Highlander Unchained(34)

Cree mounted his horse and glanced around. The battle was near over, his warriors tending to the last of Colum’s men who were quickly laying down their swords. As usual he was victorious. It had been an easy battle as he had thought it would be, Colum’s men no match for his skilled warriors. They had fought brave and hard as always, though the stakes were much higher this time... for them all.

He watched as some women huddled in fear over their injured men while others ran wildly with babes in their arms, where he did not know for there was nowhere for them to go. He could understand their fear, it had griped him when he had seen what he thought was a warrior attacking Dawn.

He had known it could not be one of his, death waited for any who dared to disobey his orders and rape was something he would not tolerate. Rage like none he had ever known before rushed through him when he spotted Dawn’s ripped garments, and he was ready to kill the man who had attacked her with one swift blow.

Pride quickly replaced anger when Paul explained what had happened. That Dawn would put herself in danger to help her friends spoke generously of her nature. She was a good person and he was pleased to see that she was safe, and he intended to see she remained so.

A wave from his most trusted warrior Sloan caught his attention and he rode to where he stood on the keep steps to join him. As soon as Cree dismounted his stallion one of his warrior’s was there to tend the animal.

Annoyance plagued Sloan’s usual pleasant countenance and Cree suspected he was not going to be pleased with the news.

“We cannot find Colum or Goddard.”

Cree was not happy. He had lain awake last night thinking of how he was going to make both men pay for what they had done to Dawn. He thirsted for revenge and he would not be satisfied until that thirst was quenched.

“Send a group of men to scour the surrounding woods. If they have not found them by nightfall tell them to return. He is probably on his way to Gerwan, his feudal lord, to deliver the news and gather troops.

Sloan grinned. “Will the news have reached Gerwan by then?”

“It will have and Colum will no longer be of use to him.”

“Colum will seek revenge against you.”

“I am counting on it,” Cree said. “Now see to the injured and before nightfall I want the villagers gathered here in front of the keep.”

“Has Turbett arrived yet?”

Sloan laughed. “The men argued over who would go fetch him.”

“I expected no less from them. It is another victorious battle and Turbett will prepare a scrumptious feast for all to celebrate.”

Sloan nodded slowly. “That he will, though it will not be just another victorious battle we celebrate. It will finally be having a permanent home that we celebrate.”

A shout to Sloan had him running and Cree standing on the steps of the keep alone. This was his now, hard won and a longtime coming. But he and his men had earned it and they would protect their new home with their lives. No one would take it away from them; no one could. The King had decreed it.

He cast an anxious glance over the village to see if his men had returned with Dawn yet. She was nowhere in sight and so he turned and entered the keep wondering how he would stop himself from taking the silent one to his bed tonight.

~~~

Lila would not stop asking about Paul as the warrior carried her out of the woods. Dawn reassured her over and over that he was fine and being tended to by Cree’s healer. And still she questioned until a pain gripped her and she cried out.

Dawn pointed toward Lila’s cottage as they neared it.

The large man shook his head. “Cree ordered her to be brought to the keep and you to be brought directly to him.”

“Paul is at the keep. I want to—” Lila screamed and the warrior carrying her stumbled but never let go of her. “The baby,” she cried out her hands going to her rounded stomach.

Dawn rushed to Lila’s cottage and the warriors did as she had hoped; they followed after her. She was ever so grateful that the cottage suffered no damage during the battle. She hurried inside and yanked the blanket down to the bottom of the bed and gestured for the warrior to place her there.

“We must go to the keep,” he insisted and turned assuming Dawn would follow.

Lila cried out again. “The baby is coming.”

The warrior sped to the bed, placed Lila on it, and hurried over to the two other warriors who had entered. They whispered amongst themselves

“Please bring my husband to me,” Lila called out to them.

Dawn walked over to them and shooed them toward the door.

The large one protested. “We are to remain with you until we can get you to the keep.”

Dawn shook her head and shooed them again forcing two out. The big one wouldn’t budge until Lila let out another earth-shattering scream.