Epilogue
One month later
The wedding had to be delayed, much to Fia’s chagrin, but today was finally the day. Even now, even after everything she and Knox had been through, she was a little nervous to walk up to the chapel with him, to stand by his side as the priest pronounced them husband and wife.
Would he like the soft pink dress Effie had chosen for her? Would he find it too plain? Would he find it too intricate, too expensive, with its gold embroidery and pure white lace? Would he like the way her maids pinned up her hair, the jewels they had chosen for her?
Fia had hardly had any input in what she would wear that day, too overwhelmed by all the options to choose, but when she looked at herself in the looking glass, she thought Effie and the maids had done a good job. She only hoped Knox would think the same thing, that he would be pleased to see her like this.
Maybe she finally looked like the Lady of the Clan. She may not have felt like one, but as long as she looked the part, she hoped everything else would follow.
“Are ye ready?”
Bane stood by the door, leaning against its frame. He, too, had been dressed in the finest clothes gold could buy, courtesy of Knox himself, and Fia couldn’t help but think her brother looked like a prince. It was an odd look on him, though. She was so used to seeing him covered in grease and grime that now he seemed like a whole different person to her.
The only thing that remained were the stains on his fingernails.
Fia rushed to him, pulling him into a tight hug—one that Bane returned with a soft chuckle, patting her back gently. When they pulled apart, he grabbed onto a small strand of her hair and tugged, just like when they were young, only for Fia to slap his hand away.
“What are ye doin’?” she demanded. “Ye’ll ruin me hair!”
“Ye’ll ruin me hair!” Bane repeated in a mocking tone, laughing, and Fia kicked him in the shin for good measure, before she remembered this was probably not how the Lady of the Clan would act. “Ach! Stop that!”
“Ye stop that!” Fia said. “Be nice tae me. It’s me weddin’ day.”
“Aye,” said Bane, his tone impossibly fond. “So, it is.”
For a few moments, they looked at each other in silence, Bane admiring her hair and clothes. Then, he offered her his arm and Fia took it, looping hers around it, before the two left the room to head to the chapel at the edge of the castle grounds.
Never before had she been filled with such excitement, with such anxiety. Her stomach roiled, her chest constricted, her heart beat so fast that she feared it would burst right out of her chest, but her body persevered, her feet taking step after step of their own accord. It helped that Bane was by her side. It helped to have him there, to know she would always have his support.
“There is somethin’ I must tell ye,” he said then, just as the two of them stepped out into the courtyard. He didn’t stop walking, but he also wouldn’t meet her gaze, which Fia found odd. “I will be leavin’ soon. I have arranged fer a travel.”
“Travel?” Fia asked, surprised by the sudden revelation. Bane had never been one to travel, but then again, they had never had the means. Now that they were in a better state, perhaps he had decided to see the world or visit a particular place. “Where?”
“South,” Bane said vaguely, and just from that, Fia knew she wasn’t going to get many answers out of him. She could always tell when he would rather say little, giving her just the information she needed to know, but this time, though she knew not to ask, she didn’t know what it was he was keeping from her and why. “I dinnae ken how long it will take, but I’ll be back. I promise.”
That was all Fia needed to know. As long as he planned on coming back, she didn’t care about the rest.
“Ye’ll write tae me?” she asked, glancing up at him.
It was only then that Bane looked at her, smiling. “O’ course. All the time. I’ll address me letters tae the Lady Stuart.”
The Lady Stuart. How strange.
None of it had yet sunk into Fia’s mind. She knew, of course, that she was heading to the chapel to marry Knox and that from then on, she would be the Lady of the Clan, but that wasn’t enough to truly make her understand the reality of her situation. All her life, she had been a poor peasant girl, someone she never thought would have anything more than a roof over her head and some food on the table. When she had met Callum, she had thought that perhaps her life would get better and she would have some luxuries, such as some new dresses, perhaps a ring or necklace and a feast or two to attend to at the castle, but never in her wildest dreams would she have thought she would be the wife of a laird.
When they reached the chapel, Fia took a moment by the entrance to pull Bane into another embrace, letting him pinch her cheek as she pulled back. She didn’t know if she would ever get the chance to be like this with him again. There were certain things expected of her, certain behaviors, and she couldn’t be seen acting like a child.
Ach, who am I tryin’ tae fool? The moment I’m out o’ this dress, we’ll start wrestlin’.
Inside, Knox was already waiting for her, and the moment their eyes met, he beamed at her, his smile so bright it seemed to eclipse the sun. He seemed more beautiful than Fia had ever seen him—the royal blue of his dress, the way his hair was pushed back, revealing the regal forehead, the patrician profile. They had not yet discussed children, but Fia knew it was now her duty—not only her desire—to give him heirs, and she wondered who they would resemble out of the two of them.
She hoped for a boy, a first-born son who would look just like his father, with his inky hair and eyes as blue as the deepest lakes.
Letting go of Bane’s arm, Fia made her way to Knox, reaching for his hand. Knox smiled at her and though they exchanged no words, the warmth that radiated from him was enough to calm her nerves, to remind her that no matter how daunting a situation seemed, it was nothing as long as he was by her side. That was all she needed—the reassurance that he was right there with her, never letting go.
After that, the ceremony was a blur and before she knew it, Fia was not only Knox’s wife, but also the new Lady of the Clan. She officially held the title now and all the responsibilities that came with it, and the latter were a small weight in her shoulders, one she never thought she would shed.
But it was also one she welcomed, as long as it meant she could be with the man of her dreams.
As everyone gathered at the great hall for the feast—a feast Fia hadn’t had to organize it, as she still didn’t trust herself with such important events, and so had let Mrs. Wilson take the lead—Knox stopped her, pulling her aside by the hand. He waited a few moments for everyone else to leave and then pulled her into a heated kiss, his hands clasping around her waist before he dragged them down to her rear, squeezing her buttocks.
Fia laughed, playfully pushing him away. “What are ye doin’?”
“I havenae seen ye in days ,” Knox said.
“Ye see me every day, Knox,” Fia pointed out.
“Well, I havenae touched ye in days, then.”
That much was true. With all the preparations and customs, the two of them had only shared their dinners for the past week, their paths never once crossing again. It was the first time in days that Fia had felt his touch, but as intoxicating as it was, as much as she wanted to feel more of it, she also knew they had a duty; a feast to attend.
“Come,” she said, dragging him away, despite his best efforts to petulantly dig his heels in and refuse to move. “Let us go tae the feast an’ then, later, I’ll make sure we can leave early.”
Knox’s gaze glinted with mirth and a hint of fiery lust. “Is that a promise?”
“It’s a promise,” Fia said, and pulled him into a kiss.
But there’s more…