Epilogue
August 1409, Scottish Highlands
Castle McKenna
"Lady Campbell," Angus called to her and helped her dismount off of her mare. "I welcome ye to Castle McKenna."
"Angus, tis good to be here," Eileen smiled as she got her footing and adjusted her skirts. It was a long journey, two days of riding, her back was sore and she couldn't wait to see her daughter. "Thank ye for having us."
"Tis our pleasure," Angus reassured her.
"Emma," Eileen asked Angus. "She is well?"
"Och......well......depends on when ye ask her!" Angus chuckled out, thinking back to just this morning when he asked her how she was and she nearly bit his head off. "For when she's hungry, dinna ask her how she is."
Laughing herself...... "I suppose so," Eileen responded. "Tis close to her time, I'm sure she is looking forward to having the bairn out soon."
Andrew stepped forward now and welcomed in his in-laws. "Evelyn, ye made the journey as well. Emma will be pleased," Andrew said reaching up to help Evelyn dismount from her mare.
"Aye....well twas begging I had to ask for Andrew," Evelyn made a pouty face at her parents. "Mama dinna want me to come but tis truth, I've never been further then to Castle McGregor and Emma told me so much how beautiful the Highlands were.....I wanted to see for myself."
"Ye are most welcome here anytime then Evelyn," Andrew told her as her started to escort her into the castle. He noticed that his Da was already escorting Laird and Lady Campbell inside. "Where is Gavin?" Andrew asked his sister-in-law, surprised that Gavin didn't come as well.
"Och.....Andrew," Evelyn stopped them from walking. "Ye men," she sighed in frustration. "I dinna leave Gavin on good terms. Twas upset he was that I would be gone for a month or so."
"Ye could have invited him as well," Andrew told her and he meant it as well. The castle was large, they have plenty of chambers for guests.
"Well.......I did Andrew and forgive me for doing so for tis no my home, but......" she shrugged. "He still wasna happy."
"Perhaps he will show up," Andrew smiled at her as he opened the doors and led her inside.
"I dinna want to miss the birth of my niece or nephew Andrew and we are no married yet, twas no right of him to order me to stay back with Elise and Robert," Evelyn said sadly.
"Aye lass," Andrew comforted her. "Ye have the right of it. Emma is your sister and I know she will be pleased having ye here."
Emma was very pleased about having her sister come as well, she was so pleased that she couldn't stop crying. "I'm so very happy ye are here Evelyn," Emma sobbed out as she held onto her sister for dear life.
Eileen looked over at Andrew now...."She weeps often?" she quietly asked him.
"Aye," Andrew nodded. "Tis truth ye canna say much to her without her weeping."
"Tis the bairn Andrew," Eileen told him as she placed a reassuring hand on his arm. Andrew just nodded and continued to watch his wife not let go of her sister.
Eileen stepped forward now and pulled Evelyn out of Emma's arms and bent over to hug her daughter. "Emma, ye are no well my love," Eileen softly asked her as she dried her daughter's tears.
"Och....Mama......my back is sore, I canna stop weeping, Andrew willna let me out of the castle doors. Tis truth, I will go mad soon for tis only my chamber and the hall that I've seen." Emma quietly said.
"Soon my love," Eileen reassured her. "Tis the full moon in two days time, then ye will have your bairn."
A commotion in the entrance had them all turning when Ian and Grant walked in arguing about a dispute in the village.
"Grant," Ian started. "Twas no the way to handle David's complaint."
Rubbing his hand through his hair....."I agree with ye Ian, but twas nae proof........," Grant started but then stopped when he looked across the hall and smiled. "Och....tis Emma's family Ian, they have arrived."
Both of the brothers started making their way across the hall to greet them.
"Jesu....,"Evelyn said softy. "Tis Robert."
"Nae," Andrew cut in chuckling. "Tis no Robert, tis our other brother Ian. Ye have no met him yet."
Grant was getting reacquainted with Laird Campbell, so Andrew decided to introduce the women to Ian.
"Ian," Andrew motioned him to come forward. "Tis Lady Eileen Campbell, Emma's Mother and Emma's youngest sister, Lady Evelyn."
Ian bowed and took Lady Campbell's hand and kissed her knuckles. "Tis a pleasure Lady Campbell to meet ye. I now know where Emma gets her beauty from."
Eileen smiled and blushed at Ian's compliment, she already knew that she was going to like him. "Thank ye, I've heard so much about ye from Emma."
"I hope all good things," Ian asked, blushing a bit himself.
"Aye, very good things," Eileen responded grinning. All four of the McKenna's were charming, it doesn't surprise her at all that two of her daughter's married into their family.
Ian turned to Evelyn.........."Och...tis a wee Emma," Ian beamed at Evelyn as he took her hands and kissed them as well. "Ye are most bonnie as your sister Lady Evelyn. Tis a pleasure to meet ye as well."
Blushing as well and going down into a small curtsey....."A pleasure to meet ye as well Ian," Evelyn smiled up at him.
The Campbell's were shown to their chambers, hot baths were prepared for Eileen and Evelyn so that they could refresh themselves for the evening meal. They were placed in the third tower so that Eileen could be close to Emma when her time came.
The evening meal was a jovial event, they all caught up on news on what had happened during the several months that they had not seen each other.
"Papa," Evelyn called to her Father. "Ye dinna tell them the news yet."
"Och....aye Evelyn.....ye are right. Tis truth, I almost forgot. Tis been Emma on my mine, no Elise," Donald explain. "Eileen....ye tell them," Donald said as he smiled and turned to his wife.
A big smile across her face now............"Aye...I will.......tis Elise and Robert....they are expecting a bairn as well," Eileen beamed.
All the McKenna's faces were lit up with joy. Emma started to cry, even Angus got a bit teary eyed. The brother's started in with their jests.
"Tis the McKenna seed," Grant puffed out.
"I bet Robbie dinna let Elise leave her chamber for a few days after they married," Ian chimed in laughing. "Ye know.....just as Andrew did with Emma."
Looking over at Andrew now...."Och...poor Emma....Andrew...ye are a brute!" Grant teased him.
"Ye wait Grant," Andrew grunted out. "Ye just wait until ye are married, we'll see how long ye keep your bride in your chambers."
"I'll never marry Andrew," Grant said shrugging and popping some food in his mouth. "I will be single. I dinna have to produce an heir, tis your job." Grant told him getting his point across.
"Your day twill come Grant and I will sit back and watch ye fall in love, I'll watch and see what ye will do for the lass who will win your cold heart," Andrew smirked.
Ian burst out laughing........."Tis truth Andrew......Grant has a cold heart...........tis only lifting lass's skirts he is interested in." Ian's little statement brought a grunt out of Angus and a disapproving look at Grant as he remembered the accountings that he got for when Grant spent time at court.
"Are ye sure ye will never marry Grant?" Evelyn hesitantly asked him as she swirled the water in her goblet and then shyly looked up at him with glint in her eyes.
"Aye," Grant replied gruffly. "Tis no lass for me."
Evelyn shrugged her shoulders in a dainty way..."Hmmm...perhaps ye both have met but are no ready to marry yet?"
Grant seemed to know exactly what Evelyn was getting at and gave her a stern look. Andrew, Ian, Donald and Angus all had questioning looks on their faces but Eileen....she had a twinkle in her eye.
"Ah.....Evelyn....I know of who ye speak of," she grinned. "Grant has a secret admirer."
Now they all started speaking at once, all wanting to know who liked Grant.
"I'm sorry," Eileen teased them all. "I canna tell, but Grant....a word of advice."
"I dinna want it Lady Campbell," Grant tried to tell her as politely as possible without offending her.
"I will give it anyway," Eileen decided since Grant was being stubborn. "She will be a great beauty, she comes from a good clan......when she comes of age, ye should make a plea for her hand. The lass is worthy of the son of a Laird."
"Comes of age?" Ian repeated. "Is she a bairn still?"
"Nae.....but she is still a young lass, much too young for marriage," Eileen told Ian.
Grant wanting the conversation changed...."How was your journey Donald?" he addressed Emma's father.
"Twas fine Grant," Donald answered him engaging in a new topic that seemed to get everyone's attention.
True to her words, Lady Campbell was roused just before dawn the day after the full moon by a frantic Andrew. Emma had begun her labour pains and Lady Campbell was urgently needed. Word was spreading throughout the castle like wildfire. Ian was already heading down to the village to summoned the midwife. The servants were rushing around preparing clean linens and the kitchen was to keep hot water on hand throughout the day. It was day to celebrate, first bairn to be born at Castle McKenna since Grant was born.
Angus, Donald and Grant were already down in the hall breaking their fast when Andrew joined them.
"Eat something," Angus pushed his son.
"Nae Da....I canna," Andrew replied staring into his goblet of ale. He wanted to be upstairs with Emma, but Eileen shooed him away. "Twas women's work," she told him and if Emma needed him, she would send for him immediately. He glanced up at the stairs but no one was there.
"Andrew," Donald started in....."Your Da and I have been through this....tis a long process. Ye must eat something. Twill be mid-afternoon before the bairn comes."
Andrew's eyes flew open at Donald's statement.........."Mid-afternoon? She canna go on that long, she is in so much pain," Andrew told them, mortified thinking that Emma was going to suffer that long.
"Aye...she can and she will Andrew," Angus told him. "She will be well Andrew, dinna worry over much."
Out of the corner of his eye, Andrew saw Ian walk in with the midwife and escort upstairs to the third tower. He felt a bit better now knowing that the midwife had arrived, even though he was told he would be waiting a long time.
Four hours had past and Andrew felt like a caged animal. Twice he had gone up to see how Emma was fairing and twice he was told she was well and that it would take time. He sparred with his brothers to kill time. Walked the battlements, spoke with clansmen, he did anything and everything to keep his mind off of Emma.
After the noon meal, Andrew felt that enough time had passed that he could go and asked about Emma again. Eileen opened the door to him.
"How is she Eileen?" Andrew asked her nervously.
"She is well Andrew," she reassured him. "Come in and see for yourself," Eileen told him and stepped aside so that Andrew could come into his chambers. She knew if he saw her, it would help him a bit to see that she was well, that all was going well, it just took time.
Andrew came into his chamber and saw the midwife sitting on a stool next to the hearth, she was tending to the fire. Evelyn was seated on the bed next to Emma, holding her hand and wiping her brow. His beautiful wife lay propped up on pillows, in a snowy white nightshift, her hair gloriously spilling across the white linen sheets. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was laboured. It was killing him to see her like that.
"Emma," Andrew called her name softly as he went to kneel beside the bed and took the hand that Evelyn had just been holding. Evelyn had moved once she saw Andrew and went to stand by the window enjoying the soft breeze flowing through. Her eyes fluttered opened at the sound of his voice.
"Andrew," she whispered and took her free hand and cupped his face. "The bairn is taking its sweet time," she chuckled out, trying to ease Andrew for she could see the fear and worry in his eyes.
"Ye have me so worried Emma," Andrew told her trying to keep his emotions to himself.
"Dinna worry my love, all will be well......we both will be well," she told him to try and ease his fear.
Before Andrew could tell Emma how much he loved her, a contraction hit and Emma flew up into a seated position clutching her belly and screaming out loud. Andrew jumped to his feet and quickly looking accusingly at the midwife............"Ye canna help her with the pain," he shouted.
"Andrew," Eileen rushed over to sooth him, she needed him to get out of the room. "Tis the way it is Andrew," Eileen tugged him towards the door. "Time is drawing near....her pains are coming closer.............nae more visits Andrew."
And with that, the door was closed in his face as he could still hear his wife sobbing from pain.
Two more hours past and Andrew was even worse than earlier on. He took Zeus out on a wild gallop through the hillside, he needed to feel the air on his face, clear his mind, pray for the safe delivery of his child, pray for the safety of his wife. He couldn't imagine living without Emma.
Soft footsteps could be heard on the stairs now as all the men turned to see who it was. Eileen, holding a small bundle in her hands, her eyes filled with tears, Evelyn beside her, her eyes also filled with tears.
Andrew ran to them immediately, as did his brothers, his Da and Donald.
"Emma," Andrew managed to croak out. "She is well?" he pleaded.
Eileen extended a warm comforting arm and placed her hand on Andrew's arm....smiled as a tear escaped...."She is very well Andrew."
Relief washed over Andrew's face, he felt like the weight of the world was lifted off of his shoulders. "When can I see her?" he asked.
"Give her some time Andrew," Eileen told him. "The midwife is with her, some servants as well. The chamber is being cleaned and Emma is being tended to."
Andrew could only nod and that's when he finally noticed the bundle in Eileen arms and a huge smile came across his face.
"Ye got your wish Andrew," Evelyn softly told him as she lifted the thin linen off the bairn's face.
Staring up at him was his daughter, his beautiful daughter with eyes just like her Mother's. So violet they were in colour that it amazed Andrew. Her hair, not the glorious red as her Mother's, but dark as her Father's, she was a McKenna through and through. Her skin was the colour of peaches and cream, her mouth, tiny as a rose bud. She let out a yawn and tucked a tiny fist into her mouth and began suckling.
"A wee bonnie lass ye have Andrew," Eileen said as she handed the babe over to him. "Emma says she is to be named Roslyn?"
"Aye," Andrew nodded, he couldn't take his eyes off of his child. A beautiful miracle she was, his heart was swelling with so much pride. "Twas my Mother's name."
"Tis fitting then, a beautiful name," Eileen agreed.
"Aye....tis most fitting," Grant poked his head over Andrew's shoulder to get a better view of his niece.
Andrew turned so that everyone else could see her. Both Grandda's had misty eyes, Grant was grinning and Ian quickly wiped a tear away before anyone could see it.
"Tis a princess in the castle now," Ian smiled as he looked down at his niece.
"Aye," Angus agree with him and tossed his arm around Andrew's shoulder and gave him a congratulatory hug.
They all watched in fascination as Roslyn suckled onto her tiny little fist and when she wasn't rewarded, she let them all know with a lusty wail that she was frustrated with her efforts.
"Och....she is feisty," Donald complimented his granddaughter as he gave her a huge smile.
"Andrew," Eileen pulled his attention back to her. "Take her to Emma now, she's hungry and needs to be nursed."
He tried to be quiet walking into his chamber, thinking that perhaps Emma was resting but little Roslyn was letting everyone know that she wanted to be fed.
Emma was sitting up in bed, looking more beautiful than ever. She had colour back on her face, her eyes filled with love when she saw Andrew and Roslyn come into the room.
"She his hungry," Andrew said as he went to sit beside Emma and placed their bairn into her arms.
"Aye," Emma giggled. "I could hear ye coming up the stairs." She placed Roslyn onto her breast and she knew exactly what to do. She latched onto Emma's nipple and began to suckle in blissful contentment.
They watched Roslyn nurse for a few moments, eyes filled with love knowing they brought this precious gift into the world. Andrew tilted Emma's chin towards him and kissed her tenderly on the lips. "She is beautiful Emma and I thank ye for her," he said as he placed another kiss onto her lips.
Looking at his two Scottish Beauties, two beautifuls gifts Andrew was rewarded with, he couldn't be more happier then he was at this moment.
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***** Check out the next story in the McKenna family called Scottish Destiny featuring Grant as my hero and Kathryn as my heroine *****