Love your Enemy (Ruby Rose fanfic)

EPILOGUE (Ruby POV)

"Oh my God, Milady, it's gorgeous..."

"I know," I answer smiling and keeping my hand raised so the women around me can take a look at the stunning engagement ring, the central diamond shines blindly under the summer sunlight surrounded by delicate leaves as if it were a rose in a rose bush, and the younger girls sigh dreamily.

"Is it an antique Lindsay jewel?" someone whispers with reverential tone of voice.

"I think so, Iselen asked me to go with her to her bank in Edinburgh to be able to pick out a ring from her safe deposit box but I told her I'd prefer it to be a surprise. I was expecting her to choose an old and heavy piece with some kind of historical significance for her family... But she came back with this ring and it's... it's perfect."

"Her Grace has exquisite taste..."

I nod amused, grabbing a glass of wine from a tray a waiter was carrying while Falkland and Dunira neighbours eat, laugh and have fun around me. The harvest festival is the event of the year in this region, everybody is here, even children and grandchildren of the farmers have come from the city to spend the day in the castle gardens... Iselen wants some of them to stay here permanently working for the duchy brand and I think she'll manage to persuade them. The truth is that my soldier is a very stubborn and decisive woman and, if she wants something, she fights till the end to get it... The fact that she's managed to catch a Murray, I mean me, and I didn't run away is the proof of that. And to my surprise, the weight of the ring on my finger doesn't bother me and I don't feel overwhelmed by the idea of tying myself to the duchess and spending my entire life with her. I can't wait...

"Wait a minute, where's my girl?" I whisper confused, taking a look at the garden. I could've sworn she was here a minute ago, talking to my mum about the wedding preparations, most likely, but she's dancing with Lennox now in front of the Greek gazebo where the band is and Iselen has vanished.

I wander aimlessly looking at groups of people that chat lively while eating Mrs. Dunn's delicious pastries, she won the cake contest, of course. We've also organized a flower arrangement context, sack races for children, archery competition and my fiancée asked me to be the judge in a hilarious contest to deliver an award to the duchy's most beautiful cow. I couldn't stop eating, dancing and saying thank you to neighbours in exchange for their best wishes, everybody wanted to congratulate the brides and take a pic with us. Commander Drummond and his wife are sat at a table with my old nanny, Miss Catriona and Miss Margaret, and can't stop laughing: Brian must be telling them some funny anecdotes about his missions with Iselen, not the part of the story that's a classified secret, but the jokes and funniest moments they've lived together.

I'm pretty sure he's making some things up or he's exaggerating, I can't believe my girl is the goofball of her brigade although I can picture her boosting the troops morale with some jokes. Iselen has always seemed someone who takes duty seriously to me, disciplined and responsible, focused on her target... I can't help shuddering when I remember her yelling at Williamson, threatening with shooting at him because he hurt me. Even if my mind was clouded over by drugs, I could feel she was dead serious. I also remember her perfume when she hugged me, her voice calling me and bringing me back to reality, the warmth of her cheek when I leaned my forehead on her skin... I'd never felt so safe in my entire life. Murrays are crazy people who aren't afraid of anything and we love to take risks, feeling adrenaline running wild through our veins, but my soldier makes me feel good, capable of everything... We'll be invincible together... If I manage to find her before...

I wave my hand at my mum when I walk past her and dodge Meredith who comes from the kitchen carrying another tray of food... our guests are insatiable today. Suddenly, Calum Fraser appears out of nowhere and takes his wife's hand to drag her to the dancefloor where some groups are getting ready while the band plays a ceilidh... This is a great party and I want to dance with my duchess too. Where the hell is she?