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〃Aye； ye have not。 But … be careful； lad。 Th' clan needs its chief。〃
Dhugal forced a grin as he squeezed the old man's hand。
〃We'll hear no more o' that。 Da。 The clan has its chief； an' will for many a year； the Lord willing。 Besides； I've n？？ finished my apprenticeship with ye。〃
The old man nodded and smiled as Dhugal pulled away to let Ciard finish arming him； but both of them knew it was a charade。 Dhugal pretended to adjust a strap on his brigandine while Ciard looped a sword baldric over his head and brooched a heavy； furlined cloak at his throat。
Then Dhugal was drawing on gauntlets and striding out of the hall； raising a hand in final farewell as he went。 Minutes later； the Transha warband rode out the castle gates toward Carcashale。
Two hours later； Dhugal and his men sat their shaggy border ponies stirrup to stirrup across the mouth of Carcashale pass … a position which would bring the approaching foreigners within a dozen yards of the Transha line before they were even aware they were not alone。 Dhugal held the center of the line； Ciard at his left with his personal standard and Caball far to the right with the Transha banner。 The silks were almost gaudy against the grey December sky。
From the point above； the signal came。 As Dhugal drew his sword and。raised it； steel slithered from a dozen other scabbards in answer。 He shifted the leather…faced targe on his right arm and collected his pony's reins。 As the first of the black…clad intruders rounded the curve and faltered at the unexpected array awaiting them； Dhugal kneed his mount a few steps forward。
〃Stand； in the name of the king； and state your business！〃 he said； letting his sword rest lightly against his left shoulder。 〃You trespass on the Earl of Transha's lands。〃
But the men ahead were not inclined to parley。 Even as Dhugal realized that； wheeling his pony in strategic retreat； they were spurring their larger mounts from trot to gallop； bunching around the two unarmored men in their midst and drawing weapons as they came。
Dhugal signalled his men to scatter as he fled； trusting that the quickness of their border ponies and intimate knowledge of the terrain would at least enable them to escape。 The charging men did not fan out in general pursuit； however。 To Dhugal's astonishment and horror； the men at the head of the band made directly for him； the outriders brushing off his more lightly mounted and armed men with devastating results while the leaders drove straight toward him。
〃MacArdry； to me！〃 he cried。
His men tried to rally。 Ciard got separated from him by a man on a particularly large and nasty bay which kicked and tried to bite； and Tomais darted desperately behind to take his place and shield him。 But the strangers cut down the scout with hardly a wasted effort and then crashed their mounts into Dhugal's； bowling it off its feet。 Dhugal fell hard。 He lost his helmet； but somehow he still had his sword in his hand as he scrambled to his feet。 He glanced around wildly to find himself totally surrounded by the enemy。
He threw away his targe。 Catching at the reins of one of his attackers with his free hand； he jerked and forced the animal to its knees； spilling its rider even as he blocked another man's sword blow。
But his astonishment at the Trurill badge on the surcoat beneath the fallen man's mantle threw him off stride； and before he could collect his wits； the steel…shod hoof of another man's horse caught him in the thigh with near bone…crushing force。 Even as he gasped with the pain of it； trying not to fall under yet another horse's hooves； another rider kneed him in the chest； knocking the wind out of him and cracking ribs。 Dimly he recognized his attacker as the Trurill sergeant with whom he had ridden only a fortnight before。
〃Gendon！〃 he gasped； stunned。
Wheezing desperately for air； and feeling horribly betrayed； he staggered to his feet and managed to deliver a bloody but shallow cut to the arm of another attacker； but already injured； he was too slow to avoid the hooves of another horse which tumbled him to the ground … or the sword hilt which struck his temple with a solid； sickening thump as the Baron of Trurill himself grabbed him by the neck of his brigandine and yanked him up across the saddle。 He tried to struggle through the fog of pain which shrank his vision to a narrow tunnel； but his fingers uncurled from his sword hilt and let it fall as the pain pounded with every heartbeat。
〃Pull back； or I kill the boy！〃 his captor bellowed； jerking him up straighter in the saddle before him and laying the flat of his sword against Dhugal's throat。 〃Will your chief thank you for a dead heir？ I swear； I'll kill him！〃
Dhugal's eyes would no longer focus； and he could feel the bitter bile burning in his throat as waves of nausea pulsated with the pain。 Even drawing breath sent jagged fire lancing through his chest； and his slightest attempt to struggle only made his captor's arm clamp tighter over his broken ribs； adding to the agony。 Dimly he was aware of the sounds of battle ceasing； and then Caball's voice； breathless and desperate。
〃Yield yer prisoner； sir； in th' name of King Kelson of Gwynedd！ Ye have attacked th' king's just representative wi'out cause。〃
〃A heretic king！〃 an irate voice behind Dhugal shouted。 〃And the heretic king has forfeited his rights by making heretics his allies。 Stand aside and let us pass； or the boy dies！〃
Weakly； Dhugal tried again to struggle despite the pain it cost him。 He could not think clearly； but instinctively he sensed that to allow these men to escape was a thing which must be prevented at all cost； even his life。
〃No！〃 he managed to cry out。 〃Don't let them … 〃
But the sword hilt crashed into his head again before he could finish； and he felt his world going dark around him； his body totally refusing to obey him any longer。 He knew more pain as his captor pulled him higher across the saddle to thrust a gauntleted hand through the back of his belt； and he heard Clan MacArdry's warcry as they tried to answer his mand。
But then consciousness was slipping away even as his captor charged into the fray again； and he knew no more。
Caball MacArdry and the remnants of Dhugal's mand limped their way back through the gates of Castle Transha just at dusk。 They brought two dead with them； and not a man among the living had escaped unscathed。 One prisoner they had managed to take； lashed to the saddle of Dhugal's protesting pony； but only because he had been too badly injured to ride with his rades。 Were it not for the fact that they hoped to question him； Caball gladly would have cut his throat without further ceremony。
All during the slow； painful ride back from Carcashale； the devastated Caball had rehearsed the possible ways of telling old Caulay that his son was captured。 In the end； he could only let Dhugal's absence speak for itself。 He dared not meet the old man's eyes as he and the five other survivors still able knelt at the foot of the chief's chair in the great hall。 Caulay stiffened as his rheumy eyes searched the faces of the six and did not find Dhugal。
〃We met them at Carcashale； sair；〃 Caball said in a low voice； blood seeping between his fingers wh