The kiss ended and Christopher leaned his forehead against hers. "I love ye, me free spirit. Me fae queen. Me heart of fire. I adore ye with everythin' I have, everythin' I am, and everythin' I ever will be. Will ye be me wife?"
"Morag Kincaid. I like the sound of that," she teased.
Then the emotion overflowed and she laughed and cried as she said, "Aye. Aye, I'll marry ye. Me only regret is we're nae married already. Whatever comes next, me love, I cannae wait tae share me freedom with ye. Forever."
EPILOGUE
The morning dawned bright and clear on the day that Morag and Christopher were to be wed. A week had passed since the events at Campbell Castle, and while they knew that the future would not necessarily all be smooth sailing, today was a day of peace and joy and love.
Morag dressed long before her presence was required, up before the birds as she barely contained her excitement. To shed her old name, her old self, and be reborn as someone free and new and happy, and with Christopher by her side—it was more than she had ever dared to dream about, and yet everything her heart had ever desired.
Mary, unharmed from her travels, had helped her dress, as well as Elsie and, to Morag's surprise and humble gratitude, Aila Kincaid, who had arrived with her husband and young Cassie the night before to reunite with her son and attend the wedding.
"We cannae stay long, the way things are," Aila had told her as she pinned a beautiful white flower in Morag's dark hair. "But I couldnae miss me son's weddin'. And I needed tae meet ye, me new daughter. Welcome tae the family."
Morag felt light as a feather when she finally arrived at the tall, ancient oak tree under which the ceremony was to takeplace. Christopher looked so handsome in his dress kilt that he nearly took her breath away, and tears prickled in her eyes as she took him in. He stared back at her, the warmth in his expression stronger than the sun.
Rolland took her arm. He had offered to walk her down the aisle in lieu of a father, and she'd accepted the offer with all the gratitude she felt. She knew what it symbolized—an end to any badness still lingering between them, and a promise that by uniting with the Kincaids, she was symbolically joining the Murrays as well. Rolland winked at her as the two of them walked up the aisle, and she grinned back at him.
Not many attended the wedding at both Christopher and Morag's request, but those who did were all close to their hearts. Flora and Seamus, Elsie and Rolland, Arran, and even Alexandra were there, as well as Aila and Lachlan with little Cassie between them, all family now, all here to see the moment when love triumphed over all else once again.
Seamus stood in front of the tree and, when Morag joined them, he kissed her knuckles before telling her to face Christopher and take his hands.
"You look nice," she whispered, teasing as always.
He winked. "You look breathtakin'," he said.
Morag's cheeks warmed and she imagined they must be as pink as her dress. Seamus began the ceremony soon after, declaring it a day of pride and victory for all of their families, a day that served as proof that good would always triumph.
"When Elsie and Rolland married, we saw how strong our existin' bonds could become," Seamus said. "And now, as Morag sheds the Caindach name and takes Christopher as her husband, we see that light can always find us, even through the dark."
Christopher squeezed Morag's hands and she smiled. How could a man so beautiful love her? And yet, she did not doubtthat it was true. She was determined to live a life that was worth that love, and she knew he felt the same in return.
"Morag," Christopher said when Seamus prompted him to say his vows. "What can I tell ye that hasnae already been said? I could tell ye how ye're more bonny than the sunrise, but ye've spent yer life bein' told ye're beautiful. I could tell ye how ye're brave and strong and how ye saved me life, but I'll spend forever repayin' that. I could say how ye're a hero for turnin' yer back on everythin' ye've ever known, but I'm sure ye'll hear that enough over the weeks and months and years tae come.
So instead what I'll tell ye is simply this: I love ye, Morag. I love ye like the moth loves the flame. I love ye as the tides love the moon, entranced by her very nature tae ebb and flow. I love ye like the first breath of day and the last smile of night. Ye're everythin' tae me, and I give ye everythin' I am. I am thankful forever, me love, that when ye were granted freedom, ye chose tae spend it with me."
A tear ran down Morag's cheek but she could not stop smiling. She glanced at the crowd and saw that Elsie was happily crying, her head on Rolland's shoulder, and Aila was dabbing away wetness in her own eyes.
Then it was her turn. "Christopher," she said, surprised by how strong and confident her voice sounded. "When I met ye, ye wore the guise of another man. Ye tried tae play the monster, and yet, from that first moment, I saw the beauty behind the beast. Yer eyes held the kindness that yer words belied, and yer heart shone through no matter how hard ye tried tae quash yer goodness.
Ye call me the moon? Aye, well then, ye are the sun, bringin' the warmth that drew me out from the eternal darkness that my life had been. Ye are the stars that finally lit my way, guiding me through what I once thought was an endless night. Ye are the birdsong at dawn and the first blossom of spring. I love ye in away I once thought impossible. Ye are me mind, me heart, me soul, and when I think of freedom, I think of ye and me together. I was lost, and now I'm found. I was trapped, and now I'm free. And me heart is yers, as yers is mine. I love ye with all of it, and I always will."
Christopher's eyes shone too, and he squeezed her hands again. Seamus performed the handfasting, then Arran moved forward to offer the rings. Christopher and Morag slipped them onto each other's fingers, Morag's heart racing with joy and her chest about to burst with excitement the whole time.
"I pronounce ye man and wife," Seamus announced, and Christopher swept Morag into his arms.
She laughed in surprise and joy as he dipped her then pressed a deep kiss to her lips, one which she returned with as much enthusiasm to laughter and applause from the gathered crowd.
"Well, then," Seamus added with a laugh. "I suppose ye may now kiss."
They separated at last, and Christopher kissed her cheek. "Me wife," he whispered. "Mrs. Kincaid. It's good tae meet ye."
"Mr. Kincaid," she breathed. "Me husband. It's good tae be here at last."
Radiant,though clearly more used to Elsie, was gentle with Morag as she mounted. Elsie had cheerfully allowed Morag to borrow her treasured steed. And like a true champion, Radiant obeyed her commands at the lightest touch.
"I cannae believe yer sister is allowin' me tae ride her horse, especially a Kincaid steed this fine," Morag said as she and herhusband rode along the winding path from the castle to the main village.
