“Come, Master Eoin,” said Freya, wielding a comb. The maid had volunteered to become the nursemaid with Anya’s firstborn. “Ye cannot meet the king with your tresses looking as if ye’ve been rolling in the hay loft.”
The lad had his father’s blond hair and looks. Marie took after Angus as well, though Aine was the spitting image of her mother with freckles across the bridge of her nose.
“Och, why must I meet the king?” asked Eoin. “I want to go ride my pony.”
“Ye can ride for days to come, but the king’s visit is of utmost importance to your father. And mark me, one day ye will be lord of these lands. And ye’d best learn now, even if ye are lord, duty comes first. Always and forevermore.”
The lad stopped and jutted out his bottom lip.
“Does this mean Da will be home for good?” asked Marie, aged four, as she climbed up on the bench beside Anya.
Anya sighed as she stooped to pick up Aine and balanced the lass of two on her lap. It seemed the wars would never end. “I wish it would be so, except the King of England invaded and we’ve naught but to defend our borders.”
“But our keep is secure,” said Eoin.
“That is because our walls cannot be breached. But we owe fealty to Scotland and to Robert the Bruce, and the MacDonald forces are some of the best fighting men in the kingdom.”
“I like it when Da’s home,” said Marie.
“I do as well,” said Anya.
The babe pulled on Anya’s kirtle laces. “Da, Da!”
“Even the wee one loves her father,” said Freya, raking the comb through Eoin’s hair, yet having no success at taming the lad’s wild locks.
Trumpets sounded from the courtyard. Anya stood with the babe in her arms. “Come, children, we must go to the great hall to attend the ceremony. And remember, ye must remain quiet.”
A month ago, Angus had returned from Bannockburn where Angus and the MacDonald army fought in an enormous battle with thousands of men. After the death of Edward the Longshanks, Anya had prayed that the wars would end, but nay. His son, Edward II maintained the same ill-begotten opinion that he should be overlord of Scotland, and invaded a year past.
By the grace of God, the Scots had been victorious at Bannockburn, and Robert the Bruce’s favor had grown mightily. He was loved by his subjects and young men flocked to his side, eager to take up arms for the kingdom.
This was a day for pride. For so long, her husband had felt as if the king did not appreciate him as he did many of the other nobles, though the tides had turned at Bannockburn. By the show of might from Clan MacDonald, any misgivings Robert the Bruce may have had were wiped away and gone for good.
Anya and the children pattered down to the hall, which was packed elbow to elbow with clansmen and women. Raghnall met them at the entry from the stairwell and led them to a table in front of the dais beside the Dowager Lady Islay.
“All rise and behold Robert the Bruce, King of Scots!” bellowed the High Steward, who had accompanied the king on this visit.
Benches scraped across the floor. Trumpets on the gallery heralded a fanfare.
Holding her daughter on her hip, Anya craned her neck to witness the king’s approach. All this time had passed, yet his wife and daughter were still imprisoned in England. It made her think of how fortunate she had been that Angus had chosen not to take her to the monastery.
As the king approached in his fine velvet robes, Anya dipped into a curtsey, checking behind her skirts to ensure Marie did the same while Eoin bowed. Bless Raghnall, he reminded the lad of his manners.
The king took his place on the dais, followed by his knights Boyd, Campbell, and Douglas. “This is a day of celebration in recognition of the might of Clan MacDonald!” the Bruce boomed, thrusting out his arms to a raucous cheer.
“Come forward, Angus Og MacDonald, Lord of Islay.”
Anya’s heart hammered as she watched her husband approach through the aisle. Standing tall and broad-shouldered, he posed a magnificent picture of a braw and mighty Highlander.
Aine thrust out her chubby finger. “Da, Da!”
“Shh,” Anya hushed the child, grasping her hand and kissing it.
Eoin clung to his mother’s skirts as Angus climbed the stairs and kneeled.
The king raised his bejeweled scepter. “In recognition of the MacDonald prowess on the battlefield at Bannockburn, I hereby grant ye the lands in Lochaber, Ardnamurchan, Morven Duror, Glencoe, and Mull. And henceforth, ye shall be known as Angus Og MacDonald, Lord of the Isles!”
As the crowd cheered, Anya’s heart took flight, watching her husband receive that which he had desired, that which he had fought for all of his life. And though only the king’s men were allowed on the dais this night, as soon as Angus shook the hands of the knights, he immediately came down and joined his family. Lifting Marie and Eoin onto his hips, he kissed them both.
Anya curtseyed. “Congratulations, my love.”
“Con-lations, Da!” Eoin echoed.
Grinning, Angus reached out with a single finger and tugged his wife and youngest into an intimate circle, though it was Anya’s lips he kissed, his gaze focused only on her. “Och, none of this would have mattered if ye were no’ at my side, wife. I love ye more than life itself.”
Author’s Note
Thank you for joining me for Highland Raider. I have always loved this time in history and have been excited to finally write about it. Though this is a work of fiction, I did fashion the story around Angus Og MacDonald, Lord of Islay. There are many spellings of his name. Some ancient references refer to Aonghus Óg of Clann Dubhghaill. Of course, there were few spelling conventions at the time and I used the more modern spelling of the clan name since the Dubhghaills eventually became the MacDonalds. It is also possible that the Lordship of the Isles was granted to Angus’ son, Eoin. However, I found more than one reference referring to Angus himself as Lord of the Isles and thus wove the grant of the title into the story. It is true that Robert the Bruce had his misgivings about Angus early on in his kingship, but after the MacDonalds proved their might in the Battle of Loudon Hill and then again in the Battle of Bannockburn, Angus gained favor with the king.
Angus married Aine O’Cahan (or O’Cathan as some records show). One reference said she had a sister named Finovola, another said Fingola. Aine was the daughter of Lord Guy O’Cahan, who held the Lordship of Keenaght. The O’Cahan seat was Dunseverick Castle in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The feud between the clans and the girls’ tenure at Carrickfergus is pure fiction, but it made for quite a twisted feud.
I hope you enjoyed the story and will consider leaving a review. Next in the series, Arthur Campbell will have his romance in Highland Beast. I hope you will join in the fun!
Hugs ~ Amy
Also by Amy Jarecki
The King’s Outlaws
Highland Warlord
Highland Raider
Highland Beast
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Highland Defender
The Valiant Highlander
The Fearless Highlander
The Highlander’s Iron Will
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Highland Force:
Captured by the Pirate Laird