Hannah & The Highlander [Book 1 in the time travel series]

Chapter Four : A Feudal Battle

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Copyright © 2012



Chapter Four : A Feudal Battle



@Cailen's P.O.V.@




The castles walls trembled, the thunderous sound of cannon fire echoing through the calm hills. Cailen seethed a curse. his large hands balling into rock hard fists.



MacKinnon, he thought vehemently, whirling back towards the room.



Damn him!



He kicked the door in, his eyes fastening on the pale girl, and the old crone that sat beside her. The girl was wild eyed, her small frame shaking like a autumn leaf.



"What the hell?!" She yelled over the assault of cannon fire. "Are we being attacked by freaking pirates?!"



Despite the situation, Cailen found himself able to chuckle at the young girls strange way of talking. He checked himself swiftly, shaking his head.



"Nae, lass, 'tis far worse than anything the sea could possibly throw at us." his glowing eyes met the elder lady secretly conveying the stress of the situation. "The MacKinnon attacks."



The girl's large eyes roved between the two, confusion plainly on her face. "What's a MacKinnon? What's happening?"



Cailen didn't pay her any attention. Kneeling he with drew his dirk that he had concealed in his boot, handing it over to her. Hannah's blue eyes doubled in size at the sight of the knife. Cailen cursed under his breath, pressing the knife into her shaking hand forcibly.



"Protect yerself and the lady, lass. This won't end without some blood shed."



Cailen turned to leave. Hannah sprung into action, snatching at his big, muscular arms.



"Wait! What do you mean blood shed? Protect myself? You're kidding right?"



Hannah eyed the dirk with distaste, she held it as though it would turn on her and stab her instead of her adversary. Cailen was uneasy giving the lass a weapon-but he couldn't leave her or his elder unarmed. He fixed his eyes on the young girl, and said in a no-nonsense tone;



"Ye are to stay here, lass. If any man comes up here-even if he be my own-ye are to defend yerself and the hag, do ye understand Hannah?"



Hannah was deathly white. Cailen had no idea what was going through mind, for this lass was so unlike any woman or girl he had ever known in his young life.



Hannah's grip on the dirk tightened and her head bobbed up and down in the affirmative.



"Just . . . just come back in one piece." She said her voice hard and devoid of any and all emotion.



Once again, Cailen found himself wonder struck-this lass who had a moment ago been ranting and raving, hollering about insane things like a mad woman, was suddenly replaced by a calm and steadfast girl who looked like she could take on a dozen armed men and not be winded.



This lass, be she of this world or another, was a rare and precious find, Cailen thought gravely to himself.



"I will," Cailen said and a flash of a cock sure grin lit up his devilishly handsome face. "It'll take much more than a MacKinnon to put me in my grave."



He turned his back to them, closing the door behind him. He stayed until he heard the sound of the lock sliding into place. The knowledge that they were behind a locked door did little to pacify his anxiety and fears. His hands fastened around his claymore and set himself towards the battle outside his castle walls.



@Hannah's P.O.V.@



As soon as Cailen closed the door behind him, I bolted the door without hesitation. I turned to the old woman, pointing towards the large oak dresser.



"Come on, help me shove this against the door."



The old hag didn't complain like I thought she would, instead she was at my side in an instant and was helping me push the dresser across the stone floor. It took more effort than it was probably worth-after all, I was still 47% sure that I was still dreaming.



I was panting in the end, my arms feeling like jelly and my muscles burning. I looked at the old woman and said dourly;



"At least that should keep them out for a bit-"



A loud crash interrupted me mid-sentence, my eyes fell on the door, fear and disbelife flooding through me. The door splintered, and quaked under the pressure, the sharp edge of an axe peaking through the wood.



Oh, shit.





@Cailen's P.O.V.@





The metallic song of metal on metal rang across the rolling hills, the cries of the fallen warriors rising up from the back ground, fueled by the drums of war. The song was one Cailen was far too familiar with. The blood lust, the stank of death, and the flash of blood stained metal. These were things Cailen had grown up with, death and war were his oldest acquaintances.



He struck down another McKinnon adversary, severing the man's head from his neck in one swift, powerful swing. Cailen straightened, his eyes gazing over the bloody field of battle. MacBain blue and green clashed against MacKinnon red and grey. Cailen's own plaid was covered in dirt and stained with blood, causing it to hang heavily on his legs.



His green eyes lightened with recognition on one particular warrior. He was tall, with thick shoulders, made with a warrior's poweress and build. His short dark flaxen hair was caked with dirt making it appear brown. His face was washed in sweat and dirt, a trail of dried blood riveted down the side of his face. He had discarded his shirt, showing off his many battle scares that puckered white against his tanned skin. His blue eyes could rival the blue sky, but burned with a fire that one only knew from the battle field.



MacKinnon, Cailen thought, the word foul on his mind.



The young MacKinnon laird caught sight of Cailen, a look of mirroring disdain appearing on his own face. For a moment the two lairds stood there, neither moving for the attack. Their eyes sized up the other, measuring their fighting powers, and their wounds.



Cailen hefted up his heavy claymore, the bloody blade catching the sun's rays.



"MacKinnon!" Cailen shouted, his voice booming across the space between them, causing those fighting to pause in their battles. "Too long have ye plagued my lands and my people. After this day, ye will ne'er harm me and mine. On this day, I avenge my kin!"



MacKinnon laughed, the sound mocking and cold. "If ye believe it so, MacBain. But ti's I, Tavish MacKinnon who will slay ye this day, MacBain swine!"



Without hesitation the two hurled themselves across the field, their swords meeting with a sound like metallic thunder. Pure fury burned in Cailen's eyes, filled with enough hatred and malice that it threatened to burn any who looked into their emerald depths.



Again and again, their swords met. Cailen blocking every swing MacKinnon tried to deliver. MacKinnon lifted his in a wide arch, as if aiming for his shoulder. Cailen shrunk back, fringing to the left before striking forward, swiping at MacKinnon. MacKinnon deflected, his mocking laughter ringing through the field like a raven's cry.



"Ye think ye such a grand fighter," MacKinnon sneered as he and Cailen circled one another, swords ready to attack or defend. "But in truth I hae ne'er seen such a fool on the battle field."



Cailen bared his teeth, something like a snarl building up, deep in his chest. "What nonsense do ye say, MacKinnon scum?"



"While ye are dancing here wi' me, my men are taking yer fortress." MacKinnon said, pointing his blade towards the castle keep at Cailen's back.



Cailen's eyes followed the blade his breath catching in his throat. The castle was a fire, screams and battle cries could be heard. Cailen's eyes sought to the tower, his heart seizing when he saw the grey storm clouds of smoke swelling up from its thin window.



Hannah!



__________________________Author's Note________________________

Muwahahaa!!! I'm evil-I know :)

So uh-oh this isn't good, now is it? Well, here's how my weeks been: my ancient prehistoric, MP3 player has finally died-something about Firmware?? IDK. Behind in my English4 class cuz they just HAD to take me out of AP, and slap me in with the nincompoops. Anyway yes, a terrible cliffy. But hey, since I made up my second account writing is SO MUCH FASTER!!! I got this done in 2 days :D Here's to quicker updates or at least more :) (that 2nd chapter i promised everyone will be up in a bit i swear!)

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XOXO

Amber :)