Blood of the Clans

The first birlinns were loaded with men and supplies, plus several horses, then finally, Lady Anne and Lady Heather MacDonnell boarded the last one. Grayson helped the women aboard by genuflecting on one knee and allowing them to use his leg as a step, while Glenn helped his aunt and cousin up and into the boat. Once aboard, Grayson gave the order to sail and waved to them, as they wound along the loch towards open water, the mid-morning sun bright in the cloudless sky.

Grayson turned back and entered the keep, climbing the stairs to Arabella's chamber. Quietly entering, he watched as Arabella dabbed a cool cloth over Garreth's forehead. His colour had started to return, but a fever had accompanied it. His moans gave hope he was pulling through, but the fever added to their worries it would kill him, if the loss of blood didn't.

Grayson bent down and looked closely at his life-long friend, his heart struggling with the thought of losing him. He gently placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, a hint of tears coming to his eyes, as he silently wished his friend well. Grayson turned to his sister, and looked at her, his hopes that she would help him and make him well again. She took his hand and held it tightly, looking back into his eyes with the same hopes.

"I'll do everything I can, Grayson, but it's God's hand that'll bring him out of this. Go, take Lady Anne and Heather back tae Donan. See tae their needs and make sure they're safe. I'll stay wi' Garreth and send word of any change. Grayson, be strong, dear brother, as much as there is a calm, a storm awaits us on the horizon."

"Aye Bella, that there is. We're preparing everyone the now and ha'e most trained and armed. When they MacRae's come, we'll be ready. I'll go now and take care of Lady Anne and see tae their protection, as well."

"Grayson." Arabella looked at him, with more of a smile crossing her face. "I hope things come about fer ye and Heather. Ye make a good match, so ye do."

A blush came to Grayson's cheeks, adding to his red aura, as he acknowledged to Arabella that he held strong feelings for her. He smiled wanly and turned to look at Garreth once more, then walked from the room and headed out of the castle. In all the chaos and strife, he found a smile for himself, as he walked to his birlinn. He couldn't help but remember his own words, not too long ago. 'E'en in war, ye never know when love will just come up and slap ye in the face'.

He helped to push the boat out and into the deeper water, before climbing aboard and standing at the prow. The sail was raised and the oars set to, as they made their way out of the loch and on for Donan. Grayson's heart was torn with emotion, all from opposite ends, but all were as powerful in wanting his attention as the other. The bright sunshine had no effect on illuminating the answers he sought, as the voyage brought him closer to one feeling, away from another and one that nagged at him constantly.

The sight of Eilean Donan at the head of the loch, had Grayson feeling anxious at being with Heather again. It stunned him how easily the feelings of love out-weighed the feelings for everything else. As much as he was worried for Garreth, he was eased knowing Arabella was with him at all times. As much as a God-less heathen like James MacRae was, ready to wage war against him and the other clans, he was helpless to stop his heart from wanting to enjoy being with her. All at once, he understood how Garreth was smitten with Therese and did what he did. How the power of love can rule the heart, if given a chance, and make a man defend those feelings.

Grayson's boat was brought into the rocky shore and quickly tied up by several men. He jumped down and greeted the men, as he made his way to the castle, looking at all the preparations being made and life returning to the castle slowly. He walked along the stone, arched bridge, thinking of how to defend it against the MacRae's doing what they had done to take back Donan. The arches made good cover to approach the castle during low tide and it could spell disaster for them. As he stood looking down at the boggy ground, it served him, that he could have men stationed there when the attack began, but how to retreat if they were over-run. He looked back at the wooded area, across from the start of the bridge and a plan of defence started to formulate in his mind.

Heather had seen his birlinn dock and was waiting for him to come into the castle. When he hadn't come into the keep after a short time, she wondered where he was. Seeing him standing on the bridge, she decided to go to him and see why he wasn't coming in. She remembered what happened the last time she came up on him and called out as she approached.

"Laird Grayson, why do ye no come intae the castle? Is there something that troubles ye?" Grayson turned at the sound of Heather's voice and felt the flutters in his stomach go. He smiled happily, seeing her walking up to him.

"Lady Heather, there is something I was thinking of, aboot this bridge. See these arches? This is where Garreth and I attacked from. I was just trying tae come up wi' a plan of making sure the MacRae's don'ne ha'e the same chance at us. I want tae find a way of keeping them off it, or getting under it." Grayson related his thoughts and could see Heather understood. "Did yer father e'er talk aboot doing anything, if ye were attacked, like that?"

Grayson's question had Heather thinking of anything her father might have said, that she had overheard.

"I remember he was talking tae my mother once about doing something, but my mother thought it was tae barbaric tae do, so he did'ne try it." Grayson heard the words too barbaric and knew it had to be something that would kill many at a time.

"What was it he was planning on doing, Lady Heather?" Heather could see the intense interest in the plan and told him.

"My father wanted tae pour oil along the bridge and wait till they were all on it, then set it afire wi' flaming arras. Same as under these arches. My mother thought it was a horrid way tae do battle, but I think she would change her mind, if she was told of it noo."

Grayson heard the plan and could see how effective a weapon it would be. He pondered it, as he looked over the edge and thought of the defence it would give them. He had no qualms in his heart, about doing it to such murderous men, like the MacRae's. He turned away and allowed Lady Heather to take his arm, as he led her back into the castle. He found the plan fading from importance with every step he took with her, enjoying her closeness and her scent becoming more of interest.

They came back into the castle grounds, now active as a beehive, with men moving everywhere preparing the castle for attack. He took stock of all that was happening, before he led Heather into the keep and the great hall. Lady Anne was sitting by the fire, holding her husband's sword in her lap. The metal gleamed brightly, where the dried blood of her husband hadn't coated it. Grayson knew that sword was all that was left of the great man, who once held the seat of this castle.

Heather saw what her mother was looking at and broke away from Grayson. She joined her mother, kneeling at her side and accepting a comforting hug from her.

"It's all that's left of him. Nothing else." was all she said and both women cried out.

Grayson stood in silence, watching the two women grieve, a stabbing ache coming to his own heart, as he shared in their sorrows. He turned quietly and left them alone and returned to the courtyard, resuming his duties as Commander. He spotted Glenn MacDonnell by the gate with a couple of men, making stronger fortifications to it.

"Glenn, tae me." he called out to him. Glenn ran over, upon his request. "Is there any sign of yer people anywhere? Something we can hold a rite fer and pay oor respects." The words were an instant sadness to his eyes and his head bowed in silent remorse. He said nothing and just shook his head in answer. Grayson laid a hand on his shoulder and shook him slightly.

"Listen tae me, Glenn. Fer the indignities they showed yer people, they'll get the same, mark my words. I told ye we'd ha'e oor revenge on them fer this and we shall. I was talking tae Lady Heather and she mentioned something her father wanted tae do during an attack. I want ye tae pay close attention and make ready the necessary means tae carry it oot."

Grayson explained the plan to use whale oil on the bridge and soak the grounds at low tide with it. The more Grayson explained it to him, the quicker his remorse faded and a determined look of vengeance was taking hold. Grayson left him to make preparations to dispense oil on the grounds and prepare barrels for soaking the bridge.

He climbed up the steep, stone steps to the battlements and walked along the wall, looking at everything done so far. He stopped at a spot that gave him a particularly good view of the land approach and studied it more. He remembered his approach earlier and that of the MacRae's later. They would be prepared for an ambush from the trees, like they did last time, thus eliminating that as an option.

He tried to imagine himself as James MacRae, coming up to Loch Duich from the Kintail Ridge. How would he get his men along the loch and to the castle, without being attacked. The only thing he was seeing, was going through the forest, farther away from the castle and approaching it from the far end. It might be a longer march, but one that carried protection and stealth to reach the castle unseen. He climbed back down and headed towards Glenn again, busy getting oil barrels set up by the gate.

"Glenn, get yer horse and come wi' me. I want tae go through they woods and see how MacRae could approach if he came that way. I don'ne think they'll just march up like the last time. So what else can they do then, tae get men tae the castle wi'oot being seen?"

Glenn heard Grayson's concerns and turned to look at the woods and the coastline. How would MacRae march his men here? Both sides of the castle's coastline were too open to approach from and they could never land their birlinns safely and get out, without massive casualties. He understood Grayson's concerns, as they headed for their horses.

Riding out of the castle, they turned north and headed along the coast, looking for places the MacRae's could land and move inland without being seen. By the end of Loch Duich, nothing looked viable to move a large force in stealth, so they headed east along the shore of Loch Long. They hadn't gone far, before they came across the cottage of Jacob Dornie. Dismounting, they went to go inside, but the stench of rotting fish and other foods drove them away. Flies swarmed in teems around the inside, the abandoned dwelling providing a safe haven for them to reproduce freely.

"It pains me tae know that man ga'e his life like that, and this is all that's left of him." Grayson said, looking at the squalor that remained.

"My aunt has said she is going tae do something in his honour. She owes her life tae him and his bravery. Whate'er it is, he deserves the best that can be done. At least he was gi'en a warrior's burial in his honour. I'd like tae ha'e gi'en my uncle a proper burial like that."

Glenn's words gave solace to Grayson, knowing Jacob would be honoured properly and also had him feeling something in honour of Hamish MacDonnell must be done, not to just pay homage to the man, but give a comfort to the hearts of those who were still grieving. They re-mounted and continued along the coast, the treeline remaining too dense for an insurgence of troops. Feeling a ride through the woods would settle his thoughts a thousand men couldn't attack from there, he decided to see what it might provide in a way of men coming through to attack in ambush.

They made there way slowly through the woods, getting a feel for how the MacRae's would have to travel through it, to reach the castle. They had only gone a few hundred yards, when the horses started to get skittish of something. Grayson and Glenn halted their progress and searched about for the cause of the horse's nervousness. A dozen feet to the left of where they were, a loud buzzing of swarming flies got their attention and Glenn dismounted to see what it was. While Grayson held the horse's reins, Glenn walked through the underbrush towards the sound. Grayson saw Glenn stop and move a bush aside and stop dead. Before he could ask Glenn what it was, Glenn let out a guttural cry of horror.

"Glenn, what it is?" his concern flaring at what Glenn was looking at.

Without an answer, Glenn sank to his knees and began to sob heavily. Grayson dismounted and rushed to his side, only to see the corpse of Kyle MacDonnell, starting to rot, his face and body covered in a writhing sea of maggots, an arrow still lodged in his chest. Grayson picked his cousin up and led him away from the sight. His heart sank in despair, knowing what this must be doing to Glenn, to see his cousin like that. He made Glenn re-mount and led him back to Donan and away from the horror they had witnessed. Entering the castle, Iain MacDonnell saw them and the state Glenn was in. He came to them quickly, his concern for his older brother growing with each step.

"What is it, Laird Grayson?" he asked, as Grayson helped Glenn dismount.

"Let me tend tae Glenn first." Grayson's face showing the dire state of what he knew.

Grayson and Iain both assisted Glenn into the castle, still sobbing uncontrollably. Iain went and poured a large dose of whisky in a mug and sat it before Glenn. His head was buried in his arms on the table, and both knew he had reached the limit of what a man could stand to see, his family decimated and defiled in death.

Grayson called Robert over, as he saw him passing by. He quietly asked him to stay with Glenn and then he and Iain left the room to talk.

"What is it M'Laird? What's got Glenn in his state?" Iain's need for an answer, one he needed to know.

"Iain, it's no a sight he should ha'e seen. We came across Kyle's body in the woods. It's co'ered in bloody maggots and the stench was enough tae sicken ye. I'll need a few men and a means of carrying him back. We'll need tae clean him up as best we can, before Glenn or anyone else sees him again. He's no fit the way he is."

Iain looked at Grayson with a look of dread, the thought of seeing one of his relatives in that state, but turned and found several men, who went in search of what they could use. Grayson stood looking in the direction of Kyle's body, then turned to look at the keep where Lady Anne was still recovering from her losses. The horrid state that her son was in, would devastate her and he knew it in his heart. He thought of Heather and how she would feel, seeing her only brother that way. He knew he had to bring him home, but never let them lay eyes on him again.

Iain returned with two men and several robes, a ladder and a reluctance to go in each of their eyes. Grayson understood their reluctance to carry out his orders, but it was a task that had to be done, no matter what the personal cost to their souls might be. "We'll need some water, tae wash away the maggots. Ye two go back and fetch a few buckets and bring them tae that area o'er there." Grayson told the two men, pointing in the direction where Kyle lay.

The men ran back, while Grayson and Iain piled everything onto the ladder and walked into the woods. Once they made it to Kyle, Iain smelled the stinging, stench of death, long before he laid eyes on him. Grayson felt the other end of the ladder drop and turned to see Iain vomiting into the bushes. He himself felt queasy enough, but steeled himself to carry out the task, to let Kyle have a proper tribute to his life.

Grayson heard the two men approaching and had them stop short of seeing Kyle. The apprehension eased on their faces seeing Iain vomiting, knowing they would be spared the gruesome sight. Grayson picked up two of the four buckets of water and brought them to Kyle's body. The writhing mass obliterated any sign of flesh, their mass constantly increasing. He threw the first bucket of water on him, seeing a large majority of them being washed away. He threw the second on him and it cleared away enough maggots, that he could see the remains of Kyle's face, no longer recognizable from the deterioration.

Grayson's eyes went wide in shock and was no longer able to stop himself from throwing up. Iain and the other two men stood in quiet terror, afraid to know what Grayson had seen. Grayson wiped his mouth clear of his vomit and steeled himself once more to finish what had to be done. He picked up the third bucket and slowly poured it, letting more and more of the maggots wash off the body. The water increased the smell of putrefaction and Grayson pulled his tunic up over his nose, in hopes to stave off the smell.

He poured the last bucket over him and was satisfied, enough of the maggots were off of him, before he pulled the arrow from his chest and tossed it into the woods. He grabbed a branch and broke it off, using the leaves as a make-shift broom, sweeping the writhing horde away. He waved for the men to bring the ladder and robes over to him, and seeing their hesitancy, he gave them a look of rage-filled command to obey, as he pointed at them to come to him. They picked up the ladder and came around the bushes, at once seeing the sight and horror swept across their faces.

"Drop the ladder and go back. Iain, tae me." Grayson told them, knowing they were useless to command.

Quickly they dropped it and ran back to their original spot. Iain slowly made his way over, knowing something of an extremely horrid nature awaited him. Edging his head around the bush, he caught his first glimpse of his cousin, at first not seeing what the horror was, until he saw that Kyle's face was completely eaten away. He went to turn and run, but Grayson shouted loudly enough to stop him.

"Stop! Don't lose it, Iain. Get a hold of yerself and help me, I can'ne do this by myself." Grayson tried to use strength, as well pleading, in his voice for Kyle, to persuade him to commit to moving again. Iain moved slowly, his eyes staying away from the sight and trained on Grayson's, as he came closer.

"That's it, Iain, just look at me and I'll help ye do it." Grayson urged him forward to him and took a hold of his shoulders.

"Ye don't need tae look at him Iain, I'll guide yer hands. Close them and just do as I say."

Grayson could see Iain was close to breaking down in tears, but was holding himself together to show his strength and overcome his fear.

"Close yer eyes Iain, I'll tell ye what tae do."

Grayson's words seemed to make the difference and Iain allowed himself to be positioned in front of the corpse, as he kept his eyes squeezed, as tightly as he could. Grayson looked at the two and told them to fetch two long branches to use. They ran off quickly, scouring the ground, just happy to be doing anything other than be near death in that state. Soon they were back with branches stout and long enough and cleared the shafts of any small branching.

Grayson came to them and took the poles, sparing them once again. He slid one pole under Kyle's body and then the other. He lifted them slowly, turning Kyle to his side. Once he felt he was over enough, he put the poles in Iain's hands. Iain held them perfectly still, as Grayson pulled the ladder over and quickly spread a robe over it. He took the poles from Iain and lowered Kyle onto the ladder. Sliding the poles out slowly, he tossed them aside and threw the next couple of robes over him to cover him completely.

"Alright, he's co'ered. Ye can open yer eyes Iain and ye two, come here." he told the two men.

They came slowly and stood looking at the covered body, the smell still over-whelming their senses.