Page 40 of Highlander’s Evil Side

Chapter Seventeen

Beitris

Beitris sat on Fraser’s left, watching as the village heads and several soldiers filed into the great hall. The corridors were busy with maids running back and forth, carrying blankets and furs to different rooms. Wailing babies and whispers filled the halls with the wonder of what would happen next, if the people were safe here or if there would be another attack.

Beitris twisted her hands, not knowing what was in store for them. The whistling of the winds and the pattering of rain pounded on the windows, reminding her the day was not over yet. The day had been long, her body still ached from the events, yet her mind wouldn’t stop moving. She didn’t think she would ever be able to fall asleep, not until Fraser’s double had been caught. Her gaze wandered throughout the room, wondering who amongst them had seen the man or knew of him.

Her gaze settled on Helga, sitting to Beitris’s left. She looked the elder lady up and down, her gaze lingering on her wrinkled, pallid hands clenching the table. Helga’s nails dug into the wood, her whole body shaking as she stared out at the village heads and the guards. Her eyes looked sunken as if in the last few days she had become a ghost wandering through the castle, haunting its corridors.

“My people say it was the laird who had attacked them,” said Angus, who led the villages in the west. He stood in the middle of the room, pacing around in a circle with his hands clasped behind his back. “I suspect him, as well, given the man who came to our village appeared just like him.” His dark gaze turned towards Fraser, narrowing for a moment before settling on her. “However, ye vouch for the laird, my lady? He was with ye?”

Beitris rose from her seat, clasping her hands behind her back to keep from wringing them. “Aye, I was with him.”

A man sitting at a long table to the side scoffed. His bald head shined under the torchlight while his portly belly pressed against the table. “How do we know she speaks the truth?” he asked while turning towards the men sitting on either side. He darted his gaze towards the guards, meeting their weary eyes.

“Ye dare question yer future lady?” Fraser asked, a taunting lilt in his tone as he shot the bald village head a bitter look.

The man’s mouth gaped open, looking appalled as he leaned back in his seat. “Nae, I did not say that.”

“Then what are ye saying?” Fraser asked with a bitter chuckle, copying the village head’s movement. His head tilted to the side while his eyes narrowed into a scowl. “That ye can’t trust my future wife? Ye believe she would lie for me?”

The man grimaced, looking from side to side while the other village heads muttered to each other. “That is not what I meant, my laird,” the man rushed out, smiling uneasily while he rose from his seat. “I only meant that she is but one witness. Have ye any others?”

“We were with the laird,” said Scott, stepping forward with Kenneth and Gavin at his side. “Five brigands attacked the laird and lady at the falls.”

“And how are we to accept a soldier’s word?” one village head called angrily while looking around the room at the gathering men. “When Laird MacClery could have easily paid them for their lies.”

Scott opened his mouth, his brow tented in anger and his hands fisting, ready to fight. However, before he could speak, Angus asked in a commanding tone, “Ye say ye found something in the village?” Beitris was thankful for Angus’s misdirection, hoping whatever Scott and his men found would lead to the true culprits' identities. “Bring it forth, lad.”

Scott unlaced a pouch from his belt and stepped forward, pulling out a golden coin and handing it to Angus. Beitris leaned forward, trying to get a good look at the coin while Angus turned it over, a deep frown settling on his features. He tugged at his beard while striding towards Fraser.

“We found it near where the fire started,” announced Scott. “It’s likely the brigands accidentally dropped it.”

Angus placed the coin on the table in front of Fraser. The drop of it felt like a sharp thud in Beitris’s heart, like a hammer striking a nail through her very being. Her eyes widened on the round piece of gold. Her gaze lingered on the rounded right side, melted down. There was only one person she knew of who carried such gold. Her body trembled as memories took hold of her, taking her back to another time years ago when she had first seen the object with Hendry.

“The Black Stags,” she breathed, her fingers stroking the smooth gold.

“Do ye know of this coin?” Fraser asked.

She could feel his stare boring a hole into her. Her fingers drew away as if the coin had stung her. “Aye,” she said, lifting her gaze to Fraser. “I know of it and the brigands it belongs to.”

“Who are they?” Angus asked, his voice hoarse.

Beitris shook her head. “Ruthless. Cruel. They are brigands who terrorized Laird Dunbar a few years ago, but they disbanded. Or so we thought.” Her lips thinned, and her hands clenched. “It doesn’t make any sense,” she whispered. “Hendry caught all the men, except—” her eyes widened, “—except one. Peigi’s father.” She gasped. “Maybe Peigi’s father is working again.”

“Peigi’s father?” Fraser asked, confused.

“The Sire.”

Fraser shook his head, looking more confused.

“Murdo,” Beitris said, louder. “He’s Peigi’s father and leader of the Black Stags. She escaped him. She wanted to have a better life without her father’s cruelty. She brought his gold with her to Hendry, which is where I’ve seen this coin. If he’s gathered more men then-then—”

Fraser took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “It’s alright, Beitris. Yer safe here. I will catch this man.”

Beitris shook her head. “Nae, ye don’t understand, Fraser,” she whispered. “He’s dangerous. He killed Hendry’s family. He took Hendry’s eye. He will harm his own daughter if need be.”

Fraser frowned, his gaze drifting elsewhere. Beitris followed his gaze, finding Helga becoming even more unusually pale. Helga nibbled on her bottom lip. Tears glimmered in her eyes.