backward, a good three paces, where he landed in a heap on the floor.
Branan started to step forward, the red haze still clouded his vision , but he suddenly felt a small hand gripping his arm.
“ Branan, nay, ” Catriona said, standing beside him.
He blinked, trying to clear his vision, his breath coming in rapid gasps. His hands shook with the fury still coursing through him.
Catriona gazed up at him, her eyes wide. “ Branan , he didn’t touch me. ”
Branan tore his gaze from her and glared at Courcy. He couldn’t think through the rage possessing him. He wanted nothing more than to snap the bastard’s neck.
Catriona pushed around in front of him, placing both hands on his chest. “ Branan , stop, ” she said, her voice low and soothing , but also firm. “ It’s all right. ”
izetify">< Courcy sat up, shaking his head. “ What in bloody hell? ”
Branan’s body instantly coiled again. For so many years he had stood helpless as Strickland beat his mother. He had tried to stop him, God knew he had tried. But what was a youthling to a full grown man? He had watched, powerless, as Strickland struck the blow which would send his mother to her grave. But now, Branan was no longer helpless.
“ Branan, please, ” Catriona said urgently, her hands pressing more forcefully against his chest. “ It’s all right. ”
He felt every muscle in his body trembling violently. Just as he had always done when faced with his mother’s pain.
“ I should have you beaten from this keep, ” Courcy growled, rising to his feet.
Branan took another step forward. “ Raise yer hand against her again and I will kill ye. ”
Courcy scowled, his eyes still radiating hatred.
“ Branan, please! ” Catriona cried.
He looked down at her and realized she had thrown her weight against his body in a futile attempt to keep him from moving. His fury eased only slightly. Once again , she reached through the blackness, trying to pull him back to sanity.
“ What in bloody hell are you talking about? ” Courcy snapped. “ I didn’t do anything to her. ”
Catriona spun, planting her back firmly against Branan’s chest. “ Richard, you don’t understand. He thought you were going to hit me. ”
“ He struck me without cause. ” Courcy’s anger grew and Branan found himself coiling again. A low growl rumbled through him.
“ Saint’s blood! ” Catriona snarled. “ Just be silent, Richard. Can’t you see I’m the only one keeping him from killing you right now? ”
Courcy stared at Branan, his face paling.
Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Branan blinked his vision clear and saw Gavin and Duguald , still fully armored , standing at the door.
“ Gavin, ” Catriona said, relieved. “ Branan thought Richard was going to hit me. ”
Gavin looked at Branan in understanding. “ Take him to the gardens, Catriona, until the rage passes. I’ll talk to Courcy. ”
Branan hunched his shoulders, glaring again at Courcy, unwilling to allow his prey such easy escape.
Catriona turned and firmly wrapped both of her arms around one of his. “ Come, Branan, ” she said and took a step forward.
She clung to him so tightly Branan knew he couldn’t disengage himself o r resist without hurting her... and he would never, ever do that. He still tried to gulp air into his lungs and that made him dizzy. He took a deep , shuddering breath.
Catriona looked up at him and smiled. Branan’s rage eased considerably. There was no blood on her face, no bruises, no injury...that was all that mattered. Slowly, his limbs still quivering, he followed her out of the keep.
****
Gavin sighed as Branan and Catriona left.
“ Bloody bleeding hell! ”
Courcy roared. “ Bring me some wine. ” He faced Gavin. “ I will kill that bastard. ”
“ Doubtful, ” Gavin replied, trying to keep the humor from his voice. “ Branan can rip you apart with this bare hands. ”
A servant handed Courcy a cup and he drank
Branan started to step forward, the red haze still clouded his vision , but he suddenly felt a small hand gripping his arm.
“ Branan, nay, ” Catriona said, standing beside him.
He blinked, trying to clear his vision, his breath coming in rapid gasps. His hands shook with the fury still coursing through him.
Catriona gazed up at him, her eyes wide. “ Branan , he didn’t touch me. ”
Branan tore his gaze from her and glared at Courcy. He couldn’t think through the rage possessing him. He wanted nothing more than to snap the bastard’s neck.
Catriona pushed around in front of him, placing both hands on his chest. “ Branan , stop, ” she said, her voice low and soothing , but also firm. “ It’s all right. ”
izetify">< Courcy sat up, shaking his head. “ What in bloody hell? ”
Branan’s body instantly coiled again. For so many years he had stood helpless as Strickland beat his mother. He had tried to stop him, God knew he had tried. But what was a youthling to a full grown man? He had watched, powerless, as Strickland struck the blow which would send his mother to her grave. But now, Branan was no longer helpless.
“ Branan, please, ” Catriona said urgently, her hands pressing more forcefully against his chest. “ It’s all right. ”
He felt every muscle in his body trembling violently. Just as he had always done when faced with his mother’s pain.
“ I should have you beaten from this keep, ” Courcy growled, rising to his feet.
Branan took another step forward. “ Raise yer hand against her again and I will kill ye. ”
Courcy scowled, his eyes still radiating hatred.
“ Branan, please! ” Catriona cried.
He looked down at her and realized she had thrown her weight against his body in a futile attempt to keep him from moving. His fury eased only slightly. Once again , she reached through the blackness, trying to pull him back to sanity.
“ What in bloody hell are you talking about? ” Courcy snapped. “ I didn’t do anything to her. ”
Catriona spun, planting her back firmly against Branan’s chest. “ Richard, you don’t understand. He thought you were going to hit me. ”
“ He struck me without cause. ” Courcy’s anger grew and Branan found himself coiling again. A low growl rumbled through him.
“ Saint’s blood! ” Catriona snarled. “ Just be silent, Richard. Can’t you see I’m the only one keeping him from killing you right now? ”
Courcy stared at Branan, his face paling.
Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Branan blinked his vision clear and saw Gavin and Duguald , still fully armored , standing at the door.
“ Gavin, ” Catriona said, relieved. “ Branan thought Richard was going to hit me. ”
Gavin looked at Branan in understanding. “ Take him to the gardens, Catriona, until the rage passes. I’ll talk to Courcy. ”
Branan hunched his shoulders, glaring again at Courcy, unwilling to allow his prey such easy escape.
Catriona turned and firmly wrapped both of her arms around one of his. “ Come, Branan, ” she said and took a step forward.
She clung to him so tightly Branan knew he couldn’t disengage himself o r resist without hurting her... and he would never, ever do that. He still tried to gulp air into his lungs and that made him dizzy. He took a deep , shuddering breath.
Catriona looked up at him and smiled. Branan’s rage eased considerably. There was no blood on her face, no bruises, no injury...that was all that mattered. Slowly, his limbs still quivering, he followed her out of the keep.
****
Gavin sighed as Branan and Catriona left.
“ Bloody bleeding hell! ”
Courcy roared. “ Bring me some wine. ” He faced Gavin. “ I will kill that bastard. ”
“ Doubtful, ” Gavin replied, trying to keep the humor from his voice. “ Branan can rip you apart with this bare hands. ”
A servant handed Courcy a cup and he drank
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