Isla decided to visit Agatha and Jon, who she knew were sitting in the private parlor. She took the long route out of the garden, where she had been strolling for the past hour, breathing in the fresh air.

  She walked back into the castle and headed upstairs, thinking fondly of how the McDonalds were always kind to her. She reached the private parlor and noticed the door was ajar. She was about to reach for the doorknob when she heard someone say,

  “Perhaps, this was not a wise decision.”

  It was Jon sounding regretful.

  “He couldn’t leave her on her own, now could he?” Agatha questioned him.

  “Of course not, I love Isla as much ye do,” Jon added, quickly. “I’m only worried how the council will react if this ends badly.”

  “What do ye mean? In the end, Ewan is the Laird,” Agatha told him, quite confused.

  “Aye, but he can be removed if he causes more problems than solutions,” Jon clarified, causing Isla to feel an immense amount of guilt.

  “How so?” Agatha asked now concerned.

  “If he causes irreparable damage to the safety of the clan, a suitable replacement can take over in his place,” Jon explained to Agatha.

  “But there aren’t any men in our clan like our son, who is the rightful heir,” Agatha reasoned, in disbelief.

  “Aye, but he must act smart,” Jon added.

  “He can’t do much anymore, it is up to God to handle what comes next,” Agatha told him, forlornly.

  “Then we shall keep praying,” Jon said just as Isla heard footsteps behind her.

  She nearly gasped when she saw Ewan walking up to her.

  Noticing her scared expression, he asked, “Isla?”

  “Isla?” Agatha called out as well, panicking.

  Isla gave them all a teary look before running away. She heard Ewan racing after him, calling out her name again and again. She didn’t look back, knowing his parents would explain what had happened. The only thing on Isla’s mind was the burden she had become. She didn’t want to be the reason for Ewan to lose his title; the title he had worked so hard for and had earned rightfully.

  She ran out the castle, heading for the forest. She knew better than to go out into the grounds or towards town, that would expose her. Hence, she headed for the woods, which had proven to be her safe haven many times. She reached the oak tree around which She and Ewan had spent many afternoons together.

  Her foot tripped on a fallen branch, and she fell to the ground, near the tree’s bark. Isla didn’t pick herself up, allowing her guilt to crush her. She had caused her father shame and had now taken away something so crucial to Ewan.

  She would never return to any of their lives, for she only caused pain.

  Isla couldn’t live with herself if she hurt those she loved so very much. The whole point of love was putting someone before yourselves. Isla had failed at this, and she couldn’t even forgive herself.

  The tears continued to fall down her face, the only comfort she had in such a time. She couldn’t find the will to do anything more. Hence, she stayed on the forest floor, wanting to disappear.

  * * *

  “She must’ve heard us speaking about ye losing the Lairdship,” Agatha told Ewan the moment he walked into the parlor.

  “What?” Ewan asked, perplexed.

  “Yer mother and I were discussing what the worst possible outcome could be,” Jon explained, feeling sorry for hurting Isla.

  “She must be blaming herself. I must go find her,” Ewan declared, rushing out of the room.

  He exited the parlor and walked down to the main door. Before he started out to find her, Ewan knew where Isla would be. He gathered his strength before running through the grounds and towards the forest. He headed to the part where the oak tree stood, a symbol of his and Isla’s love.

  As he had expected, he found Isla curled on the ground in the forest, crying with tears falling into the crook of her neck. Ewan waited for her to look up and see it was him who had come to find her rather than a stranger. She looked up, her eyes looking hollow. More tears gathered when she saw Ewan, and she broke down, covering her face with her hands.

  He took a step towards her, knelt on the ground and placed his left hand on her head.

  “Isla…” Ewan began to speak, but Isla shrugged him off.

  “Nay, Ewan, ye can’t convince me to come back anymore. I’m only causing ye pain,” Isla cried, clutching her face.

  “Isla, who said that to ye?” Ewan inquired, incredulously.

  How could she not see that she mattered to him more than anything in the world?

  “I heard Uncle Jon and Aunt Agatha discussing this,” Isla told him, sniffling. “That ye’ll lose the Lairdship because of this.”

  “Isla, they were discussing one of the possibilities that ye need not worry about. Yer focus should be on keeping yerself happy,” Ewan soothed, kissing her forehead.

  Not finding any resolve, Isla sobbed. “Nay, Ewan, I’m ruining yer life.”

  “Isla, everything will be fine. All of us love ye and want to help ye,” Ewan said, seriously so that she knew he wasn’t biased.

  Isla opened her mouth to speak, but the sounds of the branches moving behind them silenced her. Ewan rose to look what caused the motion, and his eyes widened. Standing not far from him was an army of men, trying to navigate the way. He saw Laird Duggal at the front, on top of a horse next to another man, who looked like he had a permanent scowl on his face.

  “We head right from here and are directly in front of the castle,” Laird Duggal told the man, who Ewan assumed was Earl Edinburgh.

  Ewan bent motioning Isla to be quiet, but it was too late, as she stood up, her dress ruffling the leaves and causing other sounds.

  “Who’s there?” Earl Edinburgh snarled as his eyes fell on Ewan.

  Ewan held his gaze for a moment before taking Isla’s hand and running. Isla and Ewan ran harder when they heard the sound of the horses galloping right behind them. The horses had trouble navigating through the forest, and Isla and Ewan ditched them quickly, heading out into the grounds. He and Isla raced towards the castle as the McDonald’s guards saw them and realized something was amiss.

  Isla and Ewan reached the guards just as a battalion behind them exited the forest and began racing towards them. Ewan turned to assess the situation, and he was shocked to see Laird Duggal had come with so many people.

  “Ready the men!” Ewan barked at the guards as his own battalion stood ready to attack.

  He knew he had to take Isla inside before returning to fight those who wanted to hurt her. Isla and Ewan entered the castle and ran into his father and mother, who looked frantic.

  “Laird Duggal and the Earl are here!” Ewan announced, handing Isla over to his mother.

  “Ewan, please be careful!” Agatha shouted at him as her husband ran out with him.

  Isla simply stared after him, her heart racing from the thought of losing Ewan. She tried hard not to overthink the situation, and focus instead on praying for his safe return.

  “I am so sorry ye heard what ye did,” Agatha apologized sincerely.

  “If anything happens to him, I won’t forgive myself, Aunt Agatha,” Isla whispered, wrapping her arms around Agatha to keep a grip on reality.

  “Ewan is strong; nothing will happen to him.” Agatha tried to reassure her, but Isla was not convinced. However, even Agatha was concerned about her son and husband’s well-being, seeing as they were about to engage with a strong battalion, while only having a few men on their side. The guards protecting the castle were mainly guards of the castle, with just some being the guards of the clan.

  Although the council had agreed to let some of the armies help the Laird, the leader of the clan, they hadn’t allowed the whole army to participate in this skirmish. Isla didn’t know this, and Agatha had no reason to tell her. It would only increase her worry.

  Agatha led Isla into the Great Hall, wanting to get some food into her system and put her to bed, to keep her distracted from what was happening outside. The two women entered the Great Hall just as they heard something outside clash against the castle wall.

  It took all Agatha had to not react to it, only so that Isla wouldn’t get afraid. Agatha had to be resilient and strong for Isla right now. She helped Isla sit down and then sat next to her, taking her hand into both of hers.

  The mother and the lover bent their heads together to pray for Ewan’s safe return to the castle and into their arms. Isla heard the men shouting outside, the sound of their panicked voices resonating within her. God was her only ally now; only He could fix everything.

  * * *

  “Ewan, we must fall back for now!” Jon shouted from across the ranks as men from both sides continued to battle.

  “What if they disagree and attack at night?” Ewan asked, afraid.

  They had been engaged in battle for nearly the entire evening now. The sun was beginning to set, which meant that it would become difficult for the army to operate from here on. Ewan knew they would have to halt the attack for the rest of the night and begin early morning tomorrow.

  The norms of battle did allow them this option, but under the current situation, Ewan didn’t know if the same standards and rules applied.

  “They must follow and respect the rules,” Jon told Ewan as soldiers around them ran here and there to defend the castle.

  “Send the messengers,” Ewan gave in, noticing that the Earl and Laird Duggal were not joining in the battle.

  The messenger would take the message to them directly, in their camps, where they sat safely from the skirmish.

  Ewan felt exhausted, his mind and body were exhausted from the battle. He was also worried about his mother and Isla, and whether they were doing alright. Tonight, Ewan would make sure a group of guards were stationed in the corridor where Isla’s chamber was.

  He knew that the Earl would try to kidnap Isla or worse, hurt her in the middle of the night. For one, Ewan would stay with her, but he would also have men guarding the second floor, to ensure his parents and Isla were safe during the whole night.

  The messenger left the trenches to race through the backfield and toward the Duggal campsite. Ewan knew all that was left now was to wait. They continued to fight off the guards that were still attacking as they waited for the messenger to show a signal and end the battle for now. Ten minutes passed, and the messenger raced into the middle of the battlefield with a white handkerchief in his hand.

  He had but to wave it once, high up in the air, as all soldiers stopped fighting, causing an abrupt silence amongst madness and havoc. Ewan sighed inwardly, having had no energy to continue fighting into the night.

  He would need the night to strategize and make plans with father and his men to make sure they ended this battle at the earliest, with the least amount of causalities as possible.

  Jon walked over to Ewan, looking too fatigued, with a scar on his right cheek still bleeding.

  “Let’s head back in for the night,” Jon said, patting Ewan’s shoulder.

  “We must be on our guard,” Ewan warned, not willing to trust the Earl of Edinburgh.

  Ewan and Jon headed back inside the castle and went to the Great Hall, where they found Isla and Agatha sitting and waiting, in the same position since the past many hours.

  It was as if they both unfroze when the men entered. Agatha walked to her husband, giving him a hug and holding him. Isla looked at Ewan with heartfelt emotion as she took in his appearance.

  He gave her a warm smile, walking toward her and placing his right hand on her cheek.

  “I’m fine,” Ewan reassured her before she started fretting, unnecessarily.

  None of this was anything Ewan couldn’t handle.

  “Did ye see Da?” Isla asked, hesitantly.

  “Nay, he was in the camps,” Ewan told her, knowing he could never understand the position she was in. “But ye need to rest, so come.”

  Ewan led her to the chamber area, wanting to forget the world in her embrace. Isla however, only kept thinking about all the trouble she had caused for two united families which had now drifted apart.

  * * *

  “We will bring her back tomorrow,” Laird Duggal said, fearing the Earl’s reaction.

  Laird Duggal was beginning to doubt his decision, as he could see the need for vengeance in the Earl’s eyes. A strong desire for revenge, which would come out in any way possible, even if he had to hurt Isla.

  “You think me a fool, Duggal. Your daughter has made a mockery of me, and now I will make her pay,” Earl Edinburgh declared, drunkenly, as he wrote on the piece of parchment in front of him.

  “What are ye writing?” Laird Duggal asked, unsurely.

  “A ploy to bring your treacherous daughter to us, herself,” Earl Edinburgh said. “I don’t need to go after her.”

  “What do ye mean…?” Laird Duggal asked, appalled.

  “You can step out now,” Earl Edinburgh said, curtly, as he motioned one of the guards to come forward.

  Laird Duggal walked out, and Earl Edinburgh passed the folded letter to the guard, whispering into his ear,

  “Have a maid deliver this to the princess. Pay the maid,” Earl Edinburgh said, maliciously.

  “Aye, sir,” The guard replied before saluting and leaving.

  Earl Edinburgh emptied the bottle of British whiskey that night, all by himself. He was an honorable man, whom people respected. A foolish girl couldn’t take away his reputation for some summer romance that would fade. Her father had given her to the Earl, and she was his possession now.

  Earl Edinburgh was done letting the girl and her lover mock him. He may be a Laird, but the Earl was higher than him in power. He would crush anyone who dared defy him in any way.

  * * *

  Isla woke to find the spot next to her already empty. The sun had barely risen, but the men of the castle were already on the battlefield probably already fighting. She felt a strange sense of dread inside her, thinking of Ewan out on the battlefield.

  Although he had gone on multiple battles since growing up; this was different. Ewan had participated in those as a McDonald and as future Laird. However, this fight was for love and solely happening because of Isla. She couldn’t just act completely normal knowing that men were out there, getting killed and hurt because of her.

  She didn’t go into the Great Hall, aware of the fact that Agatha would try to force her to eat something. Isla didn’t feel hungry at all nor thirsty. She didn’t feel anything except worry and doom. She went to the kitchens, knowing the garden closest to the kitchens would be safe and empty.

  She wanted some alone time out in the fresh air, which had become hard for her to get.

  She walked out into the garden and was pleased somewhat to find it empty save for the few birds drinking from the basin set out for them. Isla walked to the marble bench and sat down, enjoying the silence.

  It ended all too soon with the sound of slow footsteps caught her attention. She turned around to find a maid standing not too far, looking scared. Isla saw her holding a letter, wondering who it could be from, as the maid handed it over to her.

  Before Isla could say a single word, the maid was running away, not towards the castle but away from it.

  Isla felt her level of anxiety rise. Her hands began shaking as she lifted the letter and opened it.

  It’s a fools vice to lead innocent men into peril.

  Either I come kill him or you come to me. Much can be solved with discussion, much can also be solved with murder.

  The choice is yours, lamb.

  The Earl of Edinburgh.

  Isla couldn’t believe what she had just read. She tried to make sense of it all, but the only thing she could see was the Earl hurting her Ewan and ending his life.

  If handing herself over to the Earl was the way to save Ewan, Isla wouldn’t hesitate to do so.

  Epilogue

  Sacrificial Hoax

  Isla tried her best not to fall as she navigated through the dark, covered in a cloak to conceal her identity from anyone who would tell Ewan she left her chambers.

  After reading the letter, Isla had immediately set out for the campsite. It wasn’t even a question about what to do, and what not to do. If the Earl’s agenda had become killing Ewan, Isla would do everything in her power to prevent it from happening. She couldn’t let Ewan sacrifice himself and the future of the clan because of her.

  Isla could be the better person here and give herself up to the Earl, in the hope of saving Ewan and the multiple innocents who were fighting next to him to protect her. Isla didn’t want this sort of protection if it were to make everyone miserable just to make her happy.

  After reading the letter, she simply had to wait for the sun to set. She had faked a headache, using it as an excuse not to join everyone for dinner. Even if the Earl had written that threatening letter to her, Isla would’ve still skipped dinner. How could she sit amongst men who were wounded and bleeding because of her?

  Isla had gone to her chambers, before finding a cloak and covering her head and shoulders with it. She had left the castle and was now on the way to the Earl’s campsite.

  Isla couldn’t help but wonder if her father was aware of the letter and what his stance on it was. Isla took each step with all the courage she could muster, reminding herself why she had to do this and how it would be better for everyone.

  She knew it was the worst outcome for her, to be away from Ewan and to be trapped in a loveless marriage with the Earl. Yet for the sake of everyone’s safety especially Ewan’s Isla was willing to swallow the poison whole.

  She reached the campsite, noticing that most men were already asleep on the floor or in their tents, and some sat around the fire, eating food, and drinking to battle songs. Isla walked around the campsite, not going through the center but sticking mainly to the sides. She knew how brutal the soldiers could be with women.

 

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