Rosaline
When I saw Finn with the orange-haired-witch my breath was caught in my throat. I felt nothing and everything all at the same time.
First there was the shock, like a sudden burst of energy and feelings in my chest, almost like a miniature fireworks show inside me. When my eyes landed on the pair, Finn's body close up the girls, it was like my world had started to crumble slowly. I knew I should have assessed the situation properly and realised that that Finn would never be with another but the anger had started to kick in and my vision had started to seep red. I could picture my self ripping tuffs of red hair of the whore's pretty little head and jumping at her, claws extended.
As I stepped closer and saw the hardness of Finn's face and the rigid stone like stature I realised that maybe he wasn't going to betray our relationship after all, and then the calmness and relief flooded my whole body, relaxing my heart rate and the shaking in my hands.
When I had staked my claim on Finn and the whore trampled off in fear and defeat, the warmth of Finn's arms and comforting words soothed me to my core and I settled against his chest peacefully before finding myself wrapped up in his lips.
Until we where interrupted.
"Alistair." I said, echoing Finn in surprise and slight unease.
"My Lady, my Laird." Alistair slightly bowed, in an obvious mocking way, a smirk playing lightly on his lips. "Sorry to interrupt...this...but Laird Clyde wishes to speak to ye."
"Of course," replied Finn, reluctantly loosening his arms from around me, "thank you." Grasping my hand Finn walked forwards, past Alistair but before I could follow an arm snapped out across my chest.
"He wishes to speak only to ye Finlay, not the lass." Alistair said, his eyes fixated on me. Finn's grip on my hand tightened.
"I'm sure he woulnae mind Alistair."
"I'm sure he would." Alistair turned to look Finn straight in the eyes.
Finn released my hand, looking away first so he could plant a kiss on my cheek, whispering, "Go to the room. I will be there soon." Finn turned and strode away, looking back once before turning the corner and striding back towards the courtyard.
Just as I turned to go Alistair gripped my arm tightly, I winced in fear and slight pain causing him to drop my arm completely, saying, "Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt ye. Only suggest I escort ye to yer rooms."
"I can find my way back." I replied turning to leave once more.
"But I cannot leave a lady on her own. Ye never know what dangers lurk around the corner. And I can especially not leave ye alone Rose." Alistair spoke softly, his hand dancing softly on my wrist. "I would never forgive myself if ye were hurt."
"You know," I said, "I think that's the first time you've called me Rose and not my Lady or lass."
Alistair only smiled softly in response. A shadow of smile that revealed so many emotions whilst at the same time hiding them from the sight of others.
Something inside me pitied the broken look on Alistair's face and I said, with warning, "You are only escorting me. Nothing else. Okay?" and with that I offered my arm, which was taken stiffly by Alistair, and turned to stride back towards the courtyard, up the steps and back inside McDowell.
Once inside the aging walls I turned to the staircase that twirled up towards my room, only to stop halfway when I felt Alistair halt next to me.
"What?"
"I must speak to ye." He said.
"You are speaking to me now." I replied sarcastically. Alistair grunted in response before shoving me against the wall, my head smacked harshly against the grey brick and I felt a concussion spread in my head, thumping it relentless fists against my forehead.
"Stop acting like a child, this is important." Alistair said, his eyes darted around us before he grasped my hand suddenly and pulled me up the rest of the stairs and into my room before swiftly slamming the door.
"What the-" I started to exclaim, my voice raised, but Alistair hand slammed against my mouth, ceasing me.
"We have to be quite." Alistair said before slowly taking his hand off my mouth. I spoke softly, but angrily, "what's going on? Why are you acting so...so weird?"
"I have good cause to believe that someone is going to betray us." Alistair said, his eyes hard with caution and warning.
"Who?"
"Laird McDowell."
I scoffed, "Finn had told me how good friends they were since birth. He used to come here all the time. They are like brothers. Why would Clyde betray him? How?"
"I saw two McKenzie warriors enter through the back gate last night. I was going to sound the alarm but I saw Lady McDowell welcome them. Less than an hour later they left again. I've heard of no deaths or attacks. They had to be with Laird McDowell. He is going to betray us!"
The realisation that what Finlay was telling as most likely the truth hit me hard. Finn spoke highly of Clyde and I could think of no reason why this betrayal came to be and my mind swam in search of answers to the multitude of questions that tortured me."
"Finn's with him now." I said worry evident in my voice, as the thought of Finn's possible danger came to mind.
"He can look after himself," Alistair said, his hand raised to stroke my cheek "what I care about is ye-"
A knock sounded from the door.
Alistair silenced.
"Who is it?" I asked.
"Lady McDowell." A sweet voice came through the door.
"In the wardrobe." I ordered in a rushed whisper laced with fear and panic. Alistair darted to the wardrobe, jumping inside it swiftly careful to close the door silently.
"Come in!" I said. A few seconds later a woman came striding into the room. Her eyes were different colours and contrasted strikingly with her soft brown hair that flowed delicately over her shoulders. I thought she looked beautiful, exotic like a white lily shining under a moonlit night.
"Lady McDowell." I bowed slightly, acknowledging her title.
"Ye must be Rose," she spoke, her voice was soft and delicate yet I noticed a sharp edge to it, "I noticed ye in the garden earlier. Did ye like?"
"Your gardens are beautiful My Lady. I enjoyed having a stroll around the rose bushes. I was lucky enough to catch the part of the sunrise as I arrived." My voice was kind but reserved. If Alistair was correct then this woman was helping betray Finn and the McCall clan to McKenzie. But what if he was wrong? What if he thought he saw something but it was something completely innocent? And what if he was just trying to gain my trust for more...darker purposes? Flashes of when we were together on the run in the woods came to mind as I reflected of the many times Alistair had been forward with me.
"I came to officially welcome ye to McDowell castle and formally introduce myself," Lady McDowell stepped closer to me, "I'm Finella McDowell. I'm so glad ye are staying here."
"Thank you My Lady," I said, cautiously, "Your home is so lovely. I couldn't have asked for a nicer room. The bed is most luxurious."
"Please, call me Finella," the woman laughed lightly, "no need for formalities here and think about it we will practically become sisters if you marry Finn."
"When," I corrected, "when I marry Finn."
"Of course," Finella said, her smile faltering for a moment before perking back up into a steeling bright beam, "when you marry Finn. Which will be soon I suppose?"
"When he wins the war with McKenzie." I replied, shifting uncomfortably at Finella's sudden interest. Had I not been informed of her possible betrayal I would have brushed her interest away as normal conversation, but the prosthetic look on her face and the very calculated movement and glances around the room, alerted me that she was more than what met the eye.
"Of course." Finella replied as she walked around the room, her sharp nails racking over the surfaces around her. The eerie silence in the room was displaced but the harsh sound or the nails indenting in the wood.
"You know," Finella broke the silence suddenly as she wandered slowly around the room, her skirts dragging after her, "This was Clyde's sister's room before she left to marry some Laird's son."
"Clyde told me," I said, "It is a lovely room."
"It is." Was all Finella McDowell said as she stopped in the centre of the room, her back to me."
"She was meant to marry Finn. Did he tell ye that?"
"What?" I said distantly, I hadn't really fully comprehended what Finella had said as I glanced towards the wardrobe where I saw Alistair's eye, a white globe surrounded by darkness, above his nose which jotted out of the door, almost visible.
Jumping over towards the wardrobe I slammed the door shut with my back hearing the barely audible yelp from inside as Alistair's nose got caught between the door and the wardrobe before slipping inside, out of sight.
"I thought I saw a mouse," my pathetic excuse tumbled out as Finella turned towards me, eying the wardrobe I stood sentinel in front of. "What was it you said?"
"Laird Finlay was meant to marry Clyde's sister" Finella repeated, her eyes turning back towards me. Her gaze was somewhat disturbing. Her two coloured eyes swirled, their colours darkening. It filled me with an intense feeling of discomfort and I squirmed where I stood, my toes curling.
"I didn't know that." I said, my voice quieter now. Engaged? Why wouldn't he tell me? To be fair it wasn't any of my business but I would have like to have been informed that I was breaking some engagement off.
"His father and Clyde's father made the arrangement when they were still toddlers running around the castle grounds." Finella stepped forwards and I pressed myself harder against the wardrobe door, wishing I could sink inside it.
"But along came ye. Ye wee bonnie lass who stole a man who wasn't hers." Finella's voice turned cold now, her eyes darkening and fists clenching. She stepped forward again before halting and she flattened her palms against the side of her dress, her face seeming to relax with calm.
"But its ok," Finella turned away so her back was to me now, "I was the one to pay for it when Clyde got the message that a girl was travelling with the Laird Finn. Staying with him in his tent. Riding his horse with him. I was the one who got beaten and battered. How many bruises do you think one person can get in just over a week? More than you think. But he said he'd stop," Finella's voice rose with anger, her back was still turned to me, "He said he'd stop if we got revenge. If we got revenge on Laird Finn and his whore." Finella's voice tuned bitter and she turned around with force and suddenness.
"Look I'm-" I started, but Finella lunged forwards, a sharp glint of something in her had catching my eye. It took me a moment to realise what it was- almost a moment too late- and I dived out of the way, towards the dressing table, sending Finella into the wardrobe.
The dagger that was in her hand was now firmly stuck in the wardrobe door. Finella pulled hard on the hilt but it wouldn't budge, giving me enough time to attempt to dive over the bed. But Finella noticed me move and abandoned the dagger to come at me with her claws. She jumped around to the other side of the bed, moving as fast as a hawk sweeping down to catch it's pray. She reached forward and scratched me across the face. I screamed out as the pain spread across the scratches across my right cheek bone. I could feel the three cuts seep blood as it slimed down the side of my face and dripped onto the bed sheets beneath me.
"You bitch!" I screamed. But before I could jump out and retaliate the wardrobe door snapped open, one of the hinges went flying across the room and hit the wall a few feet from my head.
A hand snaked out from the darkness and searched around the door before ripping the dagger from its wooden sheath and jumping out of the wardrobe.
"That's where ye are wrong," Alistair said, twirling the dagger in his hand, "She isn't a bitch."
Alistair let go of the dagger with force, sending it flying across the room. In what seemed less than a blink the dagger was now nestled between Finella's breasts, pinning her to the wall behind her.
Blood seeped from the wound, darkening her dress to the dreadful crimson of death.
My breath was stolen from me; my hand hovered above my mouth as I looked at the dead Lady's body. I felt pity for her. Yes, she had tried to kill me but no one deserves such a death or death at all.
"Time to get ye out of here lass" Alistair said as he grabbed my hand.
"No." I said and turned to look at him, "We have to get Finn."