Highland Bear (Book 4)

Chapter 55

Percival heaved a sigh that seemed torn from his very soul. "I suppose in a way I did die that day. I ceased to be the Baron I had been since my father's death. I lost all that had made me who I was, and I became free in a way only one who died could be, I suppose. But I must admit, I may have used my daughter's lack of hearing against her. It was not kind to do so, and I swore never to do it, but it was that or die in truth." He paused to wet his throat, before diving straight back into the story that the three other males around the fire waited so patiently to hear.

"Rohesia's mother and I have never really seen eye to eye on anything. My brother, however, shares many a quality with her. They were made for each other in reality, but would have made a dreadful couple for any who came in their way. Rohesia was and still is the only blessing ever to come from the union created when I married her mother. It was about two years ago that I started to notice little things happening, accidents that I very nearly missed or managed to fall in the right way, instead of falling the other way and breaking my neck. Now at the time, I just thought I was getting a little clumsy in my old age." A world weary, sad, chuckle left him at that.

"But I intercepted a missive for my wife, which bore my brothers seal, in it he spoke of his hope that he could inherit the property and how he would keep my wife in good standing when I finally succumbed to an 'accident'. I was steaming mad at this point, as you could imagine, but as I went to confront my wife over it, I found Rohesia, hidden away in a small cubby, sobbing her heart out. Her mother had beaten her again. It was then my anger over what my wife had done to me dissipated completely but another fire was lit. I knew she had been 'punishing' Rohesia, but the bruises I saw that day were from someone who liked inflicting pain for pains sake and no other reason.

In that moment I decided, I would let her succeed, I would die, but a plan would be in place to resurrect me. I would take Rohesia out from the predicament that she was in. Marriage to someone in the nobility did not seem possible for her. Most fathers I talked with either wanted her purely because of her name, or because she was 'defective' in their eyes they thought they could get more out of me for her. The problem with both of these scenarios was that I could not guarantee that she would be cared for in a many I deemed fit. Not that I was protecting her well enough in her own home as it was." He eyes skipped over the faces of the men and slid to the shadowy form of his daughter, who slept like the dead at the moment because her body was so exhausted, yet she had not uttered one word of objection to the pace or the journey. He had never been prouder than this moment to be her father.

"As the months went on, I was careful about every step I took, every door I opened. Eventually I realised she had changed tactic. It was almost too late by the time I actually noticed. I had begun getting weaker, frailer I suppose. But whenever I tried to pick myself up with a few hunting trips I came back a little stronger. It was Alfred, who actually brought it to my attention, though I doubt he remembers how." All eyes turned to Alfred, who sat stubbornly silent, staring into the flames as if they held the secrets to the universe in their fiery depths.

Shaking his head Percival continued. "Alfred saw me a little weak, and asked if I had eaten the wrong berries by mistake as if I had then I needed to expel them as soon as possible. It made me think of what else could have been making me weak. I started to watch my wife carefully at meal times, or whenever she brought me a cup of mead or wine. I also started switching out plates or only eating the food from the plate I had picked or carved myself. Claiming I could not eat it all due to me being too weak and ill. The foolish harpy believed my act. The only problem came when I had to 'die'," he stared into the fire now, much the same way Alfred still did. It was easier than trying to remember what he had done to his daughter, her cries of distress still rang in his ears to this day.

"I pretended I had become bed bound due to my illness and only ever ate what Rohesia brought me, not that anyone else knew that. I had a trusted contact from my mother's clan that had sworn to help me. When they sent a message that a suitable," he waved his hand in the air as if searching for the correct word, "candidate had been found, the plan was to be put into action. No one was killed for this to happen, the unfortunate male just happened to drop down dead from drowning himself in liqueur. He was my height and build which was all we needed.

When my wife had left her vigil, only at my bedside to make sure I was dying, to retire for the evening, Rohesia slipped into the room and I knew that I was going to break her heart. But I also knew that I could not fake my death in front of anyone else, or if I tried in front of my wife, she may just stab me to make sure I was actually dead." The grunt of a chuckle that broke free was echoed sheepishly by Artair and the priest. Alfred still sat in sullen silence.

"With Rohesia unable to hear the gasps of air I took when she was looking elsewhere, only able to tell I was dead from my chest not moving. For she knew no other way to check. She ran for the door. My man was there, when he confirmed I was dead, Rohesia fell apart, it took everything in me not to gather her up and tell her all, but I could not risk her looking genuine. She believed my man when he spoke of wrapping my body immediately due to my cause of death, and with her departed, the poor fellows wrapped body was brought in and I left under cover of darkness." The pain squeezed his heart as he looked back at Rohesia once more. She was everything too him, he could not lose her again. "I set myself up with my mother's people, learning things even the youngest bairn knowns, but I learnt and perfected before I went back for Rohesia. But by the time I returned she had already fled. With him."

The glare he sent in Alfred's direction was scorching, but Alfred had not moved from his position staring into the flames. Silence descended over the group. No body dare move, as if to do so would break some sort of peace amongst them all. But everything must end eventually. Artair stood as the fire started to die down, "Sleep, I will take first watch." Moving over to the slumbering Rohesia, he pulled the blanket fully over her once more, kissed her forehead and moved over to the entrance of the cave. Pulling his own plaid and cloak around him so as not to freeze to death in the icy wind which had picked up whilst Percival talked.

With the cloud cover ahead, it was almost pitch black out, nothing could be seen much, not even the hand in front of his face when he held it aloft. But Artair knew better than just to trust his sight. It was a couple of hours later, as he stood to stretch his sore muscles and turn to wake Father Thomas who was to take the next watch, when he saw it. The flicker of a torch in the distance. With his mind whirling, he stepped back into the entrance of the cave and felt along the wall until he came to where they had hobbled the horses, reaching for his spare blade he had placed in the saddle. He had a feeling he was going to need it.

Swift of foot, he made his way silently, out of the cave and into the woods, following the torch light, but moving in the shadows as if he was one of them.

Alfred looked up at the sound in the cave entrance. Just managing to make out in the dark a shape about the size of Artair amongst the horses before it flew out of the cave. It was time. He had made a promise and it had to be fulfilled, as much as it pained him, he knew he had to do it. Artair had never been meant to marry Rohesia...but he could make it all better. Reaching for the knife in his boot everyone had seemed to forget about, he gave a quick glance at the still slumbering shadows within the cave and swiftly made his move to the caves entrance. Standing in the doorway, he saw the torch light flicker between the trees and made his way down to it.

Finding them had been easy. Child's play. It was the ambush that Artair did not expect, and Alfred knew this, counted on it. Coming up behind his comrade, with a male before them carrying the torch. Artair sprang forward to pierce the male with his blade. It was at that moment that Alfred also sprang forth. His dagger landing home with a hot pump of blood sliding over his hand. A gurgled breath his only reply.

Aislinn shot up in bed, gasping for breath and soaked in sweat. Trying to push the wet strands of hair of her face as they irritated her. Cam came to warrior alertness beside her. "Aislinn, what is wrong? Where is the danger?"

Aislinn could only turn wide eyes on her husband. "The decisions has been made, the side of the blade has been chosen..." she gulped in air... "Only I do not know which way the blade titled, and which side Artair has landed on."