by Fiona Faris
Osgar nodded, accepting his temporary silence, and Uielam slipped out the back of the tent as the first cheers began signaling that everyone was focused on the riders. He hurried off into the woods as quickly as possible to avoid being seen, only slowing when he was sure that he was out of sight.
He reached the cottage quicker than he would have liked even though he had taken his time walking. Remembering what had happened the last time he tried to avoid Lilia, he chose to enter the cottage instead of taking a walk. Luckily, Lilia was not in the house. He sighed in relief at the empty house and settled heavily into his pile of pillows. He knew that it was only a matter of time before Lilia returned since dinner was due soon, but he reveled in the few moments he had before then.
The floor was surprisingly comfortable with the blanket laid out over it, and his pillows strewn about. He considered lighting the fire pit, but it was still bright outside, so he did not bother. He lay down, choosing to shut his eyes for a moment as all of his warring emotions only gave him more reason to be tired.
It seemed he had fallen asleep because the next thing he knew was that he was being startled awake as Osgar and Lilia burst into the house, yelling his name as though the building was coming down around him.
“Uielam! Uielam, where are ye?!” They shouted, the sudden sound accompanied by the bang of the door rousing him immediately and causing him to sit up, disoriented in the suddenly dim room.
“I am here! I am awake! What is the matter? Did somethin’ happen?!” He shouted back. He could see their figures in the doorway even though the room had darkened considerably as the sun set. They both came in, and Lilia hurried off into the kitchen while Osgar shut the door and came towards him as though making sure that he was alright.
Uielam was just confused, not knowing what was going on. Sudden firelight made him turn to the side to find that Lilia had lit the fire pit. She was dressed as though she had been out, so that meant she had not been at the river. He wondered what could have happened to have her come in with Osgar the way they did in so much panic.
“What is the matter?” Uielam asked, becoming concerned as he saw Osgar’s worried expression in the light. There were not many things that could shake Osgar, so finding such a look on Osgar made him genuinely worry. “Did somethin’ happen to Flora?”
That was the only thing he could think of as that was what connected Osgar and Lilia other than him.
“Nay, Flora is fine, it was ye that I was worried about,” Osgar said, sitting on the ground beside him. Lilia joined them as well, looking equally worried.
“I just got word from me spies in the Douglas clan…” Osgar began to explain. Uielam gave his friend a surprised look.
“Ye have spies in the Douglas clan?” he asked.
“Aye, I have spies in all the surroundin’ clans to make sure clan Macnab is never taken by surprise. Nae all of them are mine, some of them work for me faither, but as his heir, I get all the information,” Osgar explained absently.
Uielam could only raise a brow at his friend. Osgar’s father was his father’s adviser, so it made sense that he would keep spies, but Osgar was a different matter.
“The point here is the fact that me spies just told me that the Douglas clan has hired an assassin to take yer life. It came as urgent news, apparently they hired this assassin a while ago, and this had been kept top secret. The assassin is believed to already be in the clan. They hired The Black Night. Nay one kens his real name, but every mark The Black Night is hired to eliminate, he succeeds. He is known to be the best assassin in all of the Highlands. We have been too careless, Uielam! I think it is time to stop this game and report what is going on to yer faither so that we can protect ye,” Osgar said.
Uielam blinked, taking a moment to process what he had just been told. Osgar looked very serious and worried. Lilia was clutching his arm as though she was worried the assassin would burst in any moment and take him from right under her.
“Wait, why did ye two burst in here in so much panic? Was there anythin’ suggestin’ that I had been caught?” he asked, still not understanding.
“I got the news just as the tournament was endin’. This assassin has never missed his mark before, and ye were out on yer own without any guards and with nayone but me, Flora and Lilia with knowledge of where ye would be. Of course, I panicked, Uielam! It turned out that Lilia had gone to watch the tournament, and I met her on the way. She said she didnae ken where ye were since she had been at the tournament as well, so I brought her with me to come to find ye,” Osgar explained, seeming upset at how calmly Uielam was taking the news.
Somehow Uielam could not muster any fear. Perhaps the problem was that he had just woken and so he had not fully understood the gravity of the situation, but he was not very worried.
“This plan was fun while it lasted, but I think it needs to end right here, Uielam,” Osgar said. “Having ye out in the open like this, without even yer faither as a safety net since everyone thinks that ye are at the southern border… it is way too dangerous. We should be at high alert.”
Uielam grabbed his friend’s shoulder to calm him. Whenever Osgar was truly worried, he had a tendency to prattle as scenarios played out in his mind. It was a great contrast from his friend’s usual carefree nature, and he did not like to see Osgar that way.
“Osgar, calm yerself. Ye just said it. Nay one kens where I am. Everyone thinks that I am at the southern border. Yer spies said that this assassin has been hired for a while now. Why dae ye think he has nae killed me yet?” Uielam asked.
At that question, both Osgar and Lilia paled visibly.
“I cannae believe ye are takin’ this so unseriously, Uielam,” Osgar muttered, visibly upset.
Uielam sighed. When shaken, Osgar did not think as quickly as he usually did.
"It was just a question, one that ye were meant to answer. If this assassin was so good at what he does, then there is only one explanation for why I am nae dead yet. The assassin, like everyone else, doesnae ken that I am here,” he explained. "This cottage is the best place to be in this situation. I am sure that everyone that this assassin has killed was right where they were supposed to be when he struck. I am nae, and so he is blind. He has probably gone after the party we sent to the southern border only to find that I wasnae there. This leaves him confused. Comin' out of hidin' right now would be tellin' him exactly where I am."
The room was quiet after he spoke as they both processed what he had said. Osgar gave a noncommittal grunt, which let Uielam know that he’d seen sense in his words.
"Oh…" Lilia said softly, her grip on his arm loosening although she did not let go completely.
"For once ye say somethin' that somewhat makes sense," Osgar muttered jokingly, obviously more relaxed now that Uielam had pointed out his safety to him.
Uielam laughed, shoving his friend playfully.
"Well, one of us has to use their head when ye begin to panic. Ye're dumb as a rock when ye panic me friend,” he said. "Ye should have seen yer face, I didnae ken that ye cared for me that much… I am touched."
Osgar rolled his eyes at Uielam's teasing, and Lilia chuckled, just listening to their banter.
"Of course, I care. If something happened to ye, I would nay longer have a position as the future adviser of clan MacNab. It is me future at stake here," Osgar joked, making Uielam grin.
"On a more serious note, Uielam… ye are like a brother to me. I couldnae help but panic. An assassin that never fails? I was terrified. I will alert me soldiers to be watchful… there is nae much we can dae since nayone kens what the assassin looks like… but I will try anyway. Ye just… ye cannae die," Osgar said, the words the most truthful and emotional that Uielam had heard from him in a while.
Touched, Uielam threw his arm over his friend's shoulder.
"That means a lot to me… truthfully. And ye daenae need to worry Osgar, I will be fine as long as the assassin doesnae ken where I am,” he said.
Obviously feeling
self-conscious expressing himself honestly in front of Lilia, Osgar got to his feet and cleared his throat.
"Alright then, I should leave before it gets too late. I will see ye tomorrow,” he said. Uielam got to his feet to see him off, and Lilia followed suit.
"I will go get dinner,” she muttered, leaving the two men alone.
"Will ye tell Flora about this?" Uielam asked as he walked Osgar to the door. Flora was dramatic, and as such, she would panic even more than Osgar had. His friend shrugged.
"I feel like we daenae have a choice. Lilia kens already, and she will probably tell her even if I daenae. I think it's best if all four of us ken. Besides, she will nae forgive us if she finds out that we kept such huge news from her," Osgar said. Uielam nodded in understanding.
"Goodnight," Osgar said as he left.
"Goodnight, get to the manor safely," Uielam responded, shutting the door as his friend left. It was just one day, but it already felt like so much had happened. All he wanted was to go back to sleep.
Chapter Fourteen
The next day found Lilia in the Abernathy manor one more time. The day before had been as a barrel tossed in the sea for her. First, she had woken from her sensual dreams, which replayed the kiss she had with Uielam over and over, making sure that she remembered every moment of it.
In her embarrassment, she was glad to find Uielam gone and her house empty when she stepped out of her room that morning. She remembered that he had mentioned having matches that day, so she had hurriedly eaten breakfast and made dinner down for later when the tournament was over.
Part of her had gone to watch him play just to see if he was as shaken by their kiss as she was. The tournament was colorful and distracted her from thinking about the kiss, but watching him was more important than distracting herself. She did not want to be the only one who was having trouble forgetting it.
Uielam won every match seamlessly, although it was with more aggression than she expected as each of his matches were over moments after they began. She could not tell if it was the kiss that was affecting him, but she did know that it was not how he usually played. The crowd didn't know that however and cheered deafeningly for him each time.
She had stayed until the very end, watching the farmer come out to stand with the rest of the victors from the day, waving to the crowd and doing an excellent job of acting like he had been the one on the horse the whole time.
After everything had finished, she made her way home when Osgar's carriage pulled up and whisked her off with him on a panicked race to make sure that Uielam had not been killed by the assassin.
The thought of Uielam dying was terribly ugly and made her nauseous. She was not sure she would survive if anything happened to him. Her heart had twisted in her chest when Osgar told her the news. The terror that gripped her felt physical and had her clutching at her chest.
The ride to her cottage, which was shorter than if she had walked, suddenly felt like it was taking forever. She had always loved Uielam from afar. The thought of losing him when he was finally in her grasp made her dizzy with fear.
It had been a relief to find Uielam safe and asleep in her house, yet she had glued herself to his side. She had also gotten to see firsthand how strong the friendship between Osgar and Uielam, seeing a softer side to Osgar for the first time.
Dinner had been quiet as the moment they were alone, things became awkward again. She had left him to eat at the table, choosing to change and eat in her room. By the time she came out, he had taken his plate to the kitchen and gone to sleep by the fire pit.
She had gone to check him, finding that he was fast asleep. She added one more oiled rag to the fire to make sure that it would stay burning through the night and keep him warm. She made it a point to draw the curtains over her windows, paranoid that a killer was lurking in the shadows outside. For extra security, she wedged a chair against the door, effectively shutting it. She dragged a chair to the back door, wedging it shut.
It was only when she was sure that she had made the house as secured as she could make it that she went to bed.
That day she had woken up to find that Uielam had already left the house. She found a note that said he was with Osgar, and that warmed her heart. He had learned not to walk out of her home without explanation. Not wanting to be alone, she decided to visit Flora once again wearing one of the dresses her friend had given her as she went to see how her friend was taking the news of the assassin.
To put it bluntly, Flora was not taking it very well. Her friend was pale and chewing on her nails as her thoughts got ahead of her.
"I daenae ken what Uielam is sayin'. How can he want to continue with his foolish plan when his life is in danger? Even if he wants to remain hidden, can he nae go back to the castle in disguise?" she asked.
"Nay, Uielam said the killer probably already kens that he did not go to the southern border. So he must be watchin' the castle for somethin' suspicious," Lilia explained.
"Are we supposed to just sit quietly on our hands then?" Flora asked.
Lilia had no idea how to respond. Apart from the fact that Uielam was in her cottage, she was not even supposed to be privy to such information and didn’t know how they usually handled dangerous situations.
They fell silent again at that point, each getting lost in their own thoughts.
…
For someone who had just found out that the best assassin in the Highlands was after him, Uielam was not worried about his safety. He tightened the ropes holding his hood in place to make sure it will nae fly off, and then he kicked his horse, prompting it to race down the makeshift lists Osgar had created in the woods by drawing a line on the ground.
He practiced his moves and counter-moves with precision despite facing a phantom opponent.
"Ye are doing a great job of that. I cannae believe ye are so calm," Osgar said as Uielam rode back around, started again. He blinked, was he calm? He certainly was not. His insides were in turmoil, although it was for a different reason entirely.
He still could not get his one kiss with Lilia out of his mind. Seeing as they were alone, he decided to tell Osgar. He dismounted quickly and petted the horse's neck before allowing it to move on its own and graze.
"I am nae calm," Uielam admitted, going to stand by his friend. "It is nae because of the assassin, though. I kissed Lilia."
Osgar's brow raised, and realization dawned on his features as he put two and two together in his head.
"Ah, so this was what had ye bothered during the past matches," Osgar said knowingly. Uielam nodded, admitting it readily.
"Why would that throw ye off, though? I thought that had been what ye wanted all these years. Should ye nae be happier? She finally fell for yer charms," Osgar said, causing Uielam to press his fingers to his head.
"I would be, only she didnae fall for me charms, I was the one who fell for hers," he admitted.
Osgar paused, and his jaw dropped. Uielam sighed at his friend's reaction. It made a lot of sense. He had also been shocked when he came to the conclusion that he had fallen for Lilia. Somehow while spending time with her, his interest had blossomed into infatuation. He liked her a lot.
The sound of laughter brought him out of his thoughts, and he turned to find Osgar guffawing beside him. His face crumpled into an unimpressed frown while his friend mocked him, pointing at him in ridicule while clutching his ribs.
"I cannae believe this! Ye have been caught in yer own trap!" Osgar cackled, ignoring his glares.
"Be quiet, Osgar, be quiet right now," Uielam growled in warning, but Osgar was not intimidated in the slightest.
"Nay, nay, nay… I will nae let this go. In fact, I will never let this go. This whole plan was yer idea. Just the other day ye were talkin' about how ye never promised Flora that ye will nae mess with her, as though ye had everythin' under control… and now look at ye… ye've fallen for her!" Osgar laughed, not being considerate at all as he mocked Uielam.
"Oh, this is gold! Just
think of how hilarious it would be if she is nae interested in ye, and rejects yer feelings!" Osgar snorted. It was taking all of Uielam's self-control not to pounce on his friend and beat him senseless. Osgar was just as bad as he had been when they were teenagers, and Flora had discovered Uielam's womanizing ways then announced dramatically that she no longer fancied him.
Osgar had burst into laughter then too, mocking his sister for even liking Uielam in the first place when she was only a little sister to him and then coming out to announce the rescinding of her feelings as though Uielam would care. The only difference was that unlike Uielam, who remained calm, Flora y pounced on her brother and attempted to beat him senseless in her embarrassment.
Back then, Uielam had found it funny, however now that he was on the receiving end of Osgar’s mockery, he did not find it funny at all. He waited with a deadpan expression while Osgar continued to dig up his former prideful words and throw them back in his face.