Worth Dying For (The Bruce Trilogy) by N. Gemini Sasson Read Free Book Online Page B

too brief.”
    Brief it was. Less than two full days in Dunaverty and my men and I were on our galleys again headed off into the channel. The weather held with us this time and we landed on Rathlin off the northeast coast of Ireland. A mile long and six times as wide – this, my kingdom. Ahead of us lay Ulster. Behind us Kintyre. Half a year since the crown had rested on my head at Scone and it had all but toppled from there.
    Thrice I sent word to Elizabeth’s kin in Ulster, asking, and then pleading for refuge. The first time I received no answer. The second time the reply was that they could not at that moment accommodate us. The last was a blunt suggestion that we go back to Scotland. That gave me small faith that Elizabeth and Nigel had arrived there and been able to argue my case. For now, I could but wonder and worry about the world beyond.
     

Ch. 5
    Robert the Bruce – Dunaverty/Castle Tirrim, Garmoran, 1306
    There are some who tire of fighting. Some who might plunge into a hole, who remember only the fall and the pain of landing hard. I could only look up to the light and ask myself how to reach it.
    To do that, I needed two things: money and men. An abundance of one without the other was useless. But how to acquire them, and in large enough amounts, was a rather troublesome matter.
    Boyd was sent to Carrick to collect rents due. Alexander was dispatched to the north of Ireland to muster recruits. Thomas and Edward wanted to go with him, but I ordered them to stay on Rathlin. Since the place was stone-dry of drink by then and had a thousandfold more birds than women on it, I reckoned there was not much harm they could do. All the same, if there was trouble to be found, they would find it, and so I encouraged Neil to watch over them.
    With Torquil as my guide over the waters and twelve other men to man the galley, we sailed past Islay and Mull. The lordship of Garmoran clung like a forgotten growth to the western limits of the Highlands. Oars straining against the current, we traveled up the long arm of the sea loch. Deep green pines slashed by the silver-white of birches were reflected in the black water. As we went, the clouds sank down on us, as if they, too, were sluggish with grief, until at last they wept an icy rain. Sleet stung at our eyes, forcing our heads down.
    Winter’s misery bit deep into every sinew of my being. I tried to unclench my fists, but they were frozen, aching in every knuckle and joint. All sensation was lost in my toes. Lengths of land slid by in a gray, foggy blur. Moments stretched into hours, with nothing but the pulsating jerk and splash of the oars to break the drawn-out hiss of rain upon the water. The rowers sucked brittle air between chattering teeth, shoulders drawn deep into sodden cloaks. No one moaned of their misfortune, but it was plain to see they were all as wretched as I was. Time to put ashore. To rest, if that was even possible. Although if we slept, we might not awaken.
    Merciful Lord, what I would not give to sit by a fire and thaw my bones.
    I looked up to see a squat, gray castle hunched above a low cliff on an islet ahead: Castle Tirrim.
    The tide being low, we beached the galley on the shingle-littered shore opposite the castle and trudged across a muddy bridge of land to the base of the cliff encircling the islet. Sleet had faded to a spitting mist. Arms wrapped about himself, Torquil led us to a breach in the cliff wall. Stiff with cold, we ascended after him, taking care not to slip on the moss-slickened stones. When Torquil scrambled over the top, he dropped to his knees, small stones crunching with the impact.
    Before him stood a noblewoman in a hooded cloak, gloved palms open in welcome, and at her shoulder a glowering lord, his feet braced wide and one hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
    Bending at the waist, the lady spread her arms wide, so that her cloak of crimson parted to reveal a green gown embroidered with golden knotwork. As she