19
FORGED IN FRACTURE
Finn kept to the corner of the Great Hall with his chin tucked, hiding behind a half empty mug of ale. The last time he had been in a room this size with Seamus, things hadn't gone well. He wasn't looking for a repeat. Instead, he found himself more than content to stick to the shadows and watch the rest of the room.
Brid had left his side almost as soon as she had dismounted. Her head had been on a constant swivel, searching the crowds for someone. He wasn't surprised it was taking her this long to find whoever it was she wanted. The Great Hall was bursting at the seams with soldiers and rebels and people from the village wanting to join in the celebrations, waiting to hear what Seamus would say as his first act as laird. Finn was just as curious, though he wasn't willing to show it.
He kept his eyes on Brid, watching as she elbowed her way to the front where Errik and Liam stood with Flora, Seamus, and Connor. The closer she got, the more frantic her moves were. She started calling something, but he couldn't tell what over the sound of the crowd. The group of five turned her way, but it was Connor who moved. Finally managing to get free from the rest of the crowd, Brid sprinted the rest of the way, nearly slamminginto Connor. To Finn's surprise, Connor ran just as fast with his arms out. As soon as she was in reach, he pulled her into his arms, lifted her up, and spun her around the room.
“She is in love,” Iona said, her words echoing his thoughts.
“Why does she act as though she has nae seen him for some time? I thought they were in the village together,” Finn asked, his eyes still on the reunion.
“I heard that Connor snuck into the castle before the battle and convinced nearly half of the remaining guards nae to fight against Seamus. He is the reason so few of our own men were wounded. I dinnae think she has seen him for several days. And they both would have kent just how dangerous his mission was. It is hard nae to be overcome with emotion under those circumstances.”
Finn grunted in reply. It seemed as though every time he spoke with Iona, she pushed him to better. She made him want to be better. Chief Rolland used to do the same thing, but this was different. With the Chief, Finn wanted to make him proud. With Iona, Finn wanted…well, he wasn't sure what he wanted yet.
As it was, Finn wasn't having any thoughts of being a better man. He was having more trouble keeping his thoughts tamed. He hadn't wanted to admit it to anyone, but his reasoning for wanting to avoid this gathering had less to do with Seamus than anyone thought. He had been in this room before, in these walls, and none of his memories of this place were good. The skin on his back tingled as he recalled the feeling of Campbell's whip across it. He and the other captured rebels had been brought in for the evening entertainment the first night they were in the castle.
“They think they are all such great fighters,” Campbell had called with a mouthful of food. “Well, let's get them a sword and see them fight.”
With their hands still tied, Campbell had done just that. He put them up one by one against three of his greatest warriors. Finn could still hear the way Campbell laughed with glee as his men ruthlessly beat the rebels. Finn managed to last a little too long for Campbell's liking. He had even disarmed one of Campbell's men. That was what had earned him a whipping.
He could still feel the way his legs dragged on the stone floor as the other two rebels carried him out of the Great Hall and down towards the dungeons. Finn would have sooner burned the entire castle to the ground than step foot inside of it again. But how could he tell Iona that? She had lived imprisoned in her own home, her grandfather's castle, her entire life, yet she was strong enough to endure. So he had to be, too. Of course, the flask of whiskey he had downed in the courtyard helped soothe his nerves. And with the mug of ale he was nursing, he could almost forget about it all. Almost.
“I think it is starting,” Iona whispered as Seamus moved to stand at the front of the room.
As Seamus took his place, standing on the dais in front of the set of chairs, the rest of the Great Hall grew still. Even in their drunken stupor, everyone who had come to celebrate understood that this moment was what they were all waiting for. Seamus swallowed hard and then addressed them all.
“Today has been a day I could have never predicted. We have all awaited today's victory for so long that I can hardly believe it is true. As of this afternoon, we have won back the Murray Clan.”
The crowd erupted, cheering and dancing and throwing hats into the air. But Finn watched Seamus, noting the complete lack of celebration or pride in the man's face. So when Seamus put up his hand to silence the crowd once more, Finn wasn't surprised.
“Aye, this is a monumental victory. But there is more ye must hear.” He paused, and it felt as though the entire room stopped breathing. “Our enemy remains. Campbell is nae dead.”
This time, the crowd erupted again, though for entirely different reasons. They shouted and gasped, asking themselves how such a thing could be true. Even Iona let out a sharp breath of surprise. Finn didn't want to believe it, but he knew just how tricky and slippery Campbell was.
“How could this happen?”
“Why did ye let him get away?”
One by one, the rebels started hurling accusations at Seamus. And just as Finn knew he would, Seamus stood there and took them all without saying anything. But he could see Flora flinch every time.
“Campbell must have discovered our plans to attack. Or, at the verra least, he anticipated them.”
“What are ye saying?” someone shouted across the room at Seamus.
He took in a deep breath, his eyes guarded.
“I am saying that he escaped the castle long before we got here. He had to have left days ago.”
“So there is nay chance of catching up to him.”
“Do we ken where he went?”
“Where is he going?”
“What about the rest of the clan?”
