Page 39 of The Iron Highlander
“Why are ye packing a bag?” came a voice from behind her. Kate spun around and found Reuben standing behind her, watching. “What are ye doing, Kate?”
“I’m leaving, Reuben,” said Kate.
“Leaving?” Reuben asked, looking at her face. But Kate turned away, focusing on arranging her things. She did not want him to be there, and knew that he would make things harder than they already were. “Kate, talk to me. What is this?”
“All of this is happening because of me; I have to do something about it. My sister is with that madman right now, and the only person who will do something about it, the only person who can, is me. So let me go.”
“Ye want to head to the McGowan estate, by yerself, tonight?” said Reuben, getting in front of her. “Have ye lost yer mind?”
“My sister is out there and she needs my help!” Kate yelled back at him, spinning around on her heel.
“I understand, I do, Kate. But we cannae do anything tonight! Ye head out there, and what happens? Ye could get attacked by wolves or bandits, or worse, Max’s men could capture ye, and then what would happen?”
“That would be the best case then,” said Kate, taking the bag up to her shoulder.
“Ye want the men to get ye?” Reuben asked with disbelief in his eyes, “Why? They will take ye straight to Max, and he willnae let you get away, ever.”
“I ken that, Reuben.” Kate got closer to him, lifting her face so she could plant a kiss on the side of his cheek. “Thank ye so much for all ye have done for me. I have brought ye and yer household nothing but trouble, and I wish to end that now. I do have one final request. My sisters, I daenae want to take them back to the estate with me.”
“But Kate…” Reuben began, but Kate cut him off.
“Reuben, please. If Max is going to get anyone, it should be me. I was the one who was called into the great halls. I was the one he asked to marry. There is no reason for anyone else to suffer. I will exchange myself for Lily, and I will have her brought here. But I want ye to promise that ye will take care of all of them. They are all I have, and all that I care about.”
Kate watched Reuben, and could see that he understood her resolve. She saw him battle with himself, trying to figure out what to say, but she was not going to give him a chance. As she got outside, Kate headed to the tents which had been set up, and found her sisters asleep. She rubbed Willow’s head, and she turned away, snoring lightly. She turned to Freya who was sleeping peacefully only a few feet away. Freya was a light sleeper, and Kate knew that it was better not to disturb her. So, she shut her eyes and said a prayer, before turning to leave.
“So ye’re just going to leave, just like that?”
“All of ye are going to scare me to death if ye keep waking up like that,” Kate complained, turning back to see Freya with her eyes open, staring at her.
“Why would ye do that?” Freya asked, keeping her voice low so Willow would not wake up.
“Freya, Lily is gone, and ye know exactly how Max is. Look at what he did here tonight. Just because of me, he nearly killed the Lady Grear, and set fire to their home. I cannae keep staying here if I know that I am a threat to these people Freya. They have treated us well, and this is the least I can do in return.”
“So ye want to run away?” Freya asked.
“Nae,” Kate replied, realizing that she had not actually said her plan out loud. She hunched her shoulders and grabbed her sister’s hands in her own, “I’m going back to the McGowan estate, and I will marry Max Sweeney. It is the only way to stop all of this madness. The only way we can do it without anyone else getting hurt.”
“But Lily…”
“Aye, I ken. I will exchange myself for her. Freya, I hate to say this, but when I leave, Lily will return here, and all three of ye will live here. I asked the laird to take care of ye, and while he will do his best, it will fall on ye to take care of them, to take care of Willow and Lily, just as I have looked after ye.” The tears came pouring down their cheeks as they held on to each other, Freya shaking her head as Kate spoke. She knew what she was asking of her sister, but there was no other way.
“Kate, we are nae a family without ye. We cannae do this unless ye are here. I cannae let ye do this, we have tried keeping yehere for so long, and…and ye want to leave now? Daenae do this, Kate, stay, we will find another way.”
Kate wiped her sister’s face and pulled off a bracelet which was from their mother. She had given it to Kate just before she was killed, and now Kate was passing it on to Freya. Freya refused to put it on, and so Kate placed it down next to her before getting to her feet.
Taking one last look at Willow brought the tears and sobs again, but Kate forced them down, knowing that she had to do what she was about to do. Reuben had almost died in the woods with the attack of the assassin, and with a fire like this, it was just their luck that the flames did not get to their room.
With a sigh, she turned and left the tent.
Kate looked to the stables, wondering if she could borrow a horse. It would help her make the journey a lot faster, and if she pushed the creature, she would make it back to the McGowan estate by midday. But then again, there was no telling if she would be able to return it, or if she wanted it added to Max’s stables. She decided to leave the way she had come, with nothing but her clothes and dignity.
Someone grabbed her arm from the outer walls of the castle, stopping her just as she was stepping out the gates. It pulled her into an embrace, stopping her from moving entirely. Kate shrieked for a moment, as she tried to turn to see who it was, but a hand went over her mouth, covering it and stopping her from speaking. She threw an arm backwards to fight off the person,but her other arm was caught as well, locking her in place, turning her the other way. She struggled, trying to jump and shoving backwards with her body, but it was no use.
She felt her body pinned against the wall as her captor brought his lips to her ears and whispered, “If ye leave, this won’t be a home for me anymore.”
Kate relaxed, and felt the grip loosen as well. She recognized the voice as Reuben, and turned around to see the laird standing with the moonlight behind him. His eyes seemed a little teary as though he had been crying, and his breathing was strained, as it had taken a lot for him to hold her down.
“Reuben, ye are making this hard for all of us,” said Kate, “Ye have to let me go, it is what is best right now.”
