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“Do you wish to wed me?”
“More than anything, but—”
“Is there a chance you carry my babe?” he asked.
She gasped and smiled, her hand going to her stomach. “Oh my, I had not thought of the possibility. But of course.” She nodded vigorously. “Yes, there is.”
“Would you not protect my child?”
“That’s not fair,” she said, understanding dawning. “You ask me to trade the father for the child.”
“The father isn’t going anywhere,” Reeve said firmly. “We will return home, and you will tell your father that you may carry my babe and therefore wish to wed me. If he protests, you can remind him that he had asked you that very question once before and that you have decided it is exactly what you want to do.”
“You will die,” she said, fighting tears.
Reeve laughed. “I will not die. Besides, it is your only chance.”
She walked away after giving him a shove. “What you are saying is that you are willing to give your life so that I, and possibly your child, may live.”
“You believe in that wretched curse more than you believe in me,” he said angrily. “I need you to believe in me, in us. When do you finally do that? When do you finally allow love the strength it needs to fight that damn curse.”
“What if love isn’t strong enough?” she argued.
“Do you believe that?” he snapped. “Can you honestly stand there and tell me that what you feel for me isn’t strong enough to slay whatever stands in our way?”
“You wish to protect me and keep me safe, don’t you?” she recounted.
“Of course I do,” he said.
“Then don’t you see that I wish to do the same for you. And sacrifice is what will slay anything that stands in my way of protecting you.”
“No!” he shouted with a roar. “You have sacrificed enough for others. You will sacrifice no more, and certainly not for me.”
“Yet you take the chance of sacrificingyour lifefor me.”
He rushed around the table before she could avoid him and grabbed her around the waist. “You have lived with fear long enough. It is time to live with courage. Trust me. Trust our love. Do that forus.”
“I don’t want to lose you, Reeve,” she said softly. “I think I would die from the pain if I lost you.”
He held her close. “We have no choice in this matter, Tara. There is no place for you to hide. No place for you to be safe, except in my arms. You need to be courageous and take the chance in choosing what you want, choosing to love.”
Tara rode her own horse, the Picts leading the way. They had been traveling several hours, and though Reeve rode alongside her, they had spoken little since their departure. She had been deep in thought, musing over how only a few days ago, she had decided to make her own choices. And here she was faced with a choice.
According to Reeve, the choice was simple, trust in him, trust in love.
Did she have the strength to do it? Not only to trust but to truly love without fear or apprehension. Not only to defy her father’s dictates and follow her heart, but to defy the curse as well. Reeve had been right about one thing; she had lived with fear far too long.
But again, did she have the courage to not only embrace love, but to accept love?
Reeve took Tara’s hand as they entered the keep. They had exchanged few words since last night, and he knew that she had been agonizing over her decision. He wanted to believe that her love for him would overcome her fear, but he couldn’t say for sure. Fear was a powerful deterrent. And he had no doubt love had lost out to it at times. He only hoped this wasn’t one of those times.
Voices hushed as soon as they walked in, and Tara’s father stomped toward her.
Reeve was quick to step in front of her. “Recall what I told you I’d do if you raised your hand to her again?” He didn’t let Carnoth answer, but he knew from the fuming look in his eyes that he recalled every word. “I meant it.”
“And I mean it when I tell you that my daughter will wed King Kenneth here and now.” Carnoth waved at a wiry, short man who hurried to his side. “The king has sent his cleric. He will wed them now, for all of the MacAlpin clan to see.”
Reeve looked to his family, his brothers’ hands already on the hilt of their swords. He knew he couldn’t allow this to turn into a battle. It would upset all plans made for the true king’s return. But how did he stop it? How did he protect the woman he loved if she wouldn’t help protect their love?
