Elyn shivered in her cell. Despite there being no window, the wind and chilled air seemed to seep through the walls and into her skin. Her furs and clothing weren't enough to keep the encroaching winter at bay.
The guards came once a day to shove scraps and left overs in an attempt to keep her breathing. It was barely enough food to live on. The night before, she felt ill and begged the guard dropping her food off to provide her with something more.
She gulped and tried to not sound too desperate. It was revolting enough that she felt she had to fall to such a low level. "Sir, help me â I need more food than this..."
For a moment, the guard looked a little sympathetic. "I canae, ye know that, lass."
"Just a little spare bread or something, so I donae feel like I'm dyin' in here. Please."
The guard frowned and looked around, in case anyone was listening. He lowered down to the bars and nodded to Elyn. "I'll do what I can."
"Thank ye." Elyn gave him her best smile. He left the room to try and scrounge up some more food for her.
She collapsed against the hard floor and stared through the black bars holding her in. The light from the hallway barely leaked into the cell. At first, it seemed pitch black and impossible to see in, but thankfully her eyes adjusted as the hours passed. At some point in the night, she found herself examining the walls. Scratch marks and drawings had been etched into the stone work. There wasn't enough light to see with, but she could trace her fingers along the lines and paint an image in her mind. Drawings of the sun, buildings, and people... families even.
Elyn moved one of her furs to the floor and rested her face on it. She felt too weak to move from her spot, so she let sleep grip her. It was a loose hold, and she fluttered between bouts of wakefulness and half-sleep. She swore she heard footsteps or saw shadows passing over the light that crept into her cell, but she brushed it off as mad hallucinations.
She ran her hands along the metal bars and marveled at the texture of the harsh iron. It wasn't maintained, and some shoddy repairs had been done throughout the years. She touched each bar in turn, not so much out of a desire to test their strength, but out of obsessed boredom and exhaustion. As she stroked the last bar near the cell-door, she observed that it shifted at her touch. The bar moved in the stonework, wiggled free by age and disrepair. The bar itself was sturdy, but the place where it met the stone floor was weakened and sandy. She kept it to herself, thinking it wouldn't do her much good anyway.
Later in the night, the door creaked open and Elyn shielded her eyes from the intense light. She knew it was only dim firelight, but to her it was blinding. As her eyes adjusted, a figure moved closer and pushed his hands through the bars. Elyn clammed up and felt tears well in her eyes.
"G-Gavin? Are ye there?" she cried.
"Nay," the man said, his voice familiar but not Gavin's. Elyn sank back and reeled away from the bars, her confusion frightening her. Her eyes moved from the silhouetted man to his hands, which clasped a large loaf of bread. "I got this for ye."
She crawled forward and snatched it from his hands, taking large bites and savoring the long lost flavor. After swallowing a mouthful, she dropped it and grabbed the bars. "Thank ye so much, I donae know what I can do to repay ye."
The man didn't answer. He smiled politely and left, securing the door behind him.
Elyn retrieved the bread and ate the rest of it, feeling the surge of energy already coursing through her. The renewed strength only made her more aware of how tired she was, so she curled up on her bed of furs and dozed, knowing she'd be more able to think in the morning.
***
Elyn was startled awake by a loud yell:
"Get up, wench!"
She shook and stretched out, startled. She looked around for a few moments in confusion while she regained her bearings, then she finally looked to the guard who had yelled at her. It wasn't the kind guard from the night before, but one of Maxwell's soldiers, Dominic.
"What? Isn't it enough ye threw me in here to starve and rot?"
"I bet ye'd like if that was all the Lady had in store for ye," Dominic said. He flashed an ill grin. Elyn frowned, hardening her resolve.
"What is it then? Out with it."
Dominic's smile faded and he clasped his hands. "Guards, retrieve her. Take her to the chamber."
"Chamber?"
"Don't get any ideas, there won't be a cushy bed waiting for ye. Not for yer kind. Lady Maxwell had special instructions, seeing as you caused almost all the trouble for us over the last twenty years."
"What are ye talkin' about?" Elyn fought as the guards grabbed her wrists and restrained her. They brought her closer to Dominic to let him examine her.
"My, my, ye have more energy than I'd have expected after the meager slop we gave you for the last two days..." his eyes flashed. "Ye betray your own savior, wench. Someone has been feeding you â and I think I know exactly who."
"Nay â I'm stronger than ye think."
Dominic flashed a grin and thought for a moment. He squeezed her face and turned her cheeks to examine her skin. "Wrong. I know who helped you. They'll be punished accordingly."
"No! Ye canae, they donae deserve it. Youâ you're the one who deserves to be punished."
"Do I?" Dominic laughed, which made the other guards chuckle in strained response. "Do I? That's a good one, traitor. Take her away."
The guards wrestled with her strength, and carried her out of the dungeon cell. They dragged her down the hall to another door, this one made of rotten iron and thick, oily wood. Dominic wrenched the door open and led the guards into the darkness, where Elyn fought to make out the strange shapes in the center of the room. Dominic lit the sconce near the door and flooded the chamber with queasy light.
The object in the center was a large wooden table, with strange stains on it. Elyn howled and tried to fight the guards off with even more vigor, but her frenzy was easily controlled. The guards threw her onto the table and quickly locked her ankles and wrists in place, keeping her from moving more than an inch or two in any direction.
"Leave us," Dominic said. He held up his hand and the guards left immediately. They closed and locked the door behind them.
Elyn stared up at Dominic, not wanting to look weak or intimidated. "What are ye going to do to me?"
"Whatever I wish, is what the Lady told me." Dominic ran his hand over Elyn's arm, making her twitch. "I think first, since you're so eager to be resistant, I'll punish your savior." He turned to leave, and before he unlocked the door, looked over his shoulder. "Donae go anywhere, lass."
The door swung open and clanged shut. Elyn stared up at the ceiling, the dark and moldy stone staring back at her. She struggled against her chains, fighting to loosen whatever they were attached to. She grimaced as she tried to squeeze her hand through the metal bracelet, turning her thumb and skin red with raw friction. It was useless.
She cursed and tried to turn her head towards the door. It looked so worn almost anyone could kick it down, but it wasn't any use if she was strapped to a table across the room. She stared into the dark corners of the chamber, seeing if there was anything she was missing.
Before long, she heard footsteps in the hall and tried to calm herself. Dominic was cackling, and there was at least one other person with him. Elyn fumed at the thought she didn't even know her savior's name.
Dominic came back into the torture chamber with two young men in tow. One was the kind-hearted guard, and the other was another man who had visited her cell over the past couple of days.
She stared at both of them passively, not wanting to give Dominic any reason to turn on one of them. Dominic pushed the men in front of Elyn and made them stand stiff as boards. He stood back and watched Elyn's eyes.
"Which one of these men brought you extra food?"
Elyn squeezed her eyes shut. "I won't help ye punish anyone."
"Very well," Dominic said. Elyn sighed and when she opened her eyes she saw Dominic brandishing a large whip. He reeled back and lashed one of the men, making him howl and buckle over in pain. Then, as the second watched in horror, Dominic brought the whip cracking down on him as well. With both men cowering on the ground, Dominic explained himself to Elyn: "If you donae tell me which one it is, then I'll just have to punish both of them."
Elyn stared at him and her face turned red. "Ye... you're a monster!"
Dominic chuckled. "Robert Maxwell will be pleased you think so. I knew there was a reason he didn't let me join him up north in Iverlochy, forcing me to stay down in this hellhole. Now I see it."
Dominic brought his whip back to prepare for another round of lashings when Elyn's savior stood up to face Dominic. He held his chin up high.
"No! Donae!" Elyn squealed.
The man nodded to Elyn and turned back to Dominic. "It was me. I gave her extra rations. Let Kurtis go."
"Oh, so you have to stand up for her then is it?" Dominic gestured for Kurtis to stand. Kurtis thanked the kind-hearted guard and headed for the exit, eyeing Dominic carefully. As Kurtis brushed past, Dominic grabbed his arm and pulled him in close. "I donae know where you think you're going, Kurtis."
"But, sir!"
"Just because Shawn vouched for ye? You're both being punished, unless Elyn admits which one gave her extra food. I donae have to believe either of you."
"Neither of them did! Just let them go!"
Dominic tightened his grip on Kurtis' wrist and twisted, forcing the man to his knees again. "You deny you were helped?"
Elyn bit her lip and shook her head to keep a bead of sweat from dripping into her eyes. "Nay. It was Shawn, he wasn't lying." She gestured with her head. "Let them go anyway! What do ye even want with me, besides to make me suffer?"
"I want your kingdom."
"My... my what?"
"Your kingdom. I want Strome Castle." Dominic slicked his hair back with his hand and released his grip on Kurtis. He pushed Kurtis and Shawn over and walked towards Elyn. The men stood horrified, unable to move. "With King Maxwell having Gavin marry Katrine, he'll have control of â,"
"What!"
A wicked smile crossed Dominic's lips. "Oh. Of course, ye didnae know."
"Gavin is marrying Katrine Maxwell?"
"Indeed. The King has already summoned for her to travel to Iverlochy so he can personally conduct the marriage. Soon, all of Scotland will be in his undisputed control. But I want more â I want Strome Castle. And you're going to give it to me, or I'll make sure you've never been in more pain in your life."
Elyn shook her head and felt sweat fall on the table. "No! I could never!"
A nauseating laugh burst from Dominic's lips. Elyn felt her very soul scream in protest. He licked his lips and came closer to her, setting his hand on her shoulder. She dug her eyes into him.
"By the time the night is through, Elyn MacDonald, you'll be begging to be married to me. Then I'll have everything I could ever want â and I'll make sure you aren't killed like Gavin. So thoughtlessly, without purpose or reason."
"No! No ye canae make me! I'll kill myself before I marry ye."
"We'll see about that, runag, we'll see about that."
The word slipped out of his lips and landed on Elyn in the form of spittle. She felt her chest burn with rage. How dare he call her that? It wasn't his place or even his privilege to call her that. She sucked saliva and spat it at him, landing it on his arm. He recoiled in disgust and stared at it, before reeling back and slapping his hand across her face. She turned back to face him and grinned. "If ye want to break me, it'll take more than petty words."
"Sounds like a challenge," Dominic began. He leaned down and retrieved his whip, lashing Elyn across her stomach. She howled in agony as he brought it down on her, each lash filling the room with the sound of stinging flesh. She groaned and bit her lip, fighting back her weakness. Elyn squeezed her eyes shut and focused on a point â a small dot of light. It was far away, but she felt herself moving closer to it, and then she began to hear Gavin's voice calling her. Runag... come with me.
***
Elyn didn't know how many hours had passed in the dungeon, but she was exhausted and weak when she was thrown back into her cell. She had caught a brief glimpse of light as she was funneled through the hallway to the prison chamber, and she knew it was dark when she had been forced to lay on the wooden table in that cell. She groaned and fought back her tears, her fingernails raking the cold stone as if she were grabbing for something.
Dominic had been rough on her, but only with his whip. After what felt like eternity, she had opened her eyes to find him pausing to wipe the sweat from his brow. He had then asked if she changed her mind about his offer â marry him or die.
She had still refused. She had beckoned him closer to reveal her answer, and spit deep into his ear. He had recoiled and wiped his ear, staring at her with a mixture of disgust and chilling respect. When he finally left her in her old cell, he promised an even more severe beating if she returned to the torture chamber without changing her mind. He then said that "when I'm through with you, Gavin wouldn't even recognize his lover."
She touched her stomach and kept pressure on the sores. She had a feeling he could have been more rough with the whip, She grimaced as the searing pain flowed through touch and poke, and she collapsed on the stone floor again.
She looked at the bars and remembered the loose stonework. She crawled her way over to the offending iron bar and grasped it tightly. Wrenching on it with all her might, she felt it shudder and scrape inside the cavity it rested in. The ground was weakened. Thin spider-web cracks spiraled out from the cavity, and with every twist and turn of the bar, they creaked and split open wider. If it wasn't so noisy, she felt as if she could have pulled the bar free immediately.
If Katrine had been summoned, surely she would have already left for Iverlochy? Elyn tended to her injuries and considered for a moment that Dominic might have been lying to upset her.
But then why all the pain and agony? She had a feeling that if he were one to bluff, he wouldn't have to use such brute force to get his way. A stronger lie would have been to just tell her that Gavin was already dead â what could she do to disprove him? It wouldn't have made a difference in her mind about his offer, but if Gavin was dead, saying he wasn't seemed so weak and empty in comparison.
She exhaled and drew a large breath as she listened for any noise outside her prison. There wouldn't be any food service for the rest of the day, that luxury was definitely gone. She was just grateful that Kurtis and the other man hadn't been killed. If she didn't escape, she was sure Dominic would go that extra length. He was that ruthless.
She pried on the bar again, feeling it pulverize and turn the stone beneath it to sand. Another pull and it ground the sand to dust. She wiggled it back and forth, before releasing it and falling onto her buttocks. She placed her foot on the bar to test her accuracy, then pounded it with all the strength she had remaining. The bar flung free with a loud ping and clattered against the wall. The stone work underneath it was shattered, and Elyn was able to dig her fingers in and pull the loose bricks up. After clearing the dust and sand, a sizable hole was left over. She retrieved the bar from the ground and wielded it â a hefty piece of iron.
The excitement of escape made her heart race. The pain from the whipping turned into a dull ache, and she felt reinvigorated. She wouldn't need breakfast if she could just get free â she could get it herself.
She began to work at the floor, pulling up stones and crushing them with the leftovers. The removal of the bar made the stone beneath the second accessible, so she crushed it and pried the second bar loose. With enough time, she was sure she could make a large gap.
Fleeing from the prison without anything would be a foolhardy mistake though. She contemplated her other options, and didn't see any. If she didn't leave and make it to Iverlochy to save Gavin, they would both surely die. She hammered at the third bar as the morning dragged on. She had to escape Kinfauns. And she knew exactly who was going to help her do it.
Katrine Maxwell.
***
Elyn freed a fourth bar from the floor and stepped back. She admired her work, the gap leftover in the bars was more then enough for her to crawl through. Elyn took a few deep breaths and lowered herself down to her stomach, then she pulled herself through the opening.
On the other side, she grabbed the iron bar and stood. Sucking in air, Elyn listened for any signs that anyone might have heard the racket. After hearing nothing but the race of her heart, she stepped forward and pulled on the door.
Locked. It figured. Elyn sighed heavily and cursed herself for thinking the door would be unlocked. Her nerves had gotten the best of her. She'd have to wait.
Sliding her back against the wall, she sat down. She wouldn't scream for help, because none would come. She knew the guard that would deliver her food wouldn't be any of the men that she saw the previous night â Dominic would never allow it.
What about the wedding that she was supposed to already have had? Would it ever come? It had to. She was his, after all. Not even a foolish scheme by Laird Maxwell could change that.
What felt like hours passed, and Elyn was disturbed from her light slumber by noise outside the chamber. The scraping sound of footsteps made her throat tighten. She rose to her feet and tightened her grip on the bar.
The key slipped into the lock and turned with a click. Elyn took a step forward and held the iron bar above her head. The guard peered inside the cell his eyes moving to the corner where Elyn had escaped, and that was when she struck. She brought the iron bar down on the back of his neck with a powerful whack, knocking him forward. He crumpled onto the floor, dropping the tray of food with a dull clatter. A deep sigh left his lips, but Elyn could see his breath. He was out cold, but alive.
She pulled his body away from the door and closed it, so no one would disturb them. She shoved bread into her mouth as she stared at his limp body, considering what she should do now.
After finishing her meal and slurping down the last of her murky water, she rummaged through his pockets and found the key to the cell. She helped herself to his short sword and his cloak. He wouldn't need any of it. As a last effort to keep a distance between herself and the guard in case he awoke, she pulled his body into the cell and locked it shut. He didn't look small or dexterous enough to wiggle out of the opening she had created.
Elyn donned the cloak, savoring the tiny bit of warmth it provided. Too many days and hours spent in the cold darkness of Kinfauns keep was more draining than she thought. She stepped into the hallway before turning and locking the door again. Hopefully, it would be several hours before anyone knew she had escaped.
She made her way up the hallway to the intersection at the great hall. Two guards patrolled through the hall, laughing and chatting as Elyn sneaked up and held her body against the wall to stay hidden. It would be suspicious to catch a woman without an escort, especially one none of the men could recognize. She spotted Dominic at the far end of the hallway, talking with a young woman in hushed tones. He was holding her hand between his, and hunched over. She seemed distracted, her gaze going every where but to his.
Elyn swallowed her spit and decided it had to be Katrine. It couldn't be anyone else, the air of superiority was coming off the woman in waves, not to mention her extravagant attire. So Maxwell's daughter hadn't left after all. There was still time to make use of her. Elyn hid out of sight as the two seemed to finish up their conversation, the woman turned from Dominic and walked away. He followed her, looking as menacing as a small puppy.
As they drew closer, Elyn was able to eavesdrop more effectively.
"... I donae want to hear it again, Dominic, I donae need an escort â it's a simple ride to Iverlochy."
Dominic seemed to have turned into a mewling cat in front of Katrine's presence. "But, Lady Katrine, I have to insist. Bandits and reivers are all over the highlands, ye won't be safe without aid."
"I can handle myself, Dominic. That's enough. I'm done with this conversation."
The two brushed past Elyn's spot without noticing her, and Elyn sighed heavily. Dominic frowned and shook his head, raising his voice to get the final word in. His mocking scowl that he had shown Elyn the night before appeared on his face in an instant.
"I'm sure that Lady Maxwell will have something to say about this..."
Katrine's face drained. "Nay, nay, that won't be necessary."
"So you'll tell her yourself?"
Katrine coughed and looked away again. She stared at a sconce flickering on the wall. "I suppose."
"Good, I'll join you then."
Katrine frowned and shook her head. "What will make ye drop this conversation?"
"If you'll allow me to accompany you."
Katrine seemed uneasy. "Donae you have a prisoner to take care of... what was her name...?"
"Elyn," he was quick to say. "Elyn MacDonald."
"Aye, her."
"She'll be fine on her own â she has some thinking to do. I imagine my argument will be that much stronger if I can deliver Gavin's head to her."
"Disgusting."
He clapped his hands together with fiendish delight. "Absolutely."
"I'll never see why my father keeps you around, Dominic. I'll be sure to rectify that when I'm in charge."
Dominic's face fell and his lips twitched with venomous anger. He cooled himself and rubbed his hands together as if he had dirtied them. "Shall I prepare a carriage?"
Katrine shrugged and turned away from him. He shook his head with a bit of shuddering anger and walked down the hall, disappearing behind a corner. Katrine fumed, trying to regain her composure. She walked up to a painting and stared deeply into it. She mumbled to herself, and for a brief moment, Elyn felt sorry for her.
Elyn adjusted the grip on her sword and thought about attacking Katrine right there, But it was too dangerous. If someone saw her or, if Dominic came back, it would be over for her. No more torture, only a swift execution. Dominic clearly had no power over anyone else in the castle except the servants, and even then he was barely treated with an ounce of respect.
After a while, Katrine drew in a deep breath and whirled around. She looked wry and off putting, with thin lines of displeasure etched on her face. The light flickered off of her, and Elyn stifled a gasp as she tried to shake the feeling that she was gazing into a mirror. The reddish locks and all. Not just that, but how much younger Katrine looked. She had to be in her teens, at least. After a moment, Katrine started down the hall, with Elyn close behind.
***
Elyn followed Katrine outside the castle and to the stables. There, Dominic had prepared a carriage with two strong horses to carry Katrine to Iverlochy as quickly as she could go. Elyn waited for just the right time to make her move.
"Dominic, I've changed my mind about your coming with me, and I want you to stay here."
Dominic frowned and wiped his thick brow. "Lady Katrine â,"
"Nay. Not another word. I'm done with humouring ye. Get out of my sight."
Dominic opened his mouth to speak and quickly shut it again. He took a step back as Katrine climbed onto the driver's platform and took up the reins. She looked powerful, a woman not to be trifled with.
Elyn had slowly bridged the gap between the castle gates and the carriage while Dominic and Katrine spoke. As Katrine lashed the reins and started on her journey, Elyn slipped into the dimly lit stables and hid in the nearest stall.
The wet scent of hay and horses greeted her there, and she welcomed it. Anything was better than the musty and suffocating smell of the dungeon. She found that the stall she had slipped into was occupied by a lone stallion. His warm breath tickled her neck. She placed her finger to her lips and gave the horse a desperate look.
Elyn peeked out of the stall's window and stared out of the stables where Katrine had just been. Dominic sulked, before thrashing with rage, acting like a child. He stomped back into the castle's keep, leaving the coast clear for Elyn.
Elyn stroked the horse's face and patted his back. He was a strong one, with powerful legs and young eyes. She knew he'd be the perfect match for her plan. She hesitated and waited for a bit, wanting to be sure no one would be suspicious of her departure.
When she was sure she couldn't wait a moment longer, Elyn patted the stallion's back and opened the stall door. The horse moved from his pen into the stable corridor. With no one around to catch her, Elyn climbed atop his large frame, having to use the stall door to help herself up. Elyn savored the feeling of the horses' withers between her fingers. Memories of her last journey across the highlands flooded her, and she felt a bit lightheaded.
Her hand went to her head as she braced her woozy head. She guided the beast out of the stable and walked him down the path, before finally giving in to her eagerness and urging him into a spirited gallop. The thundering of his hooves against the hard dirt throbbed through her body, and she could see the speck on the horizon that was Katrine's carriage. She raced to meet the speck, and finally meet the woman in person. She was sure to leave a lasting impression.
***
Elyn caught up to Katrine over the next crest, hidden from the watchful eye of Kinfauns. As Elyn approached the carriage from behind, she heard Katrine's dismissive tone reach across the gap.
"Dominic, I thought I told..." but she trailed off as she saw Elyn. Elyn grinned and reached for the back of the carriage, firmly grasping the wooden edge and climbing off her horse and on board. She advanced through the small cart and emerged next to Katrine, who looked horrified. The steed slowed to a stop as the carriage left him in the dust.
"Whoâ who are you?"
"Elyn MacDonald, I think ye have heard of me." Elyn brandished her stolen short sword, and Katrine nodded meekly.
"I see..."
"Ye are gonna take me to Iverlochy."
Katrine laughed, an annoying and patronizing laugh. "Why would I do that?"
Elyn pushed the blade against Katrine's neck. "Because, ye donae have a choice. It's a shame ye didnae let Dominic come with ye, I'd have loved to done this to him as well."
Katrine released the reins and let them flutter to the ground. The horses were moving without guidance now, and if something spooked them, they'd be unmanageable. Elyn stared at her. "Are ye mad?"
"I'd say the same thing to ye," Katrine said. "But I donae have to."
Elyn pulled the blade from Katrine's neck and shoved her into the back of the carriage with a hard push. Katrine rolled back and tumbled against the wooden floorboards, while Elyn leaned forward to try and fish up the reins. The ropes twirled and twisted in the dirt beneath the horses' hooves, a dangerous place to be reaching into even in normal circumstances.
Elyn felt her focus burn as she heard Katrine stirring around behind her. With the horses' hooves kicking up dust and dirt into the air, Elyn blindly managed to snatch a hold of the reins and drag them back up. After slowing the horses down, she turned to see Katrine trying to dive out of the back of the carriage. She leapt back and snatched Katrine by the ankle and yanked Robert's daughter back inside.
Katrine whimpered as Elyn stood over her. Elyn stared hard into Katrine's eyes, and wavered the blade near her chest.
"Stop, please! What do ye want from me?"
"I already told ye. Take me to Iverlochy."
"What are ye going to do there?"
Elyn didn't answer. She kneeled down next to Katrine. She surveyed the collection of goods in the back of the carriage, before finding a rope. She pulled it out of its barrel and bound Katrine's wrists and ankles, before shoving her into a corner near the back. "Good enough."
Elyn sheathed her sword and climbed back through the opening to the driver's seat. She cued the horses forward again, jerking the carriage with some insistence. "I'll ask which way we'll need to go â if ye lie to me, I'll find out and ye won't like it."
Katrine murmured something like agreement, but Elyn ignored the ugly tone. She didn't have time to deal with Katrine's attitude, the longer she took to get to Iverlochy, the sooner the guards at Kinfauns would realize that she was missing.
She thought of killing Katrine, but decided she hadn't done anything too wicked yet. She couldn't dispose of her just because she was related to a monster. She seemed to have had a pretty good lead on Dominic's collar, at least. Elyn glanced over the highlands, inhaling and taking in the cool air. What had happened to the hot summer days? Maybe her parents were right about the seasons after all. She hoped they weren't sick with worry... what could she do if they were?
Elyn hummed to herself, surprised at how optimistic she felt despite her anxiety. The butterflies in her stomach wouldn't stop fluttering, and her chest felt tight. But somewhere deep down, there was a twinge of hope, a hard little seed that, despite the circumstances, was starting to sprout and flourish.