By Honor Bound Part 39

Elen refused to think about Patric and his lovemaking any longer. He was the enemy. She thrust him from

her mind.

"I'm not interested in love, I am only concerned with joining my rightful king, and that is

Lulach. Now help me dress. I want to be gone before Fionna and Briga arrive and start asking questions or want to come with us."

Malcolm's troop of soldiers had departed by the time Elen rode out of the castle gate accompanied by Ava, Drust, and two of Drust's men who were also firm in their loyalty to Macbeth's heir.

In accordance with the scheme Elen had devised the day before, they rode south, following after the soldiers until they were well out of sight of the castle. Then they doubled back, riding west of the castle, skirting the edge of the forest and hills to a pre-arranged rendezvous. There, two more of Drust's men waited, with pack horses loaded with food and their bundled possessions.

"Any trouble?" Drust asked the men.

"None at all," came the answer. "Half the men-at-arms were preparing to ride with Malcolm, the other half have been pressed into service to help the Earl of Fife's lady pack for the move to Scone. No one even noticed us leave."

"It won't matter after this morning anyway," Elen said. "I have dropped enough hints about Laggan to make even an idiot understand that is where I want to go. It should be a long time before anyone thinks of Lulach and northern Moray."

"So now," Drust said, "we lose ourselves in this forest and head north instead of southwest. And King Lulach will have five more good fighting men who are faithful to the old ways, for his army."

"And two brave women," Ava added.

"Of course. Two women," Drust agreed. "Let us ride on, and remember to stay out of sight, so there will be no one to report which way we have gone."

It took them three days to reach Lulach. They kept away from all habitations and did not even light campfires at night, lest Malcolm's troops, whomDrust had learned searched the countryside for clues to Lulach's whereabouts, discovered them. Whenthey were found on the third afternoon, it was by three of Lulach's men. They sat upon their horses andgaped at Elen's party.

"What are women doing here?" demanded the leader, a dark, dangerous looking man, whose name, Elenlater learned, was Bran."I seek my cousin, King Lulach," Elen told him. "Will you take us to him?""I might if I knew who you are," he sneered ather."I am Elen of Laggan. These are my people."

Elen recited the names of her companions.

"You were wed to Talcoran," Bran said, his manner now more polite. "He was a good man. Lulach will be pleased to see you. Follow me."

Bran chose a well hidden path through the trees, which they followed until they came to a clearing, where

Lulach had made his camp by a swift-flowing river."The king's tent is this way," Bran said, leading the newcomers toward it. As they reached the tent,Lulach stepped through the flaps. "Elen!" he cried. "Is it really you?" Elen was hardly off her horse'sback before she was clasped in his arms.

"I knew you would come. I knew it." Tears filled Lulach's pale blue eyes. "I told Gertha you wouldnever desert us." "Where is Gertha?"

"Here, with me. She and the children are in the next tent. You have come just in time," Lulach said. "We are riding north tomorrow. We'll spend the winter in Burghead. I see your faithful servant is with you. Ava, I remember you and your kindness to me. And this is Talcoran's aide, is it not? But who are these others with you?"

Drust, who had knelt to kiss the hand of the man he considered his rightful king, now rose and presented his men-at-arms.

"We will serve you in any way you wish, my lord," Drust told Lulach, "Though I consider it my first duty to ensure the safety of my lady, which is what my lord Talcoran would have wanted me to do."

"Drust was badly wounded early in the summer, fighting beside Talcoran," Elen explained, "and he is still not completely well. I would like to keep him near me."

"Then I appoint him your personal guard," Lulach said. "As for these other men who came with you, I leave that to Drust."

"They all wish to fight for you, my lord," Drust said.

"I am happy to have them. Discuss with Bran where they can best serve," Lulach replied. "Now, Elen, come and see Gertha."

Gertha sat with her children and her one lady-in-waiting. Six-year-old Maelsnechta played with a toy sword that reminded Elen too poignantly of the tiny weapon her own Colin had once had. Deirdre was practicing embroidery st.i.tches, her four-year-old fingers fumbling with an outsized needle. Gertha embraced Elen as warmly as had Lulach.

"I promised you would be the first of my ladies and you will," she said. She beckoned to a red-hairedwoman. "Do you remember Clare? She was with Gruach and now attends me. You two will have toshare a tent for the present, but once we are at Burghead, you will have your own rooms."

Elen met the rest of Lulach's n.o.bles at the

simple evening meal. She knew most of them, and her spirits lifted to see the goodly number of men who had remained steadfast after Macbeth's

death.

"If these people are all supplying men to you, then you must have a large army," she said to

Lulach.

"It will be even larger in the spring," Lulach replied. "Clare's husband Domingart has gone to Orkney toarrange for more men. Gertha's cousins are joint earls of Orkney now, and they support my claim to thethrone of Alba. They have good reason to do so. If Malcolm defeats me, his next act will be to invadeCaithness and Sutherland."

"Malcolm's father once tried to take those lands from the Orkadians," Elen reminded him, "and lost his life as a result."

"But Duncan had Macbeth and Thorfinn allied against him," Lulach said. "If I were dead, and Malcolmhad more soldiers from the English king, he could easily take all of this land, right up to Pentland Firth.We both know Malcolm's warlike nature, Elen. He won't stop until he reaches the land.""You will stop him," Elen said, alarmed atthis pessimistic view."We will try, but Malcolm is strong." Lulach brightened suddenly. "Would you like me to find you ahusband from among my unmarried n.o.blemen? Choose whomever you like, and I'll command him tomarry you."

"I can't. Malcolm made me marry Patric mac Keith." Elen recounted the circ.u.mstances of her

hasty wedding.

"I am sure there are those who would say you were wrong to run away from your husband," Lulach said, "But Patric was a traitor to Macbeth, and he and Malcolm tricked you. Once I've defeated Malcolm, I'll arrange an annulment, and then you may chose any husband you want. Of course,he might die in battle before then.""Patric killed?" Elen had never considered that possibility before.

"You hated him enough to leave him, so it shouldn't matter to you.""Of course not. You are right, Lulach. It doesn't matter." But a voice deep in her heart said, it doesmatter, it does, it does.

"Conal, Patric, thank heaven you have both returned safely."

"How are you, Fionna?" Patric spared his sister a quick kiss while his searching glance took in thecompany in the great hall. "Where is Elen? Why isn't she here to greet me?""She's gone.""Gone where?" He saw the expression on Fionna's face. "What happened? Why didn't you stop her?""Patric, calm yourself. I'll tell you what I know, though it isn't much. She left secretly, and we believe she had ridden to Laggan. She told both Briga and me several times that she felt she should be there. She apparently was concerned about the reports of heavy damage done to the castle and the farmlands by Malcolm's army."

"She said as much to me the day before I left," Patric agreed, "but I told her we would go together a.s.soon as I returned. I don't understand why she couldn't wait a few days. Go on, Fionna, tell me the rest.When exactly did she leave? And with whom? Though now I think on it, I'd wager I already know theanswers to both of those questions."

"She went the very morning you rode away with Malcolm. It was well planned, Patric. Briga

I.

said Elen had your permission to ride with Drust and Ava, but they took four others along, men from Laggan."

"That seems reasonable," Conal observed. "Drust is always careful of Elen's safety."

"They took food and clothing," Fionna continued. "And they rode south."

"To River Garry and then west to Laggan," Patric said. "I'll send a messenger at once, to be certain she arrived safely. I'll leave first thing in the morning, and when I get my hands around that beautiful throat of hers-"

"I have already sent a rider to Laggan," Fionna interrupted. "I did that the morning after you left, five days ago."

"Then we won't hear any news for another three or four days at least. I can't wait that long."

"You are tired and hungry." Conal caught Patric's arm as he raced for the stairs. "Eat with us-look, the food is being brought in now-and get a good night's rest. In the morning we will talk more sensibly and decide what to do."

"Conal is right, Patric. Sit down," Fionna ordered. "Here, drink some wine."

"She would never have done such a foolish thing when she was young," Patric said, gulping at his wine.

"She is much changed since then. We all are, but in the last three months Elen has lost four of her dearest kinfolk. Make no mistake about it, dear brother, she did love Talcoran, and she doted on young Colin. She was ill for days after she learned of their deaths. Then Macbeth and Gruach both died, and she lost Laggan, too, and was forced to marry a man she had thought of as a traitor for many years. I think she is half mad with grief. She's not thinking clearly."

Patric stared glumly into his wine cup.

"You may be right. I've been none too gentle with her." He paused, recalling his wedding night. "Thankyou, Fionna. I'll try to remember what you have said."

But he could not restrain himself the next day. Taking Resad and some food, he rode south. Two dayslater he met the messenger Fionna had sent to Laggan. After hearing the man's report, Patric returnedwith him to Malcolm's headquarters. He had begun to accept the fact that Elen's true intent had been toleave him. She had cajoled him into believing her heart was softening toward him, and it had been a trick.

"If she's not at Laggan, where can she have gone?" He prowled about Conal's rooms. "I have got to find her."

"We are finally leaving for Scone tomorrow," Conal said. "Malcolm wants you with him."

"How can I go south with Malcolm when I can't find my wife?" Patric flung himself into a chair. "I amgoing to ask him to let me stay here and search for her. Elen, Elen, where are you?" His fist pounded onthe chair arm.

"She will be safe, you know." Fionna tried to comfort him. "She had five armed men with her. Drust is no fool. He will be careful of her."

"Fool." Patric went perfectly still, thinking. His eyes met Conal's. At the same moment, both men said, "

Lulach."

"Oh, no," Fionna breathed. "She wouldn't.""Wouldn't she?" All of Patric's anger and hurl were in his voice."Well," Fionna admitted, "We do know how. much she hates Malcolm.""She has always been close to Lulach," Conal added."Then I must ride north," Patric said.He asked Malcolm's permission that night.Unwisely, he chose to do so in the great hall, before all of Malcolm's company, because the king was ina good humor at dinner. Malcolm laughed at him.

"What did you do to her, that she ran away after you had bedded her?" Malcolm demanded, his loudvoice calling the attention of the entire court to Patric's marital problems. "Can't you control your ownwife? No, you may not stay here. You will ride to Scone with me, and then, after a while, if I need youno more, you may go to Laggan. What you do there, on your own lands, is no concern of mine." And heremained adamantly opposed to entreaties made by both Patric and Conal.

"That was unnecessarily cruel," Fionna declared later. "Malcolm should not be so rude to you. He owes you too much."

"Which is why he is rude," Patric said. "Grat.i.tude is a bitter brew for a king to swallow. I'll do as hewants, go to Scone, and then I'll go to Laggan and stay there all winter. I'm sick of royal courts."