Love Letters from Largs: Brodie and Celestina (Highlander Clan Grant Series Book 3) (22 page)

Chapter Twenty-Four

October 2
nd
, 1263

Brodie rode his horse up to one of the many camps between Ayr and Largs in the early morning the next day. He had stopped at a few already without finding his brother. This time, he felt certain he’d caught sight of a Grant banner. A large group of lads trained in a field nearby, and a small group was gathered at the forefront. He turned to Nicol, who was riding behind him, and yelled, “Wait here.”

Loki
, who had been riding in front of Brodie, jumped down and grabbed the reins of the horse as Brodie sprinted in the direction of the men. A shout brought a smile to his face; it belonged to his Robbie. He waved his friends over as he greeted his brother.

“You fare well, Robbie?” Brodie asked as he clasped his brother’s shoulder.

“Aye, and you?”

The
broad grin his brother gave him, well known as the one that melted the lasses’ hearts, was a profound relief. “Did you see any fighting?” he asked. “Any injuries in the clan?” He glanced at the other men standing around and waved at his clan members.

“
Aye, and we had a few injuries. I sent a cart back to our keep since the best healer in the land is now back at the Grant castle. Alex demanded Brenna and Jennie return to the Highlands until this is over. He was worried they were too close to the fighting. Quade agreed, so they took quite a few from his clan to our keep, including our new niece, Bethia.”

“Och, so both healers are on Grant land. Good to know. What are your expectations?”

Robbie glanced over his shoulder and walked his brother away from the group. “’Tis said Haakon is on his way to Largs on a ship and is bringing many warriors with him. We expect them to anchor soon and decide on their course of action. Apparently, many of the boats are destroyed or already underwater, and they wish to unload the riches stored onboard the grounded vessels. Alexander of Dundonald is on his way to lead us into battle, if necessary.”

“And your gut? Will it get that far?”

Robbie sighed. “Aye, I think the fighting will begin today or on the morrow. My warriors ran into some tough Norwegians south of Ayr. They are wild and anxious for battle. But we are ready.” He tipped his head toward the lads practicing with their swords. “Alexander ordered battle axes, as well. Takes a bit of practice to get used to them, but they are powerful. Our archers are practicing in that copse of trees east of us. Alex should be on his way with the mail horses.”

Brodie filled him in on
the quick version of his rescue of Celestina, including her confirmation that Fredrik Ivarsson was a traitor. “Seen any sign of him?”

“Nay,
and nobility would no’ blend in easily here. I will keep on the lookout for you. Will you ride with us?” Robbie asked.

“Aye
. But first I must see to Ivarsson.”

“
How’s the wee lad with you? Loki, correct?”

Brodie turned his head in time to see Loki swinging a sword. “Loki!”

He put down the sword and ran over and stopped in front of them. “Aye, Master Brodie?”

Robbie chuckled. “Master Brodie?
Still? That’s a bit too much, do you no’ think so, brother?” He peered at Loki, “Something wrong, wee one?”

Loki hopped in place
and squirmed. He glanced first at Brodie, and said, “Pardon me, Master Grant, but I am no’ a wee one.”

“
Easy on the lad, brother. ’Tis what he calls me. Loki, do you no’ remember my brother, Robbie Grant? I have promised the lad if he worked verra hard, he could become a Grant warrior.”

Loki tried to keep still, but
unable to contain his energy, started to hop from one foot to the other. “Aye, he did promise me, he did, Master Robbie.”

Robbie laughed. “I recall. We will train you when you are a bit bigger. But you can still help the guards out with other things.”

Chuckling, Brodie glanced at his brother. “Loki has proven to be quite handy to have around. He’s a sly one. When we have time, I’ll fill you in on everything.”

Loki’s chest puffed out. “And now I will kill
Fredrik Ivarsson for my angel.” He turned and ran over to a bush. “Sorry, but right after I pish.”

Robbie quirked an eyebrow as he looked at his
brother, and the both of them burst into heartier laughter at Loki’s antics.

“And he means every word of it
,” Brodie said. He paused for a moment, then said, “I know this is a foolish question, but I do no’ suppose there is any way you could leave for an hour and assist me in bringing Ivarsson to justice?”

“Do you jest? We are about to go
into battle and I am in charge of three hundred clan members. Alex and the king would have my arse if I left.”

“
Aye, I said it was a foolish question. I was just hoping for a bit of assistance.” What had he been thinking to ask his brother such a thing?

“You can no’ handle one man?”

“Aye, ‘tis no’ just him, he has a powerful assistant.” Brodie thought of Aldrik, the man with the massive arms. Celestina had told him how much he frightened her and that he was the one who pummeled her belly.

Robbie clasped his shoulder. “Brodie, I know Alex and I have
mocked you for being weak over the years, but you understand ‘twas only to make you stronger. You are no’ weak. You can handle almost any man in hand-to-hand combat.”

Brodie nodded in agreement. Of course, his insides were telling him otherwise. Either of his brothers could
beat him in a matter of moments. Could he get the best of a man like Aldrik?

“W
e trained you well. Finish this; the man has laid his hands on your wife. Our king would allow you this diversion if he knew you were taking care of a known traitor.”

Brodie’s
blood boiled on cue, building his rage.

His brother smirked at him.
“Are you ready to tear his innards out yet?”

“Aye, you are right. I need to finish this for Celestina.”
Brodie nodded. Silence descended as they waited for the lad.

As soon as Loki returned, Brodie said
to him, “I’m afraid I must claim the privilege of ending Ivarsson, lad. In fact,” he held his arm out to the lad, “let’s see if we can discover his whereabouts.”

***

The paths of Largs were almost deserted except for a few lingering vendors hoping to make money off the warriors. The townspeople, fearful for their lives, had either moved out or were preparing for battle. Brodie, Nicol, and Loki had exhausted all possible locations for Ivarsson. No one had seen the two men they were seeking anywhere. They had just purchased some meat pies from a pub when a local overheard their line of questioning.

“Who are you after, lads? I just saw a pair
of strangers headed toward the Kirk.” The gentlemen pointed a hasty finger toward the local church.

Brodie mounted his horse and grabbed
up Loki as the boy shoved his meat pie in his mouth. “My thanks.” He left Nicol in his dust, confident that he would follow. “Eat up, lad, we have work to do.”

Brodie found a small stone
Kirk at the end of the road, its steeple pointing proudly to the heavens. Apparently it was deserted since most of the village was deserted as well. When Brodie hid his horse in a copse of trees, Loki said, “Why would they be here, Master? I do no’ understand.”

“Because K
irks often hold a wealth of gemstones besides all the silver goblets and plates. Most Scots have respect for them, and would no’ dare rob a Kirk,” Brodie said.

“Och, aye,” Loki whispered, “but Ivarsson is a surly pig-nut.”

Brodie dismounted and held his finger to his lips. “Wait here, Loki, until I see who is inside. And stay out of the way.”

Nicol came up behind Brodie as they circled the
small church. There was only one entrance and it was the main one used for worship. No one appeared to be in the chapel so they crept in through the front door. Voices reached them from the room behind the altar so they inched forward until they determined Ivarsson and Aldrik were inside the back chamber searching for jewels.

After creeping up the steps to the altar, they exited through a side door that led to the back chamber.
Brodie stepped inside, his sword unsheathed. Nicol emerged beside him. The chamber held two large bookcases, a table and two chairs, along with two large chests. Fredrik fumbled his way through one chest, tossing linens aside, and ignored the two newcomers.

“Ah, Grant,
so we meet again. I am glad I won’t have to search for you,” he glanced over his shoulder while he continued his search for gemstones. Aldrik drew his sword and stood in front of Fredrik. “Two against one, Aldrik. I think you can handle these Highland savages, can you no’?”

Al
drik growled without moving. Ivarsson turned and placed his hand on Aldrik’s shoulder. “Actually, before you kill the bastards, allow me a few questions. So,” he said, looking directly at Brodie, “where is my little wife, Celestina? My plan was to retrieve her as soon as I finished emptying what few riches I can find in these pathetic Scottish Kirks. Do you have no taste, you savages?” He flung objects to the floor as he talked.

Brodie thought of his wee wife, about how awful it must have been for her to
be attacked by these men. She had told him of some of the cruelties Ivarsson had inflicted on her. The man would pay, but Brodie knew he had to stay focused. He had promised Celestina he would return to her, and it was a troth he did not plan on breaking.

Ivarsson
winked at Brodie, giving him a sick, twisted grin. “Did my wife tell you how much she enjoyed making love to a real man? Huh? She sucked my dick and couldn’t get enough of me.”

Nicol whispered, “Do no’ let him get in your head.”

“Aye, she did such a fine job sucking off both Aldrik and me that I have decided I want her back, though she did scream the first time I buried myself in her cunny. Return my wife to me, Grant.” He smacked his lips, doing his best to taunt Brodie.

“She’s no’ your wife.”

“Aye, she married me in front of the king. The papers were signed and the ceremony was performed by a man of the cloth. I want her back, especially since I plan to take her with me to Norway.”

Brodie smiled. “The document you
signed was false. ‘Twas mostly in Latin, but had a bit of Gaelic. Father Padraig made sure the marriage between you and Celestina never took place. She is my wife and she is in a verra safe place, somewhere you will never find her.”

“The
king will hang you for kidnapping her, my friend. He will do whatever I ask.”

“
Ha!” he said. “King Alexander hangs traitors, Ivarsson. He has a place for you with a noose around your neck and the ugly bald one, too.”

“I tire of this
game, Aldrik. Finish them.” Ivarsson tied his sack of loot and stepped around both Scots to head toward the front door.

As soon as he was gone,
Brodie and Nicol rushed the big man, who unsheathed a second sword and tried to go after them both. Snarling, Aldrik swung at Brodie’s neck, but he easily dodged the blow. The next instant, he brought his own sword up and sliced a deep cut into Aldrik’s right arm, forcing him to drop one sword.

“Can you handle the rest, Nicol? Finish him.”

Nicol smiled at the sight of how pale Aldrik had turned now that a fountain of blood was shooting from his arm. “With pleasure, Grant. Get the bastard.”

Without pausing,
Brodie charged out the door into the chapel only to stop short at the base of the steps to the altar. Ivarsson stood in the aisle holding Loki upside down by his legs.

“Well, look what I have found, Grant, your annoying
little friend. As I recall, he hit me with a stone back in the royal castle. It will give me great pleasure to beat him until he can no longer walk. Drop your weapon.”

Loki’s arms swung like windmills but couldn’t connect with
the traitor. “Kill him, Master Brodie. Kill him for my angel.”

Fredrik chuckled. “Your angel, isn’t that sweet
?” He dropped his sack, flipped the boy around and pulled a knife from his pocket, holding it at Loki’s throat. “I meant it. Drop your weapon, Grant, or the lad dies.”

Brodie listened
for noise from behind him, hoping Nicol had finished with Aldrik and would be dashing down the steps soon. But the clanging of steel pealed down to him. Brodie had no choice but to release his weapon since Nicol was still engaged. He would not risk the lad’s life.

“Kill him! Do no’ put your sword down. Kill him.” Loki’s voice cracked as h
is legs continued to squirm.

“Loki, do you no’ remember the baron?”
he asked, wanting to strangle the lad for all his wiggling.

Ivarsson
’s brow furrowed with confusion. “I said drop your weapon, Grant.”

Holding up his free hand, Brodie sai
d, “I am setting it on the floor. I am lowering it slowly. Do no’ hurt the lad, he is too important to me.”