Chapter forty-four
Elizabeth still had the pain in the back, although this time she was sure she wasn't going to die. With her teary gaze on the soldiers before them, she pressed the bloody lace hem to her wound.
Monica did not seem to be that lucky though.
The blonde turned to her cousin who shivered weakly with her hand on her bleeding stomach. The Scottish had lost a reasonable amount of blood and was seemingly fighting to push herself up from the grass.
"Where is the Duke by the way," Fergus Ellivey asked while he squatted over Monica with a smirk, "Give me what I want and I'll spare your life."
That was when she realized it was all about her home as always.
There was a short wave of silence that the Earl of Garia expected from her. Besides, he didn't intend to get her to answer that easily.
It took only a look at his wife for him to pass a message she understood quite clearly.
Olivia Ellivey retrieved a loaded pistol and bent over to Elizabeth, clutching her hair in one hard grip. While sending a smirk to the red haired lass, she placed the gun on the blonde's temple.
Consequently, Elizabeth let go of the bloody lace with a loud, painful shriek. And as useless at her efforts were, she tried to struggle free.
That was just the motivation Monica needed to force strength into herself. Slowly, she sat upon the grass and forced words out, "Let her go and I'll tell you all you need to know."
Fergus widened his eyes in amazement, gawking as the lady came up to her feet despite the arrow wound that should have killed her a while ago. At that, he stood as well and smiled as she staggered to balance, "So the stories are true. Well you're the second woman in the whole of England I've seen possess such strength. I think my wife and you will get along quite fine."
Automatically, Monica looked down at Olivia and felt a tinge of admiration. But there was poor Elizabeth sulking in her clutch. The pain in her wound sent a spiking sensation through her body that made her snicker in pain. Shortly after, she dragged her gaze back to the Earl and stated, "I am not the kind you would love to anger. Believe me."
Fergus laughed and gestured towards his soldiers, then at her wound, "I'd like to see you try."
Monica drank in the challenge willfully, something she loved more than anything. She touched her wound again, seemingly convincing herself she could endure the pain long enough to skin them all.
She used the next few seconds to breathe in strength, at least that was how she felt. And as skillfully as always, she slipped out a side arm from beneath her dress and quickly aimed at the Earl of Garia, so quick neither his wife or soldiers could act.
Staggering to the side, she made sure she had eyes on all possible threats while her aim was still directed at Fergus, "Keep your weapons down or I'll put a bullet through his head."
Both his wife and army glanced at him for some sort of permission. However, the Earl was quiet while he watched Monica with a frown that disguised the admiration he felt.
He might not have been bothered if it were someone else placing him at gunpoint. But from stories, a woman who brought down a buffalo at fifteen would surely be an ultimate killing machine six years later.
Consequently,he sighed and ordered, "Drop your weapons," knowing too well if she threatened to kill, she was very much likely to mean it.
Reluctantly,  Olivia yanked Elizabeth away and came to her feet, just before his men slowly dropped their arrows.
The Scottish still didn't look satisfied though. Continuously, she aimed from the woman, to her husband, then the soldiers, hoping someone would move so she could empty the bullets into his skull. Her night that was previously heaven with the Duke of Anfield had suddenly been ruined by these pesky people.
Fergus's frown turned into a small smirk as he noticed Monica's desperation, "All this trouble…just for Kilmarnock? You risk your life and those of the ones you love. Take Anna Forland for example. She'd still have her innocence and honour intact if you did not have to make it so difficult for me."
Slowly, that statement made full sense to Monica, making her lower her gun weakly, as risky as that move was.
That was when she finally felt Elizabeth's guilt. The Duke and his friends put all this effort to help her, Anna got defiled, and here she was, planning to run away as soon as the King signed the seal the following morning. It would be the greatest form of betrayal.
"You ravished Anna," she looked down at the grass with moist eyes. It was more of a statement than a question. She had lost her guard.
At that, the Earl of Garia smirked proudly and stealthily, he signaled his wife to attack from the back.
Monica had begun to cry, jerking her shoulders as her torso bled some more.
He was right. All this…for Kilmarnock?
It suddenly did not seem worth it.
While Olivia slowly stalked from behind her, all she did was let the guilt engulf her, charge her, turn it to anger…then strike.
And just as Fergus's wife was about to clutch her, Monica spun around quickly and grabbed the lady's arm. It was going to be fun trying this woman Fergus so boasted about. She knew she would, but not now.
All she gave the woman was a fist to the nose before seizing her pistol.
Quickly, the soldiers rushed down for their arrows, unaware of how deadly it was when the Scottish damsel held two guns.
Ignoring the Earl, she shot as many men as the bullets could take, not slightly bothered about what to do if she ran out of them.
When she finally did and had lost all hope of winning this, an arrow came from behind her, soared past and pierced into one of the men.
Out of pure confusion, Fergus glared at the source of the weapon and realised this was going to be harder than he expected.
So these were the Monarchs he heard of; two Princes, two Dukes, one Marquess and a fellow Earl.
Philip rushed to Elizabeth who still had her face to the grass and pulled her into his arms, "What were you thinking coming out here alone?" As he lifted her, he realised the Scottish had a wound as well, one clearly going to kill her if not looked into immediately.
Jason had not stopped shooting arrows from behind the bushes with that speed and accuracy he had more than anyone else in the clan.
One by one, and quickly, the opponents were going down even before they could arch back.
The Princes stood side by side, slicing the soldiers so skillfully Fergus could not help but gawk. He knew he had to do something quick.
And then, he got a dagger and went for the Duke of Anfield who still had the blonde in his arms
First slice…
Second slice…
But Philip jerked backwards and avoided them narrowly. The Earl sliced the air again, his face red with anger and frustration..
Duke of Anfield watched the lady in his arms, Fergus coming at him, and his best friend who was still fighting to load his gun. Without second thoughts, Philip rushed to the Marquess and tossed Elizabeth into his arms.
Earl Robinson caught her out of reflex and widened his mouth, not sure exactly what was happening.
Philip finally gave Fergus his full attention, pulling out both his swords with a loud slash.
Although he was sure he did not know this man, he was just as certain this dual was necessary. The Earl of Garia took a cautious stance now, talking slow backward steps with his eyes on the armed Duke.
Philip did a thing with his swords as though sharpening them against each other, ready to butcher, "You dare lay fingers on my women! Seems you've never heard about me." And with one dirty grim, he pounced on the man.