Page 72 of Highland Steel

Rhoswen spied her sword on the ground where the guard had thrown it. She ran over and picked it up, ready to fight as well. There were just too many Drummonds, and without that gate open and the drawbridge down, they had no chance of winning or even surviving. Logan obviously knew it as well, because of what happened next.

“Stop the fightin’, Drummond,” said Logan.

“Never,” spat the man.

“Give me the Sword of Triumph and we will leave peacefully.”

“Dinna make me laugh, MacKeefe. I hold the sword with all the power now. No one who wields it ever loses.”

The sound of the gate going up caught Rhoswen’s attention and she saw Hawke helping the boys turn the winch. Then the chains rattled and the drawbridge started to lower as well.

“This is the last time I’ll ask,” shouted Logan. “The MacKeefe Clan is about to come over the drawbridge and I dinna want to see either side with as many dead bodies as the last time we fought. Fight me one on one.”

“Ye bedded my daughter and because of ye, she is dead!” yelled Drummond. “It is ye who started all this.”

A guard swung at Rhoswen and she blocked his blow with her sword.

“Then fight one on one with me and we’ll end this feud once and for all.”

The sound of horses coming across the drawbridge was heard as well as the MacKeefes calling out their war cry of Buaidh no Bas.

“All right!” shouted Drummond. “Call off yer men and we’ll settle this one on one.”

“Hold up,” yelled Logan, holding his hand in the air. “Dinna attack,” he called out.

“Logan, what is this all about?” said Storm from atop his horse.

“There will be no more battle,” Logan told him. “Drummond, call off yer men as well.”

“Stop!” shouted Drummond, and the fighting ceased. Mumbles were heard since no one understood what was happening.

“There has been enough killin’ and too many from both our clans have died,” said Logan, speaking loudly so everyone could hear him. “Ranulph Drummond has agreed to a one on one fight. The winner – whoever unarms the other first, will win the Sword of Triumph. Either way, both sides will cease the fightin’ and no’ get involved.”

“But it is our clan’s sword,” shouted one of the MacKeefes. “We will fight to the death to get it back.”

Several of the MacKeefes yelled, and so did the Drummonds.

“Stop it,” shouted Storm. “Logan is right. There has been too much bluidshed and it’s over a sword. Now, I agree that we should settle this in a one on one fight with swords. No’ to the death, but to win the rights of the Sword of Triumph only.”

“And I get to use the Sword of Triumph in the one on one battle,” said Drummond.

“What? Nay, that’s no’ fair,” shouted Ethan. “No one ever loses with that lucky sword.”

“That’s my deal or we can all die here today, I dinna care,” said Drummond. “I use the Sword of Triumph, and I get to choose my opponent, too.”

“Nay, it’s goin’ to be me fightin’ ye in challenge for the sword,” said Logan.

“Nay, I willna fight ye because I dinna trust ye after what happened with my daughter, MacKeefe.”

“Well, we dinna trust ye either after ye killed Rhoswen’s sister,” called out a MacKeefe.

“He didn’t kill her,” said Rhoswen. “Although he kept her imprisoned and beat her, my sister is still alive. Ailsa, show your face.”

Her sister got out of the back of the wagon still holding the baby as Bug helped her get to the ground.

“Yer sister’s alive?” asked Storm.

“That still doesna bring back my daughter,” spat Drummond.