Chapter 2
Shock froze Heather while chaos seemed to reign around her. Her sisters’ raised voices rang in her ears as they endlessly berated their father. He, however, ignored them. His eyes remained focused on Heather and his hands continued to hold hers firmly, as if he did not want to let her go.
It was funny that she just noticed how the few wrinkles around his eyes had multiplied, spread wider, and deepened.
It had not only been age and illness that had taken a toll on him, but concern for his daughters and clan whose care and protection fell solely on him.
And her heart felt heavy with his burdens.
“This cannot be allowed,” Patience screamed her fist pounding the table.
Donald released Heather’s hands after giving them a gentle squeeze and stepped to her side to face Patience, and in a commanding tone said, “It is done and cannot be undone.”
Patience opened her mouth to argue.
Her father raised his hand, silencing her before she could speak. “Do not bother to waste your breath, Patience. The deed is done and the Dark Dragon is here to collect his bride.”
Tears ran down Emma’s cheeks. “You cannot mean to sacrifice Heather to that monster.”
Rogan took his wife’s hand. “As dreadful as it sounds, I must agree with your father.”
Emma yanked her hand out of her husband’s and stepped away from him. “You cannot be serious.”
“I too agree with him,” Hunter said and looked to Patience. “And you, who hope one day to lead your clan, must see the necessity, yet the great difficulty of his decision.”
Patience shook her head and dropped down to sit on the edge of the bench behind her. “I could not do this.”
“Of course not,” Heather said, walking over to her. “And I would not make you. I would make the choice myself, for I could not live knowing that my selfishness would be the death of many, least of all my sisters.”
Emma joined them, her tears continuing to fall. “It is not fair.”
Heather heard her father’s words from all those years ago, reminding her and they slipped from her lips. “It is necessary and it is my duty.” She looked down at Patience. “Did you not tell me that you wed Hunter out of duty?”
Patience stood. “Aye, I did, but Hunter is a good man with a kind soul.” She shivered as she said, “The Dark Dragon has no soul, and we still do not know why he abducted you.”
“I refused most vehemently his first marriage proposal,” their father informed them all. “His second one warned me of the consequences if I did not agree. My concerns grew when our allies began to warn me of whispers that the Dark Dragon planned to join forces with the Clan McLaud.”
“Is that why our neighbors the Clan MacTavish never sent help when I asked for a troop of their warriors to meet us at their border?” Patience asked, recalling their dangerous journey home from McLaud land.
Donald nodded. “They feared showing their allegiance to us with word spreading that Greer McLaud was about to sign a pact with—”
“The devil,” Patience finished.
“So you signed with the devil instead,” Emma said, shaking her head.
“Did he at least give his word that he would treat her well?” Patience asked.
“What good is the word of such a vile man?” Emma said frustrated.
Heather wanted to reassure the two that she would be fine, but she was not fine; she was scared to death.
Actually death seemed preferable to what she was about to face.
Tales of the Dark Dragon spread far and wide.
Recently a traveler had passed through their village and she had overheard him talking with a Macinnes warrior.
He had told the warrior that it was known that the only use the Dark Dragon had for women was to appease his lust for rutting which was as ferocious as his lust for battle.
The awful thought sent her stomach roiling and her heart pounding. How was she ever going to survive?
“Did you try to negotiate with him, Da? Something—anything—that would benefit Heather?” Patience asked with concern.
“There was nothing to negotiate. All the power was in his hands and when I realized that in the end he would have Heather one way or the other, I knew I had no choice. By agreeing to the marriage, it would avoid needless bloodshed and put us in good stead with the Dark Dragon, thus protecting everyone and suffering no casualties.”
“Except Heather,” Emma said.
Heather needed time to digest the startling news. A soothing brew would help as would a few moments alone to prepare, though how one prepared to meet the devil she did not know.
“We must make ready for our guests,” Heather said, taking charge.
“Food and drink will be needed and—” She was about to say a guest bedchamber prepared, but it would not be a guest bedchamber he would sleep in tonight.
It would be hers. Her bedchamber no longer belonged to her alone.
It belonged to her husband—the Dark Dragon.
Her father sent her a look that had Heather realizing there was more unsettling news yet to be delivered.
Her father was quick to tell her. “You will be leaving today with your husband.”
His announcement brought utter silence.
Tears sprang to Heather’s eyes. “I must prepare for my departure.” She hurried out of the room, Patience and Emma following close behind.
Donald Macinnes dropped down on the bench afraid his legs would no longer hold him.
Hunter hurried to fill a tankard with ale and handed it to him.
Rogan laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “You did what was best for your family and clan.”
“So I have told myself,” Donald said. “I only pray it is so.”
* * *
Heather collapsed on her bed, tears streaming down her cheeks. She wanted to be alone to try and accept her fate. But when her sisters entered the room and flung themselves at her, hugging her tightly, she was glad they were there, especially since she would be bidding them farewell today.
They stretched out on the bed side by side, Patience’s hand clinging tightly to one of Heather’s and Emma’s hand almost choking the other, as though neither of them intended to let go of her.
“There must be something—”
“Do not say it, Patience,” Heather begged. “The deed is done and I must face my fate and you two must help me.”
Patience popped up and looked down at her two sisters. “How do I do that? How do I let such evil lay hands on my sister?”
Heather eased her hand out of Patience’s hand to lay it on her rumbling stomach.
Emma hopped off the bed. “Your stomach troubles you. I will fetch a soothing brew to calm it and you should try to eat a little something.”
“The brew would help,” Heather agreed, laying her arm across her eyes.
Emma nodded to Patience and she followed her to stand just outside the door.
“She is upset enough, and rightfully so, do not upset her any further,” Emma ordered sternly.
“How do we stop this travesty?” Patience asked tersely.
“I do not think we can. As Father said, it is done.”
“And what if he treats her poorly or how do we even know if he does treat her poorly, what then?”
“You are right. We cannot just let him take her away never to know what becomes of her,” Emma said, growing teary-eyed. She swiped at the unshed tears. “Ever since I have gotten with child, tears come much too easily.”
“A woman’s tears usually turn men pliable, men that have hearts. It would be good to put the Dark Dragon to the test. At least then, we would have some idea of how he might treat our sister.”
“And if it fails?” Emma asked.
“Then we make another plan.”
After forming a hasty plan, Patience returned to Heather.
She was still lying on the bed, her arm draped over her eyes, and Patience did not want to disturb her.
A bit of rest would do her good. Patience sat in the chair by the fire where she had often found her sister through the years, working on her embroidery.
Her heart turned heavy to think she would never see her sitting there again and as she glanced around the room she could not imagine it stripped of all of Heather’s belongings, the room empty, and her sister gone from her life.
The upsetting thought sent a shudder through her.
The door suddenly burst open, sending Patience flying out her chair and Heather popping up off the bed.
A breathless Emma stood, fighting to balance a wooden tray with a pitcher, tankard, and slices of bread and cheese on it. Her cheeks were flushed and she took a moment to catch her breath as Patience hurried to take the tray from her and place it on the small table near the hearth.
With a deep breath, the words rushed from Emma’s lips. “The Dark Dragon sends word for you to be in the Great Hall to receive him. Father says to hurry, for the Dark Dragon is impatient to take his leave with his new wife.”
“He does not want to take time to meet my family or rest and feed his men?” Heather asked. “And will he not give me time to pack my belongings?”
“The Dark Dragon has informed Da that he will leave some of his men behind to collect whatever you instruct your servants to pack and be delivered to you. He also instructed that you are to bring whatever you need until then.”
Heather stared at her sister in disbelief. “He intends to just whisk me away?”
Tears clouded Emma’s eyes. “It would seem so.”
Heather stood there not knowing what to do or perhaps knowing and not wanting to do what she must. She had woken this morning relieved to find herself in her own bed after the ordeal of her abduction, escape, and dangerous journey to return home.
And now the man she had managed to avoid was here to take her away and to make matters worse, he had all the right to do so since he was now her husband.
It was the terrified expression on her sisters’ faces that finally got Heather moving. The longer she delayed this, the more she allowed her fear to show, the more difficult it would be for them, and seeing them suffer would hurt her terribly.
She had two garments reserved for special occasions, one a red winter wool and the other a soft blue, linen shift with a pale-yellow tunic draped over it, which she hurried to change into.
She left her blonde hair pinned up, making certain the combs were secure.
She had only bathed the night before, the rose-scented soap still lingering in her hair and on her skin.
Patience had insisted that she and Emma always keep a small dirk in their boots since you never know when one might be needed and so she tucked hers in her boot.
The last thing she did was slip a blue ribbon through the ring that was forever with her and tie it around her neck, then tuck it beneath her clothes to lie against her chest. The ring meant everything to her.
It had been given to her by the man she loved and would always love.
It had given her strength through the years when she thought she had had none left.
And at the moment, she could use as much strength as she could get.
She gathered up a few of her garments and items to tie securely in a plaid, knowing her sisters would see to the rest for her and without giving her bedchamber a second glance, she hurriedly left the room, closing the door behind her and on the safe and loving life she had always known.
* * *
The Great Hall had filled with Macinnes and MacClennan warriors.
Rogan and Hunter wore their swords at their sides, their hands not far from the hilts.
Patience had tucked two, unsheathed dirks, behind her leather girdle that held her sword to the right of her waist. She was prepared to draw a weapon quickly if necessary and that frightened Heather.
She wanted no one dying here today because of her.
Tears still lingered in Emma’s eyes, though she too had a dirk at her waist, though only one and it was sheathed. Her father was the only one who wore no weapons.
With a tempered smile, her father stretched his hand out to Heather.
A servant took the bundle with her few possessions from her with a nod and Heather noticed tears pooling in her eyes. Glancing about as she approached her father, she noticed most of the servants appeared ready to shed tears for her and her heart swelled with how much they cared for her.
It made it that more difficult to leave her loving home and yet made it somewhat easier, knowing her sacrifice would save the lives of those who loved her. She held her chin high and kept her shoulders back and walked with false bravado when truly she was more frightened than she had ever been.
She was certain her wobbling legs would betray her and give way or that the tremor she felt inside would suddenly break free and she would tremble all over with fear for everyone to see.
Her father reached out when she drew near him and slipped a sturdy arm around her waist to rest her against him. She was never so grateful for his support and never prayed so hard for a miracle that would allow her to remain there beside him forever.
The two large doors to the Great Hall opened and two Macinnes warriors entered and stood to the sides of each door.
Other Macinnes warriors followed suit until twenty warriors formed two lines, ten on each side.
Ghost warriors entered after that, not one wearing a weapon, and ten joined the two lines of Macinnes warriors, five at the end of each line.
The room turned completely silent and breaths were held in anticipation of the Dark Dragon’s entrance.
Darkness suddenly filled the doorway, spreading as the black draped figure stepped through.
The Dark Dragon had arrived.