Chapter Seven: The Capital.

I had left the forest of Alder behind me a few miles back. I was tired, hungry, and thirsty. My dogs, and my horse were all tired and ready for a good log rest. We had pushed through the night to make up lost time. I knew that the Capital was just a few hours away. Knowing full well that I wasn't going to find an inn or tavern that would accommodate me and all six of my dogs, I pulled off the road and set up camp in a small hole cut out of the side of a hill just off the path aways. I allowed my horse to graze and drink from a near by stream and the dogs took to laying in the small hole in the hillside next to the small fire I had going. We would camp here for the night and head for the capital early in the morning. Hopefully the message of my arrival made it to the capital a head of me.

The rest of the day, and night went by without incident. I spent most of my time running a sharpening stone over my sword and dagger, followed by an old cloth to clean the steel. I kept the hammer on the other side of the fire, leaning against the cave wall. Every once in awhile I would glance it's way, half expecting it to crumble into dust like its former owner, but it never did. Wrapping the rest of my tartan around me for extra warmth, I eventually let sleep take me. I woke in the morning as the sun broke through into the cave. Shivering I stepped out of the cave, pulling my tartan tighter around me. It was snowing. I smiled to myself before returning to the cave to wake the dogs and horse.
With camp all cleaned up and everything ready to go, I made myself as presentable as possible. Mounting my horse, I pulled the back of my kilt up and wrapped it around me to help against the cold, then me and my dogs set out for the capital.
We reached the capital in only a couple of hours. One of the first thing one notices when rounding the bend to the capital is the Laird's castle, raised up higher than the city around it, the Laird's castle sits on top of a hill in the centure of the city, looking out at it in all directions.

When I reached the boarders of the capital, I dismounted my horse and led it by the rains through the streets, my dogs keeping close to me as we walked the crowded cobblestone streets. Kingussie. Capital of MacPherson land and home to our Laird. It was not as big as Helm's deep or Uberland, but it was a fair enough size and was home to both MacPherson and other associated clans. The different coloured tartans made that clear enough. It wasn't long before I approached the gates of the Laird's castle, which at the moment, were open.

As I approached the gates I couldn't help but smile to myself. I love my clan. To me my family and my clan are everything. So being here, at the center of it all brought to me an overwhelming sense of pride. My eyes were instantly drawn to the large clan crest that hung above the large gates of the castle walls.

As I got closer to the gates I saw three men standing in front of them. Two stood on either side of the gate and one infront of them, talking. All three wore MacPherson tartans, the two gaurds wore them as kilts and the third man wore his wrapped around his torso like a sash. As I grew closer, the two gaurds drew their swords, similar to the one my father had given me. The third man, who wore a large claymore strapped to his back, turned to look at what might have caused the gaurds to go on edge. With a quick word and wave of his hands the two sheathed their weapons and took up attention again. 

"Are you Connor MacPherson?" The man with the claymore asked, holding out a haulting hand. Connor did as commanded, also giving the order for his dogs to stop and sit. "Aye, that is me, I take it ye go my letter?" The man nodded in acknowledgement. "Ye said you had an urgent matter to speak to the laird about?" He asked again "aye, I do, and who might ye be?" Connor asked stubbornly. "My apologies lad, my name is Malcolm MacPherson. I am the Laird's right hand man" he reached out an arm in greeting. Connor gripped his arm firmly in response. "Now what do ye need to speak to the laird about?" He asked again. Connor glared at the man in his usual manner. "My information is for the laird himself. If you wish to know what I have to say then take me to see himself." The man sighed heavily "calm down lad, it's my job to checkout those who wish to speak to the laird. He is expecting you." Connor let go of the reins of his horse and gave the dogs another command to stay "your horse and dogs will be tended to" as Connor followed Malcolm he turned to his dogs and told them to be good before fallowing the man through the castle gate.

I do not own any of these photos. All and full credit to the owners.