by Lauren Wood
Her eyes had a faraway look as she was imagining her using magic. How she would have made those men who killed her family pay. She could think of many ways to use magic on people she didn’t like those men and the Queen being some of the main parties.
“How do you control it? I mean when you get angry, how can you control it?” Colleen asked.
“You don’t get angry.” Kaiden stated.
“But is that possible?” Colleen wondered.
“Not always, there are things that will drive anyone in life over that line. But I have to be more responsible from now on. I can tell you though, if anyone tried to hurt you they would be dead in a second.” Kaiden looked at her his eyes burning into her soul.
“Let’s just run away from it all then. Let’s try it somewhere else. I just want to be with you.” She said.
He couldn’t hold back any more and pounced on her. His passionate lovemaking made her scream again and again. It lasted for hours and he was ready for food after they were done.
“I have to get some food for us.” He got up to go.
“I wasn’t kidding can we go somewhere else?” Colleen asked. The conversation that had started before their lovemaking started up again.
“I guess we can, but we can’t do it all at once. I mean we won’t ride straight through. We can’t be sure before we get there that people won’t know us. There is a price on your head and I’m not willing to lose you.” Kaiden’s eyes sparked.
“I know. But can we at least try. I don’t want to have to hide out forever. I don’t care about the crown either. As far as I’m concerned it has always brought pain and suffering to our family. I know we had good times, but it killed them in the end.” She stated.
Not many would understand why she hated being an heiress. But the only thing about claiming her heritage would be that she would be able to rule the people better. Give them more of a life. She remembered how her father had been with the people. He had given them more grain if they needed it, he had made them wealthy, at least in knowing they were cared for.
“Maybe one day I’ll want to rule. But I don’t know about that. It seems like so many people would be dependent on what I decided. I don’t know enough to make a good ruler.”
“Let’s just try and survive first.” Kaiden reminded her.
“Your right, let’s focus on that first. So when can we leave?” Colleen asked him.
“Tomorrow we can leave. I’ll get everything ready tonight. We’ll try and go as far as we can. I have some spells that will protect us from view. We should be okay, as long as we.” He stopped and didn’t say anything else.
“As long as we what?” Colleen asked him.
“I just haven’t used some of these spells before. I can only hope that they all work.” Kaiden admitted.
Colleen shook her head. “Alright I understand.”
They travelled for what seemed like a month to Colleen before he would allow them to stop. “This should be far enough.” He said one day.
She looked around the town, it wasn’t big, but not too small. “So where will we stay?” She asked him.
“I’ll get you a room in the inn. You can freshen up and relax a bit. I’ll see about finding a permanent house for us.” Kaiden stated.
She watched him walk out of the room after he had helped her get settled. She smiled thinking about him. He was such a good man. She hadn’t told yet, but she was almost certain she had a child on the way.
Colleen hadn’t wanted to tell him while they were travelling she feared he wouldn’t push to the end of their trip had he known. Now once they were in their own house, she could safely inform him about what she thought.
Kaiden came back quickly and there was a smile on his face. She looked up at him. “Good news?” She asked.
“We have a place! Let’s go I want to show it to you.” Kaiden grabbed her hand and pulled her up. “It’s perfect there is a nursery and everything already!” He heard her gasp.
“Did you hear those thoughts too?” She asked him.
He stopped and turned around. “Yes I did dear! Plus I can hear our child’s heart beat.” He smiled at her widely.
Colleen smiled broadly.
He pulled her up to a two story house. It was on the outskirts of the little town. She hadn’t realized it was quite that small at first. However, maybe that would be better. The less people around she still felt the better off they would be. Colleen had pleaded her case to be out in the woods somewhere instead. But he had told her that would have to wait until later. “I will have to find a good piece of land and buy it, then build our home. So we are looking at a few months for sure.”
She hadn’t been happy at that point. However, she understood his plan.
“We are still going to go to the woods eventually right? I mean not wait for too long? How much did this cost? How did we afford it?” She asked him.
“We will move to the woods yes, don’t worry. There are only around 100 people at the most in this town. Don’t worry about the money, I had it. Please Colleen you need to think of the baby.” Kaiden told her, trying to calm all of her fears at once.
“I just think we would be better off without anyone around us.” Colleen looked out the window her fear apparent.
“Look at any sign of someone knowing who either of us are, I can do a spell. It is a hard one to do, but I believe I have enough magic skill to do it.” Kaiden explained.
Colleen looked at him, she studied him deeply. She saw no sign of betrayal in his eyes. He did love her, she could tell that so she felt safe.
“You will do this spell if anyone notices either of us?” Colleen questioned again.
“Yes I promise you that I will do the forget spell if anyone says a word to us that we have to wonder if we have been discovered or not. I will not make us run, not while you are pregnant. I also promise you that within the next few months I’ll start looking for a place in the woods for us to build.” Kaiden said, putting his hands on top of hers. “Please just trust me. I won’t let a single thing happen to you or our little child.”
She smiled up at him. Her fears seemed to be something that would drive her crazy. “Let’s go out and get some goods for our new home then. We will see if anyone recognizes me. I stand out a bit more than you do anyway!” She commented.
It was true the Queen would have a bounty on her head for sure by now. If they weren’t far enough from home, or if someone around here was from out of town, they might notice her.
“Alright, let’s go.” Kaiden said and walked with her outside.
He helped her get into the wagon. Heading into town, Colleen had a dreadful feeling cross over her body. She wasn’t sure why, but she had a feeling that something might take place. She hoped that Kaiden was ready with this spell. In fact as she thought about it maybe they should have just done the spell without going to get the goods.
She turned to him about ready to ask him what he thought.
“I don’t know if that would be a good idea. What if no one notices you? If I use this spell I don’t know how long it will take to recover. We use it now, and in a month or two someone notices you, I may not be able to do anything. That will mean we will have to flee while you are pregnant, and much more so at that point.” Kaiden commented.
“Aye, you are right.” She admitted.
He pulled up to the front of the store that looked very small from the outside. “ I don’t know how much stock they have on hand, but hopefully enough to start with!” He stated.
They walked in and the shop keeper looked up.
“Hello, new to town?” He asked them. He seemed like a friendly sort.
“Yes we just move down from up north.” Kaiden stated, not giving the correct direction they had come to town from.
The man looked at Colleen. “You look very familiar, do I know you from somewhere?” He asked her. His eyes got a far off look as if trying to place her face.
“No I don’t think so sir.” She answered, but fel
t the thrill of fear shot throughout her body.
Kaiden squeezed her hand to calm her down.
“The eyes they remind me of someone I once knew I think.” He finally commented and looked away from the couple.
They bought their goods and left the store.
“Did he know me?” Colleen asked almost before they were out the door.
“I’m not sure he had too many questions going around in his head. But I will do the spell once we get home if you want. Or we can wait to see if he says anything to anyone. He didn’t have a direct link to who you might be set in his mind though. So we might be safe.” Kaiden explained.
“That mind reading ability you have is very helpful.” Colleen commented.
“I love it.” Kaiden admitted.
“Let’s wait to see if he says anything to anyone before you use the spell. But we might have to be very careful about it. All it takes is one person thinking the wrong thing, and I don’t know if they will kill me or simply turn me over.” Colleen stated.
“I can tell you he had nothing in his mind about killing you for now!” Kaiden commented. “If he had he wouldn’t be alive still.”
Colleen looked at him no doubt that he was telling the truth.
“Is there a way you can try and focus on the whole town’s thoughts?” Colleen asked.
“It would take a lot out of me too, and trying to keep them all separate would be impossible for now.” He stated.
“But if you hear someone think something well you can do the spell, right?” Colleen said.
“Alright let me do it when we get home. I’ll see if I hear anything.”
When they got back to their new home, Colleen put the things away and Kaiden sat down to focus.
Colleen watched him from the other side of the room. The whole time she couldn’t get away from the feeling of fear in her mind. She watched as his brow furrowed.
“I’m sorry dear I’m going to have to do the spell. I hear far too many whispers about an heiress being in the kingdom. Someone the Queen is searching for. I don’t know who brought in the rumors or anything. But I know we need to stop them now.” Kaiden explained.
“I had a feeling this whole time.” Colleen admitted.
Kaiden focused and chanted the words for the spell. Colleen watched intently as he looked as if he aged years in front of her.
“I don’t know if I’m strong enough. I might be able to do it.” Kaiden stated.
She walked over behind him and put her hands on his shoulders. “Use some of my energy if you need too.”
“I can’t it may hurt the baby. This has to be all me.” Kaiden admitted.
As she watched she saw a few of his hairs turn gray on the sides of his head. The moments passed and more hairs turned color. Colleen began to worry wondering if he was going to survive this spell.
Finally, he fell to the ground. “It is done, we are safe. But I’m sorry baby we will have to stay in town for a while. Please help me to bed.” Kaiden whispered.
Colleen looked at him. “Will you be okay?” She asked, worried.
“Yes I just need sleep.” Kaiden said.
Colleen helped him lie down on the bed and curled up beside him. He placed a hand on her stomach. “It is safe for us now. But I don’t know how long this spell will last on them. I also placed a barrier up around the town to not allow new news into this town. It is what really took the power out of me. However, we can be safe here for a long time now. I hope anyway.” Kaiden said and closed his eyes.
THE END
HEAL MY HEART
Chapter 1
Colin McGrath was a loyal man, he trusted the king with his life. The king after all had taken in the young orphan boy and kept him alive for many years. A loyalty like that will do just about anything for the person they feel bound too.
He knew that was the reason the king had called him today. Colin could feel something was brewing in the air; he just wasn’t sure what it was.
“Colin, you know I love you like my own son. So since Kaden is already betrothed I need to do this for me.” King McDowell explained.
“Anything sire, you know I am your loyal warrior, I will do anything you command or even ask of me.” Colin bowed before the man who he thought of like a father.
“The McCloud girl, Sarah, you and her will be married on Saturday this week.” The king commanded.
Colin didn’t know what to say, he hadn’t expected this command. He was thinking he would be ordered to sneak into enemy territory and kill the prince, or someone else just as important. But to marry, the McCloud girl, he tried to think of which one it might be.
They fought beside that clan often in the past. Then he thought of one of them, I hope it isn’t her, he thought to himself. “Yes sire.” Colin said.
He walked away from the king, thinking of what he could picture of the McCloud girl he could recall. She was a mean woman. He couldn’t think of a better way to describe her right off. She wasn’t the most attractive woman in the region either. Colin had always pictured himself with a lass that was strikingly beautiful.
But he knew it wasn’t being asked of him to do this, but he was being told. The only way to get out of this would be to leave the area, flee right now and in secret. He would be left all alone, much like he had been for so many years of his life.
For so many years of his life he had been alone. He couldn’t even recall how long right off hand. But it had seemed like forever to his young eyes. Colin wasn’t even sure how he stayed alive all those years, “aye, it was pure luck I tell you.” He whispered to himself as he thought back.
He had been a frail boy when the king had found him in that alley one day. Colin wasn’t sure how he had been so lucky to be in the right place and at the right time that day. But he had been and that day in time had changed his whole world in one moment.
Colin had watched from behind stone in the forest. He had seen the two men from afar, could tell they were up to no good. So he had quietly snuck in behind them, they hadn’t noticed him at all.
He could hear a horse approaching from the distance. The men lowered down and seemed ready to attack something, or someone. Two thoughts had passed through his mind at that moment. One was that he should really help the person they were trying to rob. The other was to help them and then somehow kill them later and get all the loot.
Colin would admit to a few people that the only reason he hadn’t chosen the second choice, was because he couldn’t kill them one on one. But if he snuck up on them at the perfect moment, he could take one of them out. That would leave the person coming alone with only one attacker to fend off. It was a much better average that Colin would live through this event. But the person who would be the victim might not live through the attack. That would leave Colin with possible one person left to take out, the other attacker. He could hope that this person would have been injured as well, and perhaps badly. Colin could walk away with the valuable of three people, and a horse.
So he had decided on the option of timing. He quietly watched the two and listened as the horse came closer. As the men jumped out, Colin seized that moment to throw the rock he had picked up. His aim was perfect and he got the attention of the attacker.
Though his friend or partner had turned around at his noise, he continued on with their plan. The other attacker’s attention was firmly drawn to the rider of the horse and not on Colin. He smiled as the plan had worked perfectly.
“Thank you fine lad, I think I might have been dead had you not come along.” Colin had heard said behind him.
Turning around he had looked at the king for the first time. He had been a very large man, Colin couldn’t have expected that, but he knew he would have to plan this just right.
“I had been watching them for a bit out here. Sometimes they fall asleep at night and leave some food by their fire.” Colin admitted.
“Where is your family? I think we should get you back to them.” The king had said at that time.
&
nbsp; “I’m an orphan sire.” Colin had told the king.
“Then I’ll take you back with me. You can live with us, and I’ll take care of you. No child should be out here by themselves. How old are you son, do you know?” The king had asked.
“No sire, honestly I’ve been on my own for a while. I think I was 5 when my parents left me on the streets.” Colin explained. He wasn’t really sure if they had left him, or simply died when they were robbing someone. He couldn’t remember much at all about his parents.
Now all these years later he felt like the king’s son. He would gladly lay his life down for the king, no hesitation now. Sometimes he would feel guilty for having considered robbing the king all those years ago. But he knew it was just the type of boy he had grown up to be, not who he was when he was loved.
Colin had really felt like part of the family for so long now. He felt it an honor that his king would ask of him something so important. It must be an important ally to have.
He thought again of the various McCloud females he knew. No matter how hard he tried, only one of them stood out in his mind. She had been a fiery little thing, treating men like they were nothing. He tried to remember more about her. But the other thing that was bugging him about this marriage was that he had wanted someone special in his life.
Colin had seen how the royal couple looked at each other. He saw the admiration between them. He really wanted to have that special closeness they seemed to share. How was he going to have that with a girl he didn’t know?
But his loyalty wouldn’t allow him to do anything but stay. He had thought of it many times between the day he found out and Saturday. However, here he was getting ready to marry Sarah McCloud. He wasn’t even sure if he had even seen her before.
Colin hoped she was at least attractive. It would really be a pain to be stuck with someone he didn’t like, not even physically. He had been with women in the past, so he knew he liked sex. But he also knew that this girl had an advantage over him. That was that she was the real daughter of her father. Even though for the past 12 years he had lived like family, Colin knew that he was still an orphan in all honesty.