by Rye Hart
The woman gave Eva an assessing, wary look before she backed away slightly. "Are ye a witch?" she asked blankly.
Eva was taken aback by her abrupt question. The highlander had said the same thing. "Why does everyone keep saying that?" she lamented aloud. Eva quickly realized her mistake in voicing her thoughts, as a mask of confusion spread over the young woman's face. "I'm sorry," Eva corrected. "What I meant was, I'm not a witch. I'm just a girl from Brighton."
"Brighton?" the woman echoed her words. "Ye be English?" she said in a heavy brogue.
It was at that moment that Eva realized how out of place she was. The woman — and the small crowd slowly forming behind her — were dressed in medieval clothing. The whole inside of the fortress looked like Eva had just stepped into an Arthurian storybook. Where am I? She thought for what was probably the umpteenth time that night.
"Yes," Eva nodded. "I'm English." Since her accent was decisively not Scottish, she knew she wouldn’t be able to hide anything.
The crowd erupted into a fury of chatter, their voices mixing into a clamor of different pitches and tones. Eva was only able to decipher a few words out of the excited conversation, as she could barely make out anything with their thick brogues. But from what she heard, it was pretty obvious they did not like that she wasn't one of them.
"Haud yer wheesht!" A commanding elderly woman's voice broke through the throng and instantly silenced the crowd.
Eva looked up to see an elderly woman walking toward her. The crowd parted ways as she moved through them, evidence that she commanded a great deal of respect. Her hair was pulled back into a long white braid that fell past her waist, while she was dressed in an elegant blue gown. She carried herself like a Queen, which around here, Eva suspected she was.
She came to stop before Eva, allowing time to give her a thorough once-over before choosing to speak. "Are ye the promised one?" she asked boldly. "My son has been waiting a long time," she added.
Eva blinked. Her son? "Is your son the one that changed back there?" she motioned behind the castle wall. "The one that —" she stopped the moment that she felt the woman give her a disapproving look. "I'm sorry," Eva muttered again. "I don't want to disappoint you, but I am not the one your son has been waiting for," she clarified. Eva had no idea why everyone kept acting like they were expecting her. Eva had never been in a situation like this before, which made the likelihood of them "knowing" her, highly improbable.
The woman tilted her head at Eva, her gaze assessing her with acute sharpness. "Has he not told ye?" she asked smoothly.
"Told me what?” Eva asked in an attempt to try and follow the woman's cryptic statements and questions. Eva was too exhausted from the night's ordeal to continue this vague exchange. She desperately needed someone to finally explain to her what was going on.
"I see," the woman replied with a knowing smile. "Come," she motioned Eva to follow her and then she turned to glide away.
Eva nodded her agreement. At this point, she would have followed anyone if it meant getting some answers.
The woman guided her further into the keep. The whole time, the older woman did not once turn around to see if Eva was still following her, as if she expected Eva to follow her commands without question.
As they walked down the corridors, everyone they passed would stop what they were doing and gape at Eva. Although Eva knew that she must look a sight with her strange clothes, pond-soaked hair, and exhausted expression, she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable by the amount of attention thrust upon her. She tried her best to ignore it.
"Ye will need a bath," the woman stated coldly.
Eva looked down at her clothing; she was still wet from her fall into the pond, and covered in grass and leaves from the run through the forest. "I'm sorry," she said reflexively, though she wasn’t sure what she had to apologize for.
"Nonsense, ye nae need to apologize child," the woman waved her off. She stopped before a large wooden door, pushed it open, and motioned for Eva to go inside.
"I will send my ladies maid to wait upon you," the lady of the house told Eva. "You will be presented to our people at dawn, as a way of verifying who you say you are," she added quickly
"Wait," Eva stopped her before she left. "I am not —" Eva stopped abruptly. She suddenly had the sense that it was probably best not to continue to contradict the lady of the house. Eva had the sense to realize that she had no damn clue where she was and that even her life could be at stake if she didn't comply. "I mean," she quickly added, "Thank you."
The lady nodded and left Eva alone in the room.
Although Eva had just faced the beast they were all afraid of, she couldn’t help but shake the feeling that she had walked into a lair of predators far more dangerous than the one outside.
Chapter Four
"M’lady," curtsied Gussie. She was, as Eva was informed, Lady Drummond's head maid. "Ye look beautiful!" she said as she stepped back to admire her work.
Gussie had spent most of the night helping Eva bathe and ready herself for the "presentation ceremony." Although Eva had tried her best to quiz the young maid about Laird, his beastly form, and his strange mother, Eva was unable to glean anything that might explain what was going on.
"All will be revealed at the ceremony," Gussie said excitedly. "We have been waiting a long time for the woman prophesied to break our dear Laird's curse," she said.
"And somehow everyone seems to think I am that girl?" Eva pressed.
"Of course!" Gussie stated bluntly.
Eva let out a slow sigh. She wasn't sure how she would be able to get herself out of this situation, as no one seemed to believe her.
"And the final touch," Gussie said in an airy voice as she pinned the final lock of Eva's hair in place.
"You don't think the dress and the hair are too much?" Eva asked as she peered down at the fine lace gown.
Gussie cocked her head at Eva, an expression of confusion spread across her face. "What do ye mean?" she asked curiously.
"It's just," Eva ran her hand over her wide hips and smoothed out the skirt. "I'm a bit bigger than most girls and —"
Gussie gasped. "Nae m’lady, ye are breathtaking!" she rushed closer and took Eva's hands up in her own. "Ye have the figure of a fine lady," she said earnestly. "Laird Drummond is lucky to have ye," she added.
"Thank you," Eva said softly.
I may be trapped her right now but I might as well try to fit in, Eva thought to herself.
A soft knock on the door interrupted the two girls. "M’lady," said a young squire's voice from the other side. "It is time for the ceremony."
Eva felt her chest tighten. She was still reeling from the all of the strange events and now she was suffering from a lack of sleep as Gussie had been insistent that they stay up all night to get Eva ready.
"Are ye ready?" Gussie asked with excitement in her eyes.
Eva nodded, even though she knew she was far from it.
Eva followed Gussie and the squire down the hall and back toward the inner courtyard. With each step, she felt more nervous about returning to a place where she sensed she was not welcomed. She was the outsider in a tight clan, where at least some viewed her as an intrusion. Even Gussie, whose wide-eyed innocence had been a welcome sight for Eva, acted a bit hesitant and fearful around Eva.
When they stepped outside, the bright morning light shone down in brilliant hues of red and orange. The thin dress Eva wore did nothing to protect her against the cool morning air, and as a result, a cold shiver raced down her spine. Once outside, she was led up to a platform that elevated her high above the growing crowd of clansmen. It was unsettling to say the least.
Let’s get this over with.
She saw the Lady Drummond, accompanied by two robed men with thick hoods covering their faces, standing on the corner of the platform. The lady beckoned Eva to join.
Eva felt like she was going to be sick to her stomach.
"This is where I leave ye," Gussie whispered.<
br />
Eva turned to look at the young girl, and was alarmed by the apprehension displayed on the girl's face; even Gussie didn't know what was going to happen with this "ceremony."
"Come," the lady commanded.
Eva felt her feet carry her up the stairs and onto the raised platform. She looked wildly about the crowd, searching for the face of the man that had pulled her from the water, the man they called Laird Drummond, but her search came up empty.
"As the Laird has yet to return," began the elderly lady, "we shall proceed without him." She waved at the two figures that flanked her. The one to her right moved closer and started circling Eva slowly.
"So she claims to be the one to fulfill the prophecy," he said in an eerily chilling voice.
Eva swallowed nervously. "I never claimed to be anything," she countered.
"Interesting," the second one said as she slid in step behind her counterpart, completing the circle. "But ye are the witch," pressed a female voice.
As soon as she said the word ‘witch’, the crowd erupted into a cacophony of voices. Eva knew instinctively that being labeled a witch, prophesied or not, was not making her very popular among the crowd.
"I'm not a witch!" she defended herself.
"But ye stood yer ground and commanded the beast, we all saw it," the first hooded figured argued. "No human can tame a shifter when he is in his unnatural form."
"So, because your Laird didn't eat me when he turned into a beast, you are accusing me of being a witch?" she said, trying to sound braver than she felt. She couldn't believe how ridiculous their accusations were. Of course she wasn't a witch!
"The one prophesied to break the curse is a mortal of pure heart," the second began. "You," she lifted a bony finger and pointed it directly at Eva, "How do we know if ye have a pure heart?"
Eva gaped; she had no idea how she was going to get out of this one.
"What is going on here!" roared a deep, masculine, very familiar voice.
Every head turned to see the Laird Drummond standing in the archway of the entrance to the keep, and the crowd grew silent. The sun illuminated the Laird's body from where it crept over the ridge; his very naked body, Eva observed.
The Laird stalked purposefully toward the elevated platform, and the crowd quickly parted as everyone sensed the anger rolling off him in waves.
"How dare ye put her on trial like this," he fumed. He jumped up on the platform with an inhuman swiftness.
"Son," the elderly lady moved forward. "She is nae on trial," she waved an elegant hand in Eva's direction. "My advisers thought it would be best to have her confess her witness, to see if she indeed be the one from the prophecy," she explained.
"This does not look like a confessional," Laird Drummond pointed at the dense crowd.
Drummond's mother sniffed. "If she be true, she would have nothing to hide from the clan," she said. "My druids thought it would be best if —"
Laird Drummond cut her off. "Take yer fools out of here," he waved at the two cloaked individuals who had retreated to the edge of the platform. "I will decide what happens to my woman," he growled. As he spoke, his eyes flashed a brilliant red and his face turned menacing and feral like it had the previous night.
As if sensing the barely contained danger, the crowd began to back away.
It became obvious to Eva that the clan feared their Laird, but not for the reasons that a leader should be feared. Rather, they were afraid that at any moment, he would turn into a beast and direct his rage at them. She could sense the uncertainty and tension that the clans people carried with them regarding the master of the estate.
The elderly woman lifted her chin haughtily, turned on her heels, and escorted her two advisors off the platform without saying another word.
"And the rest of ye," Drummond commanded as he spoke to the crowd. It didn't take much encouragement to get the clan to quickly disperse.
"And ye," Drummond turned to face Eva. The moment his gaze locked with hers, his eyes turned back to their brilliant shade of brown. His features molded back into the look of a more civilized man — as if a naked, strikingly handsome, medieval highlander could be anything remotely resembling civilized.
Eva simply nodded; she wasn't about to start arguing with a naked man that might shift into a beast at any moment. Eva could feel the heat rise into her cheeks. She tried her best not to stare at Drummond, but her gaze kept wandering down the muscular expanse of his torso and in the direction of the impressive appendage at the juncture of his thighs.
Drummond didn't seem the least bit bothered by his nakedness, and, as Eva took in a better view of him, she could see why he would have nothing to hide.
In an instant, he had his arm about Eva's waist, lifted her up into his arms and was carrying her down the platform and away from the courtyard.
Eva could feel her cheeks burning now. She was thankful that he decided not to sling her over his shoulder this time — although she would have had a far grander view of his derrière from that vantage point. She could feel his thick muscles through the thin silk of her dress and it fueled something within her that no man back home had ever been able to do before.
Chapter Five
Drummond didn't put her down until they reached his private quarters.
Eva gasped as her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room. It was incredible, with a large four-poster bed situated in the middle, and intricate tapestries that decorated the stone walls. Embers smoldered in a large stone fireplace, and a thick fur rug on the floor added an intimacy to the setting.
Drummond set Eva gently on the bed before turning toward the stone fireplace. "Are ye cold?" he asked, concern lacing the tone of his voice.
Eva took a long, heated look at Drummond's body. She touched the back of her hand to her blushing cheeks. "Not at the moment," she said huskily, "but don't stop building the fire on my account." She liked the view from the bed, watching the intensely male figure tending a fire for her.
Once Drummond had stoked the fire, he rose and made his way toward a washbasin in the corner. He splashed his face with the water and then grabbed a small linen cloth to wipe the grime away. He paused and looked down at his body, which was still covered in dirt and sweat. He turned back toward Eva and nodded at her dress. "I'm sorry for ruining yer fine garment," he apologized.
Eva looked down at her bosom. Dirt marred the white silk from where he had carried her inside. "No worries," she said casually. "I didn't really like it anyway," she added.
"Would ye like me to call for a bath?" he asked.
Eva was having a hard time keeping a straight face while having a conversation with the handsome, naked, highlander. Her eyes kept drifting down his torso and she had to keep reminding herself to look him in the eyes. "Hmmm, I'm good," she said. "Actually, I wouldn't mind getting some sleep. I was up all night getting ready for this silly ceremony, I don't care that it is morning," she added.
Drummond regarded her with an interested expression. "Ye have a funny way of talking," he commented.
Eva laughed. "Ditto," she threw back at him lightheartedly.
Drummond looked thoroughly confused by her phrase.
"And you too," she clarified. She couldn't help but smile at him.
The smile Drummond shot back at Eva was a mixture of amusement, confusion, and lust. Eva could feel the tension building between them, and it both excited and unnerved her.
"Would ye like help getting undressed?" he raised his eyebrow and sent her a heated look.
Eva's eyes widened at the thought of allowing this highlander to help her undress. "I, umm," she stuttered nervously. "I can call Gussie to help —"
"Nonsense," he strode toward her, his long powerful legs quickly closing the distance between them. He slid his hand over the silk that covered her thick thighs, over the curve of her generous hips, and slipped behind her waist to tug at the buttons in the back. "I have a lot of experience removing female garments," he teased.
Eva sucked in her b
reath; she didn't think her cheeks could get any redder. "I suppose it wouldn't be fair to take Gussie away from her other duties," Eva tried to justify why she was allowing this complete stranger to undress her.
Drummond nodded. "Tis, as you say it, only fair," he mimicked Eva's carefree slang.
Eva could feel the hairs on her arm raise as she felt the last button give way and the top of the garment fall down, exposing her shoulders and the tops of her full breasts. Her breathing quickened and her chest followed suit, rising and falling rapidly. She could feel Drummond's gaze as it traveled down her neck and came to stop at the border where the edge of the silk dress rested on her nipples.
Drummond leaned closer, and Eva held her breath as she anticipated his next move. Drummond brought his lips just inches away from the edge of the fabric and paused; Eva waited with baited breath. Then with a gentle ease, he blew on the light silk, causing it to flutter and finish its journey down Eva's skin and fully exposing her naked breasts.
Eva thought that he was done, but was shocked when he bent his head closer and brushed his lips against the erect bud of one of her nipples. She sighed with pleasure as his rough lips caressed the soft skin and sent a myriad of sensations down her spine. She could feel her center throb as the touch incited her aching desire for him.
"Drummond," she breathed.
"Bhradain," he corrected huskily. "Call me Bhradain," he added a bit softer.
"Bhradain," she echoed in an attempt to mimic the way he spoke his name.
"Ah, lass, say my name again," he whispered enticingly.
Eva met his gaze and batted her eyelashes in the dim light that streamed through the shutters. "Bhradain," she repeated softly.
He moved in closer, pushing her back down on the bed and pressing his body against hers. He pushed up on his forearms and looked down at her. "And what can I call ye?" he asked.
"Eva," she replied.
"Eva," he repeated in his thick highland brogue, right before he brought his head down to kiss her neck.
