Early December, 1318
“Thank ye for yer hospitality, Lady Helena,” Colin said, rising from the high table as the morning meal wound to a close. “But we cannae impose upon ye more.”
Helena had known this day would come soon enough, but she couldn’t help the swell of sadness in her chest.
Logan pushed back from his seat, then extended a hand to Helena, helping her stand as well. “Is the army on the move, then?” he asked.
“Aye,” Finn replied, rising next to Colin. “The Bruce has sent us our orders. Colin is to lead the army to Selburgh Castle east of here, and I will return to Trellham Keep to see to my duties there.”
Colin nudged him. “Ye make it sound as if going home to yer bonny wife were a chore.”
Finn shot a mock dark scowl at Colin and punched his arm, which Helena had learned was about as close to jesting as the serious warrior got.
“Thank you both for staying long enough to attend our wedding,” Helena interjected, cutting off any further quarreling between the two commanders.
In the fortnight since the siege, both Logan and Helena had recovered quickly—so quickly, in fact, that they’d decided to arrange a simple wedding ceremony while Colin, Finn, and Reid were still at Craigmoor with the Bruce’s army.
But now that they’d celebrated the joyous occasion and life at Craigmoor was settling into its routines, the army—and their friends—would be moving on.
The castle would seem empty without the three warriors and the rest of the Scottish soldiers so close, though Ida, Brian, and the other servants would be relieved to have the pace of their work slow a bit.
Colin tilted his head, a warm smile on his face. “It was a pleasure to attend yer wedding, Lady Helena.” He turned to Logan. “And a delight to see a fellow member of the Bodyguard Corps wed.”
Logan’s chest lifted at that, and Helena could practically feel the warm pride radiating from him. He extended his hand and shared a hearty forearm shake with first Colin and then Finn.
“Dinnae be surprised if ye receive word from the Bruce soon,” Colin said, his eyes bright and merry as they landed on Helena. “He’ll no doubt wish to thank the Englishwoman who took a castle before his army could, and meet the newest member of his Corps in person.”
Now it was Helena’s turn to swell with pride. “It would be an honor.”
Just as the two men stepped back from the high table, Reid entered the great hall, a bundle of cloth tucked under one arm and Mairin trailing behind him. He nodded to Finn and Colin, then approached the high table.
“I take it Colin and Finn told ye that the army is moving east?” Reid asked, coming to a halt in front of them.
“Aye,” Logan replied. “I assume that means ye will be going with them.”
“I’ll be leaving, aye, but no’ on another siege. The clan needs their Laird, and the King has given his permission for me to take the Mackenzie warriors who joined this siege back to the Highlands as well. Apparently we arenae needed in the Borderlands, since Craigmoor fell so swiftly and easily.” He bowed to Helena, admiration warming his eyes.
“Before I go, I wanted to give ye this,” Reid went on, turning back to Logan. He pulled out the bundle of cloth from beneath his arm, and Helena realized it was a length of Mackenzie plaid.
“It’s high time ye got out of those bloody English breeches and back into yer clan colors, man,” Reid said with a grin. He handed the plaid to Logan, but when Helena looked up at him, Logan did not match Reid’s smile. Instead his face was sober, his eyes shimmering with emotion.
Logan lifted his gaze to Reid, swallowing hard. “Thank ye,” he rasped at last.
Reid pulled Logan into a bear hug, nearly dragging him over the table that separated them.
“I’m going with Reid back to the Highlands,” Mairin blurted suddenly.
Logan and Reid separated. From the smoothness of Reid’s features, Mairin’s declaration wasn’t a surprise to him. Logan, on the other hand, mirrored Helena’s emotions. His brows shot up, his eyes rounded, and he fumbled for words for a long moment.
“Have ye decided to return to the clan, then?” he managed at last.
“Nay,” she replied. “I’m going back to the Corps’ camp.”
Logan sputtered. “But…but why?”
Mairin drew in a deep breath. “Ye were right to take me to the Highlands, Logan.” She glanced around at the hall, then turned to Helena. “Dinnae take this the wrong way, but I cannae stay here in the Borderlands.”
Helena slipped around the table so that she could move to Mairin’s side. Gently, she took the girl’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “No offense taken,” she said. “I understand why you wouldn’t want to remain so close to England.”
Mairin nodded. “But it’s more than that. Ye took me to the camp because it was safe, isnae that right, Logan?”
“Aye,” he said, his russet brows pulling together. He stepped around the table as well, dropping his voice. “But ye ken that I’ll ensure yer safety wherever ye are, dinnae ye, Little Bird? I swore I would protect ye, and I’ll keep that promise.”
“I’ve never doubted ye,” Mairin said, her voice tight with emotion. “Ye did protect me, but now it is time I learned to protect myself.”
Surprise fluttered through Helena. “What do you mean?”
“I liked what ye taught me,” Mairin said, turning a shy smile on Helena. “The defensive maneuvers, the techniques to protect myself—they made me feel strong. I want to feel that way, always. I’m going to train with the Corps.”
Finn stepped forward then. “I’ll make sure there arenae any objections among the others,” he said to Logan. “Though I doubt there will be. We are always looking for brave and honorable warriors—even if they come in the form of wee Mackenzies.” He lifted one brow and shot Mairin a look, but she stared right back at him drolly as if he were a third nagging, teasing older brother.
“This is what ye want?” Logan asked softly, his gaze searching Mairin. “To return to the camp and train with the others?”
“Aye,” she answered, all seriousness once again.
“Then we will have to visit ye often,” Logan said. He pulled Mairin in for a hug. “Fight fierce, Little Bird.”
“I always do,” she mumbled into his shoulder, tears brimming in her eyes.
“And when ye are in the Highlands,” Reid said as the two drew apart, “make sure ye visit yer clan as well. Yer family has missed ye, Logan.”
Logan nodded, but based on the emotion shining in his eyes, his throat was too tight to speak.
Helena took Mairin’s hand and pulled her aside slightly. “Remember, Mairin,” she murmured. “All that you’ve been through, all you’ve seen and survived, was not a curse. The past does not control the future, and fate is not written in stone. Only you can cut your path.”
Though the words were meant for Mairin, they rang true in Helena’s heart as well. Aye, her past was filled with fear and loss, but the future lay before her, bright and promising. Her people accepted her. She had Logan by her side. And her fate was her own.
“I am glad to have ye as a sister,” Mairin said, throwing her arms around Helena. As Helena hugged her back, tears burned in her eyes and warmed her cheeks.
“It is time,” Reid said gently beside Mairin. Helena released her reluctantly, wiping away the tears.
Logan and Helena crossed through the castle gates, under the portcullis, and over the drawbridge with the others. They stood at the castle’s entrance as the Bruce’s army slowly began to draw away. They waved to Colin as he led the men east, and Finn as he peeled off to the south toward his own Borderland keep. And despite the chill in the air, they stood waving toward the north long after Mairin, Reid, and the Mackenzie men had disappeared over the rise in the distance.
Emotion thickening her throat, Helena at last turned back toward Craigmoor.
“We have a great deal of work ahead of us,” she said, assessing the castle. Though most of the damage from the short siege had been cleared away, the keep had suffered under Geoffrey’s control. It would take time and hard work to bring Craigmoor back to its full glory.
“Indeed,” Logan replied, pulling her to his side. “But, we’ll do it together, wife.”
He tilted her chin up and lowered his mouth to hers. The passion and love that filled his kiss mirrored her own.
Aye, her heart sang—together.
The End