Highland Charm: First Fantasies

by April Holthaus

  Wrapped in his arms, Ella peered up at him. Galen gave her a distant and familiar look. It was a look of dismissal, a look Ella had seen before, the very same look she gave to those who stood before her in the temple when she judged their fate. Now Galen was judging her.

  Galen rode the entire way back without saying a word. He needed to find the right words to say. Had she been one of his men, he would’ve scolded her and considered meting out a few lashes, but if he had not kissed her, she never would have run away in the first place.

  “Lass, do ye have no’ sense about ye? Ye could have been killed. And ye put me and my men in danger as well. Ye must promise me that ye will no’ do anymore foolish things. Ye are no’ a prisoner, but I verra well cannae allow ya to leave this castle unattended in the middle of a winter storm. If the wolf had nae killed ye, the storm might have. I promised ye that once the storm passes I will take ye home to yer family. Now, do ye promise to no’ runaway again?”

  Galen waited for her to nod before letting her down from the horse. Narrowing her eyes, the stubborn lass held out for a moment, as if she was considering another option. Once she complied, he dismounted first. Holding his arms up to grab her waist, he set her down and released her. Immediately, she turned and walked back into the castle. Galen wanted nothing more than to sweep her up into his arms and kiss every inch and curve of her body, but he would be cautious the next time he attempted any advances.

  Chapter 15

  For the next two days Ella did not leave her room and refused visitors. Not because the door was barred shut, or she was shackled in chains, but from fear of her developing feelings for Galen. In such a short time she had become a traitor. Had someone at home done so, she would have followed through with a harsh punishment.

  Each day Galen came to visit her, but she had to restrain herself from opening the door. If Galen learned the truth about her, it would change everything. She needed to keep her distance, and he needed to be nothing more to her than just a means to return home.

  Ella sat solemnly on the chair facing the window. The weather had taken a turn for the worse as a wicked storm blew in. She spent her days paging through the book and watching the peasants in the bailey below clearing away snowdrifts and shoveling walking trails between the outbuildings.

  For two days the sky had been dark and gloomy, much like her mood, but on the third day the sky lightened as the sun struggled to peek through the congested clouds. Sunbeams burst through the clouds, sending down shards of light like spears pointing toward the earth.

  Tired of her self-imposed solitude, Ella grabbed her leather satchel and dumped the runes out into her palm. Rotating them within her hand, she fiddled with them for a long while before she asked her question. When will I return home? Opening her palm out flat, she searched for her answer.

  Each of the stones was face down, only revealing their black, unmarked side. It was the most puzzling and peculiar thing. She had asked the same question over a dozen times. She had shuffled them, rotated them, even shook them up in her hands, and each time, the stones faced downward, not giving her a hint of an answer. The first half dozen times, Ella had become so frustrated she threw the stones repeatedly against the wall, cursing them, but now she just felt drained. Ella thoughtlessly stared out the window.

  Drops of water fell from the window casing and dripped into a small puddle on the windowsill as the snow on the roof began to melt. The constant tapping sound was like seconds of time passing by. There was a reason the portal opened when it had. There was a reason she’d heard a voice calling out to her. And there was a reason she was meant to be here. It was why the stones had not given her the answer she wanted. The answer was still out there waiting for her to find it. And it was maddening that it was taking this long.

  ~ ♥ ~

  Galen slammed the ledger down on his desk. His mind was clouded, making it hard to concentrate on anything. No matter how hard he tried, life always had a way of kicking him in the balls.

  “I have reconciled this damn thing twice, and still these counts dinna make sense.”

  Sitting opposite him, the look in Alex’s eyes was unnerving. It was as if he too mocked Galen’s inability to count. After spending so much time with the lass, Galen had begun to notice that facial expressions and body language spoke volumes, and had become like a second language to him.

  “What?” Galen impatiently asked.

  “Forgive me, but I have noticed that ye have been verra distracted as of late.”

  “Why do ye say that?”

  “In all honesty, I have explained the situation of the missing inventory three times, only ye have no’ been listening. Tis like ye are here, but also someplace else.”

  Had Galen not been of sound mind and body, he felt his mind was so scrambled that he could very well believe he were in multiple places at once. With his elbow resting on the top of the desk, he rested his head in his hands. Alex was right. He had not been able to concentrate on his work since his quarrel with the lass two nights ago. She had been nothing but a distraction since she had come here. She had gotten under his skin, and he did not even know her bloody name. How could he have fallen so hard for a lass he knew nothing about?

  Alex chuckled.

  “What the hell are ye laughing about?”

  “Only that I must say ‘tis about bloody time!”

  “Bloody time for what?”

  “That ye have found a lass who fights with as much passion and conviction as ye do. Tis no’ a secret that ye care fer the lass. Love can transpire even when ye least expect it. And it does no’ matter that she canna speak. Sometimes, love is more than just words.”

  “Even if I did think highly of the lass, she will no’ even see me. I was verra hard on her when she ran away, and has kept her here against her will only to protect her. I yelled at her but I realize now that I wasn’t even mad.”

  “Stubborn lassies are known to hold a grudge or two. Tis how they keep their hold on us men.”

  Galen knew there was only one thing he could do to make her happy: keep his promise. With the passing of the storm, Galen knew the weather would be warm enough for travel. As he packed for the journey, he made certain they had enough provisions to last a week and enough coin to last a month. His only hope was that the threat McGregor held against his clan held off long enough for him to return. He could just as easily send one of his men to escort the lassie home, but as Laird he felt obligated, not to mention his own selfish reasons for doing so.

  When he finished packing and making arrangements, he headed up to the tower room. Once he reached the door, he knocked softly. Knowing she would not answer, he chose to speak to her through the door.

  “Lassie, I know ye are angry wit’ me, and I dinna fault ye fer that. Ye have a reason to be. I will admit I was angry when ye ran away. No’ because I wish to keep ye here, but because I was… afraid. I was afraid that something bad could have happened to ye and I would no’ have reached ye in time. The truth is, I am no’ as brave as ye are. Each day ye have surprised me and I find that most alluring about ye. My intentions all along were to take ye home. I never mean to make ye feel like a prisoner here, and I did no’ meant to frighten ye away when I kissed ye. I am begging fer yer forgiveness. Therefore, I have come to tell ye that the weather has warmed and I am ready to take ye where ever it is ye wish to go. ”

  Galen stopped speaking when he heard the sound of chair legs scooting across the floor followed by soft footsteps nearing the door. Slowly, the handle turned and the door opened. Galen took a breath of relief. Looking down at the lass, her unparalleled beauty left him breathless. Dressed in a ruby-red gown with her hair braided to one side she looked like a temptress. For the first time in a long while, he felt grounded, complete. Something he hadn’t felt since he was young.

  “I meant every word. It was probably the most open and honest thing I have ever said before. Are ye ready to go home?”

  The lass looked at him as if she’d just been giv
en her freedom. Her eyes glistened with happiness, which was more than Galen would have expected. With a soft smile, she nodded.

  “We leave within the hour.”

  Chapter 16

  The horse trotted gracefully through the heavy snow. Galen saw no need to pick up the pace, which Ella was grateful for. He informed her that they were heading toward the village where he had found her in hopes that she could lead him the rest of the way. But there were two problems with that plan. For starters, she had no idea where the portal was. The second problem with this plan was him. She could not very well just walk through a magical portal and hope that he would think nothing of it. She was going to have to find the tree and convince him to trust her enough to leave her. But she knew that was not going to be easy.

  Ella had hoped that her anxiety would distract her enough to ignore the fact that Galen had his arm tightly wrapped around her waist, but it was no use. It was pure torture. She wanted nothing more than to have his arms wrapped around her, to feel his lips on hers again. Conflicted by what she wanted to do and what needed to be done tore through her like a dull knife. A part of her wanted to return to her world, yet the other half wanted him as well. She could not have both.

  Her anxiety started to build once the village came into view. She felt like bursting into tears. I must be strong, she told herself. It will all be over soon.

  Before Ella knew it, they rode up to Evelyn’s cottage. It had seemed like a lifetime had passed since she had been there.

  “There is something I need to take care of before we leave. If ye wish, ye can visit wit’ Evelyn until I return.”

  Galen dismounted and led the horse to the stable with Ella still sitting in the saddle. Once inside the barn, he lifted his arms and firmly grabbed onto her waist. Slowly, he lowered her to the ground. For a moment she stood before him, looking up at him in deafening silence. His eyes looked sad, and his face looked tired and forlorn. It made her feel worse. Senseless wishes, she thought, as her mind asked a thousand “what if” questions.

  If she had her voice and could say anything, she would thank him. Not only had he saved her twice, but had she never come here she would never have experienced such passion, such fervor. He had given her wonderful memories that she would cherish forever. Ella rose to her toes and placed a soft kiss to his cheek. She paused before lowering herself back to the ground. The smell of him drew her in like an aphrodisiac. She trembled, wanting to touch him. The tension between them was almost palpable. Her longing caused a pain in her chest. Ella parted her lips. She leaned toward him and looked into his eyes.

  The tension shattered like glass as Evelyn entered the barn. Ella jolted back as if she was afraid of being caught in his arms.

  “I thought I saw someone ride up,” she cheerfully said. “Lassie, tis good to see ye. Ye are looking well. Where are ye two headed?”

  “I am taking the lass home,” Galen replied.

  “I see. Well, if ye have time fer a short visit, I just made some vegetable stew. It will fill yer bellies fer yer journey.”

  “Thank ye. Why dinna ye and the lass head inside? I will be in shortly.”

  Galen’s voice was gruff with emotion. Evelyn linked her arm through Ella’s and started heading out the door. Ella turned her head back at Galen. Their eyes locked until Ella disappeared through the barn’s door and headed toward the cottage.

  Galen sat down on the bench behind him. Not wanting to read too much into the lass’ actions, he assumed the kiss was nothing more than a show of appreciation. The lass had no idea how hard it was for him not to just grab her and ravish her right then and there in the barn. To hell with what Evelyn would have thought if she had caught them together. Riding together on the horse was pure temptation, and he guessed he still had several more days until he returned her to her people. He didn’t know how much more he could take. Perhaps he should ask Warrick to continue the journey the rest of the way.

  Taking a deep breath, he stood to gain his bearings. Wiping his hand down his face, he headed toward the cottage. Inside he found Evelyn, Warrick and the lass sitting around the table enjoying a hot meal. Galen sat down with them as Evelyn handed him a bowl of stew. He couldn’t take his eyes off the lass.

  Before Evelyn had interrupted had them in the barn he could have sworn something was about to happen between them. The atmosphere had changed, and he’d seen longing in her eyes.

  Her belly full, Ella pushed the bowl away and smiled at Evelyn in gratitude for the meal. With her hands resting on her lap, she nervously fidgeted with her fingers. She knew that she and Galen would head out soon, while the sun was still high in the sky. Throughout the meal, she kept taking small glances toward Galen. Each time she looked he seemed to be stealing glances as well, as if the two of them shared a secret.

  Galen, however, seemed to keep himself occupied speaking with Warrick about battle with another clan. Apparently his clan was at war with another. It sounded very much like the conflict in her own world between the two kingdoms. She felt disturbed thinking of Galen heading off to battle, but wasn’t that exactly what she was doing?

  “Come wit’ me, Lassie. Let’s leave these men to their talks of war and self-approbation. Ye and I can have a more lady-like conversation of much more interesting gossip. There is much I wish to share.”

  Arm in arm, Ella walked with Evelyn out the back door and through what appeared to be a strange type of building full of plants and herbs. Evelyn spoke of her excitement for her bairn to be born and shared with her the list of names she had picked out if it were a wee lad or a lass.

  “Pardon my intrusion, but I must thank ye. I have never seen my cousin as happy as he is today. He had hardened over the years, and for the first time in what has seemed like forever he has no’ been able to stop smiling. Something tells me that ye might have something to do with that. Tis quite obvious ye share his feelings as well.”

  Ella felt her cheek blush with embarrassment. Was it that obvious?

  “Dinna be ashamed. I think it is positively wonderful. I dinna want to overstep my place, but I do hope that ye consider my cousin a good mon. He may be a bit hard-headed and arrogant at times, but he is a good mon. Just… sometimes, he dinna always let people in. Come, I want to show ye something.”

  Ella followed Evelyn outside down a beaten path, listening to the constant prattle of Evelyn’s interesting stories. Evelyn explained that her child was the first bairn to be born within the village after almost a decade. The wee town of Ferryden feared for their children after a terrible tragedy.

  Evelyn directed her to a small fenced-in cemetery with a cluster of headstones. Evelyn opened the gate and the two of them walked through the row of gravestones.

  “These are the graves of the children who used to live in the village. Ten years ago there was a wicked storm, but the truth behind what happened is still not known. Everyone in the village said that the children got caught out in the storm and died. But they ne’er found the bodies. The graves themselves are empty, but it dinna feel right no’ to have a place of mourning. Galen, on the other hand, believes something quite different. The night of the storm, he went on some crazy rant about the children. He claimed that a woman took them. Of course, as ye can imagine, the elders in the village thought him mad. When Galen refused to stop his allegations they banished him. He left fer a good six years before returning. He refuses to talk about it, but I know that he still believes what he saw. He was convinced that a witch took them; a Fae witch, of all things. Just between ye and I, there have no’ been stories of the Fae on Scottish soil for hundreds of years, and there has no’ been a sighting in over a century. If ye ask me, they are no more real than a mon who could predict the rain,” Evelyn confessed.

  At the mention of the Fae, Ella’s eyes shot wide open. The allegation of a Fae kidnapping human children seemed absurd. Why would someone do such a thing? As they reached the last grave marker, Evelyn crouched down.

  “This last one was my cousin’s childhood
friend. He will no’ admit it, but I know he misses her verra much. After all, she was his first love. Her name was LuElla but he called her Ella,” she said, as she wiped the snow off the face of the gravestone, exposing the name.

  LUELLA DUMONT 1391-1403

  At the sight of the name etched in stone, it was as if an arrow pierced Ella’s heart and then ripped back out. She felt as if the arrow left a tiny crevice, which widened, breaking her heart in two. Though the written word was still fairly new to her, she was very familiar with the spelling of her own name. Though Luella was her given name, she had always been known as just plain Ella. The only person who ever referred to her as Luella was Alaris.

  Ella’s mouth fell open. With a catch in her breath, she gasped. In utter shock, she scanned the grave markers once more. There were thirteen stones total. Each one had a familiar name, all members of the Order. Ella became agitated. Her hands became sweaty despite the cold, and her pulse quickened. Why was her name on that stone? On a gravestone, of all things! Searching her memory, the timeline Evelyn described would have been the same time she had joined the Order, ten years ago. Nay! It can’t be true! But looking at her name upon the grave marker, she knew it was. Was this it? Was this the reason the stones had sent her here, to discover the truth about who she was?

  None of this made sense. If her name was on that stone, that meant...

  Ella felt a bout of nausea rise in the back of her throat. She needed answers, but she was not going to find them here. She had to go back, to return to her realm. If what she believed was true, Alaris had known all along. Alaris must have been the witch Galen saw when he was a lad. Alaris had deceived her.