Laiden's Daughter

by Suzan Tisdale

  A scowl came to Angus’ face. “Angry with ye? Over what?”

  Isobel recounted the incident on the archery field for him. “I see,” he said, running his hand along his chin as his face beamed with pride. “Me daughter can shoot that well, aye?”

  More embarrassment flooded over Aishlinn. “It matters not that I can shoot well. What matters is that I was rude to him in front of his men.” She clasped her hands together to hide the fact that they were shaking.

  “I doubt it will be something he can get over easily. I am certain he no longer cares for me as he did.”

  Angus let out a huge laugh. “Ya think that do ye?”

  It was impossible to look at either of them, for fear her true feelings would be readily seen in her face. She loved Duncan, loved him more than anything. But she knew that she had made a terrible mistake by openly disrespecting him in front of his men and she was certain that he would not be able to forgive her. Slowly she nodded her head and whispered, “Aye.”

  “Well ye better be tellin’ Duncan that he know longer cares for ya, because I dunna think he kens it!” Angus chuckled.

  Aishlinn looked at him, quite puzzled. “What do you mean?”

  His smile was broad as he put his hand upon her shoulder. “Because right before ya came to see me, he told me that he loved ya.”

  “He did?” Her heart began to pound and her palms grew moist. Aishlinn knew he had cared for her, but he had not yet told her that he loved her. Certainly Angus must have misunderstood the words Duncan had used to describe his feelings for Aishlinn. “He told you that?”

  “Aye, he did.” Angus squeezed her shoulder slightly. “Go. Talk to the lad, Aishlinn.”

  She stood quickly before realizing she could not go to Duncan. “I can’t!” She said.

  “Why not?” Isobel asked.

  “He has not released me from my room yet! He said I was not to leave until he gave his permission.” She felt silly saying it aloud. She had disrespected him earlier and wished not to that again.

  Angus laughed more boisterously. “Lass, ya go find him. And if he grows angry with ye over it, ya tell him to haud his wheest or ye’ll tell yer father of it!”

  Aishlinn smiled and flung her arms around Angus’ neck. Her father she thought. My father. Tears filled her eyes at the thought of knowing that she did in fact have a father and one who was able to care for her, to claim her as his own in the blink of an eye. It mattered not to him that twenty years of lies had separated them and had kept them apart. She was his daughter and that was all that seemed to matter. Tears raced down her cheeks as she sobbed, her head resting on his chest.

  Angus patted her back and tears filled in his own eyes. “Lass, don’t be cryin’ now.” He looked to Isobel for help. “I canna stand it when a woman cries!” he said. Isobel came to them both and wrapped her arms around them.

  “I haven’t met a highlander yet who could!”

  ******

  After speaking with her father, Aishlinn left him and Isobel and went immediately to seek out Duncan. She wanted to first apologize for being disrespectful to him earlier that morning. She could only hope that he would accept her apology. Secondly she wanted bring him back to Angus and Isobel and together, they would tell him that she had indeed found her real family.

  She was not certain where he might be so she stopped in the kitchens to ask if Mary had seen him. “Aye, a while ago lass. Has he given ye permission to leave yer room?” Mary asked as she stirred a pot of stew that hung in the fireplace.

  Without a clue how to explain the last hour of her life, Aishlinn fibbed. “Aye. He has.”

  “He said he needed some fresh air,” Mary said as she cocked her head towards the door. “Ye’ll probably find him out of doors. Check the training fields, he likes to go there sometimes to think.” Aishlinn was out the door before Mary had time to bid her good day.

  Black Richard had spotted her as she exited the kitchens. He ran to catch up with her. “How be ya this fine day, Aishlinn?” He asked as he walked along side her.

  “Fine, and you?” She was on a mission to find Duncan and wanted not to waste time with idle conversation, therefore she did not slow her pace.

  “I am well,” he said, wishing she would stop for a moment to talk with him. He caught a glimpse of the determined expression upon her face. “Ya seem to be in a bit of a hurry this day,” he said.

  Aishlinn stopped rather abruptly and put her hands on her hips. “Aye, I am. Is there something you need?” she asked and hoped that she did not sound as perturbed as she felt. She needed to speak with Duncan straight away.

  Black Richard reviewed her for a moment. He had been carrying around some strong feelings for her for quite a time now. He decided to throw all caution to the wind, swallowed hard and felt as though he were leaping into an unknown abyss.

  “Only the company of the most beautiful woman in the clan.” He hoped she would see and hear his sincerity.

  She hadn’t a clue that Black Richard held any romantic feelings towards her. Had she not been so focused on finding Duncan she would have realized more readily what he was saying. Instead, she was distracted and wanted only to find Duncan.

  “Who might that be, Richard? I’ll help you find her as soon as I’m done.”

  He sighed heavily as his shoulders sunk. “I be lookin’ at her right now.” He wasn’t ready to give up the pursuit just yet.

  Aishlinn shook her head, anxious to be done with him. “Black Richard, I’ve really no time at the moment,” she said as she resumed walking.

  “I can see that, lass,” he said resuming his pace beside her. “I wish it were me ya were in such a hurry to find,” he blurted out. “And not Duncan.”

  She stopped, quite perplexed by his statement. Again, men were such confusing beasts. “What do you mean?”

  A blind man could see how Aishlinn and Duncan felt about one another. What was not quite so apparent however, was whether or not they had acted upon those feelings.

  “Aishlinn, I ken ya have feelings for Duncan, and he ye.” He paused for a moment to focus at his feet. “If however, it does not go well with Duncan, the way ya wish,” he looked into her face then, into those bonny green eyes of hers and felt a tug at his heart. “I would hope ya would keep me in mind.”

  Aishlinn was quite confused and not at all certain what the man was getting at. “In mind? In mind for what?”

  He could not resist the urge to move a bit of loose hair from her cheek and tuck it behind her ear. ‘Twas a very intimate gesture to be sure and one he probably should not have succumbed to the desire to take. He cared not, for he was certain it would be the one and only chance he would ever have to feel the softness of her skin. “As a suitor, Aishlinn.”

  His statement flabbergasted her, for not long ago, Duncan had told her that Black Richard held nothing more than a friendship toward her. She supposed she should be quite angry with him right now, but could not find it in her heart to be. Duncan had lied, she was sure of it, but he had lied only because he wanted to keep her to himself. Black Richard, although quite a braw and handsome man, did not make her stomach jump or her heart race rapidly whenever he was near the way Duncan’s presence did.

  Not long ago she would have turned red with embarrassment and not had a clue what to do or how to respond to such a statement. Flattered by his words, she smiled at him sweetly as she laid her hand upon his cheek ever so gently. “Thank you, Richard.”

  “But?” he was certain he knew what she would say to him next. Twould be something along the lines of thank you but no thank you and he felt his heart sink at the thought of it. Regardless of what she would say next, he felt relieved in letting her know he was quite interested in more than a friendship with her.

  “But my heart,” she said as she pulled her hand away, “belongs to Duncan.”

  Black Richard nodded his head, disheartened that her hand left his face far too soon. He had known all along but had decided to take a chance anyway. A
t least they both knew for certain where the other stood.

  As he was beginning to bid her good luck with Duncan, from out of nowhere he heard a low, guttural growl right before being knocked completely on his arse.

  ******

  Seeing Aishlinn and Black Richard together had been more than he could take. Duncan had been standing with Wee William, Thomas, and Rowan when he had caught sight of the two of them, walking along as if they had not a care in the world. White-hot anger burst before his eyes when he saw Black Richard touching Aishlinn’s face. White turned to red the moment he saw Aishlinn return the touch with one of her own as she smiled ever so sweetly at him.

  All went black from there and the next thing he knew, he was growling as he ran towards Black Richard, grabbing him about the waist and knocking him to the ground with a loud thump.

  Having been caught off guard, Black Richard was temporarily stunned with the wind knocked from him. As he was rolled over onto his back, he saw Duncan’s face, twisted in anger, staring down at him. Black Richard’s years of warrior training and battle experience kicked in. Gaining his wits, he took a deep breath as he arched his back, grabbed Duncan by the arms and threw him off, sending him tumbling over his head where he landed on his back.

  Duncan immediately got to his feet, crouching in a defensive stance. His anger kept him focused only on the man before him, and not Aishlinn as she stood nearby yelling at them both to stop. The two men paused only long enough for each to size up his opponent. Duncan took a deep breath as he lunged again at Black Richard, grabbing him by his bare arms as he quickly knocked him off balance by thrusting an ankle behind Richard’s calf, bringing him hard to the ground.

  Duncan pounced upon Black Richard, pinning him to the ground with the weight of his knees and sheer brute strength. Duncan was momentarily caught off guard by the fact that Black Richard was smiling up at him.

  “So ya do have feelings for the lass after all, aye, Duncan?” Black Richard was goading Duncan and it was working for more white-hot anger surged through him, and gave Black Richard the break he needed.

  He lunged his legs upwards and kicked Duncan at the tender spot on his lower back with his knee. Duncan loosened his grip as he was forced to suck in air. Black Richard used the opportunity to his advantage and twisted Duncan off him and pinned him on his back.

  They paid no attention to the people who had gathered around them, least of all to the woman they fought over. As the two of them fought, Aishlinn shouted at three boys who were standing together watching the two grown men make complete fools of themselves.

  “You!” She shouted at them, “Fetch me buckets of water straight away!” The boys were too startled to object and scurried away to do as they were told.

  Aishlinn stomped angrily up to Wee William who was cheering the fight on. “Wee William!” She yelled at him. “Give me your sword and scabbard!” She demanded.

  Wee William looked at her as if she were a fool and said “Nay. Let the lads fight it out, lass.” He was enjoying the pummeling going on before him.

  Aishlinn huffed as she swiftly reached toward Wee William’s waist and in one deft move unbuckled the belt that held his scabbard. She let the belt fall away as she stormed back to Duncan, who now had Black Richard pinned underneath him again. Taking the heavy scabbard into both her hands, she lifted it high into the air before bringing it down hard against Duncan’s skull. She didn’t really have the strength to actually wield it in any professional manner. She let the weight of it do the work for her.

  Duncan had not expected an attack from the rear. Quite shocked and in a good deal of pain, he released his grip on Black Richard and brought his hands to the back of his head.

  “What the bloody hell!” He yelled as he rolled over to his back and saw his Aishlinn standing over him. She was glowing from the tiny twinkling sparks that floated in front of his eyes from the hit he had taken. She looked downright furious.

  Quickly and with great precision, Aishlinn pulled the sword from the scabbard with her right hand and held the tip of it just inches from Duncan’s chest. With her left, she thrust the scabbard down hard against Black Richard’s sternum, pinning him to the ground.

  “Do not either of ya move!” she said angrily. “I’ve had enough of this nonsense and it will stop now!”

  For a brief moment, Duncan was not sure if she wouldn’t thrust the sword deep into his heart. He quickly dismissed the thought, but when he made a move to stand, Aishlinn edged the sword closer to his chest.

  “You think I’m good with a bow? You should see me with a sword, Duncan,” she seethed at him.

  He decided perhaps it best not to take the chance at the moment as he could see the intense fury within her eyes.

  Of course Aishlinn had been stretching the truth a bit with tempting him to think she could actually do anything with a sword other than swing it. She felt Duncan needed not to know that at the moment. She was attempting only to get this ridiculous situation under control. If it took a lie to do it, then so be it.

  “Are you two quite done?” she asked, scowling at the men who lay before her, each of them thunderstruck at the way in which she held the sword and scabbard. The fury could be seen in her eyes and warned them not to tempt her.

  The two men cast furtive glances at one another before they nodded their heads. “Aye.” They spoke in unison before casting disdainful looks at one another.

  Aishlinn studied them very carefully for a moment and decided they would indeed settle down. She carefully returned the sword to the scabbard and walked back to Wee William, who stood with his mouth agape.

  ‘Twasn’t very often you saw a young lass settle two men with both a sword and a scabbard. Wee William, though disappointed the fight had ended too soon for his liking, was growing more proud of Aishlinn as the days passed.

  Aishlinn turned to face the men who had been fighting over her. They had remained firmly planted upon the ground, breathing heavily as they attempted to wipe the sweat from their brows with the backs of their hands. It was more than utter disappointment she felt in each of them, she was furious with their behavior.

  “I cannot believe that two grown men would behave in such a manner!” She began pacing back and forth as Duncan and Black Richard stared at her.

  “Of all the pig-headed and foolish ways for ya to behave. Fighting like two mangy cur dogs over a piece of fresh meat!”

  Both men began to protest and Aishlinn stopped them both with an angry scowl. “I’ll hear not a thing from either of ya at this moment!”

  She continued to pace and yell at them that they be daft, eejit men. She came and stood over Duncan, with her hands on her hips. “Do you, Duncan, intend on beating every man who ever might say good day to me?” she fumed at him.

  “Aye. I do,” he said.

  “I think the correct answer is ‘nay’ ya daft fool!” she yelled at him.

  “Nay. I meant what I said,” he said, trying to catch his breath.

  Aishlinn stood over him, her hands on her hips, severely disappointed in him. “Why? Why would you do such a thing?” she asked angrily

  “Because yer mine,” he said with a broad smile.

  Aishlinn was determined not to let his beaming smile and twinkling blue eyes get the better of her. She did love him, but she wasn’t about to let him behave in such a beastly manner anytime any man might say good day to her. She’d simply not allow it.

  “I am not a possession Duncan! I’m not a trinket nor a trophy,” she seethed at him and resumed her angry pacing.

  She was speaking more to herself at this point than to anyone else. “Of all the stupid. I just canna believe. It is just downright. I am just. Appalling behavior.” Complete sentences were simply too much work at the moment. “What exactly were the two of you fighting about?” She asked them.

  Neither man could put into precise words just what had happened. Duncan knew it was a fierce jealousy that had overcome him when he had seen the two of them together. Black R
ichard had fought merely to get Duncan’s goat, jealous over the fact that he had won Aishlinn’s heart.

  “That’s what I thought! You don’t even know,” she said. “Or you won’t even admit it.”?

  She went back to pacing and talking to herself, turning on occasion to chastise them again. As she rambled on, Duncan watched his soon-to-be betrothed with great admiration. He loved the fire that came to her eyes when she was perturbed. He thought those eyes might be able to melt iron this day, for she was completely furious with him.

  “Damn, but she is beautiful when she is angry!” Duncan and Black Richard spoke at the same time. They turned and looked at each briefly. The scowl had returned along with the jealousy.

  Black Richard smiled at him and he raised his eyebrows. “Tis true!”

  Duncan saw red again and he tackled Black Richard back to the ground. Wrestling and tossing each other about, Black Richard could not help but egg Duncan on.

  “Have ya asked her to marry ya yet?” he said, as he flipped Duncan over to his back. He could see the rage as it burned in Duncan’s eyes.

  “For if ya haven’t, I was thinkin’ of askin’ her meself!” Black Richard had to stifle a laugh for he knew that even if he had the courage to ask such a question, Aishlinn would undoubtedly turn him down. Black Richard knew her heart belonged to Duncan, but at the moment, he was deriving too much pleasure in infuriating the man.

  Duncan growled as he knocked Black Richard backwards. Rolling around in the dirt and grass, he cared not why Black Richard was intentionally attempting to anger him. If anyone were to propose marriage to Aishlinn, it would be Duncan and no other.

  They had all but forgotten Aishlinn’s rage as they rolled and tumbled upon the ground. But she soon reminded them. Suddenly they felt a deluge of icy cold water as it hit them hard and gushed over their bodies. Barely a moment passed before they were hit with another.

  “What the bloody hell!” Duncan yelled.

  Aishlinn tossed an empty bucket to the ground as she grabbed a third and flung its icy cold contents at them. So angry she was at the moment, she could have beat them both senseless with the empties.