crude.”
Fury trembled through him. She referred to her rape. “I would not err in underestimating the English, but neither will I or other rebels allow them to take a country that is ours.”
“And how will you or the other Scots stop them? King Edward’s army is tremendous.”
Sadness echoed in her words, revealing the exhaustion of a woman who had endured too much.
“Tremendous mayhap,” Patrik agreed, “but an army without a heart.”
“And what of the Welch archers and their infantry reinforcements? Many Scots, those who have not pledged fealty to King Edward, are poorly trained and fight out of sheer determination.” She shook her head. “And more. ’Tis not merely a formidable army the rebels face, but deception within.”
“You speak of whom?” he asked, surprised by her claim as well as her knowledge of English defenses.
“The Earl of Carrick. Rumor has it that the rebels’ hope of him becoming their future king may be in vain, for he is considering abandoning Scotland’s cause to again swear his fealty to King Edward.”
Anger brewed at her mention of Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick. “No matter the whispers, Robert Bruce’s heart is true to Scotland.”
“And this is shown how, by the numerous times Lord Carrick has switched his loyalties to whichever country he perceives has the most to offer him?”
“Strategy is Lord Carrick’s strength. Though he is the rightful claimant to the Scottish crown, ’tis denied him. So, he engages in becoming Scotland’s king as if playing a game of chess. With our forces severely diminished, he considers whether it is prudent to lie low within the enemy camp.” Despite his explanation, Carrick’s behavior ate at Patrik like a festering wound, and was the reason he and other Scots supported William Wallace, a man whose loyalty to Scotland never wavered, regardless of danger.
“By the many times Robert Bruce has switched his support between England and Scotland,” Cristina said, “I doubt the English king believes in Lord Carrick’s loyalty.”
“Indeed,” Patrik agreed. “And that is the reason the king no longer appoints Lord Carrick to oversee anything of great importance.” Again the lass surprised him with her understanding of Scottish politics, but her sincerity and the frustration in her voice assured him she struggled with Robert Bruce’s decisions as much as he.
“So why would King Edward make such a pretense of accepting Lord Carrick’s fealty? Why has he not charged Robert Bruce as a traitor and order him hanged?”
Patrik scanned the moonlit sky, then their surroundings for any sign of the English. “With Lord Carrick a strong competitor for the Scottish throne, such a bold move might invite greater dissent toward King Edward. Many of the Scottish nobles have sworn fealty to the English king under duress. Longshanks accepts Lord Carrick’s fealty to keep an eye on him.”
“Longshanks—I am unfamiliar with the term?”
Unfamiliar? How? ’Twas a nickname known by many a Scot. He blew out a sigh. Having lived on her own, she must have missed the term. A fact at odds with her insight on Scotland and England’s political state; her knowledge was enormous compared to most commoners.
“The name is given to the English king because of his height.”
“Not too pleasing a nickname.”
Though she spoke quietly, he heard her nervousness. Why? “There are others the English king has garnered, but they are unfit to speak before a lass.”
“That I can believe. Though King Edward tolerates Lord Carrick, I doubt he would find such leniency for Sir Wallace.”
Patrik gave a rough laugh. “Aye, with the disruption Wallace has served the English king, if our rebel leader was ever captured, King Edward would make an example of him.” A shudder rippled through him. “A day I pray never comes.” Seathan, his oldest brother, was a trusted advisor to Wallace, and courted danger by the mere connection.
“How long do you think
Fury trembled through him. She referred to her rape. “I would not err in underestimating the English, but neither will I or other rebels allow them to take a country that is ours.”
“And how will you or the other Scots stop them? King Edward’s army is tremendous.”
Sadness echoed in her words, revealing the exhaustion of a woman who had endured too much.
“Tremendous mayhap,” Patrik agreed, “but an army without a heart.”
“And what of the Welch archers and their infantry reinforcements? Many Scots, those who have not pledged fealty to King Edward, are poorly trained and fight out of sheer determination.” She shook her head. “And more. ’Tis not merely a formidable army the rebels face, but deception within.”
“You speak of whom?” he asked, surprised by her claim as well as her knowledge of English defenses.
“The Earl of Carrick. Rumor has it that the rebels’ hope of him becoming their future king may be in vain, for he is considering abandoning Scotland’s cause to again swear his fealty to King Edward.”
Anger brewed at her mention of Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick. “No matter the whispers, Robert Bruce’s heart is true to Scotland.”
“And this is shown how, by the numerous times Lord Carrick has switched his loyalties to whichever country he perceives has the most to offer him?”
“Strategy is Lord Carrick’s strength. Though he is the rightful claimant to the Scottish crown, ’tis denied him. So, he engages in becoming Scotland’s king as if playing a game of chess. With our forces severely diminished, he considers whether it is prudent to lie low within the enemy camp.” Despite his explanation, Carrick’s behavior ate at Patrik like a festering wound, and was the reason he and other Scots supported William Wallace, a man whose loyalty to Scotland never wavered, regardless of danger.
“By the many times Robert Bruce has switched his support between England and Scotland,” Cristina said, “I doubt the English king believes in Lord Carrick’s loyalty.”
“Indeed,” Patrik agreed. “And that is the reason the king no longer appoints Lord Carrick to oversee anything of great importance.” Again the lass surprised him with her understanding of Scottish politics, but her sincerity and the frustration in her voice assured him she struggled with Robert Bruce’s decisions as much as he.
“So why would King Edward make such a pretense of accepting Lord Carrick’s fealty? Why has he not charged Robert Bruce as a traitor and order him hanged?”
Patrik scanned the moonlit sky, then their surroundings for any sign of the English. “With Lord Carrick a strong competitor for the Scottish throne, such a bold move might invite greater dissent toward King Edward. Many of the Scottish nobles have sworn fealty to the English king under duress. Longshanks accepts Lord Carrick’s fealty to keep an eye on him.”
“Longshanks—I am unfamiliar with the term?”
Unfamiliar? How? ’Twas a nickname known by many a Scot. He blew out a sigh. Having lived on her own, she must have missed the term. A fact at odds with her insight on Scotland and England’s political state; her knowledge was enormous compared to most commoners.
“The name is given to the English king because of his height.”
“Not too pleasing a nickname.”
Though she spoke quietly, he heard her nervousness. Why? “There are others the English king has garnered, but they are unfit to speak before a lass.”
“That I can believe. Though King Edward tolerates Lord Carrick, I doubt he would find such leniency for Sir Wallace.”
Patrik gave a rough laugh. “Aye, with the disruption Wallace has served the English king, if our rebel leader was ever captured, King Edward would make an example of him.” A shudder rippled through him. “A day I pray never comes.” Seathan, his oldest brother, was a trusted advisor to Wallace, and courted danger by the mere connection.
“How long do you think
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