MDA Chapter eight.

                                                                                  Chapter eight.

                                                                                                                       Coast near the Isle of Mull, Scottland.
                                                                                                                       Mid-Summer 1607

 
    "Can you explain to me what on Earth is going on, Lachlan?" Roxanne inquired taping her shoe on the ship's wooden floor. "Why did you not let her go? She is clearly not Silvie, I have told you so," she frowned her delicate features. I was the leader of the MacLean clan, I did not had to explain myself to anyone. "Lachlan! Answer me! Is it true what Maximus said about Silvie? Is it true that she stole her brother's money with the help of David Valdespino?!" The question caught me off-guard, I frowned at my ally. He shrugged and nodded, urging me to tell her.
     "Aye, it is true, Roxanne," it was all I could answer her at the moment. I could not hide the truth from her, sooner or later she would find out. There was a noise outside the door, "What was that?" I moved toward the door.
     "It was nothing," Roxanne placed her hand on my forearm stopping me. "How did Silvie and David accomplished that?" she asked bringing my attention to her once again.
     "I know not the details, but Silvie once mentioned that she loaded her brother's wife, that she had everything she asked for and Silvie barely had anything. From what I understand Silvie and David planned everything. David convinced Mr. Jimenez to spend his airgiod in a faux business, thus leaving him and his family broke having to ask the King of Spain for airgiod resulting them having great debt." I explained as I drank the last drops of the liquor Maximus had served me earlier. Roxanne remained silent for a few moments. "What's the matter, wumman? Is that not what yei wanted to know?"
      She looked uncomfortably away, "Yes..." she whispered. "Will you tell Camila?"
     "That is not my resposibility, Roxanne and yei know it," I walked toward the wumman I considered my little piuthar. She turned to look at me in the eyes, her dark brown eyes pleading me to do something. "What do yei want me to do?" I sighed knowing that this resolve would change my plans.
      Just when Roxanne was about to make her request the door bursted open and Camila entered, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Roxanne, this is not something you must ask for," she announced in a low voice. "Milord, I beg you to help me make that bastard pay for his crimes!" her voice full of conviction and determination. Then, she did something that I had never seen a wumman like her do. She dropped to her knees, her palms together and her eyes pleading. She knelt before me, begging me to help her.
      "What will be my reward for this help, wumman?" I inquired raising a brow, amazed with what me eyes were seeing.  
      "I have information that will be useful to you and your allies." she smiled slightly, between tears. Her statement awakened my curiosity, she had my full attention now. I wondered what kind of information she possesed and if it would be useful or not. But, then I realized that for a wumman like her to kneel begging for something, she must have valuable information. Otherwise, she would have demanded her release by now.  


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    I had arrived late to the shore where MacLean and MacLeod abandoned the charriots. I had had the hopes of arriving in time to stop them from leaving, now the only thing I could do was go back to Buckingham, meet Darach and the brigade of the King before they shipped toward Mull. But, first, I  had to alert Silvie of Camila's situation with MacLean and her kidnapping.
    I mounted the stolen horse once again and began the ride back. As I rode, I kept thinking over and over what that bastard of MacLean must be telling Camila. Would he ever dare tell her what I had done in the past? He knew her not, I was somewhat at ease that at least my secret would remain that way, secret. 'If she ever finds out, she will never accept me even if her father agrees.... Hostia! I have to get to her as soon as possible before MacLean ruins my plans.' I thought outloud nodding slightly trying to reasure myself that nothing would ruin everything that I had worked so hard for.
      I had traveled half the path back to Buckingham when it began pouring rain. Soon after, thunder accompanied it. I had to urge the horse to jog faster, the more I hit it the more slowly it became. I realized that the horse enjoyed the water and suddenly, it stopped completely leaving me a few miles away from the palace. I sighed exasperated as I demounted the horse, this was just my luck. MacLean had taken my woman and now, this damned horse decided to stop in the middle of this filthy dirt road. I groaned annoyed and began walking toward the castle that didn't seem far, but I knew it would take at least two good hours to get there by foot. By then, the sun would start its receiding path bringing darkness and night along.

    An hour and a half later, I finally arrived at the palace were the wedding celebration were still on place. It was still raining heavily, my drenched clothes weighed more than usual. I was starting to feel really cold and I could not stop coughing and sneezing.
    I entered the palace and walked to the room assigned to me. I had to get off those drenched clothes before I catched some illness. Before I reached my room, I saw Darach chatting with some woman that I could not see her face. I could see his expression, somber and worried to what he was telling the woman. His eyes met mine and in that moment I knew it was Silvie he was talking to. I motioned him to wait for me until I got changed. He nodded and Silvie turned to face me, her beautiful face frowned and angered. I entered my room before she started to yell across the hallway. I pressed my back against the door for a few moments before walking toward the closet and picking dry clothes. As I was changing I heard the door opening, I walked out the changing room and I saw Silvie and Darach sitting in the chairs in front of the fireplace, I walked out buttoning my shirt, I noticed that she was looking at me intently. For a moment I saw the woman who I've had an affair with, but her expression quickly change to that of the mad woman that she was.
     "Can any of you explain why on Earth Lachlan kidnapped Camila?!" she nearly shouted at the top of her lungs clearly upset by the occurence. "You two were supposed to keep an eye on her!"
     "I know! Do you not think I tried!" I yelled my frustration at her. "That bastard and his accomplice MacLeod had it all well planned. Even that woman Gonzalez is involved."
      "Roxanne?" she gasped the question. Clearly she was not aware of the betrayal of her alleged friend. "Are you certain of that?"
      "Yes, I am certain. That woman stopped MacLeod from killing me," I murmured angered from the memory. Then, it came to me a new approach that we could take to bring them down. I remembered the understanding they both shared.
      Silvie noticed my bruised face, she reached her hand and caressed my cheek for a moment, "You have a fever," she said now checking my forehead's temperature. She sighed annoyed, "You need to rest at least for a week. Until then, we cannot do anything. Darach, tell you brigade to hold back. We must prepare a new plan now that Camila is under Lachlan's custody. We cannot risk having him killing her, though sooner or later he'll realize she is not me," she smiled wickedly, pleased knowing that Lachlan had most likely taken Camila for her resemblance with her.
     "We cann..." I began coughing again, I cleared my throat and resumed talking, "We cannot affor to wait a week!"
     "We need two weeks in fact. You are sick David, in your state you are worthless in this. Darach must prepare supplies for hir troops and make a new plan. And..." she paused for a moment think what else she had missed. "Oh, and you need to train. If you were a warrior you could have easily defeated MacLeod and we would not be in this situation."
      I coughed again, starting to feel ill. I groaned and knew she was right. I had to rest and gain skills using a sword. "Ugh, alright Silvie. Everything will go as you wish. For now." I could not hide my angered tone.
     "Very well, I will leave you two to discuss matters. I expect to be informed what the plans will be," Silvie said raising from the chair. "Darach, train this fool and do not dissapoint me," she kissed him on the cheek and began walking toward the door.
     Once she was out the door I faced Darach who sat in the chair looking at the fireplace lost in thought, "Can you explain how she found out so quickly?"
    "Hmm?" he turned to look at me, he thought for a moment my question before answering, "I do not know, mate. She heard that there had been a problem at the palace and she decided to come. When she arrived she looked for us and some of her acquaintances notify her what had happened. When I arrived she was looking for me and I explained what happened," he explained nonchalantly, shrugging.
     "We need to think what we are going to do," I said between coughs.
      "Yes, mate. Once you feel better I will train you. In lees than a week you will be fully skilled. Until then, rest," he said raising from the chair. He patted my shoulder before walking out the door. When he closed the door, I walked toward the small table where the liquor was. I served more than half the glass and took a big gulp. I re-filled the glass and took a sit in the chair where just minutes before Silvie had been sitting and began thinking on what I had to do to get Camila back.

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   I had never knelt to anyone in my life, not even to my parents. It was something that I simply thought of  as unnecessary, but here I was kneeling before him, hoping he would agree to help me regain my family's money. I could not believe that Aunt Silvie was involved in this, I knew she hated my mother, but I never would have thought that her hatred would be to this extent.
     "What will be my reward for this help, wumman? " he ainquired. His voice sounding harsh and unfriendly.
      "I have information that will be usefull to you and your allies," I smiled slightly, hoping that with what I was about to tell him he would accept.
     "Proceed, lass," he said, his eyes sparkling full of curiosity.
     "Yesterday, I heard David and Darach MacDonald discuss their plans regarding the invasion of the Isle of Mull. The Duart castle to be specific. From what I heard them say, they mentioned that they would take the advantage of the Campbell's wedding to attack and..."
     "And how is it that you know all of this?" I heard MacLeod ask interrupting me.
     "I had lunch with Roxanne and on my way back home I heard them talking in one room," I answered honestly. "You may ask Roxanne if I am speaking the truth," he turned to look at Roxanne who nodded slightly. "As I was saying, I do not know when will they strike, but I am sure David will want to do something tomorrow if possible."
     "He will not," Lachlan said extending his hand to me. I took it and he helped me to my feet. "Darach will not allow him to make such reckless actions. We must prepare for their arrival. We do not know when that will happen, but we must be ready. Darach, take Roxanne to yeir castle and keep her safe," Lachlan began giving orders to his ally.
     "Lachlan, you cannot expect me to go with him... I barely know this man," Roxanne protested.
     "Rox, yei heard her, Darach will attack Duart first. I cannot afford yei getting hurt. Yei must understand," Lachlan said in a calm voice. Roxanne sighed, "He will take care of yei," she nodded slightly. "Lass, yei will go back to Spain," he stated.
     "What?! No! I will stay," I stated placing my hands on my hips. A sudden panic filled my entire being.
     "Yei cannot. I cannot afford of yei getting hurt either. Yei must go back. I will make him pay," he took my hand in reasurement.
     "That is not it. I know you will, but I do not want to go back. I am here to help," I protested. He had brought me this far, and now I would stay until I had helped him. "You will not make me leave."
      "You are stubborn, just like..." he began saying when the door opened and one of his men entered.
      "Liard , we have arrived at Duart," the man informed. "Yei may descend in a few minutes."
      "Thank you, Aeneas. We will be out in a few moments," Lachlan nodded his gratitude. the man nodded and closed the door.
      "Then, it is decided, I will stay and help with anything you may need," I said not giving him time to protest and I walked out the door. I climbed up the stairs toward the stern of the ship, when I was out, the salty air filled my lungs. I looked around and I saw the enormous castle not far from the coast line, as I was admiring it, the memory of the dream I had came to mind. Now I knew which castle I had dreamed, it was the Duart castle in the Isle of Mull. For a moment, the images of the dream didn't seem fictional anymore, they felt more like a prediction of what was to come.