“They were wholly unworthy of their title. They could nae defend themselves or their land so why should they get to keep it? One day, the clan will see that it is better to be ruled by a firm hand than a weak one. They may nae admit it, but they preferred a Laird they feared than a coward.”
This time, Seamus didn't bother holding back his snarl. Campbell only laughed.
“They were all cowards! The whole lot of them. In the end, yer father cared so wee for his life that he did nae bother getting out of his chair.”
“Stop.”
“He just sat there, as if he kent why I had come and did nae want to put up a fight.”
“Ye are lying. Stop it.”
“It wasn't until I had my dager at his throat that he muttered a simple 'please.' How pathetic.”
“I dinnae want to hear another word!” Seamus shouted loud enough that his words echoed in the distance between them.
Campbell acted as if he was completely unaffected by Seamus' presence. As if Seamus wasn't any kind of threat. Without a weapon on his body, Seamus could see how Campbell could be so confident. Seamus simply had to keep reminding himself that Campbell's confidence would be his downfall. He only had to wait for the right moment to strike.
“As for Laird MacKenzie, he was so afraid of what his people would think of him doing business with the English that he lied, for years. He did whatever I wanted just because I kent that hideous truth. He even went so far as to let me invade the Murray lands. How is that for cowardice?”
Seamus hated to even think that Campbell was telling the truth, but his words held no lie. With Laird MacKenzie and his son dead, with his mother likely already dead in the castle behind him, there would be no telling if what Campbell said wastrue. As much as Seamus hated to admit it, Campbell was a lot of vile things, but he was not a liar.
“He died with the sword he had seen coming for years. Yer uncle could nae be allowed to live lest he wanted to claim the lands for himself. And as for yer mother…”
“Keep her out of this,” Seamus growled.
“How is bonny Caitria?” Campbell asked in a singsong tone that grated away more and more at Seamus' mental guard. “Dead, right?”
Seamus cursed but it only garnered a laugh from Campbell.
“It surprises me that she put up more of a fight than any of the rest of them. She tried with everything within her to escape me and my men. But it did nae matter. Her efforts were futile. I watched as my archers put an arrow in her side. She died the same way she lived; running from everything. So now, all that is left to see if how ye will die. Will ye die a coward like every other member in yer pathetic family?
With every word, Campbell grew louder until he was shouting. In one move, Campbell pulled out his sword and swung it at Seamus. Having seen the attack coming, Seamus easily moved out of the way. He stepped back further and further, drawing Campbell out with him.
Seamus took in a deep breath, needing to get a hold of the situation once more. He couldn't keep letting Campbell into his mind. He needed to put on a good show just long enough to get Campbell to do what he wanted. Steeling himself, Seamus took another few steps back, being sure to look frightened.
“Running from a fight, are we?” Campbell taunted, swinging again.
“There is only one coward between us and I can promise ye, it is nae me.”
Campbell cursed and swung his sword again, getting more and more unsteady the longer he pursued Seamus. The menbehind him started to shift, inching their way towards Seamus. Campbell had kept his best warriors to himself, having learned his lesson from their last encounter. These men were seasoned warriors with the scars and swords to show for it. It wasn't a sight Seamus liked the look of. Each of the men were terrifying in their own right but to take them all on at once would mean sure death for Seamus.
“Are ye going to let yer men do the fighting for ye once again, Campbell?” Seamus questioned, nodding to the men moving ever so slowly forward.
Glancing over his shoulder, Campbell snarled.
“Gonna let someone else claim yer glory? Give them the satisfaction of killing me? Or are ye too weak to do it yerself?”
“Stay out of this! He is mine! Dinnae take another step!”
The men froze and Seamus felt as though he could breathe a little easier. Though, he did his best not to show Campbell that.
“Dinnae even think about trying to make it back to yer weapons. I will never let ye get that far.”
“I was nae planning on it. As I said, I am nae the coward here.”
Finally enraged enough, Campbell screamed and lunged for Seamus. It was a genuine effort rather than the half attempts he had been making earlier, one that made Seamus' heart beat a little faster. He moved, quickly out of the way. Campbell pressed in closer, just as Seamus knew he would.
“Is that all ye have?” Seamus mocked.
