Chapter 21
21
Ian jerked awake, blinking rapidly to make his surroundings come into his vision. Wooden beams were above his head and there was the low murmur of voices around him, a hard wooden surface under his back.
His body ached, pain radiating from every part of him, but he was alive.
“Ian?”
Ian blinked and looked to his right, grimacing in pain. Ida was there, her eyes widening and she let out a soft cry. “Yer awake!”
He struggled to lift his body but Ida was right there, shaking her head. “Nay donna move. The healers said ye should stay still.”
Then his memories came flooding back to him. The stables on fire, going back in for her uncle, the building collapsing around them.
His da asking if he wanted to go back to the living.
Ian groaned, relaxing on the surface once more. “Please tell mah that yer uncle made it.”
She reached up, cupping his cheek. “Aye he did,” she answered, her eyes filling with tears. “I canna tell ye how grateful I am for ye.”
Ian swallowed. “Help mah up, lass.”
Ida cleared her throat but she didn’t say another word, helping him to a seating position. Ian realized that he was laying on one of the tables in the council room where he had been turned down by the laird a few months prior. “We were too frightened tae move ye,” Ida explained, handing him a tin cup of water. “Ye were touch and go for a while there.”
Ian took careful sips, his body aching in places he would have never imagined. “How long have I been unconscious?”
“Three days,” she answered, taking the cup from him. “We weren’t sure if ye would ever wake.”
Three days. He had lost three days when it only seemed like a few moments to him.
“I need tae get the others,” Ida said, wringing her hands. “There’s much tae discuss.” She looked as worn out as he felt and Ian wondered what had happened while he was unconscious.
So he didn’t stop her, sliding himself from the table. The moment his bare feet hit the floor, his knees buckled and he barely had time to fall into the nearby chair, which was a sight better than the table he had been laying on. Ian’s body felt like a newborn foal just finding its legs. A quick check told him that he had all his limbs and digits, but there was a bandage wrapped all the way around his body near his abdomen and his head felt as if someone had tried to split it open.
There was another bandage on his left leg, his breeks cut off at his knee and he still smelled like woodsmoke, clinging to what was left of his clothing.
But he was alive. He had come back.
There was a commotion at the door before his sister burst into the room, her hair streaming down her back. “Oh thank the gods!” she cried out, James right on her heels. “Yer awake!”
“I will go back tae sleep if ye keep shouting at mah,” he grumbled, rubbing his head. “Tell mah what has happened.”
It was Stephan and Remy who stepped toward him, both having looks of utter relief on their faces. “Yer back amongst the living,” Stephan replied with a smirk. “Though ye look and smell like death.”
“Wot?” Ian shot back. “Is mah almost dying not enough for ye?”
Stephan laughed and touched his forehead to Ian’s carefully. “I’m glad tae have ye back brother. Donna scare mah like that again.”
Ian clasped the back of his brother’s neck with his hand, realizing that he had given them all a fright. Stephan was never one to be frightened of anything.
Remy was next when Stephan stepped back, shaking his head with a rueful smile on his face. “Ye just used up one of yer many lives graced by the gods,” he stated. “Donna do that again.”
“Tell mah ye found the arsehole who put mah in that situation tae begin with,” Ian stated instead, wanting to know who was responsible for the near loss of three lives.
Remy’s smile slid off his face and he swallowed hard. “Tis was Dalziel.”
Ian reared back as if Remy had hit him. “Wot?”
He nodded, clearing his throat. “Dalziel admitted tae setting the fire. He wanted, he thought that if he eliminated those that were driving ye for peace, then things would go back as they were.”
Ian was dumbfounded. It wasn’t just Ida pushing him for peace. It was what he felt in his bones, what was right for his clan and even if she hadn’t supported him in his cause, Ian would have pushed for peace regardless.
“We found him holed up in the forest,” Remy continued. "He didn’t put up much of a fight after he realized that we didna believe the same way as he did.”
Ian imagined not. “Where is he?” he asked hoarsely, anger sliding through his veins. “I want tae speak tae him.”
“He’s in mah dungeon,” a new voice echoed through the room. “Welcome back Laird Wallace.”
Ian watched as the laird joined the group, a smirk on his face. “I tell ye if ye want mah attention, ye donna have tae try and kill yerself tae get it.”
“Aye, but wot better way than saving yer niece and brother?” Ian countered lightly, not looking at Ida right then. His time with her would come soon enough.
The laird chuckled, clasping his hands behind his back. “Since it was an attack on mah land, on mah clan, I will beseech ye tae allow mah tae dole out the punishment on yer former captain.” He cocked his head slightly. “Unless ye agree with him?”
“Nay,” Ian said roughly. “Ye know I donna wish tae have nothing but peace between our clans.”
The laird nodded. “And now that yer men and mine have caught the culprit, I’m willing tae sit down with ye once more tae make that happen.”
Ian couldn’t believe his ears. “Truly?”
“Aye,” the older man stated. “Tis time for us tae think aboot the future, just like ye told mah before.” He cleared his throat. “I wasna ready tae hear ye then but I am now.”
“I would like that,” Ian said honestly, hope flaring once more.
The laird nodded before looking at the others in the room. “Get this Scot tae a more comfortable lodging.”
There was a flurry of activity as the healer came in and clucked her tongue as she checked him out. “Ye shouldna be moving around,” she scolded him, pressing on his side. Ian winced at the pain. “Ye heard the laird.”
“The laird isna a healer,” she shot back before giving a heavy sigh. “Yer ribs are broken in four places mah laird. Ye have a deep cut on yer leg and ye have hit yer head. Ye need rest but I canna disagree that a more accommodating place would be more appropriate.”
In the end, that was exactly what Ian was given. It took both Remy and Stephan to help him up the stairs, carrying him more than Ian could walk. By the time they walked through the chamber door, Ian was sweating.
“A bath,” the healer demanded as they maneuvered him into a chair that was slightly more comfortable than the one downstairs. “To aid in the healing.”
Ian glanced at Stephan, who sighed loudly. “Fine, I will help.”
Ian noticed that Ida was hovering around the doorway, watching his every move and as much as he wanted her to stay, he knew it was highly improper for her to be attending to him now. “Iris,” he barked out, calling his sister forward. “See that Ida gets a proper bath and some food in her stomach.”
Iris looked at her friend, lifting her chin. “Aye, she looks a bit peaked.” Before Ida could protest, Iris was taking her arm and leading her out of the chamber to do exactly that.
Ian then found James, who was watching the proceedings quietly. “I want tae speak tae mah former captain before his punishment is doled out,” he told the advisor. “Can ye see that it is done?”
James clenched his jaw, likely remembering the events that Ian had yet to look back on. “Aye that willna be a problem.”
“Then let's get this over with,” Ian remarked to his brother.
After a few hours’ rest and some food in his gut, Ian waited nervously for Ida to arrive. He had asked Iris to fetch her and her sister had given him a knowing smile before leaving to do his bidding, not pushing back at him for once.
It seemed that she didn’t mind doing so.
When Ida finally came into the chamber, Ian gave her a grin. “Come in, Ida.”
“How are ye feeling?” she asked immediately as she joined him at the side of the bed, seating herself next to him. Ian was tired of laying down, but he had promised the healer he wouldn’t get off the bed without help.
For once Ian was going to listen. He didn’t want to fall flat on his face and embarrass himself further. “I tell ye, I donna feel like mahself yet.”
“I donna imagine ye will for some time,” she said slowly, clasping her hands in her lap. “Ye almost died, Ian.”
He knew that. His da had told him so. “Aye, but I dinna.”
“I’m so verra sorry,” she blurted out a moment later. “I sent ye back in there after mah uncle and if I hadna...”
“Then he would have perished,” Ian said firmly, not letting her take the blame for his decisions. “It was mah decision lass and if I hadna wished tae retrieve him, then I wouldna have gone in.”
“It was a brave thing ye did,” Ida said softly. “A thing that I canna repay ye for.”
“I donna want repayment lass,” Ian said, reaching over to take her hand in his. He heard her sharp intake of breath but just having her hand in his was comforting to him. “I want yer hand in marriage.” Only after he got the words out that he dared himself to meet her stunned look.
“Ye still wish tae marry mah?” she asked, her eyes searching his.
“Aye,” Ian replied, giving her a small grin. “I mean I did risk mah life for ye.”
Tears filled her eyes and Ian’s grin faded. “Och lass, donna cry.”
She shook her head but the tears continued to fall onto her cheeks, her hand clenching his tightly. “I thought I lost ye,” she finally said after several moments. “I thought that I would never get the chance tae tell ye how I felt aboot ye.”
“And now?” he asked, his voice wavering slightly.
“I’m in love with ye,” Ida finished, giving him a watery smile. “And it doesna feel wrong at all.”
Ian’s breath left his lungs and he gaped his mouth open, not sure how to answer her. “I… I love ye too lass,” he decided on, telling her the truth.
Her lips parted and Ian leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers. It was just as sweet of a kiss as it had been before when he thought that their future was set. Little did he know that this would be the moment they shared in each other’s feelings.
He would never let her go.
The clearing of a throat caught Ian’s attention before he could deepen their kiss and they broke apart, seeing Ida’s uncle in the doorway.
Yet another interrupting, though this time he didn’t charge Ian. “Forgive mah for interrupting,” he said, his cheeks reddening. “I heard ye were awake.”
“Uncle,” Ida said, rising from the bed. “Ye are supposed tae be resting yerself.”
He waved her away, stepping into the room, his eyes on Ian. “I wanted tae tell ye mahself that I am forever in yer debt for saving mah niece’s life and mine.”
“Tis was nothing,” Ian began but the older man shook his head. “It was everything,” he stated firmly, glancing at Ida. “I want tae be the first tae apologize for how I treated ye. I was harboring ill will against ye and ye dinna deserve it.”
“I appreciate yer apology,” Ian said honestly. “And I hope that ye can bless our union.”
To his credit, the older man didn’t even look surprised. “Aye, I can,” he said, giving Ian a wide smile. “Though I will have tae admit, she’s quite the handful at times.”
“Uncle!” Ida admonished, her cheeks pinkening. “I am not!”
The older man winked at his niece before quitting the room and leaving them alone once more. “Well?” Ian asked. “Will ye accept mah hand, Ida?”
She sat back down next to him, drawing in a breath. “Aye, I will Ian. I will be happy tae be yer wife.”
Ian smiled and pulled her close to him, pressing his lips to her temple. “I willna disappoint ye, Ida.”
She let out a choked laugh. “Aye, I believe from time tae time ye will. No one can be that perfect Ian.”
He grinned into her hair, hugging her closer. She was likely right on that accord. “Tell mah lass. Wot made ye change yer mind?”
She clutched his tunic, careful not to bump any of his wounds. “I donna think that mah mind was ever made up but if ye need tae know, I realized it the day that ye were sparring in the ring.”
So she had been watching him. “Wot? Ye liked wot ye saw?”
Ida pulled back, touching his face with her hand. “Nay, I realized that if ye were hurt in that ring, I would have picked up the sword and ran the other Scot through with it. That is when I knew that ye were more than a passing fancy.”
Ian rested his forehead against hers, breathing in her scent. “Och lass, ye are bloodthirsty.”
She snorted a laugh. “Tis was a thought Ian, nothing more.”
He didn’t care. She was going to be the perfect lady of his clan, the one who was going to give him the strength to lead when he didn’t have it and her sound advice that would only make him a better laird.
He couldn’t think of a more worthy partner for the rest of his days.