Highlander's Kiss

Chapter 1 - Gavin

"Tomorrow... aye, that's the plan at least," Gavin said. He glanced at Elyn before adding, "definitely."

Alec chuckled.

"Who is on the list?" Barron asked.

Gavin started counting off his fingers, "The Douglases... the MacDonalds... -"

Elyn cut in, " - The Cathals, the Domnals, the Macraes," she said as she shot a look at Gavin, "the Arcills... at least, that's who we expect."

Gavin laughed. "I was gettin' to those."

Elyn shook her head and took a bite of the bread Gavin had stolen from Neil.

"What about the King?" Alec said. "Was he sent an invitation? Uniting two of the clans... it should be a cause for celebration."

"I sent him a letter the night we defeated the Maxwells."

Elyn dropped the bread she was holding and it fell to the floor. All the men stared at her. She spoke slowly, trying to control herself. "Ye... sent a letter...? To the King?"

"Aye, was that bad?" Gavin looked at her with some confusion.

"The King, who had Laird Maxwell sitting in his rafters waiting to descend upon us like a vulture?"

Gavin's face fell as her words hit him like a hammer. "Ye donae think..."

"Gavin, I donae hafta think to know ye made a huge mistake."

Alec spoke up, trying to soothe the flaring tempers. "Have you heard back from the King since you sent the letter?"

Gavin tore his eyes away from Elyn's and thought for a moment, running his hand through his stubble. "Nay. I haven't."

"Gavin MacKenzie, ye have to correct this. Send a messenger, a whole entire battalion if ye have to."

"Aye," Barron agreed. "That might be the best course here. What else can we do?"

Gavin sighed and stared at his plate. His stomach knotted. "I'll draft a letter right now."

"Ye better. I swear, if this makes us push the weddin' back again..."

Gavin shook his head. "Donae worry. I'll handle it."

***

Elyn and Gavin returned to his chambers to begin drafting the new letter. While Elyn didn't have any way of writing it, she was beginning to learn how to read under Gavin's tutelage. It was something she cursed herself for not knowing how to do in the first place.

She watched over his shoulder as he sat at the writing table, trying to clear his thoughts. He needed the letter to have authority but not jump to conclusions. Elyn occasionally moved from hovering over his shoulder to pacing the room, nervousness coursing through her blood.

He deemed his final draft a success.

"This will work, just fine," Gavin said. He folded the thin parchment and placed it in an envelope, before dripping wax on it. He pushed the seal of the MacKenzie clan into the wet wax and let it harden. "I'll have a small army deliver this message. I won't be ignored."

Elyn sighed. "Good - that'll calm my mind, at least."

Gavin smirked, setting the sealed letter on the table. He patted his lap and invited Elyn to sit. He swooped her in his arms and dipped her under the desk, before reeling her back up and kissing her deeply. She felt like smooth linen in his arms, her anxiety and tension melting under his fingertips. He loved being able to soothe her, even if he was the one to make the mistake in the first place.