by Alice Wilde
“I never…”
“We all know you’re a maiden, lass.”
“It’s not that. I just…I’ve never purposefully let someone see me naked.”
Roan grins at me. “So, let me be your first. I promise to stop if you tell me to.”
“But we can’t!”
“You really don’t know much about what happens between a man and a woman…or at least what can happen, do you?”
“I know enough.”
“Lass, there are more ways than one to pleasure you without me having to screw with the fate of the world.”
I can already feel the excitement and electricity coursing through my body. My heart is racing, begging me to say yes. My brain tries to find every reason that I should say no.
“Say yes, lass, and I swear you won’t regret it.”
I hesitate but then nod my head, a nervous smile on my face.
Roan reaches out and pulls me toward him, kissing me hard on the lips. The action distracts me long enough that he manages to get his arms around me and pull me up and out of the tub. He carries me over to the bed, not once releasing me from his kisses before lying me down on the bed. He steps back and looks at me, even as I move to cover myself as best I can.
Roan pulls off his shirt in one fluid movement, tossing it on the floor. His body is smooth and lovely in the soft glow of the fire. The final rays of sunset stream through the windows behind him, creating a soft halo of light around him as he smiles down at me.
“May I join you on the bed?”
“Yes.”
Roan kicks off his boots and jumps onto the bed beside me. I’m half disappointed he didn’t unlace his pants.
“You can get under the covers if you’d prefer, lass.”
I quickly move to get under the quilts and Roan does as well.
“What about your pants?”
Roan chuckles. “Well, I thought perhaps, being your first time and all, I’d let you do the honors. When you’re ready.”
I blush and Roan rolls over on top of me, careful to bear enough of his own weight so as not to crush me.
He kisses me lightly on the lips and then ever so slowly makes his way down my neck and chest. Roan’s green eyes look up at me through his red curls, and then he winks and disappears beneath the quilt. His mouth finds my breasts and I let out a surprisingly loud moan of pleasure…and then we both freeze.
There’s a key turning in the lock of my door.
“My lady?” It’s the servant, back to check on me.
“Yes,” I call, hoping I can dissuade her from entering the room, but the door swings open.
“I’m sorry, miss, I didn’t realize we had locked you in here—”
She stops midsentence as soon as she sees me, and then to my great dismay, another woman walks in.
“I hope you found everything to your liking. What in heaven’s name is going on here?” Fiona exclaims.
I feel Roan tense and then roll off of me before he slowly shows his head above the covers.
“Hello, Fiona.”
“Roan! I will not tolerate this kind of behavior under this roof. It’s one thing to whore about in town, but in our family’s own home is quite another!”
“Let me explain,” Roan says.
Fiona crosses her arms in front of her chest, her face hard and condemning as she looks from Roan to me and back again.
“Last night—” Roan begins.
“Oh, so you slept with the tart last night and now you just have to do it again, do you?”
“Fiona, you’ll not speak of my wife that way.”
“Your…wife?” Fiona says, her mouth falling open. “How could you not tell me you had a wife?”
“It only just happened. We were married while we were in the Fae realm.”
“Oh, a marriage of fairytales. That’s supposed to make me feel better about this, is it?”
“It was as real as any. But I knew many would not approve of such a marriage as legally binding in our realm, so I had hoped to keep it secret a while longer.”
“You did a good job of it, didn’t you? First night here and you can’t keep your hands off the girl.”
“Fiona, please.”
“No, Roan. There’s no excuse for it. You’re not proper wed. Now, remove yourself from that bed before I drive you from it.”
Roan gives me a shrug and gets out of the bed.
Fiona frowns disapprovingly at him. “At least I caught you before your trousers were around your ankles. If the two of you wish to be wed, you’ll do so proper.”
“We weren’t really planning on having a Scottish wedding—”
“Don’t be daft. You’re the laird of Clan Artair. Of course you’re going to have a proper Scottish wedding. But you can’t just go marrying anyone. The clan needs to accept her, you know that. We’ll talk more about this in the morn. Now, out!”
As large as Roan is in comparison to this woman, I find it fascinating how easily she manages to order him about. There’s much I can learn from her.
“And you,” Fiona says, wagging a finger at me. “You…you just go to sleep.”
Fiona follows Roan from the room and I can hear them arguing with each other in Gaelic as the servant cleans the room as quickly and quietly as possible before slipping back out of the room, shutting the door once again behind her.
I don’t think I’ve ever been more mortified, but the feeling quickly passes as I let my body relax into the bed.
Life is certainly not turning out how I had expected.
Eighteen
Annalise
I’m woken the next morning by a chambermaid. She has laid out a green tartan dress for me as well, as a small plate of fruits, cheeses, and bread for breakfast.
“Good morning, miss. The laird and lady would like to see you in the Great Hall as soon as you’re ready.”
“What’s your name?”
“Ava, miss.”
I quickly get out of bed and slip into the dress, trying my best to hide the fact I slept naked, although I’m sure the whole castle knows what happened by now. Secrets never keep long, and I’m sure it’s even worse when your family grew up close and knowing everything about you. Ava has to help me with the fitting of the dress as well as lace me into it. The bodice of the gown sits tight and low on the waist, but the skirt of the dress is loose and not too heavy. It’s comfortable for the chill within the castle, but I have a feeling it’ll be a bit warm outside.
A pair of soft, brown leather boots lie at my feet and I slip into them. They’re far more comfortable than my last pair, made for walking the earth rather than to and from rooms in a palace. I wouldn’t mind dancing in these, not to mention walking the heaths.
I sit down at the table and take a handful of berries. They’re sweet and juicy, perfectly ripe for late summer. I peer into the mug and am happy to see it is cider instead of wine. I sip the warm, sweet liquid and sigh. It’s far better than any cider I’ve ever tasted, fresh and crisp. Taking a few more morsels of the food laid out for me, I stand and smooth out my dress.
“Just a moment, miss,” Ava says as she quickly steps from my room.
A few minutes later she returns, Li, Ero, and Roan following close behind.
“I see they’ve already got you touting their dress,” Ero says.
“Shut up, Ero. She looks lovely in it,” says Roan.
“I never said she didn’t,” Ero grumbles back.
“I’m happy to see you’re safe,” Li says.
“Me too,” I say.
“Shall we?”
Roan steps forward, offering his arm to me, and I take it. Ava curtseys and goes back inside my room to clear away my breakfast.
“Lead the way,” says Ero.
Roan guides us expertly through the winding halls and stairways back to the Great Hall. The castle is a far cheerier place than it was the day before. Fires, candles, and torches have been lit to illuminate almost every nook and cranny, bringing life and warmth back to
the castle.
Upon entering the Great Hall, we’re greeted by an even larger gathering of people than the day before. If I didn’t know better, I’d think they had been waiting for us. Fiona and Neil are seated in their thrones toward the front of the room, chatting and laughing together. One of the guards announces our arrival and they turn their heads to look at us as we approach.
“I hope you slept well,” Fiona says once we are standing before her.
“Yes, thank you,” Li says
“As well as can be expected after a night in a dungeon,” Ero mumbles, but only loud enough for us to hear.
“Good,” Neil says. “Fiona has told me there are some matters we need to address with you, Roan. The first is that of lairdship.”
Roan steps forward and I let go of his arm to stand back with Li and Ero.
“I spent a great deal of time thinking over the idea last night,” Roan says, pausing for a moment before continuing, “and I concluded that I will accept lairdship over Clan Artair.”
The people filling the room cheer.
“However, I have a condition.”
“Which is?” Neil says.
“I will accept lairdship if I am given five years to fulfill my other vows. In that time, I will appoint Neil as the acting laird.”
Fiona leans in toward Neil and they whisper between each other for a moment before looking back toward Roan.
“I believe it is an acceptable compromise and should be good enough to keep our truce with the Fae as well,” says Neil. “Now, there is one other affair we must discuss—your marriage.”
Surprised whispers titter through the hall, and I see Li and Ero share a confused glance with each other.
“My wife revealed to me that you have announced your intention to wed to the lass here with you.”
“What?” Li growls in a low whisper.
“He’s joking, right?” says Ero.
Roan swallows hard before speaking. “Yes, that is my intent. I’ve already pledged myself to her under Fae law.”
Ero steps forward, but Li pulls him back, holding him in place.
“Do you also intend to marry her by Scottish rule?” Neil says.
“Yes, I do.”
“Very well, then. As acting laird, it is my duty to permit or deny the marriage. However, seeing as we do not know this woman, or where she comes from, I will give you three days to convince us to allow the marriage. If you are unable to do so within that time, we will choose a more suitable woman for you as your wife.”
“If I can’t marry her, I won’t marry at all,” Roan says.
“Nonsense,” Fiona says, rising from her throne. “You’ve given my husband the authority to act as laird for the next five years, so you’ll do exactly as he says and nothing less when it comes to the future of this clan. You’ll marry who you must and your wife will bear children until Clan Artair has a male heir to ensure the people’s safety.”
I’m shocked Roan doesn’t say anything, but merely bows his head and turns back toward us. He takes my hand and leads me out of the Great Hall. I can feel the eyes watching us as we leave—none more so than Li and Ero, who are following close behind.
We don’t stop walking until we are alone in the castle courtyard.
“What the hell was that?” Ero snaps.
“Roan, explain. Now,” Li says, his usually commanding voice wavering ever so slightly.
Roan bites his lip nervously. “I was afraid something like this might happen.”
“The part about you marrying Annalise? Or the fact that we’d find out?” Ero growls.
“I knew you’d find out eventually, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon.”
“You’re not marrying her,” Li says. “We already have enough trouble without adding a second marriage into it.”
“We’re already married,” Roan says quietly.
Li’s face is expressionless. He spins around, his shoulders tense as he tries to compose himself.
Ero leaps at Roan, his hand clamping down on Roan’s throat.
“What the hell do you mean?”
“Ero, don’t!” I say.
Roan remains calm, looking Ero dead in the eye. “We were married in the Fae courts. There was nothing I could do about it.”
“So, that’s why you took her, is it? Are you working with Damien, too?”
“Ero, it wasn’t like that, I promise,” I say.
“Quiet, princess. Let Roan save his own skin.”
“I swear I didn’t know. I wouldn’t have taken her if I did.”
Li slowly turns back to face us. “Does this mean our efforts have been in vain?” He tries not to look at me, but his eyes flicker toward me, and it dawns on me what he means.
“We didn’t have to consummate it,” I say quietly, my face growing hot. “The Fae court didn’t require anything more than a vow.”
“A vow is a powerful thing, princess, especially when magic is involved,” Ero says, letting go of Roan but shoving him as he begins to pace.
“What were the terms of the vow?” Li says.
“To follow Annalise for the rest of my days, and to be true to her and her alone.”
Li frowns, thinking.
“It’s not nearly as bad as I thought. More like a puppy to his master,” Li finally says, his words careful but sharp.
The remark is surprisingly backhanded for Li, and I can sense his bitterness. Or perhaps his jealousy.
“Okay, fine. Now, what is Fiona saying about making it official? How does she even know about any of this?”
Roan glances over at me and I shake my head, but he just gives me an apologetic shrug.
“She walked in on something I didn’t expect her to see.”
“Which was…?”
Roan runs his hand through his red hair. “I was in bed with Annalise.”
“What?” Ero roars, throwing himself at Roan again.
They hit the ground hard. Li jumps to move me out of harm’s way and then forces them to separate, but not before Ero manages to land a punch.
“Stop, both of you,” Li growls.
“Don’t you realize how much danger you’ve put us in?”
“We weren’t consummating the marriage,” Roan says, wiping blood from his mouth.
Ero yanks himself from Li and stalks off toward the castle. I want to chase after him to make sure he’s okay, but Li stops me.
“Let him calm down, Annalise. Roan, explain to me what’s expected from a Scottish marriage.”
I soon find out why Roan didn’t want us to have a real wedding, at least not in the way he’s expected to carry one out. As heir and out of respect for tradition, he must get permission from the current laird, which we already knew. But, if the match is accepted, we will be expected to marry before the laird and lady as witnesses, and then we will be taken to a bedding chamber to consummate the marriage that same day. The marriage will only be considered legal if there are witnesses to attest to the consummation, usually by the stains of a maiden’s first blood on the wedding sheets.
“What you’re saying is that if they agree to your marriage, you’ll be forced to bed Annalise, destroying our plans and unleashing the curse Damien’s already set in motion?”
“It seems so. Otherwise, they’ll choose another for my bride to ensure our lineage continues.”
“You’ll just have to marry the other woman,” Li says. “Go, tell them it was a mistake and that you’re not marrying Annalise.”
“I can’t,” Roan says. “I told you, I already made a vow to the lass in the Seelie Courts.”
“So? You’re not in the Fae realm anymore. What hold do they have on you now?”
“It doesn’t work like that. A vow before the Fae court, whether or not humans recognize it as binding, is far more powerful than any mortal law.”
“What will happen if you are forced to marry another woman?”
The thought twists my stomach, but I force myself to stay quiet, curious if Roan even knows.
“I don’t know for sure, but I’ve heard tales of broken vows with Fae. Usually, it involves a mortal man and a Fae wife. I’d always thought they were just tales to help keep young husbands in check, but now I’m not sure.”
“And?” I say, curiosity getting the better of me.
“The one who breaks the vow is dragged away by the damned Fae of the Unseelie Court. There’s almost no way to escape. Even if you run, they have ways to torture you until you become a wraith-like creature or kill yourself.”
“So, no harm would come to Annalise,” Li says.
“Not that I’m aware of. But even if I die, any vows she made to me would have to be kept until her own death.”
“What vows did she make?”
Roan hesitates a moment before continuing. “All she did was agree to marry me. I didn’t force her to make any binding vows to me, just to be my wife.”
“So, you can die and she wouldn’t be affected.”
“Li!” I say. “Roan is my husband. Whether or not you and Ero can accept that doesn’t matter. It wasn’t his fault, and I won’t have you blaming him for it. He’s part of this journey, and I need him as much as I need you and Ero.”
“Alright,” Li says. “Then what do you propose we do?”
“Roan?”
“Uh…Well, first I need to find out what reason they might have for not wanting me to marry you,” Roan says.
“Do you think they’ve heard of me or Damien?” I ask.
“I doubt it, but my family is very traditional. There’s always the possibility they just want to know more about you, or make sure you know what you’re getting into.”
“What am I getting into?”
“Nothing you don’t want to,” Li says, and I roll my eyes at him.
“You’re not helping,” I say.
“Well, for starters,” Roan says. “I did not go whoring, as much as my family likes to think I did. But, there was a lass, a long time ago.”
My heart sinks slightly, but I know it’s ridiculous. Of course he has had past lovers. I just don’t want to have to hear about them.
“Bear with me, lass. I was young and rebellious, and she was…honestly, she was just there.”
“So, what exactly are you worried your family will tell me?”
