Chapter Twenty-Nine
Ailis observed thetraining soldiers, her green eyes reflecting the turmoil below. The arrival of clans pledging their swords was constant and gave her hope for the future. Lachlan and Alisdair led the training field, while Brodie helped sharpen each warrior’s skills with the sword.
A cry interrupted the metallic symphony—a soldier had fallen, clutching his arm in pain. Ailis hurried to aid him, assessing and bandaging the wound expertly. “Ye’ll be holding yer sword again soon,” she promised as he acknowledged her help with a faint smile.
She continued her rounds, tending to injuries, her hands stained with healing herbs. Swiftly responding to calls for help, she never wavered in her commitment to mend flesh and lift spirits.
*
Ailis observed theclan’s women venturing into the dense woods, bows and quivers at the ready. The McAfee lands, once full of laughter, were now filled with people who worked hard. It was good to have the entire clan working as one. They had always worked hard, but there had been time for merriment as well. Now it seemed like there was no time for any idle task.
The forest provided for them, as always, but it was now the women who brought back the bounty. Ailis paced restlesslywithin the keep’s stone walls, longing to join them but knowing her skills were needed elsewhere.
Injuries abounded as men trained tirelessly with swords from dawn until dusk. Ailis treated wounds and whispered comforting words, yet she missed days spent roaming Highland forests. It was strange how annoyed she’d been by the frivolity of the Gordons while she was there, and now she yearned for just a few moments of fun.
News arrived discreetly: The McKays, tied to the McClains through marriage long ago, secretly served as allies against the Stewarts’ alliance, though the Stewarts though the McKays were an ally. Ailis studied their letters carefully—each a flicker of hope during the worry of war.
Despite the valuable intelligence they provided, unease lingered in Ailis’s heart. The path they walked was perilous. Sacrifices were made for the greater good. Her hands, once only used for healing, wielded the power to influence future battles.
Ailis’s responsibilities constantly weighed upon her. Duty called her to heal the soldiers, but it came at the cost of her tranquility. Each day blurred personal desires and political necessities until she wondered if peace would ever return to her beloved Highlands.
*
In their bedchamber,Ailis found solace in Lachlan’s warm embrace. The chaos of the day melted away as he held her, his touch like a balm for her weary body. The walls of the keep, thick and sturdy, seemed to envelop them in a cocoon of safety, shielding them from the outside world.
“Ye are me sanctuary,” Ailis breathed against Lachlan’s chest, feeling his steady heartbeat beneath her cheek. Hepressed a tender kiss to her forehead, bringing her comfort without words.
They filled the quiet with lighthearted chatter, using this precious time together to escape the weight of their responsibilities beyond the keep’s walls.
“I wish we could stay like this forever,” Lachlan murmured, intertwining his fingers with hers. Wrapped in luxurious fur blankets and surrounded by hushed whispers, they reveled in the tenderness and intimacy that came with being newlyweds, cherishing these moments.
Ailis sighed contentedly, her heart full of love for the man she now called her husband. “As do I. But we both know our duties await us on the morrow.” She traced the strong line of his jaw with her fingertip. “For now, let us savor this time, just the two of us, and draw strength from it for the days to come.”
Lachlan captured her hand and brought it to his lips, brushing a kiss across her knuckles. “Aye, ye are wise as always, mo ghràdh.” His eyes, the color of the lochs on a clear summer day, gazed at her with an intensity that made her breath catch. “I am the luckiest man in all the Highlands to call ye me wife.”
“And I the luckiest lass to be yer wife,” Ailis whispered, emotion thick in her voice. She reached up to caress his cheek, marveling at the love and devotion shining in his eyes. In Lachlan’s arms, she was cherished, protected, and complete.
Their lips met in a tender kiss, a gentle exploration that gradually deepened as passion ignited between them. Lachlan’s strong hands roamed her curves, leaving trails of heat in their wake. Ailis tangled her fingers in his dark hair, pulling him closer, craving his touch.
*
Moira and Fionaled the other women through the forested wilds, returning each evening with game for the tables. Laughter filled the air alongside piper melodies.
Fish from lochs and streams contributed to their feasts, making many Sinclairs join forces with the McAfees for survival. And the McAfees were happy to call more people their allies.
Ailis watched from beside Lachlan, observing faces that revealed hints of looming conflict—laughter edged with tension and somber notes beneath songs of kinship. Yet within the McAfee keep, a fragile sense of normalcy persevered among the embattled people.
“Ye bear the future gracefully,” Lachlan murmured, taking Ailis’s hand under the oak table.
“It’s no small task ahead,” she replied. “But we’ll face it together.” She gazed at him for a long while, wanting to be able to close her eyes and still see his face. She was confident they would win, but in the back of her mind, she was frightened of losing him. But if she could still see his face in her mind, then she would have memories of him.
*
As metal clashedand men strained in battle, silence enveloped Ailis when an elder woman entered McAfee keep. Her hair flowed like silver streams, her eyes held ancient knowledge, and her hands were marked by years of tending to the wounded and sick. This was Skye, the renowned healer who once aided Ailis’s own family.
“Ye’re here,” Ailis breathed, acknowledging the famed healer. She wasn’t sure if she was intimidated by the woman or excited to work with her. “Me grandmother asked for ye on her deathbed, but she died before I had a chance to send someonefor ye. She always told me ye were the best healer in the Highlands.”
“Yer grandmother’s spirit led me here,” Skye replied, her voice saturated with earthy tones. “Together, we shall aid those in need.”
