Castle Gleairie

Castle Gleairie

Chapter One-The Sound of Fear

March 19, 1471 Castle Gleairie, Scotland
         
                Alexia Fraser woke to the sound of clashing steel and shouting.  For a moment her mind was fuzzy and she didn’t understand the meaning of the sounds, but her maid’s frantic yells cleared her mind enough to realize that the castle was under attack.  She sat up in bed and shook her head to clear it, then ran to her wardrobe and pulled on a long robe and sturdy boots. 

         “Madge!  Madge, come on!  We must hurry if we’re to hide before the men find us!”

         The little maid crossed herself and took a deep breath.  “Alright, milady, let’s go.  Out the little room into the back stair will be safest.  With luck they haven’t discovered the little door yet.”  With that sound advice, she grabbed Lexi’s hand and they ran to the stairs.  The whole time Madge prayed that the English devils wouldn’t find poor Lexi.  The things men did to women in war were only whispered about to older matrons, and Lexi was only fifteen years old!  Barely old enough to marry, let alone what those heinous devils might do to her.  Their only hope was to hide in the scullery until the attack was over and their men would know where to look for them.  Every last man in Castle Gleairie, except its owner, would lay down his life to protect precious Lexi.  After the death of her mother when she was only ten, the men felt it was their duty to look after the sweet little child until she married.  They knew how hard their job would be when she began to change into a woman.  The girl was small and slender, but had round hips and budding breasts that were high and round enough to catch any man’s attention.  And that waterfall of flaming red hair . . . Unfortunately, her stepfather had been eyeing her a little too often of late for the men’s taste.  They knew he would never try anything with her, but they feared he would sell her into an unfavorable marriage just for the bride price she would fetch.

         Lexi, of course, knew none of this.  The entire castle was dedicated to keeping the awful truth from her and she was much more naïve than most young ladies.  All she knew at the moment was that the English were attacking and that they may harm her kinsmen.  She automatically assumed that all men acted like gentlemen in the presence of ladies and it never occurred to her that she might get hurt; she feared only for her kinsmen.  She was shaking with fear as Madge peered cautiously into the scullery.  It seemed deserted, so she pulled Lexi in after her and made her way to a cabinet in the corner.  It was made for such a purpose as hiding and so was deceptively large.  Madge and Lexi fit into the space and sat huddled, holding each other on the floor of the cabinet.  Madge suggested that they pray for deliverance, so they recited the prayers together quietly.  Madge had been a maid for Lexi since she was born, and loved her like a daughter.  She prayed silently to the lord to keep the girl safe from the English devils.

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Chapter Two-A Plan

         Lord Gavin Richmond stood in his tent fuming.  The plan had been only to scope out the castle and see what kind of protection they had.  Now the men were involved in full-scale battle.  Gavin didn’t know what the King would say about this, but he knew it wouldn’t be good.  The King tried to do everything diplomatically and he deplored violence as it tended to turn the people against him.  Instead, he negotiated, and not always very fairly.  Suddenly his head snapped up.

         “You, Jeff!  Come here!”  Jeff came running to the lord with barely concealed pleasure.  “Yes milord?” he said.

         “What are you so damnably happy about at this ungodly time?” Gavin demanded menacingly. 

         “Well, milord, Hastings just remembered that Edward of Gleairie has a young daughter.  He said that he knows where they may hide such a valuable person in the event of an attack.  We’re gathering a small force and we’re prepared to go in if you give the order.”  Gavin thought it over for a minute and realized that it was the answer to all of his problems.  The King would be able to use the girl as a hostage to order a truce, or even the surrender of Gleairie.  He smiled grimly and gave the order, hoping it would be the right thing to do.

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Chapter Three-A Lady is Taken

         Madge gripped Lexi’s hand until it hurt when the sound of English voices came into the scullery.  They scrunched tighter into the cabinet and held their breath, hoping the men would just leave without searching.  Then they heard one man say, “They always hide the ladies in little cabinets in rooms that men don’t use for fighting.  I’m willing to bet they’re here, hiding.  Open every cabinet.  Jeff, block the doors.  They may try to run.”

         Madge smoothed Lexi’s hair and murmured, “If they get us, be brave.  They won’t hurt you if they know what’s good for them.  But for God’s sake, child, do what they tell you!  Don’t defy them, I beg you!”  Lexi tended to be a bit more headstrong than most young ladies of breeding, but she was so charming that none of her many surrogate parents at the castle would discipline her for it.  Then, the cabinet opened and Lexi and Madge were dragged out by their feet and dumped on the floor.    Madge screamed, “Be brave!  Tell them nothing!” and one man grabbed her and stuffed a towel in her mouth. 

         “I am a soldier of the King and this is Jeff and Hastings.  We come on business of the King.  What is your name?”

         Lexi stood up and lifted her head proudly.  “I have no need to tell you anything.  You are not acting like a gentleman and therefore I will not cooperate.”

         “You may be right.  I am not a gentleman, I am a soldier.  As such, I will use any means necessary to secure the information I need.  Are you or are you not the daughter of Edward of Gleairie?”  Gavin asked coldly and briskly.  When Lexi refused to answer he gave a signal and a knife appeared at Madge’s throat.  At this, Lexi panicked and began to speak.

         “You barbarian!  Don’t hurt her!  Yes, I am Alexia, stepdaughter of Edward!  For God’s sake don’t hurt her!  Please!”  she cried.  The men relaxed a bit when they realized they had found the right girl and Gavin smiled. 

         “Tie them up and gag them both.  Leave the maid in the cabinet for her men to find.  By the time this is over we’ll be long gone.”

         And with that, they were on their way. 

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Chapter Four-Attraction

    The men stopped at Gavin’s signal by a small stream to get a bit of water and rest their horses.  He wished for a minute that Lexi wasn’t a hostage; he wouldn’t mind a little private entertainment with her, but the rules of war were explicit.  If she was harmed in any way the King would have his head and no wench was worth that.  He also knew that the other men did not share his scruples and would just as soon have some fun before handing her over to the King, so he would be the only one to handle her on the way.  He lifted her off the horse and removed the gag.

         “Milady, I do apologize that we had to act in so deplorable a manner.  It is not my intention to hurt you, but if you do not cooperate I will not hesitate to do whatever necessary to make you comply.  Do you understand?”  She said nothing, only continued to stare at the woods behind him.  He jerked her chin up and said harshly, “Answer me, girl!”

         “Of course I understand.  You are the devil and when my kinsmen find out what you have done they will find you and, um, well, they will do all manner of ugly things to you!”  She stared at him haughtily and tried to look like she had not a care in the world, but she was trembling and had tears in her eyes.  With a start, Gavin realized she wasn’t even properly dressed and was probably freezing.  He grabbed a thin blanket from his pack and wrapped it around her like a cape, securing it at her neck.  As he did, he got a good look at her.  He had at first assumed she was seventeen or eighteen, but on closer examination she appeared to be only fourteen or so. 

         “How old are you, girl?” he asked.  She looked puzzled for a minute, and then answered mechanically, “Fifteen years.  I will be sixteen in a fortnight.” 

         “And why was your mother not hiding with you?”

         “She has been dead for five years.  I was living under the protection of my stepfather.”

         “I see.  Well, rest assured you will be restored to him in due time.  Would you like a sip of water?”  He decided to be as impartial to her youthful vulnerability and womanly beauty as possible by treating her as he would a young girl.  She nodded and held out her hands to be untied.  He smiled and shook his head.  “No, milady, I will not untie you.  We are a small group and haven’t time to chase after you if you decide it would be bright to try to escape.  I promise we would find you in little time and it would make me very, very angry.  Do you know what happens if I get angry, little Alexia?”  he asked softly.  She looked up into his bearded face and paled a little.

         “It doesn’t matter what you do when you get angry.  I intend to wait for my kinsmen to rescue me which they will undoubtedly do very soon.  Now, I would like some water.”  Gavin noticed that she didn’t say please and he turned away to hide a smile.  She was acting like a spoiled little child and it was very cute.  He filled a small cup with water and held it for her to drink.  Then he wiped the water from her chin and pretended not to notice her blush that he would treat her so familiarly.  The men, he noticed, were making pointed signs at him about the way he should treat her.  He made a mental note to talk to them about the proper way to treat such a high born lady, even if she was their hostage. 

         “Alright, milady, time to go.  Let me help you remount,” he said, and grabbed her by the waist.  He lifted her easily onto his horse and mounted behind her, grabbing the reins quickly before she could get ahold of them.  He saw the mischievous gleam in her eye and knew she would try anything to annoy him and the men.  As they all set off at a gallop, he realized he would have a hard time letting this hostage go.

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Chapter Five-Feelings of an Unusual Nature

         They rode hard through the woods for several hours until the sun began to sink beyond the horizon.  Gavin called for a halt and they made a hasty camp off the road.  Gavin had to help Lexi dismount, since the poor girl was unable to move after such hard riding.  She wasn’t used to riding that much, and in her nightclothes of all things!  She thought about how improper it was and wanted to die of mortification.  More than that, though, she wanted to hit the man who was her captor.  The men were careful not to say his name in front of her, so she couldn’t tell her stepfather who they were and get her revenge.  Jeff and Hastings were nice enough, she decided, but they had to follow the orders of that barbarian.  She glowered at him as she sat by the fire, shivering.  Jeff went into the woods and returned in thirty minutes with a rabbit that was quickly prepared and cooked over the open fire.  She had to admit, it was kind of exciting!  The only damper on the evening was that she knew Madge would be worried sick about her. 

         Gavin sat beside her and tried to make conversation.  “So, Alexia, may I call you Lexi?  I think I will, it’s a very nice name and it suits you.  How long have you been living with Edward?”  Gavin asked politely.  His question was returned with a blank stare and he realized she was trying to ignore him.  He decided to find out a little more about her.  “I mean, he’s old and he isn’t very attractive.  Why did your mother feel she had to marry him?  No doubt he is a very kind, loving father to you.  What happened to your own father?  Or did you just crawl out of a rock one day?” 

         His baiting had the desired effect.  “My father loved us!  He was killed in a hunting accident when I was but six years old.  My mother had no resources, so she married Edward.  He has been kind to shelter me and feed me and clothe me these last five years.  Most men would turn another man’s child out to starve but he didn’t.  Obviously, you know nothing about decent people or you wouldn’t speak to me in this manner!”  He smiled insolently and she realized she had fallen into his trap.  “I don’t care to carry on a conversation with you.  I would like to sleep now.”  With that, she lay down with her back to him, facing the fire and closed her eyes.  Gavin watched her face relax as she fell into a deep sleep.  It was no wonder, he thought.  She had been up since dawn when the castle was attacked.  The fire’s reflection danced on her face and Gavin felt an emotion he didn’t normally feel with women.  He wanted to protect her.  He sternly told himself that she was too young to be courted by him, or any man.  He was almost twice her age, being a twenty seven-year-old soldier.  Besides, she was so innocent and naïve about life that she seemed younger than fifteen, almost sixteen years old.  He laid the thin blanket over her and went to sleep a few feet from the fire, where he would be near her if anything happened.

         Hastings was always the most thoughtful of the group, and while Gavin and Lexi slept he quickly cut up his own blanket to form a tunic for Lexi to wear over her nightclothes.  He had seen the look on Gavin’s face when Lexi fell asleep and he knew that he would have to be there for Gavin when he turned her over to the King the next day.  If nothing else, he had to keep Gavin from kidnapping her again and keeping her!

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Chapter Six-Damsel in Distress

         Lexi awoke the next morning with a stiff neck and a longing for a long, hot bath.  Unfortunately, she was still a hostage and the only bath she was likely to get was in the river.  She saw that her captors were still asleep and decided that she would go to the bend in the river for a little privacy while she attended her needs, but when she stood up Gavin’s eyes popped open.  He grabbed her ankle and smiled mockingly.

         “And where did you think you were going, Lexi?  If you wanted to take a walk, why didn’t you wake me?  You know I’d be happy to accompany you,” he said sweetly, knowing that it would anger her.  She gave him the desired response. 

         “For your information, sir, I was merely going to find some place private to attend to, er, certain matters which I would rather not attend to in front of you and your men.  If that is a problem, perhaps you should have thought of that before you stole me from my home!”  she exclaimed.  His smile became softer, less jeering, as he replied.

         “I was looking after your safety, milady.  The woods are full of animals that would not come near four travelers, but could pick off a single maiden easily.  You may have all the privacy you desire, only if you agree to be careful.  I have no fear that you shall attempt to run away; you have no idea where you are and I credit you with more intelligence than to try to slip away from soldiers.”  She spun on her heel at these words and stalked away in a huff.  He turned to the smoldering fire and began to shake the sticks to try to revive it to cook breakfast.  The fire came back easily and Jeff and Hastings went into the woods to find a nice, fat rabbit for their meal.  After about thirty minutes, Lexi had not returned and Gavin became worried.  He called her name a few times but got no response, so he grabbed his sword and set off in search of her.  The first thing he noticed were tracks on the ground, and fresh looking, too.  He drew the sword and peered cautiously around a tree, and then almost panicked.  Lexi was standing about six feet up in a tree and two wolves were circling it.  She saw Gavin and almost fell out of the tree with relief. 

         “Please, help me!  Please!” she sobbed.  The wolves turned toward Gavin and set their ears back.  One growled and prepared to lunge.  Gavin met the wolf halfway and kicked at it, while the other wolf came after him from behind.  Lexi screamed in fear and Gavin deflected the wolf with his arm.  Its teeth cut through his shirt and he grunted with pain, while he turned the sword on the wolf at his feet.  The sword cut through its torso and Gavin was splattered by its blood, but he didn’t notice.  The other wolf had backed away and was looking for an attack spot.  It leaped at Gavin’s throat and he fell backward, losing his grip on the sword.  Lexi half fell from the tree and raced to pick up the sword.  The wolf lunged at her and she looked at it, entranced, before she tried to hit it with the sword.  It was too heavy for her and she fell against the tree.  Just before the wolf could get to her, a small knife came flying through the air.  It hit the wolf in the shoulder and the wolf trotted away whimpering.  Gavin ran to Lexi’s side and gathered her in his arms as she sobbed.  He whispered comforts in her ear and suddenly he was kissing her and she was kissing him back.  He lay her down and smoothed her hair and trailed kisses along her ear and cheek and neck.  When his hand found her breasts, she stiffened and tried to push him away.  He responded by kissing her mouth again and she melted against him.  Just as he was about to lose control, Jeff called out to him.  Gavin stood up and helped Lexi up, then walked away quickly without a word.  Lexi just stared after him, looking very confused.
                   
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Chapter Seven-Foiled Again

         Well, that was a bit of a shock, thought Lexi.  She was a little shaky from the wolves and more than a little confused by Gavin’s behavior.  True, she had felt the same kind of need he seemed to be feeling, but she didn’t understand what it meant.  Why did that man act so funny when his men called him?  She was also angry that the wolves spoiled her plan.  She did indeed know this area very well.  Her captor didn’t know that she and her mother were English and that she grew up in this area until her mother married Edward, and even then she came to visit about once a year.  If she hadn’t been set upon by wolves then she could have followed the river to the small town about two kilometers away.  And then kissing him . . . what was she thinking?  Only a common wench would allow a man to kiss her like that!  She couldn’t ever remember seeing her mother kiss Edward that way she had kissed Gavin!  Too many feelings were toiling in her mind, so she pushed all thoughts out of her head and followed Gavin to the campground. 

         “Milady, are you all right?  We had no idea that wolves were in the area or we would have accompanied you to a safer spot!” Jeff exclaimed when he saw Lexi.  “As it is, we must attend to his lordship’s arm before we can be on our way.  Did you take harm from the attack?”  He could see the twigs and leaves in her hair and the expression on Gavin’s face, so he had a pretty good idea of what had happened after the attack, but he kept his mouth tactfully closed.  Lexi’s nightclothes were ripped in several places and filthy from traveling, so she gratefully accepted the impromptu tunic that Hastings handed her.  She tied the waist with a belt, emphasizing her small waist and Gavin felt himself thinking unnecessary thoughts.  He abruptly turned away.

         “We should eat quickly and get back on the horses.  If we hurry, we may reach London by this evening,” he said briskly as he began to pack away the blankets.  The men silently finished preparing their meal and they all ate quickly.  The atmosphere was charged with tension.  Lexi knew that what had happened in the woods was a part of it, but she was too naïve and young to completely understand.  Gavin refused to let the men tend to his arm, opting instead to wrap a small cloth around the wound and get back to their travels.  They mounted their horses and rode away without a word after the meal was finished.

         After only thirty minutes, Lexi found her escape.  The men just assumed that she would obey them, so they hardly bothered to watch where she was.  When they stopped to tend to a rock in the horse’s hoof, she just wandered casually behind a copse of trees like she wanted a moment to attend to her needs, and then walked quickly and silently to the river.  Within minutes she found her bearings and was on the way to the village she knew was only a few kilometers downstream.  For some reason she didn’t want to explore, she felt a pang of sadness for leaving the strange Englishman that had stolen her only a day ago.  She knew that the scene in the woods was a large part of it, but she didn’t dwell on those thoughts because they made her blush.  So caught up in her thinking she was that she didn’t hear the footsteps behind her.  A hand shot out and grabbed her by the waist while the other hand covered her mouth.  She kicked behind her automatically and managed to score a blow in the man’s shin.  He swore and let go for a moment and she spun around, kneeing him in the sensitive tissue between his legs.  He made a comical face of pain and fell over and Lexi took off running. 

         “OOF!  Augh!” Lexi yelled as she was tackled.  Again, her mouth was covered and she was flipped over onto her back.  Gavin lay full length on top of her and the look on his face made her cringe.  She gathered her courage and what little pride she had left and lifted her chin to glare at him.  As soon as he let go of her mouth she said, “Get off of me, if you know what’s good for you.  I will not hesitate to yell for your men.”

         Gavin threw back his head and laughed loudly.  Lexi looked so cute and outraged that he almost forgot how angry he was.  Almost.  “You will do no such thing as threaten me.  My men won’t come near either of us right now so don’t waste your breath yelling.  Do you have any idea how stupid it was for you to wander away on your own in a strange place?”  The look on her face, a mixture of pride and guilt, stopped his tirade.  “You know where you are, don’t you?  Oh, this is great.  This is perfect.  Here I trusted you not to run, treated you like a lady, and this is what I get.  Well, guess what?  I don’t have time for you anymore.  From now on, you are to be treated just like any other prisoner.  No more special treatment.”  At the mention of special treatment, her mind went back to their kisses and she blushed a deep crimson.  He seemed to read her mind and said very insolently, “No more kissing either, though I know how much you enjoyed it.”

         He was calling her a common wench!  She started to yell back at him, but the look in his eyes told her now was not the time.  She just bit her tongue and looked away.  Gavin was a little disappointed in her lack of reaction, but he didn’t think enough of her little outbursts to encourage another one.  He grabbed her arm roughly and hauled her to her feet.  He pulled a length of rope out of the pack he carried and tied her arms behind her back.  There were tears in her eyes of humiliation and anger, as well as fear and regret, as he marched her quickly along the river.  They finally reached the men and they both shot withering glares at her before turning away from her and mounting their horses.  Gavin shoved her onto his horse and mounted behind her without a word.  They set off at a brisk pace and Lexi decided she had never been so miserable.

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