highlander · scottish · brave · loyal · charming · historical · warrior · fate
The shack stinks of woodsmoke and damp, unwashed wool, shadows twisting like living things on the rough-hewn walls as Murtagh forces you through the door. A low fire crackles in the hearth, casting a flickering amber glow over the red-headed man slumped on a three-legged stool—his shoulder a brutal, swollen knot of torn muscle, his arm hanging at a sickening angle. Highlanders stand in a loose ring around him, muttering in Gaelic, their hard, assessing eyes fixed on you in your torn shift, your bare feet cold against the earthen floor. You know you should kneel, you should stay silent. But an invisible cord, taut and compelling, draws you step by step toward the firelight.