Fergus’s men didn’t seem to notice he’d been gone for the better part of two days, competing in the tournament at Darragh.
At least once a sennight, he wandered afield to report to the king, yet no one missed him.
And now the two commanders muttering together in Fergus’s armory paid no heed to the fact that Adam sat nearby, absently polishing his sword while hanging on their every word.
They debated in hushed tones of fear and anger and frustration.
“We’re outnumbered, I tell ye.The king will slaughter the whole clan.”
“For a wee bit o’ raidin’?Ballocks.”
“’Tis more than raidin’, and ye know it.Fergus has…ambitions.”
“He only wants to take back what’s rightfully ours.”
“Reivin’ cattle is one thing.But why is he besiegin’ holdin’s that ne’er belonged to us?And why is he collectin’ oaths o’ fealty from other clans?”
“To keep the peace.”
“He doesn’t want peace.He wants power.”
“Is that so bad?It seems the king would rather dally in France than rule at home.”
“He’s not in France now.He came home to Scotland, and now he’s at our threshold.He’s already laid two villages to waste.”
Adam blinked.Was that true?Spying on Fergus’s movements for the king, he hadn’t paid much heed to the king’s movements.
“All the more reason to defend ourselves and fight back.”
“Against the entire royal army?”
There was a long silence before the second man admitted in a very quiet voice, “Some are sayin’ Fergus has been drinkin’ mead and sharin’ a table with the English.”
“Which proves my point.Fergus doesn’t mean to stop with clan land.He’s formin’ an alliance with our enemy.He’s got his eye set on rulin’ the whole west o’ Scotland.”
“Aye?So?What’s wrong with that?With the English fightin’ beside us…”
“Ye trust the English?Once they’ve got their claws into Fergus land, ye think they’ll hand it o’er to the laird with a wink and a smile?”
The other man sighed.
“And then where will we be?”He didn’t wait for an answer.“Trapped between the Scottish king and the bloody English with nowhere to go.”
“Hell.”
“Right.We’re already losin’ too many.And Malcolm’s troops aren’t only attackin’ the men-at-arms.He’s goin’ after the villages.Our women.And children.”
“So what do we do?”
“God knows.”
They suddenly noticed Adam and started.
“Shite!How long have ye been there?”
Adam shrugged.
They frowned at him, but must have decided he looked too simple to understand what they were discussing.
