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“Stay back, Fia. This is no’ yer battle.”
Duncan leapt forward, pulling Alastair’s sword from the scabbard on his back. Swiping it through the air, he lunged for Hamil. Hamil jumped backward, using his sword to block the blow.
“Stop it!” Fia cried. “No more fightin’.”
“No one comes into my courtyard and threatens my men or me,” snarled Hamil. “This calls for battle.”
“Hold it,” said Reed, stepping in between Duncan and Hamil. His men surrounded him on horseback, drawing their swords as well.
“Reed, have ye gone daft?” spat Hamil. “Ye are married to a Gordon and aligned with us now. Ye should be on our side, no’ the side of the enemy.”
“My daughter is involved. I think we need to hear what she has to say first. Now, lower yer weapons, all of ye,” commanded Reed.
“Ye have one minute, and then I am goin’ to run Duncan MacPherson through with my sword just for the satisfaction of seein’ him die.” Hamil begrudgingly lowered his sword.
“Faither, give me the sword,” said Alastair, holding out his hand. “We have been enemies with the Grants for far too long. Fia is right in sayin’ this has to end.”
Duncan lowered the sword but did not give it to Alastair.
“Fia, did MacPherson hurt ye in any way?” asked Reed, lowering his sword slightly, taking a step toward his daughter.
“Nay, Da,” answered Fia. “Alastair kidnapped me only because the English threatened to kill him. Things have changed since then. He told me he loves me.”
“Loves ye?” Reed cast a sideways glance to Alastair. “Is this true, MacPherson?”
“Aye,” admitted Alastair, putting his arm around Fia’s shoulder. “Yer daughter has made me rethink my ways. I came here only for the return of my faither, no’ to fight.”
“I – I think I am fallin’ in love with ye, too, Alastair,” Fia told him, making Alastair’s heart soar. How he longed to hear her say this. “Da, make this feud stop. I want to be with Alastair.”
“This fight is far from over,” snarled Duncan. “No one is goin’ to keep me as a prisoner for three years and then just walk away like nothin’ happened.” Duncan let out a war cry and lunged once again for Hamil, sinking the sword into the man’s side. Hamil raised his sword and did the same to Duncan. Fia cried out and Alastair pulled her to the side, blocking her with his body to protect her. He felt as if his world had just come crashing down around him.
“Faither, nay!” he screamed, rushing forward to stop him from killing the chieftain of the clan. Hamil’s men grabbed Alastair, thinking he was attacking as well. Reed nodded, and his men apprehended Duncan. Reed then went over to help Hamil.
“Enough!” shouted Reed. “What is the matter with all of ye? Thousands of Scots’ lives were just spared when the English turned back and headed home, yet here we are still fightin’ amongst ourselves.”
“Stay out of this, Reed,” warned Hamil.
“I will no’,” he snapped. “This is my daughter, and she is in love with a MacPherson. I say we stop the silly feud between the clans and concentrate on what really matters.”
“And what might that be?” asked Hamil.
“Let’s join forces instead of killin’ each other,” said Reed. “Together, we can be strong. And next time the English invade, we will no’ let them retreat.”
“Fine, comin’ from a bastard of the English king,” sneered Fingal.
“I say we kill the Grants for keepin’ our chieftain prisoner,” came Brohain’s suggestion from behind Alastair.
“Nay,” said Alastair. “But what if we make an alliance?”
“Aye,” agreed Fia. “That would be the right thing to do, just like Alastair said. We can get married and seal the deal.”
Alastair was surprised to hear that Fia thought this is what he meant. While he was going to suggest an alliance of some sort, he hadn’t even considered the way to do it was by marrying Fia. Or had he? Now that Fia mentioned it, he liked the idea of her becoming his wife. Now, if only Hamil would agree, even though Fia wasn’t directly from his clan. Still, she was a close alliance.
“Reed, I ask for yer daughter’s hand in marriage,” said Alastair.
“Son, dinna be a fool!” Duncan lay on the ground with his side bleeding heavily. “Her faither is the bastard son of the English king. She has Sassenach bluid runnin’ through her veins! Ye will never be able to trust her – just like what happened between yer mathair and me.”
“Yer mathair was English?”asked Fia, surprised to hear this since Alastair had not made it clear that she wasn’t Scottish.
