Page 124 of Bound By Honor
At the door of the castle, Angus’ sister-in-law welcomed them.
“Juliana,” said Angus, “I come with our new lord. Greet Robert Bruce, King of Scots.”
Alex’s widow smiled her delight and curtseyed before the king. “Welcome, my lord king.”
Just then, her sons burst into the great hall like a pack of wild dogs, followed by Angus’ son, Alexander.
Juliana’s sons, apparently schooled beforehand, came to a sudden halt and bowed before the king. Rising, one said, “Are you really the King of Scots?”
Rob said, “Crowned king, aye, but I have yet to secure my kingdom.”
The boy, too young to understand, looked up, confused.
“Are some of them missing?” Angus asked Juliana. “I seem to recall I have six nephews but I count only four.”
“The two oldest are fostering in Ireland,” said Juliana. “They are determined to join the galloglass.” Alex’s boys were an unruly bunch, kept in line by Angus’ constable on Islay, who reminded them often they were the sons of Alexander Macdonald and grandsons of Angus Mor, and must behave as such. They would make exceptional galloglass; of that Angus had no doubt.
“Time has sped away,” said Angus. “I did not know they had reached that age.” Glancing at the king, he said, “It will happen to you again one day, my king, when the queen has given you sons.” Then to Juliana, he explained, “We are only here for two nights to bring Áine and the children to Islay for safety. I expect by now Dunaverty has been overrun with English.”
Juliana embraced Áine, and said to Angus, “Well, then ’tis good you have brought them here where the fleet is based. Should Dunyvaig ever be in danger, there is always Finlaggan.”
“Aye,” agreed Angus. Turning to his friend, Rob, he said, “Finlaggan is in the middle of the isle, the true heart of the lordship. ’Tis an island within an isle. The Council of the Isles meets there.”
The crews of the two galleys carried the chests and supplies into the castle.
The next day, Angus sent John to the captains of the galleys in Lagavulin Bay to request their presence in the castle where he intended to introduce them to the king.
As they waited in Dunyvaig’s great hall for the men to appear, Angus said to his friend, “If you mean to join Douglas and Boyd on Arran, we had best take ships and warriors with us to accomplish your purposes. In addition to the galleys we left on Rathlin, I propose to add more.”
The king nodded in agreement. “De Valence has a great force, and the castles the English hold are fully garrisoned.”
The captains who agreed to go with Angus were eager to sail and asked only for that day to supply the ships and bid their families goodbye. “How long might we be away on the king’s business?” asked one.
Angus told them what he knew. “As long as it takes to secure King Robert’s throne, though I expect we will be able to come home from time to time. Some of you will go now while others will stay to go in the future.”
Before the sun had set on the horizon, a message arrived on Islay for Angus from his seneschal at Dunaverty.
I trust this has found you through the circuitous route I was required to use. The English did, indeed, arrive at Dunaverty and have taken the castle. As our local people were reluctant to supply them with provisions, King Edward ordered his man, Sir John Menteith, to compel them, which he did.
The English king has made John MacDougall of Argyll his “Admiral of the West Coast”, and dispatched Sir Hugh Bissett to join Menteith to hunt Robert Bruce and his abettors.
Take heart, my lord. Wherever you are, you remain hidden with your valuable cargo.
Angus shared the message with the king, his companions and John. “So,” he said to Rob, “you are hunted but not found and Bissett has not betrayed us.” With a smile, he added, “What title King Edward gives to the MacDougall’s son is merely temporary.”
The king looked up from the missive and smiled. “Your lady’s prayers are answered.”
“Aye. It would seem so. We remain undiscovered.”
The farewell the following day was a tearful one for all involved. In Lagavulin Bay, the wives and children of Angus’ captains hugged the men they would not see again for some time. As for Angus, he and Áine had parted before when he had sailed to battles for King Edward, but this time would be different, for he was leaving for a war of less certain outcome in which the stakes for both the lordship and Scotland were too great to fail.
“I will come to you as often as I can,” he told Áine as he bent his head to her where they stood on the shore next to his galley. “When I cannot come, I will send news.”
Her beautiful, tear-filled eyes gazed back at him. “I will continue to ask God to protect you and King Robert and give you victory over your enemies.”
Angus’ captain, Conall, parted from Nessa, Áine’s handmaiden, with whispered words and a quick kiss. When she brushed her brown curls from her face, Angus could see tears flowing unimpeded down her cheeks.
Áine and Nessa stood on the shore next to Juliana and the children. Brian looked on as Angus’ crew made ready to sail. He had wanted to go but Angus did not give his permission. “There will come a time in the next few years when you will go with me,” said Angus. “See that your skills are perfected and approved by my constable while I am gone. When I return, I will test you myself to see if you are ready.”
