An Oath Taken by Diana Cosby Read Free Book Online Page A

threatened to consume him. The sharing of this tragic event to establish a venue of trust became more than an act of good will, it became a necessity. He couldn’t explain it if asked, but the need to reach out, to reveal this life-altering issue of his past to Thomas was as essential as his next breath.
    The anger, frustration, and despair that had simmered deep inside flooded through his mind. He’d believed himself far beyond the hurt of that tumultuous time so long ago, but here in the murky darkness tainted with smoke and the night, confessing his soul to a lad, he found the truth, the pain of emotions too long denied.
    â€œFor the first five months at the monastery my studies went well,” Nicholas started, not surprised by the rawness of his voice, a pain he doubted would ever leave. “I enjoyed the lessons and appreciated the chance to learn. One day a young man from Gretna, a Scottish town not far from here, arrived at the school. Though there were many differences in our cultures, we became fast friends.” He smiled, remembering the quick laughter in the young man’s eyes, his loyalty given to his friends. “His name was Dougal, and he fared from the clan MacNaughton.”
    His smile fell away as the pain of the remembrance severed the warmth. “He came from a prominent home, was betrothed to a maiden whom he loved, and was to fulfill not only his own dream of attending his studies, but upon his graduation, his father’s as well. Several months passed. . . .” His throat tightened, and he stared at the stars in the sky as they blurred before him.
    â€œWhat happened?” Thomas asked.
    Nicholas exhaled. “Winter swept in with a fierce abandon on that cold, blustery March day. Even the hounds shivered near the hearth. The day was long, the lessons intense, exhausting, and after being closed up with studies for months, tempers ran high. An in-class discussion about the lawlessness and heathens living in The Debatable Land escalated, ending up becoming a one-on-one confrontation between Dougal and our instructor.”
    He grimaced, remembering Dougal’s passion, his determination to enlighten the priest along with others in the class of the true motivation behind the reiving along the borderlands.
    â€œDougal’s eyes blazed as the debate grew. I remember watching him, envying his ability and quick wit, which in this case served him well; his points were clear, concise, and to summarize the argument, he outwitted the teacher.”
    â€œNae the best decision, I bet,” Thomas said.
    â€œIndeed,” Nicholas agreed. “Furious at being outmaneuvered, especially before a filled classroom, the priest called him insolent and ordered him from the room. Enraged at being punished for having done naught wrong, Dougal refused. The priest withdrew his whip, but Dougal stood his ground. He struck Dougal across the face, then again and again, and he told the class that he would not tolerate insubordination. As the priest raised his whip again, with Dougal’s face, hands, and body cut and bleeding, I jumped up and grabbed the priest’s wrist.”
    Embers crackled into the chamber, warmth against chill, sadness against memories.
    â€œWhat happened then?” Empathy touched Thomas’s quiet voice.
    Nicholas glanced to his side, surprised to find Thomas sitting on his pallet staring at him. “For my actions, I was expelled.”
    Thomas leaned forward, his eyes wide with concern. “And Dougal?”
    Fury tore through him. “Infection set in from the lashes. A fortnight later he died. I returned his body to his family and stayed until after his burial.”
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    A deep ache filled Elizabet, as she understood the pain Nicholas must have borne, the hurt that time would dull but never completely erase. She knew the grief of losing someone you loved, and of wondering the fate of the same.
    Her knees trembled as she rose and walked to the