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Laird of the Land (buttefly0408/kolath)

It had been a long week for Kael, Allister was a competent leader but he was still young and in the first few days made some rookie mistakes which had to be fixed. That was however why Kael had stayed behind. Every day his mind was plagued with the face of Blair Ross and her long beautiful hair. He couldn’t stop thinking about her as she rode off and every moment after that had been filled with her…when it wasn’t keeping the castle from collapsing in on itself. By the end of the week everything was running mostly smoothly. Kael felt he could leave and go check in on how things were going at home and also spend some time with the beautiful Blair. Early in the morning he mounted up and headed home wishing that the little over a day journey was already done.

Malise came into the cell looking over the two of them. slowly he made his way down the short flight of stairs and over to Blair. He stood in front of her smirking as he looked over her body. there was no question that she was a beautiful and any man that claimed her would have a prize indeed. He smirked and brushed his hand over her cheek lightly. “Now then, not as defiant as you once were are you?”
 
She was weaker now with the minimal food and light that left her feeling sluggish, but there was enough in her to move her face from his grasp, "You all it defiance... I was simply stating a fact of what your laird told me. He will not be pleased when he returns to see how his guests have been treated." Of course she still had many doubts, but still she put on a confident mask for him now.
 
He smirked and taking her hands he unlocked her chains before picking her up and motioning to the door. “Well lets see what we can do about that shall we.” He slipped an arm around her and half helped half carried her out of the dungeon despite anything her brother might say about that. He took her into a room not too far from the cell the guards room which was empty except for a table with a rather lot of food on it. “How would you like to let you and your brother out of that dungeon and have all this food to yourselves?”
 
Blair had glanced over her shoulder to see Flynn, they both had an idea what was about to be asked of her. In a wordless conversation that lasted just a few seconds, Blair seemed to ask Flynn what he thought of her accepting such and offer for the good of them both to which Flynn replied, again with no words, with a firm shake of his head that he would not stand for her doing it. She understood.

As he showed her the food and the wonderful feeling of her wrist being free, it was so tempting. Especially think of her brother's well being. But he'd loose respect of her if she did. Still she spoke, "I won't do what you want me to to receive your favors. You had best return me to my cell for I will await the true lairds return. I'm quite comfortable waiting for him."
 
Malise hadn’t even gotten to suggest her giving her body to him for this favor which he wouldn’t have given anyway. But the fact she turned him down before he could even offer it made him even more mad then just her turning it down. “Your comfortable are you? Well we will see what we can do to change that.” He grabbed her by the hair and this time drug her a different cell. The chains here were much shorter and when her hands were bond it forced her to stand with her arms stretched high above her head. “We will see how comfortable you are tomorrow.” Malise spat the words at her before turning and leaving them both in the darkness of the dungeon.
 
She had expected his anger at her, but not this. This Malise was a cruel man not fit to rule any place let alone a whole keep of people. Her only hope now was that her brother would not suffer for her rejection of the man. Already having been uncomfortable, the shackles dug into her skin, making her wrists swell and burn as they grew irritated. If she strained to, she could just touch the tips of her toes to the ground, but even then, it hardly relieved the strain. How long would he leave her like this? And if he came back and propositioned her once again, would she be able to be strong enough to deny him a second time?
 
Kael rode up to the keep sighing deeply and slipping off his large war horse. Angus was waiting for him at the door and Kael smiled walking up to his friend. “Angus you are a sight for sore eyes.” He was about to invite his friend to a tankard of ale when he saw his friends face set hard in anger, not to mention the healing bruise on it. “What happened?”

Angus quickly filled Kael in on what had happened the moment they arrived making sure not to leave out the punch. However Angus didn’t get a chance to finish again but not because of being punched this time, rather Kael was already on the move.

Kael slammed the door to the cell that Flynn was in open wide and the guard moved quickly to unchain the boy. “Angus see to him, take him up to the guest wing sitting room and make sure that he gets plenty for food and drink.” He looked around the cell not seeing Blair anywhere, he grabbed the guard and raised an eyebrow, the question clear enough.

The guard led him to the cell she was kept in and Kael took the keys from him tell him to leave. Over a day in a cell that didn’t let a person move around, she wasn’t going to be in the best shape. He opened the door and stepped over to her lightly brushing his hand over her cheek before unclasping the chains. He caught her slowly lowering her down to her knees still holding her and wrapping his cloak around her. “I’m sorry lady Blair, I never thought he would dare to do anything like this.” His voice was heavy with emotion.
 
At first, Blair thought that the guest in her cell was Malise once more, come back to gloat and offer her again. She had actually resolved herself to turning him down again. After, by now her whole body was numb and while it was a numb pain, it was better then the pain he would likely cause her. But when she looked up and saw it was Kael, a very light smile crossed her lips as he undid her binds. Her arms went limp right away and she was so weak the rest of her soon followed as he helped her to a more comfortable position, kneeling upon the ground, just relieved to not be hanging any longer. He head fell forward, resting against his chest. Thought her mouth was dry from lack of water she still asking in her hoarse voice, "Is Flynn alright?"
 
He smiled and pulled the water skin from his side lightly touching it to her lips. “Yes, it would seem that you made my cousin angry so he put you in here. he didn’t touch your brother.” He gently helped her drink a little of the water before he shifted her slightly and gently picked her up from the floor. His strong arms around her shoulders and under her knees holding her close against his chest wrapped in his cloak. “Lets get you up to the guest wing and let the ladies in waiting take care of cleaning you up and seeing to your wrists.”
 
She just nodded a very little bit before the smile fell over her face and the rest of her went as limp at her arms in a faint. She really was not that beat up other then her bruise wrists, which would heal in time with the proper attention, and being dirty from days with no personal attention to her self, she was just as pretty as she always was. Her face was still delicate even in unconsciousness.
 
He couldn’t help but take a moment to stare at her face and sigh softly. If she was this pretty even after everything she had been through so far he could only imagine how beautiful she would be when dressed up for a highland ball. He carried her through the halls and up to the guest wing. His aunt and sister had been called by Angus guessing that Blair would need some attention. They came over the instant that they saw him and between them and several of the maids they took her from him and got her into the bathing chamber.

Kael walked into the sitting room and sighed softly.
 
"Good lord!" this aunt exclaimed as they took her from him, the maids and his sister taking her away, but leaving Aunt Evelyn a moment to linger behind. "I heard a pretty Ross lass had been placed down in the cells by your cousin but I did not realize what was being done to her down their. He said it was just to make sure the Ross pair did not get away. That man needs a stern talking to about his behavior. He had wronged that poor girl."

Meanwhile, when Kael entered into the sitting room, Flynn was there, looking much better with his own wrists lightly bandaged up thought they were no were near as raw as his sisters. The lad seemed to bounce back rather quickly, already having washed up and looking much better with food in his belly. He looked up with scorn filled eyes at Kael as he entered, "You gave your word Laird Kael that my sister would not be hurt. What do you call what has been done to her?"
 
“I know Aunt Evelyn and I plan to.” Was his response to his Aunt.
When Flynn started off so quickly into making sure that Kael knew what he thought about him and his word. Angus stepped forward a bit, “Easy there lad.”

Kael just waved Angus away letting the boy continue. Finally when he was done Kael looked at him once again looking like he did when he informed the boy of how things worked with Lairds. “There are still things you need to learn about being a Laird lad. First a Laird is responsible for everything that happens in his land, no matter how unpleasant it is he has to take responsibility for it. So a wise Laird will give orders regarding what he wants done, as I did…but you can’t control someone else’s actions when you aren’t there. However,” he stood as the door opened, “You can do something about it when you find out.” And Malise walked in.
 
Malise had heard of his cousin's return and planned to play the fool. After all, he never had been given exact word they were to be treated as guests, only from the girl that was there enemy. As soon as he walked into the room, before he could ever speak a word, "I'll kill you!" range out Flynn's enraged voice. The lad sprang to his feet and moved to go and attack Malise, but he was across the room and Malise was gonna have the time to ready for the attack. When he knocked the boy out, at least he could claim it was defense against the punny boy's actions.
 
Malise would never get the opportunity to make the excuse. Kael moved between the lad and Malise stopping him cold. “Easy lad, there is nothing you can do to hurt him and getting yourself hurt will only make your sister mad at me.”

As he was talking Angus came up and gently pulled the boy back. “Let his handle this lad.”

Kael stood and turned looking square at Malise. “What the hell do you think you were doing? And don’t you dare make any excuses, you know full well what the code says about how to treat the family of a Laird. Had it been Fergus or Shawe then you might have been right in your actions. But there is no excuse for putting a lad like Flynn in the dungeon let alone lady Blair.”
 
"They were a tricky pair that have already attempted to flee once," Malise said, having worked up his defense and was long ready to use it. "Your orders to me were to make sure they did not get away before your return and that is what I did. I feared if I left them in the position to flee they would. The only place to make sure they were still here when you returned was to lock them up. I did only as you asked me to, in the best way I saw how to. As for their standing," he glanced at Flynn a moment and gave a slightly laugh, "He is no laird any longer, just a prisoner. Same for the lass. She attacked me when I tried to speak with her so I had to lock her up tighter." He lied so effortlessly, one had to wonder if it was really the truth, "She is a sly one with a silver tongue of lying. Be warned before you fall under her spell cousin."
 
Kael smirked and laughed a little his hand clapping down on Malise’s shoulder as though he had bought it totally. “And Angus’s face?” his tone changed instantly growing to one that was dark and clearly used to being in charge and was not happy right now. “You are daring to lie to me Malise? You didn’t just lock her up tighter, you put her in the bloody torture chamber, she was left hanging there by her arms for at least a day. I only hope that she hasn’t been seriously harmed by that. How dare you do that and then have the gaul to lie to me about it.” he shook his head stepping back from Malise. “You worry my cousin. Tread carefully, you have lost my trust. Now be gone, take some time to think about this, I want you out of my house till two moons from now. Go!”
 
Malise's face twisted in some rage, but he held his temper back to not tempt his cousin and further. "As you wish... my laird..." Malise turned then and exited, fully intending to obey the edict that had been laid down by his cousin. He'd take himself to the next family near by and indulge himself for the time in women and wine before he would return, his behavior would be forgotten and he could go about his old habits again.

Meanwhile, Kael's aunt came from the room that Blair had been taken to. It was Flynn that spoke up first, "Is my sister alright?"

The motherly figure took Flynn's cheeks in her hand and smiled, "She's a mighty strong lass and will be just fine. All she needs is a little rest. Linette will sit with her and have some food waiting for when she wakes up." She could see the question in the boys eyes before he even asked, "You can't see her right now for she'd never even know you were there. You should rest yourself lad and when your sister wakes up, we will make sure someone comes for you and brings you to her. Angus," she spoke to the big man, "Take this lad to a room he had rest himself in."

When they were gone, Evelyn looked to Kael, hands on her hips, "I do hope that you gave Malise a piece of your mind and a stern talking to. I don't know where I ever went wrong with that one. Allister was always such a good lad like you and your sister, but Malise..." she sighed, "I feel almost responsibly for what that little lass in there went through. I thought I taught him better then that."
 
Kael had moved to a window standing at it looking out on the courtyard as Angus left and his Aunt came in. He turned smiling at his Aunt before walking over to her and taking her hands lightly. “Aunt Evelyn, sometimes it is not the fault of the parents, children just go wrong sometimes. Or at least wrong as their parents see it. I mean look at me, if I had turned out the way my father wanted, I would be just like Malise.” He slipped an encouraging arm around her shoulders turning her back to the door and walking out with her. “We do our best, and hope that others join us since we can’t control the actions of others.” he looked down at the door that Blair had been taken in, “Is she really doing ok? Malise didn’t do anything really stupid did he?”
 
Evenlyn smiled a little towards it, "Not from what I can tell. She'd be more beat up of he had done that to her and she only had bruises at her wrists." The smiled faded a little bit and she sighed, "I could be wrong though. I suppose there is no way to know for sure until she walks up and tells us for herself since I'm sure Malise would never admit to any wrongdoing against the lass." They she say how her nephew looked at the door and crossed her arms, "You better not be thinking about doing to that lass what you want to know if Malise did. I KNOW you were raised better then that." She raised hand, "Don't be trying to deny to me that you don't think it when you look at her. You look like you are thinking it just looking at the door to the room she is in."
 
He was a little lost in his own thought when she told him off for thinking such thoughts. It had been true his mind had been going to very naughty places but not like she had been thinking he was. He smirked and kissed his Aunt’s forehead lightly laughing. “I wouldn’t dream of forcing myself on her even if Malise had.” He smirked brightly at his Aunt, “She is beautiful there is no doubt of that, but I wouldn’t do anything to harm her. however I won’t lie and say I don’t want her either.” He shrugged slightly and turned down the hallway. “Please let me know when she wakes, I would like ot find out just what happened when she was taken from her brother.” He had much to fix since Malise had let a lot of things go while he was acting Laird.
 
When Blair finally awoke she was a little surprised to find herself laying in a large soft bed. Her sore muscles as well as her skin felt noticeably refreshed right from the start though her stomach still ached with a need for food. Raising her hands up she looked to her wrists which were both wrapped up, even they felt better.

"Oh good, you're awake," a pleasant voice spoke from across the room. Turning her head, Blair found herself looking at a woman with a sweet smiling face. She was older then Blair, but no old woman. "You must be hungry," the woman added as she picked up a tray from the table across the room and brought it to the bedside where she set it down. The smell made Blair's mouth water at once. Moving she sat up and the woman helped to prop pillows up behind her. It was then Blair realized she wore a soft night dress. Questions of how she had come to be here like this flooded her mind, but as the other woman handed her a small plate with bread and cheese upon it, she realized the questions could wait.

"Thank you," Blair said, her throat not dry any longer. Someone must had slipped some water down her throat while she was passed out. Taking the plate she took a huge bite out of the cheese and just sighed with joy at the taste of it. The woman sitting at her side frowned, "I'm so sorry for the way you have been treated. It doesn't look very well upon the Sutherland clan and I'm sure you are going to be hearing many apologizes in the days to come so let me be the first."

"Thank you," Blair replied once her mouth was empty, though not for long as the woman handed her a cup and Blair drank back a hearty swig of wine from it.

"I am Linette by the way. The laird's elder sister. And you are Blair correct?"
"Yes, Blair Ross."
"Well Blair, there are many a people wanting to see you now that you are up." She rose and crossed to the door, "It looks like you will be alright on your own for just a few moments. I'll be back just as soon as I let everyone know you are up."

With that the woman was out the door and Blair had to wonder... Flynn would want to see her as well, but who else would?
 
Flynn was the first one in the door followed closely by Angus. Flynn came right over to her and without thinking hugged her tightly. He had been so worried about her that in the moment he forgot that he was supposed to be a Laird now. “I was so worried about you Blair.” There was the sound of tears in his eyes, even if it had only been a little over a day since she had been taken from the shared cell he had still worried.

Angus smilled and nodded in her direction just enjoying the scene saying just loud enough so she could hear him. “I’m glad you are alright lassie, I wish I had been better able to protect you like I said I would.”

Flynn pulled back from Blair brushing a hand over his eyes trying to look the part of a young Laird again and none too soon.

Kael stepped through the door looked around and nodding to Angus before looking at Flynn and Blair. “Flynn will you and Angus give me a moment alone with your sister please?” his voice was one that made it clear that though he was asking it wasn’t a request.
 
Blair smiled as her brother abandoned all he was suppose to be and was just... himself. He would never truely be a laird in her eyes but always the little brother she had helped to raise. It was good to see he was strong and well too. "I was worried about you too," she whispered to her brother as she hugged him tight.

Seeing that Angus had joined them, she gave him a smile as well, "There was nothing you could do Angus and I don't fault you for that. You even got yourself punched in the face to us. It looks like the worst of that bruise is over. Thank you for at least trying to stand up for us."

Hearing look up, she saw Kael standing in the doorway and her smile faded until it fell. Flynn's did as well as he moved a little closer to her, not wanting to leave her side. "It's okay Flynn. You go with Angus." Reluctantly, the lad nodded and hugged her one more time before he exited with Angus, leaving them alone together.
 
As Angus and Flynn left Kael closed the door behind them sighing softly. It wasn’t going to be easy to ask this question but it needed to be done. he came over and took a chair not far from the side of her bed. He steepled his fingers leaning forward in the chair working up the courage to ask finally just coming out and saying it. “Forgive me Lady Blair I never meant any of this to happen to you, I never thought that Malise would behave the way he did. That said…I need to know did he hurt you in anyway other then locking you up in the dungeon?”
 
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