by Fiona Faris
Towards the back of the modest farmhouse was a corral with a fat, tired horse. Kyle tied his bundle to the back of the horse and then turned to her.
“Can ye climb up yerself?” he said, tapping the edge of the corral with an open palm.
Neilina nodded. She lifted her skirts just enough to raise her foot up on to the bottom rung of the fence. She’d started riding horses at a young age, and it was easy for her to clamber on top. When she turned, Kyle’s eyes were glowing with admiration. She kept her knees clamped tight together, opting for the English position. The mare’s hair was thick and dusty, and she ran soothing fingers over her neck to keep her calm.
Before she had a chance to register what was happening, Robert swung his foot up and positioned himself just behind her. The warmth of his body, the solidness of his chest behind her, and the strength in his arms encapsulating her fluttered her heart and warmed her cheeks. She could feel his breath on the nape of her neck, sending thrills prickling down to her thighs.
“Hol’ on tight,” he grinned.
She did not need to be told twice; her fingers twisted tight into the mare’s mane. Neilina was grateful she’d acted quickly, for Robert did not bother with the gate. He trotted the horse around the corral until she picked up speed, and then encouraged her to jump the low fence. Neilina let out a squeak of surprise as the front legs lifted to the ground before slamming down on the other side. Her heart pounded in her ears, and energy seemed to pulse through her.
The horse did not slow down. Tired and old as she was, she seemed to gallop with the same youthful fervor as Neilina’s heart. It did not take them long to enter the forest. Kyle slowed the horse down once they were in the secret confines of the trees.
“Are ye alright, lassie?”
Neilina looked up at him, grinning ear to ear. “Aye,” she said before turning back to face the path, “More than alright.”
Their breath seemed to sync. Neilina’s heartbeat slowed as she breathed in the ethereal beauty around her. How could she live her entire life on the edge of the forest without ever exploring it? A light giggle erupted from her as she thought of what her parent’s reactions might be if they ever found out how she was spending her mornings and afternoons. Her mother would fret about her safety, and her father would fret about his daughter’s unfeminine past times. There was something naughty about it that seemed to intensify the excitement. Everything about Robert carried an air of secrecy that made her question if it existed, or if it was all a dream, she concocted to escape life.
No, she watched a woodpecker flit between branches, this is real. This is my life right now. It was unbelievable to her that with one person, the world she’d inhabited her entire life could transform so dramatically. She looked up at him, taking in his stoic features with sincere admiration. Who is this man? Despite only knowing him a short time, she already knew he was the best friend she had ever had, simply from the nature of their interactions. Being around him was as easy and naturally as breathing. If only there were more people in her life like him, she could cope with the demands of her family and the life they had planned for her.
Unlike the day before, no time passed before the horse was sipping from the gently flowing river. The trees seemed to melt into moss-laden rocks, the green seamless until falling off into the bubbling brook. Robert dismounted and raised his hands up to her. Neilina accepted his offer without hesitation this time, barreling into him with the weight of her body. Her heart skipped as he held her there for a moment, their eyes locking and causing time to dilate in a way she never experienced before.
When they broke from the brief embrace, her throat felt swollen, her cheeks hot, and in general, she was disconcerted. Her usually sure feet stumbled to catch balance as her body relaxed into its normal state. She could see the light pink hue in his own face and wondered if he had felt the same novel sensation when he touched her.
“The trick is nae tae o’er think it, m’lady,” he said as he pulled the bundle from the back of the mare and tethered her loosely to a tree bowing over the water.
Neilina nodded as if understanding. She watched him as he unrolled the blanket from the day before, revealing small packages. Kyle retrieved a hook and what looked like a strong, light thread.
“I’m goin’ tae show ye the way I learned. It’s nae the mos’ efficient if yer lookin’ tae eat,” he smiled back at her as he started to step into a thicker patch of saplings, “but it’s the easiest fer a day by the river.”
Neilina cautiously stepped over the thick brush, navigating around protruding thorns, careful not to tear her gown. The last thing she wanted to explain to her people was what she’d been doing all day that could possibly disarray her carefully crafted image. She stood close to him, but as she watched him cut two nimble switches, felt as if she was in the way more than anything. He did not seem to mind.
“Ye want ‘em flexible.” He showed her how easily the slender sapling bent back and forth in his hands.
“What’s the word fer a young tree?” Neilina asked.
“Jeunearbre.”
Neilina repeated it to herself. Kyle stepped around her and led the way back to the river’s edge. He held the branches aside from her, making it easy for her to follow behind him. The gesture was small but kind, and did not go unnoticed.
Kyle sat down beneath the giant tree hanging over the water. The boulder supporting its thick roots was large enough to seat the two of them. His hands moved at an expert speed, clearing the thin branches fingering out from the switch.
“Would ye like tae try?” Kyle held the hilt of the knife out to her and nodded towards the other branch.
Neilina had handled daggers before, but not for anything quite like this. Her hands shook slightly as she tried to saw the first branch from the stick. Kyle’s fingers wrapped around hers, steadying her. She felt a jolt shoot from where he touched her, straight to her heart, making her breath catch. She looked up at him, and it was as if she could feel the respect and admiration grow within her during that brief moment. He smiled at her before returning his attention to the work at hand.
“Ye want tae hold it like this,” he adjusted her grip on the blade.
She listened, but her body was moving of its own accord. Her attention was captivated by the patient cadence of his voice, and the firm grip guiding her hand. Together they cleared the second branch. He took both of them and carved a notch in the tops of them.
“What’s that for?”
He smiled, “Ye’ll see,” he said. “I think ye’ll be a master o’ this next bit.”
Kyle pulled the twine out and showed her how to secure it to the top of the switch. She showed her how to tie the knots, untying them and repeating them in a slow fashion for her to fully understand. Neilina’s full senses were enthralled. She felt as if the forest was magical, and all around her, the power of it circulated, creating the sense of serenity she experienced on their last venture.
“This is the fun part,” he smiled, getting up and lifting the stones closest to the water until he retrieved two writhing worms. Above her smile, Neilina’s nose instinctively curled up. Kyle laughed heartily. It was the first belly laugh she’d heard from him, and it warmed her heart. “Ye don’t like tha’?” he asked.
“Oh,” she exclaimed, seeing the hooks and putting it all together. “We’re nae goin’ tae kill ‘em, are we?” Her brows knitted with empathy for the slimy, writhing creatures.
Kyle’s smile was all encapsulating and genuine. “Nae, lassie, but the fish are. Think o’ it as a natural cycle, if ye will.” He turned his attention to the hooks pausing before placing the worms on. The look he gave Neilina was filled with consideration. “Ye migh’ want tae look away fer this part, lassie.”
Neilina swallowed hard, determined to be able to fish with him. She knew what was going to happen, but the last thing she wanted was to tarnish the moment because she could not cope with a worm being skewered for her amusement. Still, she was grateful and turned her h
ead to the sky as he did the deed. When she heard the splash of water and looked back, she found he was staring at her. The look he gave her stirred something inside of her. She cocked one of her eyebrows.
“What?” she asked, not knowing why she was smiling so much.
Kyle was not smiling. She saw his Adam ’s apple bob as he swallowed. When he shook his head, the curls framing his face bounced slightly. “Nowt; ye jus’ look bonnie like this.”
Neilina blushed and went to tuck her hair behind her ear as her gaze turned down with humility. Her fingers casually grazed the side of her neck to cover up not finding a curl to tuck back. When she looked back up, it looked as if he was trying his best to hold back his smile, the warmth of those emotions radiating throughout his cheeks and eyes and fine-lined crow’s feet.
“Here,” he said, handing her the makeshift pole.
“What now?” she asked.
Kyle let out a relaxing sigh, leaning back against the tree and staring off over the water. “Now, we wait.”
Neilina’s boots hung over the slant of the rock. She kicked them gleefully before scooting back, watching the current pull her line in the water. The silence was not uncomfortable; it felt natural and pure. She could hear the stream gurgle, the breeze cackle through the new formed leaves, and the occasional splash of a fish in the distance.
“Alright, lassie, time fer business.” Neilina looked up at him, confused for a moment. “I want tae ken what ye remember from our previous lessons. Give me all o’ it—alphabet, vocabulary, any rules ye remember.”
Neilina nodded and concentrated. She recited everything she could remember, looking around her for visual triggers of some of the vocabulary she’d taken in during their last lesson. For the most part, it was free-flowing. Kyle stopped her a few times to correct her pronunciation, but when she was done and turned to him for validation, she could see the admiration in his eyes.
“Mighty fine memory ye have, lassie, did ye practice much,” he asked.
Neilina wanted to say yes, but the truth was, when she was not with him, her every minute was planned and wrapped up in obligations. “Nae,” she said. She wished she had more time. The thought of the world outside of the forest cast a glum shadow over her. She bit her lip as the image of Graham, the effort it took just to exist in the same room as him and wished it could be more like the present moment.
When she looked up, Kyle was considering her with a strained expression, “Ye alright, lassie? Ye look like yer thinkin’ pretty hard.”
Neilina remembered how his demeanor changed the last time she opened up. “I’m nae sure I should say. I don’t want tae bore ye with me troubles.” She bit her lip, focusing on where her line dipped into the water.
“Nonsense,” he said. “Ye can tell me anythin’.”
Neilina’s eyes darted to him, surprised and grateful. After a moment of studying, she could tell he was being honest. The young woman took a deep breath, knowing once she opened her mouth, the truth would rush forth like the stream before them.
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Fiona Faris is an American author of authentic historical Medieval & Scottish romance books. She started writing historical highlander romance after she visited the Scottish Highlands years ago with her husband.
Her books have received startling reviews about the humor, the darkness and the romance they have.
She lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband and their two sons. Before she started writing romance, she experienced the various occupations: translator, dog-training, and a substitute English teacher for the most part of her life... However, nothing could ever compare to writing stories depicting the majestic and mysterious Scottish Highlands!
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