Free April Holthaus - The MacKinnon Clan 01 by The Honor of a Highlander

The Earl nodded his head in acknowledgement keeping his blazing eyes on Rory.
    “I am no’ here to discuss my loyalty. Where is the lass?” Rory’s nose flared with anger.
    “What concern is she to you? She has been wed off to Laird Stewart and has been tried for treason and crimes against our king. She is to be hanged.” The Earl replied.
    Married? Rory looked at Stewart. His eyes full of rage. He felt his breath heavily labored and his muscles grew tense. Balling his fists together, he was about to jump up from the ground and kill the man standing before him with that smug look upon his face, until he noticed the two guards from the corner of his eye. They rushed over dragging Annella under her arms and dropped her on the ground before the Earl.
    She slowly lifted her head and felt her heart sink deep inside her chest. With a crackled voice, she tried to cry out “nay” as she saw Rory bound up and kneeling on the ground, held up by two guards. She shook her head not wanting to believe that he had been caught. Knowing that he too, would die in the gallows made her heart break. This is all my fault , she told herself. Oh Rory, I am so sorry. She couldn’t speak the words but the sadness in her eyes expressed the remorse and blame she felt.
    Fueled with anger, Rory looked down at the dirt in front of him before he fixed his eyes back onto Annella. Her hair was matted. The chemise she wore was torn and exposed much of her bare skin. Her bruised, tear-stained face made her almost unrecognizable. She looked fragile, like nothing remained but skin and bones.
    His stomach churned. How could they have beaten this wee lass? What was once a fiery-spirited lass now appeared to be a scared, dying creature. He wanted so badly to cradle her in his arms, to let her know that he was there and would never leave her side again.  With sympathy in his eyes he looked at her, letting her sense his compassion; hoping she could draw some amount of strength from him.
    The Earl looked between the two of them and said, “Is the whore really worth risking your own life for? Is that why you are here? Do you honestly think you can save her?” The Earl laughed while his men joined in.
    Rory did not take his eyes off of her. He said in a grim voice, “Aye. I would die for her.”
    Looking back at the Earl and Stewart, he had to hold his anger in. If he lashed out now, his plan would fail and he needed to get Annella out of here first.
    “Good. Guards, prepare the gallows…for two,” the Earl sneered and kicked dirt up into Rory’s face.
    The guards walked them both onto the wooden platform of the gallows while they began to string up the ropes. With all the commotion in the bailey, the guards walking along the curtain wall of the castle had been distracted watching the scene below.
    One of the guards standing by the tower began to retreat to his post when he was speared in the chest with an arrow. Quietly he fell without notice.
    One by one the arrows flew up overhead hitting the men on top of the wall with precision. Hooks swung over the great wall and Rory’s men began to climb. Once on top, they swiftly removed the bodies of the fallen men and casted them into the moat below.
    Just as expected, Rory looked up and saw Ewan, Angus and Colin just above him with their swords in hand. He nodded and Ewan let out a blaring battle cry. The men jumped down from the wall ready to attack. Unprepared, the Earl’s men scattered to find their weapons. Ewan cut down the guard standing over Rory and cut the bindings from his wrists and gave him his sword.
    The sound of metal clashing, blood spilling and cries of pain occupied Rory’s thoughts as he held his ground. Trying not to fall or trip over the dead or wounded, he continued his assault.
    Metal to metal, his men fought valiantly. One by one, they slashed Stewart’s men and the English down. Rory looked around and saw many fallen men. Men with blades and arrows protruding out of their chests,