Page 58 of Savage Kilted Highlander

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Outside in the courtyard, the battle grew in ferocity and intensity as Ashbourne’s men clashed with the defenders. Fuelled by a determination to protect Constance, Bane’s already excellent fighting instincts were heightened. Expertly wielding his razor-shaper blades, one in each hand, he gave no quarter to the enemy, seeing in each man’s face that of Constance’s hated stepfather.

The urge to destroy the man pushed him onwards. Summoning all his strength, he carved a bloody path through all those enemy soldiers he encountered, fighting alongside Ewan Kerr’s men. In the brief pauses between dealing out death and destruction, he would wipe his sweating, bloody forehead with his sleeve and cast about for his brother. He knew Tav was fighting somewhere nearby, but he could not see him. Though he knew his brother could take care of himself, he would have liked to know he was alright.

At one point, he glanced to his left and found himself fighting next to Laird Kerr. Their eyes met fleetingly, but there was no time for anything more as they both fought on, relentlessly pushing back the encroaching enemy. During that time, he had cause to admire the laird’s fighting ability, and was glad for it, thinking that if anything happened to him, Constance’s father would defend her more than capably to the death.

The fighting dragged on for what felt like an eternity. Cries of agony echoed in his ears, the courtyard beneath his feet was slippery with blood and gore, the bodies of the fallen became stepping stones for the remaining warriors.

But slowly, the laird’s men gained the upper hand, pushing back Ashbourne’s vastly depleted forces until few remained living within the castle. Those who did, were mortally injured. The rest fled, seeing the battle was lost.

The last of the battle had moved outside the broken gates, and Bane had followed it, but he soon realized the worst of it was over and that the laird’s forces had prevailed. It was then that he saw two of the victorious warriors dragging Ashbourne, bloodied but still bellowing threats and struggling, into the courtyard. Filled with bloodlust to finish the man, he ran after them.

But inside the courtyard, which was littered with blood and bodies, he was disappointed to find Ashbourne was already being brought before Ewan Kerr. He slowed his pace and walked over to join the soldiers he had been fighting alongside, who were gathering there to witness the final confrontation between the two men.

Clansfolk were pouring out of the castle as well, to see what was happening now victory was assured and they felt safe. Bane was concerned to see Constance among them. She was anxiously scanning the crowd, and when she saw him, she waved to him, her relief and joy clearly visible. Though he was glad to see she was safe, he was concerned by her proximity to her stepfather. Although Ashbourne was technically the laird’s captive now, in his mind, he still presented a danger to her. He moved around the crowd of soldiers and put himself between her and Ashbourne.

Silence fell. “Let him go,” Ewan Kerr calmly ordered the men holding Ashbourne, who was standing a few yards in front of him. The men obeyed, releasing the Viscount and moving aside, although they kept their swords in their hands. Immediately, Ashbourne puffed himself up, his fury at being bested and kept from his quarry evident in his ruddy, sweating face.

Bane noticed Ashbourne’s eyes flick towards Constance and felt in his bones it was a mistake not to bind him. A second later, he was proved right when Ashbourne lunged towards her. A collective gasp of shock went up as Bane intercepted him, pushing him away, the point of his sword aimed at the centre of his chest. Her father, who had also moved to cut Ashbourne off, nodded at him, clearly grateful.

Thwarted, Ashbourne moved back. Seeming to ignore Bane, he addressed the laird. As if believing he had anything to bargain with, he arrogantly, declared, “I’ll leave peacefully with the rest of my men, Kerr, if Constance accompanies me.” He glanced at her, his gaze poisonous. Bane did not trust him one inch and moved closer to him, watching his every move.

Before the laird could reply, Constance stepped forward out of the shelter of the spectators. Bane’s heart sank in fear.

“I am not going anywhere with you,” she said fiercely, holding her head high.

“Get back, Constance,” Bane told her and turned to move towards her, wanting to protect her more effectively. But he had not taken two steps when he felt a great weight land upon his back, a strong arm seized him in a headlock, yanking his head violently backwards. Reflexively, he moved to free himself but froze when he felt the long edge of a sharp blade digging into his throat. Horrified cries went up as he cursed inwardly, knowing that a moment’s inattention had given Ashbourne the opportunity to neutralize him.

“Let him go!” Constance shouted at her stepfather, fists clenched, eyes blazing. Her father, clearly furious at being taken so off guard, met Bane’s eyes as he moved towards her protectively.

Ashbourne pressed his blade harder against Bane’s throat. “If you want to save this barbarian’s worthless life, then you will agree to come with me, daughter,” Ashbourne snarled, while Bane tried to tell Constance with his eyes to back off.

His heart dropped. He knew what she was going to say before she said it. “Very well. Let him go, and I will come with you.”

“Constance, nay!” Bane bellowed and felt the blade touching his neck and little drops of blood tingling him. His life meant nothing to him if Constance had to sacrifice herself to her monstrous stepfather. He was frustrated when the Laird Kerr did not attack, unable to understand why not.

“Constance, run!” he managed to shout despite Ashbourne’s vicious chokehold on his neck. Ashbourne growled in his ear and increased the pressure of his hold and the blade that was already cutting into Bane’s flesh—he could feel the warmth of his own blood running down his skin. He ignored the pain and shouted again, “Get away, Constance, dinnae go with him!”

She shook her head defiantly. “I cannot let him harm you, Bane.”

Bane knew all was lost, but then something occurred that happened so fast, he hardly knew what it was.

Suddenly, behind him, a familiar voice growled, “That’s enough, ye English bastard, let me braither go.” At the same moment, Ashbourne shouted as his chokehold broke, and Bane felt the man being yanked violently backwards. The weight was gone. He was free! Elated, he wheeled around, to see the positions had been abruptly reversed. Ashbourne was now the one gasping for air in a chokehold, and holding a blade to his neck was a blood-covered, grimacing Tav.

“Dinnae kill him, Tav!” Laird Kerr shouted, then, “Bane, protect Constance. Take her tae safety.” But Bane was already running to her side. He swept her up and practically carried her to a point he deemed far enough away to be secure from any further threats from Ashbourne. He held Constance tightly as they watched her father pick up a sword from a fallen soldier and hurled it to the ground by Ashbourne’s feet.

“Release him, Tav,” he commanded darkly, his eyes like obsidian as he squared up to Ashbourne, his weapons poised to fight. Tav obeyed, violently pushing Ashbourne forward and making him stumble. As soon as he had let Ashbourne go, Tav ran over to join Bane and Constance.

“Are ye all right, Braither?” he asked anxiously, tearing off his own kerchief and using it to staunch the blood on Bane’s neck.

“Aye, thank ye fer saving me life there,” Bane replied gratefully, moved by his brother’s heroic actions. He wanted to hug him, but all their attention was overtaken by the scene being played out before them as the laird and the English lord prepared for a long-awaited showdown.

“We’ll settle this now, man tae man, Ashbourne, like I should have done years ago. Pick up the sword,” Ewan instructed.

Ashbourne righted himself and snatched up the weapon. “I should have killed you years ago, Kerr, when I first found out you had dishonoured my wife,” he spat. “And now I will.”

“I may have dishonoured her, though I can assure ye, she didnae see it that way. I loved her. I wasnae the one who locked her up and caused her death as ye did, ye vicious swine,” Ewan snarled back as the two men began to circle each other.