“Alright. I will head up there now to speak to her.”
Walking up the stairs slowly, he thought of how he would kindly refuse her offer. Though the union between their two clans would have been beneficial, marrying her would be unfair. He could never love Braelyn the way she deserved.
Opening the door to his solar, Galen stepped in to find Braelyn sitting near the fireplace reading a small leather-bound book.
“Lady Braelyn. I hope I have no’ kept ye. Accept my apology fer my tardiness.”
Braelyn raised her eyes from her book and set it down on the table next to her.
“Tis alright. A good woman is expected to wait fer her mon. Though I will admit, I waited longer than I had expected. Ye will be happy to know that I have made all of the arrangements, so beyond a few signatures we should be all set.”
“All set?”
“For the wedding, of course,” Braelyn replied as she stood up from the chair and moved closer to Galen.
“Braelyn, I ne’er agree to a wedding. And I ne’er gave ye my answer.”
“Well, no’ in so many words. Of course, I did arrive a day earlier than ye expected, so I understand if I caught ye off guard. Please dinna tell me ye changed yer mind.”
As Braelyn walked closer to him, Galen found himself stepping back from her, as if her very presence threatened to squeeze the life out of him. His ribs were bruised enough as it was from being held against the tree in the other realm. Had Ella not saved him, he might never have returned.
Braelyn’s soulful longing made this much more difficult. Galen was a warrior, but never a man who would intentionally hurt a woman. In this case, however, Galen did not see any way around it.
“My lady, a mon would be a fool to no’ marry ye. But I am that fool. I can no’ marry ye. No’ today, no’ ever.”
Braelyn’s sad eyes popped open, as if she was surprised to hear his answer. She was not a lady accustomed to hearing the word no. Pursing her lips to a thin hard line, Galen could see her fury and waited for the worst. Seeing her struggle to stay calm, Galen waited for her reply.
“Might I inquire why? Seems foolish to no’ unite our clans after all I have offered. Yer wee clan can no’ survive without my resources.”
“My clan has thrived fer the past two hundred years since we’ve settled on this land wit’ out yer father’s help. And I expect that we will prosper fer the next two hundred as well,” Galen rebutted.
Braelyn laughed.
“There are only two reasons ye would refuse my offer. Either ye are daft or someone else has caught yer eye. I have known ye a long time, Galen, so I know that ye are a mon of business and a proud warrior so I am inclined to assume that ye have another suitor in mind. Who is she?”
“She is of nay consequence to ye, Braelyn. Nor is she a threat. Now, ye have my answer, so I kindly thank ye to leave.”
Braelyn angrily walked back to the side table near the chair and snatched up her book. Throwing her cloak over her shoulders, she glanced back at Galen. The anger in her eyes would heat a room. Galen had expected this reaction. With his hands folded behind him, he interlocked his fingers and quietly waited for her to leave, though he expected a dramatic exit.
“Ye are a foolish mon, Galen Graham. Good luck then, to ye and yer whore,” were Braelyn’s last words before storming out the door.
Galen could hear the heels of her shoes clatter on the floor as she stomped down the hallway toward the stairs. He was so worried about hurting her feelings, but in the end, he thought her behavior showed a lack of sincerity, and had no doubt that she would easily move on to the next available suitor. After all, she was infamous for a reason.
~ ♥ ~
With Galen safely back in his world, Ella turned to face Alaris. The other members of the Order had been fighting valiantly, but without Ella fighting with them, Alaris’s powers were just too great. The wind blew like a tornado, making it a tremendous struggle to keep her feet to the ground in the face of its force. Holding the staff in her hand, Ella pointed it at Alaris as bolts of blue flames shot out the end of it. Alaris successfully blocked each strike against her.
Sparks of fire shot back and forth between the trees. Ella veered side to side to deflect the counter attacks. She could feel the thundering in her chest, the shaking of the ground beneath her feet as the earth quaked. With the power of the staff, Ella created a shield around herself as red-orange balls of flame rained down around her like the blazing inferno of Hades. Lightening flashed across the raven black sky. The deafening sounds boomed and bellowed throughout the forest. The fire fight was engulfed by a gale of wind, which started to become perilous for all of them. Ella took a moment to recharge her own energy.
In the brief moments of tomb-like silence, Alaris called out, “Have I not given you everything? Have I not created a world for you in which you can live without fear or pain?”
Alaris’s expression turned grim.
“You have lied to us, deceived us. You have taken us from our homes, our families, for what? To help create an army against Greylyn. We will no longer be your puppets. We will no longer stand with you in battle. We stand together, against you,” Ella cried out over the howling wind.
Alaris’s lips curled and formed a partial smile.
“Well, haven’t you become the brave one?” she asked, directing her question to Ella.
Alaris took a step back. Noticing she was up to something, Ella raised the staff again and shot another strike at her. But before the others could join in the attack again, dark smoke suddenly rose from the ground beneath Alaris’s feet, swelling around her like a dust storm. Within moments, she vanished with the wind, leaving specks of dirt to embrace the ground.
“Find her! Search everywhere; she must be found!” Ella ordered as they rode off after her.
For days they searched, only to find no trace of her. Ella dreadfully walked the hall of Greylyn Castle. They had searched everywhere for Alaris, to no avail. It was time to ask the Queen for help. Heading down the hall, Ella collected her thoughts. Her charge against Alaris had created a different kind of war. She worried what was going to become of her people; become of her. Once you cross, you can never cross again. With so many questions hanging in the balance, she waited with bated breath for her audience with Lady Talara.
Entering the great hall, she found Talara standing on the top step of the platform. Her long, blue flowing dress draped the steps like a waterfall. Talara stood stoically, her expression was calm and impassive, completely unaffected by the dire circumstances at hand. Ella had let Alaris slip through her fingers, and she was ready to take full responsibility.
“My Lady, I cannot begin to express my shame for what has happened.”
“Tis not your fault. My sister is a cunning witch and unpredictable; you could not have known. No one could have. Alaris has gone into hiding but I have sent my best men to search the four corners of our world. She cannot stay hidden forever. Do not blame yourself, child. You have done more than you think. I owe you a great deal of debt for what you have done and all you have sacrificed.”
“What happens now? To our world?”
“I do not know the fate of our world. Only you hold the answer to that.”
“I don’t understand.”
“The stones say, ‘Within the darkness, there is a light. As the Child of Light brightens, shadows will fade and Darkness will fall. But the child born of two worlds must choose one over the other.’ It was foretold in the prophecy. You, Ella, are the child of light. A human child brought to this world to end the darkness. You were chosen by our ancient elders the day Alaris stole you from your world. Alaris was condemned to the dark kingdom by the elders. On that day, she had a curse placed upon her that could have only been unlocked by a child. A child she was forever forbidden. When she chose you as her successor, the prophecy was therefore set in motion. With you in power, Alaris stood to lose hers.”
“When I came here and asked for your help, did you know?”
“Yes, but it was for you to learn. Had you known your fate, the prophecy may have changed. I am sorry for the pain it has cost you.”
“What does it mean? I must choose one over the other?”
“It means you have a choice. You can either stay here as you are and rule the Kingdom of Andor, or you can return to the mortal world as the human you are.”
“I can return?”
“Yes. But know this: if you choose to stay, you will not be able to return to the mortal world. The portal will be forever closed to you, and all memories and knowledge of the human world will be lost to you forever. If you decide to return to the mortal world, you will no longer be able to reopen the portal. All of the powers bestowed upon you by Alaris will no longer exist.”
“But what of Alaris?”
“With you gone, she will be able to return. You were the key to her undoing.”
Ella’s two options were bleak, which made it almost impossible to decide. If she stayed it would create peace among the fae-folk she had known and loved, but she would never see Galen again nor would she ever remember life in the human world. She needed more time, but time was not available to her.
Never had life been this complicated. She had always known her destiny, but it was a destiny that Alaris had bestowed upon her. How different things would have been had she not been caught out in the storm that fateful day? She had already sacrificed so much. Was she willing to sacrifice more? Her decision came down to either doing what she felt was best for her people, or what she felt in her heart.
“I know this decision does not come easy,” Talara said, with a tender heart.
Ella looked back at Talara. She knew what she must do.
“I’ve made my decision,” she replied.
Chapter 23
The warm sun shone over the castle, melting the bitter snow; the first sign of winter’s end. It had been three days since Galen returned. Three long and agonizing days, he reminded himself. Everything in the castle had returned to its normal order, and plans were already in the works for the new crop addition in the southern edge of their land. With the peace treaty with McGregor signed, everything was running smoothly; everything except Galen.
Like at the end of a lost battle, Galen aimlessly walked the halls, wondering what he could have done differently. But there was no going back; only forward. Though things had not worked out as he’d hoped, he was grateful that she’d come into his life when she had. She had opened his eyes and taught him patience and courage to face his past. For the first time, he now knew exactly what he wanted and felt ready to take on the world. There were so many things he had been putting off, and it was time to let go of his past and focus on his future.
Galen watched his men in the great hall for a moment before joining them. Well into their cups, they laughed and retold stories of battles and beauties they had conquered. Everything was exactly as it should be.
Sitting down among them, Galen grabbed a mug of whiskey and regaled them with an adventurous story about an unbelievable journey. He left it to them to decide whether he spoke the truth of it or told a simple fable, because in truth it was a little of both. Caught in a world between reality and fantasy, even Galen could not tell which was which. Up was down, left was right, but the one thing that remained constant in his story was that it was full of promise and love.
As Galen finished his story the men looked at him in utter dismay.
“That’s it? What happened to the witch? What happened to the lass?” Alex asked.
“Well, how does it end? Ye cannae tell a story wit’ no ending,” Brandon added.
Galen shrugged and gave them a vacant look. There was no end.
“The hero gets the lass, of course,” a sweet feminine voice answered behind them.
At the sound of her voice, Galen’s breath seized. The spoken words woke the depths of his soul. With his hands beginning to tingle, he dared a look over his shoulder at the angelic voice. Jolting from his chair, he stumbled and stared wide-eyed like a startled deer. Ella! Galen’s heart beat skipped. With a sly smile, he asked, “And did this hero and the lass live happily ever after?”
Galen moved around the table and took small steps toward her. He walked steadily and with purpose. He meant to claim her. Claim those lips that he often dreamt about.
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“If the hero loved the lass as much as she loved him.”
Closing the gap between them, Galen pulled her into his arms. He could never tire from seeing her smile. For the ten years they were apart, he dreamt of her often. But now in the flesh, those dreams could not compare. Ella dazzled his senses and warmed his heart. Embracing her dark past, he loved her unconditionally, despite her faults and flaws.
Cupping her face in his large hands, his thumb gently rubbed along her cheekbone. This moment, unlike any other, made his heart swell. The passion between them made him feel alive as if his soul had lain dormant until now. Everything in his life had led up to this very moment.
With a heated gaze, he replied, “With all his heart.”
Lowering his head, his mouth took hers. The searing kiss caused Galen to grow hungry with need. With little protest, he lifted her into the air and charged up the stairs to his bedchamber taking two steps at a time.
As soon as they entered his chamber, he set her down and pressed her against the closed door, urgently kissing her as if his need would consume them both.
With great demand, their bodies pressed closer as their arms entwined around each other. Allowing her to take a breath, Galen softened the kiss and trailed a line of kisses down the arc of her neck. Ella groaned in the back of her throat. She fervently ran her hands down his back, wanting him, needing him. The heat building inside of her was like a dragon ready to break free.
Ella felt Galen’s hand rub up against her bosom as he began to loosen the ribbon laced on the bodice of her gown while he recaptured her mouth. Her lips parted as Galen swept his tongue across them. Her tongue brushed alongside his as she breathed him in.
Galen broke the kiss and gazed at her. With their hands interlocked it was hard to tell whose was whose. Galen momentarily stood and removed his plaid tartan. He leaned over, scooped up Ella, and gently laid her down on top of the bed. Taking in a lungful of air, Ella could hear the whisper of his breath as he exhaled. Kneeling beside her, he placed his hand on her leg and slid it up her thigh.
Ella felt as if the world was spinning. Her heavy breathing and the tingling sensation from his touch sent her to a state of tantalizing bliss. Pulling her dress up over her head, she lay naked before him. Just at the sight of the look on his face, Ella had no need for his words. She could see the passion and love in his eyes. Straddling over her, his lips descended to hers. With a loud moan echoing throughout the room, they joined together as one in both mind and body.
Mimicking his movement, Ella felt their bodies crash together like a tidal wave meeting the shore. She felt a flutter in her chest as a shiver of pleasure coursed through her. Closing the slightest distance between them, she held him tight against her bosom.
As Galen slowed his pace, she trembled beneath him. Her dry mouth became moist as Galen kissed her lips, sweeping his tongue inside her mouth. Her skin felt flushed as sweat beaded on her forehead.
As Galen thrust his hips, an urging demand threatened to explode inside of her as she matched his rhythm and tempo. Her heart hammered and pulsated in her chest. With each shudder her body made she felt weightless. She imagined herself in the midst of a storm, strong waves crashing against her body. Bellowing loudly to release the intensity of her climax, the storm lifted, and Ella sank to the bed, breathless. Her tired body rested in his arms though she felt not a bit of exhaustion. Her eyes became glossy as a surge of overwhelming happiness filled her heightened senses.
Panting to catch his breath, Galen kissed the top of Ella’s head and wrapped his arm tighter around her. As she lay in his arms, he lightly
traced a finger down her supple, rosy cheek to her soft, plush lips. He took the time to admire and study each line and curve of her face. She was beautiful, from her dark green eyes to the freckles that danced along her cheeks. Even the small unnoticeable imperfections were perfect. In this moment, he made a promise to himself that he was never going to let her go.
Ella lay with Galen’s arm wrapped around her, resting her head on his chest, and listening to the soothing beats of his heart. Galen stirred. Lifting her head, she gazed up at him. Galen opened his tired eyes and looked down at her with sweet tranquility.
“I never thought I would see ye again. I am never letting ye out of my sight. I may never even let ye out of this bed,” Galen teased, as he pressed a light kiss to her forehead.
“That’s too bad because there was one place I wished to go.”
“And where is that?”
“Do ye no’ still visit the stones?”
“The stones?”
“Galen Lucius Graham, dinna tell me ye have forgotten about our secret place.”
As much as Ella tried to keep a straight face, the confused look on Galen’s caused Ella to burst into laughter.
“Ye remember?” he excitedly asked.
“Aye. I remember everything.”
Galen swung himself on top of her like a young playful lad. With a wide goofy smile, he showered her with a series of kisses.
Giggling underneath him, she whispered, “I love ye Galen.”
“I love ye too.”
~ ♥ ~
By midafternoon, Galen and Ella rode to the hilltop to visit their secret place. So many memories flashed in Ella’s head. It was almost overwhelming as her entire life’s story played out in her mind.
Highland Charm: First Fantasies Page 59