The Highlander Without a Bride

by Johanna Maas

  Kaye turned to gaze upon the family that she had grown up with and loved desperately, staring at them one final time as they stood quietly and serenely upon the stone stairs. The home where she had lived the entire twenty one years of her life rose regally behind them, exuding fond and loving memories as did all those standing before it. She permitted her eyes to seek each and every one of their faces as she desperately beseeched her mind to memorize and brand them forever to her memory.

  The courtyard was somber and quiet with no one moving and no one speaking for the farewells had all been said. Kaye stood without moving as she silently willed herself to gain the strength to become prepared for the next part of her life. Her eyes circled around one final time at the somber group standing above the square, finally and for the last time settling upon her parents. They stood silently by with her father's arm wrapped tightly around her mother, supporting Lady Marion and a sense of dismay surrounding them both.

  Kaye turned in resignation to her new husband who was standing directly behind her as she nodded her head to indicate that she was now ready to depart. He grasped her small hand in his as he turned to lead her over to a small brown horse that was waiting patiently behind them. He moved to assist her upon the petite pony's back and then snugly tied her parcel behind her.

  There were just four in the small English party and that number was including Kaye. Besides herself, there was the Lord Hann and two of his men. The Hann soldiers who much resembled their lord in height and ability traveled rather lightly as compared to the great Scottish warriors. No bows were laid across their backs, nor massive weaponry anywhere upon their persons. They each sported only one single slight sword that hung neatly and elegantly sheathed at their sides, more for its stylish looks than its practical usage.

  Tor scowled as he moved out onto the castle stairs from within the great hall as he moved quietly to gain Alec's side. He shook his head slowly and in disbelief as he watched the small party turn and take their leave slowly down the dirt path. As the Hann party moved their mounts away from the stone stairs and towards the drawbridge beyond, a deep furrow began to grow upon his brow. He spoke quietly for Alec alone, so that no others would hear, no one else would take note.

  "Alec, are all the people of this land so careless?"

  Alec looked at him and with concern upon his face and a knowing sigh as he simply shook his head in disgust, for he too was shocked at their lack of preparedness. He obviously understood more than most that times were not always safe and were never safe in his mind, to leave their lives and their protection to chance. There were always threats about, those of the lands and people ever present even here in their civilized England. That is why when Alec traveled he would always come with his seasoned warriors and weaponry aplenty and readily carried, easily accessible and ever prepared.

  Tor stood next to his lord shaking his head in irritation with a loathing within his chest as he returned, "Then let us be away from here. It is difficult to stomach these people's ways much further…"

  *****

  Kaye, now the Lady Hann, sat stoically and quietly upon her mount as she followed the three men moving steadily down the dirt path that led away from the great stone walls beyond her father's keep. Her slight pony was quite small in contrast to their larger steeds and even from the very beginning of their journey she found herself continually falling behind their great beast's long strides. With frustration, she found herself repeatedly kicking her heels restlessly into her own pony to move it quickly forward in an attempt to close the gap that threatened to grow wider and leave her further behind.

  The English party had ridden for what must have been at least an hour for the sun was now approaching its apex and the excessive heat of the late summer day was fully upon them. Even though the temperature continued to escalate, the small party had not yet stopped and had not yet rested nor offered to take a break. In their journey, Kaye continued to see only the three Hann men's backs as they trudged onward.

  While she attempted to maintain the pace set by her new lord and harden her resolve, both Kaye and her gentle animal were beginning to show sure signs of fatigue and she began to grow weary. Kaye's back had begun to get sore and her legs had long since fallen asleep from the longstanding and unfamiliar position on top of the small mare's back. She sighed heavily and resolved that even though she felt discomfort, she was determined not to complain and refused to give in to her fatigue and aches as she remained silent and all the while sadly shouldering her grief.

  As they rode further into the day, the path they were following began to narrow as they moved through yet another stand of great oaks. Kaye noticed the trees as they grew ever closer and converged tightly upon them. As they traveled deeper into the wooded area the small road tapered further and was no longer wide enough for horses to move at even two abreast, so the men moved into a single file leaving Kaye trailing silently behind.

  They continued riding in this format for what seemed like a long while to Kaye as the trees continued to consume the small party. In her exhaustion, for that is what she was by this time, she began to fall further and further behind the men of the Hann keep. A true concern began growing in her heart for she was unable to keep her pony near.

  As the three Hann men made their way ahead of her and over a slight rise, their presence was momentarily obstructed by the knoll they had just passed over. Within that instant, she heard a horse whinny loudly and then another, as one of the men shouted with a terror in his voice. Although she could not hear his words nor see what had happened, she understood the tone was one of fright and one of fear and it instilled a grave panic within her heart.

  Kaye pulled hard on her small horse's lead as she halted her slight pony in her tracks concerned for the men's unknown fate and not wishing to encroach upon their misfortune. With her heart beating heavily within her chest, she waited for some sign or a signal that all was well before she was willing to proceed. Within moments she heard the sound of pounding hooves as a riderless horse came over the rise and approached her quickly as it charged down the path with its eyes wide and startled and stampeding straight at her.

  In reflex, Kaye pulled hard on the lead rope of her mare's harness to escape the speeding beast as she moved her small pony off the path just in time and into the shelter of a nearby thick stand of trees. As she stayed hidden, she listened intently for any sound or any indication of what had just occurred causing one of the Hann men to lose his mount. Hearing only an eerie silence, with apprehension flooding through her, she dismounted carefully to seek out their fate.

  As her feet first touched the ground she nearly collapsed for the extensive time she had spent within the saddle. The needle like pain prickled fiercely at her legs. She grasped her mare's mane to steady herself as she wished the blood to hastily begin circulating and the feeling to return so she could seek out her lost party. When she finally felt the life returning to her legs, she carefully placed her lead rope over the nearest branch as she secured her mare and made ready to move forward in search of some answers. With caution and with an ominous silence still hanging in the air about her, she crept forward in an attempt to stay hidden within the large oaks. As a fear began to mount in her breast, she peered over the gentle rise to assess the fate that had befallen her new lord and his men.

  Her pulse beat wildly as she slowly progressed forward and then froze in terror as her heart clenched within her chest at the sight that was laid out before her. Several dark men who numbered seven, had circled around the Lord Hann and his two men in the slight clearing. Their massive and heavily armed bodies sent a foreboding chill throughout her body as she watched on in alarm as they moved their large mounts to surround them in an effort to keep the three Hann men contained within.

  Kaye noted that her husband and one of his men were still astride their horses with one now unseated and standing upon the ground between the other two. All three were completely motionless and were wide-eyed with the fright clearly written upon
their faces. She watched with concern for the one standing was clutching his shoulder as a slight trickle of blood escaped between his fingers.

  The circling men were all dressed in dark clothing, their dirty and unkempt bodies sitting alertly and powerfully upon their great steeds. They were all large and impressively armed with massive swords positioned upon their backs and hanging from their sides. They were all equally menacing and equally terrifying as they continued to surround their prey. Closer and closer they moved as they contained the Hann men, within.

  It was the lord himself who spied her and locked eyes with her as she peered from her hiding place among the trees and just over the hill. When she was spotted, he reacted to her fully as he drew in a deep and noticeable breath. His eyes grew wide as he stared directly at her. His obvious reaction to her presence alerted one of the dark men and he turned swiftly on his mount as he lifted his great sword and his eyes turned in her direction. A fear fully engulfed Kaye's heart and before she was able to remove herself from his line of sight, he noticed her hidden within the brush a short distance away.

  As quickly as Kaye could, she spun and began to run in an attempt to flee as she tried desperately to leave the men and the horror laid out behind her. She ran on as swiftly as her legs would carry her and had not traveled more than a few paces when she heard the thundering of hooves from a single rider closing in quickly behind her.

  She ran as hastily as her legs would carry her in an effort to flee further into the woods as she dodged between the large oaks in hopes she could evade her potential captor. But he was too quick and was too seasoned and skilled for her to evade him. With little effort and surprising grace, he deftly leaned over the side of his sprinting horse as he came abreast of her and easily lifted her from the ground, mid-stride.

  Kaye felt the power of the dark man as she was yanked forcibly into the air and placed solidly before her captor as an arm roughly moved about her waist and secured her tightly within his grasp. He held her fiercely as he pushed her violently into his chest as his mass completely engulfed her within. His dark greasy hair hung long and touched her head as his armor bit painfully at her skin where his body effectively surrounded her.

  Once he had her wrapped securely within his arms, he turned his mount abruptly and moved swiftly back to the clearing. His breath was hot and rancid above her head as a horrid and deep chuckle escaped him. As the horse picked its way through the trees, the threatening man's hand greedily grabbing at the underside of her breast causing a wave of nausea to nearly consume her and a panic spread further throughout her body.

  Kaye's breath caught in her throat for she realized that her terror was real and her destiny no longer of her choosing as she sat before this chilling beast and among the other dark men. He moved his large steed forward and retook his original place within the circle of the feared enemies. The terror was apparent in Kaye's eyes and was engulfing her being and ever threatening to consume her. She stared in dread and misery at the hard and callused faces of her captors.

  Her eyes finally sought Lord Hann's as she silently begged her new husband for his protection and was hoping he could safeguard her and bring her away from this nightmare unscathed. With a wretchedness she realized that her lord could only stare back with the same fears written upon his own face, as the reality of their situation truly began to permeate her mind.

  "Your valuables, kind sir."

  It came from one of the dark men seated upon his large steed directly across from her on the other side of the circle of men. This, she assumed must be deemed the leader of this strong and sordid group for he was larger then the rest and his armor more adorned. He was an imposing and ferocious looking man with hard and dark eyes, his blackened teeth showing slightly as he spoke. It was a calm request and Kaye recognized it as an ominous request, yet in a tone as if inquiring of a friend the time of day.

  Lord Hann blustered, "We have none! We are a simple party traveling home from a neighboring keep!"

  The great man across the way chuckled deeply as his eyes crinkled at the corners and came to light upon Kaye. An unexpected shudder consumed her body as he stared intensely into her as he slid his gaze lazily from her face and down the full of her. For several long moments he watched her as his callous eyes surveyed her openly and his lips turned up in a slight sneer.

  He drew his mount slightly back from the rest and unhurriedly moved his horse around the foul group and directly next to the man that held her. He reached over and unceremoniously placed his hands at her waist and pulled her body from her captor and on to his own horse as he settled her down roughly before him and upon his lap. He wrapped his arm securely around her body as she sat in front of him as he held Kaye tightly to his hard chest. He spoke ominously as he stared directly into Lord Hann's eyes over the top of Kaye's head.

  "Nothing? You have no valuables upon your person?"

  When Kaye's husband of only a few hours just stared mutely and wide eyed back at the pair upon the horse, the man behind her chuckled severely and threateningly once again. The man's arm tightened further around her waist as he brought her in closer still to his massive chest as his stench assailed her nostrils and his heated body sickeningly overwhelmed her senses.

  Kaye stared intensely back at her lord, silently pleading and imploring him to give up whatever he had to appease these horrid men for her sake, if for nothing else. She could only hope that he carried at least a little bit of coin that could placate these dark men, for she desperately needed protection and needed to be wholly rid of this nightmare. To her horror, her new husband simply sat upon his horse silently and sat stilled and wide eyed as he said nothing.

  When there was no response from Lord Hann, with a sickening dread she could feel her captor's hand begin to move slowly over her stomach. Back and forth it moved as it gradually inched its way upwards. She attempted to push desperately at his ascending hand and move away from his frightening touch and away from his sickening grasp, but he held her firmly and stilled her movements as he confined her arms by her side and pressed her further into his chest.

  The tears began to well and silently fall down her cheeks as she felt her captor's movements and watched in revulsion as her new husband stubbornly sat mutely by. She continued to be groped in front of him by this grotesque man and her lord did nothing to stop the assault, just simply stared blankly and looked on as the dark man took control of her body.

  Her captor continued to lazily rub her stomach as his hands began to move further upwards ever so slightly and ever so lazily tormenting her along the way. With a slow and languid motion, he moved his hand higher to finally and wholly encompass one of her full breasts.

  The tears now flowed freely down her cheeks and the bile threatened to rise in her throat as the dark man's assault continued unhurriedly on. She closed her eyes fighting the repulsion of this man's touch as his large hand encompassed her breast and with his fingers he pinched her fiercely through the material of her bodice. She breathed deeply a she prayed for her nightmare to cease as she attempted to control her raging panic that was continuing to consume her.

  He continued to squeeze her breast harshly through the material of her gown as he roughly handled her in front of all the onlookers. On and on he kneaded her breast as Kaye slowly opened her eyes once again and realized in horror that it was not only her husband that was staring but every one of the dark men was gawking at her. A sickness began to build within and she noticed how they each watched hungrily as their leader groped her openly as he abused her body horribly.

  Kaye struggled to appear emotionless and without reaction, for she was afraid that if she showed her fear and repulsion that this would anger her captor and potentially fuel him further and cause her additional harm. So Kaye attempted to quell her disgust and push away the pain of his assault as the dark man continued to forever grasp and roughly knead her breast. She realized with revulsion that his hot and sickly breath was quickening and now coming in clear rasps behind her.
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  When she thought the degradation could not get any worse, her captor suddenly removed his hand from her and grabbed at the material of the bodice of her gown. With a quick motion, he ripped it fully down to her waist and effectively exposed her breasts and the front side of her fully for everyone in close proximity to see. As the sickening sound of the tearing gown was heard in the now silent clearing, Kaye's terror grew for her body was now visibly trembling in fear.

  Kaye's dark captor kept his eyes solely upon the great lord as he waited for him to show any reaction. The Lord Hann continued to watch unspeaking and unmoving as he stared straight ahead and wordlessly upon his own horse.

  The dark man spat out harshly, "Nothing, milord? You have nothing of worth?"

  Kaye's tears continued to flow heavily as they silently fell down her cheeks and now onto her exposed skin of her chest as no words came from her husband. There was no movement to be had and he said nothing to stop the horrid man's assault. The dark man moved his hands back to her now bared breasts as he roughly kneaded her flesh once again in front of all as he pinched cruelly at their peaks. Nausea threatened further as his attack continued as she heard a malicious chuckle rising again in his throat as with his other hand he began moving it down her body and past her stomach with an attempt at reaching her secret place below.

  Kaye's heart was thundering and her pulse roaring as her fear escalated further at this next degrading turn of events. The dark man's horrid ministrations became all consuming as she tried to fight unsuccessfully against his hardened body for her release. She began to shake uncontrollably in her wretched state as she finally surrendered to the full blackness that entirely and blessedly enveloped her.