Highlander's Kiss

Chapter 5: Gavin

On the trip back to Eilean Donan, Gavin was sure he kept seeing Elyn on her horse, racing toward his party. Over every hill crest, his heart tensed and his breath caught in his throat, until he was let down with the empty sight of the endless greenery and heather. He didn't want to believe that she had been kidnapped or something worse. It was easier to pretend she had just snuck out and tried to meet him. It was what he expected her to do when he told her she couldn't come.

But with every mile, it became more and more clear that she wasn't trying to meet him. That she hadn't gotten confused or lost trying to take a shortcut to Castle Iverlochy. That she had been taken.

Gavin and his highlanders returned to Eilean Donan in record time. Their horses were spent, and quickly released to rest in the stables to recover their energy. Gavin and Barron stormed into the castle to find it in disarray: armoured highlanders and servants alike were turning the quarters inside out trying to find Elyn or any clues to her whereabouts. Alec was stewing in Gavin's chambers, where Gavin and Barron met him.

As they entered the room, Alec's eyes lit up for a brief second, but Gavin extinguished his enthusiasm, "What is going on?"

Alec frowned and nodded quickly. "When I knocked on the Lady's door yesterday to see if she needed anything, it fell open. She was no where to be found. I immediately had my men start searching the area for her."

"Well?" Gavin frowned and folded his arms. "Did ye find her?"

Alec sighed. "We didnae."

"Did ye have yer men check Dornie? Maybe there were some clues there. I canae imagine she just left..." Gavin's eyes flicked around the chamber, as if he was hoping to find clues. "What about her horse? Is he still in the stables?" He turned to Barron, while Alec thought. "I donae why I even ask, I'll go check myself."

Gavin raced down the castle hallways and spilled out into the street. He quickly made it to the stables and ducked into each stall to see if Rhys was there. In the last stall, he found the fat horse, resting on his hay and taking a nap. Gavin slammed a fist against the door, cracking the wood with his anger. He bit his lip as pain shot up his arm.

He heard someone come up behind him. "Barron, I donae have the patience right now. If ye donae have any ideas for where she could be, then leave me."

Barron leaned against the wall and sighed heavily. "Do ye think Maxwell took her?"

"Aye, who else could have?" Gavin didn't look at Barron, but he could feel his gaze nevertheless. "We have to go to Iverlochy. This is my fault. I should have taken my men to Kinfauns and eradicated this monster while I had the chance. I got too distracted. Now the King is believing any lie that Robert feeds him, including my treason."

"Nay, it isn't yer fault." Barron moved closer to Gavin and squeezed his shoulder. "Ye only did what ye thought was right. We can still fix this. Why donae we go to Kinfauns and take care of Robert once and for all?"

"Robert won't be in Kinfauns, Barron. He'll be at Iverlochy, with the King. Besides, what if she isn't there? If she is, it'd be suicide for us to storm their gates with her captive. I can tell Robert probably keeps men around who wouldnae be afraid of slitting a throat." Gavin looked at Barron. He thought for a moment and his mouth dropped. "God's wounds, Barron, it makes sense donae it?"

"Eh?"

"The King... of course. It wasn't James who sent that letter. It must've been Maxwell. How could I have been so foolish? I was walking into a trap. And now he has Elyn... what could he want with me now? If I go, I'll be at his beck and call."

"I reckon if ye donae, he'll have ye regardless."

"He has to have her. As much as I hate to admit it, anything else is unthinkable. If bandits stole her away, then I'd be lucky to ever see her again."