A shadow fell over Rory’s face. “It says that he’s willing tae meet, but only with ye. He says he’ll meet ye in the woods close tae yer farm sae that ye can discuss the best way tae approach Hamish inside the keep.”
Elvira nodded. “He must think it’s tae dangerous for us all tae gae traipsing around the territory. It’s easier for one person tae sneak through, and I know these lands better than any of ye. The woods he speaks of are notorious for keeping things hidden.”
Rory was surprised that Elvira accepted this so readily without any hesitation.
“Dae ye nae think it could be a trap? I mean, asking ye tae gae and meet him alone when he knows there are people hunting ye…” Rory shook his head. The others nodded in agreement. Elvira stared at him with the same fire in her eyes she possessed at the meeting in Torrin’s tavern. Everyone had disputed her words then apart from Rory.
“I know Samuel. He hae always been sympathetic tae our cause. My gran healed his sister, and he hae always felt indebted tae us. There is nae chance this could be a trap. He is against the Laird as much as we are. I trust him with my life, and we cannae afford tae risk this opportunity. If he thinks it is tae dangerous for us tae travel taegether then I must make this journey alone.He is a guard, perhaps he hae heard reports of a strange merchant trundling through the territory. They might capture us as soon as they see us.”
“Which is exactly what will happen tae ye if they find ye, and we will hae nae idea what hae happened! Ye may trust this man, but I dinnae like the situation. Even if we can trust Samuel, there is a great distance for ye tae travel before ye get tae him. Anything could happen tae ye.”
“I know these woods,” Elvira said through gritted teeth, but Rory was not going to be dissuaded.
“And ye know that there are guards sneaking about in every shadow. Let me come with ye. I will follow from a safe distance. Surely, Samuel will nae begrudge ye from haeing someone tae guard yer back? We will leave the wagon here.”
Rory spoke sense. Elvira could not dispute the logic of his words, so she eventually nodded. The others all agreed with Rory, so it was settled. Rory and Elvira would leave by themselves and meet with Samuel. He would tell them how to contact Hamish, and then they could move forward with their plan. Rory pressed his lips together in a thin line. Perhaps it was just because they were in enemy territory, but he had a feeling that something was going to go wrong.
17
After a hearty meal, Elvira set off towards the rendezvous point. Rory waited for a while, and then followed her. She glanced over her shoulder, watching him amble along, trying to look inconspicuous, but only drawing more attention to him as he did so. He loped along, not marching like a warrior, but rather like someone on a morning stroll without a care in the world. Only he did have a care, lots of them. Elvira turned ahead, watching where she was going. A scowl adorned her face. Once again, the men overruled her, thinking that they knew better. This time, Rory had joined in with her. When were they going to accept that she knew this land better than they did? Her judgment was never enough for them, apparently, and she feared that this was never going to change.
Still, she supposed that there was reason for them to be cautious. They were in enemy territory after all, and Rory did have a point when he said that just because Samuel was trustworthy, it didn’t mean that anyone else was. If Elvira did run into a wayward guard patrol, it would be difficult for her to escape, so perhaps it was for the best that Rory had joined her. It was really the principle of the matter that troubled her.She hated people casting doubt on her words. It made her feel unwanted and ignored. It was really a microcosm of the way the Romani people had been treated, and she was tired of it.
Elvira pulled her hood over her head and slipped into the thicket, using the trees to obscure her appearance from the road that led around the forest. If anyone came upon her, it was likely they would know her as Romani from a first glance, so she had to stop that first glance from ever taking place. Walking through the woods brought memories of running freely with Tereza and Ollie, telling them stories about how the trees came alive and how, if they listened at the right time, they would hear the song of the wind. Elvira reached out and brushed gnarled trunks with her fingers, wishing that the trees did indeed come alive. She imagined they would have infinite wisdom to pass on. She smiled as she thought about the look on Laird McKovac’s face if an army of trees descended on his keep, their roots running underneath the stone walls and uprooting the building, turning it into a ruin before the Laird could do anything to defend himself.
The smile faded as Elvira sighed. Sadly, so many rumors and myths had been spread about the Romani that some people thought they were capable of causing such arcane effects. Then again, reason and logic were always blinded by hatred. The ones who found themselves dominated by fear were superstitious and cowardly. They allowed themselves to be ruled by these dark emotions and struck out without thinking at all. A bitter expression descended on Elvira’s face. She could only hope that when Hamish took control, he would change things for the better and people would begin to see that the Romani were just people of a different culture, and there was nothing to fear from them.
Her trek through the woods was largely uneventful. There was one moment where she heard voices in the distance. Apatrol of guards were not making a stealthy approach, so she ducked down and hid behind a gorse bush. In the distance, she could see them walking along the road, laughing to themselves. They passed without suspecting a thing. Elvira looked behind her and saw Rory crouched down as well, his hand resting on his sword, ready to draw it in case danger came her way. It was as though he were her sworn guardian, ready to march into the depths of the underworld to defend her honor. It was flattering really, and now she wished that she had been braver the previous night. They had shared a few moments now where it felt they had been close to something wonderful, yet something had always held them back. Elvira yearned to know what it was like to feel love’s kiss, to caress something more than a palm.
She pushed these feelings away from her mind before she fell into a stupor. The path she took was a winding one, unmarked on the ground, only in her mind. To an outsider, the trees would have looked identical, but she could see the different grooves, the different tilts, the different colors of the leaves. It was all intimately familiar, but then reality came crashing back to her as she came across her home again. For a moment, she believed she would see the house intact, for that was the most prominent memory. Instead, she saw the charred ruins, the scorched ground, the ash that lingered in the air. If this place were a body, then she would be looking at a dark hole where the heart would have been, ripped out of the chest and leaving a void behind. She stumbled and blinked tears away from her eyes, having to remind herself that this was just a building. Mirella, Tereza, and Ollie were safe elsewhere. This did not have to be their fate.
When she focused her gaze, an unsettling feeling washed through her. Samuel was there, but he was not alone. Accompanied by three guards, all clad in McKovac colors, he looked in every direction. Elvira’s heart sank. She remained hidden as Rory joined her.
“Did he say he would be bringing other guards with him? I thought he wanted tae meet ye alone,” Rory asked, frustration and fear sharpening his words.
“I suppose he must hae meant that I should be alone. I’m sure that it’s fine. As I said, Samuel hae always been loyal tae us.”
“At the moment he looks pretty loyal tae the Laird. I dinnae like this, Elvira,” Rory grit his teeth.
“If ye emerge with me, then they will hae every reason tae think this is an ambush. At least give me a chance tae discover what is happening. Perhaps these men are loyal tae Hamish’s cause as well. It must be difficult for them. We cannae afford tae take unnecessary risks.”
“Which is why I should gae down there with ye.”
“Nae,” Elvira said. “We must dae as Samuel asked. I cannae jeopardize the opportunity tae speak with Hamish. Remember, it is nae just my people we are here tae help. It’s yer village as well. If we dinnae stop McKovac, then the Highlands are gaeing tae be plunged intae war and tae many people are gaeing tae suffer. Let me dae this. Ye are here if anything gaes wrong,” Elvira said, placing her hand on his heart. Rory hung his head, looking at it. Then, he lifted his gaze. His eyes were ringed red and there was an anxious look on his face.
“Just be careful. If anything should happen tae ye…”
“This is all part of the plan,” Elvira said, wearing her most convincing smile. She turned away from Rory and emerged from hiding, striding towards the farm. She held her head high, attempting to show no sign of fear at all. As she approached, she noticed the guards tense. Their hands went to their weapons. Samuel strode forward, although he did not have a welcome look on his face.
“I thought ye wanted tae meet alone,” Elvira said, glancing towards the guards. “I assume that they share yer feelings taewards the Laird?”
A shadow of regret fell over Samuel’s face. “Aye, they dae. They share my loyalty tae the Laird,” he said, the words dripping with betrayal. Elvira’s eyes went wide as she realized what was happening. She stepped back, shaking her head, eager to run back to Rory. The guards approached menacingly, drawing their weapons. Samuel was closest, though, and it was his hands that reached out to her, that captured her. It was a friend who had betrayed her, and that was far worse than if she had fallen to the cruelty of an enemy.
“Samuel… I trusted ye! We all did!” Elvira cried, struggling to break free from his grip.
“Just surrender, Elvira. It’ll be easier on ye if ye dae. I’m sorry… but I hae tae dae this.”
“Oh, ye hae tae? Why? Why would ye betray me now, of all times?”
