With misty eyes, she looked at the man whom she knew that she would love forever.
"I promise." she whispered.
Lowering his head, Bruce sealed the promise with a brutal kiss.
"Ta tu mianach." He said, when he finally pulled his lips away from hers. "You will always be mine!"
His heart for a second had won over his mind, because the mind warned him against what he was doing. love had nothing to do with what he must do once they returned to Kenningsworth. He had his duties to his people and he had to follow the rules. No one was exempt from them, especially him! He was the next Laird in line and upon his return he knew that his father was going to call a meeting and order him to marry another.
With a sinking heart, he pulled away from Liandra, and lifted himself up to his feet. The warrior knew what he had to do, but he fought it with everything inside him. In the end, the mind won over the heart. Taking a deep breath of inhalation, he bent over and lifted the love of his life to her feet.
There were no words exchanged at that moment, but Liandra saw it in his eyes, he was going to abandon their love. Her lips trembled and her eyes grew misty, but she was a brave girl and would not beg. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she waited for him to tell her it was over even before it started.
Bruce didn't have the heart to say anything to her, and he kept silent as he turned around and walked away. Liandra watched him collect ten medium size stones and sat himself down on the plush, green grass.
Taking the pointiest rock, he scratched symbols on each rock and when he was done, he walked to where Liandra stood and placed the stones around her on the ground.
Liandra watched and asked no questions, it wouldn't be the first time he did or say something crazy, and she smiled. The man she had fallen in love with was senile, but she didn't care, she still wanted him!
When he was done with his task, he stepped inside the circle of runes and pulled Liandra in his arms.
"You say you love me." He told her, and looked into her green eyes. "If you love me, I need for you to hear me out without judgement, can you do that for me Liandra?"
Liandra looked up into his beautiful black eyes and nodded, but her heart stopped beating as she prepared herself for what he was going to say next.
"I care deeply for you Liandra, more so than you will ever know." He told her, and decided he was not going to tell her that he loved her because he didn't want to complicate things. "But I am bound by ancient laws, and I have to abide by them. I don't have a choice in the matter."
"What exactly is it you're trying to say Bruce?" She asked, as she tried to hold back tears that threatened to spill forth.
Bruce took a deep inhalation of breath, this was not easy for him, but he knew that he couldn't lead her on anymore, since leaving her behind was not an option for him, because he loved her and wanted her with him, he had to find a way to tell her that he was taking her with him to his world, but she would have to belong to another.
"I want you to come with me to Kenningsworth."
"Yes, I want that too." She said.
"But once we are there things will change." He told her, and watched her eyes carefully for signs of disappointment.
"What are you saying Bruce."
"I'm saying that we can't be together as a couple, my father will arrange a marriage between myself and another, and I can't refuse, it his my obligation to marry whom ever my father chooses for me to marry, tis the law!"
"What about me? What will happen to me if I come with you?" She asked with trembling lips.
"I can give you to one of my brothers. They are handsome lads and will take good care of you."
"You mean I will be their mistress?"
"Yes, but you need not worry, they are good men, I promise!" He told her hoarsely.
"So you want to take me with you only to give me away to one of your brothers?"
"Yes. it's not like you have anywhere else to go. In my castle you will want for nothing, you will live like a queen!"
"I will have to watch you marry another, and have baby's with her, how would I live with that?" she asked him, and placed her hands on his muscled chest, this farce was going on long enough she thought, "Bruce please, I care about you very much, let me help you. I know of this clinic that can help, and once the doctor says that you are feeling better we can get married. I love you Bruce." She told him.
Bruce cursed under his breath, she thought he was senile! He knew this wasn't going to be easy, but he was now left with no choice. "Hold on to me tight, Liandra, I'm taking you home with me and we can come to an arrange once we get there!" He told her, and tightened his hold on her.
Liandra rolled her eyes and sighed, but before she had a chance to respond, Bruce started to speak in Gaelic. Within seconds, darkness fell and the winds picked up.
"Fear not Liandra," he told her as soon as their feet lifted off the ground and a huge sonic boom was heard. Seconds later, there was light everywhere and their feet dropped on solid ground.
"Oh my gosh, where the hell are we?" Liandra cried out, as she looked around the grounds of Kenningsworth with wide open eyes.
"This is home Liandra, this is Kenningsworth!" He told her proudly.
Thank you for your votes and comments. Xoxoxxoxoxxoxo
