At Mercy's Will

Part 31

Lisa watched as Tristan and her father in law rode out of the castle. Calum laughed with Andrew and Nicolas, Brenin laughed as Lisa kissed his neck. she smiled and set him on the floor. Nicolas stopped laughing looking out the window.

"Ma, i think the village is on fire." he stated. 

she spun to the window and ran to the window. she watched in horror as the village started to go up in flames, soldiers rushed to the castle trying to break through the door. she ran to Brenin picking him up and pulling the curtains closed. 

"Calum, get your brother!" she yelled in panic, picking Nicolas up. 

Calum pulled Andrew up and they ran out of the sitting room. She led them into the library setting Nicolas down. she pressed a button on the fireplace, the painting at the side slowly opened. she pushed them in handing gently Brenin to Calum.

"Stay here, do not move or speak or cry. i love you four, mama loves you." she said kissing each of them on the foreheads.

"MA!" Andrew yelled running to her. 

she blew kiss to him, Calum grabbed his arm and she pushed the button, the painting falling back into place. she turned whipping her tears away, she ran to the door before it burst open. Simon walked in laughing, she screamed trying to run past him. he grabbed her laughing and swung her back into the room. 

"Come on Love, show me what you've got." he said with a laugh, tearing off the sleeve of her gown. 

she screamed for help. 

Tristan and his father raced back to the town that had caught on fire. he knew based on the armor of the soldiers that they were Simon's. he rode to the castle to see it surrounded, Tristan fought his way inside. he grabbed a soldier and pinned him on the wall.

"WHERE IS YOUR LAIRD?!" he yelled.

"in-in the library!"

his heart beat faster, he knew Lisa would take the boys to the secret room. he ran to the door trying to open it before kicking it down. Lisa lay on her side, her gown ripped so badly that is was almost as if she didn't wear it and blood drenching the shards on the floor. Simon was standing next to her buckling his trousers his back to him. Tristan pulled out his sword and ran him through, Simon gasped and fell to his knees. Tristan pushed his away, letting his blade fall with him. 

he knelt next to her, tears clouding his eyes. he gently picked her up, craddling her to him.

"Tristan." she gasped.

he looked down at her and she winced, bringing her hand to her side where there was a small knife. 

"What happened?" he asked, tears falling. 

"He tried to force himself on me and i stabbed him, but he was faster and took it away from me first. " she said softly.

"I am sorry, i should have forced him out sooner." he said crying.

"The boys-they're in- in there. promise you'll keep them safe." she said 

"Lisa."

"promise you will raise them good with good judgement, let them marry for love. Tristan Promise me." she said. 

"Lisa." he started again.

"Promise?!" she snapped. 

"Lisa, i promise." he said softly. 

she nodded and smiled, caressing his cheek for only a few moments before her eyes closed and her hand dropped. he cried loudly, holding her to him. His father ran in and froze staring at the sight in front of him. 

"Tristan." he said softly. 

Tristan called out for Lisa to come back yelling to all the heavens, his father knelt next to him.

"Be strong my boy, be strong; for your people and for your boys." his father said. 

he set Lisa on the floor gently pressing his forehead against her's and cried calling for her softly. she didn't move, not a breath, nothing to prove she was alive, Tristan cried louder wanting her to come back into his arms. his father patted his shoulder, Tristan pulled away and pulled off his cloak, putting it over her dead body. he whipped his eyes and walked to the fireplace pressing the button. the painting opened to revail the boys crying. Tristan ran to them, throwing his arms around them. Calum screamed for his mother, seeing her dead body. Andrew and Nicolas joined in, Calum slipped past Tristan and ran to his mother hugging her dead corpse. Andrew and Nicolas froze staring in horror, and shock seeing their older brother who cried about nothing weeping over their mother.

"Ma?" Nicolas asked taking a step forward. 

"Boys come, we are leaving." Tristan said standing. 

his father picked up Brenin and pulled Nicolas away. Tristan pulled Calum away and took Andrew pulling him out of the room. they made it outside, many of the houses were not on fire and Simon's soldiers were gone.

"We have to go to Eileen and Edward, it is the only other safe place for them." Tristan said.

"right you are, i will pull the carriage. you go, i will stay to help with the rebuilt of the town." 

"Alright, we will be back soon father." he said pushing the boys into the carriage that had come. 

they sped out of their grounds, Calum had cried himself to sleep and Nicolas and Andrew were leaning against Tristan. Brenin was cradled into his arms, Tristan felt so lost, so alone.  he blinked away tears his gut telling him to go back, but he couldn't. he looked out the window, staring at the sky he had often liked to gaze at with her.