by Fiona Faris
“Ah, Alice.” He whispered. Alice looked at him, still clearly asleep and smiled as she realized he was calling out for her in his sleep. Alice felt genuinely cared for… the first time in a long while. Her brother had loved and cared for her, of course, but Aithe was different. Aithe loved her without knowing her, having only “met” her through the stories and memories that were told to him.
Aithe loved her in principle, and that made Alice feel as if she would always have someone to rely on.
She was struck with a deep and resonating love for Aithe, the kind of love that went beyond the physical and moved to the very core of her. She reached over and gently stroked his cheek, running her fingers through his short beard. Aithe moved again, and Alice waited for him to wake.
She cared for Aithe in a way that made her long for a future where they would be together. She knew it was a marriage of convenience and duty for him, but some part of her wanted to truly be with him, to wake with him just as they did that morning, wrapped in his arms. If only she could tell him, if only he was willing to give up his adventurous streak to be by her side. They could have a life of peace and ease, finally, after all they had been through.
Alice moved to touch his cheek again. This time she let her fingers run across his lips. She moved closer to him. Aithe awoke and looked at Alice as if seeing her for the first time.
“Your awake,” she whispered.
“Did ye sleep okay, lassie?” Aithe rubbed his hand over her arm.
“Yes, I did. Thank you for keeping me warm.”
“Tis my duty tae make ye as comfortable as possible.” Alice was suddenly aware of how close they were lying, their bodies barely an inch from each other. She wanted to bridge the gap between them, to move against him so they lay as one, but her nerves stopped her. Instead, she settled on something else.
Alice leaned across and very gently placed her lips against his. He looked wide-eyed - pleased as if he had been waiting for her to embrace him since their reunion. Aithe moved his hand to her lower back, not letting her go with one simple kiss. He pulled her tightly and pressed his mouth into hers as if he was seeking breath. They laid there, entangled, and kissed as if they hadn't a care in the world. When Alice felt they would not part, that they might move into something much more passionate, she let out a soft sigh and pulled away. It had been a powerful kiss, one based on safety and security. It was nothing like their first kiss where she was overwhelmed with grief and fear, where she had embraced him in a panic and in the feeling of being lost. The kiss between them in the barn was based on purely want and closeness. They both wanted to be close at that moment and nothing else.
“Aithe, I missed you terribly,” Alice whispered as a tear slid down her cheek. “I'm sorry I was so stubborn with you earlier. I was in shock; I didn’t understand. I… I thought you were gone forever. I thought my life was over.”
Aithe reached up and wiped away the tear that lingered on her cheek. “Alice, I ken more than ye know. I am sorry tae have snuck up on ye like I did. I should have told ye early on, but I only wanted tae get ye tae safety as soon as possible. I missed ye terribly as well. I thought only of ye in the mines. Once again, ye got me through that darkness."
“One day, you will have time to tell me more about your journey back to me. But for now,” Alice stopped and glanced towards the barn doors. “I think it's time we leave. We should get back to our journey. Hearing all about Cadney rejuvenated me, and I'm ready to go to my new home.”
“I think our time in Cadney, our time of rest, is mightae overdue. Let us get started.” Aithe rolled away from Alice and stood quickly. He winced as his leg hit the ground, and Alice could see the journey was taxing on his body. But still, he complained not, nor did he trouble her with his worries.
He quickly shook off the hay and moved to the barn doors and glanced outside.
“I can see nothin’. I think tis alrigh’ if we leave now.” He held out his hand for Alice as he pushed open the barn door. “We must be on the lookout fer a village or a stable with horses. We need tae travel more quickly than on foot.”
Alice nodded and reached for his hand. He encircled hers and entwined their fingers. Alice liked the comfort that his hand offered. She felt stronger and safer at his touch.
“Cadney is about two weeks away should we travel on foot. If we are able tae secure a beast, we can get there in a week perhaps, depending on how long and how often we rest.”
“Then, let us hope we find something quickly,” Alice smiled, glancing up at Aithe and seeing him in the sunlight for the first time in a while, and reminded of how strikingly handsome he was.
The two walked, on and on, ready to face whatever stood in their way. They had told themselves they would get to Cadney, and nothing was going to stop them from reaching their new dream. Together, they knew that they would be able to make it. Alice walked with a renewed strength. She was ready for her life, ready to leave behind the terrible memories of her childhood and the last few years. She had been alone for so long, and now she was beginning to learn to trust another person.
Chapter Nineteen
Aithe looked ahead and pointed. “Look, tis a small village; we’re nay tae far.”
Alice smiled lightly. He could see the exhaustion in her eyes, the way her feet dragged. He had done all he could to keep her fed, to keep her rested, to stop when they needed to, but it wasn’t enough. As she spotted the village and responded with a little excitement, he could see how spent she was.
The two of them had been walking for about seven days. Both of them had lost weight and had slept little. The fear of being caught caused them to take turns keeping watch most nights, since neither could fully allow themselves to relax in sleep unless they knew they were absolutely safe... especially Alice.
Aithe was beginning to see just how much damage the last year had caused her. She often had nightmares, ones where she pleaded with her uncle to spare him. Each time he heard his name uttered in her sleep, he felt a pang in his chest. He wished he could undo all of it. But he couldn't go backward, all he could do was get her to Cadney and give her a new life.
Aside from the kiss, the two had only touched hands once or twice. They slept together as husband and wife did, but they had not been together in the way Aithe so desperately craved. All that time without Alice, in the mines, it caused a deep ache in every inch of his body.
Alice did kiss him once when she thought him asleep. He surprised her by rolling her over on top of him, and then the two of them were suddenly struck with shyness as if they had not already been together. Aithe also knew that their journey was not an easy one, and being together when they were so exhausted and sweaty was not ideal. Still, he could not deny that he often thought of their first night together. Many mornings, he found himself hard with longing for her. But he quickly tucked his member away as soon as Alice awoke. He did not want her to feel pressured to be with him.
“It looks like a quaint village,” Alice added with a smile as they reached the outskirts.
“I think I may be able tae get us a true bed tonight, lassie. We shall see how far away Cadney is. If we are close enough, I may be able tae send word tae my family. They might be able tae spot us a room if someone here recalls me name.” Aithe was grinning ear to ear. The thought of a real meal, a real bed, a bath perchance, it all rejuvenated him. From there, they could finish their journey together, both stronger and more equipped.
“We will need to find a horse, too,” Alice added.
“Aye, it shan’t be tae hard.” Aithe replied.
Alice and Aithe walked to the village more quickly than they had walked in days. There appeared to be a small inn not too far off, and the sight of it felt like a huge milestone in their journey. As Aithe looked around, he was struck with the familiarity of the place. It felt like somewhere he had seen often, maybe as a child, he wasn’t sure.
As they moved through the village, they saw many small homes and shops. There was a variety of buildings,
but it was evident they had a Scottish flair. Aithe knew then they were much closer to Cadney than he had initially thought. Perhaps they had not stalled too much after all.
The two approached the inn, and Aithe went straight to the innkeeper.
“’Ello lad, how can I help thee?” The innkeeper had a broad smile and bright red hair. His Scottish way of speaking was even stronger than Aithe’s.
“’Scuse me, how far are we from Cadney? My wife an’ I, we’ve had quite the journey. And we have nay any idea where we are.”
“Oh no,” the innkeeper looked Aithe up and down before glancing at Alice. “Ye two look as though ye’ve had the roughest of nights. Well, ye’ll be happy tae hear ye are about three days from Cadney, maybe a day from Perth.”
Aithe let out a little yelp as he heard this. He was ecstatic, they were indeed much closer than he thought.
“Alice, did ye hear that?” Aithe turned to look at Alice but she had collapsed on the floor. She sat upright but had little strength to go on.
“Lassie, are ye alrigh’ dear?” The innkeeper asked.
Aithe decided to tell him the truth. “Lad, we’ve had quite a hard journey. The lassie, her uncle tried tae kill me and take her tae be wed tae another. We escaped, but barely by the hair on our heads. If ye’d be so kind, we could greatly use a room, a meal, and maybe a bath. I am from Cadney, me family name is MacGille; if ye help us, I promise tae send money tae ye when we get back tae my family.”
The innkeeper looked at the two of them and paused. He seemed suspicious, and Aithe hoped he had some of that Scottish care in him. He stuck his hand out suddenly.
“Aye, lad, I can see the two of ye’s need some rest. Ye send the money when ye get home. I’ll write yer name in me book.”
Alice clapped her hands together in excitement. And Aithe shook the man’s hand, very grateful.
“Thank ye, sir. Thank ye very much, indeed.”
The innkeeper showed them to a room. It was small and plain, but a room with a bed and blankets. He guided them to the area where they would be able to take a bath and told them he would send food to their room.
As soon as they entered the room, Alice collapsed onto the bed.
“Oh, Aithe, you haven’t the slightest idea how unbelievably good this bed feels.” Alice moved to allow Aithe to lay next to her. “I am so grateful that man let us stay here.”
“Aye, as am I. We shall nay take a horse from him then,” Aithe said with a chuckle. He hated the idea that they would need to take a beast from a local shop or family, but it was all they could do. Aithe was an honorable man, and if he had any other option, he would have taken it. But he vowed to himself to return the horse himself after Alice was safe in Cadney.
“And a bath, Aithe! We will be able to get clean again!"
“The best part is, we are nay far from Cadney at all. We shall be there in three days lassie, and then yer life will change fer the good.”
“Yes, and I suppose you’ll be able to live your life as a free man as well, having repaid the debt to my brother.” Aithe felt the words came out sour from Alice’s mouth. What did she mean by free man? Was she referring to what he had said when they were first wed? He wanted to tell her he had changed his mind, that he wanted to be near her for a while at least, but he did not want to disturb her idea of what their marriage was going to be. She had been through enough change recently.
“Well, lassie, why dinnae we head over tae the bathing room. I’ll get ye set up.”
Alice hopped up at the mention of a bath and followed Aithe. She had some clothes in her luggage that she was going to be able to wash. She had a simple dress in addition to the dress she had worn when the journey began, but aside from that, she had no other clothing. Aithe wished he could buy her more at that point, but he had no money. Whatever she could wash was all she would have. He looked down at his own clothes and wondered if perhaps he could bother the innkeeper for a spare shirt or some other ware. He did not want to burden the man, but he had not changed in weeks.
The two walked towards the bathing area of the inn. Aithe held a cloth to dry herself, and a small bit of soap the innkeeper had provided. It was enough for both of them to take one bath. The room locked, and Alice would have her privacy.
“I shall wait fer ye out here, just tae be safe. When ye are done, we will walk back tae the room, then I will go and bathe as well.” He expected Alice to walk into the room - eager to have her bath, but instead she bit her lip.
“What is it, lassie?” He worried that she needed something he had failed to provide.
“I, well… Aithe, I do not want to bathe alone. I…” Alice paused and held her chin high. “I have thought about our night together, and I suppose, I know this is a marriage of convenience, but with the kiss, and with the first night we were together, well, I would much rather you join me and perhaps we can repeat some of what started over a year ago.” Aithe watched as a rouge spread across Alice’s cheeks. He was beginning to realize that Alice was much more forward and bold than he had taken her for. Aithe paused, unable to respond due to exhaustion and being caught off guard. This was all he had thought about throughout their time together on this journey.
“It’s alright if you do not want to, I just thought it might be nice, for the two of us.” She stopped biting her lip and turned to go into the bathing room.
Aithe reached out and grabbed Alice by the shoulder gently, “Lassie, wait, I… well, 'tis all I’ve thought about since we’ve been together. I cannae deny that I want tae be with ye as well, as lovers.” Alice smiled widely and, looking around the hall, grabbed Aithe’s hand and pulled him quickly into the room.
Alice started running the hot water into the wide bathtub. The innkeeper kept one that could easily be shared by two people. As the hot water began to fill the tub, Alice started to slowly undress. Aithe watched her with the fascination one has while watching birds, or deer, or another wild but graceful creature. He moved towards her and helped her undress. She turned her back fully to him, and as he undid the laces, she slowly moved her arms so it would drop quickly to the floor. Alice turned around and began to remove the old clothing Aithe wore.
As his shirt fell to the floor, Aithe moved towards Alice and embraced her. He was unable to restrain himself after wanting her for so long. They kissed as long lost lovers, frantically and with a deep yearning. They pressed their mouths towards each other, and their tongues collided, each moving with the other as if rediscovering a taste for the first time. Alice pulled away after a few moments.
“Climb in with me,” she said as she stepped into the large bathtub. Aithe followed without speaking. The water was hot, warm enough that it almost made him forget the chill of the nights as they slept beneath the stars.
“Mm, the water feels wonderful,” Alice let out a soft moan, and the sound instantly caused a reaction in Aithe. He moved towards her and pulled her close, the water making her light as a feather. He sat her on his lap. Aithe wanted to taste every inch of Alice, to know her like no one else. He moved his mouth along the curve of her neck. Alice handed him the soap and turned away from him.
Though he wanted to enter her desperately, he could sense that she wanted to go slowly, to be with each other passionately. He soaped her back and slid the bar over her bare breasts. Alice arched and leaned back into him as his hands moved over her nipples. Once one breast was soapy, he allowed his other hand to tease and twirl her pink nipple. Alice moaned in response, and Aithe was sure someone nearby would hear, but it thrilled him. As Alice leaned back into him, she was aware of how prepared his member was and moved her hand between her legs, which thrilled Aithe. He watched as she moved her hand beneath the water. She arched into Aithe, and he wanted so desperately to please her that he could no longer restrain himself. He let the soap drop into the water, and with one free hand, massaged her breast, and with the other, moved his hand over hers between her legs. Alice embraced his hand, moving it to where she wanted, and Aithe felt her squi
rm as he slid one finger inside her, gliding softly over her. As she arched towards him, he obliged again, moving his finger in, just barely, and then pulling it back out.
“Oh, Aithe,” Alice cried out his name, and he felt himself growing harder. He wanted to be inside of her so badly, but he knew he needed to show her how much he was willing to please her. He moved his finger in and out more quickly, and with his other hand, continued playing with her breasts, draping water over her, allowing the soap to let his hand glide easily across her skin. He moved a second finger to enter her, and Alice bucked her hips towards him.
He could barely take it and moved the hand from her breast down to his member. Alice could feel his hand moving behind her as Aithe stroked himself, moved his other hand inside of Alice, both hands in unison, in and out, up and down. Alice, however, had other ideas. She reached behind her and took his member in her hand. Slowly she moved with his hand, up and down, showing him that she too could please him.
Aithe felt Alice growing wetter as she clenched and unclenched around his fingers. Finally, she pushed into his hand, harder and harder as she called out his name.
