She awakened to a soft tickle along her nose and lips. Violet eyes slipping slowly open; she found Breac hovering above her. Elspet couldn't help but allow a tinkling laugh to escape her petal like lips.
The large highlander looked as if he was a little lad with a hand in the coveted cookie jar.
If her face while smiling was beautiful her face while laughing was truly a sight to be seen.
Breac couldn't help but smile back at her widely then brought a hand up to brush against her still bruised cheek. "You're not hiding your face".
Elspet blushed softly and peered up at him below her lashes. "I guess I've come to understand that if yee were going to run..you would have already..."
"And??"Breac questioned sensing her hesitation
"You shouldn't have to hide from those who care about yee.."
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She ran her fingers through the thick dust on the railing.
The room smelled of dust, rot, lost love and stolen dreams.
Tears pricked from her large eyes and her left hand drifted from the abandoned crib railing to her flat stomach.
Silent sobs filled the tension in the room.
It was always the same, the guilt, the despair, the anguish.
Her other hand drifted to the name carved into the side of the crib.
"Ainslie darling?"
Ainslie jumped with a start and turned to see her husband slip into the small stone nursery.
"Lachlan"Ainslie choked out as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Shush I know love but... Yee need to go the common room a messenger is here from my sister addressed to you."
Ainslie nodded slowly before brushed her fingers over the carving lovingly before leaving her husband.
Lachlan watched as his wife left with a heavy heart.
He then turned to the crib and kneeled to place a kiss on the carving.
"Papa loves you my darling Elspet"