Highland Vengeance (A Family Saga/Adventure, Medieval Scottish Romance-FULL)

Part 1: The Darkest Day

Copyright © K.E. Saxon 2008

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author K.E. Saxon, the copyright owner and publisher of this book, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

The twelfth and thirteenth century Scottish Highlands is a fascinating time in history. Although much is known, there is still much that remains in shadow and supposition. The old laws of succession, and the old Celtic systems were mixing with the new feudal systems brought in by the Norman-influenced kings of Scots (the first key figure in this being David I, who became king of Scots in 1124).

Although, by the time of William the Lion (William I), who ruled Scotland from 1165 to 1214, the feudal systems were more firmly established in the southern region of Scotland, the king had managed to exert his influence and sway in the wilder northern and western regions as well. Mostly through alliances with foreigners to whom he chartered land, or to natives who sought a royal charter for their land in order to secure it for their own offspring.

My vision, therefore, was of a kind of “melting pot.”The old ways, not completely abandoned, yet the new coming to be embraced.

AlthoughI did many, many (many) months of research into this time in the Scottish Highlands history, I still found it necessary to take some creative license on certain aspects in order to fulfill my vision for the romance, and allow for less confusion to the romance reader. I won’t list the licenses I took, but hope that the history purists will close an eye to these instances and simply enjoy the tale.

K.E. Saxon

GLOSSARY

Boabhan Sith or Baoban Sith \baa'-van shee\ Scottish Highland fairies that look like beautiful women but are really vampires thirsty for the blood of young men. They appear first as ravens, then as girls in white or green dresses with hoofed feet. Iron is said to repel them.

cu sith \coo shee\: a fairy dog that can cast the evil eye. About the size of a cow, it has dark green fur. As the tale goes, anyone who encounters the hound faces almost certain death, but it will bark three times, with long pauses between, to give its potential victim time to flee.

targe \'tärj\: a light shield used esp. by the Scots.

uisge beatha \ishka beyha\: Lit: ‘Water of Life’, a.k.a. whiskey

Uphalieday \Up-helly-a\ January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, a.k.a. ‘Twelfth Night’.

Sext \sekst\: The fourth of the seven canonical hours, or the service for it, originally fixed for the sixth hour of the day taken as noon.

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PART ONE

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The Darkest Day

“Hell is empty, and all the devils are here.”

The Tempest (Act I, Scene ii)

“O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!”

Hamlet (Act I, Scene v)

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PROLOGUE

The Highlands, Scotland 1190

The morn dawned crisp and bright as Daniel MacLaurin, a lad of thirteen summers, gathered his fishing rod and tackle and trotted downstairs toward the kitchen.