Page 128 of The Laird’s Sinful Claim

"Lady Elinor is me wife," David called back. "Legal and legitimate, as declared by the Regent himself. Ye have nay claim tae her."

"She was meant to be mine! You stole her through trickery and lies!"

"I won her fairly at a gathering her faither arranged. If ye're angry about that, take it up with Lord Royse. But ye'll nae be takin' me wife."

Langley's horse shifted restlessly beneath him. "The Regent’s letter means nothing. He was deceived by your Highland tricks. Lady Elinor belongs with me, and I will have her back. One way or another."

"Then ye'll have tae come take her." David's hand rested on his sword hilt. "But I warn ye, Keppoch has never been breached. And it willnae be breached by the likes of ye."

"We'll see about that." Langley yanked his horse around. "This is your last chance, MacDonald. Send her out, or I'll tear down these walls and take her myself."

"Come try it, ye English bastard."

Langley spurred his horse back toward his army. The white banner was lowered.

"Well," Tristan said quietly. "That went about as expected."

"Aye." David watched Langley's army begin to organize itself into attack formation. "Here they come. Get tae the gate. Make sure it holds nay matter what."

"Aye, me laird." Tristan clasped his shoulder briefly. "Try nae tae get killed, aye?"

"Same tae ye."

Tristan disappeared down the stairs. David remained on the battlements, watching as Langley's forces began their advance.

They came in waves. The first group, maybe forty men, carried shields and a crude battering ram fashioned from a massive log. Behind them, archers were taking position, preparing to provide covering fire.

"Archers!" David called out. "On me mark! Wait until they're in range!"

The enemy advanced slowly, shields raised against the anticipated arrow fire. Fifty yards. Forty. Thirty.

"Now!"

The air filled with the whistle of arrows. David watched as the first volley struck, some finding gaps in the shield wall, others thudding harmlessly into wood. Men screamed. Several fell. But the advance continued.

"Again!" David nocked his own bow. He wasn't the best archer, but he could hit a target at this range. "Keep the pressure on them!"

More arrows flew. More men fell. But Langley's forces were well-trained, well-disciplined. They maintained formation, kept advancing.

The battering ram reached the gate.

BOOM

The sound of impact echoed across the courtyard. David felt it through the stones beneath his feet.

"Achers get ready!" someone shouted. "Wait until I give the word," he told the men. "We only get one chance at this."

BOOM

The gate shuddered. David could see cracks starting to form in the wood. Not much, nothing that would breach yet, but enough to show that Langley's ram was doing damage.

"Now! Fire."

The effect was immediate — the attack broke, the ram abandoned as Langley’s men fell back in chaos.

The battering ram fell silent. Men scattered.

"Keep firin’!" David called to the archers. "Dinnae let them regroup!"