by Barbara Bard
“You have to be fast Sarah, there is not much time as the banquet is tonight.” Rosemary turned back to continue her discussion with the seamstress. Sarah started scanning the shelves for different materials. She finally picked the one she wanted for the banquet that night and some other ones for other occasions.
Sarah took them off the shelves and walked to where Rosemary and the seamstress sat with a look of satisfaction on her face.
“I have finally made my decision. I will be wearing this one for the banquet”, Sarah said as she brought out a red and a cream material from the pile on her hands.
“This will look beautiful on ye,” the seamstress said as she smiled at Sarah and took the materials from Sarah’s hand. “I would bring it to yae chamber when I am done.”
She took Sarah’s measurement. When she was done, Sarah paid her with some of the money that Drew had given her earlier and they bade their farewell.
Rosemary took them to the blacksmith shop which was very close to the seamstress shop. Sarah saw a lot of trinkets that would go well with the dress she would be wearing that night. She finally picked a gold chain with a heart shaped pendant. The pendant had a red shining stone in the middle.
“This looks beautiful on you; I am sure Drew would love this when he sees it on your neck.”
Sarah blushed with embarrassment as she pulled off the necklace and gave it to the blacksmith to pack.
Rosemary stopped to greet a few more people and they eventually left the market. Sarah thought about everything she had bought and she smiled with satisfaction. It may not be expensive but she loved them. “Thank you for bringing me here Rosemary,” Sarah said beaming. “I thought it was going to be terrible but the people are so friendly and nice. Only a few scowled and made faces at us. I think I would like it here. The only thing that worries me now is Drew’s cousin, Declan and that red hair girl he moves with. He is guarding Catherine and I am worried he won’t treat her well because of the hate he has towards us.”
Rosemary smiled. “Don’t worry, Declan will not hurt Catherine in any way. He is young and confused, he will come around soon. I cannot blame him, all his life, he has been told how the English are bad people. Now two of his cousins are married to two of their women. It will take time but eventually he will see for himself. Drew was always like that too until he met you” Rosemary smile immediately turned to a frown.
“About the girl, her name is Deirdre. She had an affair with Blair a long time ago. Now she is scorned that he is married to another woman. Not even a Highlander woman, but an English girl. She wanted to get her vengeance by turning Drew against Blair. Thank god he met you and fell in love. Now that Drew is also married to an English girl, Declan is the only one she can twist his head now. She is like a snake.” Rosemary face twisted as she said each words.
Sarah had never seen her like this before. Her eyes sparked fire. “You must really hate this girl. You speak of her with such vile words.” Sarah took Rosemary hand to calm her down.
“I don’t hate her”, Rosemary said as she took a deep breath. “She is vengeful and wants to turn the entire clan against Blair. She is poisoning Declan’s mind against his cousins. I just wished she would stop.”
Sarah switched the topic to get Rosemary to calm down. She told her about her time in the forest. About the two guards and how Drew killed them. Rosemary started to relax and eventually she laughed at the stories she was telling her.
They parted ways when they got to Sarah’s chamber. “Thank you so much Rosemary for this, you are more than my friend, you are my sister.” Sarah kissed her on the cheeks and went inside her chamber. When she got in, she found Drew fast asleep on their bed. He looked like an angel as he slept. Sarah laid beside him and drifted off to sleep also.
By the time Sarah woke up, the sky was already turning dark. She called out to Drew several times but got no response in return. He must have left her to sleep and gone to meet his brother and the other clan leaders. Sarah stood up and stretched for a minute. She saw her dress laid out on the chair. The seamstress had come when she was asleep.
Sarah went to wash up before dressing up for the banquet. When she was done, Sarah took a towel, sat on the chair and started to dry off her hair. She thought about the amount of people that would be in the hall tonight. The amount of faces that would be staring at her. Her heart started to beat fast and hard. She remembered the dinner at Lord Flynn’s castle, how she had fled the halls in tears and embarrassment at Lords Flynn’s cruelty. She hoped it would not happen again this time.
When she was done drying her hair, Sarah stood up from the chair and put on her new dress. The seamstress had sewn the dress perfectly. It clung to the right places. Sarah wore her chain, left the chamber and started walking towards the banquet hall.
Sarah loved the feel of the warm breeze on her naked skin. One could hear the noise coming from the hall from far away. By now war stories would be going up in the air. Everyone would be talking about how Drew slayed the mighty Lord Flynn. She smiled at the thought of it.
The hall was filled with men and women and even children. Leaders of the clans were seated round a table, their head bowed in a deep discussion. The tables were filled with meat, rice, bread, berries, grapes and much more. Jugs of ale and wine were being passed across from table to table. The air was thick with excitement and merriment.
As she stepped further into the hall, heads began to turn and people started to whisper to one another. Sarah looked towards where Drew was seated and their eyes met. A shocking look swept across his face as she moved toward where he was seated.
Sarah took her seat beside Drew as he kept staring at her.
“Ye look beautiful. I never thought it was possible but you look more beautiful than I can remember. Ye are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and I promise to do right by you”, Drew whispered into her ears as he kissed her on the cheeks. “The necklace is beautiful; I love the pendant”. Drew took the necklace in his hands to take a closer look.
“Thank you so much Drew. I am happy you like the chain, I picked it as a representation of our love”, Sarah said as she blushed with embarrassment.
Drew ordered that food should be brought for her. The men started bringing up stories of the war and how Drew had slayed the almighty Lord Flynn. Sarah smiled at the stories. She noticed throughout Declan didn’t not join the men as they exchanged war stories. He barely even touched his meal and every time Sarah tried to smile at him, he returned her smile with a scowl.
One of the men had brought up another grand story when Sarah interrupted him mid-sentence. “Declan, what seem to be the matter?’ Sarah asked with worry in her voice.
“Why do you ask lass?” Declan replied with a cold voice.
“You have barely touched your meal and you have a long face. If something is bothering you, you can share with us.”
“It is nae your concern. Mind yer business.”
“I am sorry I just thought I should ask”
“Like I said it is none of your business and ye are not sorry. Ye English people think you can just take everything whether it belongs to ye or nae. Ye people come from your land and come to marry our men. I know there is something behind ye coming to the Highlands. I don’t ken it yet, but I will find out. I don’t know why my cousins would even fall for ye English lasses when there are many Highlander lasses,” Declan said as his voice filled the hall.
Drew stood up from his seat with so much furry and rage. He was about to storm off to where Declan sat but Sarah held his hand to stop him from going. When she saw that Drew was calm, she began to speak
“I know you are confused about your cousins marrying English lasses. It is all strange and new to you. I didn’t ask for this either. I never thought I would be getting married to a Highlander either. Highlanders killed my parents, for years I carried so much hate for them in my heart. All that changed when I met Drew and fell in love with. I hope over time, you will realize we are not spies and there are
no hidden motives to our actions. I love your cousin with all my heart and my place in this life is next to him. You will just have to live with that.” Sarah took a sigh of relief and sat back into her seat.
Declan look at her with furious eyes and stormed out of the hall.
The whole hall was quiet. Drew had never seen Sarah like that before. She spoke with so much confidence. She has grown from the shy girl he met in the forest, to a woman that could silence grown men.
Epilogue
The revelry continued long into the night, but in truth Sarah was grateful that Drew had a wounded leg because it meant that he grew fatigued more quickly and needed rest. She was feeling exhausted too.
The past few days - had it really only been that long? - had been fraught with tension and anxiety, but also filled with a great deal of happiness.
She whispered to Drew that they should go to their chamber. Drew got up and greeted his brother, Rosemary and the leaders of the clan goodnight. As he walked out the hall, the men banged their mugs on the table and cheered him on.
She helped Drew up the winding staircase to his bedchamber. It was far different to the rooms she had been used to, especially the one in Lord Flynn's estate. There was no luxurious bed, no grand closet filled with pretty dresses. There was a trunk on the floor, a desk, and a bed. The mattress was hard, and it would take some getting used to, but Sarah would endure anything if it meant being close to Drew.
She helped him on the bed and to get undressed. The wound was in much better condition now it had been seen to by actual medics, and in the midst of the party Fianna had come to her with an herbal remedy to treat the wound properly.
“I like your mother,” Sarah said as she peeled off her own clothes, glad to be out of the dress. She had been given a cloak by Fianna as well, and had been made to feel completely at home.
“Aye, she is a special one,” Drew agreed, leaning back his head. Sarah climbed into bed beside him and lay her head on the pillow next to him, draping an arm around his wide chest. She kissed him lovingly on the cheek and nestled into him, enjoying the smell and the warmth of him.
“I like being here too.”
“I like ye being here. I would nae want ye tae be anywhere else.”
“Can I confess something to you?”
“Of course, lass, ye can always tell me anything ye want.”
“I was so frightened when you were fighting Lord Flynn. I knew that you were the better swordsman than he, and the more honorable man, but when he had you on your knees I was worried that he would cut my happiness in two, and that he would forever plague me. I have never prayed so hard before, thank god he brought you back to me whole.”
“I was scared for that tae, but I knew I could nae lose, because I had ye in my heart. I am glad I came back to you.”
“Really?” she asked, feeling warm sensations rushing all through her heart.
“Aye, lass,” he said, turning towards her, looking at her with his deep, soulful eyes. When she looked at them it was as though the entire universe was opening up to her and she was completely lost in his world. She knew that all she ever needed to be happy was contained within those eyes. Pressing her lips to his, she kissed him, showing her passion and relief.
“I'm glad that we can actually be together, just as we were in the glade.”
“Aye, it may not be as simple as ye think, but it will be good.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean Deirdre and the others. Some of them think I am a hypocrite for falling in love with an English lass when I was so against Blair and Rosemary.”
“You were?” Sarah said, shocked. She couldn't imagine Drew being so antagonistic towards his brother.
“Aye, even though it brings me great shame tae admit it. Blair was always one tae run away from his responsibilities. He wanted tae be a lone wolf, running free in the wind. Sometimes I wished that I had been the older one so that I could lead the clan, although now that I've seen what Blair had tae dae in battle I am glad that I dinnae hae to. Blair has proved himself, but when he first came back with Rosemary I thought he was disrespecting the whole clan.”
“And now?”
“Now I realize that he was listening to his heart, and that he had to be with Rosemary. I know that there are some things more important than blood. But others dinnae know that yet, and ye may find yourself on the sharp end of Deirdre's tongue.
“Rosemary has told me all about her. She told me she is out to get her revenge for what Blair did to her. She looks very scornful.
“As for Declan, I understand that he is young and naïve but I am glad I stood up to him tonight.” Sarah set her face in grim determination.
“If I've dealt with Lord Flynn I can deal with anything. I won't let you down, Drew. I'll prove that I'm strong enough to be with you.”
His hand found her cheek and stroked it gently.
“Ye dinnae hae tae prove anything tae me, lass. Ye saved my life. Ye showed me that it's possible for me tae love someone. Without ye I would never have beaten Lord Flynn. I did nae fight just for the clan, or for myself, I fought for ye as well. I thought about how cruelly he treated ye. I know ye did nae tell me exactly what he did, and I am nae sure I want tae know, but I got revenge for ye. Ye hae grown from that shy girl in the forest to a very confident woman. I am so happy ye agreed to follow me.”
“Thank you, Drew. And thank you for not asking too much about my past. I would like to put that time behind me if it's possible. I have only bad memories, and I would much prefer to think about the future with you. In some ways it feels as though my life only begun when I met you.”
“Ye have nae idea how that makes me feel, lass,” he said, leaning over to kiss her, his hot breath washing over her lips. Sarah's heart trembled inside, beating rapidly as she felt the warmth of his flesh underneath her fingertips.
“I do so hope that Catherine can find it in her heart to be happy here. I just know that she is better off being here than being stuck in England, she is just conflicted at the moment. She will come to love it here.”
“She will, lass, just be her friend, and ye will guide her. She will take some time tae get used tae things here though. As will ye.”
“I think I am used to things already,” she said, and rolled over on top of him, kissing him ardently. “The people at the market were very friendly. Only a few looked at us like we were abominations. Rosemary has also made a few friends and before long, I will make friends too”.
She twined her fingers in his hair and nestled her face against his beard. Being alone in the room with him made her feel just as she did when she was in the glade, perfect and at peace. Sarah had endured a great deal of tragedy in her life, but finally she had found someone who was a kindred spirit. This was all she prayed for. A man she loved and that loved her. Now all that was remaining was for her to have his children and make him a better man.
Before meeting Drew, she never would have thought that her soul mate would have been a Highlander, but now she was sure that she wouldn't be happy with anyone else. She thought back to her parents and hoped that they were proud of her, and glad that she was happy, even though in a way she had betrayed them.
Sarah lost herself in Drew's sweet kisses, enjoying the feeling of his hands roaming around her body. The heat surged between them, and even though the two of them were tired they both found the energy to let their bodies come together in a happy union.
The bed creaked under their weight. Sarah gasped as she allowed herself to fall in love with Drew all over again. Every time she met his eyes it was as though she was falling in love with him for the first time, and as they made love a broad smile appeared on her face.
Drew lay back, his leg too wounded for him to do anything else, so Sarah took control, straddling him, leaning over him, showering him with kisses as she let the pleasure wash through her. She pushed all the negative thoughts out of her mind and allowed herself to drown in the sensation of being lost in love. The happ
iness seized her heart and lifted her up, making her feel ethereal.
When the warm orgasmic feeling rushed over her like hot, steamy water her breath hitched, and then she fell onto Drew's body again. Outside, she could hear the sounds of revelry continuing, the Highlanders happy in their victory.
The passion dwindled, like a fire fading to embers. With a mighty grunt Drew kissed Sarah and was satisfied. He breathed heavily, and murmured softly.
“Sleep, my sweet and mighty warrior,” Sarah said, bestowing a loving kiss on his forehead. She caressed his head and watched him quickly fall asleep, having been through so much. Drew had literally fought to the death for her. Never had she imagined that anyone would love her so much that they would want to put their life on the line.
