Page 25 of The Mad Highlander

25

I ris sat by the window, looking toward the road leading to the castle. She closed her eyes tight and tried not to think the worst.

“Iris?”

Iris turned from the window to see Robyn standing in the doorway. Robyn was trying to smile, but the tense lines at the corners of her mouth gave her away.

“Ye must eat somethin’,” Robyn said softly.

Iris closed her eyes to stave off the tears and shook her head. “How can I eat when he hasnae returned? It’s been almost four days since he left. What if?—”

“Dinnae,” Robyn warned. “Dinnae say what ye were about to say. He’s me brother, and I dinnae want to think about that.”

“Aye, but?—”

“I dinnae care!” Robyn shouted. She quickly clamped her hand over her mouth, her eyes open wide.

Iris placed her fingers on her trembling lower lip before quickly leaping from her chair by the window and crossing the room to Robyn. She grabbed the Laird’s sister and held her far too tight.

“I apologize,” Robyn said as she was squeezed. “I didnae mean to shout at ye. I daenae ken how ye can be so strong. Me brother has only been gone for a short while, and yer brother has been gone for ages! How do ye do it?”

“I do it because I have to—there’s nay other reason. I’m only strong because I have to be strong, and I see yer strength, too. We are in this together, Robyn. We are both worried. They will come back; I ken they will,” Iris soothed.

I hope he comes back. I cannae lose him like this.

“Ye make me strong,” Robyn said. “I feel stronger for havin’ ye here.”

Iris started to cry as she held Robyn. Once the tears started, they wouldn’t stop. After a moment, she realized that Robyn was crying, too. She rubbed the young woman’s back, trying to console her while knowing there was no consolation for what they were both going through.

“Come and get some food,” Robyn sobbed. “Watchin’ for him willnae bring him back any faster, and ye need to keep yer strength up. A little food and a small glass of wine for yer constitution.”

Iris sighed through her nose, not wanting to release her embrace and have Robyn see her red eyes. She did so anyway, and when she came face to face again with Robyn, her eyes matched the young woman’s.

Iris and Robyn both took deep breaths together. Iris held out her hand, and Robyn took it. She tried to smile, her lips tightening. Then, she led the younger woman downstairs to get some food.

Iris still could not stop her heart from beating so furiously all the time but at least she thought of something other than misfortune befalling the man she needed more than any other.

“Get the healer now!” one of the footmen called.

Iris thought for a moment the footman was talking to her, but a second footman replied before she could.

“I’ve sent someone. How badly is he injured?”

“I dinnae ken,” the first footman called back, running past them with heavy footsteps.

Iris instinctively reached out and grabbed the second footman before he could run off. “What’s goin’ on? Who’s hurt?”

“The Laird is arrivin’ back; that’s all I ken.”

“He’s hurt?” Iris felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach. Her lower lip trembled more than before, and she stuttered as she spoke. “What happened?” How bad is he?”

“I dinnae ken, Me Lady. I have to help them.”

Iris rubbed her eyes with both hands and tried to compose herself for what was coming.

“Come on!” Robyn shouted. “They must be on the road now. We can meet them at the stables.”

It was Robyn who took Iris’ hand this time, and they ran through the castle together. The sun was warm on Iris’ skin when they exited into the courtyard, and she could barely see for a moment with the blinding light. She blinked heavily, relying on Robyn to guide her.

The castle courtyard became noisy with chatter as it was slowly filled with people—some who came to help, and others who came to see what was happening. Robyn and Iris had to push their way through to get closer to the stables.

Iris wiped her eyes in time to see the men on horses arrive back at the castle. The large animals snorted as they came to a halt, the hooves kicked up dust as they stepped in place.

Then she saw the most beautiful vision: the Laird was ahead of the men, sitting tall on his horse. His shoulders looked broader than before, his brown hair danced gently in the breeze, and his piercing blue eyes shone like sapphires in the midday sun.

Iris wanted to go to him, but she was frozen in place—her limbs would not work—she could only stare at the majestic man on his horse.

As soon as he locked eyes with her, a wide smile crossed his face. The smile was a happy one, but his eyes shone with relief or nervousness. He swung his large leg over the saddle and jumped to the ground. He marched forward as if striding into battle. He walked straight at Iris, and as soon as he reached her, he wrapped his large arms around her and held her tight.

The Laird was the one who had returned home, but Iris felt she was finally home after waiting nervously for so long. She wrapped her arms around him, placing her hands on his back and her face against his chest. He was warm, and she never wanted to let him go. Their day by the river felt like a lifetime ago.

“I thought I had lost ye,” Iris said.

“We faced some resistance, but we all got out of there alive,” the Laird replied.

Iris’ heart skipped a beat when she remembered the reason he had gone out there in the first place. She pulled back a little, still in his embrace.

“Dinnae worry,” the Laird soothed. “We have yer brother. He’s a little worse for wear, but he’s being taken to the healer now.”

“I want to see him,” Iris stated.

Cayden placed a hand on Iris’ cheek and looked into her eyes. “We can go together.” He leaned closer and kissed her. “I’m glad to be home again.”

“I am glad, too,” Iris admitted, her heart skipping another beat. She looked into the Laird’s eyes a final time before they left to go to the healer’s hut together, and she saw something more, some worry.

“Thank ye,” Iris said as they walked toward the healer’s hut. “Ye could have sent someone else or refused to save me brother, but ye went in there and got him, and ye got out with yer life.”

The Laird chuckled through his nose. “There were some moments when I thought we wouldnae, but some improvisin’ got us through. Truth be told, once we had young Ashton, we were out quicker than expected. It’s hard to get into that castle but a much easier prospect to get out. I wondered a lot on the way back if it was too easy.”

“What do ye mean?” Iris asked.

The Laird stroked the thin layer of stubble on his chin as they walked together. “If he kenned we were comin’, he might have let us take the prisoner and used it to wage war on us. If he can prove we snuck into his castle, he would be justified in attacking us.”

Iris felt her fingers begin to tingle. “Ye think he took me brother to goad ye into a war?”

“Nay,” Cayden stated. “He couldnae have kenned I would be the one to come for him. He had his reasons for capturin’ yer brother, but I think maybe he adapted his plans after the fact.”

Iris stopped walking for a moment, frozen to the spot again. She opened her mouth to ask the question and found she couldn’t talk.

The Laird placed his hand on her cheek again. “Dinnae worry, I’ll protect ye. Nay one will harm ye, and that goes for the rest of me clan as long as I’m alive.”

Aye, and it’s the last part that worries me. I believe ye, but if Laird Murdoch is comin’, he will be comin’ to kill ye.

“Ye need nae worry so much. Hunter will soon be back with his men, and me other advisors will rally their men. The Murdochs won’t stand a chance.”

“I heard they had some support, too.”

“Maybe, but we still have more strength. Believe me, all right?”

Iris placed her hand over the Laird’s hand resting on her cheek. She nodded.

“Come on.” The Laird took her hand and led her toward the healer’s hut.

A couple of the Laird’s men were outside the hut when they got there.

“Go and get some food and rest,” the Laird ordered. He clapped both of them on the shoulder, nodding at them.

The men wore tight smiles as they left the hut.

The Laird took Iris’ arms. “He hasnae said much since we rescued him. They didnae treat him very well in there, and he needs his rest, but he did speak a couple of times on the way back, and he mentioned ye. It will be good for him to see ye again.”

Iris took a deep breath. She didn’t know what to expect with him being locked up in the dungeon and not being conscious much on the ride home. She rubbed her eyes to remove the last of the tears, and then ventured forth, not wanting to be led this time.

Iris entered the hut to find the healer bent over one of the beds. Iris took a quick look around to find three other people lying on straw mattresses, but none were her brother. She stepped slowly toward the bed, Astrid obscuring the view, and brought her fingers to her lips.

Astrid dabbed the patient’s forehead with a damp cloth and then stood up. She turned around to face Iris.

Astrid smiled, but there was pain in her eyes—she had been crying. “He needs some rest, but I believe he will be fine.”

Iris let out a long breath. The Laird stepped closer behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Astrid looked at the Laird with some sort of realization but moved aside before Iris could wonder more what that recognition was. When she saw her brother, she gasped.

Iris went straight to the bed, leaving Cayden behind, and knelt on the hard ground. If he had been gone much longer, she might not have recognized him. His cheeks were hollow, and he looked like a ghost she had read about in a story once as a child. He was so pale that he might be thought dead, and he looked far thinner than she had ever seen him before.

Iris held her breath but finally let it go when she saw him lick his lips in his sleep.

She took his hand and held it gently, afraid he would fall apart if she squeezed too tightly. “I’m here, Ashton. I’m here now, and ye are safe. The healer says ye will be fine. Ye just need to get yer strength back, and we will do it together, all right?” She brushed a short lock of his hair from his forehead and tucked it in with the rest. “Me goodness, what did they do to ye in that castle?”

A strong hand was placed on her shoulder, and she knew immediately it was Cayden. Iris moved to get up.

“Nay.” His voice was deep and commanding. “Stay where ye are. Stay with yer brother. I need to check on castle security and ready our men for when Hunter returns. Laird Murdoch willnae be here soon, but I want to be ready for any eventuality. Spend some time with yer brother; he needs ye.”

Iris didn’t turn around but placed her hand over Cayden’s. “I shall ne’er be able to thank ye for this. He would have died if it were nae for ye.”

“Yer hand in marriage will be more than enough,” Cayden replied.

Iris knelt between them, her brother’s hand in one hand and Cayden’s hand in the other.

“Let me ken when he wakes,” the Laird said. “I wish to talk to him, too. He might have heard or seen something at the castle.”

“I will.” Iris squeezed his hand a final time before the Laird took his leave. She remained kneeling on the ground, willing her brother to make it through and wake up. The only thing that buoyed her spirits was the gentle rise and fall of his chest.

Iris became numb as she stayed at Ashton’s side. She had forgotten there were other people in the room until she heard a soft trembling breath. She looked behind to see Astrid in a chair by the wall.

“Has he taken any food or water since returnin’?” Iris asked.

“He managed a little water when he—” Astrid’s face fell into her hand, and her shoulders jerked up and down.

No, he can’t die!

“What’s wrong?” Iris looked from Astrid to her brother, trying to detect a change in his complexion. He was still breathing, at least. “Will he die?” Iris screamed.

Astrid let out a few more sobs before she peeled her hand from her face. “Nay, it’s nae that.” Her words were shaky. “It’s seein’ ye there holding his hands, and the way he looks, it reminds me of…”

“Of what?” Astrid asked.

“Isaac,” Astrid said. “He went into battle with the Laird, the one before this one, and they were out there for days. When the Laird brought him back, he was injured, but he hadnae had treatment for days. He looked just the same: sunken cheeks, pale as the snow, and barely breathin’. I knelt exactly where ye are now and held his hand until he woke again. I wasnae a healer back then, but it made me mind up for me. I didnae get to be one until he had passed.”

“Cayden’s brother,” Iris whispered.

“Aye.” Astrid wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and sniffed through her nose. “His faither almost left him for dead on the battlefield. If they hadnae won so quickly, he wouldnae have made it back to the castle in time.”

“Ye were in love with him,” Iris confirmed.

“Aye, deeply.” Astrid looked at Iris with wet eyes. Everything had been stripped away from her—her looks and words were raw. “I’ve never loved a man again. I cannae love anyone after lovin’ him. We were to be handfasted once he took power.” Astrid cried again and shook her head. She managed some strangled words. “I miss him every day.”

Iris left her brother. He was fine for now. There was someone else who needed her attention a lot more. She went to Astrid in the chair, knelt beside her, and wrapped her arm around the woman’s shoulder.

“I’m so sorry,” Iris said.

“I only want to heal people,” Astrid told her. “I have to help them. It’s all I have left.”

“Nay, ye have all of us. Ye take care of so many, and we will take care of ye. I cannae imagine what ye have gone through, but I came close to it when Cayden was away. I thought I had lost him, and it was like bein’ stabbed in the heart with a dagger. If there is anythin’ I can do for ye, ye only have to say the word.”

“I dinnae ken what anyone can do. It has been years, and it still hurts. The only thing that gets me through is healin’ people.”

“We will need ye a lot in the comin’ days. I saw it in Cayden’s eyes. War is comin’ to us, and there will be many casualties. The fight will be won on the battlefield, but it will also be won in here. We will lose many, but every life ye save is a blow to our enemies. Isaac would be proud to see what ye have done for the castle, the clan, and his brother.”

The words sent Astrid into fits of tears, and her shoulders bobbed beneath Iris’ arm. Iris held Astrid while watching her brother. Sometimes, the one who healed also needed healing.

“Och, ye shouldnae worry about a silly lass like me,” Astrid said after a while.

“Sometimes, we are all silly lasses,” Iris agreed. “Although, I havenae seen ye be a silly lass yet. Ye are a braw woman, and I am glad ye are here for all of us. I ken the Laird thinks highly of ye. As do I. The two of ye will be responsible for savin’ me brother.”

Astrid took a deep breath, her chest slowly heaving. “Thank ye for being here with me. I get like this sometimes, but it passes. I ken ye havenae slept much over the past few days. Ye should get some rest, Me Lady.”

“Nay, I need to be here for Ashton.”

“He needs rest, too. I’ll have someone wake ye as soon as he wakes. There is honestly nothin’ anyone can do until he wakes up properly. I’ll stay by his side until then. It makes me feel useful.”

“All right,” Iris said. She went back to her brother, leaned down, and kissed him on the head. “Sleep well, wee brother.”