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B eneath an ancient oak tree, Ailis dismounted and surveyed the horizon. The ominous clouds above caused unease.

“We’re in for a storm,” Alisdair remarked to the group, lingering on Lachlan.

Brodie spotted a cliffside cave and pointed it out as their refuge. Lachlan guided everyone toward the cave with haste as rain began. Once inside, the air was damp and heavy compared to the charged atmosphere outdoors, but at least the entire party was out of the rain.

“We’ll weather the storm here. It won’t be comfortable, but we’ll be dry,” Alisdair said.

Ailis smiled to herself as she realized they would need to huddle together for warmth, and that meant she could seek out Lachlan’s embrace and no one could say a thing. For the first time in her life, she was happy for a storm.

While they waited, time seemed to crawl as they talked about the revelations discovered on their last night on Gordon land. They’d been rude to leave the way they had, but Lachlan had feared they wouldn’t be allowed to leave if anyone had known their plans.

Clyde Stewart’s plot to control the highlands weighed on their minds. “I worry about what will become of the Highlands if Stewart has his way.” Ailis voiced their concerns. “It won’t feel like the same place.”

Ailis listened intently to Alisdair talk about what he was thinking about the enemies’ scheme. “We must do all we can to stop such treachery,” he declared.

Fiona nodded, while Moira grappled with the enormity of their task.

“We must decide which clans we can trust to stand with us, and which ones we dare not explain the problem to,” Lachlan said.

“I worry that word will get out to the wrong people, and it will get back to the Stewarts. We’re already targets, but that would paint a big bullseye on our backs.

” He shook his head. “But word will get out as we gather our allies. I wish there was a simple answer.”

“We must stand united,” Ailis whispered.

As the storm subsided the following afternoon, Ailis stepped outside into the sunlight. The world appeared lush, but she knew the ground was wet, and the rest of their trip must be taken more slowly.

“We must be careful as we move on.” She surveyed the muddy ground that threatened each step. They resumed their journey cautiously.

*

Dusk settled on the Highlands, painting the sky in shades of lavender and rose. Ailis bid farewell to Lachlan, as he headed for McClain land with Brodie, while the rest of them moved on toward McAfee land. She fought to hold back her emotions, knowing tears were an unaffordable luxury.

“Be ever watchful, Lachlan,” Ailis whispered, holding him tightly. She took in his scent—pine and earth.

“Ye ken I will, Ailis.” His reply was soft but firm, his eyes reflecting an enduring promise.

“And we shall join ye in McAfee territory just as quickly as we are able.” Disregarding the people watching, Lachlan kissed Ailis softly, holding her close.

They were forced to part, and he wanted to remember the feel of her in his arms.

Brodie stood by silently, his gaze heavy with the weight of parting. He offered a reassuring nod before the brothers turned, disappearing down the path that led them back to the McClains.

As night fell, McAfee soldiers emerged from the woods. The captain approached Ailis, concern laced in his voice. “Ailis, why has it taken ye so long to return? Yer father sent us out to search two days past.” He was obviously worried.

With a steady voice, Ailis recounted their harrowing journey and the crucial information that united them. “We must get home to gather our allies for the coming battle. They will know we left because we know the plan.”

The soldiers apparently understood as a sense of determination flooded through the group.

“Then let us make haste toward home,” declared the captain. Four volunteered to carry word to allied clans and disappeared into the night like windborne whispers.

The journey continued under a starlit sky, the soldiers’ presence a comforting shield against uncertainties. Home called with its promise of warmth and safety, yet Ailis knew respite would be fleeting.

*

Alisdair’s steed carried him onto McAfee lands, leaving the wilds behind. With the agility of a warrior, he dismounted and surveyed the familiar battlements.

“Alisdair,” Duncan McAfee greeted. “What tidings? We expected ye days ago!”

“Grave news,” Alisdair replied, describing whispers of treachery from the Stewart who threatened Scotland’s unity. “They would not let us speak to one another and kept Ailis and Moira busy by providing three of the lairds’ sons to sit with them at meals and dance with them.”

Duncan furrowed his brow. “A Stewart? Our queen must not know. Queen Mary would be angered by the betrayal of her kin.” He appeared disgusted that a member of someone’s family could betray them in such a way.

“She still resides in France. She will not ken what is happening here.”

“We’ve sent riders to the MacGregors, McDonalds, McDuff’s, and Robertsons for unity and strength,” Alisdair explained. “We ask for all to gather on McAfee land.”

“Then let it be so,” Duncan agreed. “We’ll stand against those who seek power.”

Alisdair exchanged a heavy glance with Duncan by the hearth. “Tomorrow,” Duncan began with fatherly concern, “allies will arrive hungry and weary. Me daughters will lead the hunt at dawn.”

*

At daybreak, Ailis emerged from the keep accompanied by Fiona and Moira. Sinclair women who had sought refuge among the McAfees approached, offering their help with bows and arrows in hand. Grateful, Ailis devised a plan to divide the group into hunters and fishers.

Ailis moved with purpose as she demonstrated knife-wielding techniques. The Sinclair women watched intently, eager to learn this vital skill. The women had been forbidden to hunt while they were members of Clan Sinclair, and now they were finally learning.

“Ye must respect the blade,” Ailis began. “For it is an extension of yer own hand.” She held the knife before her, its polished surface gleaming. With a swift motion, she sliced through the air. The Sinclair women mimicked her movements.

She showed them how to properly throw a knife, explaining that they had to be very careful not to hurt their friends in the process.

Nearby, Fiona, her blond hair bound in a practical braid, nocked an arrow to her bow. Observing Fiona’s stance, the Sinclair women tried to emulate her poise.

“Draw the bow with purpose,” Fiona instructed firmly but encouragingly.

“Let the arrow fly true to yer intent.” As she released the string, the arrow found its mark.

Gasps of admiration rose from the observers.

“But remember to be careful to know who is around ye at all times. We cannot lose even one of ye. Yer all family now!”

As Ailis continued her knife-wielding demonstration, one of the Sinclair women, Flora, attempted to mimic the swift slicing motion but accidentally tossed her knife backward over her shoulder.

There was a moment of stunned silence before Ailis cried, “Ah, Flora, I did say respect the blade, not send it on a surprise exploration mission!”

Flora apologized profusely, and Ailis just laughed. “No one was injured, and now ye’ll be more careful.”

Fiona couldn’t help but chuckle as she noticed one of the Sinclair women struggling with the bowstring.

With a twinkle in her eye, Fiona teased, “If ye keep wrestling with that string like a wild boar, lassie, we might have to recruit ye for a whole new kind of battle formation—the infamous fumbling archer brigade!”

The group erupted into laughter. Everyone knew the sisters were trying to lighten the mood as they learned new skills with dangerous weapons.

While Fiona and Ailis demonstrated with the weapons, Moira walked among the women, correcting their holds of their weapons as needed. Finally, they were ready, and the group of women set out into the woods.

Once they were in the forest, they broke into three groups, each lead by one of the McAfee sisters.

With each step through the towering pines, Ailis felt a deep sense of duty.

She understood that today’s sacrifices would contribute to tomorrow’s safety and prosperity while maintaining a delicate balance between collective needs and individual yearnings.

Ailis nocked an arrow to her bow, imagining a time when love and laughter filled these woods. But now, only the hunt mattered—a task of survival echoing through the Highlands.

Ailis watched her sisters and the Sinclair women move among the trees. The rustle of leaves and snap of twigs underfoot punctuated the calm. Their baskets grew heavier with rabbits and small game, slung across their backs.

At the end of the day, six deer lay before them, showcasing the skill of the McAfee and Sinclair women. Pride swelled within Ailis despite her weariness.

“Granny will be pleased,” Fiona remarked softly, exhaustion in her voice. Ailis nodded, envisioning Granny’s satisfied expression.

“There will be plenty of meat to serve the other clans who join us,” Ailis added.

Fish were brought to Granny and Elspeth, who stood ready to prepare the feast for allies in the days to come.

“We’ll cook as much as we need, and the rest will be smoked and dried so we will have meals even if we are keep-bound,” Granny murmured.

She had lived through many battles, and she knew the way to keep everyone fed.

Moira rallied the youngest among them. “Children, to the fields with ye,” she called authoritatively.

Ailis observed as the children ran off, laughter bubbling from their lips, yet their steps carried importance—they had a role in gathering the harvest. It was good to see their enthusiasm for the task at hand.

Ailis leaned against the stone wall of the keep, allowing herself a brief respite. She understood sacrifices had to be made for her clan. And sleep appeared to be one of those sacrifices.

Her green eyes reflected an uncertain future—a future requiring unity and strength. She had never lived through a siege such as the one they were expecting, but she knew she would help in any way possible. Hunting was something she did well, so she would help with the hunt for as long as needed.

“On the morrow, we will tend to our guests,” Ailis announced. “If ye have no job in the clan yet, please report to the keep when ye rise. We will need people to help cook and serve.”

During a time of need, the Sinclair women’s unexpected assistance amazed Ailis as they worked seamlessly with her kin.

“Look at them,” Moira whispered to Ailis in awe. “They work as though our cause were their own.”

“Aye,” Ailis agreed, watching the Sinclairs effortlessly carry heavy game. “They know they have a home with us, and they are grateful.”

Fiona joined them, a nod of approval softening her stern expression. “Their eagerness to aid us speaks volumes of their character.”

“Perhaps it’s our shared love for these lands or a common enemy that unites us,” Ailis mused aloud before turning her attention back to the Sinclairs.

“Let’s thank them and ensure they’re made comfortable,” she suggested to Fiona and Moira.

As the sisters moved among the Sinclairs, expressing gratitude, their bonds strengthened. They hoped this alliance would shield them in uncertain times ahead.

*

As Ailis went about her task of matching children with farmers, a mischievous thought popped into her head. She couldn’t help but chuckle to herself as she imagined what chaos might ensue if the children decided to play a prank on the farmers during the harvest.

“Just imagine,” she mused aloud to Fiona and Moira, “if instead of helping with the crops, they started a mini food fight with the vegetables! Ewan might end up with more carrots in his hair than in the basket.”

Moira giggled. “If we didn’t need the food so badly, I would suggest it to the children.”

Despite the serious nature of their work, the image of mischievous children turning the harvest into a vegetable battleground brought a lightness to Ailis’s heart. Sometimes, a little laughter during hard work was just what they all needed to break the tension and further strengthen their bonds.