Mercy flew up the stairs, Bliss not far behind. “Duncan left the babes alone.”
But once they reached the bedchamber, they found that Tara was already there with them. She scooped one up, and Mercy grabbed the other.
“Go to Mara,” Bliss ordered. “I’ll get Charlotte.
The women didn’t argue; they fled down the stairs while Bliss went up.
Charlotte was hurrying out of the room as Bliss approached.
“What’s happening?”
Bliss was about to explain when she suddenly grabbed Charlotte by the arm and propelled her forward. “We have to get out of here.”
Fear ran through Bliss, for she knew that her vision was soon to come true.
B
ryce and Trey sat atop their horses, watching as a troop of soldiers approached the edge of the village. Duncan and Reeve were quick to catch up with them, while a line of mighty warriors stood at the ready behind them.
“The women are safe?” Trey asked.
“They gather in the hall with Mum,” Reeve said.
Trey felt relief wash over him and was ready to battle alongside his brothers though for some reason he did not think the soldiers were here to fight. Something was wrong, and he didn’t like it.
One soldier approached. “It is time for the MacAlpin clan to pay allegiance to King Kenneth, the true king of Scotland.”
Trey felt uneasy, and it rippled through his mare. She became skittish, hard to control, and he fought to keep a rein on her.
Reeve moved his horse forward. “This is MacAlpin land, and the false king is not welcome here.”
“This is the king’s land, and you will obey—”
“We obey the true king,” Reeve shouted with fury. “Now get off our land.”
The soldier laughed. “It is not your land, and you will learn that soon enough.”
It worried all the brothers that the soldiers left without argument. Something wasn’t right, and as they rode back to the keep, their warriors remaining on the outskirts of the village in case the soldiers returned, the four felt on edge.
It was as they got closer to the keep that Trey sensed it, and he looked to Bryce. “Bliss and Charlotte are in trouble.”
The brothers rode hard, leaping off their horses as they reached the keep and rushing inside.
Carmag was with his wife having remained behind to see to the protection of the keep and to protect the women. Mercy and Tara sat with Dolca, keeping the twins occupied. There was no sight of Bliss and Charlotte.
“Where is Charlotte?” Bryce demanded, Odin’s head shooting up from where he lay sleeping by the hearth.
“And Bliss,” Trey said, reaching out to her in his thoughts.
Where are you, Bliss? Where are you?
B
liss heard her husband and let him know that she and Charlotte were hiding just inside the woods, watching six soldiers, led by Leora, entering the secret passageway into the keep. As soon as she was certain no other soldiers followed, Charlotte and she would return to the keep.
She was anxious to get to her husband and tell him what else she had sensed, that more soldiers than they thought surrounded the place and the sentinels who had guarded the borders had been killed, while the attention of the other sentinels had been diverted by soldiers’ troop movements as the Picts made ready for an attack.
The king’s various ploys had worked well. He had made everyone look elsewhere while his spy had snuck his men into the keep.
Bliss waited impatiently with Charlotte though she wanted to run, ached to run as far as she could, but she knew it was impossible to outrun . . . death.
T
rey drew his sword and ran to the bottom of the stairs. His brothers were quick to follow.
“Soldiers enter through the secret passageway of the keep, Leora guides them,” Trey said, once they were all gathered there. It angered him that he had once again allowed himself to believe Leora’s lies.
“Charlotte?” Bryce asked, moving behind Trey.
“Bliss and Charlotte are making their way back to the keep and should be in the hall once we finish with this lot.”
Bryce smiled with relief. “Then let’s finish with these intruders.”
The four brothers crept along the narrow staircase, stopping abruptly when they heard footfalls from above. Trey signaled to his brothers that they would need to strike fast and hard, taking the soldiers and Leora by surprise. It didn’t matter how many there were, the MacAlpin brothers were known for their fierce fighting abilities. Few stood a chance against them when they fought side by side.
Trey nodded, making certain his brothers were ready, eager grins and nods letting him know they were not only ready but looking forward to the battle.
The brothers struck so rapidly that the six soldiers were caught off guard, and the altercation took no time at all. Within minutes, the only one left alive was Leora.
“Why?” Trey asked, his brothers nodding indicating that they wanted to know themselves.
Leora lifted her chin with pride. “King Kenneth is the rightful king and is more man than you or anyone of your brothers could ever be.”
Trey shook his head. He could not believe that he had ever loved this woman. But, then, the woman he had loved had never truly existed. “The king and his selfish ways have corrupted you.”
She laughed. “You are a fool. Old John’s daughter died while trying to free her father. It gave me good reason to return to you and have you sympathize with my plight.”
Trey fought the urge to hit her. “What have you done to Old John and Donald? You haven’t harmed them, have you?”
“I never went to them. When I spied the cottage, I convinced your inept warrior that I wished to go the rest of the way alone, and he obliged me. I took off as soon as he was out of sight and went to find the soldiers I knew would be near.” She raised her chin. “I am a favorite of the king. You would do well to return me to him.”
Bryce stepped forward. “Then let us send you back to him and see if he’ll have you now that you have failed him, and he no longer has any use for you.”
“He will welcome me back,” Leora said, smiling.
“Where does the king wait?” Bryce asked.
“Two meadows over, with more troops than you have warriors.”
Bryce laughed. “Trey was right. You still don’t understand us.”
“I
s it safe to leave yet?” Charlotte asked in a whisper, her eyes alert to her surroundings.
“I’m not sure, perhaps a moment more,” Bliss said.
“This all was a ruse, wasn’t it?” Charlotte continued in a hushed tone. “King Kenneth wished to draw out the true king. No doubt he waits nearby with troops to attack.”
“He diverted attention from his true objective,” Bliss said, “but Bryce and his brothers are no fools.”
“True enough. Bryce and his brothers did not sit idly by when they received news of the troops’ converging on the area. I was not made aware of what they did, but it was known that something was being done.”
“I think they planned for every possibility and that a surprise awaits King Kenneth.” Bliss turned, suddenly grabbing Charlotte’s arm and forcing her to crouch down. “Someone comes.”
L
eora was forced to sit at one of the tables in the great hall, two warriors standing on either side of her to make certain she didn’t go anywhere until the true king was ready to release her.
“Shouldn’t the women have returned by now?” Bryce asked, though he turned to Carmag before getting an answer. “Da, has all been seen to?”
“All is ready,” his da assured him.
Trey took a moment to listen for his wife, and his hand snapped out to grab his brother’s arm. “Soldiers have them.”
The two men ran, their brothers right behind them. It didn’t take them long to find the spot where the women must have scuffled with the soldiers.
“That’s my Charlotte,” Bryce said with pride. “She’d never let herself be captured without a fight.”
Trey couldn’t say the same of Bliss. Her mind was her weapon, and he wondered how she had used it. He wished she wasn’t silent in his thoughts, for he could only assume that she had her hands full dealing with her situation.
’Tis the way it was meant to be.
Trey almost smiled. He had never thought that fate could have a voice, but he sensed that was who had spoken to him . . . Fate. And he decided to trust her.
“It is time for the true king to meet King Kenneth on the battlefield,” Bryce said.
The brothers said nothing. They all knew that this day would come, when they would have to stand by and let the true king fight. It had been predicted:
when he meets death on his own, that is when he claims the throne.
Was King Kenneth’s death what Bliss had felt or would there be more blood shed than the false king’s?
“We could exchange Leora for your women,” Reeve said, “though I doubt the king cares enough about her for such an exchange.”
“Then Leora will learn the folly of her ways,” Duncan said.
Bryce looked to each of his brothers. “Come and let us make ready. The day we have planned and worked so hard for is here . . . the true king steps forward and demands his rightful throne.”
B
liss and Charlotte stood beside King Kenneth’s horse and watched as the four MacAlpin brothers rode together toward the middle of the meadow, while behind them stood five rows of mighty Highlander warriors. To the sides of the meadows, three rows of Highlander warriors congregated. They all raised their shields and weapons cheering on the four brothers.
Charlotte grinned, then winced, the bruise at the corner of her mouth paining her.
“Bryce is not going to be happy when he sees that you have been injured,” Bliss said softly.
“He knows I’ve taken worse and survived.” Her grin grew. “Besides, we are the MacAlpin women, and we cannot cower in fear; we must be strong and able to stand at our husbands’ sides, ready to fight if necessary or ready to cheer them on in battle. That is who we are; who we are meant to be.” Charlotte chuckled. “And wait until Trey gets at look at your eye. I bet it looks worse than my bruised mouth.”
Bliss had to laugh herself. She had never physically fought with anyone in her life. She had always used her wit to escape any kind of threat or injury, and it had always worked well for her.
That hadn’t happened this time. She had realized too late that soldiers were nearly upon them, and there was no time to run. Charlotte didn’t waste a minute, attacking the two soldiers, and, without thought, Bliss had jumped in to help her. The pint-sized woman was a fierce fighter, and they would have known victory thanks to her if two more soldiers hadn’t joined in the melee.
At that moment it hit Bliss—she might be a Pict, but she was also a MacAlpin woman, strong, proud, and fierce, defending her husband and his people in their way. Fate had wisely sent her a love that allowed her to step out of who she was and become so much more.
Her heart swelled with joy, and she knew that this day would end well for the MacAlpin clan.
Bliss jumped as, despite the pain it caused her, Charlotte joined the warriors’ cheering and hooting loudly for the four brothers.
Bliss was about to do the same when the king’s hand swung down at Charlotte. Bliss didn’t hesitate. She pushed Charlotte out of the way and focused all her strength to her hand as she grabbed the king’s wrist and squeezed.
Her vision blurred for a second; and then she smiled. “Death stalks you this day; choose your actions wisely.”
He yanked his wrist out of her hand, and that was when they both realized that silence surrounded them.
Bliss looked to see that all eyes were on them, but the one that caught her attention the most was her husband’s. He did not look on her with worry or fear, or even anger . . . but with pride.
She not only carried the pride of being a Pict, but the pride of being a MacAlpin woman.
At that moment, Trey, Reeve, and Duncan bowed their heads to Bryce and backed their horses to stand a few feet behind the true king.
Bryce raised his hand, and a warrior brought Leora forward. She kept her chin high and her stature regal.
“I have someone who belongs to you and you have two who belong to me,” Bryce called out.
King Kenneth laughed, and shouted, “Do with her as you wish. She means nothing to me.”
All color faded from Leora’s cheeks.
Bryce looked down at her. “This is the man whom you want as king? Go to him.”
Leora raced over to the king, but before she could reach him, one of his soldiers grabbed her and hurried her off, kicking and screaming for the king.
“I am not as charitable as you,” King Kenneth yelled. “I will keep your women. When you are dead, I will wed your intended. After all, she is meant to be queen . . . my queen. As for the other, she will serve me well as a seer.”
“And do you pay heed to her warning? That today you die.”
The king’s cheeks burst bright red, and his lips moved though no words came out of his mouth. His fury mounted, and he raised his fisted hand. “You will rue this day.”
Bryce shouted out for all to hear. “This day I claim my rightful heritage . . . I am the true king of Scotland.”
A deafening cacophony of shouts, cheers, and hoots filled the air.
King Kenneth grew angrier, and Bliss could feel the soldiers around her grow alarmed. They doubted their ability to win this battle.
“Do you have the courage to meet me alone in battle?” Bryce shouted above the din of the warriors. “Or are you the coward so many believe you are?”
Silence fell like a thud of a stone being dropped to the ground.
Bliss knew at that moment that King Kenneth would pay no heed to her warning about choosing to act wisely. Without thought or common sense, King Kenneth rode forward to meet his death.
It wasn’t a quick fight, both men being equal in strength and skill. But there was something about Bryce that was different. And as Bliss watched, along with everyone else, as the two men battled each other, she realized what that difference was . . . Bryce fought without fear.
They swung their swords with the potency of two powerful men, rolled and jumped and maneuvered their way out of endless jabs. They took severe blows to their faces and bodies until, finally, the true king delivered the final blow straight through King Kenneth’s heart.
It was done. In that one instant, life changed for all, and everyone knew it. Cheers filled the air, and, with a bloodcurdling scream, all the true king’s warriors rushed forward to finish the battle and protect their king.