“What did you learn from those who surrendered?” Brogan asked, gazing over the imprisoned men and seeing that it would not be long before the few stragglers surrendered.
“They have been fed some such nonsense about evil being destroyed and peace prevailing when death claimed the cursed lords. But none could tell me who led them.”
“How many have you hung after they surrendered?”
“None,” Rannick said, glancing over the lot of them. “I had each one escorted home to let their chieftain decide their fate.”
“The evil was not as evil as they thought,” Brogan said. “A wise move. They return to sing your praises of a tolerant man, which makes others question whether to believe and join whatever insane group is perpetuating this madness.”
“At least it leaves them to question it, have them think, have their tongues sharing the news, their thoughts, and as you say, stop the madness. In the end, it may force whoever leads them to show himself.”
“Lord Rannick!” one of the prisoners called out.
“Roland!” Sheed shouted, stumbling to his feet. “You cannot think to surrender. You lost your wife and bairn thanks to the likes of them.”
The lanky, young man shook his bowed head as he stopped when he reached Sheed. “My blessed wife came to me in a dream last night and told me it was not my time. That I had a long, good life to live, and told me to stop being foolish. “I will not fail her again. I will pay heed to her word.” He lifted his head. “I beg your forgiveness, Lord Rannick, and I humbly request to remain here in your clan, to make a home here. I will do whatever I must to gain your trust. I only ask for a chance to do so.”
“I should trust you when you raised a sword against me?” Rannick asked.
“You have no reason to trust me. I can only hope you will allow me to prove myself trustworthy since I have been far too foolish of a man since my wife and son died,” Roland said.
Rannick eyed the man skeptically a moment before he spoke. “Is there anything you can tell me that would be of help to me?”
“There is not much we are told except that evil must be destroyed so that good can prevail.” Roland shook his head. “But who truly knows who is good and who is evil?”
“I will give it thought, Roland, until then you will remain imprisoned,” Rannick said, having had the same thought through the years and finding more evil than good… until Bliss came along.
“As you say, my lord,” Roland said, lowering his head once again and walking away to sit on the cold ground in front of one of the three campfires kept burning for the prisoners.
“Sheed!” Rannick called out and the man turned an angry glare on him. “If any harm comes to Roland, the same harm will befall you.”
“Sheed is the one who leads them?” Brogan asked as he and Rannick walked away, Sheed having turned his head away without responding.
“He thinks he does, but he is not intelligent enough. Someone directs him,” Rannick said. “Someone directs everyone.”
“No idea of who it may be?” Brogan asked.
“A name has been mentioned,” —Rannick hesitated— “Jaffee.”
Brogan’s eyes went wide. “Bloody hell. He has been spotted in the area?”
“From what one of the captives who surrendered told me, Jaffee paid him to see that this group carried out their task. He was free to go after that. He claimed to know no more than that. When I confronted him on lies I caught him in, it did not take him long to fall on my dagger so he would say no more. Jaffee’s name has been brought to my attention more than once.”
“Jaffee demands substantial coins for a task. It would take a wealthy lord to pay such a price.” Brogan shook his head. “Coin is not plentiful in the Highlands. It is land that makes a man wealthy and influential.”
Both men grew quiet until Rannick finally said, “Say what we both know.”
“What is the point? It makes no sense,” Brogan argued. “Your father may own the most land in the area and coin as well since he spent much of it to return you home.” He shook his head. “By no means does he want you dead. It really could be any of the clans who seek to improve their lot, which is the majority of them. I am content with the village Annis and I are building.” He laughed. “And we have a resident witch who keeps others away.”
“We have yet to discuss the obvious, Brogan,” Rannick said.
“I do not think either of us want to think that one of our wives may be the MacWilliam bairn,” he said in a whisper. “The danger she would be in if it was discovered…” He shook his head. “I cannot conceive it.”