Alasdair’s direction, and she realized they were gray wolves.

“How now,” Alasdair called out as Hans and the other men joined them.

“Greetings, Alasdair. With getting word that the Viking raiders were wreaking havoc the last few days in your area, we came to see if you need reinforcements.”

“Thanks be to thee. We burned their ships, and I’m sure they’re looking for a way back home further up the coast.”

Baldur laughed. “Good.”

“Come, visit with me.”

“I will be on my way,” Isobel said since she didn’t feel these matters were any of her concern and wanted to see if anyone needed her help at the croft.

“Hans, provide the lass with the two horses I spoke to you about and give her an escort home, will you?”

“Aye, brother.” Hans offered Isobel his hand to pull her up on his horse when she’d planned to walk to the stables alone.

With everyone watching, she gave in, accepted his help, and climbed on the horse behind him. Before they could leave, Baldur told Alasdair, “Accalia is still of marriageable age and needs a mate.”

Isobel knew the thought of mating Alasdair would be too good to be true. If he had the chance to mate with a wolf who would give him an alliance with another clan, his pack would be so much better off. What did she have to offer him? Nothing but her ability to fight.

And trouble should the chieftain of the clan who killed her uncle come after them. She could envision Vigge offering to go in his da’s stead to tack her and her cousins down.

Not to mention others in the area who had been killed, injured, or had family members stolen by marauders might be up in arms if Alasdair mated with an Icelander with ties to raiders.

“Did Alasdair tell you why he gave you and Conall the horses?” Hans asked as he rode into the outer bailey and headed for the stables.

“Aye. So that if we have trouble, we can come for help.”

“Right. Even though you’re wolves and can run fast, and though you can howl and your howls will carry long distances, they might no’ reach us in time. If you have to take the twins with you, then both you and Conall can ride and carry each of them to safety. As young as they are, Libby and Drummond couldna keep up with you should you run as wolves.”

“Aye. I take it that Alasdair knows Baldur Hamilton fairly well.”

“Aye. We’ve known them for years. Baldur’s daughter is best friends with Bessetta.”

Just then, Bessetta dashed out of the inner bailey and called to Hans, “I saw Baldur is here through my window. Did he bring Accalia?”

“Nay. He brought a force to help us repel the raiders if we needed his extra forces. He wouldna have brought her and risked her safety.”

Bessetta’s shoulders dropped, and her expression darkened. “I hate Viking raiders.” She stalked back to the castle.

Isobel felt bad for Bessetta. She could imagine it might be years between visits as much as the packs were spaced apart. The difference between Isobel and Accalia was that she would have been with the warriors to fight their enemy. “So Alasdair will mate Baldur’s daughter?”

Hans laughed. “Nay. Accalia is like a sister to us. I’m afraid you’ve spoiled Alasdair if he had any notion of seeking out any other she-wolf to mate. He really doesna want you to stay with the MacEachens, but once you offered to help them, he knew that was the best thing to do. I’ve never seen him give in so much when he wants things to go in a different direction.”

She shook her head.

“Know this, that Alasdair has spoken to everyone in the pack, and you shouldna have any trouble with anyone. But he wanted the four of you in the castle so that he could ensure you didna run into any trouble with the local populace.”

“What about the boy who lashed out at Drummond? I’m certain others feel the same way as he did. Maybe some who were kin or good friends of the ones who died in the raid with the Vikings last year.”

Alasdair might have spoken to them, but it didn’t mean they wouldn’t resent her and her cousins living there with the pack.

At the nooning meal, Alasdair expected Isobel to be seated at the table with Elene, and of course, he was looking for any sign of Cleary and Baine after Isobel returned to the croft to check on the situation. When he saw Isobel standing beside Elene, he was relieved.

Baldur Hamilton was seated between Alasdair and Erik. Hans, Bessetta, and Rory were seated to Alasdair’s left. Erik’s brothers, Logan and Finlay, were sitting beside him.

“As I was saying,” Baldur repeated to Alasdair, “You know Accalia, and she is of a marriageable age.”

“She is like a sister to me. I love her in that capacity. Not only that, but I’m interested in another she-wolf who might be my mate.” Alasdair ate another bite of the trout that members of his clan had caught. “I’m grateful for the alliance between our packs. And I thank you for coming to our aid.”

“Aye.” Baldur glanced at Erik. “You are known as the great white wolf chief, and you dinna have a mate. Mayhap you and I could form an alliance as well.”

Erik drank some of his ale. “Tell me about your daughter.”

"She's incredibly beautiful, great with children, can handle the responsibilities of managing a castle, and everyone adores her. If you mate her, we could ally."

Alasdair glanced at Erik to see how he viewed the news.

Somberly, Erik nodded. “I will come and see her for myself.”

Alasdair could have fallen off his chair he was so surprised. Erik had lost his mate to sickness. Alasdair hadn’t thought he would ever mate again. Some wolves never mated with another wolf once they had lost theirs.

Alasdair had worried that Erik and Isobel might be interested in each other or even that she might be intrigued by Erik’s brothers because they were also Icelanders, but though they’d smiled and tried to get her attention, she had ignored them. Which he had been glad for.

She and her kin might have been more accepted among Erik’s people than Alasdair’s, but he couldn’t give her up. She had a certain charm that had captivated him from the start, and no matter how busy he was, she was always on his mind. He constantly worried about her well-being, her whereabouts, and the safety of her family.

Hans asked, “Are you going to tell Isobel we’re turning Cleary and Baine after dinner?”

Alasdair nodded. “I wanted her to know she and her family are safe with us.”

“Is she safe with you ?”

Alasdair chuckled. “Perfectly.”

“Bessetta has said the woman has caught your eye. She notices things, you know.”

“She’s a wolf. Sometimes she notices too much.”

Bessetta laughed. “You know I can hear the two of you.”

Alasdair glanced back at Isobel. When she was safely at the keep, he was relieved that she was close by. He had originally intended for her to sit by his side at the head table, but when she expressed her excitement to catch up with her friend, Elene, he couldn't help but let her enjoy their time together this morn.

With the talk he knew he would have with Baldur and speaking about marrying his daughter and having an alliance, he let her eat with Elene again. Besides, Alasdair was delighted to see them converse and share laughter and smiles while eating their meal.

“You should have had her sit up at the high table,” Bessetta said to Alasdair, speaking around Hans.

Alasdair glanced at his sister. “You mean?—”

“Isobel, of course. And aye.”

“She looked so eager to visit with Elene when she arrived at the keep?—”

“You didna have the heart to break them up.” Bessetta smiled at him, broke a piece of bread off, then bit into it. “That is good because I know you want to be with her, but Elene needed to spend time with her. Elene loves it here so far. All the women feel for her after what she’d been through.”

“What about Isobel?”

“Elene told them how she and her cousins sneaked special food and drink to her and gave her furs when she had naught. They talked to Elene when others were asleep, telling her they would help free her, even before Isobel’s uncle planned to take over the clan and failed. It’s helped some of our women to see Isobel in a good light,” Bessetta said.

“But no’ all of them.” Even though Alasdair hadn’t been privy to what was happening in the women’s quarters, he’d seen some of the hateful looks a few women had given Isobel once she had arrived at the keep. Were they jealous that she had intrigued him? Or, more to the point, that she was of Icelandic stock?

But he couldn’t have admired Isobel and her cousins more for risking their lives to befriend a slave.

“When are you going to have Isobel sit at the head table?” Bessetta asked. “I mean, sure, Elene needs to see her, but I want to visit with Isobel also. Since she is staying out at the MacEachans’s croft and then she’ll be pulling guard duty here, I dinna get to know her like I can Elene. I mean, if you want to, have Elene sit up at the head table too.”

Alasdair smiled at his sister. “At dinner.”

“Good.”

“And Elene?” Hans asked.

“Is there a reason you want her to sit up with us?” Alasdair asked, wondering if there was more to his brother’s question than he was letting on.

Hans laughed. “Bessetta brought it up. Dinna see anything more to it than that, brother.”

After the meal, Isobel hugged Elene before she rode back to the croft to help the MacEachens for the rest of the day. Alasdair and Baldur were signing some agreement, and she wondered if he had agreed to marry Baldur’s daughter and ally with Baldur.

Before Isobel could leave the great hall, Alasdair intercepted her.

“If you have any trouble at all, just let me or my brothers know when you are at the croft.”

“ Ja .”

“Aye,” he corrected her, not wanting her to make the slip in front of someone other than their pack members. He knew from the expression on her face that she intended to take matters into her own hands if either man threatened her or her kin. He didn’t blame her, though he wanted to take care of them himself to prove to her that he was good for his word.

“Are you betrothed to Baldur’s daughter?” she asked, the suspense killing her. Even though Hans said Alasdair wouldn’t marry the lass, what if Alasdair had other plans? That he had more feelings for Accalia now than he had before?

“Nay. But Erik might be interested in her. Baldur talked to him more about Accalia, and he’s leaving to return home.”

“Oh.” She was surprised to hear that Erik might be interested in the she-wolf instead. “Will I see you this eve?”

Alasdair smiled. “Are you asking if I will swim at the loch again this eve?”

“I’ll be there to guard you. You shouldna be alone like that. And I’m a guard.”

He chuckled. “The same for you.” Then he cleared his throat. “We are having practice fighting if you wish to join us before you return to the croft. Conall is coming to spar with some of the lads.” Alasdair looked hopeful that she would agree.

“Aye, I would enjoy the practice.” She never gave up an opportunity to improve her fighting skills. But would she be fighting men or women?

Bessetta was watching them from the sidelines and inserted herself into the conversation. “You can practice with me.”

Alasdair frowned. He might be afraid Isobel would hurt her after seeing her kill the Viking guard.

“Aye, I would love to.” Isobel thought Elene had left the great hall to do some activities with the other ladies in the clan, but she smiled and rejoined them.

“Me as well.” Elene looked eager to practice with her.

At home in Iceland, Isobel had practiced swordsmanship with Elene in secret while everyone else was busy with their chores and unaware of her training. A slave was forbidden to wield a weapon, let alone be taught how to fight.

But Elene had already shown proficiency with a sword and a sgian dubh , the small knife a person kept tucked in his or her boot. Though in Elene’s case, Isobel had loaned her a sword and sgian dubh her mother had once wielded during their training sessions. Having used a sgian dubh before she’d been captured, Elene was more proficient in its use.

Mege and the other two women Elene had spoken to Isobel about who were intrigued with mating Alasdair eyed Isobel with contempt. If they wanted to fight her, she was perfectly willing, and she wouldn’t hold back. With Elene and Bessetta or any of the other women, she would be gentle with them. Unless they were as skilled as she was with the sword.

“All right. Let’s go then,” Alasdair said, looking well pleased that Isobel would practice sword fighting with them.

Once everyone was paired up with other fighters in the inner bailey, several others waited to take their turn, watching the practice fight.

Isobel couldn't help but feel a sense of exhilaration as she parried and thrust her sword at Bessetta. She wanted to see how well Alasdair did as he paired up with Erik. She assumed the two men fought each other because they were both pack leaders. Alasdair’s brothers, Hans and Rory, fought against Erik’s brothers, Logan and Finlay.

Isobel thought other women would practice fighting, but several just watched the others training in their sword skills. Watching didn’t help as much as actually participating. Maybe later, she could even teach women in the pack how to fight if they felt intimidated by the prospect.

Isobel’s movements were quick and fluid as she reveled in the physicality of the fight. She felt she’d been born with a sword in her hand as she encouraged Bessetta to strike her sword harder and use her shield to protect herself.

“That’s it. I’m going to thrust my sword at you. Sweep it aside like this.” Isobel demonstrated how to do the movement.

Bessetta’s actions were slow and unsure, but if Isobel trained her enough, she would improve drastically.

“Now, I’m going to do it again, and you strike my sword using the same motion, but harder, trying to knock it from my grasp.”

Bessetta tried again, making her sword sing and clash as it connected with Isobel’s steel with a metallic clank.

“That’s it! Now again!” Isobel couldn’t have been prouder of Alasdair’s sister. She lacked confidence, but with more training, Bessetta would gain faith in her abilities.

Bessetta beamed with the praise.

As soon as Bessetta showed signs of wearing out, dropping her guard, falling back when Isobel attacked, unable to stand her ground, Isobel smiled at her. “We must continue this again when everyone does the practice fighting.”

Isobel would have to practice daily with Conall and her younger cousins at the croft.

She turned to Elene. “Are you ready?”

Elene's radiant smile lit up her whole face and her eyes sparkled. She rushed over to stand before Isobel, her posture eager and ready to learn. She was determined to improve her sword skills.

It could be because she never wanted anyone to retake her as a captive. Isobel completely understood that feeling, as she felt the same way herself if she were ever faced with the prospect.

The sound of clanging metal filled the air as Elene and Isobel sparred, the sharp ring of swords clashing and the grunts of exertion echoing around them. Elene struck Isobel’s sword as hard as she could, nearly knocking it from Isobel’s hand.

“Good! Do it again!”

Elene's face was contorted with determination as she swung her sword at Isobel, but her opponent quickly raised her shield to block the attack. Elene laughed heartily at her own forgetfulness; she often neglected to use her shield in battle, but she was determined to improve through practice.

She pressed on, relentlessly striking at Isobel's sword, but no matter how much force she put behind it, she couldn't knock it out of Isobel's grip.

Elene had made much progress in her training. It proved easier here when she was allowed to train than when they had to do it secretly. Isobel struck at Elene’s shield, rather than her sword this time, trying to get her used to wielding it for protection.

Elene fell back, but Isobel dropped her sword and grabbed Elene’s arm to keep her from landing on her arse. Elene struck Isobel’s shield, making her fall back, and she crouched down as quickly as she could to retrieve her sword. Then she thrust her sword at Elene. This time, Elene moved her shield to protect herself, and Isobel’s sword hit it with a thunk.

“Aye!” Elene said with glee.

“That’s exactly how you need to do it,” Isobel said, proud of her.

“I have so much to learn,” Bessetta said.

“You will do better with practice, believe me. If I didna practice, I wouldna do half as well.” Isobel glanced at the other women watching them and raised her brows. “Would any of you like to try?”

One redheaded woman vigorously raised her hand, her rebellious curls bouncing around her shoulders and back with her motion.

“That is Rheba, our midwife,” Bessetta said.

Rheba seemed meek, almost timid at first, but as Bessetta gave her a shield and sword, she straightened her spine and strode forth with determination. Her chin was lifted, her blue eyes narrowed, and her grip on the sword was firm, ready to engage in sword fighting.

Isobel watched her with interest, sensing a familiarity in the woman's features. She couldn't quite place her, but something about her stirred a memory. And then it hit her. The woman had been one of the prisoners taken by the Vikings and held captive on the beach near the longships with the rest of them.

Isobel's heart went out to her, knowing the horrors she must have endured. But here she was now, standing tall and ready to learn how to defend herself. Isobel found herself filled with admiration for the woman's resilience and steadfastness. She made a mental note to speak to her after the training session.

Isobel demonstrated different techniques and movements with the sword and shield. Rheba followed along eagerly, her movements awkward, but she was determined and kept trying to improve her sword thrusts and using her shield for protection. Isobel could see the resolve in her eyes, and she couldn't help but admire her strength and bravery.

As the training continued, Isobel was surprised at how quickly the woman picked up on the movements, improved her stances, and struck back purposefully, not using anger or frustration. Isobel would gladly work with her again.

Once Rheba smiled and said, “Thanks be to thee for killing the one guard before Alasdair eliminated the other and freed all the captives on the beach.”

“Aye. I intended to kill both, but Alasdair beat me to the second guard. Imagine my surprise to learn you and he and his kin and friends were wolves like us and could see us in the dark.”

Smiling still, Rheba inclined her head. “I was so excited to see someone coming to rescue us, but when I saw you were, but a woman—and the Viking you were planning on taking on was so big and armed with an ax and sword—I had no hope for a rescue. You proved me wrong.”

“I had to take advantage of stealth and attack when he couldna fight back.”

“You fought dishonorably then,” Mege said.

“What is wrong with you?” Rheba said, turning on Mege. “She helped save me and all the other hostages!” Then she smiled again at Isobel. “I would be honored if you would continue to work with me so I can improve my fighting skills. When you need a midwife…”

Rheba didn’t finish what she had to say but glanced in Alasdair’s direction. To Isobel’s surprise, she realized he, Erik, and several of their kin were drinking ale and watching her . Weren’t they supposed to be practicing their swordsmanship?

“I would be honored to work with you.” Isobel glanced around to see if other women wanted to fight her, but no one stepped forward.

Though Mege, Marioziota, and Theebet, the women interested in mating Alasdair, cast her glowers, looking like they wanted to kill her if they could.