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Laird of the Land (buttefly0408/kolath)

Kael had just started a fire when Malise and Allister rode up. His hand flew over his shoulder to his sword hilt. He looked at who was riding up and then went back to the fire setting two sticks on either side of the fire to hold the spit he was going to make. “That would be the third guard from my group. Little miss fiery over there decided that she was going to send him after her brother rather than let me kill him.”

Allister came over and sat down rubbing the back of his head wincing slightly. “That son of a rock python just overbalanced me. It was the rock I landed on that did the real damage.” There was a little bit of dried blood on his fingers when Allister brought his hand from his head.

Malise just laughed at what he saw as weakness from his younger brother and walked over to the upturned Blaire. “Well the hair is right and,” his hand came down on her small famine ass. “She has the looks to be a the girl we were after.” Malise’s hand didn’t move from her ass just continued to rub at it softly.
 
"I suggest you move your hand from where you have it or I will make sure to remove it from your body in good time..." she commented as calm as she could make herself. Then she laughed, "So you didn't your target? You wouldn't have gotten the right one anyway. Did you not tell them?" She called out for Kael would hear here, "That you fools all took off after the wrong people. You thought you'd have two but now you have none."
 
Kael winced slightly as he saw to Allister’s head injury, that girl didn’t know when it was best to keep her mouth shut. He finished bandaging Allister up before standing to intervene. Kael knew his cousins well and knew just how they would react. Allister as always would think it through and come to the same conclusion that Kael had.

However Malise was the hot head. His hand dug into the flesh of her ass as she said that. His hand came down grabbing her hair and pulling her head back. “What was that you said? How dare you go and deceive Malise Sutherland.” He came around the horse letting go of her ass but holding her hair roughly before he raised his other hand to back hand her across the face.

Kael was there stopping Malise’s hand. “Enough, go put the meat on the fire we will not make it back to the castle before dark. Might as well stay out here till dawn.” The hardness in Kael’s eyes brooked no argument. As Malise walked toward the fire Kael cut the rope holding her on the horse and slipped her off of its back so that she was stuck between him and the horse. “Be careful what you say, my cousin would think nothing of cutting your throat even if you are Blair Ross.”
 
"Well, I'm not Blair Ross," she said, trying to seem like she had been unaffected by the the treatment she had just gotten from that brute that this other brute called Malise, but in reality, her body trembled a little against his body that was so close to his. She looked up up at the sky and could not help but squint her eyes a little, "You could get back in plenty of time to the keep..." she stated, wondering why he instructed they all stay here. Unless... they have plans... for her. Her face paled a little with the thought of what they could want to do with her out in the woods.
 
Kael saw the fear in her face and just smirked a little not doing anything to make that fear go away. He wouldn’t dare let anyone touch her because he was sure she was Blair Ross no matter what she insisted. He gently but firmly led her over to the fire and when he got her there forced her to sit and then tied her legs together. he was making sure she couldn’t get away as they waited for her brother to come and try and rescue her. They put some meat on the fire to cook and placed some root vegetables into the fire itself to let it cook in the coals. It wasn’t much longer before they had dinner, giving her some as well though leaving her fully tied up. They started rolling out bed rolls and Kael brought her over to one. “You will be sleeping here with me.”
 
She picked a little at the food she had been given only for the strength she might need to defend herself in the dead of night. She watched them all, trying to look for openings or weaknesses. Not like she could do anything bound that she with her wrists and legs bound up impossible to move. When he stated that she would be sleeping with him, she pouted and shook her head, "I will be doing no such thing!" She would have crossed her arms if she could.
 
He shrugged and tied one end of the lead rope on her hands to his wrist. “Very well. You don’t have to sleep with a warm blanket I will be more than happy to use it myself.” He took his sword from his back laying beside the bed roll and starting to settle down as Malise and Allister were already in their rolls. He pulled the warm blanket up over his shoulder to protect against the cold night wind as the sun set the fire already going down. He looked at her, “Last chance.”
 
She gave a huff and turned her back to him, getting a little tangled up in the rope, but just happy to not be forced under the blanket with him. "I am perfectly comfortable right where I am. I would not want your hands wandering in you sleep to places they don't belong."
 
He laughed and laid down his eyes closing enough to make them seem closed while still being able to keep an eye on her. even though Malise, Allister and Kael all seemed to be fast asleep there was always one awake if not all three. They took shifts using movements of the body that seemed normal in sleep to pass messages to each other to agree on shifts without tipping her or anyone watching them off. If Kael was right on who she was then her bother should make a attempt at rescuing her tonight since they had left themselves so “Vulnerable”.
 
Hours passed and it seemed there would be no attempt when a slight russle warned the seemingly sleeping warriors they were no longer alone. Blair had been laying awake, thinking over her predicament when she looked and saw movement in the moonlight, coming towards her. Her eyes went wide as she recognized the figure as the guard she had sent to follow after her bother. The fools! They should not have come back for her! They had better not allowed Flynn to return or all would be for not. The man did move pretty quietly, holding his finger to his lips to warn her to be quiet as well, though it didn't need to really be said. When he say her wrists he drew a dagger to cut the rope so she'd be free of the man that lay near her if and when a fight broke out. He reached for it, just touching the blade to the cord...
 
Kael and Allister were wide awake having clearly seen the guard coming out from the shadows of the forest. Rather suddenly a dirk flew from Allister striking the guard high on the shoulder the force of the blow driving him off his feet. Allister was already moving over to the guard and pulling his dirk from his shoulder.

Kael had moved also his arm wrapping around Blair his hand covering her mouth. “Now now, there is no need for anyone to get hurt tonight. Well at least no one else.” He called into the forest the loud noise waking Malise. “Flynn Ross if you want your sister to be safe show yourself!”
 
Blair had been laying right there among them and had no idea they had been awake but so alert. Before she could call out a warning, his hand just clamped down over her mouth. Now she knew why they had wanted to stay the night in the wood. They meant to use her as bait and they were doing well. She pray that it was just the guard that had come back for her. If Flynn had been so dumb to come back for her...

"Leave her be," a voice came out of the darkness and Blair groaned. It was indeed her brother's voice. Before he came into the light though, he called back, "Give me your word of honor that no harm will come to my sister. Your word and I will turn myself over to you." Blair tried to shake her head no to ward him away.
 
Kael smirked and nodded slowly. “She will not be harmed on my and my clans honor.” He nodded to Allister and the now awake Malise who both drew their swords and moved toward the tree line. Kael was a little worried about everything that he had been seeing in the two Rosses. Something about how they had been acting and assuming the worst about him was making him wonder what they had been told. Kael knew that he had a reputation of being blood thirsty on the battle field but never toward women or a young boy like Flynn.
 
First, the other guards came from the line of the trees hands up as they approached. Then a moment later, the laird came from the trees and into few. He was indeed just a lad. Thin, short, having not really gone through his growth spurt yet. It looked like he could just break the lad in half, but there was a compassion in his eyes that most battle worn warriors lacked.

Blair groaned a little in defeat. Now he had them both in his control and she feared the things her father had told them would become of them both now.
 
Kael nodded looking over the lad in front of him and sighed. He felt sorry for the boy having been not much older when his own father had died and knew how hard it could be. His face showed nothing of his thoughts and he placed a hand on Blair’s shoulder lightly squeezing on the muscle there that would shock her nervous system into dropping her to her knees.

The guards were quickly tied up and marched over to a point a short ways of but still warmed by the fire which Kael relit with some more wood.

Allister grabbed the lad by the shoulder and tied his hands behind him also and moved him over besides Blair.

Kael looked them over and shook his head. “It was a valiant attempt my dear girl but clearly this is Flynn Ross and you are therefore his sister Blair because he wouldn’t have come back for a servant.” He smiled and brushed a hand over her cheek brushing a strand of hair back. “And now that we have both of you we can head on back seeing as it is nearly sun up.”
 
"Don't hurt him..." her voice was a bit shaky and there was more then a hint of pleading in her tone. She turned her head to look up at him, "He's just a boy that was thrown into these circumstances by a cruel joke of fate. Let him go. He is no threat to you. You can have the land just let my brother go." Blair tried to be strong and was able to hold her tears that wanted to creep to the surface back. She wanted to plead for her brother, not show herself to be weak. She didn't expect to need to plead for her own life, that was nothing compared to Flynn's.
 
Kael looked down as she pleaded for her brother nearly in tears. He dropped down to one knee one hand brushing under her chin to lift her eyes up to his. “My dear lady, I wouldn’t dream of hurting your brother or you. I might be ruthless in battle but I do not kill needlessly, and torture just doesn’t appeal to me. Besides neither of you have any information I could want.” He smiled softly nodding a little before standing back up and finishing packing things up on the horses.

Allister had found the horses that Flynn and the guards had come on and tied them together so that there was only one lead that needed to be held. Cutting Blair’s bonds on her ankles they then helped all the guards, Flynn and Blair onto their horses the one lead always being held. Finally getting them all mounted and starting off toward the castle with their prisoners Malise leading the way with Allister in the back and Kael riding alongside with Blair and Flynn.
 
Blair did not look at all to Kael, not fully trusting his words. Everything she had ever been taught by her father, the little there was, had been that now they were in his control, Flynn would be beheaded and she would be raped by the leader before through to his underlings. Her father was only dead less then a week and his words still rung in her ears. This concurring laird's words had no chance of slipping in. She looked then to her brother, "What were you thinking. You could have gotten away. Why would you come back?"

Flynn couldn't look at his sister, the same doubts now about his fate as she had, "I'm sorry. I couldn't leave you because I knew you'd never leave me behind. It wouldn't have been right."

For once, Blair wished her brother had more of their father's cold heart in him.
 
Kael said nothing listening closely to the siblings’ discussion and smiling slightly hearing what their fear of what was going to happen to them. They rode toward the castle turning slightly off to come out just on the crest of the hill outside of the town. They arrived in Kael’s camp and were soon taken into the main tent where Angus was waiting for them.

“Well it is about time, I was about ready to take the castle myself in the Mackay name. What took you all so long?” he looked over the two captured Rosses nodding slightly. The guards had been left outside with some of Kael’s guards.

Kael shook his head slowly before leading Blair and Flynn over to a low bench and undoing their bonds. “Now let these people see to your needs, you will be riding again soon.” Two servants came over bowing deeply baring trays of food and drink for them so the two could eat. They might have been untied but their were guards all around the tent and the four large highlanders talking over a map table.
 
The both looked at the food before them, then to one another and they just seemed to know they were each thinking the same thing. The last meal offered to the condemned. They had seen it with many of their father's prisoners. Seeing it set before them now didn't make the food very appealing to either of them. Flynn took his sister hand and held it tight. She could feel the fear just in how he held her hand to tight. She squeezed his hand back and waved the food away for them both. Blair scooted a little closer to him, "It's gonna be okay..." she whispered to him, even though she doubted it was the truth, now was the kind of time it was needed for him to hear.
 
The three highlanders seemed to not notice what was going on over with the two Rosses. Understandable considering that there now appeared to be a violent argument going on between them. Malise was seemingly in a a rage about something that Kael had said with Angus and Allister backing up Kael.

Finally Kael just slammed his fist down into the table. “ENOUGH!” the others silenced, “I decided and I’m sorry if you don’t like it Malise but that is the way it is going to be.”

Malise opened his mouth to speak, but was shut down again by Kael.

“Enough, get ready to go, you will be leaving shortly.”

Malise and Angus bowed slightly before turning to leave.

Kael slowly came over to the two of them. “Its time,” and motioned toward the tent flap waiting for them to follow his direction.
 
Blair and Flynn both jumped a little, their held hands only growing tighter in one another as they wondered what the argument from across the room. They were both praying that it was not about them.

As the laird bid them come forward, Blair rose slowly, but suddenly Flynn let go of her hand and stormed towards Kael before Blair could stop him. "I still have your word of honor! On your own and on your clan. Blair is not going to be harmed. Say it!"

"Flynn stop it!" Blair rushed to him and tugged him back, "Just stop it!" She hugged him from behind thought it looked like she was just holding him back.

But Flynn still spoke, that same compassion in his eyes that had been in the wood, "Say it..."
 
Kael’s hand had moved to ward off the attack that he thought was coming when Flynn charged at him. he sighed and shook his head slowly before grabbing the lad’s shirt. “There seems to be something that you are missing here lad. There are rules that go with being a Laird and among them are rules that say you will not harm those who had surrendered too you. Nor will you harm the children of a conquered Laird unless it is in clean battle. If I break those rule then my own clan will come and hunt me down not to mention the other clans. Your sister is safe, as are you by the very rules that I rule by, didn’t your father teach you anything of being a Laird?”

He let the boy go frustrated by the encounter and turning to walk out of the tent only to find more frustration when Malise once again came to him trying to argue his case again. “Malise enough, I said that Allister is going to rule this land in my name, there is nothing you can say that will make me change my mind on that please stop.”
 
Blair and Flynn were both left a moment, watching him walk away in shock. Not only had their father failed to teach him anything at all, knowing what Fergus had taught his precious son Shawe, they both knew that he did not even teach that to him. It seemed that Kael Sutherland was a much more honorable laird then their father had ever been.

Following him out, they caught the end of the small argument that Kael was having with the man that had threaten Blair the night before in the camp. He man had rage in his eyes and as he turned for walk away, those evil eyes glared into Blair's a chill running up her spine as she looked away. The moment of contact broken, Malise stormed off. That was the kind of man their father had warmed them any attacking laird would be like. You could see the ruthlessness in his eyes. Blair looked up and wondered what she would see if she looked into the other man's eyes.
 
She would have the chance as he turned around to face them his eyes catching Blair’s for a moment. He looked into her eyes smiling slightly his showing a coldness that had been learned over the years of battle but buried deep beneath that was the warmth and compassion that often lit Flynn’s eyes. His eyes seemed to hold knowledge of the ruthlessness that she feared but not having embraced it as Malise clearly had.

He held his hand out to her smiling warmly. “My lady if I may help you to mount.” Her horse as well as Flynn’s were standing there among the mounted guards as well as Malise who was mounting as they spoke and Angus that sat on his horse whistling a soft tune.
 
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