“Drink, ye must be thirsty. ’Tis terrible events. Two of my men were killed at the border of our land by the MacLarens. My sentry confronted them when they found them trespassing. Damned blighters. Arms were drawn and they made threats to bring their full army to my fief.” Daniel motioned him further into the tent. “Do ye wish to rest?”
Breckin shook his head. “Nay, we will go now and find out what the MacLarens intend.”
“I see ye brought a full regiment of Buchanan warriors. Gladdened, I am, because my army’s numbers have dwindled in recent years and with MacLaren’s threats… We do not have the arms to protect my clan, Breckin. I am grateful for your aid.”
“Of course, Daniel, ye are my ally. I am sorry though, that I did not come sooner and was detained in Edinburgh. Do ye wish to join us on the excursion to meet with MacLaren?”
“If ye think that wise.”
Breckin suspected that it would be better if he and his warriors confronted MacLaren without the MacNabs present. “Perhaps ’tis better that ye await us here.”
“I can have some of my soldiers intermix with yours to give ye an extra arm or two,” Daniel said. “We are not opposed to fighting our battles, och we need a wee bit of help though.”
Breckin would have laughed but the seriousness of the situation called for a severe mien. “Nay, my soldiers are capable of handling this mission. My thanks though. Your men will just hold us up. I mean to get it done quickly because I need to return home hastily.” What hewanted to add was that the Buchanan warriors would be insulted if he suggested adding to their numbers with men of such a lesser skill. They would probably have to use valuable time protecting MacNab’s men instead of fighting off their foes.
“I shall stop on the way back and tell ye the news.” Breckin chugged the ale and drained his cup then set it on a nearby table.
Daniel walked him to the tent’s exit. “We shall await ye here then. I wish ye well. Och, I doubt ye shall need it.”
Breckin hastily made his way back to his men who stood glaring at the MacNab soldiers. He mounted his horse and whistled to alert his men that they were on the move. Their progression south-easterly through Stewart land would afford them to reach MacLaren’s holding just as the sky pitched. He rode swiftly, wanting to reach them in darkness which would give his men an even fiercer appearance.
“Laird, are we going to take arms against the MacLarens?” Gideon asked.
“If they instigate us, then aye. Och, I will find out why they took arms against my ally.” Breckin was furious because the MacLarens dared to instigate the matter.
The sky pitched and they hadn’t slowed their progress while they rode for MacLaren land. As their walls came into view, the Buchanan soldiers called their war cry ‘Clar Innes’ and bellowed with calls and whoops to alert the MacLarens that they had arrived.
Shadows of men appeared on the barbican above the wall and a man shouted to them. “What do ye here?”
“We are the Buchanans. Tell your laird Breckin is here.”
Silence abounded after he told them who he was. A flapping of a pennon above the gate sounded, but all else stilled until the creaking of the gate came. A rider rode through with a handful of soldiers on foot behind him. The man rode daringly forward until he was a short distance from him and then dismounted.
Breckin recognized John MacLaren’s wispy graying hair and beard.The man stood in front of his horse and shouted, “Buchanan, what do ye here?”
“Ye know why I have come. Tell me… Did ye dare to take arms against my ally, the MacNabs? We Buchanans take it as an insult, aye, and so we have come to ask ye directly.”
“Since when do ye side with the MacNabs?”
“Since I no longer side with ye,” he returned in a shout.
“Cosh, Breckin, there is no need for your hostility,” John said. “’Tis not my fault that ye broke off the betrothal and forced us to consider ye a rival.”
Breckin’s shoulders tensed at the man’s words. “It was not me who rescinded the betrothal, but ye. My da made the pact with ye and I would not have defied my father for any reason. I deem ye are muddleheaded, John. Have ye been long in your cups this day?”
John ambled closer. “You did not break the treaty? Do ye speak the truth?”
“Aye, why would I lie? We received word that ye no longer accepted the betrothal and that it was ended. At the time, my parents’ death plagued me and I gave no care about the broken treaty betwixt our clans.” Breckin shook his head, confounded by what John told him.
“Something is amiss here because I did not break the treaty. I was pleased that Danella was to marry ye and we coveted the union of our clans. Years of negotiations betwixt your da and my clan settled the matter finally. I wanted naught more than to align my clan with yours.”
“If ye did not break it, then who did?” Breckin fisted his hands as ire overtook him and heated him from within.
“I recall that time and I was ailing, aye, and I’d taken to my bed for a good month. All thought me dead. Och, I wouldst not appease them. My son handled clan matters whilst I recovered and… It had to be my son John. I shall speak to him and find out the truth of the matter. ’Tis strange that he would go against me and negate the plan I put into motion. With the Buchanans as an ally, our clan would have prospered.”
Breckin shook his head. “It matters not, John, because the treaty was broken and ye have raised arms against my ally. I cannot allow your insolence.”
John stepped back and motioned to his soldiers.
