Over the Highland Mountains

Chapter 21 • Come to a Close

"... I am with child."

As soon as the words left her mouth, a piercing silence settled over the three of them.

Time seemed to stand still as Alasdair processed this information.

Had they truly been blessed with a wee promise of life during this volatile time?

Lily darted her gaze between Alasdair and Lady Fiona, before settling on his, concern creeping into her eyes at his frozen state. He knew he should say something, but he was too shocked to even move. The Forget-Me-Not eyes stared back at him hopefully.

Slowly, his brown eyebrows danced closer together and upward in an unsure yet hopeful way. He wanted to express his joy and excitement, so his mouth moved to form words, but his throat wasn't playing along just yet.

"With child?" he forced the words out, hardly recognising his own voice, "Ye?"

Lily nodded, her tears started to spill out onto her cheeks, and she bit her bottom lip quickly growing into a smile.

Before anything more could be said, Alasdair planted his hand at the back of her head and pulled her into one of the most loving kisses they had ever shared, tender and soft, in it trying to show Lily all he could not say.

They broke apart and stared into each other's eyes. The precious Forget-Me-Not eyes looked so joyous and were welling up with tears as Alasdair's thumb stroked her cheek, his own cheeks starting to feel moist. He glanced down to her stomach and gingerly placed his other hand over her non-existent bump.

A subtle sniffle and quick movement to Alasdair's left drew his attention. He looked up just in time to see Lady Fiona wipe her eye with her sleeve before looking away from them trying to calm herself down.

"Mother," Lily called gently with a hopeful smile. When Lady Fiona looked at her, her icy blue eyes rimmed with red but her face otherwise composed as ever, Lily extended her free arm towards her to offer an embrace. Alasdair did the same with his and Lady Fiona rolled her eyes with a suppressed smile breaking through on those stern lips of hers before joining their embrace, stiffly yet tightly.

This was the first time Alasdair could remember his mother having trouble upholding her ever-serious exterior and he was glad.

"What happened? Why are ye all embracing? Is Alasdair alright?" Keeva suddenly peppered them with concerned questions, causing Lady Fiona to immediately revert back to her usual self, jumping back and smoothing out her skirts that were perfect anyway.

Keeva caught sight of everyone's tears and her eyes went big and she raised a single eyebrow, "What's going on?"

"Weel, Keeva my dear friend," Lily started, "Ye're going to be an aunt."

A brief moment of silence was followed by an ear-shattering squeal.

Never had Alasdair thought this warrior lass capable of squealing so loud and jumping up and down while clapping her hands and, by the appalled look on her face, neither had his mother.

Keeva threw herself at Lily, yelling, "I kenned it! I kenned it! Did I no' tell ye earlier that it was bound to happen sooner rather than later!"

Soon everyone in the keep knew of Lily's condition, and then all within the clan, and all around her were careful, considerate, and protective, especially Alasdair, Keeva, and, surprisingly, Lady Fiona. His men became overly sweet and sensitive to Lily's needs and wants which Alasdair found it quite amusing to watch, especially Keir. As Ivor was a number of years the rest of the men's senior, he had a bit more experience around expecting lasses and Fergus never had trouble around any sort of lass, but for Keir, this was something new entirely and it never failed to put a smile of Alasdair's face at how overly careful he was around Lily. Lady Fiona became even more stern, if that were even possible, with what she 'allowed' Lily to do and insisted on doing everything herself even if she wasn't the lady of the clan anymore. He had a feeling Lily didn't mind though, Alasdair often found her asleep in one place or another and they could both see Lady Fiona cared a great deal more than she let on. This was, after all, to be her first grandchild.