My Highlander, My Love

Stephan and Abby

The days were shorter, and the nights grew colder, as fall was getting ready to leave, and allow for winter to push through. More logs were thrown in the crackling fire, and furs were tapered around the windows to ward off the cold air that tried to seep through the cracks.

Cook whistled as she pulled out of the warm, brick ovens all the apple pies, and sprinkled sugar, and cinnamon on them, just as Stephan came through the kitchen door with a sack over his shoulders. The handsome young lad of fifteen, placed the sack on the floor, raised his nose, and sniffed the air around him.

"Cook, you outdone yourself today, the pies smell delicious! Don't forget who was out in the cold all day long picking chestnuts, for you, a whole sack of them!" Stephan reminded her, as he dipped his finger in one of the pies and brought it his mouth.

Cook slapped his hand away when he tried to do it again, "Dont mess with my pies Stephan, I have saved yours in the cabinet, where no one can eat it but you!" She smiled showing off her crooked, yellow teeth, and Stephan sighed. He loved this woman, who had a special place in her heart for him.

"Make sure no one finds it, and finishes it off, I will be back later for it." He said, as he made his way to the door.

Stephan pulled the kitchen door open, just as Abby walked inside carring a huge tray of dirty plates. He stepped asside for her to pass, and his heart almost bounced off his chest. She was so beautiful, he thought, and he closed his eyes and breathed in the smell of her as she walked right by him.

Always he waited to get a glimpse of her beautiful eyes, when ever he saw her running her errands in the huge castle. Her eyes never sparkled, they looked sad, as if her heart was breaking. Her black hair was always tied behind her head with a piece of straw, and Stephan placed his hand inside his kilt and felt the yellow ribbon he had hidden. He wanted to gift it to Abby, so she could tie her hair back with it, mayhap a little gesture like that could bring a twinkle in her beautiful eyes, he thought.

He was in love with her from the moment he laid eyes on her, and one day, he told himself, I shall marry her!

He watched as she shyly threw him a quick glance before she dropped the dishes in the sink, and started washing them. Today she looked tired and there was something different about her, Stephan thought, as he tried to read her mind.

He caught cook shaking her head at him, silently throwing him a warning, but he ignored her, and continued to get into her mind. His heart beat wildly as he heard her thoughts of pain and suffering. He tried to dig in her head a little deeper, but was interrupted by his father who had just walked in the kitchen and called out his name.

"Stephan!" Why did you skip dinner?" Michael asked, as his gaze swept over to the sink where Abby washed the dishes. He turned to his son and threw him a disapproving look, "how many times have I told you that your mother gets upset with you when you are not sitting at the table to break fast with us? Go wash your hands and hurry along to the dining area, your mother has saved you your dinner!"

Stephan rolled his eyes at his father, hating when he scolds at him in front of others, especially when Abby is around, and can hear him. With a tinge of embarrassment, he made his way to the sink, and Abby scooted over so he could wash his hands, and she wiped her wet hands on the folds of her skirt, as she waited for Stephan to finish. Not once did her eyes meet his. Abby shyly looked away from him, grabbed a wet cloth, and hurried out of the kitchen before her heart bounced out of her chest.

Stephan dried his hands, and gathered his thoughts, before he turned around, and faced his father again. He was disturbed with what he found in Abby's mind, as he washed his hands next to her, but he could not focus on her thoughts long enough to find out why she was feeling depressed, because his erection had come alive, as soon as he brushed up next to her, to wash his hands, and he lost his senses.