On the trip back to Eilean Donan, Gavin was sure he kept seeing Elyn on her horse, racing toward his party. Over every hill crest, his heart tensed and his breath caught in his throat, until he was let down with the empty sight of the endless greenery and heather. He didn't want to believe that she had been kidnapped or something worse. It was easier to pretend she had just snuck out and tried to meet him. It was what he expected her to do when he told her she couldn't come.
But with every mile, it became more and more clear that she wasn't trying to meet him. That she hadn't gotten confused or lost trying to take a shortcut to Castle Iverlochy. That she had been taken.
Gavin and his highlanders returned to Eilean Donan in record time. Their horses were spent, and quickly released to rest in the stables to recover their energy. Gavin and Barron stormed into the castle to find it in disarray: armoured highlanders and servants alike were turning the quarters inside out trying to find Elyn or any clues to her whereabouts. Alec was stewing in Gavin's chambers, where Gavin and Barron met him.
As they entered the room, Alec's eyes lit up for a brief second, but Gavin extinguished his enthusiasm, "What is going on?"
Alec frowned and nodded quickly. "When I knocked on the Lady's door yesterday to see if she needed anything, it fell open. She was no where to be found. I immediately had my men start searching the area for her."
"Well?" Gavin frowned and folded his arms. "Did ye find her?"
Alec sighed. "We didnae."
"Did ye have yer men check Dornie? Maybe there were some clues there. I canae imagine she just left..." Gavin's eyes flicked around the chamber, as if he was hoping to find clues. "What about her horse? Is he still in the stables?" He turned to Barron, while Alec thought. "I donae why I even ask, I'll go check myself."
Gavin raced down the castle hallways and spilled out into the street. He quickly made it to the stables and ducked into each stall to see if Rhys was there. In the last stall, he found the fat horse, resting on his hay and taking a nap. Gavin slammed a fist against the door, cracking the wood with his anger. He bit his lip as pain shot up his arm.
He heard someone come up behind him. "Barron, I donae have the patience right now. If ye donae have any ideas for where she could be, then leave me."
Barron leaned against the wall and sighed heavily. "Do ye think Maxwell took her?"
"Aye, who else could have?" Gavin didn't look at Barron, but he could feel his gaze nevertheless. "We have to go to Iverlochy. This is my fault. I should have taken my men to Kinfauns and eradicated this monster while I had the chance. I got too distracted. Now the King is believing any lie that Robert feeds him, including my treason."
"Nay, it isn't yer fault." Barron moved closer to Gavin and squeezed his shoulder. "Ye only did what ye thought was right. We can still fix this. Why donae we go to Kinfauns and take care of Robert once and for all?"
"Robert won't be in Kinfauns, Barron. He'll be at Iverlochy, with the King. Besides, what if she isn't there? If she is, it'd be suicide for us to storm their gates with her captive. I can tell Robert probably keeps men around who wouldnae be afraid of slitting a throat." Gavin looked at Barron. He thought for a moment and his mouth dropped. "God's wounds, Barron, it makes sense donae it?"
"Eh?"
"The King... of course. It wasn't James who sent that letter. It must've been Maxwell. How could I have been so foolish? I was walking into a trap. And now he has Elyn... what could he want with me now? If I go, I'll be at his beck and call."
"I reckon if ye donae, he'll have ye regardless."
"He has to have her. As much as I hate to admit it, anything else is unthinkable. If bandits stole her away, then I'd be lucky to ever see her again."
Gavin shook his head. "It's settled. I'll go to Iverlochy as he originally intended. I canae endanger Elyn further. But I'll take more men. Gather your best â and get Patrik and Fingal, too. We could use them."
"Aye, mi Laird."
"Let's get out of here as soon as we can. The longer we keep 'the King' waiting, the worse." Gavin gave Barron a smile, but it vanished as soon as Barron left. He only had a goal, not a plan.
Keep Elyn and his people safe. It was his duty as their Laird.
Gavin leaned into Rhys' stall. He stroked the horse's face and whispered to him. "We'll keep her safe, donae worry." If he couldn't comfort himself, the least he could do was comfort her horse. Rhys' eyes were somber and distressed, and Gavin knew he had to take him to Iverlochy. Something inside him told him that Rhys needed to help save Elyn, too.
***
Gavin and Barron met with the gathered highlanders in the castle courtyard. It was a smaller party than the first trip, but it would have to do for quietness. Neil, Patrik, Fingal, and Duncan were all they had. Alec tried to insist they gather more men, but Gavin already felt this large of a group might be pushing it. He couldn't predict what Robert Maxwell would want with Gavin, and he might only get Elyn and his clans into more trouble if he brought an army to the gates of Iverlochy, especially for a treasonous summoning. A small team was best, one that he could trust with his life, and would be willing to throw it all on the line if it came down to it.
Gavin greeted the men, but remained serious. "Highlanders, it's time to put an end to this. I donae know what Maxwell wants with us, but if he has Elyn in his clutches, it's a threat to us all. He isn't a man that forgets â and I canae imagine we didnae deal a serious blow to his pride with our recent battle."
He paced as he spoke, stopping and checking the fit of each lad's armour. He had to be sure that they were equipped for whatever may come. He nodded and walked to the stable entrance and swung the doors open. "Gather yer steeds and we'll be on our way."
The men clamored into the stables and each took the reins of their favorite horse. The ones they had practiced with, learned on, and bonded with. Gavin had already pulled Rhys out for himself, sure that the beast would serve him well. While the rest of the men saddled up and equipped their horses, Gavin left Rhys untouched by leather or straps. If Elyn rode him bareback, then Gavin would as well.
After mounting up, Gavin led the party out of the gates and across the bridge to the land. The weather in the highlands was blustery, with gusts of wind kicking up intermittently and blowing dirt in the highlanders' eyes. The sky was as grey as coal, with the light shimmering in a way that made it feel like time had frozen. An overcast sky to backdrop their journey to Iverlochy. It wasn't with fire in their veins that they rode down the dirt path, but with ice in their hearts. Gavin wouldn't forgive Maxwell if anything happened to Elyn, and he most certainly wouldn't forgive himself either. He had to get to Iverlochy, find out what happened to Elyn, and do anything in his power to set her free. If he didn't, what kind of highlander was he?
If Gavin had to give up a foot to save her, he would do it.
Until he met Elyn, he felt restless and without a direction. His whims were his own, and that was all that mattered to him. His father, Angus, had tried his best with him, but Gavin had always felt a keen sense that he was a let-down for his entire clan. When the attack happened, and he escaped into the highlands, Elyn had tempered his cause. Given him something to strive for, to become better for. He no longer cared like he did before, selfish and youthful. Now he a stronger sense of power for his clan. No longer was he a wandering storm streaking across the highlands, but the mountains that the storms crashed against, and failed to topple.
He had grown empowered and strengthened simply by being with her. Elyn had given him more satisfaction than any bloody feud or worthless fight.
The Laird swallowed his tears as he hardened his face. He nodded to Barron, who had been watching him for some time, unaware. Years ago, he would have laughed and insulted Barron for catching him, but now he owned up to it â he didn't feel ashamed, but alive. He felt as if he was stronger than he ever had been.
After the men passed through Dornie, the wide open space of the highlands beckoned them. Gavin urged the men to ride harder and faster, he and Rhys setting the pace at the front. He'd never ridden bareback before, but he felt the acute connection with the horse that he'd never felt, even with Elspet. That disconnect with the saddle broke his immersion, kept him from feeling like he was one with the animal. Without the leather and straps, he could feel the breath of the horse against his ankles and he could feel its heartbeat against his thighs. It made him feel more attuned to nature, to Scotland. The balance was different, but in a way that made him ride harmoniously â he didn't fight the animal but instead let it carry him.
Together they would endure.
***
As the men rode on, the sun streaked across the sky and slowly turned the ashen veil a dull orange. The highlanders pulled off the trail and found a comfortable spot near a fresh-water lochan. They dismounted from their steeds and let them drink to their hearts' content.
Gavin scanned the horizon and studied the mountainous peaks. The men started setting up a small camp for the night.
"We're close. Another day and we'll be there." Gavin said. He slapped Barron's shoulder and grinned.
"Aye. It helps to have such a small group."
Gavin and Barron walked to the encampment in the making and helped the men gather wood to get a fire going. They had brought rations to dole out, but it was always good to eat something warm instead of rationed bread. Gavin fell to the ground and crossed his legs, amazed at how sore he was from riding Rhys all day long.
"Sore, Gavin? I canae believe ye were ridin' that beast without a saddle," Barron pointed at Gavin rubbing his thighs. He took a bite of his bread and grinned.
"Aye, it takes it out of ya, alright. But... I can see the appeal."
Neil spoke up, still overly formal. "Why, mi Laird?"
Gavin grimaced as he rubbed his thighs, pushing a knot out of his muscles. "Yer more connected to the horse. It isn't like ridin' with a saddle."
Barron dug his hand into a sack and pulled out some bread and mead. The small cask was undoubtedly hot from being against the man's back throughout the entire day, but he didn't seem to mind. Barron tapped the flask and pulled it open, taking a noisy slurp from its contents. He wiped his mouth and offered it to the other men.
Fingal took up his offer, snatching the drink from him. He took a long pull and turned red as he undoubtedly felt everyone's eyes on him.
"What?" he said, handing it back to Barron.
"Ye must not know Barron very well..." Gavin said. "He never actually offers it â it's just an empty gesture."
"Oh," Fingal blushed again. "Well how am I supposed to know that?"
Barron laughed and shook his head. "That's why I spit in every batch, just incase someone takes me up."
Fingal groaned, much to everyone's amusement, but then he cracked a dim smile as Barron took another swig. "I thought I tasted something funny, that's why I left a little of my own flavor, too."
Gavin laughed as he watched Barron spit up a mouthful of drink, dropping the flask to the side of the fire. Barron gave Fingal a knowing nod and smile. "I'll getcha for that."
Gavin took some time to let the heat of the fire soothe his muscles. "Looks like we'll get there tomorrow, men."
"Already?" Patrik peeped. "So soon?"
"We made great time. I've never seen highlanders tear across Scotland like we did today."
Duncan grinned and spat into the fire, watching the flame sizzle in the night. "We'll get into Iverlochy and bash in the viper's face. I canae believe he thinks we'll roll over after we crushed him at Eilean Donan." He balled his fists and cracked his knuckles.
"Aye, but we have to be careful," Gavin said. His voice cut through the enthusiasm like a hot sword sinking into the soft, summer earth. "Let me handle the talking. If we canae secure Elyn's safety, any victory will be for naught."
"Ye aren't gonna submit to his demands are ye?"
"I donae even know what his demands are, lad, but I will do whatever I can to keep you boys, our clans, and Elyn safe. It's my duty."
The men nodded, and hung their heads down low. After waiting for a moment, Gavin took the opportunity to snatch the mead from Barron's hands and take a long swig of it. The sour expressions on everyone's face faded as they laughed. The men spent the hours of the twilight joking and keeping their spirits up. Even so, the dark thought tugged at the back of Gavin's mind that Elyn wasn't safe. Or worse, that he couldn't do anything to save her. He brushed it off as Fingal pushed Duncan into the lochan, letting the laughter of his highlanders numb him.
As the men wound down and each began to turn into the their tents to sleep, Barron caught up with Gavin outside the tents. Gavin was staring over the lochan, watching the shimmer of the moon's reflection on the water as the wind tickled the glass surface.
Gavin felt Barron's presence and spoke without warning, giving Barron a bit of a jump. "I'll save us all. No matter what."
Barron nodded and turned into his tent to sleep. Before he shut his eyes, he could still see the faint outline of Gavin outside the fabric, the reflected moonlight outlining his stern pose.
***
The men woke up as the sun turned the sky a dull steely blue. With the summer months fading, the hoarfrost already threatened to set in on the long grasses and edges of the lochan. The men gathered up their supplies and tents, mounting up their horses as the sun broke the horizon and bathed the landscape in a golden and honeyed light.
Gavin sat astride Rhys again, his legs feeling a bit sore but firmer and stronger than they did yesterday. He had adapted to the new riding position quickly, and didn't expect to feel any fatigue when they reached Iverlochy. His heart raced at the thought of confronting Laird Maxwell, not out of fear, but anger.
He led the men away from the lochan and back to the weathered trail they followed the day before. They rode quickly toward Iverlochy, and after a couple of hours, saw the peak of the castle break the horizon against the dull gray sheet of sky.
Gavin's heart surged, and he felt a change in the air around him. All the highlanders with him hardened, their jaws clenched and fists tightened. He grinned at the shared revulsion to what they were about to encounter. This was what it meant to be a Laird, to lead your people into battle, even if you might not win. That kind of loyalty and severe sense of justice. That's what he loved about his clansmen.
At the gates of Iverlochy, they weren't stopped, searched, or seized. The guards seemed to blithely ignore them, and they parted between the gates and entered the village courtyard without a single eye looking their direction.
"Strange," Barron whispered low enough so only Gavin could hear. "Are they ignoring us?"
"Aye. I think they have to," Gavin said, loud enough for the other men to hear. "I think they were told to ignore us. They know who we are."
Fingal trembled a bit, but regained his composure by tightening his grip on his horse's reins. "What now?"
"We go inside and confront this snake."
***
At the entrance of the castle doors, they climbed off their steeds and tied them to a post nearby. They didn't dare think to put them in the stables in such a dangerous place. Best to keep them in sight, so at least they could reach them quicker if things went sour.
Inside, Gavin and his men moved swiftly through the corridors. Gavin felt uneasy, he didn't like going deeper into the maw of the beast without knowing if he was going to make it out. At least if he was sure he wouldn't be leaving, he might be able to come to terms with it. As it were, he felt trapped by his own pride and anxiety as he moved across the dark carpet through the hallway.
The castle looked the same as when he was last there: heavy sconces and paintings lined the stone walls. The condition of the castle was immaculate, but something felt wrong in the air. It was more than being ignored, it was the look on all the people they passed by. They winced as the highlanders moved near them, as if they were scared of being lashed out and beaten for some ill-thought reason. Gavin couldn't understand living in that kind of fear.
The men reached the throne room, and the two highlanders guarding the door stepped aside without a word. Gavin cast a long look to Barron and his men before nodding and pushing the doors open. The men spilled into the large and extravagant throne room, more luxurious than it had been before. Both sides of the hall were filled with treasures and gold, seemingly scattered around without a thought or care in the world. The only thing Gavin could feel was revulsion at the decadence of it all.
At the end of the grand hall was Laird Maxwell, sitting in the King's throne. Gavin hid his scowl as best he could, and stepped forward to confront the King on his own terms. Robert Maxwell stood as the party of highlanders approached him, and his smile turned wicked.
Gavin stopped short of the King and couldn't hold his tongue any longer. "Where is she? What have ye done with her?"
King Maxwell looked pleased. He sat back down in his throne and clasped his fingers together. "Where is who?"
"Donae play these games with me, Maxwell, we both know ye have Elyn hidden away somewhere!"
"Ah, yes, the MacDonald girl," the King said. He grinned. "I see you wasted no time getting here when you found out I had taken care of that wench of a woman â too many years of trouble she's caused me."
Gavin's face fell. "What do ye mean, 'taken care of her'?"
"I mean she's exactly where I need her to get what I want."
"What could ye possibly want? Ye already have the throne!"
"I donae know if that's any way to speak to your King. I was very gracious when I told my men not to kill you on sight â we have honour in the capital here."
Gavin lashed forward, but Barron grabbed him by the shoulder to stop him. The King continued, "Now, as King, I have every right to sentence you to death for the treasonous letter you tried to send to the late King, may he rest in peace. But I'm willing to overlook such a horrible crime if you'll do one thing for me."
Gavin brushed Barron's hold on him and shook himself off. He drew a deep breath and concentrated on relaxing his temper. "What would that be, kiss yer boots?"
"No. Marry my daughter, Katrine Maxwell, and we'll pretend all of this never happened."
"What?" Gavin gasped. "Why would I do that?"
"Because, if you don't, I'll have Elyn killed. And when I'm through with her, I'll take your castle and land by force â do you really think I need your help? But I'd rather my daughter have a husband." The King laughed, and Gavin got a keen sense that Maxwell was the type of man that loved watching a fish gasp out of water, refusing to put it out of its misery. "I'm surprised you brought your friends here â to their deaths."
"No!" Gavin swung his arm out and tried to block Robert's view of his highlanders. "Leave them be. I'll do what you want, but let them go free."
King Maxwell relaxed and mused for a moment, stroking his chin with his long fingers. "I could do that â but why would I? You aren't really in a position for bargaining, boy. Besides, I could use some soldiers for invading England. After the marriage is complete, I'll have more than enough authority and control over your traitorous clans to wage a war on any who oppose me."
Gavin hung his head and fumed. He was trapped. If he could only make sure they'd be free. "Just let my men go. You can do anything to me, I won't try to flee."
"I'm sure you'll say anything to save yourself now. How shameful of you. Did you really think this would save your pride?"
Gavin ignored the insult. "Let them go."
The highlanders from Eilean Donan backed up, but were met with the sharp points of several guards' blades. Fingal held up his hands, to try and show his innocence. Barron grunted and spit on the floor.
"Disgusting animals. The lot of you," Maxwell said. "Throw them all in the dungeon, I'll consider Laird MacKenzie's request, but I'm not feeling charitable at the moment."
A guard threw his elbow into Barron's stomach, knocking the wind out of him. As Barron buckled over in pain, the rest of the guards gathered up Gavin and his men, dragging many of them by force through the halls into the depths of the dungeon.
The only evidence of Gavin's previous occupation in the cells was the discoloured mark on the stone floor near the bars, where Elyn had secured their freedom. The men were pushed into the cell and the gate was closed. Barron heaved, slowly regaining his composure.
He cursed. "...callin' us animals? Throws us into this pit to rot, forever no doubt."
"He'll release you, he only cares about making me suffer."
Fingal curled his arms over his knees. "Then why would he release us?"
Gavin couldn't give the lad an answer. He turned and stared up through the small window, the last remnants of daylight fading away. He should have expected this outcome, but he didn't think it could be so hard. Why couldn't Robert just let them go? What would he have to give up? Wasn't it enough that he had Elyn somewhere, probably torturing her?
Gavin cursed under his breath and shook his head. He felt hopeless, but a small fire was still glowing deep in his heart. The very same flame that Elyn had sparked and stoked last time he was in this keep. He held onto that powerful energy, that warmth and confidence, with all his might.
He would save his people, and kill King Maxwell. Even if it cost him his life. Not just for his people or Elyn, but for Scotland.