“Three days,” he conceded. “Ye shall have your wedding in three days’ time.”
“Thank ye, Father,” Fiona replied, her tone softening.
*
Alisdair McClain stoodbefore Laird Duncan McAfee, the stone floors of the grand hall echoing their somber footfalls. The air hung heavy with the lingering chill of dawn, a silent witness to the meeting of two formidable men.
“Laird McAfee,” Alisdair began, his voice steady as the oak doors that safeguarded the hall. “I come before you—”
“Ye come before me having failed in your first duty as Fiona’s betrothed.” Duncan’s words cut through the air, sharp and unyielding. “My daughter was taken on your watch. How can you claim to be the man fit to lead the McAfees if ye cannot ensure the safety of one lass?”
The accusation stung, but Alisdair’s countenance did not waver. “I take full responsibility, and I swear on my honor, it willna happen again. I will protect her with my life.”
“Words are wind, lad,” Duncan’s gaze bore into him. “Actions speak louder than any vow. If yer to marry me Fiona, ye must prove yourself worthy. Not just as her husband, but as a leader for the McAfees.”
Alisdair nodded. “I will do whatever it takes. My loyalty to Fiona—and to your clan—is unwavering.”
Duncan held his stare a moment longer before nodding curtly, the matter settled for now.
*
In the privacyof her chamber, Fiona McAfee sat with her sisters, Ailis and Moira, the only witnesses to her unbridled fury. Her hands trembled not with fear but with ire, her knuckles whitening as she recounted the tale.
“Those Sinclairs thought they could use me as a pawn,” Fiona growled. “They underestimated the McAfees. And Father thinks that it is the McClains’ fault I was taken from their land. He blames Alisdair when he should blame Clan Sinclair.”
“Fiona, you’re shaking,” Ailis observed, her eyes reflecting the fire that blazed within her elder sister.
“Let her be, Ailis,” Moira interjected softly. “She is shaking with righteous anger, not terror.”
“Aye,” Fiona confirmed. “It is not fear that makes me tremble but the wrath that comes from enduring the affront to our honor.”
“The Sinclairs will pay for what they’ve done,” Ailis vowed, her tone mirroring her sister’s fervor.
“We’ll stand beside ye, Fiona. In strength and in retribution,” Moira added.
“First, we have a wedding to prepare for,” Fiona declared. “And after, we’ll show them who the McAfee daughters are, not as damsels in distress, but as vengeful spirits come to haunt them.”
*
Fiona, her braidswaying with each determined step, led her sisters Ailis and Moira into the midst of Clan McClain’s warriors. The men paused, their swords momentarily still, as the daughters of Duncan McAfee approached.
“Good morrow, gentlemen,” Fiona greeted. “We seek to train alongside you on this day.”
A murmur rippled through the ranks, surprise etched on the weathered faces of the seasoned fighters. It was not custom for women to cross blades with men in the practice yard, yet none could deny the fire that burned in the eyes of these sisters.
“Ye have our respect, Lady Fiona,” one of the McClain warriors responded, his grizzled features softening. “After what ye’ve endured, ’tis only right ye should wield sword and shield for your own defense.”
With nods of assent from his fellows, the yard transformed into a mosaic of motion, steel clashing against steel. Ailis and Moira followed suit, their skill surprising the men who had underestimated them.
As the morning waned, sweat glistened upon furrowed brows. Men who had initially held back now engaged with earnest respect, recognizing the strength of the McAfee bloodline.
In the midst of the melee, Fiona caught sight of Alisdair, his broad figure commanding even in repose. His gaze followed her movements with an intensity that spoke volumes, admiration mingling with something deeper within the depths of his eyes.
“Alisdair,” she called.
“Let us walk,” he suggested, bearing the weight of unspoken words.
They strode across the grounds, the crunch of gravel beneath their boots punctuating their silence. Yet they were not alone. A McAfee soldier trailed behind them, his presence a constant reminder of the duty and watchfulness expected of Fiona’s kin.
