Blue Bells of Scotland: Book One of the Blue Bells Trilogy Read Free

broken."
    "And you?"
    "I've been better." Niall leaned close and whispered with a wink, "as has my arse." He laughed at her shock and shifted uncomfortably on his thick cushion. MacDougall's arrow, by excellent aim or dumb luck, had caught his exposed parts.
    It had been a nightmare ride, unable to sit, and the arrow jolting his posterior with every hoof beat, through a labyrinthine moonlit glen, following a glittering silver ribbon of stream, and circling back to the hollow where his men and cattle hid. He'd bullied a stray cow over the lip of the hollow, bellowing to his men, "You louts left one behind!"
    His attempts to distract them from his growing weakness had worked all too well. When blackness swamped him, tumbling him from the pony-like hobbin he rode, they were too slow to prevent his head striking a rock.
    He hurt everywhere. But they'd be telling the tale for years, how Niall Campbell, even with an arrow in his arse, turned back for one more cow. Just today, he'd heard them around the corner, regaling young boys, who had gazed with awe, when Niall limped into view.
    He laughed, rubbing his posterior with an exaggerated grimace. "'Twas a small price to pay to bring home our cattle."
    "And for yer own vanity in mocking the MacDougall," Allene replied. She lifted the hair at his temple, studying the vicious purple-black bruise. Her fingertips grazed rough lacerations. "Aer ye still seeing double?"
    "'Tis a fine thing to see two of ye, my lady." Niall smiled, hoping she wouldn't press, for at the moment, three of her swam before his eyes, three heads of fiery curls, three freckled faces, three pairs of bright blue eyes.
    "Wheesht!" spoke Lord Morrison on Niall's right, and he was glad for the interruption. "Rabbie's a-goin' to tell a story." Voices died down around the hall. Rabbie was a favorite. As the old man pulled up a stool facing the Laird, Allene and Niall fell to their meal, spearing bread, turnips, and slabs of meat from platters lining the table.
    "The tale of King Herla," old Rabbie began in his ancient voice. Whispers of appreciation swept around the room from older folk who knew the story. Children fell quiet, leaning in close to hear how Herla, after a hard day's riding, rested in an ancient forest. Exciting, mysterious things always happened in ancient forests. "But as he dozed," Rabbie creaked, "a noise woke him." More children left their seats and eased into the circle at old Rabbie's feet.
    "I'd wager he saw a dwarf," Niall whispered to Allene, under cover of lifting his tankard. "With cloven feet."
    "And what did he see," said Rabbie, "but a dwarf. With cloven feet!" The children gasped.
    "Go for your sword," muttered Niall.
    Allene lowered her head, covering a smile.
    "He went for his sword!" Rabbie leaned toward the children, reaching for his belt. They drew back. Older ones giggled, wrapping protective arms around younger siblings. "But the dwarf smiled and said," and Rabbie imitated the dwarf's voice, "'I've heard o' your wisdom and would feign call you friend. I'd make a bargain wi' ye. I'll attend your wedding, and ye'll attend mine.' They sealed the promise with a drink from a gilded hunting horn."
    The story wove through King Herla's adventures, to his eventual marriage, attended by the dwarf king. Niall rose from his seat, unable to sit on the wound any longer, and stood behind Allene's chair. "Did the dwarf marry within the year?" he whispered, leaning close to her ear. Lord Morrison lowered dangerous eyebrows, daring him to speak again. Allene stared down into her dinner, tightening her mouth against a laugh.
    "Within the year, the dwarf announced his marriage," said Rabbie. "The king and his men, carrying gifts worthy of a fellow monarch, traveled to a great cavern, where they celebrated for three days with the dwarf's people."
    The sun sank, leaving velvet blue sky peering through the eastern windows, and streaks of pink and orange through the western. The loch lapped softly outside.