Page 102 of Defy the Highlander

Titus huffed at him, grabbing his rudis and shield, preparing to take the field. He and Brody were just starting to move forward when Axel and Clegg appeared on the arena floor, followed by some of the other doctores that trained other groups of warriors.

Luther was there, followed by trainers Milo Linton and Wendell Stanhope. Both Milo and Wendell were fixtures at the Ludus Caledonia, training the more advanced warriors. When Brody and Titus saw the group turning out, they came to a halt.

“This is an event,” Clegg said, grinning at Brody and Titus, and Cam and Galan. He waved the men closer to him. “I saw this coming about from my viewing box above and I highly encourage this type of combat, but remember that the men you are training are watching you. If you fail miserably, you will lose their respect. Do you understand that?”

All four men nodded and Clegg continued. “Therefore, no dirty fighting,” he said. “Titus, I am speaking to you. Once a man has fallen, he is out of the fight. This will go to the last man standing, so make it good and try not to dismember each other. Remember our motto – in men, there is honor. Be honorable. And there is something more to consider.”

As Clegg delved into how this should be a lesson to the other men on technique in battle, Lilia and Isadora were watching from high in the lists. They spent most of their mornings together these days, cleaning, washing, talking, and sewing while Isadora chased around her toddler son, Niko.

Lilia didn’t do much chasing, but she did watch everything Isadora did, for in three months she would have her own son to consider. Rosy and round with pregnancy, she felt marvelous most of the time and even Brody had a hard time keeping up with her energy. But it was a wonderful time in their lives and they’d spent the past three months happy and content at the Ludus Caledonia.

It really was like a family, with Cam and Isadora and Niko, and everyone else who had made such an impact on their lives. It was an exceptionally close group. Even now, Lilia and Isadora sat together with Niko between them, watching with interest on the happenings in the arena.

“So they’re truly going tae fight one another?” Lilia asked.

Isadora nodded, holding on to Niko as he tried to climb down to the next row of seats. “Aye,” she said. “’Tis good practice for them and their men get to see examples of how tae fight in the arena.”

Lilia leaned back, rubbing her gently swollen belly. “Have ye seen them fight each other before?”

“A few times. They dunna do it too often. I think they’re doing it this time because Titus challenged Brody.”

Lilia grinned. “Brody loves Titus, but sometimes he wants tae pluck The Eagle’s feathers. That’s what he’s told me.”

Isadora started to laugh. “Titus need it,” she said. “He hasna been at The Cal long, but long enough take make himself an important and annoying figure around here. And he knows it.”

Lilia thought back to the days when she first saw The Eagle. “I remember when he first came,” she said. “He’s quite handsome. I know that Lady Currie thought so, but her focus was on Brody. A time I’d rather forget. At least, some aspects of it.”

Isadora glanced at her as she wrestled with her son. “Cam says Lady Currie hasna returned since she purchased Brody last year. Have ye seen her since?”

Lilia shook her head. “Nay,” she said. “But Laird Currie has been here a few times. I’ve seen him, and he and Brody have become close. Brody said that Clegg is glad to see his old friend out and about again.”

“But what happened tae Lady Currie?”

Lilia’s gaze was on her husband in the distance. “Laird Currie sent her back tae her father, or so Brody tells me,” she said. “He said that she lives in a wine barrel and is drunk from morning tae night, so Laird Currie sent her back tae her father with only what she came with when she married him. He’s cut her off from his money completely. Brody says her father is a tyrant and has locked her in the vault, but who knows if that is really true. She’s gone and that’s all that matters.”

“I’m sure it’s a relief tae ye.”

“More than ye know, lass.”

Down below, the fight abruptly commenced, cleaving any further conversation. Cam and Galan were caught off guard by a ferocious attack from Brody and Titus, and Lilia ended up on her feet, cheering loudly for her husband as he went after Cam with a vengeance.

Beside her, Isadora was also on her feet, holding Niko on her hip and explaining to the lad that his father was fighting a terrible man. Lilia heard the comment, laughing softly, but it didn’t dampen her excitement for the fight.

Brody was quite a warrior.

But so were Cam, Galan, and Titus. Cam regained his equilibrium and countered Brody’s powerful tactics, and the fight continued all over the arena floor. The rudis pounded on the wooden shields, one after the other, the sounds of heavy blows reverberating off of the stone lists.

Even the novicius were getting into the mood and they, too, began to cheer their doctores. At one point, however, Titus got too close to Galan and managed to get his feet up, kicking Galan in the head.

Down he went.

Unfortunately for Titus, that caused both Cam and Brody to turn on him and he soon found himself fending off two powerful warriors. Titus was an excellent fighter, and a professional one, but Brody moved in behind him and Cam attacked from the front, and it was Brody who ended up tripping him.

Titus went down to the roar of the crowd.

Even Cam cheered, standing over Titus and telling him just what he thought of his brutal tactics, but it gave Brody the ability to approach Cam from behind because he was distracted with Titus.

Down Cam went.