by Raina Wilde
“G’night, Aiden.” She tried to speak firmly but it came out as a whisper. He must have sensed her need to escape, the close call having rattled her more than she cared to admit. His hand dropped from her arm and he allowed her to exit the room without another word.
Skye returned to the safety of her chambers and remained there for the rest of the night.
In the following days Aiden paid Skye more attention than usual. He was subtle in his actions. Skye thought no one suspected any change in behavior except for possibly Deirdre. Skye did her best to avoid him. She seated herself beside Teirnan at dinner, in hopes that Aiden would remain far away from her watchful brother. This plan worked against her due to the close friendship between the men. When Skye excused herself immediately after dessert, Aiden remained at the table to spend time with his friend. The following day, she resolved to sit between Catríona and Deirdre. The safety of female conversation would keep the man at bay.
If Skye was supposed to be searching for a husband, she needed to refrain from encouraging Aiden’s attentions. She could not risk secret encounters with the son of the Laird preventing her from making a match of her choice. Aiden was not even a consideration, she reminded herself. He would marry a proper lady who could conform to the castle lifestyle. He might enjoy her company at the moment but, Skye remembered her father’s words, no lad wants a wife who tromps through the woods. The woods are for the bears, lass, if you were meant to be out there then you’d shift too.
The worst part was that Skye actually enjoyed talking to him. Aiden was extremely kind and helpful to everyone in the castle. The servants respected him, and his sisters often told stories of his mild-mannered way, compared to his energetic brothers.
Avoiding him was difficult. He was such a central part of the castle life that Skye found herself torn between the blushing agony of being near him, and the desire to join in whatever playful activity he was leading at the time. In large parties they went for horseback rides, picnics, and down to the village to watch the children compete in challenges of athleticism. They spent an afternoon down by the Mill, feeding the ducks and other baby animals that wandered about the farmland. Skye spent nearly every afternoon with Aiden, but she made sure that they were never alone.
***
Early one morning, there was a knock on her chamber door. Skye threw her cloak over her dressing gown and opened the door to find the tanner’s son standing in the hall with a large wrapped bundle.
“Are you Mistress Laramie?” the child asked.
Skye nodded, and accepted the bundle.
“What is this?” she asked, when he turned to skip away.
“It’s a gift.” Came the small response, as if the answer were obvious. Without another word the boy slipped down the hallway and out of sight.
Skye shut the door behind her and carried the bundle to rest on her bed. What a strange way to receive a gift, she thought, and began untying the twine that bound the brown cloth wrapping.
When the fabric fell open, Skye gasped with pleasure.
Laying on her bed was a new pair of tanned leather pants, like the English wore, a white shirt, and a matching tanned vest. New boots lay beside the clothing and, beneath it all, a small bow and quiver. There was no note but she knew whom they were from. Without a doubt in her mind, Skye knew that Aiden had these items made for her.
Did he not mind the idea of a woman hunting on her own? Did he think the woods were made for the bears alone? A thousand questions raced through Skye’s mind but she did not have time to think of them. Before she realized what she was doing she had peeled her shift over her head and begun to slip into the hunting outfit that lay on the bed.
She tucked the bow and quiver to her side, threw her cloak over everything and slipped out in the halls of the sleeping castle. She knew where to find Aiden without asking. Skye tread quietly in her soft leather boots until she reached the door to the study. She pulled the cloak tightly closed in case there were others inside, and slipped through the door, closing it behind her. Aiden was sitting in a chair in front of the hearth, his elbows on his knees, flipping a dagger in his hands. When the door clicked shut his head snapped up to see Skye standing in the door with a grin spread across her face.
He stood. She could tell he was nervous about whether or not his gift was well received. Skye shuffled over to him and spread the cloak wide, revealing the completed ensemble.
“Then you like them?” he breathed a sigh of relief.
Skye could not help herself, she laughed and flung her arms around Aiden’s neck.
“They are the most perfect gift that has ever been given.” She had meant it as a friendly embrace but when Skye felt the urge to kiss him sweep over her body she pulled away.
“Well, are you ready?” She asked with excitement.
“Ready?” He laughed. “Now?”
Skye grabbed his hands and pulled him toward the door.
“Yes, now! I cannot wait.” She tugged harder though he could have easily resisted.
“I thought you hunted alone?” Aiden’s smile was radiant. It was clear that her excitement was more than he had anticipated.
“I do.” She laughed. “But today you’ll go with me.”
“Alone?” Aiden had clearly caught on to her behavior in the past days. He seemed to enjoy teasing her at the moment.
“Yes. We’ll have to leave on horses. Otherwise my brother will know I’ve been hunting.” Skye was quivering with excitement. “I want a look at those wolves. We’ll separate in the woods and search for them.”
Aiden hesitated, a look of concern on his face. He smoothed a curl back into her braid. “I cannot imagine someone so tiny facing a pack of wolves. We do not normally confront them.”
He was worried about her, she realized, and maybe slightly concerned about his ability to protect her against the pack.
“I do not confront them.” She smiled. “I catch them from afar. I don’t plan on hunting today, I only wish to observe.” Skye raised her hand and rested it on his cheek. “I promise to keep you safe.” She teased.
Aiden covered her hand with his own and turned to press his lips against her palm. The heat of his breath against her skin caused an exciting chill to run through her body.
“Maybe those pants were a bad idea.” He teased.
Skye stepped forward and pressed her lips lightly against his, she allowed them to linger for a moment before pulling away.
“Alright, maybe not so bad an idea.” He said in a strained voice gesturing toward the waiting door. Skye laughed heartily and led the way to the stables.
The countryside surrounding the castle was beautiful in the early morning light. A pale fog rolled across the highlands, the misty haze making the forest feel like another world entirely.
When they were well inside the forest, Aiden and Skye dismounted and tied the horses near a stream.
“Don’t wander too far.” Aiden instructed when she removed her cloak and slung the quiver across her back.
“I won’t” Skye smiled and slipped into the cover of the forest, leaving Aiden the privacy he needed to disrobe and shift.
She walked for nearly a quarter of an hour before she saw the first dried paw print in the mud. The dog-like marking was old, dried in the clay of the last rain. Skye smiled to herself, old markings or not this was the right area. She followed the track to where they ended and, with no further clue, turned and followed her path back the way that she had come.
She decided to venture back to check on the horses, then follow another trail in a different direction. If she continued weaving this path then the horses would not be left for too long, and Skye would not lose her way in the woods.
She checked the horses, gave them each a small carrot, and began her journey down another path. When she heard a twig snap up ahead, Skye thought that perhaps Aiden had chosen the same route. A tuft of grey fur on a nearby bush caught her eye and she felt a cold sweat steal over her body. Aiden was tawny, the pale yel
low-brown that resembled his natural hair, though darker.
Grey, like a wolf. Her mind jumped to the conclusion with a jolt. A grey bear would be too old to be wandering this far from the castle alone. The old men rarely roamed this far on their own.
She heard another snap, this time behind her, and her instincts told her that she had wandered into the center of the pack. Skye thought about nocking an arrow but knew that it would be fruitless to take on the bests from the ground. Her eyes scanned the surrounding forest for a scalable tree. Twenty yards away was the perfect tree to climb safely, if she could jump high enough to reach the lowest branch. Skye estimated the height and thought that she could make it. If she could pull herself above the limb before the wolves caught sight of her, there were no lower branches or fallen logs for them to climb on.
Skye slowly eased her bow over her shoulder, securing it behind her back with the quiver. She took a deep breath and prepared for her sprint. She had not intended to have a run in with the beasts on this morning. She had hoped only to track them, possibly locate their den, but not engage with them directly. She wondered where Aiden was and if he was a safe distance away.
Three steps into her sprint she heard the distinct call of the wolf. One short howl and the entire pack was alerted to her presence. Skye ran as if her life depended on it. It did. When she flung her arms up at the limb above her, her fingers barely grasped the bark. Without a second’s hesitation, she swung her legs around the limb and hugged her body to the wood. Skye shifted her weight, rolling to pull herself on top of the thick branch. One leg flailed dramatically in the air as she tried to hook her heel against the trunk for leverage.
She mounted the branch just in time to see five massive wolves moving in on the tree. She carefully stepped backward, her hand on a branch at her side, and pressed herself against the trunk. Five, she thought. Catríona had said that there were three. One bold beast made a lunge at the branch, coming close enough to startle Skye, but not quite reaching her feet. With limber movements, Skye scaled the branches to a safer vantage point. Below her, the wolves were snarling and snapping. It was clear that they had no intention of abandoning their prey.
Skye seated herself on one massive limb, allowing one leg to dangle on either side for stability. She scooted a few inches away from the trunk and pulled her bow from over her shoulder. With a flick of her wrist she released the thin fabric covering on her quiver. Her fingers behind her head counted the arrows. Twelve.
She nocked an arrow and watched the furry backs circling below her. With a patient eye and smooth release, her first arrow plunged itself directly into the neck of the beast standing beneath her. In an instant the animal slumped to the ground while the remaining four beasts erupted in fits of rage. Their howling was savage; Skye felt the tree sway as one great beast threw himself against it, but they did not run off. It took two arrows to bring the next one down. When the wolf lay panting in agony on the ground, Skye nocked another and shot it through the eye. The three wolves were now leaping and barking with distress. Skye prayed for them to leave. She could only hope that Aiden did not hear and try to come to her aid. Greum may have run off three wolves, but he was a larger and fiercer bear than his brother.
When the largest male reared up against the tree, Skye’s arrow slid easily through his neck and buried itself in the soft tissues inside the ribs. A clean death, she sighed with relief.
Two remained, the most voracious and active of the wolves. She was just beginning to sight her next victim when the heads of both wolves turned simultaneously to look into the forest to her left. There, Aiden had reared on his hind legs before releasing a terrifying roar. With a massive thud, he brought his paws back to the ground and charged the wolves. They did not run. Aiden grabbed the nearest wolf in his great jaws just as the other leapt on his back. Skye released an arrow just before the wolf had a chance to sink its teeth into Aiden’s back. Her aim had been rushed and she had merely caught the meat of his thigh. It would not be a fatal would. The wolf, however, scurried away with a yelp, its hind leg raised in the air as it ran.
By the time that she had leapt down from the tree, Aiden had made quick work of the final wolf. Its head was severed from its body and there were bite marks along the entire length of its back.
Skye ran over to where the great bear stood panting.
They stood facing each other as Aiden licked the last of the blood from his paw. He was likely furious, she thought. She watched his big, burly head turn to see the three arrow-filled bodies that lay at the base of the tree. Then his gaze turned back toward her.
Skye stood still, not knowing what to say. When he slowly lumbered his way toward her, she stood her ground. She knew that either of them could have been fatally injured due to her foolhardy excitement. With slow movements Aiden came to stand in front of her. His large, green eyes roamed her body, checking for injuries. He circled around her, continuing his inspection. When he was directly behind her Aiden pushed his snout in the center of her back, causing Skye to stumble forward. A low grumble came from behind her and she realized that it must be laughter.
Skye sighed with intense relief. He was not angry with her, he was toying with her.
“You brute.” She muttered.
Again the bear rumbled.
Skye slid her bow back over her shoulder, feeling awkward with it in her hand as the bear bumped and prodded her.
“Quit it!” she slapped at his snout when he had pushed her over to her knees. Skye scrambled to her feet and rounded on him. “It’s not funny.” She laughed, negating her statement.
Aiden sat down on the ground in front of her. He released a large rush of air.
“What?” she asked.
Again he chuffed.
Skye stood facing him, waiting, not knowing what it was that he was trying to say.
With aching slowness, Aiden leaned forward and placed his cold nose under her hand. He lifted his head so that her hand slid along his snout and rested on the soft fur of his head.
Skye’s mind flashed back to their childhood, when her hand had brushed the same path. Her heart felt as if it were about to explode in her chest. She had never been more nervous in her life, though she could not say exactly why. She allowed her fingers to fan over his head, tentatively waiting for his reaction. His great bear eyes drifted closed and he leaned into her hand.
Skye took a deep, steadying breath. She smoothed her hand over his head, brushing back his ear, and allowing her fingers to sink into the deep fur of his neck. For a few moments they stood like that, Skye simply running her fingers through Aiden’s coat while he sat still as a rock.
Eventually, he opened his eyes and nudged her other hand with his nose.
“Aye, aren’t you demanding.” She scolded with a smile but complied. Both hands stroked his face. At one point she flattened both of his rounded ears to his head. “You look ridiculous like this.” She laughed.
Aiden shook his head, freeing his ears, and snorted at her in annoyance. This made her laugh even harder. As ferocious as the bearmen of Clan MacConaill were, there was something endearing about the animal side of them. Though they hated to be called it, they were like great pets to the women of the clan.
Before she had considered what she was doing, Skye had flung her arms around the great furry neck of the bear and hugged him with all of her strength. One great paw wrapped around her waist and Aiden tumbled onto his back, pulling her with him. Skye giggled at the great mass of fur that surrounded her; she had never witnessed one of the men behave so playfully, though she knew it was common. She climbed awkwardly away from the rolling mound that was Aiden and ordered him to get up.
“Go make yourself decent.” She instructed between laughs. “Then bring the horses back and help me collect these pelts. There is no sense in letting them go to waste.” Aiden walked very close as he passed her, allowing Skye to run her hand over the smooth fur the entire length of his spine. It was not until he disappeared into the woods that she
truly began to realize how rare and strange a moment that had been.
Skye refused to allow herself to dwell on it. She pulled her dagger from her belt and began to skin the wolves. She needed to keep busy until Aiden returned, and she refused to allow her mind to recreate the images of that most recent memory.
It was not long after that Aiden, once again dressed in his kilt, led the horses through the forest to join her in the task. Skye was pleased to see that the seasoned hunting horses did not balk at the scent or sight of blood. Together they made quick work of the wolves. Three large pelts and two smaller, from the wolf that Aiden had mangled, were rolled and tied to the back of their saddles.
Skye glanced down at her blood-streaked body.
“I think my brother will know what we’ve been up to.” She spread her hands to her sides so that Aiden could take in the gory mess that she had become. “Do you regret the pants now?” she teased.
“I must say, you look a sight better covered in a gown than blood. But,” Aiden kicked his horse forward and waved for her to follow. “Your brother will not know where you’ve been.”
Aiden refused to answer Skye’s requests for information as to where he was leading her. Instead, he led them deeper and deeper into the forest. Skye looked up at the bright sun. Not much of the day had passed, and yet so much had happened. She guessed that those in the castle were only now finishing their morning meal.
When Aiden finally stopped his horse, Skye could hear the tinkling of rushing water ahead. She dismounted and followed him through the thick brush to reveal a small spring that was steaming among the rocks.
“A hot spring.” Skye gasped. “I’ve heard tales that they bring bad omens.” She glanced at Aiden to see if he had heard the same.
“Nonsense.” He laughed. “My brothers and I have been swimming here for ages, and our father before that. Go ahead and rinse your clothes out, hand them to me and I will hang them to dry. It doesn’t take long with the strong breezes that blow this time of year.”