My Heartless Lover

Episode 2: The Feast

The Great Hall of the Cainhorn Castle was completely swarmed up by the guests at this moment. Right in the middle, lay three huge oak tables which ran through the length of the hall. Men, women and even their children filled up the lower benches on the either sides of the tables savouring on the feast.

The food and drink spread upon the tables was enough to feed their whole village for six months at stretch. The servants ran in and out of the door at the left most corner on the other end of the hall with both filled and empty trays and decanters. Wine, particularly, was being served in plenty as most of the men already seemed to be tipsy. Towards the extreme right of the tables, stood the clan's bard, Dylan, entertaining the guests with a strange tale of a mythical creature, half man-half horse, which walked the isle ages ago.

At the very front, exactly at the other end of the hall, on a higher ramp, just three steps above, lay another table which was comparatively smaller than the other three tables. It was to be occupied by the host and the hostess of the feast, by Aaron and Glenna and also by those closer to them.

As Glenna entered the Great Hall along with Annabelle, all the guests stood up at once and even the bard stopped in between. Aaron came ahead gaily and extended his right hand towards her. She took it immediately and he placed a kiss on her cheek. She smiled back at him. Together they walked towards the front of the hall. They stood infront off the crowd hand in hand and Aaron raised a goblet of wine in the air and spoke loudly -

"This evening, in the honour of my lady wife, Glenna Sinclair."

And the crowd roared back cheering with exhilaration.

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The feast carried on and Aaron came ahead and received his sister, Annabelle, lovingly. He eyed her from top to bottom in an amused way and spoke to Glenna, standing by his side, "Glenna", he asked," you are supposed to be the lady of the evening, then why is it that Bella seems to be more glowing than you", he said with a wide grin.

Bella raised her eyebrows and feigned ignorance.

"Glowing! I swear to God, I hardly got any opportunity to dress my self well. Kyla is of no use these days. I think I should change my maid." She said with a disappointing frown on her face while looking over her shoulder at Kyla, busy mingling with her clan's soldiers.

"Look at me. I look as white as a walking ghost." complained Annabelle.

"Well, is that so?" said Glenna.

"Then we may help you get back the colour on your cheeks, don't you think Glenna?" Aaron winked at Glenna and both of them pinched Annabelle's cheeks hardly at once.

She let out a small cry. A group of Aaron's soldiers standing at their back snickered. They were very well acquainted with the good humour their Laird possessed. Aaron had the ability to mould himself according to the situation, fierce in the battlefield and cheerful amongst the family, just like his late father, William Sinclair.

"Glenna, you are picking up my brother's ways too soon", complained Annabelle pressing her hands against her cheeks to soothe them.

Aaron and Glenna laughed out loud at her. Annabelle stared back helplessly, when a heavy voice jolted from her behind.

"Congratulations to the new couple."

Glenna stopped in her tracks which made Annabelle swung back to look at the greeter.

He was there. Arthur.

All her plans to make an unforgettable debut infront off of him, Arthur, went amiss. As Annabelle stood there, her hands still at her cheeks, looking befuddled. She had thought to bewitch him with her very first appearance after all these eight years, but what she saw on his face was a puzzled expression. She quickly pulled back her hands down. For a fraction of second, she actually hated Aaron and Glenna for putting her in this ludicrous situation. Aaron came to her rescue and immidiately sprang forward to meet him.