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Chapter One

Scotland… the Highlands 1200c

Daas carried along with the throng of excited villagers, pushing at those around her so as not to get crushed News had spread fast about the capture and soon now the warriors would return with the prisoner in tow and she, like all the others, was eager to have a look

The village folk continued to coe Dowell, elbowing and shoving, each wanting a good view until a woman yelled out, “I see them”

The scra stopped and all heads turned

Dawn stretched her neck to see past the swarm in front of her Luckily, she was taller than many of the women and even some of the men, so it took only a bit of a stretch and a turn and she had a clear view of the road

The troop had crested and was descending the last of the rolling hills that lead to the village The warriors wore sh waving weapons and victorious shouts filled the air This was a joyous day for the village and for Colueman for the feudal lord, Roland Gerwan, Earl of Carrick who no doubt would be pleased with the capture of the infamous warrior Cree

His nah Dawn, as it did to anyone who heard it Cree was feared like no other warrior and woe to those who believed otherwise Where he tread, rivers of blood flowed, those he touched suffered greatly, and those who survived his attacks prayed not for mercy, but for death

Dawn crossed her ar her flesh, though the early autulance to the sky and saw that a dark cloud had blotted out the sun and ht the sky

A boney grip on her arlance down to see Old Mary beside her She had been old as long as Dawn could reht her a bit touched in the head and avoided her

“A bad portent, bad indeed” Mary frowned and released Dawn’s arh the crowd and disappeared

Her oain she rubbed at her array linen shift cold with fear She could not say why she did not take to heart Old Mary’s warning and leave as the old woman had done Perhaps it was curiosity that kept hold, since Daondered if it was the devil the warriors had captured and with him locked away, peace could possibly prevail

The shouts grew louder, the crowd cheering, applauding their victory Dawn s with the others proud of the warriors as they marched by, stains of battle; dirt, sweat and blood heavy upon them

Moasp or startled cry, not even a breath was heard, though many were held

And Dawn? She stood unable to move, as if a winter wind had swept down and frozen her solid Never had she seen a man the size of Cree She stared unable to take her eyes off him He walked behind Colum’s horse; his wrists bound and tethered by shackle and chains, though he looked fit enough to break free froht and width and his bare chest was a mass of thick muscles and spotted with dried blood More s could not hidehe wore

Dawn hesitated to glance at his face fearing what she would see, but she could not stop her curiosity and slowly she turned her attention there

Her heart slammed in her chest and then lurched in her throat He was so handsorime and blood could not hide his fine features God had surely favored him for the more her eyes drank in, the more beauty she saw and only God could havebrown hair was not only threaded with strands the color of gold, but also ht white yellow color of the sun

Her eyes caught his then and her breath left her in a heavy whoosh They were dark, like the blackest night She wanted to look away but she couldn’t There was so about his eyes that completely absorbed her, held her, bound her to hi slap in the face, she realized he was staring back at her