Almost as soon as all of Finn's men were in position, he stepped forward again, crossing the distance between him and Seamus. Likewise, Seamus walked closer to the castle and further away from her, sending tension through her back.
Seeing the two men get closer and closer sparked an instinctive reaction in Flora. Everything within her was screaming at her to kick the horse into a sprint so she could stand in between them. The last thing she wanted was for a fight to break out between the two men and then their respective forces. They couldn't afford to waste such manpower on a personal feud; especially not one she felt responsible for. She wanted to protect them, both of them, if only from each other.
But she forced herself to stay put. It took all of her willpower to keep her horse in the same position, but she managed it, just barely. Though her bow was still raised, and her arrow was pulled tight, she made no effort to intervene. She had gone down that path time and time again before. She had tried to convince Finn of Seamus' character, of his desires for good to triumph over evil, to no avail. Finn hadn't listened to her then, and he had only grown more withdrawn, more suspicious. She knew there was no way she could get him to believe her now. She simply had to trust that Seamus could speak for himself.
“What is happening?”
Errik's sudden arrival nearly startled her. She had heard his horse growing closer only seconds before he had spoken, lessening the scare, though her heart still pounded.
“Seamus has asked to speak with Finn. He insisted on going alone.”
“He is wise. Finn would nae have listened to anyone else.”
“I am grateful that ye agreed to speak with me.”
Flora could make out what Seamus was saying, but just barely. She forced her mind and body to quiet as her ears strained to hear their conversation.
“I was intrigued when my guard came to tell me that our allies had arrived. I did nae ken I had any allies.”
“I ken we have had our differences, Finn. I ken that ye have verra good reason nae to like me or even trust me. But the plain truth of the matter is that we are on the same side.”
“And what side is that?” Finn demanded, his eyes narrowed.
“I want to see that Campbell is removed from this clan—permanently. Is that nae what ye wish as well?”
“Of course it is. Unlike my forefathers, however, I refuse to entrust the well-being of my people into the hands of a Murray.”
He all but spat the name, eliciting a wince from Seamus.
“I cannae trust that should I join forces with ye, should I allow ye entry into the castleIhave conquered and access to the lands just beyond it, that ye would nae simply claim them as yer own when it is all said and done with.”
Flora wanted to scream at Finn for his high-handedness. He didn't have “a people” to protect. He had merely commandeered men and frightened them into submission. Seamus' fists were clenched in what she assumed was similar anger.
“What would ye have me do?” Seamus asked through gritted teeth.
“I will make a deal with ye. In exchange for allowing ye passage through Glenkirk, ye will give up any claim to the Lost Valley. I will take those lands and form a clan independent of ye there after this war is over. And ye will nae punish or stop anyone who wishes to join me there.”
One heartbeat passed, then two, then three. Flora made it all the way to fifteen before Seamus answered Finn with a single, furious word.
“Aye.”
