Granny’s words echoed in Moira’s mind as she gazed into the crackling hearth. The matriarch’s wisdom had always guided her, but now Moira felt torn between duty and desire. She yearned to stand alongside her clansmen, to prove her worth as a warrior and protector of the Highlands. But more than that, she wanted to help. Help the cause, help her people, and help all those who would come after them.
“But what if me instincts are leading me astray?” Moira asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “What if me desire to fight blinds me to the greater good of our clan?”
Granny reached out, her weathered hand gently cupping Moira’s cheek. “Ye have a fire within ye, lass. ’Tis a gift, not a curse. Trust that it will guide ye true, even in the darkest of times.”
Moira leaned into Granny’s touch and drew strength from the love and the wisdom she found there. “I fear for ourfuture, Granny,” she confessed. “The Stewarts and the Gordons threaten everything we hold dear. How can we face such formidable foes and emerge victorious?”
Granny’s eyes sparkled with a knowing light. “We have faced trials before, mo ghràdh. The McAfee clan is strong, and our spirit is unbreakable. Ye dinnae need worry about losing. We will be victorious.”
Moira nodded. It seemed Granny knew the outcome of the battle that hadn’t been fought yet. Moira said a quick prayer that Granny was right this time, as she’d always been in the past. “I will do whatever it takes to protect our people, Granny. Even if it means defying Father’s wishes.”
The matriarch smiled, a hint of mischief playing at the corners of her lips. “Sometimes, lass, the greatest acts of bravery are those that go unseen. There are many ways to fight for what ye believe in, and not all of them require a sword.”
Moira’s brow furrowed as she considered Granny’s cryptic words. The chamber door swung open before she could press further, revealing a breathless Ailis.
“Moira, come quickly!” Ailis urged. “Fiona has discovered something that might change everything.”
Moira exchanged a knowing glance with Granny before following Ailis out into the torch-lit corridor. As they hurried through the keep, the sounds of the ongoing celebration faded into the background, replaced by the pounding of Moira’s heart.
They found Fiona in the armory, hunched over a weathered map spread across a wooden table. Her brow was furrowed in concentration as she traced her finger along the parchment.
Fiona looked up as Moira and Ailis entered, her eyes filled with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. “I’ve discovered a hidden passage.” She tapped a spot on the map. “It leads from the armory, beneath the keep, and emerges in the forest beyond the walls.”
Moira leaned in, studying the faded ink. “How did ye find this?” she asked, her mind racing with possibilities. She had never even heard whispers about a hidden passage in the keep.
“I was searching through our ancestors’ journals,” Fiona explained. “Great-great-grandfather Angus McAfee mentioned it in passing, as a last resort should the keep ever fall.”
Ailis ran her fingers along the stone wall, searching for any sign of the hidden entrance. “If this passage truly exists, it could change the course of the impending battle.”
Moira nodded. “We could use this passage to our advantage,” she said, excitement building in her voice. “Imagine if we could sneak out a small force, undetected, and launch a surprise attack on the Stewarts and their allies from behind. It would look suspicious if one of the McClain men led the group, so we shall lead it ourselves!”
Fiona’s eyes widened. “It would catch them completely off guard. They’d be fighting on two fronts, with no idea how many of us there truly are.”
Ailis chewed her lip thoughtfully. “But Father would never agree to such a risky plan. He’s adamant about keeping us safe within the walls of the keep.”
Moira’s gaze hardened with determination. “Then we don’t tell him. We gather a trusted group of warriors, slip out under cover of darkness, and take matters into our own hands.” She was certainly not above acting in secret to help her people.
Fiona sighed dramatically. “I must stay. I have to protect the bairn I carry.” She looked at Ailis.
Ailis shook her head. “I’m one of only two healers. I must stay as well unless we want any man who is wounded to be at greater risk of death.” While Moira and Fiona had a very basic understanding of how to heal, Ailis had studied under her mother’s mother, and she was quite skilled in the ways of treating wounds and sicknesses.
The sisters exchanged glances, the gravity of their decision written on each of their faces. Fiona’s eyes reflected a mixture of concern and resolve, while Ailis’ jaw tightened with determination. Moira knew that this plan would test not only their loyalty to their father but also their bond as sisters.
“We cannae do this alone,” Ailis said, her voice barely above a whisper. “We’ll need help from those we trust most.”
Moira nodded, her mind already sifting through potential allies. “Angus MacNab would follow us to the gates of hell if we asked. And Tavish, the stable boy—he’s quick and clever, and knows these lands like the back of his hand.”
Fiona’s brow furrowed. “What about Alisdair McClain? Me husband’s support could prove invaluable.”
“He would be missed by the enemy, and they would know something is afoot,” Ailis said. “Alisdair must lead the men if we hope to win. And without Lachlan and Brodie at his side, we would be found out immediately.”
Moira paced the armory, her mind whirling with the weight of their decision. She knew that defying their father’s wishes could have dire consequences, not just for them, but for the entire clan. And yet, the thought of sitting idly by while their enemies marched on McAfee lands filled her with fierce determination to help.
“We cannae let this opportunity slip away,” she said, turning to face her sisters. “If we succeed, we could turn the tide of this war before it even begins.”
Ailis nodded slowly, her green eyes reflecting the torchlight. “Aye, but we must be cautious. One misstep, and we risk not only our own lives but the lives of those who follow us.”
Fiona placed a gentle hand on Moira’s shoulder. “And what of Father? If he discovers our plan, he’ll be furious.”
