The boat was a birlinn, the sail doing most of the work at present because of the wind, but the oarsmen were at the ready.
Maitland Menzie joined them at the bow as their vessel sluiced through the water, their destination the Isle of Mull. Maitland, at seven and thirty, was the eldest of the group, his brown hair and full beard making him look more mature than Alaric. He was ten years older than Alaric, but the gleam in his eye made him a favorite of many. “There it is,” he declared, pointing to the distant glimpse of land ahead. “Duart Castle. Our home for the next few years.”
“You’ll miss Maeve, Maitland, but she’ll be here soon enough.”
“I already miss my sweet wife. I’ll stay for a sennight, see what supplies you need, then return to Cameron land. Whatever we need, I’ll bring along on the next trip, and I hope that the day will come soon when Maeve and our son join me. But I’ll do what is best for all. Maeve insists on it. She said she didn’t think I would enjoy sitting and staring at her gigantic belly while she’s in her last months.”
“I cannot wait to meet him,” Dyna called out from behind them. “Come here so you can listen to what the captain says about our destination.” She tugged on her nearly white hair, held back with a tie high on her head. At thirty, she and her husbandDerric were the middle-aged couple.
Alaric took Eli’s hand and tugged her from the edge, though it was difficult to pull herself away from the gorgeous view of the sea, the island in front of them, and the distant castle that was to be their new home.
The four of them had fought together at the Battle of Skaithmuir, a decisive battle between the Scots and the English. Ever since King Alexander III had passed on in 1286, the two countries had battled over territories and castles, especially around the Borderlands. Robert the Bruce had led the charge to win the Scot’s independence, but the two still battled over lands near the border, especially Berwick Castle. Sir James Douglas led the Scots’ charge in King Robert’s absence. Maitland and Dyna had been given the responsibility of protecting the land of the Scots while Robert assisted his brother in Ireland. The Scots had sent the English running after the battle, and their king had been pleased.
In return for their loyalty and diligence, King Robert awarded them Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull, a fine castle that was presently deserted. He’d warned them of the unrest on the isle. Multiple incidents of thievery had disrupted the usually peaceful group of clans, though the guilty parties had yet to be caught.
In order to achieve peace on Mull, he requested the Ramsays assume control of the castle, familiarize themselves with the residents of the land, and take the necessary actions to halt the attacks and incessant reiving that had been brought to his attention.
The collection of allies—Grants, Ramsays, Menzies, Camerons, Drummonds, and Mathesons—had gathered and decided who to send to the island, thus choosing the group of six.
Alaric Grant, newly wed to Elisant Ramsay.
Derric and Dyna Grant Corbett.
Maitland Menzie and his recent bride, Maeve Grant, who was about to deliver their first bairn. Maeve would join them in a couple of months.
It was an exciting endeavor, something that had Eli hopping out of bed every morn, waiting for the day they were to meet their destination.
The captain of the boat was someone who ferried people from Oban to Craignure, a place down the shore from Duart Castle, and thus was more than familiar with Mull.
“Captain, what do you know of the residents of the isle? What are the most populated areas? What clans?” Dyna asked.
The captain grinned. “Och, there are many. Clan MacVey and Clan Rankin are at the northern end—MacVey in the center near Glen Aros, Rankin in the northernmost point near Tobermory. I’ve heard of one clan of crude inhabitants to the west, Clan MacQuarie. But they are not overly hostile to my knowledge. They live on the western coastline, close to the sea and the other isles and keep to themselves mostly.”
“Have you ferried them anywhere?”
“The MacQuaries? Hell nay, not with the ships they have. They look like the longboats of the Norse. Probably repaired some left from the Battle of Largs years ago.”
“Do you ferry to the south?” Alaric asked.
“Nay, just two spots on the northeastern coast. I go to Craignure and to Ardmore Point near Bloody Bay. That spot is close to Clan Rankin.”
“And no one has inhabited the empty castle?”
“Nay, not that I’ve seen. The castle was built by the MacDougalls, but they are not supporters of King Robert, instead supporting the Comyns. They argued, met King Robert in Argyll, and never returned, instead choosing to stay where they had more protection. The castle has been empty for less than a year. There are MacClanes in the southern part of the isle,and word is they wish to take over Duart Castle, but it has not happened yet. So, you become the new residents of the castle by the gift of our king, and the MacDougalls can do naught about it. I wish you much good fortune. It has quite a view, so they say, sitting on the promontory as it is. High enough to see eye to eye with the eagles and falcons, of which we have many.”
Eli’s gaze drifted back to the castle that grew larger and larger as they skimmed across the sea. “Do they swim in the water there?” she asked, since she’d always loved swimming in the loch near Ramsay Castle.
The captain laughed. “Of course they do, but not right off the point. You might want a more protected spot down the beach. And south of Duart, there are some incredible beaches. You should look for them. The water is mighty rough on the point. You’ll see soon enough. I’ll not try to go ashore there but instead take you to the port of Craignure. There’s a small village where you can meet some of the local people, pick up supplies, or grab an ale at the inn.”
“Perfect,” she whispered, resting her head on her husband’s shoulder. How her life had changed in such a short time.
***
The ship docked at Craignure on the Sound of Mull. The captain pointed up ahead. “There is a nice path from here that goes through town, and if you head south, it will take you straight to the castle. Directly to the keep. You’ll find it clear, but it will take you a wee bit to carry your supplies. I’ll get the horses from below deck. Once I get them out, we’ll find a place to leave the crates, and you can carry some later. There aren’t many who would steal them in these parts, as long as you load them out of here before the next moon. Soon, news will spread that the castle has occupants. The torchlights will carry far since it is so high on the promontory.”
Alaric followed the captain below deck to calm the horses.Midnight Moon whinnied when he approached, so he moved over and patted his withers to calm him. “You did well on your first boat ride. And how did yer sweet mare do?”
He shifted over to untie Eli’s horse, the mare clearly glad to see someone familiar, nudging him for a treat. He held out an apple he’d saved for her, expecting the journey to be a wee bit rough for the beast, but they needed horses more than anything. Maitland planned to bring more when he came on his next trip. Dyna’s stallion was next to Midnight, but he was already calm.
