by Fiona Faris
The soldiers were mesmerized by his monologue and the visions of a brighter future for people of the Highlands and lowlands.
“Once oor mission is complete an’ I am the new chief o’ the Murray clan, my first order will be tae restore the villages and Kellie Castle. A’ o’ the Murray warriors who survive the battle will ensure the Erskine clan thrives once again,” he concluded.
Freya was overcome with joy upon learning of Andrew’s sincere intentions to alleviate her people’s suffering. She wiped tears from her pale cheeks.
“I cannae believe he would dae sich a thing. If he follows through with it, he’ll be a hero in my mind,” Sorcha said, and Freya turned to nod her approval of her friend’s comment.
Freya closed her eyes and daydreamed about a blissful life. The desecration of her home, the murder of her beloved father and chief, and the kidnapping she and other maidens experienced all haunted her memories on a daily basis. Andrew’s brave rescue of her was the sole glimmer of hope she desperately held onto, despite their occasional spats. Andrew’s lust for vengeance against Donald and his subsequent desire to rebuild her home heightened her infatuation for him.
Andrew, despite his, at times, grumpy temperament, continued to amaze her the more she was around him. Freya desperately wished Andrew did not have to depart, for this was sure to be a ruthless battle.
“I am goin’ tae put on a feast fer Andrew, fer the promisin’ future he has envisioned fer us a’. An’ I will fetch oor clan’s finest whiskey. Thankfully, I know where some o’ the last reserves were stored in this village,” Freya announced with an elegant smile.
“Ye would use some o’ the last whiskey on him?” Sorcha asked, widening her eyes.
“Why no’? He has been nothin’ but honorable an’ he deserves it. Besides, I want tae provide the best fer the man I love,” Freya said, declaring her love for Andrew for the first time to anyone.
“Ye whit?” Sorcha and Freya’s asked in unison.
“My daughter, I know he rescued ye from that dungeon, but ye are still a bit young an’ naïve tae believe love between a Highlander an’ lowlander can last,” her mother said, grasping Freya’s hands.
Freya cast her mother’s grip aside and scolded her for her failure to believe the love between her and Andrew had any chance of survival.
“I am no’ tryin’ tae tell ye who ye can an’ cannae love, Freya. ‘tis jist that clan disputes always get in the way.”
“They won’t with Andrew an’ I. Both oor clans have suffered death an’ despair in recent times. Only the last o’ the warriors in his clan remain an’ oor numbers have dwindled to a meager few dozen women and children.”
Sorcha gave a wry laugh. “Oor clan has decreased sae drastically because o’ ‘em, Freya. Yer blind foolishness amazes me.”
“Andrew wants tae make oor clans glorious once again,” Freya responded with her fists clenched.
“Freya, we are simply tryin’ tae save ye from heartbreak. We hae yer best interests at heart,” her mother stated while she attempted to embrace her daughter.
Her gesture was spurned.
“We will prove ye both wrang! Now, if ye will excuse me, I hae a feast tae prepare fer my brave warrior,” Freya snapped and strode away to make the necessary preparations.
Chapter Twenty-One
Freya adjusted her arisaid, so it highlighted her most enticing features. She removed the top layer so it revealed her corset which she knew would drive Andrew mad with desire based on their past escapades in the Highlands.
She arranged a candlelit dinner for the two of them with hefty pieces of lamb meat and a stew with vegetables. The meal could not be complete without a cup of the most satisfying whiskey the village possessed. Freya was confident Andrew would be astonished the moment he stepped foot through the door of the cottage.
Freya waited for Andrew outside. The sky was clear with shimmering stars, and the cool air blew the aroma of her dinner out the open window of the cottage.
The moonlight radiated in the night sky for two hours with no sign of Andrew. A chill tingled down Freya’s spine, and she was unsure if it was due to the crisp autumn air or her panic that something dreadful had happened to Andrew.
The sound of night creatures filled the night as Freya continued to wait outside for her warrior. A nearby rustle in the grass caught her attention. After a few seconds, there was silence once again, and her nerves eased.
Amidst the newfound silence of the night, whispers of differing tones reverberated in the distance. The soft banter failed to fade, and she was torn as to whether she should determine its source.
The whispers continued, and she knew without a shadow of a doubt someone was nearby.
She trekked forward in the darkness and scanned in all directions, but nothing appeared within her line of sight. The vast darkness presented too formidable of a challenge to see anything other than the slight outline of the cottages and barn.
Then, a forceful grip grasped her waist, and she let out a hollow scream.
“Let go o’ me!” she shouted as she attempted to break free with all her might.
A patter of footsteps sounded behind her and a thunderous crash resonated in the same direction.
“Calm doon, Freya! It is just me!” a voice reasoned with her.
She was released and found Andrew in front of her. She slapped him across the chest.
“Ye scared me half tae death! Daen’t dae that ever again. Ye know I get spooked easily,” she complained.
“Whit were ye daein’ ootside onyway?” Andrew questioned her with his arms crossed.
“I was waitin’ fer ye! What else would I be daein’ standin’ ootside in the dark by mysel’? Ye always take sae lang tae come hame each night.”
“I’m sorry.” He chuckled. “I had some final strategizing tae dae with Rory since we depart tomorrow night.”
Andrew was perplexed as Freya scanned the wilderness, despite nothing being remotely visible in the distance.
“Whit are we starin’ at? Am I blind tae whit ye are lookin’ at, dear Freya?” Andrew asked.
“Did ye no’ hear the whisperin’ oot there? It came from somewhere in that direction.” Freya pointed towards the direction of the clamor she’d previously heard.
“I think ye are imaginin’ things, bonnie. Let’s go inside, shall we?”
Freya lowered her head in disappointment that he did not believe her. She feared she was being stalked and had no earthly idea who could be the culprits.
“I mean it, Andrew. There was someone ootside jist a moment ago. I heard whispers, an’ when ye grabbed me, my scream scared ‘em away. There was a deafenin’ crash behind me after I screamed. Ye didn’t hear that?”
“The only peep I heard was yer ear-splitting scream an’ nothin’ else,” he replied as they entered the cottage, then he beamed upon seeing the meal laid out on the kitchen table.
“Whit is this, Freya? It smells delicious,” Andrew stated.
“I wanted tae surprise ye –since ye’re leavin’ tomorrow. I thought yer last meal in the village should be a fulfillin’ one,” Freya explained.
“Where did ye find the whiskey?” He held a cup to his nose to inhale its aroma. “Oh, that smells marvelous, Freya! This is incredible.”
“It is supposed tae be a secret, but I know where the village keeps the last o’ its whiskey stores. I wanted tae share it with ye since ye hae done sae much fer me.”
Andrew took a sip of the amber liquid. “Hmm, it has been a lang time since I had a whiskey saw smooth!”
Freya and Andrew sat across from one another at the dinner table and stared into each other’s eyes. A giddy feeling came over Freya each time Andrew captivated her with his endearing smile. He held out his hand and Freya grasped it to feel his warmth.
“Weel, the food is a wee bit cold now! I wish ye had gotten ‘ere at sunset when I prepared it,” Freya complained as she took the first bite of the lamb she’d cooked o’er the fire.
; “It is a’ right, lass! I shall get some extra logs fer the fire from the barn. That will be plenty tae rewarm the food.”
Freya clutched his hand to prevent him from going. Her instincts took control of her body as she remembered the frightening whispers outside of the cottage.
“Please, daen’t go, Andrew. Stay with me, at least ‘til sunrise. I fear oor safety might be in danger should we be separated tonight.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face to his chest. “I want tae hold ontae ye. I love ye, Andrew.”
He grasped her by the face with both hands and responded to her declaration of love with a kiss filled with burning desire, unlike no other the pair had experienced together.
“Whit took ye sae lang, dear Freya? I hae been in love with ye since I rescued ye from that dungeon,” Andrew said with a light laugh.
“Ye ne’er told me this, Andrew,” Freya stated in between their passionate exchange of kisses.
“I always thought ye knew. I didn’t think I needed tae say it,” he replied and ripped her corset open.
He grasped her buttocks and lifted her into the air as she flung her tattered corset to the floor. Andrew kissed Freya’s soft lips again. Her head tilted backward in pure ecstasy, which she had yearned for weeks to savor again.
“Oh, Andrew, I hae langed fer yer touch. It seems like ages since ye touched me.”
He carried her toward the cot and laid her on her back. Freya released a sensual moan as Andrew’s tongue glided up her neck to her earlobe. He grasped her breasts and massaged them while she clutched the sheets of the cot. Freya’s teeth clenched at the heightened sensation of her luscious breasts being fondled.
Andrew removed his clothing, and the shadow of his sculpted chest rose above Freya’s body. She pressed her hands firmly to his chest and looked up at Andrew with seductive eyes. The manner which she licked her lips sent a shiver down Andrew’s spine and his arousal intensified.
The embers from the fireplace provided the only light inside the cot, but it was enough for Andrew to gawk at the outline of her bare breasts. He bit his lip, and his eyes bulged as the sight placed an unbreakable spell on him. Her physical beauty enthralled him to the point where nothing could distract him.
Andrew leaned in closer to Freya’s voluptuous figure, and she felt his thick member pressing against her. She pulled him down to feel the entirety of his body against hers. His touch fueled her sexual desire.
“Yer aroma is intoxicatin’, Andrew. I want tae feel yer body one more time afore ye leave me,” she said, panting.
“It will no’ be forever, my sweet Freya. It is no’ as if we are sayin’ goodbye,” he uttered.
“There is a chance ye may no’ return, sae I cannae risk no’ makin’ love tae ye again.”
They gazed into each other’s eyes as the fire slowly burned in the background. Then, slowly, Andrew thrust inside of her. She moaned and, at first, Andrew was confused if it was one to signal pain or pleasure.
Andrew looked down as Freya closed her eyes and he was certain she was in a state of pleasure. He pushed her arms back and clasped her wrists as he made love to her into the night. Her moans aroused him further and further, and he yearned for the night to continue for as long as possible.
The two continued to make love until they could no longer physically carry on. Andrew collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion and let out a satisfied sigh of relief to indicate he was finished. The two lovers remained motionless for hours into the night.
In the middle of the night with the cast of stars still high in the sky, Andrew arose from his sleep with a craving to satisfy his hunger. The skipped meal had now taken effect on his body. He walked over to the table where the dinner still lay. He ate two pieces of lamb’s meat, but the stew was unfortunately unappealing due to now being cold.
He carried one bowl of stew towards the fireplace to warm it, but the embers from earlier had morphed into ashes. He stood with only his undergarments on, and the only way to heat his stew was to trek to the barn to fetch additional firewood.
Andrew grunted in displeasure at having to dress just to retrieve firewood as it was too cold to march all the way to the barn in his undergarments. He put on his clothing and watched Freya for a moment as she slept peacefully.
After getting dressed, he opened the cottage door, then remembered Freya’s words. He imagined her voice warning him about her fear for their safety. The thought failed to faze him, however, and he shook it off and ventured outside into the chilly night.
He whistled as he nonchalantly walked to the barn to grab a handful of firewood. He grasped four smaller-sized logs which were plenty to get him and Freya through the night.
As he trudged back to the cottage, a sound behind him caught his attention. He turned back, but there was nothing there.
He lumbered a few steps forward and a slight tapping sound resonated from behind him, so he glanced back again. Still nothing.
He trekked towards the cottage at a faster pace. The noise from behind continued, but he ignored it. He was only a few steps from the cottage door when something struck him. The force of the blow knocked him face first onto the dirt, leaving him dazed.
A moment later, two masked figures emerged from the shadows, and Andrew regretted not taking Freya’s warning more to heart.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“I see someone is a little light-footed,” one of the masked figures taunted Andrew as he shoved him back onto the dirt.
He slapped Andrew on the back of the head repeatedly and grasped one of the logs Andrew had carried with him. He smashed the log against his spine between his shoulder blades and Andrew writhed in pain from the impact.
“Oh, ye want more firewood? We’re happy tae oblige,” the other masked assailant said. He proceeded to hit Andrew in the gut with another piece of wood.
Upon impact, Andrew grasped his stomach. He turned on his side and coughed as blood spewed from his mouth. The two attackers laughed as they enjoyed seeing the Murray warrior in pain.
They continued to punch and kick Andrew into submission until he was unable to physically stand. Andrew swung his arms chaotically as he still possessed some strength to fight despite being assaulted from behind by two mysterious attackers. The masked men lifted a near-lifeless Andrew back onto his feet to bloody him even further. Andrew continued to cough blood, and his lip was swollen.
“Enough foolin’ ‘round! Stand him up sae I can finish him aff. Once he is deid, we’ll take his hoor,” one of them said as he grasped a dirk from the side of his belt.
Andrew’s eyes bulged as the sharp point of the dirk raced in the direction of his throat. It was a matter of life and death, and Andrew found life inside of him. He lifted both feet into the air to alter the dirk’s trajectory enough to miss him. He used his strength to catapult the other attacker, who held him by his shoulders, onto the ground. Andrew slammed both fists into his chest after he fell to the dirt and proceeded to wail on his face in an attempt to bust his nose open.
Despite the brutal internal pain which he suffered, Andrew put up a valiant effort to combat the two brutes that cowardly blindsided him in the middle of the night.
After he thrashed one of his attackers with a barrage of punches, he scanned his surroundings for the other. Andrew drew his hands ready for a fist fight, but an abrupt slash of a dirk against his torso stopped him dead in his tracks. He bellowed at the top of his lungs as his attacker slashed him with the dirk numerous times. It was a sick method to weaken him to the point where he could no longer defend himself.
Andrew wailed at a furious pitch which unsurprisingly woke many of those in the village. Freya was among those who rose out of bed in a panic. Upon the realization that the deafening screams came from the man she loved, she slung the cottage door open and raced outside.
“Leave him alone!” she shouted as she jumped onto the back of the man who repeatedly slashed Andrew with the dirk.
Freya clung on for dear life to prevent the a
ttacker from ending Andrew’s life as he lay near unconscious. She coiled her arms around the assailant’s neck as tightly as she could and cried out for anyone to help her.
The masked assailant yanked her by the hair and threw her to the ground. However, her cries had been heard as villagers swarmed towards them.
“We hae tae get oot o’ ‘ere now!” one of the attackers yelled at the other.
“Nae. He is supposed tae be deid!” the other responded in a furious rage.
“It is worse if we get caught. Now come on!”
“Someone help! They are escaping!” Freya shouted as Andrew’s attackers escaped into the darkness.
