by Mia Pride
“He could have asked me to leave with him, Ma.”
Her mother waved her off again. “Bollocks. Ye would never have allowed it. He saved ye from Caleb, lass. Show the man some appreciation.”
Swallowing hard, Morna tried to make sense of her mother’s logic, though it failed her. “Appreciation? He scared me nearly to death when he carried me out. When I saw Reaghan with Glennis, my heart nearly failed me, Ma! You want me to show my appreciation? How? By marrying him as he suggested? ‘Thank you, brave warrior, for kidnapping me in my sleep and almost causing me heart failure. Thank you for carrying me over your shoulder while I wore naught but a bloody nightdress! Aye, I will marry you and have your many children!’ Is that what you want me to say?” she hissed through clenched teeth, and stomped her foot on the rocky soil.
Elsbeth poked Morna in the ribs with her finger, causing her to wince in pain. “Something like that will do, aye.” Her mother walked away carrying Glennis and Morna stood alone with her mouth agape.
“How far is this tuath from here? I cannot very well carry Glennis about much longer. My arms ache.”
Brennain walked over… nay sauntered over and handed her a dry piece of meat. “I will carry her, do not fret. ‘Tis only over that ridge in the distance.” He pointed and leaned close to her. “We shall rest there for the night and have a cart by morning. The worst is over. You will see. Eat this, love. You need your strength.” He handed her the meat and she swatted it away.
“I am not your love.”
“That is not for you to say,” he countered.
“Well… you are not my love,” she lied. She loved him so much that she thought her heart would rupture simply by speaking the false words, but she had a little dignity left and was determined to keep it.
His eyes sparkled as green as the hills in the distance and she caught her breath. It was like staring into forever. She was not ready for that. Mayhap she had been once before, but she had a hard time believing he could mean what he said to her. He was a man known for his sweet words and tempting touch. She had easily fallen for him two years ago and that had not ended well for her. And now, she was on this foreign shore with no choice but to follow him wherever he led. By taking her from home, he had taken away all her free will… not that she had had much with Caleb, either.
“Eat it, lass.” He shoved the meat into her hand and pulled a skin of water from his belt. “Drink some water.” Reluctantly, she did as he insisted, then found a bush to relieve herself behind. Within the half hour, they were on their way, following the sun in its journey to the west. Nola walked beside her silently while Brennain, true to his word, carried Glennis in his arms, making foolish sounds at her and making her giggle loudly. Morna could not help but smile. Her mother and Reaghan were in the back.
“Pa… pa,” Glennis said again, and grabbed Brennain’s nose with her hands.
“Not yet, lass… not yet.” Brennain turned around and flashed a smile at Morna. “But soon.”
Her heart stuttered despite herself. She had a feeling she was going to lose her own inner battle if he kept looking at her that way while holding Glennis is his arms.
Chapter Nine
By the time they reached the tall iron gates of Eblani, the tuath where Reaghan and Brennain had left their horses, and a great ally of Ráth Mór, the sun was making its descent and the wind had picked up enough to make the lassies shiver. He had wrapped Glennis in a wool blanket and sheltered her with his body most of the way, but the last hour Morna took her back and wrapped her up within his cloak that she still wore around her shoulders. Everyone was exhausted, and he was impressed with how well Elsbeth had done. More than once he had offered to stop with her and set up a fire while Reaghan went ahead and brought the cart, but the older woman brushed him away with a wave of her hand and kept trudging.
Nola had clung to Reaghan after awhile, and Brennain suspected Morna could have used the support as well but was too determined to keep her distance. Too bad he was equally determined to keep her close… very close.
All it took was a nod at the guards in front of the gates to slip inside. He had visited this tuath numerous times in his work for the High King. Not only were they one of the larger remaining villages that hadn’t merged into Ráth Mór, but they were the closest to the coast, which meant they were more than used to accepting travelers, merchants, and traders, and they had extensive fortifications and a large army of warriors to protect from invaders. When it was time to come together to battle Mal and the Rómánach, Eblani would be one of the first to heed Tuathal’s call.
Nola and Reaghan walked ahead of them, desperate to find food at the gathering hall, and Elsbeth had relieved Morna of Glennis as they followed behind Reaghan.
“You have been here before,” Morna observed when he nodded at men as they passed through the gates and headed toward the gathering hall.
“Many times,” he answered, slowing down his stride so he could walk beside her. “’Tis one of our biggest tuatha here in Ériu. After the war that led to the death of the false High King, Tuathal was crowned the true High King and he and his wife, my cousin Leannan, built Ráth Mór together, combining several smaller tuatha together into one stronghold. But Eblani is important, as it serves as protector of our Eastern Shore. I travel here every time I must cross the sea or if I simply need a safe place to rest.”
Morna gripped his sleeve and stopped in her tracks. He stopped beside her and looked down. “Your cousin is the High Queen of Ériu?” she gaped at him, and he shrugged.
“Aye. She met Tuathal before the Battle of Ériu a few years past. You shall meet her in a few days.”
“I will meet your entire family?” He saw her gulp and held back a chuckle.
“All three and twenty of them.” She blanched.
“My. That is… a lot of family. ‘Tis been only me and my mother for so many years. I do not think I am ready to meet your family, Brennain.”
“They will love you, Morna. You already know Maggie and Àdhamh. Maggie married my brother Flynn, so she is now my sister and Àdhamh married Mal Mac Rochride’s daughter, Elwynna. Do you recall Jeoffrey and Alastar? They were warriors for Miathi before they came to Ráth Mór.”
She nodded and pinked slightly in the cheeks. “Aye. I do remember. I fancied Jeoffrey for awhile… until his former betrothed, Clarice showed up injured and I helped nurse her back to health. She is a good woman. We became companions and I helped set her free when she was falsely accused of murder… remember, ‘tis how we met. I traveled to Caledonii where the trial was being held to speak on her behalf. You were there with your brother Flynn, Jeoffrey, and Alastar.
Brennain pulled her into him and felt the air leave her lungs and caress his face as she looked up to him in surprise. “Lass, I will never, ever forget the moment I met you. Not ever. I swear to you, my heart lurched and my stomach dropped. You were so caring, kind and shy. And, you were the bonniest lass I had ever seen. You still are, Morna. I hated having to leave you two years ago. I had to deliver Jeoffrey, Clarice, and Alastar back to Ériu. Maggie and Àdhamh came along, as well. I wished to ask you to come but was not certain you would have agreed. It all happened so fast.”
“I would have come, Brennain,” she whispered, and her warm breath fanned his lips. “It broke my heart when you left.”
Sadness clutched at him and he pulled her even closer, lowering his head. “It broke mine, as well. I vow I have longed to see you every day since. I was a fool to have left you behind. I refuse to make that mistake again.”
“So, you stole me away…” Was that a small smile gracing her lips?
“Aye. And I will not apologize. I want you and Glennis with me, Morna. Call me arrogant. Call me presumptuous. Call me anything you wish, but I know we are meant to be and I will prove it. You are mine.”
Gently, he took her lips with his and relished the soft sweetness of her mouth. She hesitated, and he thought for a moment that she would pull away and refuse his touch, but
blessedly she decided to allow him access to her sweet mouth. He groaned and gripped her hips, deepening the kiss, seeking her sleek, wet tongue. When she allowed him entrance, he could not help how quickly his cock hardened in his trousers. Gods, he wanted Morna more than he wanted anything on this bloody earth. He could not care that they stood in the middle of the village or that people walked past them all around. He was lost in the moment, lost in the feel of her, desperate for more.
He ground himself into her, letting her feel his hardness against her stomach. “This is what you do to me, love. Every time you are near. Every time I so much as think your name,” he whispered against her parted lips.
A strong wind blew, and his cloak whipped around her in the wind. She seemed to snap out of the moment and slightly pull away, realizing they had a small audience. “I am sorry,” she squeaked and flushed red, burying her face against his chest to hide her shame.
“I am not. Let them watch. To me, there is only you.” He rubbed her back in small circles and enjoyed the feel of her heart beating against his own.
“You say such things…” she murmured into his chest.
“I mean every single word.” He kissed the top of her head, loving how the last light of the sun shimmered in her waves, making them look like spun gold. “Come. Let us catch up with the others. We will need to eat and find lodging for the night.”
She nodded and began to walk, but he made certain to keep one arm tightly around her waist. If she wished to protest, she did not say a word and he felt he was making progress breaking down her resistance.
When they arrived at the gathering hall, there were loud, shouting voices, laughter, candles, and lots of smoke the moment they opened the door. Narrowing his eyes and gripping Morna to his side, he navigated through the crowd, smiling and nodding at the familiar faces. He saw the back of Elsbeth’s head first, her silver hair shimmering in the low light, wispy tendrils escaping her bun. Glennis was sitting in her lap, eating soft bits of cooked carrots and meat from a savory smelling stew. His stomach growled, and he realized how very hungry he was, knowing Morna must be equally starving.
Flagging down a serving lass, he did not bother to look up at the woman when he requested two bowls of stew. Morna sat close to him and he could feel her thigh pressing against his. He loved any amount of contact with her, she felt so small next to him. He chanced looping his arm around her shoulders and silently whooped with joy when she did not shrug him off her.
“Brennain? Is that ye?” His eyes widened, and he looked up at the serving lass hovering above him. Her large breasts nearly fell out of her dress, which was the very first feature he had ever admired about Anna. Her long brown hair was plaited and hung over her shoulder, but he remembered what it looked like unbound and sprawled across the bed. He cringed and tried not to look at the woman who had shared his bed more than once when he was staying in Eblani. It had never meant more than pleasures of the flesh, but with Morna sitting beside him, he would prefer to avoid any of his past conquests. That would prove rather difficult with the life he had lived thus far, and he scolded himself for his years of philandering.
“Greetings, Anna,” he said, trying to sound casual and calm. “How have you been?”
She smiled widely and propped a hand on her hip, brown eyes sparkling with amusement when she saw his arm around Morna and the nervousness in his eyes. “I am well,” she smiled before going off to grab the stews. He blew out a sigh of relief that Anna was not going to attempt to discuss their past relations.
Morna looked at him and crinkled her nose. “That lass could use a larger bodice to cover her bosom.”
He cleared his throat and shifted nervously. “Aye, ‘tis the truth.” He tried to sound disgusted and appalled, but she narrowed her eyes at him.
“Is this what I am in for if I ever agree to be your wife?” She did not sound angry or accusatory, but he knew at that moment that Morna was more perceptive than he had expected.
“I do not know what you are referring to.” He reached over the table to grab a soft carrot from Glennis’s bowl and fed it to the wee lass who took it willingly with a smile and murmured, “Mama… mama…” repetitively as she squirmed in Elsbeth’s lap. Reaghan raised a brow at Brennain, which did not help his nerves.
“It is most obvious you have shared a bed with that lass. You became tense and a sheen of sweat broke out on your brow the moment she said your name.”
“That is ridiculous,” he murmured, wiping his brow with his tunic sleeve. “Is that how you see me, Morna?”
She scoffed and removed his arm from her shoulder. “That is how the world sees you, Brennain, because it is who you are.” She did not seem angry, or even jealous, just wary. Though he felt the sting of her words, he could not blame her. He had wanted to rip Caleb into pieces, and not only because he knew the man had shared Morna’s bed. How would he feel if he faced her lovers everywhere he went? He suddenly regretted the dozens of women he had bedded scattered across Ériu.
“I am sorry you see me that way.” She was angering him, and he was not used to being angry at a lass, especially Morna. He knew it was his own cursed fault, but he had told her she was it for him. He asked her to marry him. He stole her away from the man who would have essentially held her prisoner for years. What more must he do to prove he was no longer the man he used to be? How long would he need to pay for his past?
“Brennain…” she looked at him warily and sighed. “Do not forget it was only a sennight ago I witnessed you walking arm in arm with the two most awful lassies in Miathi. You may have decided not to go through with it at some point, but the intention was there, and they certainly thought so, too. They had their hands gripping your…” She cleared her throat and shivered. “I do not like thinking of it. The point is that it was not so long ago at all that you were still seeking new women to warm your bed, so please excuse me if I am unsure of your true nature or ability to even be loyal to one woman. I have already had a husband who would bed any lass who looked at him and I certainly do not need another.”
Standing up from the bench, she pushed the stew away and reached across the table for Glennis, who eagerly went to her mama and yawned, clearly ready to end the night. “The difference is that Caleb never held the power to break my heart, where you… well, you could very well destroy it.” She turned and slowly walked away and Brennain could not help the feeling of self-loathing running through him. He had never thought to take a wife, therefore never cared what anyone thought of his ways. Now, all he wanted was this one, beautiful, spirited lass and his past continued to creep up and pull her further away every time he thought he was making progress. How could he prove he would never turn his head or stray again, that she was all he wanted? Obviously, words were not enough. He had already said all those things and she still rightfully doubted him.
She stopped suddenly and turned back around to look at him, nibbling on her lower lip with a look of indecisiveness on her face. “I…” she sighed and shifted Glennis in her arms. His heart lifted, hoping she was going to say that she trusted him or that she would even give him a chance to prove himself. “I do not know where I am meant to sleep tonight,” she mumbled. Elsbeth stood up from the bench to follow her.
Disappointment was a constant companion and he should be used to it by now, but her words were not at all what he had hoped to hear. “I will show you to the hut I use when I travel here. We shall all stay there together. There are three beds and six of us…” He wanted to suggest Glennis sleep with Elsbeth, Nola sleep with Reaghan, and he and Morna would share, but he knew she would reject him outright and he could not handle more rejection tonight. He also was not at all certain Nola would be comfortable sharing a bed with Reaghan. There was no way he was sharing a bed with Reaghan, either.
“I will sleep with Glennis. My mother shall have her own bed, as will Nola if she chooses. I am certain you braw warriors have nay trouble sleeping on the floor.” She crooked her brow at him, as if she already knew w
hat he had been thinking. He nodded and walked past her, pushing through the thinning crowd in the hall, knowing the women followed. Reaghan knew the hut and would find it when he and Nola were ready. They had seemed in some sort of silent and awkward place the entire time, but Nola knew they were leaving and would have followed had she wished to.
Outside the stars shone brightly and he breathed deeply of the chilly spring night air. Fires still burned, though much lower now, and voices still chattered, though softer. The night was wearing down and he supposed he should try to find sleep as well and put himself out of his misery.
“Pa… Pa.” Glennis yawned loudly behind him and when he looked over his shoulder, he saw the wee lass reaching out for him. Morna looked at him intently, gauging his reaction and wondering how he would respond. He found that an easy smile slid across his face every time he looked at Glennis’s sweet face, short blonde curls, and blue-gray eyes. She was a force all her own and her innocence melted him through and through.
Brennain put his arms out, and she leaned forward so fast that Morna almost dropped her and he had to swoop in quickly to catch her before she fell head-first to the rocky ground.
“Whoa there, wee lass,” he chuckled, and swung her around, causing her to squeal. “You must be careful, now,” he chided.
“Mama. Papa. Seep?”
He furrowed his brow, trying to make sense of her words but Morna’s eyes bulged in horror and she shook her head. “Nay, wee one. He is not your papa and we are not all sleeping together.”
Glennis instantly began to wail and clench her fists. “Seep!” she pointed to herself. “Papa Mama seep!” she cried and squirmed in his arms.
“Nay, Glennis! And you cannot act this way and expect to get your way,” Morna said calmly, and ignored the tantrum.