Tal startled when he awoke in the sacred grove. Why was he sleeping here? What had happened to the broch? Instinctively, he grabbed for his sword.

And then he felt Deirdre by his side, and it all came back. She was his. Finally his. He rolled over and took her in his arms.

"Mother Nature calls," he said to her softly. “Do you want to get up with me? We can go see our surprise at the broch."

She hummed a delightful note as she rolled over on her back and stretched her arms up over her beautiful long golden hair and stretched lazily.

“Oh, I suppose," she said to him with a teasing smile. "If Mother Nature is calling, then I suppose I won't get what I want."

Tal's voice sounded husky to him when he reached for her.

"I don’t know about that…"

* * *

Boann brought them breakfast in bed soon after, and it was almost midday before they made it up to the broch to see their surprise.

Everyone they met congratulated them and hugged them and wished them many happy years together and many children. Everyone.

Deirdre was relieved to see that Nyla wasn't at all upset at having missed her wedding. Her friend hugged her longer than most.

"Of course I'm happy for you and wish you many years of happiness as well," Nyla allowed. But in the middle of their hug Deirdre's friend whispered in her ear, "and I'm overjoyed you're staying with us."

"I am too," Deirdre whispered back. "But Tal’s excited about a surprise Deoord’s making for us, so—"

"Let's go!" Nyla said, shooing the two of them toward the broch. “I know what it is, but there's no way I'm telling. Let's go!"

It took them 50 times longer than usual to make it to the broch, with everyone wishing them well.

“Long life together!”

“Many healthy bairns!”

Deirdre wouldn't have stopped the greetings for the world. The people hugged her and kissed her cheeks and smiled so warmly.

When they got to the bottom floor of the broch, Tal went over to get patted on the back by Breth and their father.

With tears in her eyes, Deirdre fell into Jaelle’s embrace there by the two cradles for her twin boys.

“I feel so terrible, Jaelle.”

This woman who was now her sister stroked Deirdre’s hair and made soothing sounds.

“Whatever for?”

Deirdre clung to her.

“I still don't know the names of the thousand Picts in the grand clan, let alone the names of all the Gaels who tarry to raid the Romans.”

But Jaelle set her straight.

"No one expects you to know everyone's name, Deirdre. Don't even mention it. You are such a blessing to the grand clan that everyone should be honored you have joined us. And from what I've seen, they are. Now please relax. This is your new family, and I think I speak for everyone when I say we all love you and hope for nothing but the best for you and Tal."

The mothers of the other young children came over then and also hugged Deirdre, making tears of joy come to her eyes as she hugged Jaelle in return.

Deoord made a dramatic entrance from the spiral stairway door.

“Are you coming up to see the surprise or not?”

“We definitely are!” cried Tal.

The mothers with babies remained down at the bottom floor, but absolutely everyone else followed Deoord, Talorac, and Deirdre up the spiral staircase between the broch’s two outer stone walls to the fourth of five floors, where stood the chieftain’s kitchen and Talorac's pallet.

Deoord stopped at the door in front of them and turned to smile, but before he could say whatever he had planned to say, Talorac gave him a playful push.

"Just open the door already! I'm dying to see what you’ve been planning to surprise me with all this time!"

Everyone on the stairs below laughed, including Deirdre.

Deoord crossed his arms over his chest and gave Talorac a stern look that was ruined by the smile he fought.

"Manners, Talorac, manners. I've been up all night working on this, and plenty of other people have too. They await you inside, and you will greatly disappoint me if you don't thank them before taking advantage of their handiwork, understand?"

Talorac's stance softened at that, and he put a gentle hand on the druid’s arm.

"Aye, I do understand. Thank you, my friend, for watching out for my long-term interests. You have always been superior at that, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Deoord nodded, apparently satisfied with this, and opened the door.

Ten workmen in those baggy Pictish shorts stood in the kitchen smiling. But that wasn't what caught Deirdre's eye. No, their work was indeed a cause for celebration and thanks.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Tal practically screamed as he scooped Deirdre up and carried her toward the door in the wooden wall the workmen had put up between the kitchen table and the far wall, separating Tal’s pallet into a private alcove.

"I will thank you until my dying day,” Tal told the workmen, “I promise, but for now please let us through that door!"