Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
The castle came into view, its stone walls rising in the distance, a familiar sight after what had felt like an eternity.
Michael’s head was still swimming with exhaustion from the fight, the poison, and the near-death he had just escaped, but he could feel the warmth of the castle’s embrace already.
The men who had been with him in the search were scattered about, but near enough for him to know they all made it back.
As they approached the entrance, Michael felt his pulse quicken, his chest tightening despite the relief of being home.
He could hear footsteps running toward them. They were fast, light, full of hope.
It was Cody.
The young boy skidded to a halt in front of him, eyes wide as he took in the sight of his father.
“Da!” Cody’s voice cracked, and Michael could see the fear and concern clouding his boy’s innocent face.
Before Michael could speak, Cody reached out, his small hands tugging at Michael’s arm with a desperate need to make sure he was all right.
“Da, ye’re hurt!” Cody said in a trembling voice.
Michael knelt down in front of him, forcing a smile, though the pain from his arm throbbed with every movement. “Aye, lad,” he said, his voice a little rough, “I’ve got a scratch, but it’ll heal. Nay need to worry.”
Cody’s brow furrowed, his small hands still clutching at Michael’s sleeve. “But it looks bad...”
“I’ll be fine, Cody,” Michael assured him, pulling the boy into a gentle hug. “Ye ken I’m tougher than that.”
As he stood, the sound of Marissa and Abigail running to them caught his attention. The two girls burst out of the door and before Michael could say another word, they flung themselves into Freya’s arms.
Freya staggered back slightly from the force of the embrace, but she immediately wrapped her arms around them, squeezing them tightly.
“Freya!” Marissa gasped. “We were so worried!”
Abigail was even less composed. She pressed her face into Freya’s shoulder, her quiet sobs betraying how much she had feared for her sister.
Freya kissed the top of Abigail’s head softly, holding them both close. “I’m here. I’m here, and I’m nae going anywhere.”
Michael’s heart clenched as he watched the reunion. It was a sensation he had rarely felt before. There was something so tender about the way Freya held them, how she was their anchor. He felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude, not just for her strength, but for the way she had protected them all.
As Freya pulled away from the girls, her eyes found his, and for the first time since the battle, he let himself relax.
They were home. Safe.
They all moved to the great hall, and it wasn’t only the fire that made the room feel alive.
It was the buzz of conversation, the flicker of relief on every face, and the sheer weight of what had passed, what they’d survived.
Michael stood just a few steps behind Freya, watching her as she caught everyone’s attention.
Freya’s eyes met his, a spark of mischief in them as she smiled. “There’s somethin’ we want to tell ye,” she announced.
The murmurs all stopped and everyone turned toward her. Michael stood still, knowing what was coming, yet his pulse quickened nonetheless.
Freya glanced at him again, her smile softening into pure love. “Michael and I—”
A pause, the room hanging on the edge of her words, then she finished, the words ringing with such finality and joy that they seemed to brighten the very air around them.
“We’re getting’ married.”
The reaction was immediate.
Marissa’s hands flew to her mouth, her eyes wide in shock before they softened with happiness. “Oh, Freya, that’s wonderful!”
Abigail’s smile lit up her face, and she nearly bounced on her heels before rushing forward to hug Freya tightly. “I’m so happy for ye both!”
Cody, unable to contain himself, grinned from ear to ear, his face practically glowing. “I kent it! I kent ye’d get married!” He tugged at Michael’s sleeve as if to share in the joy. “Now, we’re all goin’ to be together, always!”
Brodie chuckled from the doorway, his arms crossed with an amused glint in his eye. “Aye, we all saw it comin’, dinnae we?”
Michael couldn’t suppress the smile that stretched across his face. He met Freya’s eyes again, seeing her there, surrounded by everyone, her happiness shining through. This moment, despite all that had happened, felt like the beginning of something better. Something solid.
Stepping closer to her, Michael placed a hand on her back, guiding her a bit closer to him as he spoke. “We’ll be a family,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “Here, in this castle. All of us, together. I’ll take care of ye and yer sisters—always.”
Freya nodded, her hand finding his. She looked at the others, her eyes glistening. “Together. We’re finally home. All of us.”
In that moment, Michael realized that this was his true home now, too. This was the family he had fought for, and he would never let go.
Weeks had passed since that fateful day, and now the castle was alive with a buzz that had little to do with the work of the men and more to do with the upcoming wedding.
The halls were decorated with garlands of ivy and wildflowers, and the scent of baking bread and sweet pastries filled the air.
Freya had never imagined that the castle could feel so… warm, so full of life.
As she stood in the main hall, watching Cody run by with a string of flowers, his laughter echoing in the stone walls, she couldn’t help but smile. It was strange, how much had changed. How much she had changed.
She had become accustomed to the feel of this place. The vast halls, the high ceilings, once so cold and intimidating, now felt like home. She wasn’t just a visitor here anymore. She was part of something, part of this family.
Marissa and Abigail were busy in the courtyard, arranging more flowers for the ceremony. Freya could hear their voices, light and full of joy, as they argued over the best way to place the roses. Their presence, their excitement… it made her heart swell with gratitude.
“It’ll look lovely here, don’t ye think?” Marissa asked, stepping back to admire their work.
Abigail glanced at her sister, a small smile on her face. “Aye, it’ll do.” She adjusted the petals of a rose, her face lighting up with satisfaction.
She was about to turn back to the hall when she heard Cody’s voice again, this time from the entrance. “Freya, look!”
She turned just in time to see him holding a large bouquet of wildflowers in his small hands, his face beaming with pride. “I picked these just for the weddin’! For ye and Da!”
Freya’s heart fluttered at the sight, and she knelt down to his level, accepting the bouquet with a smile. “They’re beautiful, Cody. Thank ye so much.”
Cody grinned, his eyes wide with excitement. “Ye’re goin’ to be so pretty, Freya. Da’s goin’ to love them!”
Freya felt her cheeks heat at the thought of Michael, but she didn’t mind. She kissed the top of Cody’s head, pulling him into a hug. “Ye’re a good boy, Cody. Thank ye for helpin’.”
As she stood, she saw Michael walking toward them from the hallway, his strong figure framed by the grand doors. His gaze softened when he spotted her, and for a moment, everything else faded away.
She stood there, holding the flowers Cody had given her, and smiled at him. He met her halfway, his hand finding hers.
“Ye look happy,” he murmured, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“I am,” Freya said, her heart full as she leaned into his side. “I’ve never been happier.”
In this moment, with the sounds of laughter, of family, of love filling the castle around her, she realized it wasn’t just about the wedding. It was about the life they had built. A life with Michael, with Cody, with Marissa and Abigail. A life she had never dared to dream of, and now, it was hers.