Page 38 of Highland Guard
Naomi and Kieran heard screams and shouts as two more monks ushered three nuns inside. They looked worse for wear. Their hair was disheveled, and they sported bruises as well. Kieran now counted five monks in total.
The leader stood over one nun. He grasped her hair and then turned his dagger to rest across her throat. Then he addressed the prioress. “You may not treasure your own life. But I wonder if you cared whether this one lived or died?”
The nun whimpered but did not say a word, although the look of terror was on her face.
The prioress was torn. “I ... I am telling you, I dinnae ken what it is you seek. Please ...”
“You have five seconds to think about it and then I will kill the remaining captives in front of you, one by one.”
The sisters began weeping and mumbling prayers.
Kieran could feel Naomi becoming agitated. “We cannot leave her at their mercy,” she whispered.
He gripped Naomi’s arm to prevent her from doing anything foolish. “Hold, lass. Wait.”
“Very well then,” the leader said and was about to slice open his captive’s neck when the prioress shouted, “No! Wait, please just hold on for a moment. I will tell you, but only if you let her go.”
The air was thick with tension. Naomi did not trust the leader to be true to his word. She had glimpsed something in his eyes, a coldness there and she knew she just knew he was going to kill the woman, regardless.
Naomi was about to move when Kieran whispered, “Get the women out of here.” Then he gave a mighty battle cry that startled the occupants of the room. Before they had time to turn, he sprinted right into the affray, targe up and claymore raised.
Naomi watched in avid fascination as Kieran cut down the leader before the man hurt the nun. She did not hesitate anymore. She spun her quarterstaff and ran straight into the melee.
Kieran had his hands full with monks coming at him from all sides. But he was primed and ready for battle. It had been a while since he sank his teeth into a challenge. But he had to admit, he was grateful for his targe because the bastards could swing those war clubs. Kieran blocked several hard hits and lashed out with his sword.
He saw from the corner of his eye the women scuttling away to safety and breathed a sigh of relief until Naomi ended up back-to-back with him. Her quarterstaff poised to battle. “Wench! Get yourbahookiesomewhere safe. I canna fight these men and keep an eye on you as well,” he growled.
“You need someone to protect your back, Highlander. Now stop talking and focus on your own problems.” Naomi blocked a hit by a war club as she spoke. Then she rotated her staff and slammed it into the neck of one monk coming at Kieran’s right side. The man went down with a crushed windpipe. “Three left,” she said, then moved in to take on another.
Kieran fought as best he could while keeping Naomi in his periphery. It was not long before he felt a shift in the air. Mostly in his attitude. He had to admit, with begrudging respect, Naomi was good with her weapon. She moved with the grace and speed of a battle-hardened warrior. Despite only coming up to his shoulder and weighing far less than her opponents, she never wavered. Constantly protecting his back just as he did hers. He had to admit he found that impressive, and precious little in the world impressed him nowadays.
The fighting lasted a little longer once Dermid appeared and joined in, evening up the numbers. “I should have kenned you’d be trying to impress the lasses all on your own,” Dermid shouted to Kieran, giving the nuns a wink.
Kieran just shook his head, knowing Dermid had learned absolutely nothing about controlling his flirtation since their last talk.
Naomi ran to the prioress to make sure she was all right. The woman merely clutched her hand and said, “Lass, you’ve finally come home.” Then she passed out, missing the bewildered glance Naomi gave Kieran.
***
The Relic
IT WAS SEVERAL HOURSlater, the remaining lay men moved the dead bodies to the tomb below, where the nuns would prepare them for a Christian burial in the morning.
Kieran and Dermid secured the abbey as best they could for the night, with Dermid now keeping watch from the bell tower. Kieran moved the few remaining residents into the bell tower section of the nunnery then boarded up several entry ways, making it easier to guard the residents in a smaller, but centralized area whilst still being close to amenities and food stores. The residents did not complain, given the shock of the day and their obvious lack of security. They felt somewhat safer having an experienced guardsman taking charge.
Meanwhile, Naomi and the sisters tended to the wounded whilst others took up chores to prepare a meal for the night. The mood was somber and reflective as they mourned the unnecessary loss of life and sought solace and prayer to calm their spirit.
It was after the meal when the weary travelers had cleaned and washed the dirt and blood from their bodies that they sat quietly to retire for the night.
The prioress, Aiya, was currently in her sickbed, as she had lost a lot of blood from her wound. She requested Naomi sit by her while Kieran hovered close by. “Lass, I thank you again for saving my sisters. You and your braw Highlanders were a real godsend. Did you come from the relic?”
“No, I just wanted to deliver a message from Abbess Murdina. She wished to warn you about theBrotherhood, but I guess we were too late,” Naomi lied.
“Aye, lass, these are such dangerous times indeed, when men will murder you for a stolen amulet.”
“How so?” Naomi asked.
“The relic, the amulet. It is no longer here. It was stolen years ago and we haven’t seen it since. Tis a pity our people perished for no reason.”
