Page 29 of The Bells of Triumph (Highlands’ Lost Valley #3)

28

VENGEANCE UNLEASHED

F lora and Seamus flew down the stairwell, their swords already drawn as they entered the courtyard. Moving through the crowd of soldiers, they made it to the front, where Errik and Liam were waiting for the inevitable.

“The gates are going to burst at any moment,” Liam called over the sounds of battle happening on the other side of the wooden doors. “But we are ready for them.”

Tightening her grip on her sword, Flora loosened her shoulders and took in a breath. This was the moment she had spent her whole life training for. This was what she had waited for since the day she was told about her parents' execution. They couldn't fail.

“Stay close to me,” Seamus murmured in her ear before he pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. “I love ye. I would nae want to do this with anyone else by my side.”

She turned to reply, to tell him how much she loved him, everything that he meant to her. But the doors burst open and a deafening cry of victory from Campbell's warriors drowned out anything she might have said.

In a matter of seconds, the courtyard turned to sheer chaos. Swords clashed, blood spilled, and arrows rained down from above. Flora and Seamus fought, as they always had, side by side and back to back. Errik and Liam, likewise, fought like a well-oiled machine. All of their years together were made clear as they moved as one, taking down Campbell's men quickly and effectively.

“Leave her alone!”

The shout came from the stone steps that led up the ramparts. Finn raced from his position giving orders to the archers and careened towards Iona. Flora caught glimpses of the three men who had sought Iona out that Finn was desperate to protect her from. With one wild swing, Finn managed to knock two of them off the stairs, sending the men crashing to the unforgiving ground below. His second move had the third soldier wavering. Another turn of his arm and the soldier was on his knees with blood pouring from the corners of his mouth. Iona watched in horror, unable to move so much as an inch until Finn reached out and pulled on her arm.

“On yer left,” Seamus shouted, drawing Flora's attention back to the fight she was in.

Moving on instinct, she fended off the attack, disarming the man who had come at her before plunging her sword through his middle. Behind her, Seamus did the same thing, fighting tirelessly as the wave of Campbell's soldiers continued to pour through the gates and into the courtyard.

“Ye always were sloppy,” an older man taunted.

Flora turned to see Connor squaring off with one of Campbell's commanders.

“And ye were always too lazy to get up and fight yerself. I am shocked to see ye here,” Connor retorted, lunging for the older man.

“His old commander,” Seamus explained. “The man had an evil streak. Connor has been waiting a long time for this.”

Even as he talked, Seamus continued to wade through the seemingly endless stream of Campbell's soldiers. She tried her best to do the same while subtly making her way closer to Connor. She wanted to be there just in case he needed some back up. But by the time she looked away from fighting the latest man who had tried to best her, Connor already had his old commander on the ground, pleading for mercy.

“Please,” the old man whined, his hands up. “Ye dinnae have to do this. I can give ye insight into Campbell's plans. Please, spare me.”

Connor stared down at the man, emotionless. That half a second pause was all that was needed for the commander to reach for his belt and pull his dagger out. The tip of his blade was less than an inch from Connor's thigh when Connor plunged his sword into the man's neck. It wasn't long after that the dagger fell, along with the now lifeless hand.

“We have to find Campbell. That is the only way to end this.”

Flora pressed her back against Seamus' as they each took down their own opponent.

“These soldiers dinnae wish to be in this fight. Look at how easily they are defeated. They are only here out of fear,” Seamus continued, his breath coming a bit harder now. “If we can find Campbell and kill him, then the rest of these men will nae ken what to do. They will have to stop fighting.”

“I see two problems with that.” She thrust her sword into a man, sending him to the ground as she spoke. “The first is, even if ye do manage to find and kill Campbell, his council, those loyal to him will turn on ye the second they are able. The second is we have nay idea where Campbell is.”

“Perhaps I can help ye with one of those problems.”

Seamus and Flora turned in tandem to see Liam wipe his sweat drenched face with the back of his hand as he ran down the last few steps off the ramparts.

“I agree that Campbell needs to be taken out, so I went to look for him. Like the coward he is, he has decided to let others fight his battle for him. He is hiding in the group of trees some two hundred yards away from the gates, on the left.”

She looked at Seamus, only to watch his face darken with determination.

“We have to find a way out there,” he told her, already searching the courtyard for a solution.

“But what about the men around him?” she argued. “Are ye seriously planning on taking them all down yerself? We must think through this. Ye cannae go out there alone.”

“I was nae planning on it. I assumed ye would go with me.”

Flora hesitated. She knew that he was referring to her promise to never leave his side. Her words echoed in her mind as he looked at her, almost challenging her, seeing if she was up for the task. Shaking her head, Flora sighed.

“Find a horse. We can ride through the crowd faster than we can fight our way through.”

Seamus ran off to do just that, disappearing into the crowd for a brief moment. While he was gone, Flora turned to Connor and Liam.

“We will need ye to cover us. Can ye help clear a path out of here? And then get as many men as ye can to follow us out there.”

“Aye,” Liam answered, moving to get a better position.

“Finn!” she shouted up.

He leaned over the stone wall and looked down.

“We are going out. Get yer archers to cover us. Focus them all there until we are clear of his army.”

Finn nodded, though how he heard her, she knew was an act of God. It would take another one for them to make it out of the courtyard and to Campbell. There was no telling what would happen once they crossed the gates, but she knew she couldn't let Seamus face this on his own.

“Are ye ready?” he asked, looking down at her from atop his stallion.

“Aye.”

She took the arm he offered and pulled herself into the saddle. He waited just long enough for her to get settled before he took off, weaving the horse through the blood soaked chaos.

With Liam, Errik, and Connor leading several others, a path was made for Seamus and Flora. Campbell's warriors hardly tried to stop them. Regardless, Flora pulled her bow off her shoulder and loaded it with an arrow. Finn called out orders overhead, leaving the way clear for them to keep riding even after they made it out of the gates.

Seamus expertly maneuvered them through the soldiers, never getting close enough to let anyone touch them. While he focused on the road ahead, Flora turned around and shot off a few arrows, taking down the three men who had all ganged up on Connor. He gave her a grateful wave before turning his attention back to the fight. Once they were too far away for Flora to risk any shots, she turned back around to see where she was going.

Just as Liam had said, Campbell was tucked in a glen of trees, a small circle of soldiers and elders and councilors surrounding him. There were too many for Seamus and Flora to take down themselves, but that didn't stop Seamus from riding closer and closer.

“Those are nae just any soldiers,” Seamus called over his shoulder. “He saved his best men for himself.”

Flora huffed.

“What a coward. I dinnae ken why I expected anything else. Still, we cannae just rush in and think that will get us verra far. What is yer plan here?”

“Well, I?—”

Seamus was cut off as a single rider broke off from Campbell's group and started riding towards them. Flora drew her bow tight, aiming for his heart, but Seamus shook his head.

“Nay, I think Campbell has sent a messenger. I am curious to hear what he has to say.”

Stopping where they were, they waited for the rider to approach. He looked more like a boy than a man, and the paleness of his cheeks gave his fear away.

“Campbell has sent me to give ye a message,” the messenger said just as soon as he was within hearing distance. “But I will nae come any closer until I have yer word that ye will nae harm me.”

His chin went up yet quivered just a touch.

“I will nae harm ye,” Seamus vowed. “Now, tell me what that man wants.”

“He has requested that ye ride to him alone and unarmed. He wishes to discuss the surrender of the rebels.”

Flora's mouth dropped in shock at Campbell's audacity. The man was too busy hiding out to truly know how the fight was going, and he assumed that it was not going well. She was tempted to march over to Campbell herself and set him straight. But this was Seamus' moment, so her mouth snapped shut as she waited to hear just how he would tell the messenger 'no.'

Turning in the saddle, Seamus looked behind them. Flora did the same, surprised to see just how far the rebels had managed to bring the fight out of the courtyard. Liam, Errik, Connor, and even Finn were moving towards them, weapons drawn and ready to take down whoever stood in their way. Pride bloomed in her chest at the sight.

“He is only asking ye to go because he kens he will nae win this fight,” she whispered in Seamus' ear. “Dinnae go. Send the messenger away. We will defeat his army and then take down Campbell.”

He turned back to the messenger without answering her. A smug grin slid into place across her face as she waited for him to tell the boy just how foolish Campbell was.

“Take me to him.”

Those four words sent Flora's heart crashing to the ground.

“What?” she screeched. “Ye cannae be serious. Seamus. Think this through.”

The messenger had already started riding back to Campbell when Seamus turned over his shoulder and looked at her.

“I am, and this is what I must do.”

“He will kill ye.”

“He will certainly try. Ye must get down. Ye must stay here.”

“Nay,” Flora shook her head as her emotions bubbled in her throat. “I will nae leave ye.”

“Ye must. This is the only way.”

“I promised ye, Seamus,” she argued, tears streaming down in full effect. “I promised that I would nae leave yer side, that I would fight this battle with ye. How can ye ask me to go back on my word? How can ye ask me to do nothing while Campbell is sending ye into a trap to have ye killed?”

The sound of horses came from behind them. Before she had a chance to hold on to him, Seamus slipped down from the saddle. Tears blurred her vision as he commandeered Errik's horse.

“I am nae asking ye to do nothing,” he told her. “I am asking ye to cover me. Stay here and cover me. Find a tree or some high ground. When the moment comes, I will need ye to shoot at my left foot.”

“How will I ken when to do that?”

“Ye will ken. This is nae the first time ye have saved me with one of yer arrows. I highly doubt it will be the last.”

He reached across the horse and clasped her face, pulling her in for a quick kiss. It felt like a goodbye that was far too rushed and far too soon for her liking. Staying on her horse, staying put as he had asked, took all of her willpower. As soon as he let go of her lips, he sprinted after the messenger and towards Campbell.

“We have to help him. We will follow him out there,” Finn shouted, ready to kick his horse into a run as well.

“Nay,” Flora told him. “We will trust that he kens what he is doing. We will stay here. Besides, Campbell would never let any of us get close enough to him. We would nae stand a chance. We must ensure that the fight here is won so when Campbell is defeated, his army is too. Seamus must be the one to end this, once and for all.”

Surprisingly, they all listened to her. Each of them stayed their horses but kept their weapons out just in case Seamus would need them at a moment's notice. Flora notched her bow but kept it pointed to the ground. Behind them, the rest of the fighting had begun to slow. Campbell's men and the rebels alike stopped their fighting, waiting to see which man would be the victor. No one wanted to continue the battle if a single fight would determine the outcome. There was so much riding on every inch that Seamus got closer to Campbell that Flora could hardly watch.

Regardless of her feelings, Flora forced herself to stay focused. Seamus was counting on her, relying on her ability to stay calm and centered. Her arrow couldn't stray, that much she knew, if he was ever going to come back to her alive.

Seamus didn't take his eyes off Campbell, not for a single moment of his walk over to the trees. The man moved to the front of the crowd of men, limping and sipping from a flask. He shouted an order that Seamus couldn't hear, but the soldiers who had been surrounding him moved out of the way, giving Seamus a clear view of the man. For the first time, Campbell looked weak to Seamus. Something about the green tint to his skin and the way his crown tilted to the right, as though it could fall off his head at any minute, boosted Seamus' confidence. He wore a makeshift peg, strapped to the bottom of the leg Seamus had cut off the last time they had met. The sight of it made Seamus grin.

“I told ye my conditions,” Campbell bellowed. “Leave yer weapons.”

Slowly approaching, Seamus made a show of doing exactly that. Starting with his sword, Seamus pulled the blade out of its sheath and speared it into the ground. His dagger followed next and finally, the knife from his boots landed in the tall, green grass. By the time he made it to the edge of Campbell's retreat, he had nothing left on him. He approached as menacingly as he could, his steps a thud.

“Came to surrender, I see,” Campbell taunted. “Was it too much for ye, lad, trying to lead a clan? I always kent that ye did nae have it in ye. Ye are weak and spineless, just as yer father was. He, too, was incapable of doing what needed to be done to be the victor. Och, well, nay use dwelling on the past when we have yer future to discuss.”

Seamus bit back a growl. His loathing for the man grew and grew. The only thing that soothed him, that kept him from trying to strangle Campbell with his bare hands, was the plan he had formed in his head.

“Now, let's talk about yer surrender.”

“The only thing I want to talk about is yer punishment for all the people ye have killed.”

“What, like any of them mattered? Let me tell ye something, lad; when ye rule a land as large as I have, the lives of the servants and farmers dinnae matter. They are dispensable, good for wee else, save for entertainment and money.”

Seamus felt his stomach twist. He had known for a long time that this was how Campbell saw those in the Murray Clan, but to hear him say it out loud made Seamus regret dropping his sword so easily. All of the people who had called the Murray Clan their home had been subject to this kind of treatment for far too long. Too many people had lost their lives to the whims of this man. Seamus would be sure that ended today or he would certainly die trying.

“And what of my father and mother?” Seamus accused, still moving forward. “They were nae farmers or servants. They were the rightful Laird and Lady of this clan. What of Laird MacKenzie or any of his kin? They were the rightful rulers to this land and ye murdered them.”

Campbell scowled, twisting his face into something ugly. His nose got even more crooked as his eyes narrowed. Then, as if he was trying to convince himself that it didn't matter, he shrugged. The sight made Seamus wish he had taken more than his leg the last time they had come face to face. He wished that he had been brave enough to kill Campbell years ago no matter the consequences. But now was not the time for regrets. Now was the time to make things right. And every word that Campbell uttered made Seamus only more sure of that, only more convinced that this man had to die.

“They were wholly unworthy of their title. They could nae defend themselves or their land so why should they get to keep it? One day, the clan will see that it is better to be ruled by a firm hand than a weak one. They may nae admit it, but they preferred a Laird they feared than a coward.”

This time, Seamus didn't bother holding back his snarl. Campbell only laughed.

“They were all cowards! The whole lot of them. In the end, yer father cared so wee for his life that he did nae bother getting out of his chair.”

“Stop.”

“He just sat there, as if he kent why I had come and did nae want to put up a fight.”

“Ye are lying. Stop it.”

“It wasn't until I had my dager at his throat that he muttered a simple 'please.' How pathetic.”

“I dinnae want to hear another word!” Seamus shouted loud enough that his words echoed in the distance between them.

Campbell acted as if he was completely unaffected by Seamus' presence. As if Seamus wasn't any kind of threat. Without a weapon on his body, Seamus could see how Campbell could be so confident. Seamus simply had to keep reminding himself that Campbell's confidence would be his downfall. He only had to wait for the right moment to strike.

“As for Laird MacKenzie, he was so afraid of what his people would think of him doing business with the English that he lied, for years. He did whatever I wanted just because I kent that hideous truth. He even went so far as to let me invade the Murray lands. How is that for cowardice?”

Seamus hated to even think that Campbell was telling the truth, but his words held no lie. With Laird MacKenzie and his son dead, with his mother likely already dead in the castle behind him, there would be no telling if what Campbell said was true. As much as Seamus hated to admit it, Campbell was a lot of vile things, but he was not a liar.

“He died with the sword he had seen coming for years. Yer uncle could nae be allowed to live lest he wanted to claim the lands for himself. And as for yer mother…”

“Keep her out of this,” Seamus growled.

“How is bonny Caitria?” Campbell asked in a singsong tone that grated away more and more at Seamus' mental guard. “Dead, right?”

Seamus cursed but it only garnered a laugh from Campbell.

“It surprises me that she put up more of a fight than any of the rest of them. She tried with everything within her to escape me and my men. But it did nae matter. Her efforts were futile. I watched as my archers put an arrow in her side. She died the same way she lived; running from everything. So now, all that is left to see if how ye will die. Will ye die a coward like every other member in yer pathetic family?

With every word, Campbell grew louder until he was shouting. In one move, Campbell pulled out his sword and swung it at Seamus. Having seen the attack coming, Seamus easily moved out of the way. He stepped back further and further, drawing Campbell out with him.

Seamus took in a deep breath, needing to get a hold of the situation once more. He couldn't keep letting Campbell into his mind. He needed to put on a good show just long enough to get Campbell to do what he wanted. Steeling himself, Seamus took another few steps back, being sure to look frightened.

“Running from a fight, are we?” Campbell taunted, swinging again.

“There is only one coward between us and I can promise ye, it is nae me.”

Campbell cursed and swung his sword again, getting more and more unsteady the longer he pursued Seamus. The men behind him started to shift, inching their way towards Seamus. Campbell had kept his best warriors to himself, having learned his lesson from their last encounter. These men were seasoned warriors with the scars and swords to show for it. It wasn't a sight Seamus liked the look of. Each of the men were terrifying in their own right but to take them all on at once would mean sure death for Seamus.

“Are ye going to let yer men do the fighting for ye once again, Campbell?” Seamus questioned, nodding to the men moving ever so slowly forward.

Glancing over his shoulder, Campbell snarled.

“Gonna let someone else claim yer glory? Give them the satisfaction of killing me? Or are ye too weak to do it yerself?”

“Stay out of this! He is mine! Dinnae take another step!”

The men froze and Seamus felt as though he could breathe a little easier. Though, he did his best not to show Campbell that.

“Dinnae even think about trying to make it back to yer weapons. I will never let ye get that far.”

“I was nae planning on it. As I said, I am nae the coward here.”

Finally enraged enough, Campbell screamed and lunged for Seamus. It was a genuine effort rather than the half attempts he had been making earlier, one that made Seamus' heart beat a little faster. He moved, quickly out of the way. Campbell pressed in closer, just as Seamus knew he would.

“Is that all ye have?” Seamus mocked.

“Ye are quite confident for a man fighting without a weapon.”

Campbell angled his sword at Seamus once more. It was the closest the two men had gotten. And it was just close enough. Catching the flat of the blade under his arm, Seamus drew Campbell in close, pinning his arm under Seamus'. Stuck, Campbell tried to pull free to no avail. Seamus sucked in a breath, absolutely certain of what was coming. Just then an arrow pierced the air landing on the ground just beside Seamus' left foot. Before Campbell could so much as register what had happened, Seamus pulled the arrow out of the ground and thrust it into the man's chest. Bone crushed and blood started to spurt, covering Seamus' hand, but he kept pushing until he felt the tip of the arrow pierce Campbell's heart.

“I did have a weapon,” Seamus whispered into the dying man's ear. “Ye just did nae think about her.”

The men stayed that way until all of the air had left Campbell's body. No one from Campbell's camp understood what had happened until Errik, Liam, Finn, Connor, and the other rebels barreled towards them on their horses, swords drawn and screaming.

Wrenching the arrow out, Seamus threw Campbell's body to the ground. His crown rolled off his head and across the grass until it hit the boot of one of his elders. Disbelief was painted across each man's face. Disbelief that quickly turned into fury. Armed with only an arrow, Seamus made ready to defend himself, but before he could, the rebels raced past him, covering him as much as they were able.

“Get on,” Flora shouted.

He turned to find her and her horse right behind him, her arm already out, waiting for him to take it. He had barely made it into the saddle before Flora raced away again. She didn't stop the horse until they were far enough away from the fight that he could hardly hear it anymore.

“Flora,” he said softly.

She kept going, not saying a word.

“Flora,” he tried again. “I think we are far enough away. We are safe.”

Dismounting in a heap, Flora kept her back to him. He followed after her, and went to place a hand on her shoulder, only stopping when he saw how covered in blood it was.

“Everything is fine, Flora. Ye did good.”

She turned then, her normally pale, smooth skin and mystifying gray eyes turned flush of red anger and hot tears.

“What were ye thinking? How could ye do that to me?”

She shoved at his chest with every question, her tears falling faster and faster.

“He was going to kill ye! It was a trap. I told ye it was a trap. But ye went anyway. I thought I was going to have to watch him drive that bloody sword through yer chest, stopping yer heart and mine. How could ye do that to me?”

Her last shove was a feeble attempt and he clasped her hands, the mess on his own forgotten. Pulling her in close, Flora collapsed on his chest, her fists gripping his shirt as she buried her face, needing to assure herself that he was unarmed, that he was still alive.

“I kent that it would be all right.”

“How could ye ken that?” she asked, looking up at him through tear filled eyes. “How could ye possibly ken that?”

“I kent that ye would save me. It is what ye have always done, my love. From the verra first time we met, ye and yer arrows saved me. Ye have saved me every day since. I kent that today would be nay different. Ye saved me.”