Epilogue
MacAinsley Castle was alive with festivities. Banners bearing the MacAinsley and MacFinn crests hung across the halls, honoring the two clans.
Finlay walked through the halls, passing servants carrying food and drinks that they were moving to the cèilidh outside. There was still time before the handfasting ceremony, and he just wanted to be sure that everything was ready for when Thalia came down.
He was surprisingly calm, given everything that had happened. For a long time, he had thought he would never want to get married. That was until he had run into a fiery young woman in a garden.
He chuckled at the memory, at the way she had openly teased and mocked him, pretending his flirting had no effect on her. He was glad that that was not the case anymore.
“Peter!” he greeted his man-at-arms, who stood by the front entrance with a few guards. “Everything’s set up well for the day?”
“Aye, me Laird,” Peter answered. Then he added with a knowing smirk, “We are all set, should the bride decide to make another run for it.”
Finlay laughed, shaking his head at the joke. “Ye havenae seen me daughter around, have ye?”
Peter shrugged. “I assumed she was up in her room?”
Finlay nodded, giving him a pat on the shoulder, and turned to make sure Daisy was ready as well.
He walked back through the castle, passing by Laird MacFinn and Thalia’s mother, Olivia. He nodded to them in greeting, and Olivia gave him a smile. Laird MacFinn nodded back, but neither man said anything to the other.
Even though they were about to be family, and Thalia had patched up things between them, Finlay still hadn’t gotten over everything her uncle had done. At least for now, they would be civil to each other.
When he arrived at Daisy’s room, he saw that the door was closed. He rapped his knuckles against the wood.
“Daisy?” he called when no response came. “Daisy, are ye ready yet?”
He opened the door to find an empty room.
“Daisy?!” he repeated, louder this time, but only silence answered him.
He cursed, tearing through the halls and opening every door that she might be hiding behind. They were all empty.
He ground his teeth. Did Laird MacFinn say something to her again? Had she overheard another harsh comment? Had she run away again? If she had, there would be hell to pay. Damn the consequences. He knew Thalia would be on his side.
The door to his study banged open as he stormed inside, turning around as he tried to find any sign of his daughter.
He went to the window, looking out at the grounds in a bid to catch a glimpse of her.
The courtyard was filled with people laughing, dancing, and drinking.
Had she just gotten lost in the crowd there?
He was just about to head there when a flash of green caught his eye.
There in the garden, kneeling in the dirt, was Daisy. He could barely see her behind the bush, but it was absolutely her. He twisted away from the window and moved with purpose out to the gardens.
Relief flooded through him, but it was quickly replaced by annoyance. He had told her to be careful with her new dress, one made from the same fabric as the dress Thalia would be wearing for the ceremony. If she were out in the garden now, she would surely have mud staining the bottom of her hem.
He sighed. That girl took too much after Thalia now.
Daisy did not notice when he came down the path, and he did not make his presence known until he was right behind her.
“What do ye think ye’re doin’ out here?” he asked in a stern voice, so she knew she was in trouble.
She started, yelping as she stood and turned in one motion. He noticed that she had hidden something behind her back.
“I’m sorry, Da,” she said, her eyes widening apologetically. “But I was makin’ something for Thalia.”
His face softened. “Well, can I see it?”
Daisy shook her head. “Nay! Nae yet! Ye can see it when she wears it.”
“All right.” He chuckled. “I suppose I’ll just have to be surprised then.”
“Aye!” she agreed. She kept one hand behind her back as she waved him off with the other. “Now, go away!”
He chuckled again at her audacity, but he obliged her nevertheless.
Later, he would talk to her about trying to order him about, but it probably wouldn’t stick. That girl was growing into someone almost as stubborn as him.
He gave one last look over his shoulder to see that she had gone back to her surprise, before walking back up the path.
Thalia was beaming as she walked towards him. Daisy walked beside her hand in hand.
Thalia’s green dress fit her beautifully, and Finlay couldn’t wait to take it off her that night. She smiled at him, her brown hair hanging loose and wild down her back. A sweet flower crown made of daisies sat atop her head.
His heart swelled; he had never been so happy as he was at that moment.
Thalia reached out her hand to him, and he took it and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. He caught Ava’s eye behind her, and she gave him a firm nod and a smile.
The priest began his speech. He went on about the joining of the clans and how their union may be blessed. Finlay kept his eyes on Thalia the entire time, and she kept her eyes on him.
The priest produced a strip of tartan and gestured to their hands. Finlay raised his first, and Thalia placed her hand on top of it. The priest wrapped the cloth around their joined hands, tying it into a knot. They knelt down together before the priest as they said their vows.
“I, Finlay Hunt,” Finlay murmured, “take ye, Thalia Dougal, to be me lawfully wedded wife. I give ye me body, that we two might be one. I give ye me spirit, ‘til our life shall be done. I promise to love ye, and worship ye, for all of our days.”
Thalia blinked back tears, taking a deep breath before she said her vows.
“I, Thalia Dougal, take ye, Finlay Hunt, to be me lawfully wedded husband.
I give ye me body, that we two might be one.
I give ye me spirit, ‘til our life shall be done. I promise to love ye, and worship ye, for all of our days. ”
The priest crossed himself, murmuring a prayer in Latin as he did.
Then addressing everyone, he said, “Now, ye are bound to each other with a tie that doesnae break easily. Go now, kenning that yer marriage will be strong, and that yer love will last in this life and beyond. I now pronounce ye man and wife.”
Cheers erupted as Thalia and Finlay leaned in to share a kiss, and the cèilidh started after. Dancing, music, joy, and plenty of food and drink were shared around.
Thalia danced with her family, and she taught Daisy a few moves, to the girl’s delight. They twirled together and laughed, while Finlay enjoyed it all from the sidelines.
Caden joined him, sipping his ale and watching his own wife dancing. “I still cannae quite believe ye are married now,” he said.
“Aye, me neither,” Finlay admitted. “But it feels good. It feels right.”
Caden slapped him on the shoulder. “Aye, it does.”
Thalia picked Daisy up, settling her on her hip as the girl leaned in to whisper something in her ear. Thalia’s eyes widened, and she leaned into Daisy’s ear, seemingly to ask a question. Daisy nodded, and Thalia hugged the girl close to her chest and kissed her cheek.
Finlay watched it all unfold with curiosity. After Thalia set Daisy back down, he approached her.
“What was that about?” he asked.
“It’s Daisy. She… she asked if she could call me Maither.” Thalia wiped under her eyes. “And I told her that she could.”
Finlay put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her tightly. “We are a proper family now, then.”
“Aye, we are,” she agreed.
Caden appeared on one side of Finlay, and his new brother-in-law, Jack Barkley, appeared on the other. Thalia was flanked by her sisters as well.
“How is married life treatin’ ye so far, Braither?” Caden asked.
Finlay eyed him with suspicion. “Are ye pished?”
“Aye!” Caden bellowed. “Are ye nae?”
“I think it’s time we put the new Laird and Lady MacAinsley to bed,” Emma teased.
“Aye, I agree.” Ava gave a mischievous grin.
Ava and Emma led Thalia away, and she cast an anxious look back at Finlay. He laughed, shaking his head as Caden and Jack dragged him behind the women.
They were all laughing as they stumbled into Finlay’s bedchamber.
Finlay tried to get a glimpse of Thalia, but Jack blocked his view.
They stripped him of his shirt before pushing him towards the bed.
Thalia’s dress fell away until she was only in her shift.
She slipped under the blanket to hide her embarrassment.
“All right, ye’ve had yer fun. Now get out before I have to kill ye!” Finlay hissed.
They laughed, not taking the threat seriously, but they filed out of the room. Emma left first, followed by Jack, then Caden, then Ava. Ava gave them both a quick wave, before closing the door firmly behind her.
Finlay finished stripping and then slid into the bed next to Thalia. She was picking at a loose thread on the blanket, and he tilted her chin up to bring her attention back to him.
“Are ye all right?” he asked.
“It’s just… We already…” She flushed.
Finlay knew what she was alluding to.
“Aye, daenae worry. I’ll cut me hand so that there’s a spot of blood on the sheets in the mornin’,” he assured her. “I willnae have anyone putting me wife’s virtue into question.”
Thalia’s face brightened. “I’m yer wife.”
“Aye, and I’m yer husband.” He grinned.
“Do ye have any regrets?”
“Nay, lass. Do ye?”
Thalia shook her head. “Nay. I think it all worked out as it should.”
“So do I,” he answered.
He kissed her, pouring into it all the passion and love that he felt for her. That he would give her for the rest of their lives.
The End?