It was late in the day, and Maggie should have been inside the keep celebrating her betrothal with everyone else. Instead, she sneaked away to walk the battlements with Summer at her side. They were both courageous women and didn’t like to be told what to do or where to stay. Maggie had yet to see the view from the battlements and it proved to be breathtaking. She peered over the parapet, stone wall lining the battlement walkway, drinking in the beautiful glow of orange over the ocean as the sun set on the horizon. A cold breeze sent a shiver through her and she clutched her cloak tighter around her and pulled her hood over her head.
“Did you see enough?” asked Summer, her teeth starting to chatter. Atop the battlements, they were exposed to the harsh elements. It was warmer in the courtyard with the castle walls blocking some of the chill. “I’m c-cold. Let’s get back to the keep. Rowen is going to wonder where we are.”
“The men were well in their cups,” said Maggie. “It’ll be a while before our absence is noticed.” The great hall had been bustling with activity. The sound of music could be heard all the way up to the battlements. Jongleurs and the jester kept everyone occupied. The meal had been grand and the wine flowed freely. Everyone was happy. Everyone but her.
“It’s not s-safe up here,” said Summer, her teeth still chattering. “The guards are all at the guardhouse playing dice and drinking as well. We really shouldn’t be up here unescorted.”
“What can happen?” Maggie asked with a chuckle. “Unless we freeze to death or I fall over the edge, we’re more than safe.”
“Still, I think we should go,” Summer begged her.
“All right, we’ll leave.” Maggie took a few steps and her cloak blew open, exposing her to the cold. She realized the pin that secured her cloak must have fallen off. “I lost my brooch. Go on back to the keep. I’m just going to check further down the battlements for it. I’ll be right behind you.”
“All right, but hurry. It’s getting dark and you might stumble.”
“I lived in the rugged lands of Scotland; I assure you I won’t stumble on a smooth walkway.”
Summer headed down the stairs to the courtyard while Maggie searched the stone walkway of the battlements for her pin. The sound of a clink – like metal against stone – took her attention from the far end of the battlements. She looked up and squinted, but couldn’t see that far since dusk had set in. Curious, she headed down the walkway, trying to see what could have caused that sound. After a few minutes of not being able to figure it out, she decided to go down to the keep. But then her eye caught a glimmer of something up ahead and she realized she’d found her brooch after all.
“There you are,” she said, walking forward and bending over to pick it up. She’d just pinned it to her cloak when something over the wall caught her attention. She was sure she saw something out on the water. She walked closer to the wall, stretching her neck to see what it was. Then she realized it was a black sail fluttering in the breeze atop a tall pole. She rushed down the walkway to get a better look, seeing in the distance a ship half-hidden behind the cliffs in a cove. “Pirates,” she whispered. Her hand went to her chest and she could feel the rapid beating of her heart. She had to get back to the keep and tell the men.
A big gust of wind almost blew her over. She reached down to the grab on to the wall for support. Her fingers closed over something hard and cold. Looking down, she gasped when she saw a grappling hook attached to the wall of the battlements.
“Oh!” she cried, jumping backward just as the head of a man emerged from over the side of the castle wall facing the sea. She froze, too frightened to move. Bright red hair and two strong arms came up from the side of the castle next. The man wore a green plaid. He was a Scot!
He looked up at her, the hilt of his dagger clenched between his teeth. Then her eyes met his bright blue eyes and there was no mistaking his face.
“Reed?” she said softly, watching as the man flipped his body over the edge and onto the battlements. He ripped the dagger from his mouth and held it out in front of him.
“Dinna call for help or I’ll cut out yer tongue,” he warned her.
“Reed, what’s the matter with you?” she asked. “It’s me – Maggie.”
He eyed her curiously and stepped forward. “Maggie? Is that ye, lass?”
“It is me,” she said with a slight nod. She was still too frightened to move.
“It doesna sound like the Maggie Gordon I kent while growin’ up. She was Scottish. Ye are a Sassenach.”
“It’s me. Please believe me. Don’t hurt me, Reed.”
He reached out and pulled the hood from her head. When he saw her face, he lowered his blade. “It is ye. Why in the clootie’s name are ye dressed like that? And why are ye talkin’ like a Sassenach? Quit pretendin’ to be someone ye’re no’.”
“Me?” That bothered her and gave her the courage to stand up to him. “I wouldn’t talk if I were you. You dress and talk like a Highlander, and you’re naught but the bastard of the English king.”
His bushy brows raised in surprise. “So ye’ve heard.”
“Who hasn’t? Now tell me, why are you here? And why are you climbing the wall?”
He looked over his shoulder, then backed up and glanced down the side of the wall. He looked back to her, clenching his teeth and shaking his head. “Ye shouldna be here. Ye need to get inside the keep where ye’ll be safe.”
“Safe? I’m inside the castle walls. That should be safe enough. Why are you scaling the wall like a bandit?”
“Because I am a bandit, or have ye forgotten?”
“You’re here to raid your brothers, aren’t you?”
“Brathairs? As in more than one?” He looked at her curiously. “What do ye mean? I’m here to raid Rowen only.”
“Well, Rook is also here as well as my betrothed. You chose the wrong time for an attack.”
“Damn!” he spat, looking back over the edge of the wall. He waved his arm and shook his head.
“Who are you signaling to?” She boldly walked over to the wall and looked to the rocks below. There at the base of the castle were at least a good two dozen Scots and another dozen men that looked like pirates. She screamed out when she saw them, alerting the guards at the guardhouse at the other end of the battlements. They looked up and drew their swords. Several of them ran toward them and she heard one of them call out to raise the drawbridge.
“Now ye did it,” he spat. “Why couldna ye keep yer mouth shut until I made sure the coast was clear?”
“Why didn’t you just storm the front gate like a regular raider?” she asked in retaliation.
“Because I was scopin’ out the situation first, that’s why.” He shoved his dagger into his weapon belt and unsheathed his sword.
“You’re going to fight?” He must have hit his head and became addled on the way up. “Just go back over the wall the way you came.”
“I canna. The guards would cut the rope as soon as I started down. Now the only way out is through the front gate.”
“Good luck with that,” she said, moving aside as the guards approached.
“I dinna need luck. I just need ye.”
“What do you mean?”
Before she knew what happened, he’d pulled her into his arms and held the blade to her throat. “Reed? What are ye doin’?” she asked, slipping back into her Scottish burr.
“Just dinna fight me and we’ll both be able to escape unharmed.”
“I dinna want to leave. I’m gettin’ married to a baron.”
“Nay, ye’re no’. I willna let ye.”
“Let her go,” shouted one of the guards, and they stopped suddenly.
“Step aside,” he warned the English guards. “If ye dinna do what I say, I swear I’ll kill her.”
“Do it,” she told the guards. “He’s the Demon Thief. He’ll kill us all.” She figured she needed to help Reed or the English were going to kill him right in front of her. She would not watch another person she cared for die.
“Don’t hurt her,” said one of the guards, stepping to the side. The other followed suit.
“Throw yer weapons over the wall,” said Reed. When they hesitated, he brought his blade closer to her throat, and she whimpered for effect. She didn’t think Reed would hurt her. Or at least she hoped not.
“All right, don’t hurt her. We’ll do it.” The guards threw their weapons over the side wall.
Maggie heard the sound of more men shouting and swords clashing in the courtyard below. The chains and wheel of the drawbridge creaked and then she saw several of the pirates atop the battlements. One of them stabbed the guard working the pulley. The guard released the pulley and dropped dead to the ground. The drawbridge fell back open.
“Nay! What are ye doin’ ye fools? I didna give the signal. Out of here, all of ye.” Reed rushed over the battlements, dragging Maggie along with him. He bolted down the stairs where his brothers and the baron were rushing out into the courtyard with more guards. They had their swords drawn.
“It’s Reed!” Maggie heard Rook call out.
“Damn it, he’s got Muck and Lucky and my crew with him,” came Rowen’s shout next.
“Call off yer men,” shouted Reed, pulling Maggie with him toward a stray horse.
“What the hell are you doing, Reed?” shouted Rook, fighting with one of the pirates.
“Call off your men, Reed,” shouted Rowen, his sword clashing with one of the Scots. “You can’t win, and you know it. We don’t need any more deaths.”
“Retreat!” Reed shouted to his men. The Scots listened, but when the pirates headed toward the gate, Muck called out to stop them.
“Nay! Stay!” shouted Muck. “We’re not leaving without some booty.”
“I’ve got the girl or didna ye notice?” called out Reed.
“That’s Maggie, you fool,” said Rowen.
“He won’t hurt her,” Rook said, taking down a man.
“Damn it,” said Reed, letting go of Maggie and hopping on a horse. “Retreat now or ye’ll pay with yer lives,” shouted Reed.
“We’re not goin’ without booty,” snapped Muck. “Load up that hay cart with whatever you can find.”
The fight continued. Maggie looked over to a hay wagon hitched to a horse. Some of the Scots and pirates were throwing things from the stable and the blacksmith’s shop into the cart. Then she saw something that horrified her. Her brother, Duff, stuck his head up from inside the wagon.
She wanted to call out to him, but if she alerted the pirates he was there, she was afraid he’d be killed. Instead, she motioned for him to get down and hide in the hay.
“Raise the drawbridge,” Rowen called out.
“Get out of here.” Muck jumped atop the cart and Lucky drove it out of the gate as the fighting continued around them.
“This isna the end of this, brathairs,” Reed said from atop his horse. “Ye’ll both pay for betrayin’ me.”
He turned his horse and Maggie ran to him, grabbing onto his plaid. She couldn’t stay here while they abducted Duff. She had to protect him. “Take me with you,” she said, looking up into Reed’s blue eyes.
“Ye dinna mean that, lassie.”
“I do.”
That’s all she had to say. Reed reached down and scooped her up with one strong arm, pulling her up in front of him and headed toward the drawbridge.
“Hold off,” she heard Rowen shout from behind them.
“They’ve got my betrothed,” screamed Lord Norbert.
“Retreat,” Rowen called out once more. Then, the raiders left the castle, taking both Duff and Maggie with them.