5
“You do realize you’re basically holding me hostage?” Heather said. “You can’t keep me prisoner here.”
The two guards stationed outside the door looked back impassively at her. “You are no prisoner,” the one on the left said. “The door is not locked.
If it wasn’t for their cruelly sharp swords, she’d consider trying to push past them. “Listen, will you just go tell your precious laird that I want to go for a walk. That’s allowed, isn’t it?”
All she had to do was find Gavin’s knife and then go home. She couldn’t do either of those things while guarded by two burly highlanders in chainmail.
The taller of the two guards cleared his throat. “We dinnae take orders from you.”
“And what are your orders, just out of interest?”
“We are to guard this room with our lives and make sure you don’t leave, even if the laird comes to get you.”
“No,” the shorter one corrected him. “Until he comes to get her.”
“That’s what I said.”
“No, you said we make sure she doesn’t leave even if he comes to get her.”
“So what?”
“So that would mean she couldn’t even leave if Gavin came to get her. Do you even listen to yourself talk?”
“She knows what I mean. Why do you have to do this? You’re always showing me up.”
“No I’m not.”
“You are. Remember that time we had Paul One-Ear brought in and I told him not to move a muscle and what did you say?”
“I can’t remember.”
The taller of the guards scowled. “Yes, you can.”
“No I can’t.”
“You can. You told him obviously he could move his chest to breathe.”
“Well it’s true. If he tried to not move his chest, he’d have died.”
“And you said he could move his legs if he got uncomfortable.”
“So? We’re not animals are we?”
“I’m not so sure. I’ve met your missus.”
“Guys!” Heather snapped, waving her arms in front of her. “Can we focus for a minute. All I want to do is go for a walk. I’m not going to run off anywhere. Can you please go and ask if I’m allowed to do that. I’m going crazy cooped up in here like this.” The two guards looked at her and then at each other. “Please!”
“All right,” the taller of the guards said. “But if you try anything while I’m gone you’ll end up like Paul One-Ear.”
“What, comfortable and allowed to move her legs?” the shorter guard said.
“There you go, undermining me again. Just keep an eye on her.” He pointed at Heather. “And you, back in there until I come back. Understand?”
The guard closed the door in her face. She marched over to the window and looked out. From where she was she could see far into the distant countryside.
The hills were a lush green, the trees flecked with orange and red. It was fall here same as at home. That was a strange thought. Her eyes moved down and she saw the dead bodies. They were being loaded onto carts like so many sacks of wheat.
