Page 24 of The Iron Highlander
Reuben realized just how dumb he sounded after the words had come out his mouth. He had not come with the sword because he believed there was no need for it, also, he did not expect that she had ridden out so far. He was too far from the castle to turn back to get it when he had realized, and now, they were at a disadvantage against whoever was trying to kill them.
“We need to keep runnin’, Kate!” Reuben called out, looking behind them.
“Nae! That’s the wrong direction! If we head that way, we daenae ken where we’ll end up.” Kate pulled a bolt out of her quiver and locked it in the bow, peaking from behind a tree.
“Well what do ye want us to do?” Reuben asked, letting out a gasp as he felt his arm sting from where the arrow had hit him.
“We fight,” Kate shot back with a grim look on her face.
“Nae, stay still!” Reuben yelled out, but Kate darted off to the side.
He got to his feet, rushing after her, but another arrow flashed right before his eyes, causing him to stop and drop to the ground. He looked from behind the tree and realized that the shooter was using movement and the sound of leaves rustling and branches creaking to tell where they were. The Laird decided to do the same. He shut his eyes and focused, listening to the sound of the forest around him.
He heard the sound of birds chirping in the distance, the leaves at the tree tops dancing in the wind, and the creaking of a branch a few meters ahead of him. He opened his eyes and looked at the tree, glancing up to see the figure hiding up in the trees. They had used branches and leaves to mask their appearance up in the tree, but he was certain.
“Kate, up in the oak!” Reuben yelled, throwing a branch in the opposite direction he was at. The branch distracted the shooter, and they turned and fired at the branch, allowing Kate to see where they were in the tree. Reuben watched as the man leaped out of the tree and hit the ground, turning to run.
A second later, an arrow flew out of Kate’s bow and in through the trees. The sound of a dull thud and a cry told them that she had hit something, but Reuben could not see it. A few moments later, Kate rushed back over with a fearful look on her face, helping him up.
“Did ye hit him?” Reuben asked, looking at her.
“Aye, I got him in the back. It looks bad,” Kate began, and I could hear the fear and trembling in her voice. She had not taken alife before, and she was about to be overwhelmed with guilt for doing it for the first time.
Reuben looked at where the figure had disappeared into. He turned back to her and nodded, taking an arrow from her hand. He looked at the quiver and saw that there were only two arrows left. He grabbed her hand and looked her in the eye, making sure she understood how serious he was.
“Kate, I need ye to stay here, stay right here. Do ye understand?”
Kate nodded. Reuben rubbed a hand against her cheek, pulling her in for a hug. “Be careful,” she whispered.
Rueben nodded and walked slowly towards where the body was last seen. He held the arrow tightly in his grip, knowing he had just the sharp end to defend him. If he came face to face with the man, he would have to use it to defend himself. However, if the man still had his bow, he would be able to kill Reuben before the Laird could react. So he moved slowly, scanning the forest floor with his eyes as he walked.
A broken twig caught his eyes, and Reuben looked up above it to see a bloody palm print on a tree. A few leaves, heading to the left of the tree were also covered in blood, and the boots of the man was left in the muddy floor as he made a hasty retreat from where the fight had happened. From what Reuben could tell, the man had taken a nasty blow and was rushing away to save himself before he bled out.
If he followed the trail, he would be able to find the man, and probably finish him off before he got to the safety of a healer. But that would mean leaving Kate alone and out in the woods, and it would also leave his own injury untreated.
He turned around and headed back, taking some of the arrows he found along with him on his way back. He took one of the enemy arrows a well, before he reached Kate, who stood in wait, with her bow ready, if the person was not Reuben. He saw the fear in her eyes, and it melted his heart, making the Laird feel the desire to protect the beautiful woman even more. Yet she had ignored his instructions and gone right ahead and almost gotten herself killed by firing at the attacker.
“Ye shouldnae have gone out there!” Reuben began as he saw her. “What if he had seen ye first and fired? Ye would be dead right now!”
“Well ye did not seem to have any good ideas, so I decided that I was going to do somethin’!”
Reuben shook his head in disbelief. “Nae, that was wrong. We would have found a way out of this. Ye put yerself in danger like that again, and I will…”
“What’ll ye do, Reuben?” Kate asked, glaring at him.
The Laird rubbed his hair, realizing that there was no point to fighting. “Where did ye learn to shoot like that?”
“From my maither. I haven’t shot in so long, I didnae know I would still be good at it.”
“Aye,” Reuben rubbed his neck, trying to draw it out of him. He had not wanted to admit it, but it had happened. Kate had saved their lives. “Ye…”
“Let’s get back,” said Kate, walking towards where they had left the horses.
“Wait,” Reuben called out.
“What do ye want now, Reuben? I saved our lives, and ye can barely say a thank ye! What is it?” Kate asked, looking at him and noticing the blood which was on his arm for a second time. “Oh.”
She rushed over, ripping some of her clothes clean off, just as Reuben had done just a little while ago. She took it to the wound and wrapped it around firmly. It was not much, but at least it would stifle the bleeding until they were back at the estate where it would be properly treated.
