“Oh, aye, a rogue, but I think the break is a true one.” Red Ian looked at his companion, who nodded, then he looked at Alexander. “He has camped and a few men have stayed with him, but ‘tis difficult to ken if they are friends or guards. It did appear as if his kinsmen wanted him close at hand so that they could . . . curse it—what did they say?”
“So that they could make him see the error of his ways after they beat ye, sir,” answered the other man.
“Ho, such boasters. If the ground is dry and cleared of treachery, then victory is ours. If the battle is an honest test of skill, then the MacCordys and the MacFarlanes have no chance of winning. They have relied upon murder and black-hearted betrayal for so long that their true fighting skills are no longer as honed as they once were. See to the safe securing of our mounts, Red Ian, and prepare yourself.”
As soon as the two reconnaissance men left, Barra, Angus, and Jaime stepped over. Alexander could see the reflection of his own growing confidence in their faces. He felt his become even stronger. Most of the men of his clan had turned out for the battle, and he was moved by the sign of loyalty.
“A fine showing of brave men, eh, Angus?” He smiled at his man as he tugged on his mail gauntlets.
“Aye. They are eager to clash swords with this foe, eager to put an end to this long and bloody feud.”
“Do ye truly believe that it will end here?” asked Barra as, with Jaime’s aid, he laced on his mail shirt.
Alexander nodded. “It will. No matter which way the tide turns, the feud will end here—today. I pray ‘twill end in a victory for us, but ‘twill end nonetheless. I offered a truce to these fools, but ‘twas refused. They have never wished peace, for in peace they would have to cease stealing all that is ours.”
“Here they come,” murmured Jaime. “Laird Colin comes ahead under a flag of truce.”
“Mayhaps they have finally changed their minds,” suggested Barra.
“Aye, or they have discovered that we found their hidden archers and ended that threat. So now they want to treat with us to gain time so that they can set yet another snare.” Alexander shook his head. “We will hear what that black-hearted Colin wishes to say, but we willna trust in it. Always wary, my friends. We must be ever vigilant.”
Colin halted and allowed himself and his two companions to be fleetingly searched by Angus and Jaime before stepping closer. For one brief moment he contemplated switching allegiances. The MacCordys had stolen everything from him, leaving him with no power within his own clan. One look into the MacDubh brothers’ eyes cured him of that brief treacherous thought. There would be no mercy there. The MacDubhs wanted blood for blood. He had murdered their father, and they would not allow that crime to pass unpunished.
“What do ye want, MacFarlane?” demanded Alexander. “The terms of the battle are very clear and have already been agreed upon.”
“I was but sent along to give ye one last chance to end this.”
“Oh? Are ye to return to me all that is mine? Including my murdered father?” he snapped.
Ignoring that last furious demand, Colin answered, “We want ye to return what ye have stolen—my niece and the bairns who were abducted from MacFarlane lands.”
“From MacDubh land. Leargan is MacDubh land. Your niece is also mine. She is the mother of my child.” He smiled coldly at the stunned look upon Colin’s face. “Did your fine allies neglect to tell ye about that? Well, there is something else that ye may be surprised to learn, then—ye canna have the bairns back, either, for they are my brother Barra’s spawn.”
“The bairns are MacDubhs? My niece’s lover was a MacDubh?” Colin could hardly speak; he was red-faced and breathing hard. “And ye say that the MacCordys kenned all of this?’
“Aye.”
A low, guttural sound escaped Colin MacFarlane. He turned and snatched his sword from a startled Angus. The two men with Colin stood confused as Colin started back toward the MacCordys with long, purposeful strides. When Colin gave out a bellow of rage and began to run straight for the three MacCordys, the two men finally moved and ran after him, but they were too late to catch him. Colin raced up to the MacCordys, who started to draw their swords and tried to get out of the way. The first swing of Colin’s sword cut down William MacCordy. The second swing was successfully blocked by Duncan MacCordy, and Donald stepped over to impale Colin on his sword with a thrust from behind. Colin MacFarlane’s death scream echoed over the suddenly quiet battlefield.
“Two enemy dead and we havena yet bloodied our swords,” murmured Angus.
“Aye, but it looks as if the MacCordys feel that we are to blame for this as well.” Alexander scowled toward the MacCordy forces, watching as Donald ranted and raved while Duncan briefly knelt by an obviously dead William.
“How could Colin not ken that Ailis was carrying your bairn?” Barra asked.
“Well, I suspicion that he kenned she was pregnant, but he didna have to ken that it was by me. The true parentage could be all that they kept hidden. He was shocked because he realized he had been lied to by men he had trusted. As much as a man like that trusts anyone. Mayhaps he suddenly just realized exactly how much of a fool and a pawn he had become.”
Jaime nodded. “I saw that he had no power left when Ailis and I were prisoners at Craigandubh. Lady Una kenned more than Laird Colin by then. He grew more vague as she grew sharper.”
“Well, mayhaps she will grow even sharper now that the source of her torment is gone.” Alexander silently waved his men to take up their battle positions. “It appears that Donald’s raging has either convinced many of the MacFarlane men to fight, or he has simply scared them all into staying. I dinna see many fleeing now that their laird is dead.”
“I think their laird had been one of the MacCordys for many a month.”
“ ‘Tis their curse. For ‘tis a MacCordy who shall lead them to their deaths.”
Alexander drew his sword and readied himself to match the assault he could see his enemy preparing. He felt a touch of regret that he had not been the one to end Colin MacFarlane’s life, that neither he nor his brother had been able to avenge his father’s murder personally. On the other hand he was very grateful. He had not wanted to be the one to kill Ailis’s closest kinsmen. Those emotions surprised him, for his thirst for vengeance had been such a part of him for so long. He had sensed a change in himself, but he had not realized that it was a subtle easing of the bitterness he had nursed in his heart for so very long.
The MacCordys and the MacFarlanes bellowed their threats and insults, so Alexander fixed his attention on the front lines of the enemy warriors. Soon the charge would be starting, and he did not want to miss any of the signs that would proceed it. It was not a good time to be distracted or musing about any changes in himself. If he kept his mind on the battle to come, he would have plenty of time for such contemplations later.
