“It’s Lunn and Evan who’ve returned and Lunn was quick to tell me that they spotted a troop of about twenty men headed this way and wouldn’t be far behind them.”
“Did either have any idea who they could be?” Royden asked, worried there wasn’t enough time to prepare and even if they did, they didn’t have enough men to defend against the troop.
“None at all. Lunn did say that they didn’t seem to be in a hurry and while they didn’t appear ready for battle, they did carry many weapons with them,” Angus said.
“Alert the village and make sure everyone keeps a weapon near,” Royden ordered and Angus nodded and took off.
“We’ll greet them at the entrance to the village, Da,” Royden said when he turned to his father.
“Aye, son. A wise choice not to let them enter the village,” Parlan said.
“Wait for me in the keep, Oria,” Royden said, stepping away from his wife.
“I’m coming with you,” Oria said and her husband’s hand went out to stop her from taking another step.
“No, you’re not,” he ordered firmly.
Oria pushed his hand out of the way and stepped up close to him. “You’ll not be sending me to the keep like you did the last time. If anything should happen, it’s by your side I’ll be, and don’t dare try to tell me otherwise.” She poked him in the chest. “And don’t think that scowl on your face will change anything.”
“You’ve changed, Oria,” his da said.
“Aye, I have and for the better. Now let’s go see to our visitors,” she said and stepped around her husband.
“We’ll discuss this later, wife,” Royden said, following after her.
“Aye, unless we’re too occupied to do so,” she said and heard Parlan chuckle just before her arm was grabbed and she was yanked back against her husband.
“I’ll give you this, this time, wife, and you’ll stay close to my side unless I command otherwise,” he ordered with a fierceness that sent a shiver through her that he felt. “And we will definitely discuss this tonight.”
“You want to make a wager on that?” Oria challenged.
Her smile softened his fierceness. “No, I don’t care for the odds.”
His da slapped him on the back as he walked past him. “Wise man.”
Several men followed Royden, Oria, and Parlan to the entrance to the village.
“Penn!” he called and the man hurried to his side. “You’ll stay close and let me know if you recognize any of the men.”
“Aye, sir,” Penn said and kept to his side, though back a couple of steps.
The troop was approaching at a slow pace by the time the group took position in front of the village. Royden could see that they rode fine horses and that their garments were in good shape with not a sign of repair or wear to them, and their weapons gleamed, which meant they were well tended.
The man who led the troop rode straight and tall on his horse and as he drew closer, Royden could see the confidence and courage in his posture. He was a man who wasn’t afraid of battle. His light brown hair fell past his shoulders and one side was braided. He had intense dark eyes and fine features and he looked fit. He was not a man to take lightly and Royden would keep a sharp eye on him.
Before the troop came to a stop, Penn leaned in close to Royden and whispered, “That’s Trevor, the Beast’s right-hand man.
Chapter 20
The troop stopped not far from Royden, the horses pounding the ground as if annoyed they’d been brought to a halt. Had the animals fought that many battles that they assumed every village was to be pillaged?
Royden kept his eyes on the man, seeing that he could easily intimidate with his imposing posture alone. His striking features also caught the eye. One would think him born of royal blood the way he held himself and he dismounted and walked toward Royden, his commanding stride adding to the notion. His plaid was more a dark cloth with threads of a ruby color running through it, and leather straps crisscrossed his chest and circled his waist with two sheaths at each hip, and sizeable knives tucked in each.
Royden spoke before the man could. “You ride on my village as if ready to attack it.”
The man stopped a few feet from Royden. “My apologies for the fright, but I was eager to meet my new neighbor. I am Trevor, the new chieftain of the Clan MacGlennen.”
Oria caught her gasp before it could escape and her heart grew heavy with sadness. With this man’s arrival the clan her da had led was now lost to her. It was as though in that instant her past had vanished, gone along with her da.
“How do you lay claim to the Clan MacGlennen?” Royden asked.