Her Highlander

by Alice Wilde

  Roan grins and bounds from the room, returning a few moments later with the maid, who quickly helps me fix my dress. I check my reflection in a mirror and ask her to put my hair up as well, which she does, tying it in a long red ribbon to help keep my curls under control.

  As soon as she finishes, Roan grabs my hand and we race through the halls, or at least I do to keep up with his long strides.

  Bursting through the doors to the Great Hall, Roan leads me up to the front of the room where Fiona and Neil are conducting the day’s business.

  “I’m surprised to see you here,” Fiona says.

  I’m not entirely sure which of us she is addressing, but Roan disregards the comment.

  “My laird,” Roan starts, “I have a proposal to make. I hope you will hear me out before making your decision.”

  Neil looks at us, slightly dumbfounded by the morning’s interruption. “I’m listening.”

  “I’ve been made aware of the issue Scotland has been having with the Vikings.”

  “Yes, this is true.”

  “What if I were to say that I can help you, and perhaps all of Scotland, make peace with those same Vikings?”

  “I’d say you were crazy, but I’d want to know more.”

  “Well, I just so happen to be traveling with one of the most powerful Viking lord’s sons, and he holds a great deal of influence among their people.”

  “Why would you intentionally bring a Viking into our land?”

  “You have to remember that I was young and had no idea what was happening with the Vikings when I was taken. Ero was stolen by the same man who took me several years later. Our next voyage will be to Norway, but now that I know what’s happening in Scotland, perhaps I can put our journey to even greater use.”

  “How so?” Neil asks.

  “If I, or Ero, can convince the Vikings to join us rather than invade, we can build not one, but two powerful armies. We could free the Scottish from the rule of Viking law, creating a unified Scotland once again, as well as gaining a powerful ally.”

  “And what makes you think Scotland will accept Vikings as allies?”

  “You said yourself that it isn’t just our clan being tormented by both Fae and Viking alike. Perhaps, as future laird of Clan Artair and ally to Ero and the Vikings, we can put down any Fae rebellions in other parts of the country as well as bring peace to our lands. But I can only do this on one condition.”

  “What condition?”

  “I need you to accept my marriage to Annalise, no questions asked. I need her to show my trustworthiness to Fae and foreigner alike.”

  “Absolutely not,” Fiona says, leaping from her chair, fuming.

  “I was asking the laird,” Roan says, giving Fiona a hard look.

  Fiona sits, her face red with embarrassment.

  Neil looks from Roan to Fiona and then to me and back again.

  “Is what you say true?”

  “Yes. You can ask Ero yourself if you’d like.”

  Neil thinks for a moment. “I believe you. There’s no reason for you to lie to me about this. But I will need some assurance of your promise.”

  Roan rubs his eyes. It seems he hadn’t thought this far.

  “If Roan is untrustworthy, or fails in his duties, I swear to all the gods, old and new, to renounce him and release him from any and all vows he’s made to me and allow him to return to Scotland, a free and single man.”

  The whole room looks at me in shocked silence.

  “That’s a powerful oath,” Neil says. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  “Very well. You have my blessing to wed. But these are merely words. I’ll require something else to solidify our agreement, but I need time to think on what that will be.”

  Fiona’s nostrils flare as she gets to her feet and sweeps angrily from the room.

  “You’ll be wed tonight. All are welcome as guests. Begin preparations at once!”

  “You didn’t need to do that, lass,” Roan whispers to me as we leave the hall.

  “I did. We’re in this together, aren’t we?”

  “We should probably let Li and Ero in on all of this.”

  “They don’t know?”

  “Not yet,” Roan says with a laugh as we go to find our other two companions.

  Perhaps I shouldn’t have made that vow. I wonder how much of that speech of Roan’s was a bluff. Come to think of it, I don’t know anything about Ero’s family.

  What have I gotten myself into?

  We find Ero and Li fighting with each other outside on the training grounds. They move fluidly together, almost as if they were one blur. Li stops when he notices us and Ero lands an elbow in his side, making him double over. I let go of Roan’s hand to rush over and check on him.

  “Ah, sorry, Li,” Ero says. “Didn’t realize we were stopping.”

  “No, it was my fault for not saying anything.”

  “Are you okay?” I ask.

  “Just need a moment,” Li says, sitting down on the ground.

  “What brings you here anyway?” Ero asks.

  “We may have figured out a way to leave,” I say.

  “Oh, really? Does it still involve the two of you getting married?”

  “Yes, but that doesn’t really matter seeing as we’re already married,” I say.

  Ero rolls his eyes in disbelief.

  “Ero, we’re going to need your help,” Roan says.

  “There’s absolutely no way I’m going to help you get married,” Ero says.

  “I don’t expect you to help me get married. I can do that on my own.”

  Ero looks like he’s about to leap at Roan—again.

  “Stop arguing with each other,” I say. “It’s not as if it’s a real marriage, not by societal standards anyways.”

  “Whatever,” Ero growls.

  “Ero, I’m trying to tell you that I care about all three of you. Marrying Roan won’t change that. I won’t abandon you just because my title has changed.”

  “Sorry to burst your happy little bubble, princess, but it’s not the fact that you’re becoming Roan’s wife that bothers me. It’s what you’ll have to do to legalize your marriage.”

  “What?”

  “You may have married Damien, and you may be legally bound to him, but you have yet to consummate a marriage. Here, in Scotland—hell, in most of the world, the only way to make a marriage lawful is to lose your maidenhood to your husband.”

  I had forgotten about that until now. It hadn’t been an issue with the Fae, when mere words sufficed, but words won’t be good enough for human law. They probably wouldn’t even take my vow to Roan and Scotland seriously without the shedding of blood, be it by hand or by bed.

  “I…I hadn’t thought about that,” I say, looking at Roan nervously. “Roan, what will your family expect from our marriage?”

  “If we’re lucky, nothing. They’ll all get too drunk off the wine and cider and we will just appear to go off to bed. Otherwise, they’ll bring us to the bedchambers themselves. In some cases, I’ve heard of witnesses to the shedding of blood, but I can’t imagine that being true.”

  I stare at him wide-eyed. “Witnesses?”

  “It’s possible.”

  “So, you see, there is very good reason to be concerned by what may happen with this wedding the two of you have been so adamant about, princess,” Ero says.

  “I didn’t know. I haven’t really been married to anyone before, aside from public ceremonies.”

  “I think you’ll find there’s a bit more to marriage than just words and parties,” Ero says.

  “I need to go for a walk,” I say, trying to process all that’s been said and done in the past few hours.

  “I’ll come with you,” Roan offers.

  “No, thank you,” I say. I start walking toward the archway that leads out to the main courtyard and then turn back to my men.

  “Ero, would you mind accompanying me?”

  Roan tries not to show h
is emotions, but I can tell from the split-second look on his face that the invitation to have Ero join me bothers him. But I need Ero’s blunt advice right now, and I think he’s the one most able to help me.

  Ero walks beside me but doesn’t say anything. I miss Roan’s touch and the comfort of his hand in mine. He’s been the easiest to warm up to, but Ero is a whole different matter.

  I know he cares about me, in his own aloof, don’t-be-an-idiot kind of way. As harsh as he may come off at times, he’s the only one completely willing to do whatever it takes to make things move forward…even if it makes someone else cringe.

  “Ero?”

  “Yes, princess.”

  “You know I hate when you call me that.”

  “Yes, I do. Get used to it—especially the more often you do things that annoy me.”

  “I didn’t ask you to join me just so that you could continue to lecture me.”

  “Then why did you ask me, princess? To annoy your future husband or to make Li moodier than he already is? Perhaps to try to seduce me to your ways?”

  “Seduce you?”

  “You know what I mean,” Ero says, not looking at me.

  “Ero, I’m not trying to seduce any of you. I can’t help what I feel.”

  Ero shrugs but doesn’t say anything. I can’t tell if it’s because he’s genuinely jealous of Roan or if it’s something else that’s bothering him.

  “I asked you to walk with me because I need you to do something that has to remain a secret between us until we leave this place.”

  Ero stops and turns to look at me, intrigue written across his face. “Now things are getting interesting,” he says.

  I play with my hands nervously for a moment, trying to think how best to tell him.

  “I need fresh blood.”

  Ero blinks at me, his expression one of confusion. “What do you mean you need fresh blood?”

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, Ero. But I think you’re the only one capable of killing out of need and necessity. And right now, I need a vile of fresh blood.”

  “Can I ask what for?”

  “I used to read about this in books and found it quite fascinating. I’m sure you know how much a woman’s maidenhood so sought after and concerned about in society, especially in royal bloodlines.”

  “I couldn’t care less about that,” Ero says.

  “That would make you one of few,” I say. “But most families do. Anyway, I’ve read that women who have had trouble or are no longer maidens have, on occasion, taken small amounts of blood with them to bed on their wedding night to fake virginity.”

  Ero looks at me for a long moment. “But, you are a virgin. Why would you have to fake it?”

  “Ero,” I say, shifting uncomfortably. “I mean to fake the consummation. If I can stain the sheets with blood, without Roan having to actually touch me, then we should be able to get out of this situation with all things intact.”

  “Are you trying to be funny?”

  “No.”

  “Well, that was pretty funny,” Ero says his face brightening for the first time in days. “This may be the most intelligent thing you’ve said to me since I’ve met you.”

  I glare at him fiercely.

  “I’m just kidding, princess. But, it is a good idea.”

  “Thank you,” I say.

  “So, what kind of blood are you thinking?”

  “I hadn’t thought that far ahead to be honest.”

  “Well, you did mention killing, so I wasn’t sure if you were trying to allude to the fact you’d like me to off myself or…”

  “Ero!”

  “How about a chicken?”

  “Do you have to kill it?” I ask.

  “Depends on how much blood we’re talking.”

  “I don’t know. How much is normal?”

  “You’re asking the wrong man, princess.”

  “I guess as much blood as you can take without killing anything.”

  “You sure know how to make things more difficult than they need to be, don’t you?” Ero says, giving me a roll of his eyes. “You’re literally asking me to drain the blood out of something without killing it. I’m starting to wonder if you’re a master intimidator in the guise of an innocent young princess.”

  “Oh, no. I don’t want to torture anything!”

  “Then best you leave the execution up to me,” Ero says. “Get it? Execution?”

  “You’re horrible.”

  “I know.”

  “What about the vial?” I ask.

  “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

  “Perhaps we can find something in town?”

  Ero steers me away from the castle and into a small town a short walk away. The narrow dirt roads are bustling with people and excitement. It seems word of Clan Artair’s heir getting married has spread quickly and preparations are well underway.

  “How are we going to pay for anything if we do find something?”

  “Leave that up to me.”

  “Don’t steal, Ero, please. I don’t want to do anything that might harm someone’s business.”

  “I’m pretty sure unleashing an ancient curse that would bring the world to its knees would be far worse than me stealing a vial to stop that from happening.”

  I don’t say anything. Ero is right, even if I don’t like the idea. Not that I condone the action either way, but he always sees the greater good in his actions—both a fault and a virtue.

  We stop at a small silver shop.

  “Hello,” Ero says.

  The silversmith turns to look at us. “What can I do for you?”

  “How quickly can you make a ring?” Ero says.

  The silversmith wipes his hands on his apron.

  “It depends on the ring. What are you looking for?”

  “A simple, silver band with an inlaid stone.”

  “Hmm, I should be able to make one in about two hours. When do you need it by?”

  “Two hours.”

  “Yes, but what day do you need it?”

  “We need it two hours from now.”

  “I’m sorry, that’s just not possible. Have you seen how busy things are today? You must not know about the wedding happening tonight. We’ve only just found out ourselves. The soonest I can get a ring made would be tomorrow.”

  “I’m sure you can make time,” Ero says. “It’s for the lady next to me.”

  “I don’t care how pretty the lass next to you is, I won’t have time until tomorrow. Good day,” the silversmith says, turning back to his current project.

  “This lady is soon to be the wife of Clan Artair’s heir.”

  The silversmith spins around slowly. “I beg your pardon, my lady. I didn’t know. I had heard she was a lass of fair beauty, but I had yet to lay my own eyes on her.”

  “Two hours?” Roan says.

  “Of course. Do you have a particular stone in mind?”

  “Whatever you see fit,” Ero says. “I have one more request. The band of the ring needs to be hollow in the center, and the stone needs to be able to be removed and replaced.”

  “A very strange request.”

  “It’s necessary to carry out a special tradition from her own culture,” Ero says. “Can you do it?”

  “I believe so, but I will need at least three hours.”

  Ero looks up at the sky, the sun just past midday. “Very well.”

  “Thank you,” I say with a curtsey to the silversmith.

  “It’s my honor to make the wedding ring for Clan Artair’s lady.”

  “I think you’d better go back to the castle now to start preparations, princess,” Ero says. “I doubt you’ll want to be around while I try to figure out what to do about your request. I’ll bring the ring to you as soon as I can.”

  “Thank you, Ero,” I say as I reach up to caress his cheek with my hand. He stiffens at my touch. “Sorry, I didn’t—”

  “It’s nothing,” Ero says. “I just…you need to hurry ba
ck.”

  I step away and hasten back to the castle.

  Twenty-Four

  Annalise

  I stare at myself in the mirror. This is the second time I’ve prepared myself for a wedding, and it’s still no less nerve-racking. Actually, it’s probably more so this time.

  My dress is a beautiful, silken red with a fitted bodice and flowing skirts. My hair has been washed, dried, and brushed, my curls then carefully rewound by a maid’s fingers. Ero still hasn’t returned with the ring, and I’m starting to get nervous. I’m not quite sure what to expect from this ceremony, but I’d feel a little more at ease if I knew the ring had worked out.

  The sun has begun to dip on the horizon, shimmering on the water’s surface. Roan’s homeland really is very lovely. Perhaps one day we can return and explore it properly.

  “You’re ready, miss.”

  “Thank you.”

  Although my dress and hair are far less formal than my previous wedding, I feel much more like myself this time around, and not just because I’m not fighting a dark spell in my mind.

  I stand and cross to the door. I take a deep breath as the maid opens it for me and I step out into the hall.

  Li is waiting for me, along with several of the castle’s guards.

  “You look stunning.”

  “Thank you.”

  Li offers his arm to me and I take it. We walk down the hall toward the Great Hall, but we walk past it and down a corridor.

  “Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see.”

  Reaching the end of the hall, one of the guards opens the door and we step through it and out into a picturesque garden, the warm colors of sunset lighting up the sky. It’s filled with people who all turn to look as I step out with Li. A path has been made out of flower petals that leads to Roan, who is standing, kilted, at the end of it. Beside him is Ero, as well as the laird and lady and a priest. This is it.

  At least I know Ero made it back, although I still have no idea if he has the ring or not.

  “Ready?” Li asks.

  I nod my head, unable to speak as my heart races in my chest, and we begin walking toward Roan.

  The whole way to him, Roan’s eyes never leave my face. He gives me an encouraging smile as I get closer. I don’t know if it’s the setting or just the magical feel about this evening, but Roan looks even more gorgeous than ever. I might just have to make him wear his kilt more often. I lower my eyes at the thought, hoping no one will notice how red my face feels.