Page 22 of McKenna’s Honor (The Clan MacDougall #4)

21

U nbeknownst to either the MacDougalls or those who had attacked them, there were other individuals near the glen that night. From the line of trees to the north of the melee, ten men silently watched as the violence erupted in the field before them.

The silent watchers knew all about the MacDougalls and their mission. They also knew who it was that launched the flaming arrows and why.

Just as the MacDougalls’ mission was to take Lady Arline to Stirling, the watchers were there to make certain that mission was accomplished. No one would think anything of the MacDougalls riding hell-bent-for-leather across the country trying to save their chief’s neck. But ten strange men in black would have brought forth unwanted attention. Attention they could ill afford.

So the watchers, who lived in the shadows like apparitions, would not make their presence known. Anonymity was vital to their success as well as their lives.

The watchers had no wives, no children and no family but each other. They had sworn an allegiance, not to their king or their country, but to each other, much like King Arthur’s legendary knights. Their fealty was to one another and an ideal, a pledge to defend against evil. They did not work for gold, fame, or fortune. Nay, it was far more sublime than that.

They trusted no one save for each other and the man who helped support their cause, the only other man on the earth who even knew of their existence.

They wore unremarkable clothing under their black cloaks. It made them look more like simple farmers than highly skilled warriors. Watching the attack unfold before them, they were just about to remove their black cloaks and come to the aid of the MacDougalls when they saw a large group of men approaching from the east. The leader of the watchers was about to call his men to arms when he realized it was more MacDougalls coming to the rescue. They also saw that Lady Arline was being whisked away to safety.

So they remained hidden and waited. The MacDougalls made quick work of their attackers and soon, the entire ordeal was over. The leader hoped that the MacDougalls wouldn’t take time to bury the dead or question the living. He needed at least one of the living -- preferably one who did not like the idea of dying a slow, agonizing death and would gladly trade information for his life.

The leader sent five of his men to follow after Lady Arline, and two to search the area to see if they could perchance find a camp or more men sent to attack the MacDougalls. They had been searching for one man in particular for many days now. He supposed it was too much to hope that the bastard now lay among the injured. He could only pray that the MacDougalls would not recognize the man in question. He needed the man alive.

He had to make a decision and make it quickly. He could not risk the MacDougalls recognizing anyone. “We will need to go in,” he whispered hurriedly to the man next to him.

Moments later, they were tucking their cloaks into their saddle bags and heading down toward the glen looking like nothing more than innocent farmers heading to Stirling for the festivities.