Prologue
Blazing arrows soared over the curtain wall’s northern edge, illuminating the starless night. None inside the castle paid heed at first; the main attack coming from the east. Shouting, sword clashes, and screams preceded villagers running through the gates into the keep and outlying buildings.
“Run, Angelica! Get buckets!” someone shouted to the young maiden.
“Mysie? Is that ye?” she called as she ran to the well to fetch water. “Where are ye?”
“Near the blacksmith, ye fobbing minnow! Can ye nae see the fire?” Mysie, usually impatient, showed her disdain for her younger sister.
Angelica swallowed her retort and ran toward the blacksmith’s cottage with the water.
“Oh! Ye took so long! Now look what ye’ve done!” Mysie screamed at her younger sister.
“I cannae be in all places, ye ken?” Angelica tried to defend herself.
“Ye are always too late for everything!” Adi cried after her. “The blacksmith willnae be able tae shoe me horse on the ’morrow if the building burns!” she scolded Angelica.
“Well, lasses, if that ’tis all ye are fretting o’er then all will be well, indeed.” Munroe Baird, Angelica’s eldest brother rested his palm softly on Angelica’s shoulder. “I dinnae see ye two with buckets, and yet ye kenned of the fire afore our wee sister, aye?” he scolded his other sisters.
Adi, demure, looked ashamed, though only in her expression, not in her heart. “The whelp shouldnae take so long.
Munroe, ye ken she is not much older than a wee bairn.”
Munroe stepped away from the burning cottage, pulling Angelica with him, ignoring his sister’s insults. “Dinnae ye fash, love. Ye arenae the problem this day,” he told Angelica.
Angelica opened her mouth to defend her perpetual lateness, but Munroe interrupted her.
“I ken ’tis the fault of those women that ye are always late. I ken they ne’er tell ye when tae be where ye are tae be.” She smiled, thankful to her eldest brother and heir to the Baird clan.
“Munroe, I truly thank ye for coming tae me aid. Dinnae ye have things of more import tae attend? We are, after all, under attack.”
“Aye, we are, but so were ye. Stay close tae me, wee sister. I will protect ye and Baird castle.” He nodded as he darted ahead. “Do yer best tae stay near,” he called behind him.
Angelica stopped her forward motion. She did not intend to become a distraction while her father, brothers, and warriors defended their lands against the attacking clan. She rushed through the castle grounds, looking for injured men or women she could help.
“Help! Help!” She heard from another building now caught on fire.
“I am coming!” she called as she ran toward the burning hut. She cried into the small cottage “Come. Can ye hear me voice? Come tae it!” she said but did not hear anyone return her plea. She stood for a minute, watching the fire dance across the roof. She studied it and fought to decide how safe it was to enter. Instead, of thinking long, however, she pulled the door open and a flash of flame poured through the door, catching her hair on fire.
Angelica pulled back and screamed, batting at the flames melting her hair and scorching her skin. Her gown smoldered from the flames licking the fabric. “Help me!” she screamed, but no one heard her. “Help me,” she sobbed as she fell to the ground in the bailey. The fire extinguished when she fell to the dirt, but it did not stop the damage already inflicted. Severe burns marred Angelica’s pretty face and part of her upper-left torso.
Adi walked slowly from behind the burning building. She had a smirk on her face. She had done what she set out to do, jealous of her older brother’s attention and protection toward her youngest sister, she started a fire and drew Angelica near. She turned and walked away from Angelica, ignoring her sister’s plight.
