Page 17 of Wolf Heir
Coinneach hugged his mom and kissed her forehead, then hurried to climb back on the horse and leave. He galloped off to catch up to Alasdair and his men.
They were getting close when Aisling said, “I worry about my mother, though. She will be angry when you join us for the meal.”
Alasdair overheard her and drew his horse closer. “She canna be angry with him when she sees Coinneach is our guest. I didna tell you, Coinneach, but we always have sword fights between our packs to display strength and prowess when we visit with your pack. You will have to do it also.”
Coinneach wasn’t sure he could fight against well-trained men, not when he had only fought against Alasdair and Tamhas over the years and knew all their moves.
“You can do it. I have every faith in you that you’ll best half the men there.” Alasdair was always great at offering encouraging words.
“Aye, I will give it my best.”
“That’s all any of us can do,” Alasdair said.
“If you dinna get yourself killed,” Aisling said.
When they arrived at the castle gates, the guards greeted them warmly. Coinneach could see that Alasdair and his pack had a good working relationship with Hamish’s pack. Coinneach was glad for that because, for the first time since escorting Aisling home, he was treated with respect as well.
On occasion, they would have celebrations of one sort or another at the castle, but his mother always said that their place was on the farm and their da always agreed with her. He wondered if they had some trouble with the people in their clan who lived in the castle, but when he’d asked, his mother and da had shared looks, but neither had said anything.
Now, that was in the back of Coinneach’s mind as he got ready to fight one of the warriors.
“We fight and then feast,” Alasdair said.
Warriors from both sides were gearing up to fight in the inner bailey.
Aisling said, “I can stay for just a short while and watch you, and then I must help Cook with the meal. Dinna let anyone get the best of you.”
Coinneach dismounted, helped her off the horse, and gave her a spontaneous hug and kiss. “Aye. As you wish.”
She quickly hugged and kissed him back.
Then he pulled off his shirt, just like the other men did, preparing himself to fight.
No one looked eager to take on the biggest man, his solid muscles glistening in the sunlight, his intimidating, fierce scowl directed at Coinneach, as if challenging him to fight him. Coinneach knew not to challenge the blond-haired, blond-bearded man. He looked big enough and ferocious enough that he could be the chief’s champion.
If the man took Coinneach down in a few minutes and he couldn’t fight anyone else, how would that appear to others? That he couldn’t fight well and join the men who worked for Hamish.
No one wanted to challenge the big man, and Coinneach straightened his shoulders and headed for him. The warrior flexed his massive muscles in a show of strength andintimidation. Coinneach wasn’t backing down. He either did this or he didn’t, but he had to try his best.
The man’s blue eyes widened as Coinneach approached him.
Coinneach was not as muscled as this man, though when he was dressed for winter, he looked a lot bulkier, like the man before him. Yet he had worked hard all his life, and he thought he could make a good show of it.
“Are you sure you want to fight me?” the blond-haired man asked, giving Coinneach the option of backing out. He wore his hair back in a tail, his muscles spectacular, and Coinneach knew the warrior would use them to his advantage.
“Aye.”
He grinned. “I’m Aodhan. You have guts, I’ll give you that.” His eyes were as vivid a blue as the sea washing up near shore.
Coinneach was always ready for a challenge. “I’m Coinneach.”
As soon as Aodhan swung his sword at Coinneach, he felt the wash of air sweep across his bare chest and leaped out of the way. If Aodhan’s sword had connected with Coinneach’s, he knew he would have been separated from it as much force as Aodhan had used to try and hit Coinneach’s sword.
Coinneach quickly swung at Aodhan, connecting his sword with a clang.
“No’ bad.” Aodhan returned with a swing that could have cut a man in half.
Again, Coinneach dodged the blow, using the techniques Alasdair had taught him over the years to fight a heavier foe.
