Page 83 of Seduction in a Kilt

“Ye think ye can beat me, is that it?” Gael taunted him, laughing cruelly. “Ye’ll be the one dyin’ here today, and yer precious Ivy will be me wife, as she was always meant tae be, the wee slut! I’ll teach her nae tae run out on Gael Hamilton.”

“Ye’re goin’ straight tae hell, Hamilton, where ye belong,” Liam bellowed in fury, lunging forward and ramming his blade into Gael’s neck.

Gael’s sword fell from his hands, hands which now flailed uselessly at the blade protruding from his neck. Horrible gurgling sounds came from his mouth as blood gushed from within and ran down his front. With a deep sense of satisfaction, Liam put his boot against the man’s belly and shoved him back, pulling his weapon free.

“That’s fer Ivy,” he said, “And this is fer me.” Raising his blade in both fists, he stabbed it down into Gael’s chest with a satisfying wet crunch. With his features frozen into a distorted mask of surprise, Gael’s body crumpled heavily to the ground with a dull thud. A crimson pool spread out around his head like a bloody halo.

Liam leaned on his sword as he stood panting over the dying man, taking pleasure in the feel of the warm blood of his foe spattering his face. Certain that Gael was dead, Liam turned, bloody sword in hand, to assist Ivy in her fight against Carson, which was taking place just a few yards away.

As he rushed towards them, he suddenly saw Knox streaking past, in hot pursuit of Evander. But he had no chance to see what happened as he arrived at a critical point in Ivy’s battle against her brother. As he got nearer, he could hear Carson’s jibes as he crossed swords with his own flesh and blood.

“Ye’re weak, Ivy, ye’ve always been weak. Ye think ye’re a warrior, but ye’re just a feeble lassie who thinks she’s some sort of heroine. Come on and fight me properly, ye weakling!” the monster mocked her as he hacked and struck at her with his weapon.

Ivy did not bother wasting her breath on him, putting all her energy into defeating him. Liam was proud of the ferociously determined fight she was putting up against her much larger brother. She used her smaller size to her advantage, light-footedly dodging the downswings of Carson’s blade as they whizzed past her harmlessly.

But Liam was still afraid for her. He was forced to watch in tense expectation as she fought on, slowly driving Carson back. Liam thought he could see her plan, and when Carson stumbled over a body lying on the ground behind him and fell, he knew he was right. She was on him, standing over him, the point of her sword at his throat.

“Go on then, kill me, yer own braither,” Carson spat at her mockingly as she seemed to hesitate. “Ye cannae dae it, can ye? I kent it! Ye’re weak, ye dinnae have the guts,” he was leaning up on his elbows, pushing his throat against the point of her blade. Still, she hesitated, breathing heavily, staring down at him.

“Let’s find out who has the guts,” she said and raised her blade vertically with both hands.

“Nay, Ivy, ye cannae kill ye’re own flesh and blood!” Carson pleaded fearfully, seeing she did indeed mean to kill him. That was when Liam stepped in. He knocked Ivy aside and rammed his own blade into her brother’s chest.

“I ken ye, Ivy and ye wouldnae be able tae live with the guilt of killin’ yer own braither, monster or nae,” he told her, opening his arms and seeing her shaking, silently staring at her brother’s still body. She went into them, nodding her head. They stood panting against each other.

“Aye, ye’re probably right. Thank ye fer endin’ him fer me, Liam.”

“Ivy, ye’re one of the bravest fighters I’ve ever had the pleasure of fightin’ next tae. Lovers in arms, eh?” He hugged her to his side.

“Aye,” she said, smiling up at him, her cheeks spattered with blood. “Lovers in arms, always.”

As they walked away, she said bitterly, “I’m glad he’s dead. He can never make anybody else suffer now.”

“Gael’s dead too. They’re both gone, never tae trouble us anymore.”

“What about Evander?” she asked as they walked through the thinning battle as the soldiers had seen their masters find their deaths.

“I saw Knox goin’ after him a while back,” Liam said. They walked out of the hall and into the vestibule where the sounds of clashing metal could still be heard.

They stopped when they saw Knox fighting with Evander. As at the ruined chapel, Evander was putting up a good fight, dodging and ducking, getting in a few strikes where he could. But it was clear that Knox, the more seasoned, stronger man, was slowly exhausting the betrayer. They watched as Knox drove Evander steadily backwards under a relentless onslaught of blows, until Evander’s grip on his blade slipped in his own blood.

With a deft movement, Knox used the flat of his sword to flick Evander’s weapon out of his hand and, seeing his opening, thrust his blade into Evander’s belly. Evander clutched at the hilt, groaned, and fell to his knees. “This is what happens when ye cross me, ye cowardly, lyin’ bastard,” Knox spat, placing his foot against Evander’s chest, pulling out the blade, and then stabbing the schemer again in the neck.

Evander rolled on his side, into a ball, choking, blood pouring from between his lips. Knox pulled out his blade for the final time and stood looking down on the man. After a few moments, Evander stopped twitching and lay still. Knox saw them. “He had that comin’,” he told them as they came up to him.

“Ye can say that again,” Ivy agreed staring at Evander’s body with her brow looking sad. “He’s taught me a lesson I’ll never forget.”

“What about MacAlister?” Knox asked, slowly getting his breath back. He leaned over and cleaned the blood form his sword on Evander’s coat and then sheathed it.

“I killed him, and Gael’s dead as well,” Liam replied.

Knox’s face brightened. “So, we’ve won? That’s the end of it?”

“Aye, that’s the end of it,” Liam assured his friend as he and Ivy also cleaned their swords and put them away.

“Well, thank the Wee man fer that. Or the bloody moon, I’m nae sure which. Seems like missin’ that stag in the hunt this year was a blessin’ and nae a curse after all,” Knox mused as they turned to survey the field. “Och, well, would ye look at that,” he murmured, looking around with obvious surprise.

“Look, Ivy,” Liam pointed to the remaining defenders, many of whom were now kneeling and offering Ivy the hilts of their swords. “They’re showin’ ye their fealty, as the rightful leader of Clan MacAlister.”

“Och, Lord, so they are!” she cried happily, seeing what he said was true. “We’ve done it, Liam. Carson and Gael are gone, and now naethin’ can threaten us anymore!”

“Nay, lass, naethin’ at all,” he agreed, grinning as he kissed her on the lips.