Chapter 34

Daniea thrashed as best she could against the heavy ropes that lashed her firmly to the pole. Her fingernails dug hard into the wood of the beam as her arms twisted painfully behind her. The coiling dark smoke flowing upwards shoved it's putrid essence down her throat, choking off the last bits of sweet air she would ever breath.

Every second that passed the heat intensified around her. Rising up as best she could on tiptoe, she attempted to put distance between her and the floorboards supporting her, which popped and groaned as they began to sizzle underfoot.

The pain of her skin blistering against the violent flames cleaved deafening screams from her that echoed for miles around Cranesmuir. Laoghaire beamed with a satisfied grin as Daniea's chemise began to char where the first kisses of flame caressed.

As the blaze grew higher, the shimmer of the heat was her only remaining portal to gaze at those who doomed her to this torture. Ned's face lost among the growing horde, tears and prayers upon his lips.

Looking through that haze in her last moments, the distorted form of a large man hurtling towards the pyre could be seen. Calmly she closed her stinging eyes as the inferno strangled her screams. No longer she fought against the raging fire for she was certain it was the angel of death finally coming to claim her.

Daniea hung limp against the singed pole as a surge of water was thrown upon the fire, dousing the flames nearest to her. The mob roared in protest as a ring of swordsmen surrounded the dying pyre, pushing the horde back. The leader delicately scrambled up towards Daniea, always on alert as the floor had weakened substantially; while his men seized the surrounding horse troughs and finished killing the embers around and beneath her body.

"Ye have no right to stop this execution!" The infuriated examiner barked from his perch.

"And ye have no right to kill an innocent woman, one who I may add is under the protection of Clans Fraser and MacKenzie!" Dougal shouted back as he waved his blade at those creeping near the pyre.

"She is a witch! She deserves to burn!" One within the crowd called, trying to rouse the chants once again.

"She is no witch! But she is the Lady Broch Tuarach!" Spat Angus.

Murmurres began to hush some of the naysayers but Laoghaire who was pushed to the back, added hastily,"Not anymore! The Laird Broch Tuarach is dead!"

The man who had been kneeling upon the pyre rose towards the voice.

"Aye, I was… but I got better." Jamie sneered, casting his gaze upon the blond girl.

The examiners looked at each other puzzled.

"Ye have made a grave error. That is himself, James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, Laird Broch Tuarach of Clan Fraser and nephew to Colum, Laird of Castle Leoch and Chieftain of Clan MacKenzie!" Murtagh announced, pride beaming on his angered face.

"Well I do not care who ye are! She has been tried and found guilty by God! Take yer leave so we may proceed." The examiner ordered, gesturing to the magistrates to remove Jamie and his men.

Jamie ground his teeth as he once again was forced to speak.

"I swore an oath before the altar of God to protect this woman! And if yer telling me ye consider yer authority to be greater than that of the Almighty, then I must inform ye that I am not of that opinion myself…. The first man forward will be the first man down!" He growled drawing both his blades.

Rupert, Ned and Willie closed ranks between the magistrates and Jamie, allowing him to turn back towards Daniea.

He knelt back down, ignoring the arguing around him, as he tentatively lifted her face which hung slack. He had no idea if she was dead or alive but it didn't matter, he would never leave her there. He braced her brittle form against his shoulder as he sliced through the blackened ropes that held her. As the last snapped, he supported her full weight against him.

"Burn the witch!" The screams began anew. The so called witnesses arguing with the men and examiners alike.

Jamie could hear Rupert disputing Brian's story with one of his own, "Aye he did call his wife a siren but did ye also hear him tell everyone that I was a Water Horse and that wee bit of sprite," He gestured to Angus, "Was ma bride! Jamie always rants nonsense when he's had too much drink, doesna mean any of it's true."

Jamie whistled and Raven pushed his way through the crowd towards him.

"Her familiar!" One screamed.

"Duncan groaned, "Oh shut yer hole! Damn ye, that's just a horse!"

Jamie mounted the beast then tenderly pulled Daniea across his lap.

"Yer safe now Mo Fiadhaich aon,"He whispered into her ashen hair.

"Take her!" The examiner yelled.

Jamie drew his blade as Raven reared, pawing at those who tried to touch her.

"She may not be a witch, but she did attempt to murder ye." Laoghaire shouted, her eyes filled with tears as she looked upon Jamie.

"That's a damned lie! It was the Watch that tried to send me to …but not without a little help from ye, if I may add." He gestured to Laoghaire. " Never... My... Wife!"

By that time all Jamie's men, Ned included, had mounted and now surrounded him.

" This! Is! Over! If ye do not disperse, all those here will face the wrath of two Lairds and their men!" Dougal shouted.

The examiners had officially been silenced, the crowd finally dispensed with.

"Laoghaire... get yer arse back to Leoch, I will personally deal with ye later." Jamie ordered, causing the girl to run home sobbing.