“Wolf also left warriors in among the clans where he had yet to arrange marriages,” Royden went on to explain. “Penn is one that is here among our clan and wed to Emily and they have a son, Morgan, only a few months old. He claims he loves Emily and claims to be loyal to me.”
“But you’re not sure,” Arran said, sensing his brother’s doubt.
“He hasn’t shown me otherwise, but knowing how ruthless Wolf can be, demands could be made on Penn leaving him no choice of what side he is on. Galvin warned me that there was one of Wolf’s warriors at Clan Macara. There could be more, but he knew of only one. Freen is his name. I can’t tell you anything about him since I never met him.”
“What of the Clan Learmonth? Who rules there?’ Arran asked.
“No one so far, but from what we learned it would seem Wolf will rule there,” Royden said.
“And over all the clans he conquered.” Arran grew annoyed. “So the man responsible for tearing our family apart is Oria’s brother and will be our neighbor.”
“It seems that way,” Royden said.
“So we are to make a friend of our enemy or battle him, leaving many more to suffer and die.” Arran looked away from his brother for a moment. “I’ve spilled enough blood, took enough lives, and seen enough suffering.” He looked back at his brother. “I want no more of it. If it is peace we must make with our enemy, then let it be done and over. Then maybe it will help get Raven home safely to us.”
Royden and Parlan nodded in agreement.
“Now tell me about your earlier remark about Galvin requesting I marry Purity,” Arran said.
“Galvin came to me, demanding as usual, worried about Purity being found and forced to wed one of Wolf’s warriors. His land would no longer be his, but belong to a Northman and his legacy would be gone forever. I told him the decision was yours to make.”
“Then he should be relieved and pleased that he finally got what he wanted,” Arran said, recalling all the times Galvin had badgered his da for a marriage between him and Purity. Strange that the woman he had repeatedly refused to wed was now his wife.
“Galvin is rarely satisfied with anything,” Parlan said. “He also dictates to all around him, so be prepared, son.”
“The first time he dictates to me will be his last time,” Arran cautioned.
“Tell us about this bounty on Purity,” Royden said.
Arran detailed each attack since he’d first come upon Purity, even admitting that at first he hadn’t recognized her. “Whoever issued the bounty has kept his identity hidden.”
“Perhaps it is Wolf’s doing, trying to secure the last clan, the last piece of land for him to claim victory,” Parlan suggested.
“Then he failed,” Arran said. “Purity is my wife and will stay my wife. And now that she’s home, there should be no more attempts to abduct her.”
“You are good with this marriage, Arran?” his da asked.
“It is something I should have considered when Galvin had first approached you with such an arrangement. His reasons for wanting me to wed her were purely selfish, and my reasons for not wedding her were purely selfish. Neither her father nor I considered Purity, nor her safety or well-being, and that I regret.” Arran shook his head. “I remember him telling me to wed her, get her with child, then go and enjoy myself with other women.” He didn’t tell his da or Royden how Purity had asked him, though thinking back it was more like she had begged him to wed her, fearful of who her da might wed her to, and he had turned her down. He had never given her plight thought. He had been as selfish as her father.
“You had no wont to wed,” his da said.
“I had no wont of responsibility.” Arran nodded at Royden. “That was for him.”
“You trained the men to fight,” Royden reminded.
“Not well enough,” Arran argued.
“We were outnumbered that day. No matter how good our men, they were too many to fight against,” Royden said.
“We should have been better prepared,” Arran continued to argue.
“It is over and done,” Parlan said. “Reliving the past will do us no good, learning from it will.”
“Da is right,” Royden said. “We won’t take warnings so lightly or be caught unaware again.”
Their discussion turned to plans for the future, especially since they would be dealing with Northmen, and what would be best for them all.
Parlan finally said, “It grows late and you must be tired, Arran. We have time to talk more tomorrow and in the days to come.”
“Something, among many things, to be grateful for,” Royden said.
Arran rolled his neck back and forth as he walked through the keep to the stairs, stopping when he saw Bethany. She was more than the cook. She’d been like a mother to him, Royden, and especially Raven, their mum having died giving birth to her.