by Sarah Thorn
''He agreed we need each other. The Sutherland clan is larger than it was last time they attacked us, and after Angus's death, Laird Sutherland has declared his intention to slaughter all of us.''
''Then she will marry Laird Muir's son?''
''Yes. She will unite the Muir Clan and the Irvine Clan, and together we will be able to defend ourselves.''
''And is he a good man? Eana is a sensitive, shy young woman, and she will need an understanding man.'' She stared at the swords hanging on the wall above them and hoped her daughter's new husband would love her.
''Eana is a lonely person. Her powers have alienated her and made her the object of Laird Sutherland's aggression.'' Laird Irving leaned towards his wife and spoke more softly. ''You and I know that her powers are good in nature, but people are suspicious and believe her to be evil. Her husband will learn to understand her, and in time, her reputation will improve.''
“Shall I ask her to come and talk to us?'' she asked.
''Yes, I would like to tell her about her new future.''
When Eana arrived in the hall, her father gave her a loving smile. Her green eyes reminded him of the jewels the Sutherland Clan had stolen from his mother's room when they'd ransacked the castle thirty years before. It was the same day as they'd killed his father. 'My dear, I want to tell you what I have planned for you.'' She nodded. ''You are to marry Laird Muir's son. His name is Alexander.''
''I will not,'' Eana looked desperately at her mother.
''It has been decided. Laird Muir and I have agreed to unite our clans against the danger of the Sutherland's.''
''Is that all I am to you? A pawn in a battle? I am your daughter, how can you treat me like this?'' Eana's tears flowing freely.
''You are in danger. When Angus Sutherland died, his father declared you his chief enemy. Alexander Muir is a strong man who will care for you long after your mother and I are gone.'' He was sorry for his daughter's loneliness, but none of her tears would change his mind.
''You are cruel people, both of you. Why don't you leave me alone?'' Eana shouted and stormed out of the hall.
*****
Alexander Muir stood in the circle marked out by lines of sand and roared. ''Come on who's next?'' The group of men looked at each other, none of them wanted to step forward. ''Laurie, it's your turn.''
Laurie Hamilton was six feet three and broader than any other male in the clan. He walked into the ring and looked sheepishly at Alexander. ''Attack me,'' Alexander said. Laurie flew at him but Alexander swerved out of the way, and Laurie landed on his backside outside the ring. The other men laughed. He got up and charged again. This time, Alexander caught him in his arms, turned him around and slammed him into the ground. Laurie looked up at him and shook his head. ''Enough?'' Alexander asked him. When he nodded, Alexander turned to his men.
''Not one of you warriors can beat me at wrestling,'' he laughed. Every one of them liked and respected him. He was just twenty-one but a bear of a man whose loyalty to his fellow warriors knew no limits. They all knew that he would never expect any of them to do something he wouldn't do himself. At six feet six, he was the tallest and strongest. As a very young man he'd been thin and gangling, but after hundreds of hours of training, he'd developed awesome muscles. He was unusually dark for a Scotsman. His father was fair, but he'd met a dark haired French woman while fighting in Southern Scotland and fallen in love with her. She'd died soon after giving birth. ''You all need to....'' Alexander stopped talking when he saw two horses approaching. It was his father and his bodyguard. ''Father, would you like to wrestle,'' he quipped.
''You are not yet ready, my son,'' he joked. The men smiled at Laird Muir's quip. ''Please leave us, men, I want to speak to my son.'' The men walked over to an oak tree and sat down to rest. As they looked across at Laird Muir and Alexander, they saw them deep in conversation.
When Laird Irvine mounted his horse and rode away, Alexander shouted. ''Laurie come over here.''
******
The Village of Wellbridge was under the shadows of Drummond Castle, halfway up Ben Shee. It had a wall around it which was patrolled by men in kilts with axes and shields. Behind the walls, the houses were small with roofs made of thatch. People made a living growing vegetables and rearing livestock to sell at the weekly market. On market day, people came from many miles around to purchase supplies and catch up on the latest gossip. Eana liked market day; it was the only day she didn't go into the forest. It was also the only time in the week when she saw people other than her mother and father.
As she wandered between the market stalls, people talked about her as they always did. Their snide comments didn't seem to worry her any more. But when a young child looked at her and cried 'witch', something in her snapped.
''I'm not a witch, you horrible child,'' she shouted. The child was shocked and began to cry. His father took the child in his arms and shouted at her. ''You are a witch, and if your father wasn't the Laird, you'd be cast out of the village.''
''What have I ever done that was witch-like?'' she asked. The man couldn't answer and turned away.
Laurie was standing outside the small house that served tea, among the farmers and greengrocers. He'd spotted Eana walking in the market and was immediately impressed by her beauty.
''Who is that?'' he asked the fat man who handed him his tea.
''Ah, you should keep away from her,'' he said. ''She's Laird Irving's daughter. They say she has special powers, but I, like many others, think she's a witch.''
''Whatever, she's certainly very beautiful,'' Laurie said as he scratched his kilt-covered leg.
''She is, but she's very strange. What's your interest in her?'' he asked.
''I have no interest in her at all,'' he lied.
Auchen Castle was the seat of Laird Muir. It was more pleasing on the eye than Drummond Castle which was a fortress, but Auchen Castle was much more homely looking. When Laurie arrived back at Auchen Castle, Alexander was waiting for him in the hall where swords, spears and swathes of the Muir Clan's tartan hung on the walls.
''Did you see her?'' he asked anxiously.
Laurie took off his Tam O' Shanter and swept back his hair. ''She's extremely beautiful.''
''What does she look like?''
''She's tall for a woman. She's blonde and has a perfect body,'' Laurie made the kind of gesture men do when talking of a woman's breasts. Alexander smiled. ''Her face is so pretty it will melt your heart, but....''
''But what?''
''There are a lot of rumors about her.'' Laurie's eyes dropped to the floor, afraid he was about to disappoint his friend.
''Spit it out Laurie or you'll be landing on your ass again,'' Alexander joked.
''They say she's a witch.''
''What? A witch? Then how could my father possibly agree to a marriage?'' Alexander stroked his strong jaw and though about what his spy had told him. He certainly would not marry a witch. He believed they were evil and should be burnt at the stake. ''It can't be true, the daughter of Laird Irving can't possibly be a witch.''
''She looks too beautiful to be a witch,'' Laurie added.
''And how many witches have you met?'' Alexander asked. ''But if there are rumors about her, she must be strange in some way.''
''I only know what I have told you. She's beautiful, and there are rumors about her.''
''Then I will tell my father that I don't want to marry her,'' Alexander said steadfastly. It was bad timing; his father heard him as he was walking into the room.
Almost as tall as his son and covered in battle scars, he was an intimidating character. ''We need the alliance to help us against the Sutherland Clan. Laird Irving's daughter is the perfect solution. The marriage will go ahead, like it or not.''
Alexander grunted. He had to find out if she were indeed a witch. ''May I, at least, meet her first?''
*****
It was an unusually sunny day when Laird Irving brought Eana to Muir Castle. She'd flatly refused to accompany
him, so he'd picked her up and carried her. Eventually feeling faint hanging over his shoulder, she'd relented.
''I'll meet him, but I'm not promising anything,'' she'd said. Her father had laughed at her stubbornness.
When the castle door swung open, Alexander got his first glimpse of his bride to be, and he wasn't disappointed. She was as beautiful as Laurie had said. Her hair was plated in a single strand, and her eyes were highlighted with woad. Her skin was pure, without a single blemish, and her body so perfectly proportioned that it made him instantly lustful. Her eyes looked like emeralds and despite being a hugely powerful man they made him feel humble. Indeed, too beautiful to be a witch.
''I am very happy to meet you at last Eana,'' Alexander said.
Eana could hardly bring herself to look at him, but when she did, she was in awe of his physical presence. Her father was a big man and battle hardened, but Alexander was altogether different. He looked so strong, she wondered if he knew how to harness his strength when handling a delicate woman.
''I think we should leave them to it, don't you Laird Irvine?'' Laird Muir said. The two Lairds walked into the castle and left Alexander and Eana alone.
''Would you walk with me,'' he asked. She nodded and took the offer of his arm.
The castle had a small garden, for the growth of vegetables. Alexander took Eana to a seat in the corner under a tree. In the shade, it was pleasantly cool, and Eana felt herself relaxing in his company.
''Are you a shy man?'' she asked.
''No, I am certainly not shy. It wouldn't be right for the heir to the Laird of Muir to be shy.''
''I am shy,'' she pointed out. ''I'm very shy, and I find it hard to talk to people. I prefer to be alone. If we are to be married, it would be better if one of us wasn't shy.''
Alexander was taken by surprise at her honesty. ''Why do you think you are shy?''
''I keep out of the way because people don't like me. ''
He couldn't understand how people could dislike such a beautiful woman. He liked her but more, it was her raw sexual appeal that he found irresistible. ''Why would anybody dislike you? You are so beautiful, and you look as though you wouldn't harm anyone.''
''I don't really know. There are a lot of rumors about me.''
Alexander thought for a moment. This woman was no witch. It was clear that rumors were just rumors. ''When you marry me, nobody will ever say anything unpleasant to you again, and if they do, they will pay dearly for it.''
******
The marriage took place under the walls of Muir Castle, on a piece of ground the clan always used for baptisms, marriages, and funerals. The ladies of the village had decorated wooden poles with wild flowers and shrubbery, and arranged them in a large circle within which the guests sat. Eana and Alexander were married by the local minister under an arch of wild roses. Guests watched as Eana arrived, dressed in white, carrying a sprig of wild heather for luck. When Alexander turned around to see her, he was was floored by her. He'd never thought he would find such a beautiful bride, and today he was marrying the most alluring woman in all the clans of Scotland.
When Laird Irvine handed his daughter over to Alexander, he took her hand, and the power she felt exuding from him gave her the strength and confidence, to stand in front of so many people and give herself to him.
Once the marriage ceremony was complete, Alexander bent down to his new wife and whispered in her ear. ''You no longer have to be shy. You are my love, and you are able to move freely between the people without fear. They will admire you for what you are. The most beautiful woman alive.''
Afterwards, everyone gathered in the great hall for a celebratory meal and dancing. Eana and Alexander sat together on a long table at the head of the room between their parents. Eana saw a young woman sitting at a table opposite, staring at her. She seemed kind and when the dancing started, Eana got up and spoke to her. She was Alexander's cousin. and Eana discovered that she lived with Laird Muir because her parents had been slain in a terrible robbery just three years before. Her name was Davina, and Eana found her charming company. She was slender and delicate looking, and like Eana, she was strawberry blonde
''When Alexander is away fighting battles, I would like you to keep me company,'' Eana told her.
''I would like that very much,'' Davina replied.
Alexander broke their conversation when he told Eana it was time for them to dance. As everyone applauded, she took his arm and walked with him to the dance floor. He led her with an agility that belied his size, and once again Eana let herself be swept along on a wave of strength. She was so light her barely felt her as she clung to him.
Never before had Eana been the subject of so many wishes of goodwill. Either people didn't know about her, or they were hiding it because they were in awe of Alexander, and didn't want to offend such a strong man, she thought. Although she found the attention flattering, she knew that years of hurt weren't just going to disappear in one day. She decided to remain vigilant. She was proud of her new husband, and she knew she would learn to love him in time, but she was convinced that people would still view her with suspicion.
Soon Alexander had had enough of the wedding reception. He was sexually charged, and he wanted nothing more than to take his bride to his bedroom and make passionate love to her. He swept her from her feet and carried her from the hall, up the staircase, and into a large room that overlooked the rolling landscape below.
He put Eana on the floor in front of the window and stood behind her. As they took in the view, he stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. ''We will rule over this land, treat our people kindly and never let anybody take it away from us,'' he said.
''I admire your strength and purpose. I know you are loyal to the people of your clan and now to those of the Irvine Clan. It is wonderful to behold.''
He turned her to him and kissed her. As their lips locked, Eana felt a charge of pleasure surge through her. She reached up and put her arms around his neck. When he straightened, she was lifted from her feet. He put his hands onto her buttocks to support her. He wanted to take her, and the speed with which his fingers untied the back of her dress confirmed it. Soon his hands were on her naked back, rubbing her, pulling her to him. Her skin quivered at the feel of his manly hands as they explored the smoothness of her. He set her back down and in one fluid movement pulled her wedding dress down, revealing her white under dress. He put his hands into her cleavage and ripped the under-dress from her, making her gasp at the sheer power of him. Throwing the strips of material to the floor, he bent down and clamped his mouth onto a nipple. As it swelled in his mouth, his hand found her womanhood and rubbed over the soft folds. The urgency with which he wanted her thrilled her. As his hand spread her lips and played in the moisture of her vulva, she bit into his shoulder.
He picked her up, threw her onto the bed and spread her legs, wide. When he placed his mouth onto her, she screamed, and when his tongue found her clitoris, she thrust her fingernails into the material of his shirt. He continued to lick her as she gasped and moaned under him, her long smooth legs folded back onto her chest. He didn't stop, and soon she wanted to push him from her as her level of sensitivity became too much. She pushed her hand against his head, but he didn't relent. Mercifully her hypersensitivity gave way to wave after wave of pure pleasure. Her belly tightened, and her legs began to wobble uncontrollably as he rolled her tiny bud between his lips. She cried out and thrust into his mouth as her orgasm rolled over her.
When he stood up, he noticed for the first time how lovely his new wife looked post orgasm. She beamed up at him, breathless, a heap of satisfied femininity, waiting for him to lower his trousers and thrust himself into her. When he revealed himself, she cried out in fear. His member was in proportion to the rest of him, large.
'Don't hurt me,'' she gasped. He laughed at her backhanded compliment.
''Relax, I will be gentle,'' he replied. But their respective ideas of gentle were at odds with one another, and
soon Eana was clinging to him, screaming with the pain and pleasure of his heavy thrusts. She gritted her teeth and pushed back at him. As he pumped her, he started to rub her clitoris with his thumb. She opened her legs as wide as she could and came once more. Her response turned him on, and he felt his balls tighten, about to release their load into to her. Suddenly, he placed his hand on her jaw and lifted her face from the bed. ''Look at me,'' he said, ''I want you to look at me.'' As her eyes burned into his, she felt his seed flowing into her. The thought that she'd turned him on so much made her come again.
He stood above her breathing hard, his shaft still inside her. She wanted him to hold her, and her legs tightened around him and pulled him down to the bed. He slipped out of her and lay next to her warm body. She curled up into his arms and closed her eyes.
And then she felt the goosebumps.
''Wake up, wake up, Alexander.'' Eana shook her husband uncontrollably, trying to rouse him from the deep sleep he had fallen into after their lovemaking. ''Wake up,'' she said again, this time pawing at his face.
''What?'' he complained.
''You should wake up. I can feel danger. Get up and take your sword.''
He grinned at her, thinking his new wife was playing with him. When she slapped him hard on his face, he realized she wasn't. He jumped up from the bed, pulled on a pair of pants and took his sword from its place in the corner of the room. Just as he did, the door slammed open, and Bran Sutherland burst into the room carrying a long dagger and a sword. Eana closed her eyes and turned her head away as Bran dived towards her, but Alexander threw himself against Bram and knocked him to the floor at the side of the bed. Alexander jumped on top of him, but Bran threw him off towards the window. The two started to fight with their swords. Eana curled up against the headboard and put her hands over her ears to protect them from the chinking sound as the swords smashed into each other. Bran pushed Alexander back, and he had to stand on the bed. As Bran thrust his sword up, Alexander jumped to the side and off the bed. Bran's momentum carried him forward, and he landed head first on the bed next to Eana. She screamed at the sight of his hideous expression as Alexander thrust his sword into Bran's back, piecing his heart from behind, killing him instantly. Eana jumped up and ran to Alexander. She wanted to take him in her arms, but he pushed her away.