Page 23 of Highlander’s Ancient Vengeance

200 years

It was then that she heard the furious thudding of hoofbeats coming towards her, and felt the ground shaking with their impact. Then a bloodcurdling scream was let loose and she knew at once who it was.

Craig had been on his way to the church to give Father John another letter when he heard the scream. He did not think twice, but turned towards the direction of the sound; he would have known Malle’s voice anywhere. He was just in time. Standing over his love was Alan Bruce with a huge broadsword in his hand, ready to strike.

Craig reined his horse in, afraid that if he proceeded any further, Alan would kill Malle.

In a flash, Craig measured his options. He could ride forward and strike his enemy’s head off, but Malle was very close to Alan’s feet, and he might kill her. He could try to make peace with him, but judging by the madness in Bruce’s eyes, that was going to be a waste of time. Then again, he could take him on in single combat. Craig was bigger and heavier than most men, and he thought that his chances of winning a duel were a great deal better than Alan’s.

Slowly, he got off his horse, not wanting to make any sudden moves that would startle or antagonize his enemy.

The man gave him an evil smile, but Craig advanced towards him. “No one will hear you scream here and no one can save you. And if you kill her then I will kill you. Make no mistake, Alan Bruce, if you murder this woman the rest of your life will be measured in moments. That I promise you.”

Suddenly Alan leaped at Craig, his sword swinging through the air in a wide arc. Craig blocked it then twisted the blade of Alan’s sword away from him so that he had room to aim for his chest, but Alan turned his body sideways so that Craig’s thrust went wide. Alan lunged forward again but was forced back by a heavy blow from Craig’s weapon on his own. They went on this way for ten times, each one lunging forward and being forced back again and again before Craig’s sheer strength prevailed. He took one long step forward and swiped sideways at Craig’s neck, and in trying to avoid it Alan stumbled backward and hit a tree trunk with his head.

Craig strode over to where he lay slumped against the tree, then he raised his sword to strike, but he stopped short when Malle screamed and tugged at his sword arm.

“No! No, Craig!” she cried. “We are not going to kill him. That would bring us down to his level, and we need to know if he can tell us what started this feud. Be at ease, lovie.”

“I do not know how you can be so calm, Malle,” Craig said, shaking his head in disbelief. He had not taken his eyes off Alan, and now he leaned forward and disarmed him, throwing his sword away carelessly.

“You are fortunate that this lady is merciful,” Craig said grimly, holding the point of his sword against Alan’s throat. “Or you would be lying with your head several feet away from your body by now. She is the only person who could have stopped me from killing you, for by God I could not have stopped myself!”

He leaned over Alan and hauled him up by the front of his shirt, his dark gray eyes now almost black with rage.

“Now you are going to give me answers or I will torture them out of you!” he growled.

“Please Craig,” Malle begged. “Do not speak like that.”

“He tried to kill you, Malle, and an attack on you is an attack on me. We are one now.” He took a step forward so that he was almost nose to nose with Alan. He was holding up his sword so that its thick blade was exactly the same distance from both of their faces, then he forced Alan to sit down again.

Alan sat, with an expression of impotent fury on his face, but when his gaze flicked over to Malle for a second, it was replaced by one of utter malevolence.

Malle did not flinch. She never did, and he was the one to drop his gaze first. When he looked up a few moments later, she was still staring at him.

Alan Bruce had never felt so thoroughly intimidated, even by Craig.

“So tell me why Fergus was murdered?” Craig demanded. “And do not insult my intelligence by telling me he had nothing to do with it. I know you. I have known you for years. You are a hard worker but you have a cruel streak. I did not realize quite how cruel, though.”

“He has a wee bit land on tap o’ the Bruins Beck Hill,” Alan replied grudgingly, “an’ half a dozen good Heilan’ coos an’ a bull. I made him a good offer for them but he widnae sell.”

“So you killed him?” Craig’s voice was incredulous. “For a parcel of land and a few cows?”

Alan shrugged, as if to say what else was I supposed to do?

Craig shocked Malle by coming out with a curse word that she had never heard anyone use before, and hoped never to hear again. Craig stepped forward and slapped Alan on the face with the front and back of his right hand. He wore a heavy ring on his middle finger which slashed Alan’s cheek and made him yelp in pain.

Craig stood back, breathing heavily as he glared down at the person he had once called a friend but who had now revealed himself as a vengeful, vicious monster.

Alan sat wide-eyed looking up at him, quaking inside. He knew that Craig occasionally went into a rage, especially when there was injustice, but it had never been directed at him before.

“Now that I accept that you are a cold-blooded murderer,” Craig said disgustedly, “nothing else is going to surprise me. Angus Morrison?”

“Angus bought a horse fae Fergus at the horse fair in Aberdour,” he replied. “They became pals. They had tae go into town tae meet each other tae have a dram, an’ that’s where I made Fergus the offer, an’ where he turned me doon. Angus wis there an’ a’ an’ he heard the arguing. When Fergus wis found dead he came tae me an’ asked me if I had anythin’ tae dae wi’ it. I said naw. I’d hae been stupid tae tell him I had, so I had tae kill him in case he told anybody. I threatened his wife an’ weans tae keep quiet an’ a’.”

“You sound so proud of yourself!” Malle said disgustedly.

Alan swung his gaze around to her again, stared at her for a moment, then looked away. “I didnae enjoy it, Mistress, but I had tae dae it.”