"Nay, ye will not." Two of the guards drew their swords and he could tell by the look in their eyes they meant to use them. Perhaps he did not want to die after all. At length Stefan relented and began to untie his belt. As soon as it was free, he handed it over, grabbed the loose cloth of his kilt, and wrapped it around his waist to cover his nakedness. His rage was increasing and this time he was bound to lose control.

Limond ignored Stefan and admired the craftsmanship on the outside of the belt, but when he flipped it over to look at the inside, the medallion fell to the ground.

Stefan caught his breath. "'Tis all I have o' my mother."

Limond stooped over, picked up the medallion and was about to toss it away when he thought he recognized it. He stared at it for a while longer and then looked at Stefan's face as though for the first time. "Who be yer mother, lad?"

"She died when I was a wee laddie. Her name was Sheena."

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As if he'd been struck, Limond took a step back. For a seemingly endless moment, he again studied Stefan's features. At last, he handed the belt back and turned to the guards. "Let him dress and bring that lad to the keep."

The guards were almost as surprised as Stefan but they did as he said. Stefan was happy to have the belt back, but Laird Limond kept the medallion and he wanted it back too. His rage was quickly returning.

*

Laird Limond's keep was dark and unfriendly. The stuffed head of a wild boar hung on the wall as did several dangerous looking weapons, one of which was the biggest sword Stefan had ever seen. The furnishings were crude and worn through with animal skins spread out on the floor. No wonder the man wanted a castle, his conditions were dreadful, Stefan thought. But he was not there to approve or disapprove of how the man lived, he was there to get his medallion back and he was ready to stand his ground.

He was not bound, but four guards with their swords drawn stood behind him blocking the only door to the outside he could see. All he could do was wait and it seemed like forever before Limond entered the room from behind a curtain.

Limond laid the medallion down on a table and poured himself a goblet of wine. Then he picked the medallion back up and took a seat at the table. "I will hear what ye have to say." He paused to think of just the right question. "Do ye have any other family?"




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