The man threw a very unpleased look in Arran’s direction. “Aye, sir. I come to ye seeking refuge in return for news.”
Eoin stood from his place at the stable, briefly holding a palm up in my direction as if asking me to stay seated. Naturally, it did nothing but encourage me to stand and join him in front of Arran and the stranger.
“Refuge from what? Are ye a criminal? Ye will no find refuge here, if that be the case.”
“Nay, sir. I was held a criminal, but the only crime I was guilty of was loving the laird’s daughter. He caught us tupping in her bedchamber and locked me away.”
“As right he should.”
“Ach, Eoin! Doona be so noble. If tupping were a crime, there’s not a lad over the age of fifteen who wouldna be locked away!” Arran chuckled slightly before stopping when he glanced at Eoin’s face.
“Aye, sir. I wanted to wed her, but he wouldna consent. I was too lowly for the old bastard.” The stranger reached up to grab his heart as if in pain.
“Ach, well yer crime may no have been so bad, but I’ve yet to hear the news that ye think is worthy of a place here for ye.”
“Aye, sir. Laird MacLyrron is staging an attack on ye.”
Both Arran and Eoin’s faces shifted into a look of shock, and I was sure mine was no different.
“I’ve never even met Laird MacLyrron. His territory is far to the south of here. Why would he attack us?” Eoin stared at the man suspiciously.
“He’s a foolish bastard. He wants to expand his land, and yers is one of the most beautiful parts of the country.”
“How can we know if ye tell us the truth?”
The stranger shook his head as he looked down at the floor. “Ye doona know. I canna give ye more than me word. Allow me to stay here, and perhaps with time ye will see that what I’ve told ye is true.”
A long silence stretched out as the stranger, Arran, and myself watched and waited for Eoin to give his decision. I could see with every twitch of his hand or pull of his eyebrow that he was trying hard to make the best possible decision. He knew that, if correct, the information the man had just given him was vital. If wrong, the man was too dangerous to have in the village. Finally he cleared his throat before speaking.
“Ye will stay on castle grounds, and ye will work with Kip on the new horses until ye have earned our trust. Then ye may choose to move to the village if ye wish. If Kip is dissatisfied with ye or yer work, ye will be returned to MacLyrron at once. Do ye consent?”
“Aye. Thank ye. I canna begin to express my gratitude for yer kindness.”
Eoin shot the man a hard look, his eyes cold. “Doona make me regret my decision, lad. It will no end well for ye.” He paused and turned to look at Arran. “Introduce him to Kip, will ye? And get him situated in the hut near the stables.”
Arran nodded and grabbed hold of the man’s arm once more as they started to leave the dining hall.
“And Arran,” Eoin raised his voice so that he would hear him before he made his way out the door, “will ye meet me in my chambers after ye have seen him put away for the evening?”
“Aye. O’ course.” As Arran left with the still nameless man, Eoin motioned for us to return to our places at the table.
We passed dinner in silence, only glancing up at one another occasionally by accident.
I could see how distracted Eoin was, and it was evident in the way his facial expressions seemed to continually shift throughout the meal that he was still wrestling with his decision.
While I understood his decision, I wasn’t sure if I would’ve made the same one myself. Granted, it was the most promising piece of information we’d received, and it would be much easier to reach out for help in preparing a defense if we knew where the attack would be coming from.
But there was something about the stranger that made me uneasy. Something queer about the delivery of his story planted seeds of doubt deep in my stomach, seeds that were starting to take root.
*
Eoin turned his gaze away from the fire as he heard his brother enter into his chamber. “What did Kip say about the lad?”
“Well, he was no too pleased to be tasked as caretaker, but I expect twill be good for him to keep busy. He’s still taking the loss of the horses quite hard.”
“Aye, I doona blame him. Arran, do ye think the lad was telling us the truth?” He watched Arran’s face, trying to read his expressions as his brother sat down in the seat across from him.
“I doona know, brother, but I’d have made the same decision. What do ye think we should do now?”
“We canna confront MacLyrron. For if they’ve planned no attack, that’s a fine way to start a war, no? I think we must reach out to our most trusted allies, ask them to bring their forces here to help us mount a defense a few days before the expected attack. That way, regardless of who is planning it, twill be more than us alone to defend ourselves.”