Title: Der Weg der Highländerin (#2 of 3 in “Die Highländerin” series)

Author: Eva Fellner

Pages: 503

Hi all,

The story of Enja, the highlander, continues in this second novel from Eva Fellner.

The war between Robert the Bruce (Scottish) and Edward II (English) is in full swing. Enja tries to keep her clan neutral and as uninvolved as possible, serving merely as a place of refuge and recovery from the mental and battle-inflicted wounds. But her neutrality would soon be challenged and then she finally gives her fealty to the Scottish rebel king. His gratitude for her is not only for saving his life, but also for her services to his army, even whilst being neutral officially.

In this novel, there are fewer times, than in novel one, in which we travel between two time periods. Book laid the foundation and in book two we follow the storyline as it unfolds. There are lots of wars, there are clever tactics to win a battle with the fewest number of casualties, there are alliances through matrimony, and there is heart-break.

The book is split into the following chapters:

• Chapter 1 – Glastonbury Abbey, Somerset, England 1306 (pg. 7)
  • Enja’s castle Caerlaverock has become a refuge for multiple men, women and children that have become victims of the war between Edward and the Scots. One day, two boys show up at her door, brothers, with the younger one being silent. The elder brother told her that their parents died in the war and they therefore sought refuge at a monastery. They were welcomed and were given work to perform for the duration of their stay. However, something peculiar would begin to happen. One night, the younger brother came back to the sleeping chambers after hours. Since then he had not spoken a word. The elder brother found out, with discretion, that his brother had been called to the chambers of monk Theobald of Kent that night for some additional lectures.
  • Enja had understood what the young child had experienced and collected additional information about this monk. It appeared that this was not the first incident, since he had been shifted to multiple different monasteries, after his first incident at the king’s court. Since the monks would not kill another person, this would enable him to carry on harming young boy’s lives. Enja would bring an end to this, which is why she came disguised as a nun to the monastery, claiming to have brought donations from her congregation in recognition of the monastery’s good works.
  • The next morning, the monk had passed away and was buried the same day to avoid an investigation to reveal the real truth.
• Chapter 2 – Syria 1300 (pg. 33)
  • Hal and Enja are traveling with their caravan to Masyaf to store some of her king’s treasure in a secondary location, away from the Mogol invasion. From the opposite location, another caravan of templar knights is approaching. Led by Sir Colin Alexander Maxwell and his pregnant Egyptian wife Salome. They are making their way to the port of Tripolis since they wish to return to Scotland. Sir Maxwell had joined the efforts of the Christian Crusades, but in the latter years this has not been going well, which led to multiple Christian kings calling back their support.
  • Unfortunately, sir Maxwell is not completely well and he has been diagnosed to live only for another 6 months. That was 3 months ago and he wished to bring his family back to Scotland before he passed on. Fortunately, Enja takes notice of his troubles and helps him. It appears that the spicy food of the local lands does not agree with his sensitive stomach. Thus, after eating proper Scottish meals for the following days, he recovers.
  • They reach the port, wait for the arrival of one Templar ship and then all make their way to Scotland.
• Chapter 3 – Caerlaverock 1306 (pg. 95)
  • In the closing chapter of the first novel, we closed off with the forces of Edward II staging a siege on Caerlaverock. Enja and her people have made significant preparations for a siege and would be able to last for a long time. However, Edward had brought a new weapon that his father had discovered during his active years in the Levant. It was a trebuchet. This was something that could break their siege easily.
  • Therefore, in the first night, Enja crosses over to the enemy camp and attaches powdered patches to the axes of the contraptions for the following day. The next day, the English position the machinery better and ready themselves to use them. However, Enja then uses a fired arrow and individually fires at the patches she placed the night before, In a matter of seconds, the contraptions catch on fire and burn down.
  • Additionally, forces from the Maxwell clan arrive and assist Enja to strike a counter-attack at Edward II. The latter flees with his forces.
• Chapter 4 – Cardiff 1301 (pg. 129)
  • The trip on the sea is quite harsh that there is an outbreak of an illness, which claims the lives of a couple of their caravan members. Even some animals do not make the trip.
  • However, the majority make it and then are greeted by the Maxwell head at the port. They hastily make their way back to the castle since Colin’s mother is ill and wishes to see her son one more time. Salome has also given birth to their second child, but has herself not managed to survive.
  • In gratitude for what Enja has done for the Maxwell clan, she is permitted to rebuild the castle that is located near the lake that is located not too far away from the Maxwell castle. She rebuilds it and it is once again a powerful fortress, carrying the name Caerlaverock.
• Chapter 5 – Castle of Sands 1307 (pg. 169)
  • Enja and Hal are on their way to the camp of Edward I. Diplomats were sent to her castle requesting her medical expertise. They have also negotiated that a title deed would be prepared and could hopefully be ratified by the king once he has awoken from his coma.
  • She comes, hoping that her claim to her land would now be acknowledged. She does her work and manages to bring him out of the coma. Unfortunately, when the question of the title deed is brought up, the king is outraged, holding on to his claim that no woman shall own land as long as he lives. That such a thing is unheard of.
  • Hal and Enja create a distraction so that they would be able to flee. They had noted that it might not be realized and had to make an exit plan to avoid possible capture.
• Chapter 6 – Douglasdale 1308 (pg. 215)
  • James and his men, under Robert the Bruce’s command, have shown to have significant success in their campaign against king Edward I. Things were even going better since Edward I (the hammer of the Scots) passed away shortly, giving his inexperienced son Edward II the reigns to a troubled kingdom.
  • During this period, James and his clansmen had made their way back to Douglas Castle. It had been taken over by the English, when his father had been captured for treason and his sons sent to the labour camp. Now, they were going to take it back. They were going to do it cleverly.
  • On a Sunday morning, they awaited whilst the Sassenachs (English) went into the church, leaving their weapons outside. The few soldiers remaining on the perimeter were quickly captured. Once all of them were brought to the centre, James ordered that they all be beheaded. However, one young Englishman begged for his life, handing over a letter. Reading the contents, James permits this young man to go back to his homeland and give report that Douglas Castle belongs to clan Douglas once again.
• Chapter 7 – Pass of Brander, Scotland 1308 (pg. 229)
  • After the passing of the previous king to the throne of Scotland, there was unclarity who should be the successor. Two candidates had legal claims: John Comyn and Robert Bruce. The English king, as well as some Scottish clans backed John Comyn. However, he had been killed and therefore Robert laid claim to the crown. The English king did not support this claim and therefore Robert had instigated a war against the English crown, fighting for the Scottish independence.
  • One day, Enja was approached by the son of the clan MacDougall leader. She had healed one of their people a few weeks earlier and was therefore requested to come to the aid of the clan kings illness. She didn’t wish to assist them, since their clan was in support of the English and she had managed to stay away from the war thus far by not siding with anyone.
  • She came along and then diagnosed the ailment of the king, after heavy protest. It was during her stay here that she and Hal became privy to some sensitive information. Whilst she was treating the clan king a messenger had brought some news for his and his councils ears only. Robert the Bruce and his forces were marching for their castle. They decided that they would stage an ambush to them at the Pass of Brander.
  • Not long after, Enja and Hal excuse themselves from court so they may be on their way to attend other patients in the surrounding areas. Hal would ride in one direction and Enja in another, so that any pursuers would not find their sudden departure suspicious. In fact, she was heading for the location where Robert’s army had been spotted and then informed them of her information.
  • With this information, they developed another strategy how to attack the castle, pretending to attack with their planned tactic, but including a second tactic that would make a striking unexpected blow to the defenders. This works out effectively and they manage to kill off many of the clan MacDougal and tae the castle.
• Chapter 8 – Lanarkshire, Scotland 1309 (pg. 291)
  • On another occasion, James reaches out to Enja, through their newly-established communication channel, doves. She follows his message and gets to their encampment. They had planned to take over Rutherglen castle by having some men sneak in and more following. However, the alarm was called early on and the most forces fled, leaving the first ones at the mercy of the English. They were held as hostages in cages, dangling from the castle walls.
  • They had to free the hostages soon as Edward II was heading their way with reinforcements.
  • Enja saw the dire situation they were in and they managed to forge a plan. Enja and two of her companions dressed up as entertainers and would go into the English camp, under the pretense of passing through. To show their gratitude for letting them stay in one camp they offered to entertain their guests that night. They performed their act quite well, which let down the suspicion of the wary king’s guard.
  • Their final act entailed the disappearance of a member of the camp. They ended up choosing the king, who obliged for his people and they succeeded in making him vanish. With an additional distraction, the soldiers suddenly saw a figure in a bag dangling on a horse on a hill, with the soldiers of the Scottish. Surprised by these events, the English broke up and made their way to follow to Scottish, which they presumed were heading to the castle.
  • The next morning, the Scottish had the castle surrender the hostages as well as the castle. The English troop made their way back home, leaving yet another castle in the hands of the Scottish rebellion.
• Chapter 9 – Galloway, Scotland 1310 (pg. 327)
  • With their success at the last castle a messenger had come from the camp of Robert the Bruce. James’ wife was direly ill and would require the urgent medical attention of a healer. Outraged, Enja offers to send another healer to help her instead. However, she finally gives in and agrees to help her under the condition that once she has helped her the two of them would not be seeing each other again.
  • She is true to her word and helps the young bride. However, the illness is stronger than her will and she soon passes away.
• Chapter 10 – Edinburgh, Scotland 1314 (pg. 341)
  • A few years pass and the Scottish rebellion is showing more and more signs of being successful in obtaining their goal: Scottish independence.
  • After having successfully conquered Edinburgh castle as well, Robert the Bruce calls for all his leaders to come together and swear their fealty to him as they prepare for one significant battle ahead of them in Stirling castle. Enja is also called, swears her fealty and then festivities are held. However, to her surprise, Robert makes another announcement. He calls out that there will be a wedding coming up soon, which serves to unify two clans amongst them. Only two clans currently had lairds that were not married. Thus, the wedding Robert calls to happen is the one between Enja and James.
  • Effectively, she had fought to receive acknowledgement for her claim to her land, aided a king to make successful gains in the war, sworn to be loyal to him, only now to be ordered to marry the laird Douglas, who would then become laird of his and her lands. She had lost her claim with one cunning move by the king.
  • At first, she resisted the marriage. However, she eventually acknowledged the match and they spent the next weeks in their chambers to get to know one another. The ember that had once been ignited between them had died with the news of his marriage to another woman. That ember had now been reignited and grown into full-fledged love for one another.
• Chapter 11 – Stirling, Scotland 1314 (pg. 377)
  • The preparations are made for the encounter close to Stirling castle. The regent has announced that they will evacuate the castle soon and shall hand it over to the English king if they can show their prowess in battle, but also by taking over the castle at a specified date. Should they not be able to meet these conditions, he would be willing to hand over the castle to the Scots instead.
  • In the war council, each laird is given specific instructions they will follow during battle. Robert commands Enja to stay away from the battle. During the first day of battle they make a good dent on the English and then head back to camp after the day’s fighting. On their retreat, they noted that Enja and Hal had located a group of English that were looking to ambush the king on his retreat, and killed them before they could act out their plan. That night, the king gives gratitude to her for preventing the ambush, but still calls for them to be punished, 10 lashes each, since they had not obeyed their king’s orders to stay away from the fighting.
  • The next day, she is ordered to abstain from fighting, but is not willing to follow his order. Thus, she is chained to a small boulder and is permitted to watch the battle from a hill. She is inclined to remain here, when she suddenly spots a man on the English side, who had managed to give her the slip a few years ago. De Valence, the man that managed to injure her, after killing her two clan members that were watching over her horses. Frantic to get revenge, she manages to pick up the boulder, balances it on her horse and makes her way towards the battle, towards De Valence.
  • They ensue in battle and then flee the battleground to fight somewhere away. They unfortunately end up near a rocky terrain, her horse, Tycan, cannot hold the boulder any longer and she falls from the cliffs.
• Chapter 12 – Stirling, Scotland 1314 (pg. 409)
  • Hal has followed Enja and the knight and only found the knight. He kills him off and then searches the surrounding area for Enja. He locates her, rides to her and notices that her wounds are quite severe. She is taken back and finds that the battle has been decided in their favour.
  • This conclusive battle would lead to the signing of the peace treaty that gave the Scottish their long-sought independence.
  • It is discovered that when she fell to the ground, the boulder landed on her back, making her disabled. She is no longer able to use her body. She begs Hal and James that they may end her life as she wishes not to live a life as this. James had just married the woman that had made a tremendous impact in his life since the day he found her on the road leading to their castle, only to have her now injured and lifeless such as this. He persuades her to give him some time so that he may spend some additional time with her before they end her life. The other members of her clan should also be afforded the opportunity to say good bye.
• Chapter 13 – Stirling castle, Scotland 1314 (pg. 463)
  • After having returned to her home in Caerlaverock, the weeks started to pass and Enja became uneasy when she would be able to pass on. She had agreed to go with them, but didn’t know when they would say good bye.
  • Unfortunately for her, they had noticed that she had become pregnant and the reason for stalling had been to help her bring her child to the world so that her offspring could live on. She hadn’t told them about her pregnancy since she believed the fall had resulted in its death. She confronts them about it and they give in, confirming that they wanted to give the child a chance.
  • The day comes when the child is born and Enja still survives the birth. She and James had agreed that he will bring her to the sea between the English and Irish coastal lands and give her to the sea. She would die the same way that her mother did so long ago.
  • However, at the sea something unimaginable, unexplainable, miraculous happens.
• Closing remarks (pg. 499)

Summary:

All in all, a really nice novel to read to follow the events of the Scottish battle for independence under Robert the Bruce. The end holds an unexpected twist, but that makes it all the more interesting what will happen next. The book will receive a rating of 4.15/5.