Chapter 11 #2
“Ah brought some flowers for ye both to tie into yer hair.” Malmuira handed Mazey yellow flowers to compliment the dress. Siusan got purple ones.
“Purple flowers!” Siusan squealed. The baby cried, and both women glared at Siusan.
Gilla swooped over and held Desmond. “Ah’ll care for him while ye get ready.”
“Thank ye, Gilla. Ye’re an angel.” Gilla left without another word.
Mazey’s hair hung around her face, a frizzy nightmare. “Ah dunno what to do with my hair. Ah wish it was straight or curly.”
Malmuira stood behind her, facing the small looking glass Baile gave Mazey. “Twists help with the frizz. Ah’ll do yer hair.” She tucked and twisted the hair until it piled up on top of her head elegantly.
She looked into the mirror and found someone she didn’t recognize.
It wasn’t the fancy hair or dress that made her appear different.
It was how she looked, the way her eyes crinkled and the corners of her mouth turned up.
More than that, she glowed from her soul.
The light radiated from every fiber of her being.
“Ah look different,” Mazey commented to Malmuira.
Malmuira looked over her shoulder and into the looking glass. “That’s because ye look happy. Ah don’t think ah’ve ever seen ye happy until ah saw ye with my faither.”
Mazey dabbed the corners of her eyes with a cloth. “Thank ye, Mal. Ah’m forever grateful to ye.”
Malmuira knelt in front of her and took Mazey’s hands in hers. Malmuira didn’t have her father’s eyes. They must have been her mother’s. “Mazey, ah’ll be forever grateful to ye. Ye have made my faither happier than ah have seen him since my maither died. He loves ye, ye know. Ah can see it.”
“He made me happy. Ah didn’t know what real love looked like until he loved me.” The tears flowed freely now, unchecked. “What about ye, Mal? Are ye happy too? Ye look happy.”
The softest grin danced across Malmuira’s face. Her hand went to her swollen stomach. “Ah never thought ah could be this happy. And now, with Faither settling and ye as Siusan’s maither, ah feel at peace. Ah‘ve worried so much about them, but now ah know they will be okay.”
“Ah’m so happy for ye, Mal. Ye deserve to be happy.”
“As do ye. Ye more than most.”
“We need to get going. Baile will be at the dining hall already.” Mazey went over to the window. A dish held the pearl Baile gave her. She wanted it with her on their wedding day. The pearl was gone. She frantically searched the floor and everywhere else in the room. Panic tore through her.
“What’s wrong?” Malmuira asked.
“Ah can’t find it. It’s gone.” Fear tore through her, but she squashed it. I‘m safe. Baile won’t be upset. I’m okay. She walked herself through the words to calm her heart.
“What can‘t ye find?”
“The pearl yer faither gave me. It was just here last night. Ah always put it back.” It wasn’t in the room.
Malmuira put her arm around Mazey. “Ah‘m sure it will turn up. Let’s go.”
Mazey sniffed and wiped the tears on her face. “Okay.”
Mazey led the way while Siusan and Malmuira followed behind.
A small group of people waited. Gilla waited with Desmond, wrapped in a blanket.
Baile stood in the middle along with the priest who would wed them.
Mazey hurried to the front. Baile took her hands in his and for the first time, she saw his cheeks rosy.
He looked bashful, and it delighted her to no end he was the one feeling that way instead of her.
“Ye’re the most beautiful woman ah’ve ever seen,” Baile commented to her quietly.
“Thank ye.” She curtsied to him the way she saw important people curtsy before.
He took her around the room and introduced her to people she didn’t know yet. A few she knew well. There were the guards who accompanied them both on their beach trip and other people that worked in the keep. Gilla gave her a hug and whispered a sweet “good luck” in her ear.
Oidche introduced his friend. “This is Kyle. Ye’ll probably be seeing Kyle even more than ye already do.”
A quiet look passed between him and Kyle after those words and Mazey wondered what Kyle’s secret was.
She’d find out soon enough, she was sure.
They never kept secrets long in the Buchanon keep.
Lara and Balloch were there with their daughter.
They arrived the night before from a neighboring clan.
Balloch was working on strengthening ties between clans and was absent since before Mazey had her boy.
“Lara, ah haven’t seen ye in forever.” Mazey said with a hug.
Lara was already crying tears of joy. “Ah never thought this day would come. Baile deserves ye. Ah’ve never seen him so happy.”
“He’s a good man.”
Balloch hugged Mazey. “So should ah call ye Maither?” He laughed so hard he snorted.
Mazey made a face at him and looked at Lara. “Keep yer husband in line, will ye.”
Lara rolled her eyes. “If ah could do that my life would be so much easier.”
Balloch stopped laughing and made a sour face while both women laughed. He couldn’t hold a straight face for long, however.
“Let’s catch up later,” Lara commented.
Mazey nodded. Baile pulled her to the front of the room. “Come. It’s time.”
“We are gathered here together to unite this couple in the bonds of marriage. Clan Chief Baile Buchanon has chosen a woman to be his wife. He has asked to say his own vows.”
Baile cleared his throat and looked directly into Mazey’s eyes.
He squeezed her hand in reassurance as he spoke to her.
“Mazey, ah never thought ah would love again. ’Tis so rare to find the love of yer life and to marry her.
Ah thought it impossible to find another.
Ah’d given up. After ah met ye, ah fell in love.
Ye’re the kindest, most loving woman ah’ve known and ah’m honored ye agreed to wed me.
Ah promise to love ye until the day ah die.
Ye’ll never want for anything and ah’ll do whatever ah can to keep ye safe. Ah’ll never leave ye.”
He reached over and secured a necklace around her neck. She looked at it carefully. It was the pink pearl he gave her. Someone placed it inside an ornate holder. It was held on a gold chain that looked both delicate and strong. Relief washed through her. “It’s beautiful.”
“In all my days ah’ve never seen a woman as beautiful as ye. Inside and out. The pearl will remind ye of my love for ye, always.”
Mazey tried to calm her nerves. Speaking in front of people was never a strength of hers.
She looked deep into Baile’s eyes—love. They were alone and nobody else mattered.
“Ye saved me, then ye loved me, even when ah was broken. Ye are the most honorable man ah know and ah am honored ye chose me to be yer wife. Ah’m humbled ye look on me and love me as an honored wife.
Ah love ye, Baile. With all my heart, ah love ye. ”
The chaplain cut in after this. “Mazey do ye take Baile to be yer husband?”
“Aye,” she said earnestly.
“And Baile, do ye take Mazey to be yer wife?”
“Aye,” Baile responded.
Mazey let out a little breath she didn’t know she held.
“Ah pronounce ye wed,” the chaplain announced.
Everyone in the room cheered and Baile kissed her. He slipped a ring on her finger. It was a small band of gold with the family crest across the top. She would always be cared for. As wife to the clan chief she would always have a place. She was a Buchanon forever. Joy jolted through her.
Baile interrupted the cheering, and everyone went silent. “Ah have one more thing ah wish to address.”
Malmuira stepped forward with Desmond and handed the bairn to her father.
“In the presence of all ye gathered here today, ah proclaim this lad, Desmond Buchanon to be my son. He is my blood. Ye’ll honor this proclamation without hesitation or question and shall this wee bairn grow to be a warrior someday, will be in line after Balloch to inherit my title as Clan Chief to Clan Buchanon. ”
All the muscles in Mazey’s body attempted to give way.
Shock passed through her. What kind of man adopted a bastard as their own?
This wonderful man. She gazed on the face of her husband.
He was more than she ever dreamed. She cried.
Raw emotion took over. Malmuira threw her arms around her, kissing her cheek.
The chaplain stepped forward and blessed Desmond.
Just as with a child born directly from Baile within wedlock, he ceremonially covered the baby’s head in an oil.
Baile placed a small strip of the Buchanon plaid over the bairn and handed him to Mazey.
She kissed the baby. “Ye’re loved more than ye now.
Yer faither is a good man.” She whispered quietly, but Baile overheard her.
He squeezed her hand in his and kissed the baby’s head.
Tears flowed freely out of her eyes. Gratitude, love and humility were all in ample supply in her heart.
Siusan jumped into her faither’s arms. “Does that mean he’s my brother now?”
“Aye, lass. It means ye have a brother.” Baile beamed over at Mazey and their son. Balloch coughed loudly. “Ah mean a baby brother, Balloch. Don’t fuss.”
Everyone laughed at the exchange.
Siusan crowed in excitement and several guests laughed again at her obvious glee. Baile put his arm around Mazey and kissed her cheek. “And this Siusan is yer new maither.”
Siusan’s eyes grew big as saucers and without another word she wrapped her tiny arms around Mazey’s neck and kissed her cheek. “Ah’ve always wanted a maither,” she whispered.
Mazey ruffled Siusan’s hair with her hand while Baile held on to her. “Ah’ve always wanted a daughter.” She wondered if she could run out tears?
The little one’s mind worked quickly. “Wait, does that mean ye’re Mally’s maither too?”
Mazey laughed and Baile joined in. “Nay, littl’un,” Baile said when he could finally catch his breath. Siusan rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. Apparently that made little sense to her.
After putting Siusan down, and before joining the guests that waited, he whispered in her ear, “Just wait until tonight.”
Mazey almost melted on the spot. Her face heated and a pleasurable sensation passed through her. For now, she needed to cool herself down—meet with the guests and fit into this new life.
They finished moving the meager amount of things Mazey owned into Baile’s spacious room.
Mazey never saw Baile’s room. To preserve his reputation and keep rumors from spreading, she avoided it.
The decor was simple, which surprised her.
He was the clan chief and could have whatever he deemed necessary or appropriate.
Baile was a modest man though. It made sense he preferred simple quarters.
The room was cold and quiet. Gilla lit a fire before they came up, but it hadn’t heated the room yet.
Desmond and Siusan were with Malmuira for the night.
He shut the door behind them. She wondered what he would do.
Should she climb onto the bed, or should they talk first?
Baile led her over to the bed and turned her around to face the bed.
He untied her dress, her corset and her underthings.
She shivered in the cold, but Baile worked quickly.
He turned her to face him and admired her body.
He picked her up and put her on the bed.
Before joining her, he removed his shirt and kilt.
His eyes glinted in the firelight. When he crawled across the bed to her, she could hardly wait.
Instead of ravishing her right away, he pulled her into an embrace.
“How do ye feel?” he asked her. She could feel every inch of his body against hers. Heavenly.
“Happy,” she answered.
An intense desire to pull him on top of her surfaced.
She ran her fingers up and down the sides of his chest. He shivered in response.
He grabbed her hand and gently put it above her head, holding it there while he spoke.
“Now, ah was trying to be all romantic and talk to ye before ah went and did that, but if ye keep it up ah won’t be able to stop myself.
And then ye lose yer romance.” The smile was mischievous.
She leaned up to him and nibbled down the length of his jaw. He growled and pulled back. The devious look on his face meant he was teasing her.
“Yer skipping all the sweet parts and just jumping ahead to the sexy parts. Let me romance ye, woman.”
She responded by taking her free hand and reaching down between them and rubbing his already erect shaft with her hand.
He moaned in response. “So that’s how ye want it, huh?” He took her arm and put it above her head near her other. He kissed her neck, her chest and down her stomach. When he released her hands, she ran them up and down his body. She wanted him more than she ever wanted anyone.
“Take me, Baile.”
He pulled her towards him, thrusting himself into her and both cried out.
He kissed her, passionately. She moaned, already close to climax.
She reached hers before he did. After she shuddered around him, he reached down, rubbing her while continuing to move inside of her.
She felt her pleasure mounting again. “Ye feel that?” Baile growled in her ear.
His voice was rough and deep. He thrust himself deeper inside her.
She felt him swell. “Finish again with me, love,” he cried desperately.
Pleasure tore through her and she climaxed again just as his pleasure erupted. He moaned and shuddered. She curled around him, pulsating with the intense feeling. “Ah love ye.” Baile whispered simply.
He pulled her naked body back against his and wrapped his arm around her waist. They fell asleep. Mazey was never more safe or loved.