- Send soldiers to the east wing. - ordered Roy. - Something tells me those aren't the only men to invade the fortress.
Roy turned to face Aileen.
- That's why it was put in here, isn't it? - Roy said it with a laugh. - Alistair thinks he's very smart, but I haven't had so many men to defeat me. That's why I stayed hidden in this fortress. He doesn't have a chance to beat me, even with that ridiculous attack.
- We'll see! - Aileen said.
Another signal echoed and a bang was heard. Roy felt the ground tremble and some shards of stone came loose from the ceiling.
-What's going on? - said Roy's advisor. - What was that about?
Roy went to the window again. Aileen laughed in a funny way like she knew what was going on.
- What's going on? - he cried out in anger. - Where did that cannon shot come from?
- Roy?
The captain of the guard shouted, entering the corridor accompanied by several other soldiers.
- There's an armada attacking us from Bahia. Several ships have appeared on the skyline. - the man said. - We must leave the fortress now or we will die.
- Ships? - Roy asked in amazement. - What ships?
- I don't know how they came up or why they attack us, but they fly the English flag on their candles and on their lookouts.
Roy grunted and went to Aileen again.
- How did Alistair manage to convince Phillipe to help him? - he asked roughly. Aideen is a bastard and he would never give credit to the fact that she was his daughter.
Aileen laughed writhing in the arms of the men who held her tightly. She brought her face closer to Roy's and faced him in a challenging way.
- You'll find out soon enough! - she whispered. - And you won't like it one bit.
Chapter 27
Alec
I watched from afar the uproar that stretched to the beach. As Aila predicted, we arrived just in time to follow the invasion led by Alistair. The men invaded the east gate, probably opened by Aileen or Keilan. I had to reprimand myself mentally for doubting that Aila's plan would work. She smiles as she looks at one of the lookouts and sees her leaning on one of the ropes. She had a glow of satisfaction and coordinated the cannon attack with precise gestures. We only had a few nights to learn some tricks, since we didn't have an armada with the English one. Most of the men who fought were still rustic farmers. In fact, that was one of the deals made with King Phillipe. I had to negotiate a whole night with the king. I think the fact that he knew he was the father of a very intrepid woman was what made Phillipe agree to help us. Mainly because I knew she'd build the bridge that would unite both nations. You could see in his eyes the pride overflowing every time I told him about the deeds of courage of Aila MacBride, my wife.
Aila contemplated the horizon for the last time and prepared to descend. We were coming to the beach and we would start docking soon.
- Get ready, Your Highness! - said the captain. - We'll dock in a few moments and leave in combat.
- I know that, but thanks for the warning. - I answered.
Aila came towards me and I handed her her sword. She smiled, holding the object at her waist. Taking the saddlebag in which she had kept the daggers, I began to remove them and hide them in the places I knew where she kept them.
- I really wanted to know how you managed to find out where I keep them. - she said in an ironic tone.
- I saw her getting ready to bathe once and found out where she was hiding them. - ...she looked down on me, making me shrug. - Of course it was by accident.
- I do! - she responded by making me laugh.
- Ready? - I asked, keeping the last dagger.
- Yeah. - She answered with conviction.
Aila wore her leather clothes that I liked so much, but that I preferred them to be under my eyes only. If we fought, let her be comfortable. Taking off the cape I was wearing, I rode the horse the captain brought. Only Aila, me and the captain, would ride down and the rest would follow on foot.
The floodgates of the ships have opened and we've disembarked. We rode to the vicinity of the fortress on the north side. We climbed the hill with several men on our tail. When we reached the courtyard on the north side, we saw Alistair fighting against some soldiers. He fell to the ground and had one of the men threaten him with a sword. I ran to where my brother was down. When I was about to receive a blow, I crossed the sword in the way of the man who tried to kill him and smiled.
- You'll find you're making a big mistake! - said smiling with irony. - Stay and die if you wish, but try to kill my brother and
