A much-needed cheer rose in the room.
Talk and preparation for tomorrow continued and it was a somber supper that was shared.
Everyone retired early, wanting to be fit for battle tomorrow if necessary.
Rhys had learned that having a woman before battle drained a man’s strength and not wanting to discuss with his wife how he had discovered that, he waited until he was certain she would be asleep before he joined her in bed.
Heather woke with a start, causing Rhys to do the same and causing Finn to rouse from his spot by the hearth and start howling, though it was not much of a howl for one so young.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Something is wrong?” she said and jumped out of bed to hurry into her clothes.
Rhys did the same, slipping his leather armor on as well.
Heather scooped up Finn and followed Rhys out the door.
Patience and Hunter were dressed and already in the hall. Emma’s door opened and she and Rogan stepped out dressed as well.
“Something is not right,” Emma said.
The bell sounded its ominous toll.
They were being attacked.
They all rushed through the keep and when Rhys went to step outside, he quickly turned and pushed his wife back, shutting the door and reaching to drop the wood bar across it. Rogan and Hunter hurried to help him.
“Stay here, all of you,” Rhys ordered. “These men fight like no other. My men will deal with them.”
Pitt rushed in from another entrance. “Haidar’s men are swarming in and behind them are Greer’s men.”
“Have our troops been alerted? Haidar will have made sure they did not see this coming.”
“I have sent word with more than one warrior.”
Donald Macinnes soon entered the Great Hall along with Maura. Ewan and Una soon followed, and Ross and Saundra were not far behind.
Without warning, Rhys jumped at Patience, giving her a hard shove and sending her stumbling just as a blade was about to slice her shoulder. He quickly sent his blade through the warrior who was covered in black and could barely be seen. Next, Rhys shoved Rogan out of the way and swung his sword again impaling another man that dove out of the shadows along the wall.
Pitt stopped another with his sword.
“Get the women out of here,” Rhys yelled as more warriors suddenly emerged from the shadows.
“You know where to go,” Donald yelled to his daughters, drawing his sword and seeing Patience do the same.
Heather grabbed Finn who was busy standing guard in front of her, yapping at anyone who came near her. She took Emma’s arm and hurried her out of the Great Hall, Una, Maura, and Saundra keeping pace with them.
There was a small room just before you reached the kitchen that few ever noticed since it blended with the shadows and that was where Heather took the women. She held the door as one after the other rushed in and was about to step in right behind Una and close the door when she felt as if her arm was torn from her body, someone having grabbed and yanked so hard.
“Shut it! Shut it!” Heather screamed as she struggled to free herself. She heard Emma yellingno, and was relieved to see the door slam shut and hear the board fall into place. They were safe...for now.
The hand gripped her tight. She could not budge it. She dropped Finn, not able to hold him as she fought to break free. The little pup yapped and yapped at the warrior, and followed after Heather as she was dragged through the kitchen and out the door.
Anger and fear gripped her and she lashed out at the warrior determined not to be taken again. The warrior swerved around, his hand coming down on her cheek so hard that for a moment it stunned her and she could not see clearly. She heard Finn’s repeated yaps, and then she heard him cry out in pain. Fury rose up in her that Finn could be hurt and she let her anger loose on the warrior with all the strength she could muster.
Suddenly, his hand fell off her and she was free.
“Run!”
