Chattan Bride

Chapter 7 - Part 2

A/N: This segment contains the trigger warning, though it is not a graphic depiction.

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At last she heard Gillian's whimpers coming from down the hall. Five soldiers rounded the corner and raised their swords against Andrew. He pushed her into the room with Gillian and began his standoff with Gilbert's men. Isabel became deaf to their conflict. The bright fire lit the room. The baby was safe in the corner in his cradle. Gillian could make no such claim for herself as she lay upon the bed. A soldier that was straddling her turned as Isabel entered. She drew her short blade and immediately killed one man as he approached her. He was surprised that she suddenly lifted her weapon into his stomach, before she cleanly slit his throat with her knife. The soldier that was holding down Gillian while the other man had his way with her began to approach with a drawn sword. She whipped her knife into his chest and he fell instantly. Gillian's attacker had leapt from his position and noticed Isabel was bleeding from her left shoulder. He came up to her from behind as Isabel was throwing her knife and he attempted to disarm her. She was quick and sidestepped his attack. He engaged her sword knowing she would quickly tire out.

"Andrew!" she cried. There was no response. She was weakening. "Gillian, get up. Get the knife from that man's chest."

Gillian was trembling so violently and whimpering too much to be of any assistance. Isabel's sword was flung from her weakening grasp and she was immediately trapped by the soldier's vice-like grip on her injured shoulder. He threw her onto the bed and watched her scramble to protect her sister. As he climbed onto the bed, she kicked him as hard as she could. He fell from the bed but recovered quickly and caught Isabel's right hand already armed with her knife above her head. Gillian was now trapped beneath Isabel and Isabel was trapped beneath the powerful soldier. Gillian was too paralyzed to defend herself. The man pinned Isabel's shoulders with his knees and his one hand held her weapon in place while he pushed Isabel's chemise over her hips. She brought her legs up his sides and her feet were positioned beneath his jaw as she lifted. Her feet were choking him. He punched her shoulder repeatedly waiting for her to relent.

"Gillian take the knife from my hand. You have to kill him." She was about to lose consciousness herself from the injury he was inflicting upon her wound. Her grip on their attacker weakened.

"I can't!" Gillian' voice trembled.

"I see fear in your eyes, girl! You are afraid," the soldier said to Isabel as he laughed with breath that could kill a dragon.

"You must. You will!" she demanded in a tone that would not allow otherwise to her sister. Isabel felt Gillian's hand on hers and she relinquished the knife to her. "With all of your strength!"

Gillian drove the knife into the man's chest, still he did not release them. It had weakened his hold on Isabel's hand enough for her to reach up and tear the knife from his chest and thrust it in again.

"I am not afraid," Isabel said coolly. Now he fell limp on top of them. Isabel could feel his blood pouring out on top of her. Gillian was sobbing and she herself could hardly manage to control her weeping.

With effort, the two of them pushed the dead man off the bed. Gillian scrambled from the bed and to her son's cradle. Her chemise was torn and bloody. What had come from her and what had come from the last soldier they killed was indiscernible. Trembling knees barely carried Isabel to her sword and then to Gillian. She peeked into the cradle to see her little nephew red with screaming. One of Gillian's hands quieted him instantly. Once he was silent, Gillian pulled herself into a ball and wept into her knees. The force of her cries told Isabel that Gillian would survive her injuries. Isabel took her position by the door, sword at the ready.

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"Where is Henry?"

"Not far now. He waits in the forest with his men."

"Why does he wait? Why isn't he coming to me?"

Isabel was too exhausted to explain.

"Why, Isabel?" Gillian roared.

"He won't fight Gilbert!" she shouted back. Their noise drew the attention of a passing soldier who entered the room. Isabel thrust her sword upward and Gilbert's soldier fell with a shocked look on his face. She kicked the door closed again and cursed.

"I knew you and Alysandir would come save me," she said quietly with a heartening confidence.

"Alysandir did not come. He does not know I fight." She looked at her shoulder, which was bleeding terribly.

"Are you going to die?" Gillian asked worriedly.

"No. It's not mortal. It just hurts a lot. And you?"

Gillian whimpered loudly. "I hurt a lot too."

"I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner. I did try with all of my might." They were silent for some time listening to footsteps pass. "He is beautiful, Gillian. What is his name?"

"He has his father's name: Henry. We will name our second son after Papa."

Isabel sighed. "I have terrible news, sister."

"I can't hear any more bad news. You must wait until tomorrow."

Isabel nodded in the firelight. Gillian put another log onto it and poked it a little. The room brightened afterward. "You will come home with me today. I must keep you safe until Henry can establish control here."

"This castle is safer than Bamborough."

"Not until Henry can cut ties with Gilbert."

"Papa will protect us," Gillian said with confidence.

"Yes," Isabel lied.

They were fast asleep by the time Andrew and Ingram returned to the chamber Isabel had entered. Dawn was fast approaching. Quietly opening the door, Andrew saw Gillian by the fire covered with blood. He motioned Ingram to her. As he pushed the door open farther, he saw Isabel on the floor with her sword at her side. Four dead men littered the small room. She was drenched with blood. His heart stopped.

"Isabel!" He dropped to one knee beside her.

Her eyes opened and she smiled. "I'm alive," she said in a raspy voice. He lifted her right arm around his neck. "If Ingram wakes Gillian, she'll scream." Andrew motioned Ingram away from Lady Gillian. He placed Isabel at her side to wake her while the two men disappeared into the shadows of the room. "It's time to go, Gillian." She shook her awake with a forced smile. "My two most trusted soldiers are here to take us to safety. You must believe that they will not harm us. We are going back to Bamborough for a while until it is safe here."

"I can't leave little Henry."

"No, he's coming with us." Isabel struggled to her feet as the soldiers came out of the dark. "This is Andrew and Ingram, my two commanders. Can you keep the baby quiet while we leave?"

"Oh, he's fast asleep. He's a good baby." Gillian picked up Henry and then Ingram picked up Gillian. Isabel waved Andrew away and made slow progress behind her first in command. Waiting for signals from the sentinels he had stationed on their escape route through the castle, Andrew was motioned onward until they reached their horses. Gillian and the baby were handed up to Andrew and Isabel mounted Revenge with a suppressed groan. They met the rest of their forces and marched back to Bamborough as the sun rose through the morning mist and burst brightly in the sky.