Blood of the Clans Ch. 08

"Grayson, ye can'ne bring him back or changed what's happened. The time now is tae prepare yerself and yer men fer battle. We'll both deal wi' Braedon upon our return. Cameron disobeyed my orders and that's what got him killed, along wi' sixteen of our men. I'm just as sad at this, as ye are, my friend, but we ha'e tae keep our heads, if we're tae win this." Garreth said to him quietly.

"Aye Garreth, I know. I just feel my word will no mean anything when I return tae Tioram. I failed Braedon, so what's my word worth tae anyone." Grayson replied, voicing his thoughts on the matter.

"Yer word will still hold merit and worth, Grayson. Ye did what ye could. Ye were'ne e'en here tae watch him. Braedon can'ne hold ye tae blame fer this." Garreth said, trying to bolster his friend to let the pain of it go.

Grayson nodded in concurrence, but Garreth felt he would never let it go completely. They walked through the keep and sat in the dining hall. Garreth found a jug of ale and poured two cups for them. Raising his glass, he looked at Grayson, who slowly raised his own.

"Tae Cameron, may he rest wi' the souls of his fore-fathers and be at peace." Garreth toasted to the lost highlander

"Tae Cameron." was all Grayson replied and drank his ale down hard, spilling some from the corners of his mouth.

"Now, back tae the task at hand. Ha'e yer men start making arras and I'll do the same. We'll need every flight we can, tae fend them off and beat them." Garreth said, doing his best to bring him out of his remorse and self-blame.

"Aye Garreth, back tae the task at hand." Grayson replied and put his right hand on Garreth's shoulder.

"Good. now let's win this battle, tae make good tae the men who fell." Garreth said back, as he placed his right hand on Grayson's shoulder.

They walked outside into the bright sunlight, steadily burning away the morning mist. The castle was alive with men, making sure every station was outfitted with supplies and more at the ready. Several men were in the kitchen preparing a meal for the men, the smell of food wafting about the walls, making the men hunger more for some food.

The two riders made it back to the head of Loch Duich and went east, the way they came. They knew an army would come along the way they had taken, so they positioned themselves high on a hill and watched towards Glen Sheil, which was the best route for them to take. Opening his sporran, Gordon MacDonald took out some dried meat to stave off the hunger they felt and drank from the bern, flowing down from the higher mountain peaks, as they waited for the approach. His brother, Glendon was the first to hear them, pointing out to him the direction of the steady pounding of hundreds of feet and hooves echoing up the glen. They both watched in the direction the sound came from, ready to count their numbers and give warning to the others how many there were.

As the first signs of them rounded the foothills of Sgurr Fhuaran, the first munroe of the Five Sisters of Kintail, they saw two riders coming ahead to scout the area and possibly to let the MacRae's in the castle know they were coming. The two scouts rode straight for them and the brothers mounted up and returned to the wooded area at the base. Their hopes were to ambush the men and delay the army, who would stop and wait for word from them.

As they hid in the bushes beside the trail, arrows at the ready, they heard the approaching hooves and waited for the right moment to attack. Just as the scouts rode up to them, they both jumped out, surprising them and released their arrows. Both arrows dropped the riders backwards from their mounts and left them lying in pain on the ground. Glendon and Gordon dropped their bows and drew their swords, cutting their heads off, guaranteeing their silence. They pulled the bodies into the bushes and with their swords, flicked the heads in after them. They gathered the scout's horses and rode with them back to Donan, with word of the approach.

The MacRae's had been marching for three days and nights, with only short breaks for rest and food. At over four hundred strong, their numbers were impressive, but hard to move rapidly. Only one hundred riders led the men on foot, the trek made more difficult with the terrain they had to traverse. They had made it to the Kintail Ridge, south of Loch Duich, before sending two riders ahead to scout the area and reconnoitre with their clansmen at Castle Donan. They felt assured the castle was taken and no impediments to their making Eilean Donan their seat of power again and take control of the lands and waters surrounding the castle. James MacRae dismounted and dropped his hand into the clear, cold water flowing along their trail.

"Ah, sweet water. Tis a good choice of land tae inhabit, so it is." he said smiling, thinking of what he was going to be in control of soon.

Others took a drink as well and enjoyed the rest. It would still take four more hours of marching before they reached the castle. They figured they would reach there in the late afternoon, make ready their arms and post guards before eating. Once inside the castle, they knew they couldn't be taken by siege, unless it went on for months. With their numbers, they felt invincible to any of the surrounding clans.

The two MacDonald brothers rode hard up the bridge and into the castle. They dismounted quickly and asked for Laird Grayson. Seeing him by the main house, they ran over and told him of the news.

"My Laird," Glendon started, "They're making camp in the valley, south of the loch. They sent two riders tae scout ahead, but they're no going back wi' news. We silenced them and brought their horses. If they continue tae come, they can be here by late day, but I say they won't leave until the morrow breaks at first light."

Grayson looked at them and then for Garreth, shouting out to him. Garreth ran over to him upon seeing the riders return and what news they brought. Grayson had Glendon repeat what they saw and what they had done.

"How many are there?" Garreth asked.

"At least four hundred or so, but only about one hundred riders." Gordon informed them.

"In the valley of the Kintails?" Garreth asked, feeling his hunch was right.

"Aye, Laird Garreth." Gordon responded.

"Then I know what must be done. Ye two, there's food and drink in the kitchen fer ye's. Eat and rest. Ye've done well." Garreth told them and looked at Grayson. "Looks like we ha'e a get together coming, Grayson. Are ye up fer some company?" he asked him, trying to get their banter back.

"Aye Garreth, I need something tae take my mind off..." Grayson never finished his sentence, trying not to let the thought of Cameron's death keep weighing on him. "Ye men, tae me." he ordered two men crossing the courtyard. "Take a few men and bring they birlinns down the loch, up tae the other side of the castle and make sure they're hidden well wi' the rest. We don'ne want the MacRae's knowing we're here."

"Aye, Laird Grayson." came the reply from both.

Both men started grabbing other men at random and told them of the task. Soon, ten men were racing along the loch's shore to where Peadair MacLeod had moored the boats earlier. In less than ten minutes, the oars were out, four men on each, pulling on them hard, bringing them up. Garreth and Grayson ran up the stairs to the rampart wall and watched, as they sailed by and rounded the point into Loch Long, where the other birlinns were moored. They looked back down the loch and decided on the best plan of attack once the MacRae's were in sight. After they discussed their plan, Garreth went to his men, while the younger Stewart, Coll and his two cousins approached Grayson.

"Laird Grayson, where shall we go once the battle starts?" Coll Stewart asked him.

Once again, Grayson looked into the young eyes of boys and felt a stabbing in his heart.

"Ye'll be going back tae Tioram wi' my cousin, Robert and the fallen. I'll take no more chances at losing any more of ye Stewart's this day or any other. Once there, ye'll ha'e tae explain tae yer father what has happened and why, God save my soul, he understands why Cameron is dead. I will leave it tae ye three tae inform him. Is that understood?" Grayson's eyes flared with mixed emotions, as he told them. The fright on the young men's faces, told him they did.

"We'll obey, Laird Grayson. May I speak, my Laird?" Coll asked sheepishly.

"What is it, Coll?" Grayson snapped back, but softened his look, feeling he might be too strong on them, realizing it was their kin member who had been killed.

"It's a plan I was thinking about, when we were on shore. I overheard the men when they talked about fighting the MacRae's, when they come." Coll said, in hopes he would be heard.

"What is it?" Grayson said with less intensity and more interest.

"It's a way tae lure the MacRae's intae a trap and ha'e them surrounded by yer men on all sides." Coll told him, with more excitement at being taken seriously now.

"Hold that thought there." Grayson asked him and shouted for Garreth to come over.

Garreth made his way at a fast walk towards them and asked what he wanted.

"Young Coll has a plan tae lure the MacRae's intae a trap and thought ye might like tae hear it tae." Grayson told him.

"What's yer plan, young Stewart?" Garreth asked him, hoping Cameron's brother was gifted with the same ability at making plans.

Coll looked at both of them and started in. "There were only fourteen MacRae in the castle when we arrived, is that right?" he looked again at both for confirmation and received nods, then continued. "And from what I've heard from the men earlier, Glenn and his men killed six while they were trying tae make it back here." he said again, looking for confirmation again.

"That's true enough, Coll. What's yer plan?" Grayson asked him, no more stress in his words.

"I was thinking, if the MacRae's don'ne know we've taken the castle and think their clansmen ha'e control, they'll march straight here tae enter the castle." Coll said, hoping they understood his thinking.

Garreth and Grayson showed their full interest, but not fully understanding the concept of the plan.

Coll could see they didn't and continued. "What I was thinking was this. If we ha'e men positioned on the ramparts, standing watch like they would, we can use the MacRae's clothing tae make them look like the MacRae's, making them think it was safe and the castle was theirs. We can position their birlinn on the south side of the castle, so they see it. Once they made it tae a certain point, where ye ha'e them surrounded, ye could attack from all sides and force them towards the water wi' no way tae retreat. They'd ha'e tae stand and fight or surrender."

Garreth and Grayson looked at him and were astonished after hearing the plan.

"How old are ye, Coll?" Garreth asked him, his amazement clearly showing on his face.

"I'm fourteen years now, fifteen in three months coming." Coll replied, wondering why he wanted to know.

"How did ye learn such great battle tactics? That has the makings of a win if I ever heard one." Garreth said to him in amazement once more.

"Our father has taught us all since we were just sma'. I thought up the part of the men, my cousin Griffin here," Coll said, pulling Griffin forward, "He thought of changing the clothes tae look like them." Coll said, now smiling proudly.

"Now, that's going tae gi' us an advantage like no other. I can'ne thank ye enough young Stewart's fer this. Upon our return, we'll make sure yer gi'en recognition fer this." Garreth told him.

Garreth shook each of their wrists as men and told them to help out where ever they could, before they had to seek protection when the attle began. He turned to Grayson and smiled widely, feeling they had won the battle before it began.

"I'm impressed wi' the way Braedon has raised his lads. Truly, they'll make fine leaders and win the battles they fight. We must make changes tae our plans right away and send out another rider tae wait until the MacRae's start their march tae the castle. I'll ha'e the men strip the bodies of the dead MacRae's, as well as the other ones." Garreth said excitedly, his smile returning to his face and eyes.

"They're well trained at that, Garreth. If only young Cameron had'ne been so headstrong." Grayson's words threatened to return him to despair, but he shook it away and continued.

"I'll send a rider out now. Assemble enough men who look like them and have them dress out as them. Send word tae the captains already in position, tae come back and we'll work out the new plan." Grayson replied, now sounding more like himself and in command, but the remorseful event still over-shadowed him and Garreth knew it would hurt their chances if he didn't shake it off completely.

Garreth found one of his captains and gave him the orders, which brought about a strange look in return from him, before he went and carried out the order. Grayson went over to his men, who were tending to the horses and sent a rider out to bring the captains back. The rider mounted his horse and took four more for the captains, to hasten their return. Garreth and Grayson stood a few feet apart and smiled at their good fortune. They laid their hands on each other's shoulders and patted them, feeling more triumphant than ever before. Garreth's hopes for his friend returned, upon seeing the strength his eyes.

James MacRae sat amid his men discussing battle strategies for different situations, when he felt his riders should have returned by then. The sun was getting low to the mountain tops and called for his captain to come to him.

"How long is it tae Donan, Leith?" James asked.

"From here, a good hour or so tae the castle, at a fast pace, my Laird." Leith told him.

"The men ha'e been gone o'er four hoors noo and should'e returned wi' news." James told him in concern.

"Do ye suspect trouble, my Laird?" Leith replied in concern.

"No, I think the bastards are drinking ale and bedding women." James replied sarcastically. "I don'ne think there's trouble, Leith. Blair and Iain are good warriors and the men they ha'e wi' them are equal tae the task. The castle should be ours and they are more likely treating the men tae a feast and fucking. If that's so, I'll ha'e their hides on a pole when I get there. They better leave some food and women fer the rest of us, the men ha'e been wi'out both fer tae long and could use a taste." James roared out in laughter, the men around him joining in, bolstering their minds that the march to Donan ended in women, food and ale.

"That's most likely what's become of them, my Laird" Leith replied smiling, but not as sure as James was. He returned to his place with the men and pondered the thought on his own.

"We'll make camp here t'night men. We'll march fer Donan at first light. " James MacRae shouted out and stretched out his leg, letting loose a long, loud fart. "Aye, that's better." he said smiling and then laughed at his release.

**********

Tavish finished this part of the telling, the guests still rapt with attention, hearing the history of events almost four hundred and twenty years ago. The hour was getting late and many with children were leaving to their rooms or to nearby hotels and guest houses.

"Shall I take a wee break here so everyone can stretch again and get another drink or anything else?" Tavish asked the guests.

A unanimous agreement came from everyone and the room emptied. Tom and Debra stayed and looked at the people and then to each other. Tom saw Debra wasn't too pleased at hearing how her ancestors treated people.

"Remember Babe, this has nothing to do with you, so don't take it personally, okay?" Tom told her, as he kissed her forehead and then smiled.

Debra looked back and smiled weakly, "I know. It just sounds awful what they did."

Tom gave her a small kiss and hugged her to him, comforting her and letting her know everything was okay. Tavish, Stuart and Argus were all smiles, as they watched the couple, then turned to talk between themselves, recounting their history and readying for the next instalment of the tale.

Thank you for voting and commenting. Always appreciated. RJ