Chapter Sixteen
They reached the next village—Cacalay—two days later, a snowstorm in their wake. Kai made sure the tents were secure and ordered his men to cover the horses with blankets and hobble them close together. After he inspected everything, he took Colin with him to find the leaders. But the people who inhabited the place were not welcoming, and all but shunned Kai.
“I doona like the feeling I get here,” Colin cautioned.
Kai agreed and patted the hilt of his sword, his weapon belt crowded with an array of weapons. “If anyone challenges us, I am ready.”
The village contained at least twenty cottages, a smithy, and a lodging house. As they walked by the lodge, men could be heard laughing and singing inside. Kai thought it the right place to find the elders he sought.
“Do ye wish me to wait here or to go with ye?”
“Come with me, but let me speak first.”
“Aye.”
Kai stepped inside, the smell of spirits and male sweat invading his senses. Sparsely furnished, there were three tables and several crudely made stools in the dim room. A dozen men and several women, dressed in little more than their shifts, gawked as soon as they saw him.
“A mhic Ifrinn,” a man said. O son of hell.
“I smell the blood of a heathen,” another scoffed, raising his drinking vessel to his mouth and swallowing whatever foul liquid they served there.
“What do ye want, stranger?” A bearded man pushed a woman off his lap and stood. “We doona like yer kind here.”
“My kind?’ Kai repeated.
“Aye. Ye wear the MacKay tartan but ye arena one. Unless the devil himself fooked yer mam and she spit ye out nine months later.”
Kai’s flesh prickled with hatred, for no one insulted his mother and stayed on his feet. Without thinking, he rushed the man, landing a brutal punch to his jaw. The man staggered and his eyes rolled back in his head as he fell hard to the earthen floor.
“Captain!” Colin yelled, pointing.
With little time to spare, Kai sidestepped just as a stool came crashing down. It shattered when it hit the floor.
Colin joined the fray, punching another challenger.
“Enough!” A voice boomed, and the men froze.
Colin straightened his shoulders, his sword in hand. “Tell me what to do.”
“Be ready,” Kai said.
“Ye’ve disrupted our celebration,” the obvious leader of the pack of worthless dogs said. “What purpose do ye have here?”
“I seek the company of the elders of this village,” Kai said. “I am Captain Kai MacKay, on official business for Laird Jamie MacKay.”
Laughter rose in the back of the room. “He’s no’ a laird, still in swaddling.”
“If you have anything to say, come forward and speak,” Kai challenged.
“There will be none of that. I am Igor, and these are my men, and this is my village. What do ye want?”
The idea of recruiting anyone from this throng of bastards made Kai’s stomach churn. None of them were worth the air they breathed. Nay, he would not extend a hand of peace in this place. “The storm forced us off course. We are camped a mile outside of the village. I need fresh bread.”
Igor stroked his beard. “What are MacKays doing so close to Sutherland land? Though I am not a vassal of the earl, I know he wouldna appreciate ye being here.”
“His daughter is my mistress.”
The man’s eyes rounded. “Tis that Jamie ye refer to, then.”
“The very one,” Kai said proudly.
“Are ye going to see the earl?”
“Nay.”
“Then what…”
“We tracked thieves this far.”
“Thieves?” Igor turned to his men. “Are there any outlaws among us?”
“Aye,” they said in unison, raising their cups.
Igor faced Kai again. “Take yer pick of thieves. We are outcasts, all.”
“Bread,” Kai said. “Tis all I seek.”
“It will cost ye.”
“I will pay.”
Igor directed one of the women to take Kai and Colin to one of the cottages where the women made bread every morning and night. But before Kai left the lodge, Igor grabbed his arm.
“Get the bread and leave. And if I find ye still encamped by tomorrow afternoon, I canna guarantee the safety of yer people.”
Kai nodded. He’d not start unnecessary trouble, eyeing the man he’d knocked out who was still sprawled on the ground.
“Doona worry about Hamish, he deserved what he got.”
The woman escorted them to the dwelling, and Kai bought ten loaves of bread and wrapped them in his tartan.
“Ye heard, Igor,” the woman said, shivering. “Better go, now.”
“You are cold. Where is your cloak? Your shoes?” Kai asked, assessing her, sickened that any man would send a helpless woman out in the middle of winter wearing rags.
“Doona pretend to care about me.”
Kai touched her arm. “What is this place?”
She shook her head, looking around nervously. “Please, go.”
Kai reached inside his cloak and produced a coin bag. He opened it and pulled out two silver coins. “Here.” He placed them in her hand. “Buy what you need to stay warm.”
She stared at him in astonishment. “Why would ye help me?”
“Kindness exists in this world.”
Tears wet her eyes then. “This is the end of the bloody world.”
“Who has done this to you?” Kai pressed her.
“Igor is a pirate, and he captured this village two years ago, killing most of the men and enslaving the women and children. I am the daughter of the woman he wants to marry, but my mam refuses. So, he punishes me. Forces me to serve his men.”
Kai growled. “You are a whore?”
“Captain,” Colin interrupted. “She is no’ a whore, but a victim.”
“Thank ye.” She smiled sadly at Colin. “If my mother doesna change her mind soon and accept Igor’s offer of marriage, he has threatened to sell my maidenhood to the highest bidder.”
“Why have the Sutherlands done nothing to right this wrong?” Kai asked.
“Ye can no’ put faith in Sutherlands,” she said.
“What is yer name, lass?” Colin asked gently.
If Kai didn’t know better… Was Colin smitten by the girl?
“My name is Tiva. Please…” She offered the coins to Kai. “Take this back, for if I am caught with coin or new clothes, Igor will whip me.”
“What sort of man tortures women and children?” Kai asked, thinking of his own father. “Is there a way for you to escape?”
“W-what?”
“Can ye sneak away, lass?” Colin asked.
“I canna leave my mam.”
“You have no choice. If Igor loves her as you say, he will not hurt her. Our camp is a mile south from here. Try to get there after everyone goes to sleep. I will take you to safety, give you a home at Sands Airgid.”
“Tiva!” Igor yelled from the doorway of the lodge.
“I-I must go.”
Colin took her hand. “I will come for ye, lass. I’ll wait behind the last cottage.”
She nodded and ran away.
“Igor deserves to die.” Colin stared in the direction of the lodge, watching as the girl disappeared inside.
“Tis not the right time.” Kai understood his rage, for he felt the same. If he could, he would slaughter all of the men inside that structure and set the women and children free. They were outnumbered. Still, if they could save one innocent soul, so be it. “She will come with us, I promise.”