Katie stood in the down pouring rain, wrapped in a heavy black cloak with the hood over her face. She turned at last.

William was just standing there, looking at nothing.

"William."

William turned.

"I have something I must attend to. I'll be back before too many days are out."

William watched her as she whistled for her horse and swung up on its back.

Katie turned the horse. "That'll give you time to court Marion!"

William didn't even have time to say a word before she was gone in a shower of mud. William stood watching her, vaguely wondering where she was going. But she knew what she was doing. He looked up at the rain. It wasn't falling too hard. A slow grin spread over his face.

MacClannough's head came up as he heard the sound of horse hooves and William appeared. MacClannough frowned.

"Good evening, sir. May I speak with your daughter?" asked William still on his horse.

Mrs. MacClannough appeared in the doorway and Marion behind her.

William grinned when he saw Marion. "Marion…Would you like to for a ride on this fine evening?"

Both elder MacClannoughs where stunned speechless, but then Mrs. MacClannough began sputtering. "The boy's insane!"

William looked up at the sky. "It's good Scottish weather, Marm. The rain's fallin' straight down."

Mrs. MacClannough frowned darkly at him. "She absolutely may not, she'll…Marion!"

"Of course I'll come!" Marion grabbed her cloak off the back of the door, ran outside and hopped up behind William. Then they where gone.

"Your father doesn't like me, does he?" asked William as they rode.

"It's not you. He dislikes that you're a Wallace. He says they never seem to live long."

William smiled at the thought. "Thank you for accepting."

"Thank you for inviting."

"I'll invite you again but your mother thinks I'm crazy."

Marion smiled as they flew across the green grass. "You are. And I'll come again."

By the early light next morning, Katie was in London and in the castle where Edward Longshanks held his court. But Katie was following a young French lady-in-waiting named Nicolette.

"And how is the Princess?" Katie asked. She herself was dressed in the fine clothes of a lady-in-waiting and her fiery red hair was accordingly bound back in a black wimple that matched the white and black of her dress.

"Well enough," said Nicolette in French. She stopped and opened a door. "Princess?"

Princess Isabelle turned from where she was standing at a window. Her sad brown eyes lit up at the sight of Katie. "Katie!" she breathed. She flew across the room and threw her arms around her friend. "It's been too long!"

Nicolette shut the door and sat down in a chair.

Isabelle drew Katie to a sofa and they sat down.

"Tell me everything," begged Isabelle.

"I returned to Scotland now. With William."

"Out in the highlands?"

"Yes." Katie sighed. "It's so terrible there, Isabelle. The day we arrived…yesterday, we arrived during a wedding."

Isabelle sighed. "And I suppose a nobleman showed?"

"Yes. A Lord Bottoms. I remember meeting him at court, here. He may have recognized me. But he took the bride."

"My Father-in-law has no morals," said Isabelle. "None at all."

"He bedded you, didn't he?" asked Katie.

"Of course," said Isabelle in a listless tone.

"And what of your husband?"

"My husband…Edward is a sodomite."

Katie gasped. "You aren't serious?"

"I am. With his servant, Phillippe."

Katie rose to her feet and began pacing back and forth. "Has your Father-in-law spoke of moving against the Scots yet?"

"No," said Isabelle. "I now attend the meetings in the sted of my husband. The last he spoke of them was when he decided to return the right of prima noches to the nobles. He hopes to breed the Scots out."

"Bastard," muttered Katie.

"And how is your handsome brother?" asked Nicolette coyly.

Katie smiled. "He's courting a young woman even as we speak. They'll probably be married by the time I return."

"What a pity I never got to meet him," said Nicolette.

Isabelle smiled. "Katie, have you had the opportunity to meet Robert the Bruce?"

"The 17th earl of the Bruce?" Katie shook her head and wisp of red hair floated down in front of her face. "No. But I can assure you, I will soon. He's tied into the fate of the Scots."

"What exactly are you planning to do?" asked Isabelle.

"Bring freedom to Scotland. Or die trying."

Steely resolve entered Isabelle's eyes. "How can I help?"

"Give me a letter of introduction to Robert. I'll head for his castle as soon as I leave here."

Isabelle rose to her feet and went over to her desk and sat down.

"What of his Father?" asked Katie.

"His Father is a leper, living somewhere deep within the castle."

"They say Robert is a fine looking man," said Nicolette, her eyes shinning. "Perhaps if your words do not work on him, other things will."

Katie laughed. "We shall see, Nicolette. I am still a virgin and I'm quite determined that when I loose my virginity, it is for a good cause indeed."

"Oui, see, as you always say, the cause of freedom is as good as any."