Highlander's True Love: A Cree & Dawn Short Story (7 page)

Cree clenched his hands at his sides as he hurried down the stairs. Rage consumed him; there was no stopping it. He was out for blood and he would get it. The image of Fitzbane choking Dawn and she helpless to scream out for help would not leave his mind, adding to his determination to see Fitzbane pay for what he had done to Dawn.

He heard his wife rushing down the stairs behind him and he stopped and turned. He reached out, his arm coiling around her waist, and halted her in her tracks before she could collide with him.

“Leave this be and go see to the twins,” he ordered and she shook her head adamantly. “You will obey me on this, Dawn.”

She threw back her shoulders, threw her chin up, and shook her head even more stubbornly.

“One of these days I am going to punish you good for refusing to obey me,” he said and took hold of her hand. “But for now, since you are intent on trying to stop me—an impossible task—you will come along and see what happens when someone dares to harm you.”

Dawn cringed when he shouted several times for Sloan as they entered the Great Hall, certain his angry roars had set the rafters to tremble.

Several of the warriors who occupied various tables stared at him in fear and one got up and rushed out, returning a few moments later with Sloan in tow.

“My lord,” Sloan said with a bob of his head while keeping a safe distance from an angry Cree.

Cree released Dawn’s hand and drew back her hair for all to see the bruises that circled her neck. “Tell me how this was allowed to be done to my wife last night in her own home,” he roared.

All the warriors got to their feet, ready to follow Cree into battle if necessary.

Sloan turned and addressed Dawn. “I am so sorry this has happened to you, my lady. I do hope you are not in pain.”

Cree muttered several oaths beneath his breath, realizing that in his anger he had failed to inquire about her well-being. “Are you in pain?” he snapped which angered him all the more for sounding annoyed at her.

Dawn shook her head and began to gesture.

Cree shook his head. “You cannot be serious to blame yourself for this. This is your home and if you want to visit with Old Mary late at night you should be able to do so without fear of harm coming to you.”

Dawn continued to argue, letting him know that she should have been more careful with an unfamiliar troop here and have informed someone that she was leaving the keep.

“This is not your fault. Extra guards were posted and should have had eyes on all that went on here last night.” He turned a furious glare on his men. “You all will answer to me for this.”

Each of them bowed their heads and a few shivered.

“This was my responsibility,” Sloan said. “I will find out who failed to do their duty and why.”

“And I will see to their punishment,” Cree said, “but now I will see to punishing the person who dared to touch my wife.” He turned to Dawn. “You will stay in the keep until I return.” He looked to Sloan. “Assign two warriors to see that she obeys me.”

Dawn had no chance to protest. Cree hurried out of the keep his men following, except for the two who walked over to her and remained close. Her mind went crazy as to how she would escape them.

After pacing the room a few minutes, she was relieved to see Old Mary enter.

The old woman pushed the hood of her cloak off her head and smiled. “The sun kisses the earth with warmth today, but these old bones still feel chilled. Elsa asked me to stop by and look in on the woman and the lad that arrived yesterday and let her know how they are doing.”

Dawn wondered why Elsa did not send one of the women who helped her tend the ill.

“Show me the way,” Old Mary said, slipping her arm around Dawn’s. “I can never keep track of the various rooms in this place.”

Her remark was what made Dawn realize that the woman was up to something since Old Mary knew the keep well enough and her mind was much too sharp to lose her way in familiar surroundings.

The two warriors followed close by up the stairs and positioned themselves outside the room as soon as one checked to see that there was no way she could escape them.

Tallis stood there watching all of them anxiously and not leaving her sleeping son’s side.

Once the warriors left, Old Mary looked at Dawn. “Fitzbane needs to die, though not at the hands of your husband... yet.”

Tallis gasped. “I have prayed for his death since the accident.”

Dawn scrunched her brow at the woman.

“Dawn wants to know what you mean,” Old Mary said.

Tallis dropped down on the chair by the bed, her hand going to rest protectively on her son. “I confessed all to your husband last night, I had no choice. He had realized the truth and I could no longer deny it.”

She seemed hesitant to go on, but Old Mary encouraged her to continue, “Tell us everything so we may help.”

“I am Devin Fitzbane’s wife and Adian is his son. Devin discovered that his uncle Terran plotted to become chieftain of the clan. He knew his father was blind when it came to his younger brother. He thought Terran could do no wrong and served him well. Devin feared for all our lives and decided to take me and Adian to my family’s home until he could prove to his father what Terran had planned.

“We were attacked on our way there. Devin was quick to send me off with one of the Fitzbane warriors loyal to Devin and his father. The last I saw of my husband was him fighting off the band of mercenaries sent to kill us.” Tears began to fall and she wiped them away. “I have been in hiding since that day. Douglas, the warrior who saw me to safety, looked after Adian and me. It has been difficult these past three months, always running and hiding. Finally, we came upon a deserted cottage tucked away in the woods. Douglas intended to settle me there and go and see about Devin and if Terran was still searching for us.”

Her tears began to fall harder. “I had taken Adian into the woods to collect berries when Terran arrived at the cottage. I heard Douglas’s screams as Terran tortured him for information, though I often think that he screamed to alert me to Terran’s arrival. I took Adian and ran. That is when I decided there was only one man who could protect my son.” She looked to Dawn. “Cree was a warrior I knew Terran would not stand a chance against, so as I made my way here, I devised a tale. I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you, but I had to protect my son. I love him so much and he is all I have left of Devin.” She smiled. “He and I have been in love since we were young and our families fully approved of our union. We were so happy.” Her smile faded and her tears flowed.

Dawn’s eyes were teary as well and her determination to help the woman had grown ever stronger with each word she had spoken.

Old Mary spoke as Dawn gestured. “You and Adian are safe here. Cree will protect you both. Right now, I must find a way to get past the guards outside the door and get to my husband before he makes the situation worse. If he kills Fitzbane, all could be lost. We need to prove he means you and Adian harm.”

“I thought the guards were for me and Adian,” Tallis said with relief.

‘No, my dear,” Old Mary said. “You see Dawn has a way of not always obeying her husband and many times for a good reason. But I think I have an idea of how Dawn can manage to escape the pair.”

Dawn grinned, knowing she could count on Old Mary.

A few minutes later, Dawn and Old Mary left Tallis and proceeded down the hall, the two guards following.

There had taken only a few steps when Tallis threw open the door and called out, “Hurry fetch, Elsa. Please hurry!”

Dawn shoved one of the guards and waved her hand, urging him to do as Tallis said.

He turned to the other guard. “Do not let her out of your sight.”

The other guard nodded and stepped closer to Dawn who turned to go to Tallis when suddenly Old Mary reached out and grabbed Dawn’ arm, and then her own chest.

Fighting for a breath, Old Mary managed to say, “Healing pouch. My cottage. On table.”

Dawn hugged the old woman to her while Tallis came running to her side.

Old Mary repeated the words again, though with more difficulty.

Tallis looked up at the guard who stood there staring at them helplessly. “Go to her cottage and get her healing pouch and hurry.”

He shook his head. “I cannot leave Lady Dawn.”

“I will not let her leave,” Tallis assured him. “And do you truly think she would leave the old woman like this. Go. Hurry. The other guard will return soon enough.”

It was Dawn’s tear that had the guard hurrying off and as soon as he was out of sight, Tallis and Dawn helped Old Mary up.”

“Be off with you,” Old Mary ordered Dawn.

Dawn hugged her, the thought of one day losing the old woman having bought genuine tears to her eyes. She took off, taking the stairs carefully, hoping the other guard had not yet found Elsa. She stuck to the shadows of the Great Hall once she entered and was just about to enter the stone hallway that connected the kitchen to the keep when the other guard returned with a worried Elsa in tow. Dawn shrunk back into the shadows as they passed by not too far from her.

Once they were out of sight, she ran down the narrow hall and straight through the kitchen and out the open door, oblivious to the workers who stared at her with wide eyes.

~~~

Cree approached Fitzbane’s campsite, his anger growing with every step he took. He saw Fitzbane scramble to his feet from where he sat on a blanket talking with two of his warriors who stood along with him and quickly stepped in front of him.

The other Fitzbane warriors were quick to rest a hand on the hilt of their swords, but before they could form a protective circle around Fitzbane, Cree’s warriors were on top of them, forcing them to remain standing as they were.

Cree wore no sword. He did not need one. He intended to use his hands on the man just as Fitzbane had done to Dawn.

Sloan slowed his steps beside Cree as he continued forward. He knew Cree would not want his help, but he would be there in case he did need help... an unlikely prospect.

“Is there a problem?” Fitzbane called out from behind his two men.

Cree did not answer him. He just kept advancing on him.

“Stay your ground,” Fitzbane whispered to the two men.

 Cree did not halt in his steps, he keep moving toward Fitzbane, his fist flying out to knock the one warrior out with one solid blow while a mighty jab to the other warrior’s knee with his foot dropped him to the ground. Then his hand shot out, wrapping around Fitzbane’s throat, lifting him up so that his feet dangled just above the ground.

Fitzbane clawed at Cree’s hands, barely able to breathe.

“You are going to die for touching my wife and I am going to enjoy beating the life out of you.” Cree dropped Fitzbane to the ground and before he could get a good footing or catch his breath, Cree delivered a vicious blow to his jaw, sending him reeling.

Fitzbane stumbled like a drunken lout and Cree did not wait, he grabbed him and landed one vicious blow after another and not to only his face. When Cree released Fitzbane, he fell to the ground on all fours. He raised his head and blood ran from his mouth and nose and his one eye was beginning to swell.

Cree raised his booted-foot and gave Fitzbane’s backside a hard kick, sending him sprawling to the ground. He did not wait for the man to recover. Cree leaned down and grabbed Fitzbane by the neck and dragged him to his feet.

“I am going to squeeze the life out of you like you almost did to my wife,” Cree said with an angry hiss.

Fitzbane’s one eye was almost closed now, blood spilled from his mouth and was caked around his nose and once again he clawed at Cree’s hand, fighting to breathe.

Cree squeezed tighter as Fitzbane gagged and clawed in desperation as Cree began to slowly choke the life out of him.

Someone grabbed Cree’s arm and he threw the person off him.

“Cree!” Sloan shouted.

The panic in Sloan’s voice had Cree turning and there on the ground lay his wife. He released Fitzbane, the man collapsing to the ground as Cree hurried to Dawn.

Sloan was helping her to stand when Cree reached them and pushed Sloan aside, taking hold of his wife.

“Did I not tell you to stay in the keep?” Cree snapped his arm firm around her waist. He shot Sloan a scowl. “Once we are done here, find the two idiots who let her escape them and see that they are given extra guard duty for a month.”

Dawn winced, feeling terrible about the two guards’ punishment.

“Are you hurt?” Cree demanded, running a quick glance over her.

She shook her head and gestured at Fitzbane who remained on the ground and shook her head again.

“Fitzbane gets what he deserves,” Cree said loud enough for all to hear.

Dawn shook her head again.

“It is not your decision.”

She tapped the side of her head.

“I have thought about it and it is a fitting punishment,” Cree said. “And you will not interfere with what I decree.”

He was right about that. It was not right of her to question him in front of his warriors and his foe. She needed time alone with him to make him see reason. So, she did the only thing that she could think of... she suddenly swayed in place, laid her hand on his arm and rolled her eyes back and dropped into a pretend faint.

Cree scooped her up before she collapsed completely. He yelled to Sloan. “See that Fitzbane is locked in the hut and place six men around it. And gather all his warriors here at the camp and keep them surrounded while I see to me wife. Who truly better have fainted.”

Dawn popped her eyes open as soon as he took the last step up the keep stairs.

Cree looked down at her with a scowl. “A brief moment to have your say is all I will grant you.” A few steps into the hall and he placed her on her feet. “Be done with it.”

Dawn did not waste a moment, she began gesturing, hoping his anger would dissipate at least a little and he would realize the truth of her words. After only a few gestures, his brow knitted and she knew he was giving what she said thought, so she continued.

When she finally finished, Cree turned away from her to pace for a moment. “You are right. There could be others helping him to achieve his goal. Killing Fitzbane would not necessarily free Tallis and her son. More needs to be learned from Fitzbane and his brother Giles notified of his devious plan.”