by Alisa Adams
“A damned shame, a damned shame indeed that the English should be hunting our own kind in our own land. I hate tae think of another war, but they keep coming up here, what dae ye think?” an old wizened man asked as he stared at Bryan’s picture. Bryan looked at him, but kept his face obscured behind the cloak.
“I think there are always two sides tae every tale, and maybe we should nae believe everything the English tell us.”
“Aye, ye are wise in that my friend. I dae wonder who this man is, but as far as I’m concerned he’s a hero. Anyone who can make the English this angry is a good man, and it’s a pity that everyone is swayed by that number,” he pointed to the reward.
“A large number it is though,” Bryan said. It was strange that someone had put a number on his life.
“Aye, but what price compared to a man’s soul?” the older man walked away, and Bryan was left with much to ponder.
He and Catherine entered the tavern after tying up Whisper and made their way straight to the bar. This time there was a woman behind the bar, and they wasted no time in paying for a room and some food. They kept their backs to the patrons and their heads bent so as not to gather any undue attention. They paid for the room with the rest of the coins they had, and also paid the owner a little extra to not be disturbed. He had no idea if the owner was honorable or not, but he could only hope that she took her guests’ rights as sacred. They made their way up the stairs, avoiding the bar, and went into their room.
The coin they paid had been enough to give them the largest room in the tavern and after where they had been sleeping for the past couple of weeks it was a luxury. There was a wide bed with a wooden headboard, a fireplace, a large rug on the floor, a wardrobe filled with thick furs and comfortable gowns, and a table and chairs. The thing that made Catherine yelp with delight, though, was a bathtub standing in the corner.
“This is just what we needed,” Catherine said, and gave Bryan a deep kiss. He sat on the bed and relaxed his aching muscles, and although he knew they were taking a risk by being in the tavern, he felt at that moment like it was worth it.
22
Catherine thought the room was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen, although her mood was tempered by all the night in which she had slept under the stars. Compared to her chambers, for example, this room was cramped, but that didn’t seem to matter.
So far they had been undisturbed. They’d eaten well and enjoyed a few drinks, and the fire had been stoked, so a steady warmth filled the room. Catherine felt like a new woman after trying on her new clothes, but she still needed a nice hot bath. Bathing in the stream had been fine to keep her fresh, but there was nothing like feeling the soapy suds running over her body to relax her muscles.
Bryan had gone to fetch her some hot water and she was about to step into the bath, and playfully ordered him to turn away because it was not polite to gaze upon an exposed woman as she was stepping into a bath.
She dipped her toes in and a warm feeling rippled over her body as she descended into the water, submerging her body, and suddenly all the aches and pains seemed to go away. The water lapped against her naked skin and she arched her neck back, allowing herself to enjoy the feeling of being utterly at peace. Under the surface of the water she ran her hands along her thighs and body, feeling sensual and aroused. The fire flickered in the corner and its crackling sound was soft and soothing, and it spoke to the fire within. She felt a throbbing sensation in between her legs and then tilted her head to the side, looking at Bryan.
The Highlander had offered her modesty and privacy, as much privacy as he could in this room, and had averted his gaze when she stripped and sank into the water. Now that she was submerged he looked at her again, and she enjoyed his frequent glances, especially since his gaze kept moving to the surface of the water, trying to peer into its murky depths, but everything beneath the surface was hidden in mystique. She twisted her body around and some of the water sloshed onto the floor. Catherine rested her arms on the side of the tub. Her long hair was lank and heavy, and her skin glowed in the illumination of the fire.
“This feels amazing. I know it was a risk, but I think it was one worth taking,” she said.
“I think so too,” Bryan replied with a twinkle in his eyes. Catherine could tell that his entire body bristled with tension and the atmosphere in the room soon turned to the same level of arousal. The spark that had been there since the first moment they met was growing into an inferno. Catherine could feel it sweep through her body, seizing her in its incandescent glory. There had been so many near misses along the way, but in a way she was glad that they had waited until this moment, for it had allowed them to form a deep emotional bond. She was comfortable with him, and knew that she was safe.
“Come over here,” she said, her words soft and honeyed. Water trickled down her white arms and dripped on the floor, making small shadows on the stone. Bryan came forward. He was so tall, towering above her, and then he kneeled. She reached out to him and fondled his hair, twirling a few of the dark locks around her finger.
“You’re such a beautiful man,” she said. Bryan smirked and the two of them pulled each other closer. Catherine’s wet arms wrapped around his neck and began to pull at his cloak. “It’s not fair that I should be exposed like this while you get to wear clothes,” she said seductively.
“Ye’re hidden by the water,” Bryan said, even as he pulled his cloak over his head and revealed his torso. Catherine’s breath caught in her throat as she gazed upon him and drank in all of his majesty and splendor. His rippling muscles were the epitome of masculinity. His body was filled with vigor and strength. Hair curled on his chest and arms, his bright eyes twinkled at her, and she was filled with an incomprehensible desire. She simply had to be with this man, and she was quite sure there was no force in the universe that could stop her.
Her mouth dropped open, and breath rushed out of her parted lips at the sight of him, especially when her gaze fell down his body and saw the swell of his manhood. She gulped, nerves swimming through her body, and reached out to tease the edge of his pants, untying the rope that held them around his waist. They fell easily and she was faced with his arousal, all thick and long, and she almost dared not touch it.
There was more heat coming off of him than from the fire, or at least that’s the way it seemed to her.
“I seem tae be at a disadvantage lass,” he said. There was a queasy feeling in her stomach as she gazed upon him. The feelings she felt were everything she had dreamed of, but before this moment everything had all been in the abstract. Every feeling had only been the impression of what she imagined it would feel like, and she knew now how hollow they had been. Now, everything was intense. Everything was vivid. Her skin tingled with anticipation and it felt as though all her senses had been heightened. Time seemed to stand still too. No longer did she feel like a little girl or a young woman who was eager to explore the world. No, she was a woman in her own right, a woman filled with desire who wanted this man, this Highlander to take her virtue and claim her as his own.
“I suppose then I had better change that,” she said, as she rose slowly. Water dripped down her, cascading in small rivulets, making her skin glisten. She dipped her head and turned her eyes away in modesty, for she was exposing herself to him in a way she never had done before. Catherine clasped her hands behind her back so that he wouldn’t see how she trembled with nerves.
“By the gods…” Bryan breathed. She looked up and saw how his gaze lingered on her body, inspecting every part of her it. She could almost feel it moving down past her breasts, down to her most intimate area. Every part of her was his. She stepped out of the bath and the water made a pleasing lapping sound, and then she was standing in front of him, dripping wet. Bryan’s hands rested against her waist and pulled her closer to him. The heat of him was almost enough to make the water evaporate from her body and rise as steam. Their lips pressed together and soft murmurs, whispers of desire escaped their lips.
He picked up a fur from the wardrobe and wrapped it around her shoulders. She nestled into the warmth and Bryan patted her down, drying her skin. As he did his hands felt all around her supple body. His breath rushed against her skin and she found she was overwhelmed with a tingling sensation again. Her knees quaked and she could feel herself buckling under the force of the arousal within her. Her mind became hazy and she could not concentrate on any thought, so she collapsed on the bed, and Bryan fell with her.
Their bodies moved as one and their flesh pressed against each other. His was calloused and taut, while hers was soft and luscious. His rough hands plied her soft skin, and her delicate fingers were dragged down his sinuous back, feeling the powerful rumbles in his body as he growled. Desire swelled and throbbed and her breathing became rapid and ardent as their hands broke through caution and explored each other properly. She knew not what she was doing, but she let instinct guide her, and from his moans she could tell she was adept at pleasuring him.
Her body was suddenly filled with all manner of sensations, a swirling miasmic haze that filled every inch of her body. They slid down each other, using their hands and mouths to pleasure them, kissing each other in places they had never been kissed before. There were some things Bryan did with his fingers and tongue that Catherine had never even dreamed of, but they seized her body in a mad rush of passion and she found herself growing limp. Her neck arched back as he placed a hand on the middle of her chest and buried himself in between her legs. She watched his thick curls rest upon her thighs and felt the pleasure swell inside her.
Then, it was her turn to return the favor. She felt his hand rest on the back of her head and tasted his manhood. She drowned in his musk and felt the tremors of his body as pleasure erupted within him. The rest of the world melted away, their plight seemed insignificant compared to the pleasure they were feeling in that moment. It was so easy to lose themselves in each other. So easy to let them fall into each others’ hearts.
Their lips were locked, their bodies heated, their arms entwined...and there was no way to tell where one of them ended and the other began. In one sudden movement Bryan, whose powerful arms were cradling Catherine’s body, shifted his position and she gasped as she felt him inside her. Her eyes opened wide and her nails dug into his flesh and gripped onto him tightly, bracing herself against the waves of pleasure that ebbed and flowed and crashed inside. These feelings rose as she lost herself to the heavy breathing, to the low animalistic grunts, to the feeling of his lips upon hers. She drowned in his essence, and he in turn drowned in hers. He thrust so deep inside her that he reached parts she was not even aware she had, and was certain that he was reaching her very soul.
She whimpered and cried out in exquisite agony as she gave him her innocence, as this Highlander took her virtue, and gave so much in return. As orgasmic pleasure quaked through her body; she was filled with love for him, filled with such joy and happiness that tears filled her eyes because she simply couldn’t comprehend ever loving anyone this much again.
The hot rush swept through her in a blaze, seizing her body in a whorl of delight and as the delirious, dreamy feeling settled in her mind, she was rocked by his explosion of arousal. The warmth filled her and he kissed the hollow of her neck, and then his head rested against her chest. The long exhalations of his breathing met the hammering of her heart and she gazed up at the ceiling, a smile adorning her face.
Catherine wasn’t sure how long it took for her mind to settle. In some ways she thought it never would. She certainly would never be the same again. Something had transformed inside her, something wonderful and transcendent had taken her soul and made her into a child of Eros. Love filled her being and she was more glad than ever that she had decided to share herself with Bryan rather than in a loveless marriage with Lord Ralls. Thinking about anyone but Bryan touching her made her shudder, and she held onto him all the more tightly, nestling into the broad expanse of his chest. She closed her eyes and sighed happily, feeling his warmth and his love.
“This is just perfect,” she said.
“Aye lass,” he replied. And it was. While they were in bed together Catherine could forget all about the guards chasing them. She could forget about all the woes of her life because in that moment they simply didn’t matter. And she was also sure now that she had made the right choice. She kissed the man she loved sweetly and smiled at the future they were going to have together, because they were going to have a future. She was going to make sure of it.
She let her thoughts settle and her aching, exhausted body gave up consciousness. She fell into a deep slumber and did not wake until morning. For the first time since she had left home she slept untroubled and comfortable. There were no rocks digging into her, no uneven ground making things uncomfortable, just a complete sense of wellbeing and harmony.
And she could feel that Bryan felt exactly the same thing too.
23
Bryan slept like a baby. When he awoke he felt entirely well-rested and as though he could take on the world. The small scratch on his arm that had been given to him by his conflict with Black Pete’s small band was healing already, and the night of passion he’d shared with Catherine had eased the knotted tension within his body. He smiled when he looked down at her. Curled in his arms, she looked so small and tiny, and yet she had the heart of a warrior. He was filled with love, and he wondered if she could see his feelings swimming in her eyes when she looked at him.
He traced a line down the side of her body, taking in the view of her flawless skin and beautiful curves. She was a wonder of the world, and for some reason she had seen fit to give her heart to him. He was more determined than ever to find himself some land for her sake, because she deserved more than to be wandering through the wilderness for the rest of her life.
He hoped that at least they would be able to enjoy some respite in this place. Now that they had cloaks it would hopefully be easier to hide their appearance and keep themselves from falling victim to prying eyes. His stomach grumbled so he carefully maneuvered his way out from Catherine’s embrace and rose. She made a soft noise and snuggled into the pillow, spreading her arms and legs across the width of the bed. He would let her rest for a while yet. She deserved it after all she had been through, and after all they had done the previous night.
However, just after he put his clothes on and was about to head out of the room, there was a soft knock. He furrowed his brow, his paranoia returning. He glanced to his sword and held it in one hand as he opened the door a crack, keeping the weight of his body behind the door so it would be more difficult to push open if their visitor was so inclined. When he opened the door, however, he found it was the innkeeper standing there.
“I’ve come tae warn ye. Someone told the English ye are here. They’re waiting for ye downstairs,” they said in a hushed whisper. Bryan’s face paled and he glanced back at Catherine. His heart sank as his worst fears were realized.
“Thank ye,” he said, and closed the door.
He shook Catherine awake. She mumbled something incoherent and then smiled at him when consciousness returned to her. She caressed his face and kissed him lightly, but quickly realized that something was wrong when he didn’t fully reciprocate her affection.
“They’re here,” he hissed.
Immediately she rose and their paradise was shattered again. They pulled on their clothes.
“How did they find us?” she asked.
“Apparently someone in the inn saw us and turned us in for the reward.”
“What are we going to do?”
Bryan considered his options. This inn was higher than the last so a jump from this fall would likely break their bones, if not kill them, so that was not a choice he wanted to make.
“We hae tae run for it. Hope that their reactions are slower than ours. We hae tae make it tae Whisper and flee again,” he said. Catherine groaned but didn’t argue, for she knew there was nothing else to do.
Once they wer
e dressed, they snuck out of their room and carefully made their way downstairs. Bryan took the lead and he peered forward, taking note of everything. When he reached the middle of the stairs he saw the boots of the English waiting near the entrance. He pointed to them, and gestured to Catherine that as soon as they left the stairs they had to run full pelt. Catherine nodded. Her face was lined with fear. He took her hand and squeezed it, wishing that he could transfer some of his strength to her.
They tiptoed down the rest of the stairs so as not to make any noise, and then as soon as his foot hit the hard floor he pushed forward and sprinted as fast as he could, barreling into the English before they knew what was happening. They fell to the ground like skittles and then yelled at Bryan to stop. Catherine was right behind him, and as he looked back he saw one of the Englishmen getting back to his feet, but Catherine gave him a swift kick and he fell back down. However, Bryan knew they wouldn’t be down for long.
He and Catherine sprinted around to find Whisper, but when they found him he was tied up well, too well in fact, to untie him in seconds. He could already hear the English recovering and regrouping. He shook his head at Catherine and grabbed her hand, leading her away. He frantically looked for escape when he saw the only thing that could offer him any sort of respite; the woods.
He and Catherine fled, ducking behind buildings to try and evade capture. They made it to the edge of the village and ran into the woods. Branches whipped their skin and they kicked up leaves. They was no time to be stealthy and Bryan knew that this was only going to end one way. Catherine was panting behind him and as they reached a shaded glade Bryan stopped to kiss her, fearing that this could be the last moment they ever shared together. But at least he would go out fighting, with two hands on his sword, ready to defend the woman he loved.