A CHRISTMAS WISH

Chapter 13: Iain's Resolve

This Chapter is dedicated to a wonderful new friend and fan called LadyFoxglove, Thank you, for all ur support, comments and feedback.  Hope you enjoy this chapter.

O.k everybody, as promised chapter 13, for some reason I enjoyed writing this chapter a lot. It just flew out. I hope it shows in the execution. I pray all of u enjoy it. Plz let me know what you think by giving me your COMMENTS AND VOTES, but ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT LOL.

Thank you very much for hearing me out and now sit back, relax and ENJOY!!!

CHAPTER 13:

IAIN'S RESOLVE:

"Filthy heathens!"

Every single one of the highlanders heard those words. There was no way they couldn't have. But they all ignored the knight who had just thrown that insult in their faces. They didn't move so much as a muscle, they remained where they were, stoically and silently behind their Laird, lined up at one end of the field along with hundreds of other men waiting for the Estor.

All morning they had heard nothing but verbal abuse from the crowds, and it seemed the knights had finally decided to join the merry club. Until a little while ago they had avoided bandying insults about, only finding the temerity to voice their opinions now that they were standing in their hundreds alongside the highlanders. Perhaps they thought there was safety in numbers, or maybe they thought the odds were in their favour.

And they were right, the odds were in their favour, overwhelmingly so, or so it seemed. 

Appearances however were quite often deceptive.

From the looks of things it didn't seem like the small group of Highlanders stood a chance in hell. How could a small band of eleven men, no matter how powerful they were, compete against hundreds? And it would indeed be hundreds that they went up against, for the knights; even though they might fight amongst themselves would all target the Highlanders first.

The highlanders silence in the face of every insult was making the knights even cockier about their chances. To them it seemed as if the heathens were running scared.

And that was their greatest folly, one that would cost each and every one of them the tourney. For Iain had no wish to prolong the battle over the customary three days. He wanted to send a very clear message today to all his opponents and to the Baron.

He could bet the man was grinning right now, lounging in his high chair, licking his chops in anticipation, watching Iain and his small band of men.

In fact all the Englishmen in that field were smirking derisively as they looked upon the Highlanders, eagerly awaiting the their defeat in battle.

But unfortunately for them they would not be getting their fondest wish today or any other day for that matter.  For unbeknownst to them the man they had gleefully denigrated all morning had concocted a plan of action, and it was already well underway.

Iain didn't even spare a glance at the Knight taunting him, nor the jeering crowds. His gaze was focused exclusively on his foes across the field, and his mind was busy thinking about the men waiting in the shaded forest, behind him, the men no one knew anything about.

The foolish English thought the Highlanders were at a disadvantage because of their apparent lack of manpower, but while they had all been revelling and wenching in their Pavillions Iain had been busy laying down the groundwork. None of them knew what Iain planned and he had made sure of that by visiting the Baron's feast last night, 'twas the perfect diversion.