Scars of the highlander

Chapter 1

Iona disliked riding side saddle. Her mother called it a stupid English custom, she couldn't agree more. Her mother always told her to ride astride, however her father always clicked his tongue at the idea. Mother would argue that it was faster to ride that way. In this current moment, Iona was running late so she was riding astride. She just wasn't late, she was really late. Which would make riding astride not the only reason for her father to click his tongue. She left the keep this morning without her escorts and with only telling the stable master that she was going to the village.

She always thought her father was way to over protective of her. It drove her crazy. It all started after the incident, he always needed to know where she was and who she was with. Though, her mother didn't bring her up to be the damsel but a strong woman. She didn't need a man or any one else defending her. She had fought off bandits before and she was good enough with a sword to win against some of her father's men. As she came through the clearing she saw her father's castle come into view. The castle was small, her father was known to have a small army but the best swords men in the country. People would call on him and his men to fight with them, from as far away as London. So, it was natural for her to know how to use a blade. She was the first daughter born in the Munro clan for five generations, she had to know how to use a blade. Her father expected her too, but he didn't expect her to ever actually use it.

As she came closer to the wall Iona waved at the men upon it, they waved back. Riding over the bridge she saw her lady's maid, Ruth and her brother, Kieran was standing in the middle of the baily. Both with folded arms and both tapping their feet.

"Milady!" Ruth said.

"You could have left a note" Kieran said. They both had the same foul look on their face and Iona couldn't help by smile at them.

"I'm sorry but I told Angus" Iona dropped off Dixon and past him to Angus. The stable master just put his hands up like he didn't want to be part of it. They shared a glance that Iona had seen before, the 'like she is actually sorry' look.

"If I have to take Fathers wrath one more time, I am going to lock you in the dungeon" Kieran said as they started to walk towards the stairs that lend to the keep.

"We don't have a dungeon" Iona said, smiling at her brother.

"Then I will make one" He said, his tone was angry, but his face held a smile.

"Eve had her baby yesterday which I missed because of Father. I will happily take his wrath for that" Iona said. Iona father had refused to let her out of the keep yesterday. As there was news of strange men on their lands. Once they got to the stairs Iona turned back to Ruth, she then noticed a group of men she didn't recognise. Their tartan wasn't from any of the local clans and she couldn't recall ever seeing it. They started to ascend the stairs and Iona turned to her brother. She was about to ask who they were when he spoke first.

"Just wait" Kieran said, grabbing her hand "There is something I should tell you before you go inside"

"She should be sitting down" Ruth said in almost a whisper. Kieran nodded at her but then shrugged, Iona looked at her brother, he looked worried.

"What is the matter" Iona asked, Kieran sighed and closed his eyes for a moment before he said

"Father..." Kieran was interrupted by the door opening and her father walked out.

"There you are!" Her father, Laird Alister Munro said, with a smile that made Iona nervous. It wasn't like her father's smiled was wicked he just had different smiles. Smiled for being happy, a smile because he carried good gossip; a smile because he stole a pastry; a smile because he was happy about something, but you wouldn't be happy about it. This smile was that kind of smile