Laird of the Land (buttefly0408/kolath)

butterfly0408

Singularity
Joined
Jan 9, 2009
Location
An Alternate Universe
Everyday of her life, Blair Ross wished that her family's could have a simple, boring existence. Maybe it was just to much to ask for and she did suppose that all their problems were deserved. The patch of land that was granted to her father was the root of all their troubles. It had not exactly proven to be blessing granted upon them.

The Ross clan held a fair amount of land, though it was nothing compared to the size and strength of the bordering clans. Her father, Fergus Ross, had been the youngest son of his father's second wife and the patch of land he had been given reflected that. It was not the size of the land that was the problem, even though it was pitifully small, but more so the location. Fergus's lands lay right where the Ross lands met those of not one but two of their mighty neighbors, the Sutherland and MacKenzie clans. Both claimed that Fergus Ross's holdings actually belonged to them. It was a dispute that had lasted for generations and left tensions high at all times.

It was Fergus Ross's belief that the first sign of weakness would bring one or both clans pounding at his door trying to take what they thought was rightfully theirs. So he did only what he only thought was for the best. He reigned over his lands with a strong yet harsh hand, practically forcing every man to train for an inevitable fight which could come any day. It was a foolish move, for he could only see the fight before him and never the things that truly matter in he moment. With so many sturdy men training to fight, there were hardly enough to work on farming the land. Every year the crops proved to become less and less fruitful. Many people had to choose between selling their crops for the money they needed or keeping them just to have enough to eat. None of this seemed to bother Fergus Ross nor did it bother his son Shawe, his eldest and heir. From the day Shawe was born, Fergus made sure that his son would grow to be as strong a man as he thought himself to be. He passed along every scrap of knowledge and every belief to his son until you could hardly tell one of them from the other. There were the same mind within two different bodies.

The same could not be said for Fergus's other children and perhaps that was for the better. Blair Ross was Fergus's second child and only daughter, a fact he was very vocal about. Many times he would comment about how a daughter was nothing more then a mouth to feed until she was of an age to be pass along to her husband. A daughter's worth was based solely upon the strength of the alliance her husband brings with him to the alter. Even with her father's views upon her role as a woman, Blair found herself to be blessed. Fergus stayed out of her life and in his place were others who loved her more then enough to full the void where his affection should have been. First was her beautiful mother, Iona. Even though Blair had only been granted seven short years with her mother before Iona's passing, there were more then enough memories to last Blair years to come. The greatest gift her mother had given her was her little brother. Blair adored Flynn and in return he felt the same. He to knew the scorn of their father's indifference. To Fergus, Flynn had not mattered. He was just a boy while Shawe was a man and a true warrior. It was that mistake in viewing and raising Flynn that left them all in the situation they now faced.

As dawn broke over the distant horizon, it did not bring the peace of the morning with it. No sooner had the first rays of the sun hit the highest point of the keep, an alarm range out from the watchtower. "Warriors! A small army of them! Riding hard and fast for the keep!"

Even though an attack was somewhat expected, it was not expected this soon. The Fergus had only been placed in the ground three days ago, right next to Shawe whom have been placed there only a month before. The two untimely deaths now left 15 year old Flynn as the laird of the keep. The poor boy had no idea what to do at all. Leaving his son so ill prepared to lead was only one of the mistakes that Fergus Ross left behind on this earth. Another was making his people so dependent upon the laird's leadership that now, as the attack was imminent there was nothing but chaos. No one could seem to think for themselves. People just waking in the village ran for the safety of the keep's walls but in the rush the guard shut the gates, leaving half the village outside, banging upon the gates to be let in. Flynn Ross had no idea what to do, so Blair Ross made the choice for him.

"We flee. I have already ordered a small guard and horses be prepared." Blair was rushing about, a saddle bag in her hand as she tried to throw into it any items from her home she did not want to be without. Mainly trinkets that reminded her of her mother. She had known the moment her father died that this place was lost to them. Her uncle, the clan laird, did not seem to care for this patch of land and would not be coming to aid them so it was inevitable they would fall to either the MacKenzie or the Sutherland. It did not pain her to leave here. She was taking with her the only things that held any comfort for her. The things in her saddle bag and her brother. "Come! We must be off before the realize we are gone!"

Blair and Flynn donned their cloaks and rushed to the back stables of the keep. With the attack coming from the front, slipping out the back was their only hope now. As Blair threw her bag over her horse's back, she mounted herself and looked around. Flynn was climbing atop his own horse. Six other men were mounted around them, ready to flee. There was one face missing and Blair's heart slammed within her, "Where is Myrna? I told her she was to come with us." The woman she worried over what her nanny. After her mother's death, Myrna had promised Inoa to take her youngest children and love them like a mother. The kind hearted woman had and now Blair was faced with the horrible choose to flee now and save her brother or delay and save the woman like a mother to her.

"Lady Blair this is no time left! The Sutherland's are too near!" The guard to her side proclaim, "We must go now or we will surely be captured!"

It was Flynn that spoke up, for a moment taking his power as the laird into his hands, "Blair, we leave now. I am sure that Myrna will be fine. Come!" He kicked his horse into action and the rest followed, even Blair. She knew her brother was right still, her heart was pained to have to make this choice. As they exited out the back of the keep, they made their way across and open plain, hoping to not have been spotted in the chaos that was happen, they rode hard and heavy towards the woods that would lead them to safety... they hoped.
 
Kael Sutherland rode hard up the small hill to the keep passing through the village in the blink of an eye. He led the force of mounted men his trusted lieutenants at his side. He had told all his men to shed as little blood as possible, not wanting the meaningless deaths of innocent people on his hands. If any resisted try to disarm them rather than kill unless there was no other option.

The pulled up short of the villagers locked outside of the keep and Kael could not hold back his disgust for the disorganization that he was seeing. With quick hand motions he sent two groups to either side led by his two cousins Allister and Malise. Several men dismounted and quickly moved the crowd of villagers back away for the door disarming any man that resisted. Now holding over half the town as hostage Kael eased his horse forward and looked at to the one man that was fully in his armor and had the mark of a captain on his shoulder.

“You there, open this gate and tell your men to stand down, I do not with there to be bloodshed.” Kael’s name was well known throughout the highlands he was not afraid of bloodshed and when he started it few survived, but he didn’t start it needlessly.

The captain of the guard was looking very confused and scared knowing Kael’s reputation and didn’t want to end up another stain on that large broad sword. He wasn’t sure what he should do knowing that the Laird and his sister were escaping as they spoke.

In a brief moment of confusion there was the sound of swords clashing and the scream of one man and suddenly Allister and Malise vaulted over the lower sides of the wall from the backs of their horses, followed moments later by their other men. This wouldn’t have been possible had the defenders had any idea what they were doing but mostly they were just gripping their swords or spears in fear as it happened. Only one had made a move and Malise cut up across his arm making the man drop his sword and scream.

With the walls suddenly not between him and the attackers, and half the village in the hands of said attacker, and to top it all off the captain was used to following the orders of anyone the yelled the loudest. In moments the gates were opened and only a small amount of blood was shed in the entire battle.

Luck was not with the party that was fleeing. For at the moment they were passing into the large plain to make good their escape, Kael had just climbed to the top of the gate to shake both his cousin’s hands. His keen eyes saw the group making their escape and all thoughts of victory fled in an instant. He motioned and turned back to the horses his cousins following and the three of them set off in pursuit; their large war horses eating up the distance between them and the fleeing group.
 
"Riders!" One of the men called out over the sounds of the pounding hooves of the horses. Blair and Flynn both glanced back. Three of them riding so fast to catch them that Blair wondered for a moment if her clan's horses were actually standing still. Seeing that their were 8 of them and only 3 of the Sutherland riders, Blair yelled out, "We should split up and lead them off two ways!" If they all were caught, there was no chance for any of them. Perhaps if they were lucky, at least one of their groups could get away."

"Blair! I don't wanna leave you!" Flynn yelled back over the noise, "What if-"
"Everything we do now is a what if Flynn! You horse is faster then mine. Get out of here! Your life is more in danger then mine." The only thing she had to risk was her virtue and she would give it up for her brother's life. He was young and still had so much promise ahead of him, she refused to let him be captures, drug back to the keep and beheaded to officially end her family's power over the land. That was the kind of talk her father had spoken of happening. A scare tactic he used on his children that affected her greatly. "Take the strongest guards and ride Flynn! Please!"

The lad feared the same kind of fate for himself that Blair did and so he finally agreed, "You three ride with me, you three with Blair. Protect her with your lives."

She smiled at her brother so calmly, it was as if they were suddenly no being chased down like animals but instead sitting on the hillside having a conversation as they had always loved to do together, "I will see you at our clans stronghold," she yelled to him a moment before the group split in two. Flynn's groups sped up as they kept on heading east while Blair's group turned and started to had more south.
 
Kael’s dark brown hair tossed lightly in the wind as he and his cousins rode hard after them watching as each second they closed in. when they party they were following split in two they didn’t even need to stop to discuss it. Kael turned following after the group going south and his cousins turned after the other.

Kael rode hard watching the movements of the horses to predict what turns the riders were taking. He followed them still closing fast his war horse not even starting to tire even after the early morning charge that it had done. Head down and nostrils flaring the horse ate up what little distance remained before he was nearly on top of them. Slowly he pulled up beside the rear two guards drawing his sword making it clear that he wasn’t letting them get away.
 
Blair glanced back and cursed as she saw that only one had followed her group. She was hoping that they would have sent only one after Flynn, but now her hope was that Flynn's horses were faster. Her worry was for her own survival now. She saw the single rider coming up fast on her guards, yelling a warning to them. It came to late for one and soon she was down to only two guards. A number that was then cut in half as the second of the rear guards was taken out. Blair suddenly felt guilty these men were dropping for her. She would loose another. "Keep going!" She yelled to the last one, "Double back and rejoin Flynn's group! Protect him!"

"My lady! I can't! The Laird said-"
"And I say your duty is to my brother, not to me! GO!" Blair changed her course and turned again, not even sure what direction she went into now, but all that mattered was to get as much attention from Flynn as she could and now from the guard which was to double back and help her brother all the more.
 
When the third guard broke off from the lady that he had been escorting Kael let him go. There was one thing he could respect and that was a man that followed orders. However his mind ran with concepts. He could easily guess that this lady was the daughter of Fergus Ross and as such she was important too Kael’s plan. He needed her to be captured, incase his cousins failed in capturing the boy which Kael assumed was the younger son of Fergus.

He spurred his horse harder letting the guard go as he sheathed his sword. Closing in quickly with her he came up beside her and reached out his hand grabbing at her cloak. His grip was strong as he grabbed her cloak and slowly moved their horses closer ready to pull her off is she tried anything stupid to get away. “Stop now and you won’t get hurt.” His voice was deep and commanding, a voice used to being obeyed and expecting it in everything.
 
Blair only smiled and with lighting speed and a bit of skill, with on hand she untied her cloak, letting him had it as she kicked her horse into picking up speed again, leaving him in her dust with naught but her cloak in his hand. Knowing he'd come back for more, she reached for her dagger and held is concealed in her hand for when it needed to used to strike
 
He smirked slightly as the cloak came off in his hand. This maid was already impressing him, most girls would have cowered or swooned at the sound of his voice. He turned his horse to follow letting the cloak fall to the ground as he once again quickly started to close the distance with her. Kicking one stirrup off his foot he shifted slightly to one side bunching the other legs muscles. the moment he was close enough he reached out for her again and then rather than just grabbing for her again he pushed off and sent himself over her horse moving to grab her at the same time planning to rip them both from the saddle and to the ground.
 
Everything happened suddenly in a flash of movement and action. The end result was with Blair and the man thrown from her horse, hitting the ground. Only hesitating a moment as her impact with the ground knocked the wind from her, the next moment her dagger was in action, moving to plunge itself into the man's neck.
 
He had been expecting the attack and the fall so had not been as winded as she was. His hand came up already in position just as she started the strike. He caught her wrist gripping it roughly in his large hand easily controlling the delicate hand with the lethal dagger in it. His other hand came over and slowly started to pry the dagger from her hand. “Now now, that is not ladylike.” He smirked as he slowly continued to control her movements.
 
"And you are not being very gentlemanly!" she spat back before she swiftly moved her head towards his hand that was trying to pry the dagger from her. Her mouth opened and before he would do anything, bit down on his hand as hard as she could manage. Her legs moved to attempt and get between his legs to kick him where it would hurt the most.
 
He growled in pain as she bit down on his hand and started to force her to roll over. His legs moved to counter her knees forcing his way between them both. At the same time he used his upper body strength to roll her onto her back and pull the dagger from her hand. Now that he had a hand free he grabbed her throat pushing her head back and pinning her there even with his hand still in her mouth. His knees were between hers so she couldn’t get a good shot at his manhood as he glared down into her eyes. “I never claimed to be a gentlemen, and I have no problem holding you here like this till you can’t keep biting me.” His hand was so callused that it wasn’t likely she would even bite through it.
 
Her eyes flared with flames in them. Her struggling made his hold on her neck more then a bit uncomfortable, but she was not about to go down without a real fight. Her hand might have been without the weapon and longer, but now it was free and she want to scratch at his eyes with it, her mouth still clamped onto his hand.
 
He pulled his head back barely being able to keep his eyes from her clawing hands. But it was not going to be easy to stop her. he growled in frustration and moved his hand from her throat the one in her mouth holding her head down to the ground. He picked up the dagger that he had just forced out of her hand. Using the handle he slammed it hard against her temple knowing well how much force was needed to knock her out and to daze her, and apply just under enough to knock her out, but easily enough to daze.
 
She didn't even have the time to register that he had actually hit her with the handle of the dagger. She say him raise his hand with it in it, her own mouth the widening to scream, thinking he meant to stab her as she hand meant to do to him. The sound didn't even get past her lips before everything went black after a moment of swift pain. Her lips had already released his hand, but now her face flopped to the side, her body limp in unconsciousness under him.
 
He was a bit shocked when her body went limp under him marking her pass into unconsciousness. He looked down at her for a moment and then remembered. “That’s right women are more fragile then men.” He snapped his fingers slightly filing that away again in memory. He pushed himself up and then whistled his horse trotting over leading hers. Pulling out a length of rope he tied her hands and then sat there waiting for her to wake back up holding one end of the rope so she couldn’t run.
 
She was out about 15 more minutes after he bound her hands. The first sign a groan followed soon after by some small movement. When her eyes opened up, she got a view of the sky above her through the branches of trees. For a moment, she had forgotten how she had gotten this way. Then as her head rolled to the side and she saw him sitting here, it all came back to her. In a flash, she sprang into action, attempting to rise and run. Even though she got to her feet, she soon fell again to her knees as she tried to run. Looking down she saw her hands were bound and when her eyes followed the rope to where it was held in his hands, she gasped and started to tug, trying to pull the rope from the his hands.
 
He smirked as she tried to get up and run only to be pulled up short as she did. As she started to tug on the rope he slowly started to wind the rope around his arm from elbow to his hand forcing there to be less and less rope. Slowly he would use the rope which was tied tightly around her wrists, to pull her closer and closer to him a smirk never leaving his face or his eyes leaving hers. “You aren’t going to be able to get away now so you might as well save both of us the trouble of fighting your fate.”
 
"Bastard!" she screamed at him, not a very lady like thing to do at all, but she said it with such passion. "So I am to just let you have me? I wouldn't feel proud of myself if I didn't fight a bastard like you to my last ouch of breath in my body. I can only imagine what kind of plans you have for the Ross women." She got an idea suddenly, "So it's a good thing you didn't get your hands on the right one," she told him with a smirk.
 
He raised an eyebrow at that still slowly forcing her to draw closer and closer to her. “I didn’t? just what do you mean by that?” he guessed she was playing a game with him since the guards had fought so hard to defend her and one had followed her orders to run when she told him too. He drew her closer till she was standing right in front of him forcing her to almost press against his body as he stood up looking down into her eyes.
 
She was thinking fast and in truth was panicking on the inside, but her outside was confident, chin raise to look at him with a smug smile. "You were following the wrong set of horses. How else do you think you saw us so easily. The real laird and his family were still in the keep when you started after us. Our distraction has helped them and by now they are far from your reach and heading for the safety of the clans stronghold."
 
He smirked, his now free hand came up and brushed over her cheek large against her delicate frame. “So that would make you just a normal serving girl?” he didn’t wait for her response instead leaning down and kissing her deeply one hand still holding the rope tight so she couldn’t pull away the other behind her head. He broke the kiss smirking, “That’s good because a real Laird’s sister would be protected from anything happening to her virtue. But just a serving girl no one cares about.” he was calling her bluff.
 
Her hands, even bound came up to push at his chest, struggling against his bold move to capture her lips. How dare this brute take what was her first kiss from her. It wasn't even a real kiss, more a branding that seemed to sear her lips with a heat she had never known before. Before she would reach and attempt to bit down on his lip, he was toying with her. She knew he was trying to get her to make some kind of false move, but she would not give it to him so easily. "It's my duty to the laird and his sister to do this. I would not see them die by your hands. A small prize to pay for them."
 
He pulled back as he felt her responding and trying to bit him. he smirked as she responded so perfectly to his call of her bluff. He knew she was the Laird’s sister a combination of descriptions from other people as well as the fact that had the Laird still been at the castle the captain of the guard wouldn’t have surrendered. However he could play her game. “Very well in that case.” He bent down and picked her up tossing her over the back of her horse and securing her there like a freshly killed dear. He climbed up into the saddle and taking her horses lead he headed back to the point that he had split from his cousins stopping and staking their horses there to wait for his cousins to return leaving her on the back of her horse.
 
"AHH!" She yelled at him in frustration, "How d-" she started, but held it back knowing she would sound to much like who she really was if she said things like that. Instead she just roared a little, in a rather girly way, yet still held much anger in the tone of it. It was a rather uncomfortable ride, and even more uncomfortable to have to stay that way as he started to set up camp. She had hoped he would taking her back to the keep. Someone there surely would have helped her, but here in the woods, she was subject to his will.

Hearing horses, coming near she turned her head and smiled to see the other two men returning. Just the two of them. Flynn had gotten away and they didn't look to happy about it as they pulled up and dismounted. Spotting her on the back of his horse, the larger one scoffed a little, "Looks like you got yours. We almost had ours until another rider came up behind us and knocked Allister from his mount. They took off of as it they were flying."
 
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