Rhys sighed. “Ye think it’s a good plan then? Are ye nae worried that there is little glory tae be haed?”
“Dae ye nae agree with him?” Sean asked, looking shocked. Shawn looked suspicious. Rhys had to be careful as he didn’t want to test his brother’s loyalties. He suspected that if they figured out he was having reservations, they would have no problem telling his father, and he couldn’t allow that to happen.
“I dinnae say that,” Rhys said, appearing to be as casual as possible. “I just mean that we hae always heard about great warriors and great battles testing themselves against worthy foes, but this is nae a battle is it?”
“Nae, but I’m sure plenty of them will fight back,” Sean said.
“I’m hoping tae get in a fight with Bryn,” Shawn said.
“He hae been a good host though,” Rhys mused. The brothers fell silent for they knew that hospitality was a thing to be rewarded and not shunned. There was a reason why Malcolm’s plan was unthinkable. It went against a lot of common beliefs. It was a sly plan indeed, and Rhys was now observing his brothers closely in case he saw any sign of their faith in Malcolm wavering.
“That may be, but he’s still a McClearey, and that counts for more than anything,” Shawn said. “If we’re gaeing tae weigh our sins against theirs then they’ve done plenty of things in the past. Dinnae forget that it was they who started this war in the first place. It’s about time that we ended it once and for all.”
Rhys was about to argue with them and challenge them to think about the truth of the matter. Speaking with Caitlin on that first night had been educational. Up until then, he had never thought about the fact that the origins of the war might be clouded. It had happened so long ago that nobody knew the truth of the matter, and now either side believed the version that cast them in the best light. But it was clear that his brothers were not going to waver from Malcolm’s orders and Rhys was not going to find allies within this tent. He declared that he had to get back to the keep and prepare for the wedding. His brothers teased him, but Rhys had the last laugh as he tossed the dice back against the crate and they both landed on the side showing a double six. Rhys smirked, and left Shane and Sean wondering how he had done that. But they had left Rhys wondering what he was going to do. It was all well and good having these reservations, but he was a man alone and had no idea who else he could turn to, or if there was even anyone he could turn to.
9
Caitlin was sitting with her mother on the night before her wedding day. She was in bed with hot tea beside her. Violet was sitting on the end of the bed and gazing at her child with great affection.
“How did ye feel on ye wedding day Ma?” Caitlin asked. Her eyes swam with excitement, but there was an equal measure of nerves inside as well. A swarm of butterflies was moving around in her stomach and her skin felt all tingly as the memory of the passionate kiss had been burned into her soul. Her desire had been inflamed. The kiss had been filled with promise and she found her mind turning to the unknown pleasures of the wedding night, a night that would be filled with celebration and a lot more that she could not even fathom yet.
“Oh much like ye, a bundle of nerves. I haed a wee more time tae know Bryn though.”
“What was Da like back then?”
Violet leaned back and smiled. A warm glow appeared on her cheeks and the years slipped away as she embraced the memories of her youth. She clasped her hands in her lap. “Oh, he was charming, romantic. We used tae gae strolling in the woods and he’d pick me all kinds of flowers, saying that this one reminded him of my eyes, and this one reminded him of my lips.” She giggled a little. “He really knew how tae make me feel special. I knew from that first moment that I was in love with him, and I think that ye are warming tae Rhys as well.” Violet leaned forward and playfully placed her hand on Caitlin’s. Caitlin blushed and pulled the sheets of the bed closer to her chest.
“Is that such a bad thing?” she asked, her cheeks glowing brightly.
“I hae tae be honest with ye…I never did think my wee girl was gaeing tae marry a Frasier, and when ye da returned and told us that he had arranged ye marriage tae that brute I was worried for ye. I didnae think he would make a good husband, but there is something different about him. Maybe there is some hope for us all. And besides, the most important thing is that ye are happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for ye,” she said.
Caitlin nodded and smiled warmly.
“Now ye get tae bed and rest for ye hae a grand day taemorrow. And dinnae worry about the nerves. It’ll all disappear once ye see him for the first time. As long as he keeps ye safe things will be well,” she said. Caitlin believed her mother, and a warm glow swelled within her. She couldn’t wait for the morning to arrive and to finally be wed to him. Spending time with him so far had promised a great deal of happiness in her life and although it would be difficult to leave and embrace the change in her world, she was eager to find adventure with Rhys. Her mind constantly turned to the way they had kissed. It made all kinds of sensations ripple through her body. At one moment it felt as though she had been struck by lightning and a crackling bolt of energy had surged through her, while at other times it was as though she was constantly immersed in warm water, her skin tingling with pleasure.
Violet left and Caitlin cozied up in bed, resting against the pillow, turning her eyes to the window where the moon shone through. The nights were cold and lonesome, but soon enough she would be sharing her bed with a man. She had already experienced the warmth that emanated from Rhys’s body and she was now thinking about what it would be like to curl up to him during the night and feel warmed by his flesh. Breath rushed through her lips as she thought of these things, and her mind unfurled as thoughts of being held in his arms whirled around. It was a whole new world that she had only dipped her toe into, and although she was nervous, she was also eager to explore it in greater depth.
She managed to fall asleep in good time, thinking about the future and her life with Rhys. There would be peace. Finally, after all this time, there would be peace among the clans. She was glad to have such a pivotal role in maintaining it. Yes, leaving would be difficult, but the kiss she had shared with Rhys told her that he would take care of her. She had gleaned a lot from that kiss—more than she had from speaking with him, in fact—and she knew that she could trust him with her feelings. There was a certain vulnerability to him that contradicted his brutish appearance as though he was troubled by things that he couldn’t strike with a sword. She saw it in his eyes and she longed to get even deeper into his mind, to dive into his soul so that she could explore the mysteries of the man.
Yes, there was a long life ahead of her. Even though she had already spent eighteen years in this world, it felt as though her life was just beginning. She wondered how she would think when she was her mother’s age, looking back at this time. She might well be giving advice to her own child.
10
Rhys had been in anguish all day. The conversation with his brothers had not helped, and he had purposefully avoided his father. He had wandered the area around the keep, taking a stroll by himself to explore the landscape that Caitlin had described with so much poetry and passion the previous night. The beauty did not help soothe the turmoil in his mind. Even though he was excited to marry Caitlin, his chest tightened and he wished he could slow the pace of time to give himself a better chance of deciding what to do about the situation. There seemed no way to stop his father’s plan from being carried out. Even if he stood against Malcolm there wouldn’t be any hope, for he would just be one man, and what difference could one man make? The only thing he could do is reveal the truth to either Bryn or Caitlin and betray his father, but such a thing made a wave of nausea curdle in the pit of his stomach.
The day passed and night drew in. Most of the people in the keep were asleep. Fires blazed in the camp outside, where his brothers were drinking and playing games, acting as though they didn’t have a care in the world. Rhys watched servants g
o about their business and his heart sank, for he knew that they only had a limited amount of time left. Their lives were hanging in the balance and each of them was unaware. Rhys was overwhelmed with the urge to take them by the shoulders and shake some sense into them, to tell them to run far away and escape this forsaken place, for soon the walls would be stained with blood and there would be nothing left in this keep but the lingering stench of death.
Before he retired for the night Bryn caught him and pulled him into a small room, wanting to share some mead with him. Rhys did not decline the offer. He towered above Bryn, and yet Bryn’s strength and confidence were not drawn from the size of his muscles or his stature. His mind was one of the sharpest around; that’s what had driven Malcolm crazy. The fact that Bryn had gone toe to toe with Malcolm and survived was impressive, but he didn’t seem to understand that Malcolm was planning a grim betrayal. Rhys silently urged him to think about the future and to be wary of his mortal enemy, but Bryn’s intentions were pure. He believed in peace, so he was ignoring the dark shadows of doubt that swirled around his mind.
The mead was sweet and the bottle was deep. His goblet was refilled as soon as he had drained the liquid out of it.
“I heard what ye did with the lads. I’m glad ye spent some time with them. Ye made a good impression,” Bryn said.
Rhys smiled. “I’m glad. They’re good lads, fine with a sword, although that Mark has something of a temper on him. It could serve him well if he learns tae use his anger, but if he dinnae it could get him into a wee bit of trouble.”
“Aye,” Bryn said, nodding. “I’ve tried tae tell him again and again but he dinnae listen. Although I think being put on his rump by ye taeday will make him think twice. Bryn pursed his lips and sighed heavily. “But I’m glad that I dinnae hae tae train him for war. When I watched the boys grow up I was worried that one day I was gaeing tae hae tae lead them intae battle, and perhaps watch them die.” He shook his head gravely. “That’s when I first started thinking that there haed tae be another way, a better way. But ye da was so fierce, so wedded tae war I didnae think he would ever think about peace. But I’m glad he did.”
“Me tae,” Rhys agreed.
“I hae some thoughts about the future of the clans if we would nae mind me bending ye ear since ye are the future laird,” Bryn said. Rhys inclined his head, encouraging Bryn to continue. “We both know that the standing of our clans has gone down over the past few generations. I dare say that other clans think of us as a joke, sae preoccupied with our wee war that we cannae see anything else. We’ve let a lot of land be taken by other clans that we could hae got if we had nae been fighting. I think it’s time that we looked tae the future and the world around us, tae claim land that is still there tae be claimed and make sure that other clans understand we are nae tae be taken for granted. With a joint force, we can match any clan in the land, and with more resources, we can think about different trades tae make. We need tae make our names respectable again. Dae ye agree?”
“I dae,” Rhys said.
Bryn’s face lit up. “I hae tae admit, Rhys, that I was a wee bit wary when I agreed tae the treaty, for I didnae know the kind of man that I was promising my wee Caitlin tae, but I’m glad that ye are a fine man, and I can honestly say that ye are worthy of her. Ye are honorable and noble, and ye will serve the future well. The clans are in good hands with ye.” He tapped his goblet against the one Rhys was holding. Rhys smiled and took a sip of mead, but color drained from his face.
“Aye, I’ve thought for a long time that peace is the only way forward,” Bryn continued. “If we continued the same way we’d hae fought tae the last man. There would be naething left of either clan, just the sad story of two families who destroyed themselves because they couldnae let go of their foolish pride.” He shook his head and a sad expression came upon his face. Rhys assumed he was thinking about all the men who had come before him and had not been able to escape this cycle of war and all the people who had died because of it.
“Here’s tae the forgotten ones,” Rhys said, giving a toast of his own.
“Aye, and here’s tae never being forgotten,” Bryn replied.
Rhys drained the glass dry and felt the hazy sweetness rising within his mind, which did well to numb the sharp edge of his guilt. He bid Bryn a goodnight, and Bryn wished him well for the following day. Rhys staggered out of the room, barely being able to hold himself upright and not because he was intoxicated by the mead, but because the guilt weighed so heavily on his shoulders. Bryn had such pure intentions and such high hopes for the clan. All he wanted was to see the family flourish, while Malcolm wanted to tear everything down and continue the bloodshed. The future that Bryn hoped for would never come to pass, and all because Rhys didn’t say anything.
Rhys held the future of the clans in his hand, but he was also shackled by a lifetime of obeying his father. Even though he knew peace was something to strive for he couldn’t just shrug off a lifetime of obedience. With his mind still in turmoil, there was only one place for him to go, and that was to see Caitlin. She was the only person who could offer him refuge and respite and could soothe the ache in his soul. He needed to see her, if only for a few moments.
He made his way to her chambers, treading lightly through the keep so as not to wake anyone and not alert anyone to his presence, for truly he should not have been sneaking up to see her on the night before the wedding. He rapped lightly on the door, praying that she wasn’t asleep yet. He hissed her name in a low whisper, and then he heard soft footsteps approach the door. It opened and her eyes lit up when she saw him. She opened the door wider and flung her arms around him. Her body was soft and her nightgown hung off the hourglass shape of her body in a pleasing way. His hands fell to her waist and immediately he felt better.
“What are ye daeing here?” she asked in a frantic whisper as her gaze darted behind him, to check that nobody could see them together.
“I couldnae wait until morning tae see ye,” he admitted. He looked deep into her sapphire eyes and exhaled deeply, losing himself to the comfortable feeling that came with being near her. He caressed her soft cheek with his thumb and a smile broke out upon her face. Seeing her smile was akin to seeing the sun rise over the horizon, for it made the world a better and more beautiful place.
“Ye are sae sweet,” she said. “I cannae wait for taemorrow Rhys. I was nae sure at first, but now I’m eager tae be yer wife,” she said.
Rhys smiled. “I’m eager tae,” he agreed.
“And as much as I’m looking forward tae the wedding, I’m looking forward even more tae what comes after. I think we can dae great things with the two clans, Rhys. There’s a whole world out there just waiting for us tae explore, and with nae worry of war we can dae whatever we want!”
“Aye,” he agreed, although half-heartedly. She placed a hand upon his cheek. The comforting, tender gesture made a tingling sensation run all the way down his body. He closed his eyes for a moment and allowed himself to fall into her hand, giving her his entire body, and although her hand was small he knew that she would be able to keep him safe. All his life he had been self-reliant. He had never needed anyone or anything, and he had prided himself on being able to survive the world alone. But Caitlin had changed all that. Now he understood what he had been missing out on, and realized the kind of wonder the world could give him. He leaned forward, closer to her, and breathed in her sweet scent. His heart beat fiercely for her, and he knew in that moment that he had to tell her. He had to reveal the truth because he did not want to start this marriage off with a lie. She was so endearing that she had won his trust and his heart, and if he was going to share this with anyone, it had to be her.
“Caitlin…” he said, but he didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence, for she lifted herself up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. The gesture was overwhelming and fire blazed within him as his hands slipped around her waist. Her nightgown was so thin that it was barely there at all. She whim
pered a little as his hands closed around her waist and his fingers dug into her flesh. She was soft and warm and heavenly. His eyes fluttered shut as he surrendered to the kiss, not wanting it to end.
But it had to end.
Caitlin leaned back, but she had a warm smile on her face. Her eyes sparkled with delight and Rhys was astounded that he could make someone this happy.
“Thank you for coming tae seem me Rhys, but ye haed better gae. We wouldnae want ye tae be discovered. I’ll see ye at the wedding,” she said, and then squealed with delight as she ushered him away. Rhys nodded and swallowed the words that he had been so close to uttering. Perhaps it was for the best. Perhaps he should just let events play out as they were supposed to happen and see who was left standing at the end. He might be able to influence events subtly, to help the McClearey clan fight back and protect a few people, help them flee in the chaos. And he would at least get to give Caitlin the wedding she wanted. It would be a small consolation for her home being taken, and she might never be able to forgive him afterward. But he hoped that one day she might be able to understand and that there would be enough love in her heart left over to continue the life they were starting together.
In his heart, he knew that it wasn’t going to work out as he hoped, however. He returned to his chambers and sank into his bed, excited that his wedding day was fast approaching, but also anxious because not long after that, everything was going to fall into chaos. There was only one hope left: that he might convince his father that this path was wrong. That was the only way he could see to escape this fate and protect the new family he had made, and to be sure of keeping Caitlin’s love.
11
Highlander's War 0f Clans (Scottish Medieval Historical Romance) Page 8
