by Riley Moreno
‘Now now, my laird, easy with the kisses. We don’t want you to be late for your meeting, now do we?’
‘Why, would you seek to delay me? And your departure to Dunnotar?’ Tristan countered.
‘In a couple of weeks, you will be restricted in your enjoyment of your wife, so my darling, let’s enjoy all of this while we can,’ Ashley said, her voice thick with passion as she raised her skirt and climbed onto Tristan’s lap. He lifted his kilt, and as he pulled her closer, she felt his hardness sear into her core. She moaned blissfully and wrapped her legs around him, as he began to move her gently up, down and around his pulsating manhood. He kissed her with mounting passion, and she unbuttoned her blouse to free her breasts which he accepted gratefully – cupping and squeezing them, his tongue like a fiery dagger burning into her nipples. He took first one delectable tip and then the other between his teeth until Ashley cried out in agonized ecstasy as he continued his rhythmic gyrations inside of her. She took over and rode him, mindful of the life she carried within her, but eager to please her man, taking Tristan to an exquisite climax as his eyes hungrily fed on her breasts which wobbled and bounced with every thrust. She arched her back and pulled his head down to her nipples as she moaned and cried out his name, her senses filled with every inch of Tristan’s powerful member. As his seed spurted up inside of her, her body shuddered with the impact of her own climax, and a flame fanned out from the base of her belly to the top of her head, engulfing her in a warmth that she had grown familiar with, but one which never ceased to surprise her with its intensity.
‘I love you Tristan,’ she whispered, her lips and tongue in his ear.
‘Oh my darling, I love you!’ Tristan breathed, wondering as he did each time they made love, how he never tired of this moment, and how he never tired of her. He kissed each breast in turn before she put them away, and then he covered her face with kisses. ‘Promise me you will be safe, my Ashley,’ he said. ‘I know Leana and Bruce need you, so I won’t keep you back.’ He laughed as he nuzzled her neck. ‘You are a good rider, that I know,’ he murmured, and got a playful slap from his wife in response.
‘You know what people say about you?’ Tristan said, still nuzzling her neck and covering her throat with fiery kisses.
‘What?’ Ashley asked breathlessly, wondering how she would leave him now when she was still on fire for him.
‘They say you tamed me. That you tamed fiery Tristan Kincaid.’
‘And did I my laird?’ Ashley asked, unbuttoning her blouse again, sensing where the conversation was leading.
‘No. You made me wilder. You make me wilder,’ he groaned as he rocked her body again with another burst of intense passion. He fell back onto the bed afterwards, and she moved slowly off his lap, stroking his thighs, kissing the rippling muscles and admiring their strength. She cupped the base of his manhood as she slowly kissed and sucked the tip, tasting the residue of his spill, her lips and mouth stretching to accommodate his girth, aware that she could only take in part of his immense length, but eagerly moving her mouth up and down the shaft as Tristan bucked and groaned and thrust against her.
‘Give me your breasts,’ Tristan moaned, and Ashley leaned over him, lowering the large orbs to Tristan’s eager mouth. She watched him as he savored their fullness, feeling her own passion grow, then she turned her attention to his manhood again, wielding her tongue, lips, hands and fingers with skill, until Tristan pulled her head down over him and held it fast, now in control – moving it this way and that, gathering momentum as he climbed. Suddenly Ashley felt him stiffen, and knew he was peaking. She kept up the rhythm until Tristan roared and erupted in a series of violent jerks, his seed like molten jelly on her tongue, face, hands and eyes. For Ashley, pleasuring Tristan inevitably brought her to climax, and she lunged against his pelvis groaning rapturously, her senses inflamed; her body one with Tristan’s. They lay back panting, holding each other - soporifically replete.
‘You have a meeting with the clan chiefs, my love and I must leave for Dunnotar,’ Ashley said weakly.
‘Yes,’ Tristan murmured, his head cradled between her breasts, fast asleep.
It was an hour later when Ashley woke and hurriedly gathered her belongings together.
‘Tristan!’ She cried, waking him. ‘I must go. It is so late already, and you must meet the clan chiefs and then hurry to Dunnotar!’
Tristan jumped to his feet and began to tidy himself. He kissed Ashley and rushed away. Ashley sponged herself down, dressed again, and hurried from the room.
‘Christy! Bring Kirk to me!’ Ashley called out.
‘Yes my lady!’ Christy called, reappearing with Kirk, his wild red curls falling about his face.
‘Oh my little cherub!’ Ashley cooed, ‘I will miss you. But I must go to Aunty Leana and Uncle Bruce’s home and welcome their new bairn with them.’
‘Mama!’ Kirk said and held his arms out to her. ‘Oh, my darling one,’ Ashley crooned, taking him into her arms. ‘I will be back soon, you hear? Be good with Christy.’
‘Christy, keep my son safe and never leave his side, you hear?’
‘Yes, my lady,’ Christy answered. ‘The groom has your horse ready, my lady, and my laird is sending two guards with you.’
‘Dunnotar is far from here,’ Ashley said, ‘ I will be glad for the protection.’
CHAPTER VI
Ashley set off with the two men, one riding on either side of her. The wind was strong that morning, and she was grateful for the thick cloak that protected her. She kept her horse to a gentle canter, mindful of her swollen belly, but equally aware that there were not too many daylight hours left for the journey to Dunnotar. If only she hadn’t allowed herself to be distracted by Tristan, she thought, smiling despite her apprehensions about the journey. Her heart leapt, as it always did when she thought of her husband. Her mind went to Leana and she wondered if she was still in labor or if she had given birth already. She would have liked to have been there for her, like Leana was for her, when she was in labor; to keep Bruce company as he no doubt paced outside her Birthing Room. Ashley was deep in her reverie when the men on either side of her began to shout and urge her forward. She cried out as she saw horsemen advancing; her two guards inadequate protection against their swords and claymores. Ashley spurred her horse to a gallop, flying over the moors, her heart beating out of her chest as she fled from her pursuers; hoping she would soon be in sight of Dunnotar so that the guards would come to her rescue. But her pursuers were bearing down on her even as she approached Dunnotar and she saw that there was fighting on the moors, even as a strange army had surrounded the castle.
‘Lydell!’ Ashley exclaimed through clenched teeth, veering away from the castle, and hearing the pounding of horses’ hooves behind her. She turned around and saw she was being pursued by no less than a dozen horsemen, intent upon taking her captive or killing her. Afraid to stray too far from Dunnotar, she circled the castle from the back, hoping the Mackenzie army would come to her rescue and marveling at the intelligence that had prompted Lydell to attack when he knew the clan chiefs were involved in a meeting to discuss how they would take him down. She contemplated riding back to Lennox Castle, but as she wavered, irresolute, Lydell’s horsemen surrounded her.
Back at Lennox Castle the clan chiefs had gathered – their deliberations disrupted by a frantic messenger who told them of the attack on Dunnotar. Tristan jumped up, distraught, fearful for Ashley’s safety.
‘To Dunnotar!’ he shouted to the clan chiefs. ‘Summon all the clans!’ he instructed his men, and mounted his steed. ‘This time I will not let Lydell live!’ Tristan roared. ‘My wife is with child and I should never have given her leave to ride across the moor so inadequately protected.’
‘We do not know for sure that she is in danger,’ one of the chiefs said. ‘Bruce will save her if she is.’
‘My sister is in labor. How will Bruce even think of fighting at this time?’ Tristan’s voice grew more ragged as he rode,
his steed flying across the undulating landscape, clearing hillocks and rocks at a death defying speed. Emissaries of the Kincaid clan meanwhile sped to rouse the other clansmen, drawing them out of their houses and castles, and the moors came alive with a surge of horsemen galloping to Dunnotar.
Even as Leana cried out in the pain of childbirth, Bruce was alerted about the attack on his castle. The Mackenzie’s fought valiantly, holding Lydell’s army back, but Lydell had trained his army well and Bruce’s men were unprepared. Seeing the bloodshed in the Mackenzie ranks, Bruce rode out to face Lydell himself, leaving Leana to the protection of his guards.
As Bruce rode out, Lydell triumphantly displayed his captive, still seated on her horse, surrounded by the enemy.
‘Don’t listen to him Bruce!’ Ashley screamed to her brother, ‘Don’t listen to a word he says! Return to Leana’s side, and let your men fight this war until the united clan armies arrive!’
‘What do you want Lydell?’ Bruce shouted, looking from Ashley’s pale face to Lydell’s sneering countenance. ‘I will give you whatever you want if you only release my sister.’
‘No!’ Ashley screamed, ‘Don’t give in Bruce!’
‘I want you to return Dunnotar and my men,’ Lydell said, holding his sword to Ashley’s throat.
‘You will never get Dunnotar back you villain!’ Ashley roared, ‘It is my grandfather’s property – my mother’s – mine – and I have given it to Bruce! You will never have it…ever!’
Bruce was weary from his vigil outside Leana’s Birthing Room. ‘Let Lydell have whatever he wants, Ashley. I just want you alive.’ He addressed Lydell, ‘Let my sister go, and take whatever you want.’
Lydell threw his head back in a maniacal cackle of insane laughter, but just at that moment there was a thunder of hooves across the moors as the armies of the united clans began to arrive. Ashley looked wildly about for Tristan and the Kincaid clan but didn’t see them. Emboldened by the arrival of his allies, Bruce charged at Lydell, shouting to Ashley to ride away, but Lydell’s men were thick about her, barring any way of escape. As Bruce charged at him, Lydell flung out his claymore and charged at Bruce and Ashley screamed and fainted, falling from her horse as Lydell’s claymore pierced Bruce’s side. Blood gushed from his wound, flowing across the heather as Bruce clutched his side and crawled towards Ashley.
‘Ashley! Ashley!’ Bruce shouted as the united clan armies surged towards Lydell’s men. ‘Ashley, are you alright?’ Bruce looked at his sister’s ashen face in dismay, and then with a roar, gathered whatever vestiges of strength were left to him and ran at Lydell, who stood triumphantly over his daughter. Bruce caught Lydell off guard, sinking his sword into his chest and as Lydell keeled over and fell, Bruce fell too, and the three Mackenzies lay in the dust as the men battled around them.
When Tristan arrived on the scene Lydell’s men were already on the run, and he roared as one in pain, going from Ashley’s inert body to Bruce’s. He saw Lydell lying on his back, his eyes wide and staring and then ran back to Ashley and Bruce to see if there was even the whisper of a pulse in either of them.
‘A medic! We need a medic!’ Tristan cried, desperately going from Ashley to Bruce and back again. Then he picked Ashley up in his arms and ran back to Dunnotar Castle, even as two men from the Kincaid clan picked up Bruce and bore him to his home.
When the medic came, Tristan was beside himself. ‘Save them!’ he cried, ‘Save them!’
Ashley was taken to a room and examined and Tristan paced the corridors until the medic reappeared. ‘She is alive,’ he told Tristan, ‘but I’m afraid she has gone into labor ahead of time.’
‘Can I go to her?’ Tristan asked, fear rising in his gut.
‘No,’ the medic said, ‘Not now. The midwife is attending to her.
Tristan watched the medic work on Bruce, and pled with him to save his life.
‘Bruce!’ Tristan called to him, ‘Bruce, talk to me! Please talk to me!’
‘He has lost much blood and has also lost consciousness,’ the medic said, staunching the blood and pouring salves and ointments over the wound before he began to put stitches in to seal the wide gash.
‘Will he live?’ Tristan asked.
‘He has a strong body. We hope for the best,’ was all the medic could say.
Tristan left Bruce to the medic’s ministrations and went to look for Leana. There were maids fluttering about anxiously everywhere.
‘Where is my sister?’ Tristan asked, ‘Is she still in labor?’
‘The midwife has left her room to attend to the lady Ashley,’ one of the maids said, ‘My lady Leana has already given birth – to a son.’
Tristan smiled through his weariness and asked to be taken to Leana’s Birthing Room. ‘Don’t tell her about the laird’s condition,’ Tristan cautioned the maids, ‘We need her to be happy for her new bairn.’
‘Yes, my laird,’ the maids chorused.
‘When was the baby born?’
‘In the morning, my laird.’
‘So the wee laddie’s dadaidh has seen him then?’
‘Yes, my laird Bruce has seen his son,’ the maid answered.
Leana’s eyes lit up when Tristan entered.
‘Why do you look like you have been in a fight?’ She asked, smiling up at her brother.
‘Because I rode like the wind from Lennox and only got here a short while ago,’ Tristan answered. ‘Show me my nephew!’
‘Here he is,’ Leana said, drawing Tristan’s attention to the little baby in her arms.
‘And what have you and Bruce named him?’
‘Callum,’ Leana said, looking adoringly down at her newborn. ‘Callum Mackenzie.’
‘Well, isn’t our wee Callum a handsome laddie?’
‘Like his father…and uncle Tristan,’ Leana said, smiling.
‘Thank you for being here Tristan,’ Leana said.
‘I wanted to get here earlier, but…circumstances prevented me.’
‘Where is Ashley?’ Leana sensed that something was not quite right. ‘And where has Bruce gone?’
‘Ashley was unable to take the journey,’ Tristan lied, mindful not to let Leana know that all was not well.
‘Bruce is organizing a celebration. After all, you have given him an heir, so he is down there with his men.’
‘How come I don’t hear the pipers?’
‘You will – soon,’ Tristan said. ‘I must go and join the celebrations.’
He went outside and called the maids.
‘Summon pipers and fiddlers and bid them play as for a celebration. We must let the lady Leana believe that the laird is celebrating the birth of his heir and not lying unconscious from loss of blood.’
The maids scurried away and Tristan went to find the medic.
‘Come quickly,’ the medic said, and Tristan’s heart raced. ‘What is it? Is everything alright?’
‘Follow me,’ the medic said and led the way to the room where Ashley lay. Tristan burst through the door, expecting the worst, and his heart leapt when he beheld his wife, holding their newborn.
‘Oh my Ashley! You are alright!’
Tears dripped down her cheeks, ‘Oh Tristan! This little one was born too early, and it’s all my fault. I wanted to be a hero, riding out to be by Leana’s side when I should have stayed home, like other sensible women do, and taken care of myself.’
‘Hush now, and show me my bairn.’
Ashley held her arms out, where lay a very small baby. ‘You have a daughter Tristan Kincaid,’ Ashley whispered.
‘Vivienne Kincaid, welcome to our world,’ Tristan whispered.
‘That’s a beautiful name,’ Ashley smiled. ‘She’s so tiny, will she be alright?’
‘She will grow stronger every day and will be a fighter like her mother,’ Tristan said.
‘Says the god of the highlands,’ Ashley laughed and kissed her husband.
‘I will be back shortly, my darling,’ Tristan said, ‘Do you hear the pipers and
fiddlers? I must join Bruce in the celebration. You do know he and Leana have just had a son, don’t you?’
‘Oh Tristan! That’s wonderful news! I’ve been so caught up with my recent setbacks that I never thought to ask after Leana. Shame on me!’
‘Well, she and Bruce have a handsome young boy called Callum.’
‘And I am an aunt!’ Ashley said happily. ‘Can I go and see Leana?’
‘You have both been advised not to leave your rooms, so do not move. And I have had more guards posted around Lennox castle, and sent word for Laren and Lachlan to watch Kirk as well as Christy, so have no worry about your son. I will ride back tomorrow and bring him here.’
‘Thank you my darling,’ Ashley said, lying back exhausted.
‘You take care of our daughter and get her nice and strong,’ Tristan said, and left the room.
He found the medic again and asked after Bruce.
‘The young man will live,’ the medic said, leading Tristan into the room where he was tending to Bruce. ‘He is conscious now.’
Tristan prevented himself from letting out a loud cry of triumph and joy as he rushed to Bruce’s side.
‘Tristan!’ Bruce said, barely above a whisper.
‘He is still very weak,’ the medic cautioned.
‘Bruce! My brother! I am so happy to see you and to see your son Callum!’
Bruce attempted a smile. ‘I am in pain or I would go to Leana. Please don’t tell her what just happened. How is Ashley?’
‘Ashley is well. Though she has delivered our baby ahead of time – a little girl, Bruce. We’ve called her Vivienne.’
‘A girl! I can’t wait to see her. Does Ashley know what happened to me?’ Bruce asked.
‘Both our wives think we are out celebrating the birth of Callum,’ Tristan laughed.
‘Are those pipers playing? I wondered if I was imagining things.’
‘I had them brought in to simulate a celebration so that no questions were asked. We need our babies fed and I’m told that any sudden shocks could halt the milk,’ Tristan said sagely.