The Highlander's Maiden

by Carole Archer

  “No,” shouted Colleen, “I’ll die before that happens.”

  Despite Colleen’s fear, she couldn’t help smiling. Duncan wants me, she thought once more. He’s come looking for me. He really does care about me. Aunt Annie was right, I just needed to be patient and he would see what was right under his nose.

  As a group of men gathered in Blayne’s home, their swords drawn, Blayne led them out into the centre of the village.

  Colleen stamped her foot hard on her warder’s foot and broke free of his grasp, running after Blayne and his men. She grabbed hold of Blayne by the arm. “I don’t want you to fight over me,” she shrieked.

  “Please don’t hurt Duncan,” she begged, and Blayne sneered as he pushed her away.

  “Get hold of her,” he ordered one of his men, who quickly grasped her by the arm and led her back towards the house. Colleen fought desperately to break his hold on her, but he marched her along forcefully.

  “You’re hurting me,” she squealed.

  “Well stop fighting me, woman,” he ordered gruffly.

  “Let her go now,” shouted a familiar voice, and Colleen smiled brightly as she turned to see Duncan and a band of his men walking across towards Blayne and his men.

  “Release my woman now and I’ll let you live,” Duncan shouted.

  Colleen grinned. My woman! I like that, she smiled.

  Blayne and his men laughed loudly as Duncan drew his sword and approached them.

  “Sorry, MacGregor, she’s to be my woman. Now get out of my village before I kill you,” Blayne demanded.

  Colleen struggled desperately against the guard who was holding her, objecting vehemently to Blayne’s claim that he was to marry her. “Over my dead body,” she screamed.

  As the men approached each other in a fighting stance, Colleen began to panic. Oh no, what have I done. Please God, help me, she prayed, looking heavenwards.

  As if answering her prayers, an older man burst out of a nearby house and headed towards the men shouting “stop, what’s the meaning of this? What do you MacGregors want on my land?”

  Colleen was pleased to see the men on both sides lower their swords as Duncan stepped forward.

  “Father, I can handle this,” shouted Blayne.

  “Shut up,” he ordered. “Let the MacGregor speak.”

  Duncan nodded politely and sheathed his sword before approaching the older man.

  “Finlay, Sir, I’ve come to get my bride-to-be back.”

  Colleen’s eyes lit up and her heart beat faster. His bride! He wants to marry me? If the situation were not so tense, Colleen would have jumped up and down with joy.

  “Your bride?” queried Finlay MacLennon. “And what makes you think she’s here?”

  Duncan pointed towards Colleen. Finlay turned in the direction he was indicating and looked at the young woman for several moments, before turning to face his son.

  “Blayne, what’s going on? I assume you’re behind this?”

  Blayne nodded. “Father, I found her wandering near our land. I thought she was a spy, especially when she mentioned MacGregor. How about we fight for the wench?” he suggested, smirking at Duncan.

  Finlay shook his head. “Blayne, have some respect for the young woman,” he scolded him.

  “There’ll be no fighting here today,” Finlay warned. “We should be pooling our resources and working together to fight the English, not fighting between ourselves over some long-running feud that no-one even remembers the cause of.”

  Colleen watched as the old man stepped towards Duncan and extended his hand towards him. “You’re Duncan, aren’t you?” the old man asked.

  Duncan nodded and shook Finlay’s hand firmly.

  “You speak wise words, Finlay, I see no sense in our on-going feud, but there’s still the issue of Colleen,” Duncan said, looking towards her.

  Finlay nodded. “What claim do you have to her?” he asked.

  “None,” Duncan sighed wearily, “but I’d like to. I took her into my village some months ago and I have grown to like having her around. It was my intention to take her as my wife.”

  Finlay nodded once more. He turned to face Colleen. “Is this what you want, young lady? Do you want to go back to the MacGregor village with Duncan?”

  Colleen nodded enthusiastically and politely added “Yes Sir, I’m very sorry for straying onto your land”.

  Finlay smiled. “Release her immediately,” he shouted at the warrior who still gripped her arm. As he let go of her, Colleen ran to Duncan and flung her arms around him. “I’m so sorry,” she whimpered.

  Duncan hugged her and kissed her affectionately on the cheek. He then held Colleen at arm’s length and regarded her sternly. “What part of ‘do not leave the village’ did you not understand? When will you learn to listen, and more importantly to obey?” he scolded her.

  “If Finlay had not intervened, things could have been so much worse. Thank God I managed to get you back without having to fight the MacLennons. Lives could have been lost had that happened. Do you understand that?” he asked sternly, shaking her roughly.

  Colleen nodded grimly. “Yes Duncan. I’m so sorry I didn’t listen to you. I didn’t mean to wander so far away. I only wanted to get outside of the village a little. I didn’t mean to come quite so far,” she confessed.

  “So you admit you intentionally defied me and deliberately left the village?” he enquired angrily.

  Colleen nodded and chewed her lower lip nervously.

  “Very well,” said Duncan. “Then you shall be punished accordingly,” he warned. “Do you recall what I told you would happen if you wandered out of the village again?”

  Colleen closed her eyes, humiliated to be scolded in front of Duncan’s men and several of the MacLennon clan. Oh my God, he’s going to spank me here, in front of everyone.

  Duncan sighed. “If we were in our own village, you would be getting that public spanking I promised you right now. You’re fortunate that the atmosphere here is too hostile to allow that to happen.” Colleen breathed a sigh of relief.

  Duncan turned back to Finlay. “Thank you,” he said, reaching out and shaking his hand.

  Finlay smiled. “Maybe you should marry that wee lassie soon so no-one else tries to challenge you for her hand in marriage,” he suggested.

  Duncan nodded.

  “It might also be to her advantage if she learned to be obedient to her husband,” Finlay added, winking at Colleen as the young woman’s cheeks flushed scarlet and she lowered her head as she gripped Duncan’s hand.

  “Oh, she’ll learn to be obedient,” replied Duncan, holding her hand tightly and regarding her sternly. “Come on, let’s get you home,” he said, dragging her reluctantly along behind him.

  Colleen glanced back into the MacLennon village and wondered if she might have been better staying there. The old man smiled and her blush deepened. His eyes glinted and she knew he was finding amusement in her predicament.

  I’ve never been so humiliated, Colleen thought, as Duncan strode quickly out of the village, forcing her to almost run to keep up with him.

  Duncan dragged Colleen all the way home in silence. As they neared the village he turned her to face him. “If you know what’s good for you, you won’t disobey me and will come with me to my home where you will obediently accept the spanking you know that you’ve earned,” he said sternly. “The alternative is that I tie you to the pillory and whip your disobedient backside for the whole village to see,” he warned sternly.

  Colleen nodded solemnly. I don’t want a spanking, but I suppose I do deserve one, she reluctantly admitted. And a spanking is definitely preferable to a public whipping, she thought.

  As they entered Duncan’s home, Colleen felt very sad. This morning I had a choice. I could have gone to see my sister in Ireland. I miss her so much but I gave up that chance because I wanted to show Duncan that I am worthy of being his wife. All I’ve managed to do is earn myself yet another spanking, she thought sadly, forg

etting in her sadness that Duncan had finally expressed a desire to marry her.

  As Duncan pulled out a chair and sat down, Colleen looked at him. “I’m sorry,” she told him sincerely. “Please forgive me. I was foolish, I didn’t listen to you and I didn’t stop to think of the consequences. I’m sorry I put you and your men at risk by forcing you to enter the village of a rival,” she told him, blinking back tears as she thought of how she had narrowly avoided being taken by a man much less chivalrous than Duncan.

  Duncan sighed as he pulled her into his arms. “No way will you avoid this spanking, young lady,” he told her, as he offered the trembling woman comfort.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Duncan held Colleen for a few minutes before eventually releasing her, a stern look spoiling his attractive features.

  “Stand up,” he ordered, grasping Colleen’s hand and pulling her to her feet. “Lift your dress, lower your drawers and bend across my lap,” he ordered angrily.

  Colleen blushed as she reluctantly complied. She had never had to bare her own bottom and she blushed furiously as she struggled to obey. With tears in her eyes she looked at Duncan before getting into the humiliating position he had demanded.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, slowly bending across his lap and lifting her skirts out of the way before hesitantly tugging her drawers down around her knees.

  Duncan took a firm grip on her waist and rested his other hand on her bare bottom, making her squirm in fear. “You will be sorry, young lady,” he warned. “I told you not to leave the village. There are very good reasons why I don’t want you to stray from here. You chose to ignore me and got yourself taken by the MacLennons. Fortunately they didn’t hurt you, but you disobeyed a direct order and you’re about to learn your actions have severe consequences.”

  Duncan continued to lecture Colleen for several minutes and she wished desperately that he would stop talking and get her spanking over with.

  Duncan’s hand cracked down hard and she yelped with shock at the unexpected smack. He landed a few more hard smacks, causing Colleen to yelp, before resting his hand on her buttocks and caressing them gently.

  Colleen lay still and wondered if Duncan had decided that a very short spanking would suffice. She tried to push herself up but Duncan tightened his grip around her waist.

  “Not so fast, young lady. Do you think those few smacks are enough to punish your outright disobedience?” he asked.

  Colleen gasped as Duncan once more started to spank her bottom hard, but this time he did not stop after a few smacks.

  “I warned you not to leave this village ever without me,” he scolded, his hand smacking down repeatedly on her bottom. Colleen squealed as her legs kicked frantically. Any hopes that he was going easy on her were now long gone.

  “I care about you,” he told her, as his hand continued to redden her buttocks. Despite her squirms of pain, Colleen’s eyes lit up as he told her that he cared for her. It was the words she had longed to hear since soon after she had arrived in the village. Taking a deep breath, Colleen vowed to take her spanking well. If it makes him happy he can spank me all night long. He cares about me and that makes it all the more bearable.

  “How would you feel if I had fought Blayne MacLennon and he had won, ultimately taking you as his prize?” Duncan asked angrily, cracking his hand down hard on her stinging buttocks.

  “I’m sorry,” whimpered Colleen, as the reality of the situation finally hit her. As she realised that Duncan might not have found her, and she might have eventually ended up married to Blayne MacLennon, she wept openly. As the intensity of her spanking increased, she really struggled to stay in position.

  “You were very fortunate, young lady, that one of my men saw the MacLennons taking you away otherwise God knows how long it would have been before I would have found you,” Duncan shouted, landing harder smacks on her bottom. “How do you think I’d feel if I lost the only girl I’ve ever loved to Blayne MacLennon,” he snapped bitterly.

  Colleen’s eyes widened as Duncan’s voice cracked with emotion and he spanked her thighs hard, as if trying to get rid of the utter helplessness he was feeling.

  “I really am sorry,” she howled, as his hand cracked hard against her upper thighs. “I promise I won’t ever leave the village again without your permission,” she yelled, kicking her legs frantically as his big hands stung the tender flesh of her thighs with sharp smacks.

  Colleen squealed loudly as Duncan landed several sharp smacks to her sit spots. She squirmed desperately and kicked her legs, but Duncan kept her exactly where he wanted her as his big hand pounded on her reddened behind.

  He paused for a moment and rested his hand gently on her stinging buttocks, trying desperately to compose himself.

  “Thank you for coming to get me,” Colleen said. “Blayne MacLennon is a bully and a fool. I did not care for him at all, not like I care for you,” she told him.

  Duncan raised his hand and Colleen was distraught when her spanking started once more. He gave her four of the hardest smacks ever and she screamed loudly as his hand flattened her buttocks each time it cracked down, as hard as he could possibly manage.

  “Don’t you dare worry me like that again,” Duncan said, sounding much calmer now. He sighed as he rested his stinging hand against her bottom, thoroughly exhausted from the exertions of dealing with his wayward charge. “I thought I’d lost you forever.”

  Colleen was relieved that Duncan had finally stopped spanking her. She sobbed as her bottom stung painfully, though she was grateful when Duncan gently rubbed the reddened flesh.

  Duncan stopped rubbing and pulled Colleen to her feet. “You probably think you’ve been punished enough, but I want to make absolutely certain that you never, ever cause me such worry again,” he scolded her. Duncan grasped her hand and dragged her over to the table where he pushed her forward so she was bending across the hard wooden surface.

  “What are you doing?” Colleen shrieked.

  “Although relations between the MacGregors and the MacLennons seem better now, you did not know that when you set out to defy me. You could have made things worse. You could have got yourself, me or one of my men killed with your stupid behaviour. You could have ended up stuck with that brute of a man and no-one could save you then. What do you think I would tell Harvey?” he asked her angrily. “And what would he tell your sister?” he added.

  Colleen stopped trying to get up and slumped miserably over the table, weeping bitterly as she wondered how Kaitlyn would have coped with the news that her sister was lost. She was sure that a man like Blayne MacLennon would not have cared to have her reunited with her sister.

  As she wept openly, Duncan told her “I’m going to marry you as soon as possible”. A smile lit up Colleen’s face, despite her present state.

  “I won’t risk anyone else taking you away from me,” he told her, “but as my wife I expect you to obey me without question. I’m furious that your foolish actions put you in such danger and I’m going to ensure you never act so irresponsibly again. I love you and I will not put up with your irresponsible behaviour. I promise you won’t be sleeping comfortably tonight, young lady.”

  He loves me, Colleen thought dreamily. Whatever else happens, I can get through it because he loves me.

  Colleen glanced back nervously and squealed in terror as Duncan removed his heavy belt. Looking at her sternly he warned her to “hold still” as he raised the wide leather strap above her bare buttocks.

  Colleen closed her eyes and howled in agony as the strap cracked against her already sore bottom. Duncan whipped it down again and Colleen cried out and raised her head as her tears dripped to the table.

  “I’m sorry,” she yelped as Duncan continued to strap her squirming bottom.

  Colleen gripped the table edge tightly and kicked her legs frantically as Duncan raised his belt and cracked it down on her unprotected buttocks again and again.

  “I care deeply about you,” he shouted, landing the belt across her upper thighs. Colleen screamed and stood up, rubbing her upper thighs and looking accusingly into Duncan’s eyes. As she glared at him, she saw the pain in his eyes that she had caused with her foolish behaviour.

  “I’m sorry. It hurts so much,” she wailed. “I’ll try to be good, I promise,” she added, frowning when Duncan lifted her up and sat her on the edge of the table, pushing her back until she was lying down. “Be a good girl,” he whispered, hooking his arm behind her legs and pushing them against her, raising her bottom towards him.

  Colleen blushed as Duncan put her into the most humiliating position she could imagine. It’s bad enough him seeing my bare bottom, but this is even worse, she thought, realising that in this position, with her legs crudely forced apart, Duncan could see between her legs. Feeling the cool air of the room on her private parts, she blushed as she realised her bottom hole was also on display in this very embarrassing position. She squirmed desperately to try and hide herself from his eyes, but her efforts were in vain.

  Duncan gazed down at her reddened buttocks. “Of course it hurts,” he said gently, “but not as much as it hurt me when I thought I’d lost you. I couldn’t bear that to ever happen. I’m sorry I have to be so hard on you, but you will never put us through such heartache again. Do you understand?”

  Colleen blushed as he looked her in the eye before his gaze travelled down between her legs. She was humiliated to be laid so open to him. She opened her mouth to respond to his question as the strap cracked across her thighs once more and she screamed loudly. She squirmed desperately and wailed loudly as she tried to break his hold on her. He landed a few more hard smacks with the belt before stopping.

  When Colleen opened her eyes she was surprised to find he was gazing down into her face. She felt relief as Duncan threw his belt to the floor, but squirmed uncomfortably when he took a tighter grip on her legs and started to smack her bottom briskly. Colleen wailed as she flailed her arms around desperately as his smacks occasionally caught her private parts, causing her to yelp loudly as she pushed against him, trying without success to lower her legs.

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