“Get your filthy hands off me," Sadie demanded, biting down on the fleshy part of Lord Lachlan's thumb. He howled in pain and anger and shoved her away. She took the opportunity to try to run, through the forest and back toward the Highlander camp. Unfortunately, he had brought reinforcements as he explored, and one of the brutish guards gripped her hard by the shoulder before she could make her escape.
“You will never get away with this, not a single one of you," Sadie cried. “They will know it was you who took me and you'll regret the day you did, as it surely marked the beginning of your last.”
“Will you please shut your wench up?" the guard growled, pushing Sadie into Lord Lachlan, who sneered down at her.
“I would gladly put her in her place," Lord Lachlan said, licking his lips. “Right now, we have a long trip back to the fortress to worry about. I’d like to get her there in one piece. There is something special that I have planned that I'm sure will make a very, very sorry woman of her.”
Sadie’s skin crawled in fear at the thought of whatever the brutal Lord Lachlan may have in mind for her. She had been informed of some of his sickening appetites by the brief tour that she had taken of his castle in the future, and even just a brief description had made her shudder. That was when she had heard the strange voice calling her name, a voice that now, she realized, sounded vaguely familiar.
She didn't have time to think about that as Lord Lachlan pushed her ahead of him, whistling an ominous tune that gave her goose bumps.
“You're really going to regret this,” Lord Lachlan said pleasantly. “You see; I have thought of everything. Those damn bears are not going to know which way we came from. They will be busy hunting you down in the wrong direction. And I can see that the damn rebel James has taken a shining to you, and I bet nothing will make him angrier than knowing that I have his woman in the palm of my hand. Do you have any idea what I do to the women in the palm of my hand?”
He said this part close to Sadie's face, and she could count the pock marks on it. Her stomach churned, and she tried to pull away from him. But he was too close, and his nauseatingly bad breath wafted in front of her, bringing the bile to the back of her throat. She wished that she could will herself to throw up all over him, but she knew that would get her into even more trouble.
“I really outsmarted those miserable creatures this time,” he bragged. “If the council heads have noticed that James' beloved is missing by now, they're probably hot on your trail in the opposite direction. Which means, now you're mine. And when you are mine, I think you will find that bad things start to happen.”
Lord Lachlan stuffed a gag into her mouth and gripped her by the delicate wrists. She looked ahead of him urgently at the blue sky, wishing for a miracle. She hoped that James would find her in time.
Chapter 2
James rolled over onto his side with a moan. He had fully recovered from most of the minor cuts and scrapes that he had suffered from challenging the Alpha bear, but there was one deep wound that still gave him a whole lot of trouble. He grunted as he sat up, alert and waiting to hear from Sadie, who had disappeared a while ago. He was used to her coming and going, getting caught up in helping out the clan and doing her best to socialize and fit in among the bear shifters. And she was doing a great job of it, too.
He had known since the moment that he laid eyes on her in Lord Lachlan's dungeon that she had a fiery heart and a noble spirit. Even if she had the body of the Lowlander, she had the heart and soul of the Highlander, and it shone through like fire. He had been instantly attracted to her, but when he saw she was wearing the pendant of the chosen, indicating that she would be the next wife of the Alpha of his clan and bear his shifter children, he had been crushed. James wasn't the Alpha of his clan, although he had been an important and high-ranking official on the committee. If he wanted anything to do with Sadie, there would be hell to pay.
When they had been in the dungeon together, James had remembered hearing her speak and thinking to himself of the legend of the Highland wisp – the woman with the strange accent and the unearthly good looks. When he was a boy, he'd had his own encounter with the woman, and now that he laid eyes on Sadie in person, and not just the memories of the Sadie from the song and his childhood, he couldn't take his eyes away.
“I don't know why you're looking at me so strangely,” Sadie had said to him. He'd simply grinned at her, bringing a bright red flush to her already rosy cheeks.
“Maybe I think you're interesting,” he'd said.
In the time that Sadie had grown to trust him, he had listened to her tale of traveling through time and pursed his lips. He knew the world was full of strange, inexplicable things, and Sadie appeared to be one of them. For it was only when he was singing her song in the dungeon, after he had been caught by Lord Lachlan's men, that Sadie appeared in the castle, in the flesh. He had never considered that she might be a real person before and had thought back to the Highland lore of spirits wandering the world, sometimes helping the living and other times playing cruel tricks on them. Maybe the spirit world was going to have some fun with Lord Lachlan.
The thought had delighted him, until he found himself in the dungeon with the beautiful woman, who was just as confused about how she had gotten there as everybody else.
“I know this is crazy,” Sadie said, “But please try to believe me.”
It was easy for James to suspend his disbelief, and listening to her helped him put together a theory about what had happened to her. He didn't want to tell her what he knew until he'd spoken with the elders of his clan, especially when he realized that she was wearing the Tur Aheil – the pendant that was only to be worn by the chosen women of his clan, those who could bear children with the same unique ability to shapeshift into bears that he had.
Still, he felt guilty for keeping his theory to himself, even though he was sure that he had been right. She was so lost and confused. He almost told her that night, by the campfire, but instead, they had given in to their unbearable longing, and he'd gotten himself too distracted by guilt and worry to explain his thoughts to her.
“Lord James” was a title he never thought he would have, and he sipped his water as he thought back to the strange encounter he'd had with Sadie and the even stranger encounter he had experienced when he came to the council with news of her arrival.
“You must send her away at once,” one of the elders had said.
“Send her away?” James asked, frowning. “But why?”
“Maybe it's for the best that we go extinct,” the man said. He was very old and very bitter, and the others chuckled softly and patted him on the shoulder.
“It's possible, James, that this is some kind of a trick. Maybe a trap. We will need to test her before we can really welcome her as part of the clan. I'm sure you understand,” Ivar said.
“No, actually I don't. She is who I say she is, that should be good enough for you. I know what I saw. I know what I heard!” James was angry and not bothering to conceal it. The committee members glanced at each other, quietly amused but tolerant of his outburst.
“It might be good enough for us if you were the Alpha,” Ivar had said carefully. “But as it stands, Broc is away and these matters are left in our hands.”
James glowered but said nothing, afraid they might somehow find out about the horrible secret he'd buried in his breast – he'd slept with the Alpha's fated mate. If they knew about this, it might mean he lost his place in the council, maybe even in the clan itself. He didn't know what he would do if he lost his home. It was all he had ever known. All that he cared about.
“So what should we do with Sadie then? I promised that we would help her. You do realize that she's the wisp, don't you? From the stories? She arrived when I sang the song.”
“James, we are considering the potential truth of what you believe. Please don't take this the wrong way, but we have to do our best to seek the truth at whatever cost, even if it is your loyalty to us. There is still the possibility that it is all part of an elaborate hoax by Lord Lachlan and his men, a way to lead them to our camp. It's been a great secret until now, but if she has led them to us, we cannot forgive that. Until Broc is here to look after her and we know whether or not fate is coming to pass, she will have to stay with the council.”
“I understand,” James said begrudgingly, and left the tent.
After that it had been difficult for him to look at Sadie, and he knew she'd been hurt by his coolness. But she could have been there to undo his clan, take away his entire family. Lachlan was ruthless and murderous, and if he could do it, he would. James hated it, but he knew he the council was right, and he would have to be careful.
Of course the poor lass hadn't known any of that, and she certainly would have looked at him like he was crazy if he'd tried explaining that she was the wisp of the Highlands, come to life to help save the Highlanders and their most precious bear clan. None of that would make sense to a woman from another land, who would think everything he said was all part of some fairy tale. His heart still burned with guilt when he thought about how he had concealed the truth from her, and he sighed, staring out the open flap of his tent.
It was letting the fresh air in, and he kept staring outside expectantly, waiting for Sadie to pop in and smile at him, the smile so full of love and promise that he had come to cherish so much. Knowing her actually made him feel fortunate that he'd been a screw up when it came to fulfilling his orders by the council.
“We need a yew branch, James. One from a special tree in the Lowlands. We want to do a ceremony to increase the odds of our clan's survival.”
The elders had stared at him solemnly, and James nodded. “Of course.”
He had always hoped to hold a high position in the clan, and because he knew there was a slim chance of being the Alpha, he had worked hard to work his way into a position of importance with the council. They had ultimately decided he was noble enough to work with them and used him as their errand boy. He was strong, humble, and willing, and it worked in everybody's favor.
“Look what we found,” a seedy voice said from behind James as he was poking at the yew tree.
James sighed, prepared for a fight as he shifted into his bear form. Unfortunately, the men who had surrounded him had been hunters and trappers from Lachlan's army and outnumbered James by a multitude. He was dragged down to the dungeon kicking and screaming, unable to fulfil his obligation to the council.
He was dejected and humiliated. And although he didn't want to admit it, he was terrified. Lord Lachlan was a monster and had killed his parents and sister when he was a boy. The council had taken pity on him and raised him the best that they could, but it was all to no use. Lachlan’s men were going to finish what they started and get their hands on James. He might as well have died with the rest of his family.
Legends of the wisp cluttered his mind and he sang her song, a desperate plea for help. It must have been around the same time that the council was performing their ceremony, and the castle began to quake around him. A bright light flashed, and the guards all shouted in fear and anger. And then news of a woman appearing out of thin air, sleeping in the room reserved for Lord Lachlan's wisp came to him in broken shouts. And then the wisp was in front of him, and he had never seen anybody more beautiful.
But someday she would return to her own world. The Highlands was no place for the wisp. And he would have no choice but to tell her the truth – that he had suspected how she got there from the beginning. That he could have spared her the confusion and the pain and helped her convince the council to send her back home. Love demanded this sort of honesty, and it took a courage he hadn't known about to brace himself to tell the truth. And he would, he was sure he would. Just not yet.
Chapter 3
James was startled from his thoughts by Gail, who popped cheerfully into his tent with a fresh basin of water.
“Good morning, Lord James," she said with a small bow.
James shook his head, finding the new title funny. She returned the smile but did not backtrack it. Even though they had been friends since they were young, the name suited him and she was going to make sure that everybody in the clan addressed him formally.
“Good morning, Gail,” James said with a smile. “Why do you look like the cat who caught the canary?”
It was true. Gail was smiling as if she had a secret. Something that she was just bursting to tell, but she wanted to wait until the time. It was just like the time when they were kids and she had shifted into a bear for the first time, before he had, and had drawn out the suspense all day long. Finally, she had broken the news to him and he had been jealous. She was pleased by this. Now, she had something else that he didn't know, and he was insatiably curious.
“I saw your mate," Gail said, drawing out the suspense.
“What about her?" James asked.
“I think that she is with child," Gail said, a large grin spreading across her face.
“Are you pulling my leg?" James said, sitting up painfully and flinching.
“No, and if you don't believe me, I even did a rite to make sure. You should be very pleased with yourself. The clan will live again. And it's going to be your spawn that litter the Highlands.”
James smiled widely, his handsome face lighting up with excitement. Sadie was pregnant, with his child. He was going to be a father, and his clan was saved. He felt a twinge of guilt however, and knew that it meant that he would probably have to tell her the truth about how she came to be in the past. He hadn’t been sure if he was right or not, but he knew he should have at least let her know about his theories. It would have given her some kind of truth to hold on to if all else failed.
He didn't have a chance to figure it out before another man pushed himself into his tent and looked around, narrowing his eyes in confusion.
“What's wrong, Kane?” James asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I smell Lachlan and his men. And your mate. Where is she? Do you think she's working against us?”
“That's ridiculous, Kane!” James spat, sitting up and forcing himself not to cringe at the pain. “You have no idea what you're talking about. I'll have your head for treason if you make an accusation like that again. Now get out of my tent!”
Kane frowned, but listened to his Alpha and left the tent.
“What the hell was he talking about?” James demanded. Gail had no idea.
Soon though, another man was barging into the tent and looking James into the eye. “Lachlan and his men have been here, I can smell it. Is your woman safe? I'm worried about the Savior. If they get their hands on her, that means the end of the clan. I don't know if they know this or not, but if they do, that's all the more reason for us to keep a closer eye on Sadie. Is she with you?"
James looked at Landon, whose dark and sincere eyes were staring at him for answers. Suddenly, he knew that Sadie was in danger. He sat quickly, realizing that she had been gone for far too long.
“Landon, I need you to start a search party. I'm worried that Sadie has been captured. We need to get to her immediately.”
Landon nodded and left the tent as quickly as possible. James rolled off of his cot and got to his feet, gasping in pain.
“My lord, what are you doing?” Gail cried. “You should stay in bed. You don't know what will happen to you if you go out there. What use will you be to your woman if you are dead?”
“What use will I be to our clan if my woman is dead?” James growled.
Gail backed up against the wall of the tent and sighed in exasperation as James rushed out, leaving a small trail of blood behind him.
Chapter 4
“Why in the hell do the Highlanders go so far uphill?” the guard gasped as he dropped to his knees panting.
“The bastards can go hundreds of miles in a single day on foot. You have to remember, the bloody animals can change into bears - bears of all things! - and move forward through this terrain like it is nothing.”
Lord Lachlan's voice rang out over the campsite where the exhausted guards were finally allowed to sit down and have a rest. He finally felt like they had been able to travel far enough that they would not be pursued any further by the camp of Highland bears.
“We have to make sure, you know, and although my mages have been able to concoct a way to make our scent seem as if it was going to the east to keep the Highland devils off of our trail, better to be safe than sorry. I'm sure you would rather climb a couple of hills for your own safety rather than lay out in the open without the assurance that you will be safe.”
Sadie was tied to a tree in the corner of the campsite, near Lord Lachlan, who was roasting a rabbit over the fire. Sadie thought back to the first time that James hunted for their breakfast and sighed sadly to herself, wishing that she was back in his arms safe and sound. She didn't know when she would be, but she believed their capable bear shifters would notice her absence and come to rescue her as quickly as possible. However, she was nervous about the fact that Lord Lachlan had supposedly found a way to keep the shifters off of their trail and prevent them from rescuing her. Somehow, their scents would be going to the east as they traveled further and further west, back toward the castle. But surely, they would know to go to the castle and not chase after random smells, right?
It was hard to be comforted by this, as the bear shifters showed a noticeable lack in judgment when they transformed. They followed their instincts above all else, making them vulnerable to attacks of strategy. She didn't want to leave her life in the hands of others, but if she had to, she was glad that she had thrown her lot in with the noble bear shifters of Lord James' clan.
“Tell me, wisp,” Lord Lachlan said, removing the gag from her mouth. “Why exactly did you choose to appear in my home if you didn't want to marry me?”
“It wasn't a choice,” Sadie said coldly.
“Oh no? I find that hard to believe. You surely knew that I had been pursuing you all this time, right?" Lord Lachlan said quietly, out of earshot of his men. The guards were already drifting into a deep sleep, as they had been worked to the bone by the demanding Lord Lachlan.
“I don't know what you're talking about," Sadie said, quirking her eyebrow at him.
“Sure you do," he said, moving toward her and pressing his face close to hers. It made her shudder and recoil, but she had nowhere to run. “I have been looking for you for so many years, when I finally spoke your name, I knew that you would be mine. It just makes sense. I knew you would be the one to help me take down the Highlanders. Without you and your power, they would rule forever. You don't know how terrible that would be. The world would be roaming with freaks of nature like those bear shifters. Half man, half animal. They have no sense of decency; they are totally evil."
“They are not evil. I think the evil is in the shape of a man who is willing to do anything to harm others and destroy their way of life.”
“Shut your mouth, wisp,” Lord Lachlan barked. “These are creatures without a God, and they should never have existed at all. They are freaks of nature; don't you understand? You are my ticket to eradicating them from this land once and for all. Without you, they will be free to roam and continue destroying life as we know it. Don't you think that's a problem?”
“I don't see why you hate them so much," Sadie said. “They keep to themselves. They don't hurt anybody.”
“They don't hurt anybody?!" Lord Lachlan exclaimed. “Haven't you seen that man James, that bastard, plowing through my men like they were nothing? How can you say that they don't hurt anybody? They would kill you just as soon as they would look at you.”
“The problems between the Highlands and the Lowlands are caused by fear and greed. And you will get away with mistreating and murdering these people simply because they don't fit into your small idea of what normal should be. It's completely unfair to expect that of them, when they are so much more than normal. They are better than normal. It is you who is the evil coward, causing problems between the Highlands and the Lowlands. You just want to control them all, but you are never going to be able to pull it off. If you want my help, I say you will have to kill me first.”
Lord Lachlan's face grew red, and Sadie flinched, expecting him to take his temper out on her at that moment. But as she had learned from her tour in the dungeon, he did not feel comfortable unleashing his wrath anywhere but the privacy of his own bleak dungeon. And that was exactly where she was heading. At the very least, she had gotten her last words in, and nothing could infuriate a tyrant like the truth.
Chapter 5
“What are you doing here? You should be in bed healing. Lord James, I don't think that this is safe for you."
James ignored the well-meaning protests of his clansmen and continued moving forward, running as quickly as he could in his ferocious bear form. The men watched him in admiration and concern, as blood leaked from his fur in the middle of his stomach.
“There is no time to be in bed right now," he snapped. “Not when Sadie is missing.”
“My lord, please reconsider. It may be just as useful to have you back at the camp to protect everybody else. If Lord Lachlan knows where our camp is now, that means that everybody is in danger. Who is going to protect the rest of the clan if we are all going after Sadie? This doesn't make sense and it might be a trap.”
James paused and thought about this for a moment. He was listening to a man named Dodd, who had always had a gentle voice of reason. James had come to respect him a lot over the years, and he stopped running for a moment to listen.
“Why don't you let us go forward and see what the trouble is? We can come back and report to you as the others move forward to deal with the situation at hand. We will bring Sadie back to you, or you can come and meet us and get her for yourself. But I honestly think that it's a mistake to have the Alpha leaving the clan vulnerable right now.”
James could see the logic and what Dodd had to say made sense to him as the Alpha. He heaved a heavy sigh and turned around, heading back to the campsite with his mind racing. As he ran, a sudden and powerful feeling came over him. He felt Sadie was calling to him from the west, and as he turned around and headed west toward the campsite, it was as if his heart was soaring as he made his way closer to his beloved. He closed his eyes and willed the spirits of the forest to guide him, and instead of stopping back at the campsite, he continued moving with all of his energy toward the west.
***
“James is going to find you, you know," Sadie said quietly.
“James is a stupid bear who will follow his instincts and by the time he figures it out, it will be too late for you. I will have already done what needs to be done.”
“Are you going to kill me?" Sadie asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Eventually, but I am going to put you away for a very long time and enjoy myself while I do it. Torture you until you have no choice but to help me get rid of the Highlanders. I will figure out exactly what you know and how I can use that to help me. We have been seeing you for years, and now it is time to hear you speak. I don't know how this happened, but I can only assume that it is divine intervention on my part. I have been doing God's work by eradicating the Highlanders from this land. And now, God will expect me to continue doing his work by forcing you into obedience and giving you the opportunity to serve His divine will. You will serve me and pleasure men as I see fit.”
“You think like a primitive beast," Sadie said dismissively.
Lord Lachlan was angered but he gave her a terrifyingly calm smile. “You may think so now, but I think that you will change your tune when you are in my dungeon. Nobody stays lost for long. We are all the lambs of God and will find our way eventually.”
“Oh please,” Sadie grumbled.
“Now, don't trouble yourself, dear. You will be of great use to me yet, so I will not be killing you. Not right away, anyway. You will only wish that you were dead and find that the Lord's salvation is the only thing that will save you.”
“If you cared so much about purity and the Lord, why did you want to take me before our wedding night? It doesn't matter if the priest knew or not, God would know, right?”
“Shut your mouth, woman,” Lord Lachlan sneered, “or I will finish what I started before you pulled a knife on me right now."
Sadie clamped her mouth shut and leaned as far back against the tree as she could. The last thing that she wanted was for Lord Lachlan to touch her before James and the others could rescue her from him. If that meant that she had to stop taunting him and taking out her anger on him, that was exactly what she would have to do.
As James slowly approached the area where Sadie seemed to be heading, a sudden, sharp stab of pain caused him to buckle to the ground. He quietly whimpered and transformed into his human body. The wound on his stomach was pulsing agonizingly, and he suddenly regretted not listening to Gail and his comrades.
James was laying naked on the ground, gripping onto his stomach and looking around for something that he could use to bandage his wound. He closed his eyes and silently asked the spirits for guidance, and suddenly his eye fixed upon a plant that was laying in front of him. He recognized it vaguely as one that he had been taught about in his youth, and he quickly picked it, chewing in his mouth before using it as a salve to put on his wound.
It helped him to feel better almost immediately, and he got to his feet, panting slightly. Unfortunately, he had to conserve his strength and use his human form for a while. That was the only way that he would be able to make it to Sadie in time. Who knew what the disgusting Lord Lachlan would do to his beautiful mate, and the thought filled him with rage that drove him to move past his pain and bound through the forest as if it were nothing. He had to get there before Lachlan and his men did anything to Sadie. They would feel like she deserved it, but he would not let them harm her.
Not only that, but they might harm his unborn child, and that would be unforgivable. Especially if Sadie did not know that she was bearing a child for him. Maybe in some way she would know, but he felt it was very important to let her know that she was going to be a mother, and the soul reason his clan would be able to survive throughout the course of history. Maybe that had been her destiny, whether they knew it or not. Sometimes fate had a funny way of working. Of course she’d had a terrible husband in her own timeline, but fate had made up for that and provided her with an escape to the Highlander clan where she would ultimately be able to make a better life for herself. He could only hope. If he let her down and allowed her to be harmed by the most disgusting man who had ever grazed the Lowlands, he would never forgive himself.
The idea made him want to scream with agony, and he let out a mighty roar. He ran for a few paces before dropping to the ground, still in agonizing pain from his stomach wound. He lost consciousness on the ground, his head floating in a dizzy darkness between time and space. As he began to pass out, he had a strange thought that maybe this was where Sadie had come from.
***
“All right, lads. Up and at them," Lord Lachlan's voice rang out over the campsite. The guards began to stir and grumbled, but they got up and began packing up their supplies. “We have to get back to the castle before the Highlanders get on our trail. There's a lot we have left to do with Miss Sadie here. The wisp isn't going to talk willingly. Of course, I already planned for that in advance, so as long as we get to my castle in time, everything will be fine. Hurry though, the disgusting animal people are fast. Much faster than we are.”
The soldiers readied themselves to leave. Lord Lachlan gripped Sadie by her dress and untied her from the tree. He held onto her wrists with his big clammy hands, pushing her forward ahead of him as they began to march downhill toward his castle. He looked down at her from time to time, and Sadie couldn't help but think that he looked even uglier in the sunlight. His face was blotchy and broken, and his teeth were broken and black, like his heart. She had learned of all of his horrible exploits from the tour of his castle in the future, and discovering the painting of herself marrying him had been enough to make her want to vomit.
“You call me a wisp," Sadie said. “What exactly do you mean by that? I don't understand the reference. Could you please explain it to me? Who do you think I am?"
Lord Lachlan looked down at her, a pleased grin on his face. He seemed to enjoy the fact that she was talking to him. And so, her question seemed to engage him immediately. It was a great opportunity to hear himself speak, and she knew that he would take it.
“My lady, do you not know your own legend?"
She shook her head, batting her large green eyes at him sincerely. The more she knew, she felt, the more likely she would be able to escape. She would have to play it very carefully.
“You’ve been here before, you know. In the Highlands. We've seen you here for years. But before you were just the wisp, you were not flesh and blood. Just a wisp of a person. Here, but barely here. We all knew your face from legend, and even your name. When you suddenly appeared in my room, I knew that you were meant to be my bride. And I knew that you would be the one to help me get rid of the Highlanders once and for all. If I could just keep you, and keep you away from them, for myself, then you would be the one to help us to make us victorious in our war against the shifters. The bloody devils are just too uncivilized to live in this world, but now that you are here, we will be able to stop that. Won't we?"
Sadie said nothing as she contemplated his strange story. Instead of acknowledging his question, she just tilted her head at him. He took this as a sign of acknowledgment and grinned, and they continued marching on toward his castle as the cold air blew against her face. How much of this legend was true? And how much of it had James known?
Chapter 7
“Lord James, are you all right?"
Gail cradled his head in her arms and peered down at him with her friendly concerned face.
“I heard you roar and knew that you didn't go along with the rest of them. They're heading further east, I can tell. I feel it. That’s why you came back west, wasn’t it? You felt Sadie this way. That must be where Sadie really is. I have to help you, but first I need to know if you can stand up. I gave you some herbs to help with the pain. Can you move?”
James groaned quietly as he got to his feet. Gail dusted off his shoulders and offered him a small cloth bag. He pulled his favorite kilt out of it and grinned at her, slipping it on.
“Right. Now that you're all good and proper, maybe we should try moving now.”
James nodded and they began walking further toward the area where Sadie's scent was coming more strongly. James collapsed against a tree, and Gail rushed to his side.
“James, do you need help?” she asked, frowning.
Before James had a chance to reply, she was transforming into her bear form and nuzzling his shoulder. He knew that she wanted him to climb onto her so that they could move through the forest more quickly. He did as she wanted, knowing that it was just his childhood friend suggesting it and not somebody who would hold it over his head later.
“So, are you happy to be a father?" Gail asked him. The bear kind could speak to each other without words, which was good for James because he was lacking in energy.
“I would rather not think about that until I have Sadie and my unborn child back,” he said.
“Understandable," Gail said.
“I'm worried though. What if something has already happened to her?"
“You would already know," Gail said. “In your heart. You know, when my father was killed, my mother just knew something was wrong. I think that the same thing would happen with you and Sadie. She has been captured yes, and she could be in terrible danger, that's true. But she’s still here. And I'll help you see to it that she gets back home safe and sound.”
“Thank you, Gail," James said, laying his head against her. And with that, they bounded along as quickly as Gail could carry him, into the uncertainty of the forest ahead.
***
When the darkness fell around them, Gail paused in her tracks.
“You know, I'm beginning to think that Lord Lachlan and his men don't know this forest very well,” Gail chuckled.
James was about to agree when suddenly he perked up, distracted. “Gail, do you smell that?”
“I do! It's the remains of a fire. They've been here. We're on the right track.”
Gail was about to start running again when James jumped down and put his hand on her shoulder.
“I smell her,” he whispered.
Gail gazed at him as he walked up to a tree, smelling it and contorting his face with fury.
“He had her tied up here. He wanted to...he wanted to do terrible things to her, but he kept it inside for the time. He's going to take her to his dungeon, I know it. We have to get there. Now!”
Gail roared ferociously as James shifted into his bear form. They both began to growl and roar, as loudly as they could, alerting the rest of the clan to their plight. Their angry growls shook the forest and rippled throughout it, causing birds to fly away and deer to flee. Now that they knew for sure where Sadie was, everybody had to be on high alert and should head toward the castle. Lord Lachlan had Sadie, and it was time to show him what they were made of. Every man, woman, and child was invited to storm the castle and guarantee the survival of their clan.
Chapter 8
Sadie could see the silhouette of the castle coming up in the distance. The sun was beginning to set, and the sky was lit with bright colors. Suddenly, the horses began to whinny nervously. Lachlan and his men looked around in confusion, trying to figure out why their steeds were making such a commotion, but suddenly a very distinct sound reached their ears.
Sadie, who had been feeling pessimistic as the castle began to draw nearer, suddenly felt hopeful. She knew that sound anywhere. It was James. And he was furious. They could hear his roars throughout the entire forest, and as Lachlan's men finally emerged from the trees and headed out toward the clearing where Lord Lachlan's castle was, the sound became even more ferocious and intimidating. Sadie couldn't blame the poor horses for being afraid, especially not when they remembered what had happened the last time they encountered one of the mighty bear shifters.
“Get the horses into the stables quickly," Lachlan said, jumping off his own horse and gripping Sadie by the waist. He pulled her down with him and they stood squarely on the ground. “Make sure they are locked out. We lost too many in the last encounter. I will not let that happen again. We need to get the girl into the dungeon before any of the bear shifters show up. We need to be ready for them. Tell the guards at the castle to man their positions and begin preparing flaming arrows. This is going to be a massacre, and I'm going to enjoy every second of it.”
Sadie glowered at him as he forced her to run alongside him toward the castle. The horses were too spoked to move, and so it was up to their own willpower to get inside. And Sadie didn't particularly want to get inside. She did her best to take her time until Lord Lachlan pulled the sword from his sheath and pushed it against her firmly.
“You are going to keep up, or you are going to die right here and right now," Lord Lachlan said to her in a seething voice. His pockmarked face was dark and angry, and Sadie swallowed. She didn't want to die now, not when she could hear James so close to her. He was so near to rescuing her from this tyrant.
And she realized gradually that she wasn't just hearing James either. Sadie and the soldiers could hear other bear shifters on the horizon, growling and roaring as loudly as they could. It sounded like the entire clan had come to rescue her, and she knew that she had to do her duty and stay alive until they were able to pull off their rescue mission. She had to live to see James again. And so, she moved alongside Lord Lachlan, who was so out of shape that it didn't take too much effort to keep up with him. In fact, it was a rather easy and slow pace. But as long as she seemed to be doing her best, she would stay alive.
“It's too late," Lord Lachlan said, as if he could hear her hopeful thoughts. “You are going into my dungeon, and my men are going to take care of the rest of the meddling bear shifters. We have poison arrows and fire arrows and everything else that could be a bear's worst nightmare. And the funniest part about it is that they're so angry that they won't even think about walking right into a trap. We have the whole area full of traps, and they're all going to die. It's going to be your fault, and I'm going to really love watching you suffer.”
“They're not going to die, but I think you are," Sadie said, turning her fiery green eyes onto Lord Lachlan. He growled in anger at her belligerence and pushed her hard ahead of him. She stumbled but righted herself, straightening as proudly as she possibly could as they continued along toward his castle.
***
“Wait,” James said. “Everybody be quiet. I hear something. I need you all to listen carefully with me."
Everybody paused and listened carefully into the distance. Suddenly, a tiny voice came to them, and James nearly fainted. He knew it was the voice of his unborn child, speaking psychically to him through his mother. The shifters could speak without words, and now, his child was doing the same, both to him and to the other bear shifters who were heading toward the castle.
There had been many legends about the bear shifters communicating with their unborn children, learning all the secrets of the world before birth. But James had thought that they were stories and had dismissed them most of the time, thinking of it as ways to get everybody to behave. But his tiny son was warning him now, telling him that danger was ahead and that they needed to look where they were stepping or else their rescue mission would be a failure and he would die along with his mother.
The rest of the clan was quiet and hushed with awe as they listened to the tiny voices of the infants Wait, infants? There were two voices. A boy and a girl, both speaking softly but urgently, warning of arrows laced with fire and poison, and traps at their feet much like the one that had gotten James stuck in the dungeon in the first place. The bear clan was afraid to make another move until James acknowledged that he heard the child. They might all have thought they were going crazy.
James gave a sudden powerful roar and turned his thoughts back to his men. They all had heard what they had to do and were ready and willing to get out there and do it. It might very well have been the most important thing they had ever done in their lives, and the future of their entire clan depended on it.
“We are going to have to go around to the back of the castle and enter in toward the dungeon entrance, back where I escaped from originally. All of the guards are going to expect us to emerge from the forest, but nothing about what we do should be what they expect. My wife and children are on the line, so we have to do this right. Without them, our clan will be wiped off the face of the earth forever. No bear shifters will exist after our generation has gone on to the next realm. We need to do this right, so everybody follow my lead.”
He turned to Gail. “I need you to stay here, Gail, so that they think that we are going to come from this side. I want you to roar and continue approaching, but be careful. I want someone to volunteer to stay with you so that you can stay safe. Keep your eyes on the ground for barbs and tricks; these traps can take us down in an instant. Step over them and stay quiet, except for Gail and Dodd.”
Everybody agreed on the instructions, and began to approach. James led them quietly around to the back of the castle, helping them to avoid stepping into traps and triggering them so that they did not get into trouble. He could smell Sadie and knew that she was both fearful and relieved. He tried to will his voice to reach her, but because she was not part bear, he knew that it would not work. So instead, he willed his voice to his unborn children, telling them that he was on his way and would do everything he could to bring them safely into this world.
Chapter 9
“I want to have your wedding dress on for this," Lord Lachlan said with a seedy smile as he pushed Sadie into the entrance of the castle. He summoned the servant, the same one she had seen the first time she opened her eyes in this new world of the past, and told her to fetch the wedding dress. The woman gave Sadie a fretful look, but disappeared up the spiraling staircase to retrieve the dress.
“Nobody humiliates me like you and lives to tell about it," Lord Lachlan said, running his finger along the polished wooden table. "Then again, few people are as beautiful as you are, so it's almost funny to me to be shamed in this way. I almost like it. Almost."
Sadie said nothing, just glared at him as they waited for the servant to bring down the wedding gown. When she finally arrived, she gave the wedding dress to Lord Lachlan and retreated. However, she cast her eyes upon Sadie, fixing on her a worried but caring look, and disappeared up the stairs again, peeking over the railing to watch what became of the wisp of the Highlands.
“Put it on,” Lord Lachlan ordered.
Sadie stared at the dress, her nose crinkled in disgust. Although the gown was beautiful, she did not want to humor this sick man in that way. She refused, and Lord Lachlan instantly grew furious. He was used to everybody doing exactly what he said the first time he said it. That was what he thought obedience should be.
“I said put on the dress!” he shouted. He pressed the tip of his sword against her throat.
Sadie's hands shook as she picked up the dress. She was about to pull her clothes off when a huge banging noise startled them both. They turned to find the cause of the commotion and were met with a loud, malicious roar. It was James, and he had come to rescue her just in time.
“James!” she exclaimed, running toward him. He gave her a gentle nuzzle and pushed her behind him with a large paw. James wasn't alone. Lord Lachlan was left staring at a huge circle of warriors, who had surrounded him within his own home. Most of them recognized him and had stories of vast personal loss associated with him, and so tearing this man apart limb from limb was actually some kind of closure for them. She stared at them with wide eyes, and Lachlan held his sword in his quaking hand as if he could somehow prevent the inevitable from happening.
Soon, the bears advanced upon him, and Sadie could hear the sound of his screams shrieking from in between the giant bear forms devouring him. Finally, one last gargle escaped his lips, and a snap cracked through the air crisply. With that, the vicious tyrant Lord Lachlan was gone.
Chapter 10
James motioned for Sadie to get onto his back. She climbed up on him gently, worried that he might have been wounded in the battle. However, he seemed to be fine, although he moved slowly across the yard. The guards had wisely avoided attacking the massive group of bears, knowing that they were vastly outnumbered and would have been slaughtered if they had tried anything stupid. James carried Sadie to the point where he had left Gail and Dodd, and Sadie ran to Gail, who was covered only in a scrap of tartan cloth, and embraced her. Dodd remained in his bear form, ever alert to the danger.
“Are you all right, lass?" Gail exclaimed, looking Sadie up and down. “I can't believe we almost lost you and your precious ones."
“My what?” Sadie asked, looking at Gail and confusion.
Gail clasped her hands over her mouth and exclaimed, “Oh, I'm so sorry. You didn't know yet, did you?”
“What's she talking about, James?" Sadie asked, turning to James. He was no longer in his bear form, instead in his striking, muscular human form, naked in all his glory and glimmering silver in the moonlight.
“I even heard them, it was unbelievable," James exclaimed, looking up to the sky in reverence. "You're pregnant, lass, you're having my twins. I didn't know that it would happen so soon, but it has. That was how we were able to avoid danger. They warned us of the traps. They heard Lachlan talking to you and did their best to give us a warning.”
Sadie gazed at James in disbelief; he had to be joking with her. But Gail was looking at her with a bright smile and nodding enthusiastically. She couldn't help but believe what they were saying.
“I know, it seems crazy. And about the babes speaking in the womb, using their bear voices...I just thought that it was old ridiculous rumors, but they truly could talk to us when it mattered the most. It must have taken a tremendous amount of energy, so I doubt they would try it again, but they were able to this once. It was amazing." James picked up Sadie and twirled her around in the dark, both of them laughing in disbelief. She was going to have his babies. And they had saved their lives.
Chapter 11
James and the rest of the clan were very tired after their battle with Lord Lachlan and his men. It had taken a lot out of them to arrive in such a short amount of time, and so as they approached their camp, they decided to take a long rest by the river. Sadie and James camped a little ways apart from the rest of the group, knowing that having each other back finally would be a cause for celebration. They had a lot to talk about and wanted some privacy. Gail understood and did her best to keep everybody from protesting their camping separately.
“You know young love,” she said, although she wasn't very old herself. The rest of the clan begrudgingly agreed and allowed them to have their privacy.
James lay on the ground naked, his muscles rippling handsomely in the moonlight. Sadie ran her hand down his chest as they spoke, letting her palm roam the firm, warm curves of his body. He smiled at her, his eyes twinkling in the moonlight, and pulled her on top of him. She nestled there, instantly aroused by the feeling of his bare groin pressing against her middle. She buckled against him and he grinned at her, knowing what was on her mind, squeezing her ass in both his hands.
He thrust against her, his rod growing hard as it pressed between her legs, and she sighed softly, feeling the bulge of the tip of his penis as it massaged her clit, sending tendrils of pleasure winding throughout her entire body. He sighed as she squirmed out of her clothes, pressing her naked body on top of him. Her hot breasts trailed along his cool body, the hard mounds of her nipples arousing him uncontrollably, making him groan as he grew hard to the point of bursting. She nestled on top of him, her hot loins enveloping him inside of them, and he slid fully inside of her, eliciting a groan from both of them.
Her groan turned to a cry of pleasure as he thrust hard inside of her, going as deep as he could go, burying himself in her and pumping again and again. She moaned with pleasure as he made love to her, their bodies entwined on the ground. James brought her nipples to his mouth, his strong, skilled hands roaming her body expertly and lovingly, resting gently on the mound of his unborn children for a moment before finally he bent her over and began pounding her in earnest, until she gripped the grass in her hands and cried out, pushing her mouth into the crook of her arm to muffle the sounds of her intense orgasm.
Her body quaked around James, contracting and pulling on him until he uttered a low moan, flooding her inside with his hot explosion. They collapsed into each other, breathing heavily, gripping one another with pure love as they instantly fell asleep.
Epilogue
When they finally returned back to the camp, Ivar was waiting expectantly with a smile on his face. James had confessed what he knew of Sadie's past on the journey, but she had taken it surprisingly well, gripping his muscular arm and leaning her head into it. She asked him never to lie to her again, and he promised he wouldn't.
“What is it, Ivar?” James asked with a grin, slapping the old man on the back.
“We figured out how to send Sadie back to her own world,” he said. “We weren't totally sure we could, it was risky, but we know it will work now. Once she delivers the twins, we will open the portal and she can return.”
“Wait, what are you talking about?” Sadie asked, her heart thudding. “I'm not leaving my twins.”
James and Ivar looked at each other nervously.
“You don't have to leave them,” James said softly. “Not if you stay here with me. And even if you just want to go home, that's all right, too. You can take them. I don't know how you'll teach them the bear ways, but we can manage. Maybe I can go with you. I think Gail would make a great Alpha.”
He winked at Gail and she laughed.
“What would you like to do, Sadie?” Ivar asked, furrowing his brow. He had been so relieved just moments before, but now he was back to his old brooding self.
“I'd like to stay here with you,” Sadie said. “I want to be a Highlander.”
The clan was silent for a moment, until finally eruptions of glee and excitement followed. Everybody was cheering; they couldn't imagine life without Sadie now that she was there.
James picked her up and swung her around and they laughed, kissing passionately. They would raise their family together, free to be bears.
THE END
Clan of the Werebears
Lady Arabella Armstrong looked out of her window. The day was bright for travelling and her heart fluttered with excitement. Today she would be travelling from her home in Stirling to the baronial castle of her betrothed, Lord Andrew Grenville Stewart, the wealthy Laird of Inverness. The marriage had been arranged many years ago by her father, Lord William when she was just a girl. He had no son and heir and the match would be a good one. As well as uniting the two clans, she would live out her life in luxury; nothing would be too good for the new Lady Arabella Stewart. Although her father was a rich man, it was nothing in comparison to the wealth of the Stewart Clan, and she would have her own suite of rooms within the castle and maids to look after her every whim.
For months she had been measured and fitted for her trousseau, a beautiful peach silk gown inset with ivory lace. In fact several sets of new clothing had been made especially for her new life in the Highlands, expertly sewn to be both practical against the winter chills and attractive. Most of the items had been packed away, but she had kept out a deep blue woollen tunic for travelling in. It matched the colour of her eyes and she wanted to look her best for her soon to be husband.
She had only met Andrew Stewart the once, when he had visited her family in the summer to make the arrangements for their nuptials. She had felt shy back then, being presented to the worldly wise and older man. He was an enigmatic stranger, the future husband with whom she would share private intimacies. He was very handsome, with jet black hair swept away from his face in a somewhat rather severe manner. His eyes were steely blue and his lips red and thin against the pale skin. He had a reputation for cruelty but he had been kind, bringing her a present of a sparkling blue amethyst necklace, set with diamonds. She remembered how he had fastened it around her throat; his long fingers brushing the nape of her neck, as he bent down to kiss the bare flesh of her shoulders when no one was looking. At the time she had recoiled at his touch, it was the first time a man had been so intimate with her, and the feel of his hot sticky breath against her soft skin had made her flush with embarrassment. If he had noticed, then he had been too much the gentleman to say, but her mother Margaret had seen her daughter’s reaction and had remonstrated with her later. The match was important and Arabella must be brave. Her mother had told her all about the needs and passions of men and it had quite shocked her young mind. At 18 years of age, she had led a very sheltered life. She was amazed that her prim and proper mother had actually committed the acts that she embarrassingly described; she could not imagine her parents clutched together in conjugal bliss, but obviously she was the proof of their past union, and possibly why she was an only child.
Looking at the image of herself in the long mirror, Arabella smiled approvingly. The new dress fitted well and complimented her long, dark hair that fell around her face in soft ringlets. The wedding would take place in a little over a week and she wondered if she would look so young and innocent after her marriage, after her wedding night?
The carriage was prepared and she hurried down the stairs to bid goodbye to her parents. Matilda, her maid would be travelling with her on the long journey and continue to be her ladies maid at the castle. The two girls were good friends and it made the prospect of her new life less daunting.
Her mother and father were waiting in the hall to say goodbye. They were both undemonstrative in their affections, but her father had tears in his eyes as he waved the carriage a fond farewell. Her mother’s last advice had been that she must do everything she could, to please Lord Stewart.
Anything would be better than her mother’s continual instructions, and now she would be free, Lady of her own castle. Surely the sacrifice would be worth her liberty? Once she had given him children, he would probably leave her alone, her mother had said by way of a comfort.
The carriage had been made cosy with blankets and cushions to keep them warm and comfortable on the long journey. They had packed a small meal of bread, cheese and preserves, and would stop off at a halfway point for a comfort break and to drink a glass of warming ale. It would be late by the time they reached the castle and would need some sustenance en route.
As the figures of her parents diminished into the distance, Arabella felt the first stab of fear in her stomach. What if she wasn’t happy, what if she could not please Lord Stewart in the ways her mother had imagined? Margaret had been rather vague about the actual deeds she would be expected to perform, talking in riddles of 'men's ardour' and certain 'urges'. She had also hinted that the first time might be painful, but apart from that she was clueless, and her maid Matilda seemed as naive as she was.
The young maid was very pale except for two red spots on her cheeks. She hadn't wanted to leave Stirling, she had been with Lord Armstrong for most of her working life and she would miss the old familiar place, her own family. But she could not desert Arabella in her time of need.
Looking out of the window she blinked rapidly in an attempt not to cry. She would be sad not to see John Wilson again, the young man who had recently joined Lord Armstrong as stable hand. She had become very fond of him.
"Do ever think that you shall marry Matilda?"
It was the wrong thing to say at that moment, for the young maid was soon in floods of tears, much to the alarm of her mistress.
"Why whatever is wrong with you, surely you are not homesick already?"
Matilda sobbed between words "No Mistress, not really Miss, it is just that..."
"I hope you're not wailing over that new stableman, John Wilson?" she lightly scolded.
"He is a charming young man I have heard but not one to be trusted with the ladies. I hear he was walking out with a young woman from the village, but was caught kissing the cooks daughter, Bessie in one of the stables. Broke both girl’s hearts I believe and he has only been here a couple of weeks. You are well away from that young knave Matilda, just think of all the strapping Highlanders you are bound to meet soon".
The young girl wiped her tears and laughed. Young hearts seldom stay broken for long, and soon the two girls were soon chattering away to each other.
"So, what do you think it will be like on your wedding night, when you are first alone with your husband, in his bed?"
Matilda giggled and blushed at the same time. She had seen the pigs and cows on her uncle’s farm, but she did not think it would be the same with people.
"Imagine seeing a man naked?"
"And him seeing YOU naked!"
"I fear I would die with the shock."
"Or with the pain? I have been told a man’s Roger can be this big, as big as a bulls," and she held up her hands in such an exaggeration that both girls tumbled back into their seats in fits of laughter once again.
"But what does he do with it?" The young maid had no idea.
"Why, he sticks it inside you and wiggles it about until he gives you a child."
The whole thing seemed so preposterous that it wasn't long before the girls were giggling once more.
"In that case I do not want to be married and will remain an old maid all of my life."
Matilda stuck out her bottom lip in mock defiance and crossed her arms.
"Yet I shall be married in a week’s time and I suppose I must endure my husband?"
"You must, it is his right as your spouse and keeper." The two girls had now ceased their laughter and sat in quiet contemplation.
"I must confess, I am a little afraid Matilda."
The girl grabbed hold of her companions hand and their fingers entwined.
"Do not worry. I don't think it can be that bad. After all, my mother gave birth to 10 children," and that set the two girls off laughing again.
It didn't seem long before they were stopping at ‘The Moulin Inn’ near Pitlochry, to rest the horses and give the girls a chance to stretch their legs.
As the coachman helped the two girls down the steps, a group of rough looking characters stopped their drinking and all eyes were on Arabella. She was a fine sight to behold in her new dress, the tiny waist and blossoming bosom, her long flowing black hair catching the wind.
She was a beauty, there could be no denying and the man smacked their lips as they eyed her slowly from head to toe.
One man, with broken teeth and an eye patch whispered something to the others and they all broke out in a peal of lusty laughter.
No doubt it was something coarse about her and Arabella felt her cheeks flush.
On hearing the noise, the landlady of the Inn, Mrs. MacBrayne rushed out to see what was afoot. She was a cheerful, plump looking woman with a red nose, who would settle for no nonsense in her establishment. On seeing the poor girl’s plight, she quickly ushered the two into a private room at the back of the place, where they could eat their refreshments in peace, away from prying eyes. On bringing two glasses of warming ale to the table, Agnes MacBrayne sat with the girls, intrigued to know their story.
Arabella soon told her the details of her forthcoming marriage to Lord Stewart and Agnes wrinkled her colourful nose.
"Lord Stewart. Aye, I have heard folk speak of him. He's a cold fish from what I have heard. But don't ye take any notice of me, my loves. I'm sure he will make ye a good and proper husband. He's rich enough, that's for sure. Many a man has been changed through marriage."
She looked sadly across at the young woman.
"And many a maid too if I'm not mistaken, still I'm surprised you are travelling alone, two unescorted ladies with only a coachman for protection?"
"Papa said we would be safe. That no one would dare to harm the future bride of Lord Stewart- he is too powerful and rich a man to cross."
"With wealth and power also comes enemies, and Lord Stewart has many of those. There are men that would like to harm him. He has stolen land that does not belong to him and imprisoned men that have stood against him. It does not tell a pretty story I am afraid, and you must be always on your guard."
Arabella felt a cold shiver inside. She had not thought how vulnerable she and Matilda were, and her father had never mentioned the troubles. She could not believe that the man she was about to marry could be so wicked. It was probably all lies and gossip anyway.
Soon it was time to climb back into the carriage. The coachman, Thomas, had been drinking with the men outside, and she wondered what they had been talking about. The less people knew about her journey until they were safe within the castle walls the better, and she urged him to continue their journey as quickly as possible.
The light was almost fading and there would be many more hours until they reached their destination.
The landscape had changed from the gentle hills of the Lowlands, and now they were among the barren heather clad moors of the Highlands. Great mountains loomed above them, their white caps just distinguishable in the growing darkness. Mountain streams cascaded down the rocky surfaces, and the smell of pine and wild heather filled the air.
The two girls had fallen into a silent stupor as they watched the shadowy world pass by the little carriage window. Soon they were both fast asleep.
A sudden jolt of the carriage woke them simultaneously and Matilda was thrown into the lap of Arabella. The horses had stopped and there was an eerie silence around them. Arabella shouted out to the coachman to see what was happening, but there was no reply. After a short while she opened the window and poked her head out into the night air. The coachman was not at his station and the girl felt the fear rise in the pit of her stomach. Maybe he had to answer a call of nature and had fled to the bushes to relieve himself. That must be the case. She looked back at Matilda, pale and wide eyed in the corner of the carriage.
"It's alright Matilda, he won't have gone far. Relieving himself of all of that ale he drank at lunchtime no doubt," she tried to laugh but her humour did not lighten the mood, and the young maid grabbed at her Mistresses hand for comfort.
"Whatever shall we do Miss?" Matilda was almost crying.
Being the elder of the two, Arabella felt she was the one that had to be brave for both of them. Indeed she was almost a married woman and felt it only right that she should take charge of the situation. Opening the carriage door she placed her foot on the step.
'Where are you going, don’t leave me," The maid’s voice was small and weak.
"Don't be silly Matilda. I won't be long. I am going to find out what has happened to Thomas. Stay here or I may lose you."
Hopping down onto the ground Arabella walked around to the front of the carriage to where the horses stood, nibbling contentedly at the grass. They appeared calm and she was sure everything would be alright.
The air was chill and her breath made white patterns against the darkening sky. There were thick clumps of forest surrounding the rough road on both sides and the tall shadows of the tree’s rose menacingly all around her.
An owl hooted in a distant tree, but everything else was still, almost too quiet.
Stepping towards the undergrowth she could feel the wetness of the grass start to seep into her thin slippers, staining the silk with dark patches. There was a rustle in the bushes to her right and she stood still peering into the gloom, the loss of vision putting her at a disadvantage.
A hand was around her mouth before she had time to scream, as a strong arm grabbed her roughly around the waist and dragged her under the cover of the trees.
Her feet hardly touched the ground as she was lifted and pulled to a clearing set some way back from the road where she was roughly dropped to the floor. The sudden drop knocked the wind out of her sails and she caught her knee on a sharp stone, causing her to wince.
“Careful with the goods,” a gruff voice shouted and the air was filled with the sound of vulgar laughter.
Picking herself up as daintily as she could under the circumstances, Lady Arabella looked around. They were a motley looking lot of men, dirty mainly, and wearing the traditional tartan of the area or plain breeches and boots. Even the stable lads at home looked better than this rough –hewn lot and she tried to lift up her head and hide the fact that her heart was stammering inside her chest.
Another of the men let out a low whistle and walked towards her. She thought she recognised him as one of the men from the Inn.
“Haven’t we a pretty little thing ‘ere then? Lord Stewart may be a bastard but he certainly knows how to choose a bride.”
Approaching her, the man lifted his hand to her face and attempted to pull a strand of dishevelled hair away from her cheek, to get a better look at the stunning girl. Instinctively Arabella pushed his hand away, she did not want to be prodded and poked by such a person.
The man’s smiling face quickly turned to anger as he grabbed at her wrist and wrenched her near to him.
“See my lads, we have a cat here that will scratch and claw if we are not careful. I wonder if Lord Stewart knows what he is letting himself in for. Maybe we ought to teach this kitten to curb her claws, I’m sure the laird would be very grateful for our instruction?”
Grabbing her other arm he pulled her face closely to his. She almost wretched at the smell of rotting teeth and stale sweat. His mouth was wet and greasy, and tiny flecks of spittle bubbled on his lips with excitement. Soon his fleshy lips were on hers to hoots of encouragement from the other men. Arabella thought she would die there and then and almost fainted with the sensation. The wet and rubbery mouth engulfed her own delicate lips as his thick and slobbering tongue probed into the depths of her mouth. She could hardly breathe and feared she would suffocate, but eventually she was released and pushed back onto the hard ground.
The pack of men had now gathered all around her, there were about a dozen in number and all were looking at her with greedy and lustful eyes, as if she were some kind of animal. Her bosom was heaving in its tight trappings and she thought her heart would burst.
At last she found her voice.
“Don’t you dare touch me? I am betrothed to Lord Stewart and he will see you all hanged if you dare harm even a hair on my head.” Her voice was shaking as she defiantly looked back at the group.
She thought she had made an impact until the man who had kissed her broke out into a sly grin.
“We don’t want to hurt her do we boys? We just want to have a little fun.” His eyes were steely and full of desire as he approached her. She started to stand but he grabbed her and held her to the floor. His hand reached up to her breasts and pawed at the soft flesh, licking his lips in anticipation.
“Come and hold her down boys whilst I teach her a lesson.”
Two men approached and one took her arms and the other her legs, spreading them slightly apart.
She felt a hand underneath her woollen dress, the dirty fingernails digging into her skin as they crept further and further up towards her inner thigh and intimate places.
Arabella wanted to scream for help, but a filthy hand was pressed over her mouth so only a small muffled cry could be heard. It was no use, there was no-one to hear her anyway and it was useless to struggle against the strength of these men.
The first man had now kneeled down beside her and was pulling at the fastening of his breeches. His fleshy cock fell out of the dark material, a floppy, half solid thing that he grasped in his hands and started tugging. The other men shouted in approval and the girl tried to avert her eyes.
“She’s never such a thing in her life, look how it offends the ladies eyes.”
“I’m not surprised,” shouted another. Billy’s is a poor specimen, here she needs a real man,” and with that the man from earlier with the eye patch started to loosen his clothing. His cock was thicker and much larger than the others and Arabella’s eyes widened in fear.
“See, she likes mine much better, see how the thought of it makes her eyes shine.”
Another round of crude laughter ensued as the man with the hefty manhood stepped near her.
“Now, let’s get down to business”
As he knelt beside her and started to lift up her dress, there was a shout from the back.
“Stop that ye heathens, stop that at once.”
A man stepped forward into the clearing. He was handsome and not like the rest and although his clothes looked worn and in need of some service, he looked cleaner and more respectable than the others. He had with him an air of authority and the others seemed almost afraid of him.
“What on earth are you doing? Are ye but animals? Get away from the poor girl now. The instructions were not to harm her. She is to be used as a bargaining tool against Lord Stewart, not as a plaything to amuse you scum.”
The man with the eye patch rearranged his clothing and stepped forward.
“We did not mean any harm to the girl. We were just having our wee bit of fun.”
Before he could finish his sentence he was knocked by a powerful punch to the floor, leaving his nose bloody and broken.
“Is there anybody else here who was thinking of having their way with this poor lassie?”
The men shuffled their feet and looked away. Their leader was a strong man and no-one wanted to challenge him.
Arabella looked up gratefully. The man stood before her was definitely handsome, not in a sharp, cool way like Andrew Stewart, but in a more rugged and manly fashion. His hair was dark with an auburn glint, and fell in waves upon his shoulders. His eyes were a smouldering deep brown and his jaw square, with just the hint of a dimple. In any other mood she would have felt subdued under his quiet gaze, now she was afraid and angry and wanted to be away from here and back on her journey to Inverness.
“If you will help me up Sir, I would like to be on my way,” she tried to be brave but couldn’t help her bottom lip from wavering. The man held out a strong arm and took hold of her hand, delicate and slight in his and pulled her to her feet.
Straightening out her dress and brushing back her hair she looked the young man in the eye. “And what is your name Sir?”
He couldn’t help but smile at the brave young woman stood in front of him. She was very beautiful and her eyes glimmered with emotion.
“My name is James Macadam Miss,” he bowed politely and held out his hand for hers which she declined. Although he was charming he was still one of them and therefore could not be trusted.
“Well Mr Macadam, my future husband, Lord Andrew Stewart will be very grateful for your intervention to save me, and I am sure that when I am safely within his castle walls he will reward you handsomely.”
The men stood around her laughed incredulously and James held up his hand to silence them.
“I am afraid that is not quite how Lord Stewart will see it. You see, these lands and those around as far as the eye can see belonged to my clan, back to my father and his father’s father before him. Generations of Macadam’s have owned and lived in this land without conflict for hundreds of years, that is until your beloved Laird took everything away from my family by force, and burned our forests.”
“I’m sure there must be some mistake?”
“There is no mistake my Lady. As we speak my father is held prisoner in the Castle up in Inverness. He is an elderly man that should not be locked up in a cold and damp cell; and his crime? To speak out against your future husband for taking and destroying our lands.”
His brown eyes were fiery with an amber glow as he spoke, the words pulled from the depth of his heart.
Arabella stood quietly for a moment. James Macadam spoke with such conviction about Lord Stewart that she didn’t know quite what to think. His speech had caught her off guard, and any feeling of protection she thought she might have under the name of Lord Stewart was quickly diminishing. Hiding a shaking hand behind her back and jutting out her chin, she continued in the best way she could.
“That maybe so Sir, but what my future husband has or has not done cannot be blamed upon myself. I am innocent of this act but can promise that on my safe return to Inverness, I will put in a good word for you and your father and this mis-understanding can be put right.”
“Mis-understanding?” James shook his head sadly, as the men scoffed at her comments.
“I am afraid your ladyship that you will have to be our prisoner for the moment. The only way to bargain with Andrew Stewart is through something he loves, and apart from money, these things are rare indeed. It was unfortunate for you that you happened to stop at the very Inn in which my men drinking. Your driver was easily bribed.”
“Thomas?” Arabella was shocked to know that her father’s trusted servant had been party to such a wicked act.
“Don’t be too hard on the man. We made him an offer he could not refuse”
“And where is Thomas now?”
“We have sent him back with the horses to Stirling. I have told him to tell your parents that no harm will come to you and you will soon be returned to Lord Stewart.”
“And what of Matilda, my maid?” The thought of her young maid had slipped her mind completely and she felt responsible for the wretched girl.
“Do not worry, she was sat safely waiting in the carriage. I gave her a start and she started weeping, saying she would not leave without you. She is on the road back to Stirling as we speak.”
Arabella could imagine her father’s reaction when the coach returned. Her mother would probably faint.
“My father will not let this lie either; he will come looking for you.”
“My quarrel is not with your father but with Andrew Stewart, I would not like to harm an innocent man, but if your father attacks then we must fight back.”
Her father was not a warring man and he would be no match for James. He would not do anything but pray for divine intervention. Her position grew more hopeless by the minute and she could feel her bottom lip start to tremor once more. This time, there was no holding back and the tears slid down her pretty cheeks as she started to sob.
James was not used to women crying, he was used to living with his men, yet he was not hardened to her grief. She was a beautiful young woman and he was not unaware of the fact, and to see the poor thing weeping before him, stirred his heart.
His voice was gentle as he reached for her arm.
“Come Arabella, I promise that we will not hurt you. I will be personally responsible for your safety and wellbeing at all times. Now it is getting late and we must get back to the camp. You will feel better after food and a rest.”
Arabella was reluctant to take his offered hand but she had no choice in the matter. She was tired and wished the business over quickly.
James threw her over a pair of men’s breeches and a woollen cloak to wear. She was hardly dressed for riding, and it would look better if she was dressed more like them. It would remove the worry of suspicious glances that her appearance might spark.
“We’re going to have to do something with that long hair of yours too,” and with that James produced a leather cord and gently gathered the hair at her nape and fastened it securely. Passing her a black cap to complete the outfit she changed behind a thicket of trees.
When she finally emerged she looked just like a handsome young boy. Only her blossoming figure gave her away and that would be well hidden beneath a flowing cloak.
Taking her hand he led her to where his horse was patiently waiting, a magnificent black stallion called Jet with a white star marking on its nose. He helped her up and she sat beside him, refusing at first put her arms about his waist as they galloped through the dark night, but as they rode faster through the darkness she found she had to cling on to him to keep her balance, her arms tight around his firm and muscular body. At first she buried her head deep into his back, afraid of the speed and the dark shadows all around her. But he was a good horseman and eventually she relaxed and opened her eyes, enjoying the thrill of the ride. She had never felt so liberated.
Too soon they arrived at the camp, a makeshift place that had been the men’s home for a few days. A few shelters had been made from branches and leaves, to offer some protection from the elements. A few of the men had already started a fire that was already blazing a magnificent cornucopia of colours; deep gold and amber against the black canvas of night. A large cooking pot had been hung over the flames and a delicious smell drifted through the air.
Arabella was still reluctant to become civil with the men, especially the ones that had tried to molest her. James had been kind, but he was the sworn enemy of her betrothed, and it would not be seemly to form any kind of relationship with him.
She was given the best seat by the fire and several woollen blankets were laid out for her to sit on. The warmth penetrated her bones and she curled her slippered toes towards the heat. Tired and hungry she hastily accepted the wooden bowl of broth accompanied by a dense chunk of dark coloured bread. The soup was mutton; her favourite, and she had soon devoured the lot, the fresh air adding to her appetite. Although simple, it was one of the tastiest dishes she had eaten for a long time.
She was determined not to fall asleep. However kind James had been, she did not trust his men.