Alana felt tremors wracking through her body. She felt her breath hitch. The Highlander had the deepest voice she'd ever heard. It was a throaty baritone.
"Who urr ye?" whispered Alana, her hands fisting the skirts of her gown. Alistair's watchful eyes glided to her dress, soiled and dirty. The lassie was travelling, he thought.
The gown on her was a green brocade with sleeves that flarred to her dainty wrists. The cloth was one only worn by the privileged, judging by the little intricate gold details on the silk.
She looked at him demurely, entranced by his powerful physique.
And that sweet little voice, he thought, he could make her scream and turn that innocent voice into a needy one. His blood rushed to his groin and he shifted.
"I should ask ye th' same, what urr ye daein' on mah lands?"
Alana's breath left her lips in a whoosh . His lands? Was he the Laird here?
She would have made a modest curtsy had the sword not be at her neck, toying with her life.
"Urr ye-"
"Alana?! Alana! Where urr ye?!" They both heard in the distance.
Alana, he tested her name on his lips, pleased beyond limits at how it fitted the bonny lassie.
They did not move. Alistair thought if she had people with her. Was her lowland clan with her? Were they here to talk to his Da?
"Alanaaa, shaw yersel'," the voice pleaded.
(Show yourself)
Ailith must be dead worried, Lana thought. Yet she couldn't muster the courage to yell and say she was here infront of this Highlander, possibly Laird.
"Where urr y-" the screaming edged closer until a head poked out from the trees, revealing Ailith, her hair messy with her tresses undone. When she took in the scene infront of her, red rage clouded her vision and she ran to her sister like a furious spitfire. Her hand hovered the hilt and with a sharp pull, unleashed her sword and stormed infront of them. She clanged her sword against Alistair's and pushed Alana behind her, switching on her protective stance.
Alana stumbled but caught herself before falling on her buttocks. She touched her neck gingerly, soothed that the weapon was no longer pointed at her.
"Did that bas(bastard) touched ye Alana? Tell me now ah will slaughter him,?" She roared.
"Ai-Ailith ye-"
Lilly craned her neck to look at her, misjudging her touching her throat as being harmed.
She gave a battle cry and clashed her sword against the man's sword infront of her. She seethed and watched as he looked at her amusedly. How they judged her, men.
She lifted her foot to slam it on his kneecap when Alana screamed at her and pulled her by the arm.
"He meant me na harm! He thought ah was a threat. We urr oan his lands for God's sake. We urr nae at war wi' every being Ailith!"
Lilly staggered back, flushing against Lana.
God gracious, the Laird!
She mumbled something and dropped into a curtsy, her sister following.
Alistair hid a smile. Ailith had the same eyes of the lassie to whom he took a special liking. But her vixen, had hair like burning embers. Ailith had golden locks.
"Whit brings ye 'ere lassies? Are there more wi' you?" He asked, putting his sword back.
"Nae, we're alone," replied Lilly in a sombre voice. She sounded defensive.
"Our clan-" Lana started but was immediately cut off by Lilly who had a panicky look on her face for a mere second.
"Our clan hud th' misfortune o' bein' raided. We ur th' only ones alive. Mah sister 'n' ah escaped tae seek refuge elsewhere,"
"Ergo, ye come till the Highlands," Alistair looked at them suspiciously. They were hiding something.
"We wur scared mah Laird, scared that our enemies would chase after us,"
"Chased after ye? Why? Do they want somethin' wi' ye?"
"N-nae, we wur just scared. We urr maidens, they urr brutes, ye can only imagine whit would happen if they caught us,"
Alistair nodded carefully, his doubts not quite vanished yet but he chose to let the matter drop. They looked like they could do with some rest and food. His eyes immediately sought the younger lassie at the back. God, she was really breath-taking.
"I need tae take ye tae mah father. I am not yet Laird," he said and turned, seeking Atlas, his horse. The beast neighed happily on his appearance. He took him and faced the two sisters.
"Now where ur your horses? I imagine ye didna' come 'ere on foot,"
●●●●
Alana rode her mare, alongside her sister, her eyes constantly drafting to the man infront of her. She didn't catch his name, she thought solemnly.
After some time, they reached a hillside where they peered down to see the clan infront of them.
"Which clan is this?" Asked Ailith in wonder.
"MacTaggart," replied Alistair curtly. He looked at them and grinned, amazing Alana with his manly looks.
Alana looked down, rumours were that the MacTaggarts were ruthless clansmen. But rumours maybe they only were.
"Down we go lassies," he said and the hooves of his horse slamming against the ground was what Alana's ears caught before she began riding Adamina again.
The lands were beautiful, cultivated and a healthy green. The village was animated, people left their work to look at the fair maidens on horseback and their Laird.
Alana caught the toothy grin of a little wee lad in the distance. She grinned back at him and watched with a tender look as he clenched the skirts of her mother, suddenly bashful.
The castle in the front stole her breath away. It was a huge structure of rocks and cobblestones, with statues in the front. The pinnacle of the castle was the highest she had ever seen. It was a beauty to behold. Little did she know that that same thought was reeling in Alistair's mind as he watched her. Male pride fluttered in his chest when he saw how she admired his home.
He guided them to the stable and met with Ewan, the stable lad.
"Take care of these horses lad," Alistair gruffed out and descended from his horse. She watched as Ailith jumped from her beast effortlessly, looking rogue and careless. Alana, on the other hand shifted her skirts and gingerly placed her feet on the hay. He managed an ironclad control to not take her and put her down himself.
He opened the doors to his manor, with Ailith and Alana in tow.
"W-what is urr name my Laird?" Asked a small voice at his side. He looked down and saw red fiery hair. His lips tugged upwards.
"I apologise for mah lack of manners earlier mah lady, a'm Alistair MacTaggart, eldest son of Laird Henry MacTaggart," he said and winked at her. She blushed, looking down. Lilly snorted beside her and Lana flashed her a reprimanding look, be ladylike, the look said. The name Alistair sounded sweet and endearing on her lips and she bit her lips hard, the movement not gong unnoticed by the ever watchful Alistair who suddenly felt like his breeks were too tight.
"A'm sorry Lady Alana to have pointed my sword at ye earlier, I was just bein' defensive, ye see," Alana trembled a bit in her dress when he took her name. Something about it was intimate. Alistair stared at her appreciatively, his loins clenching.
"It's a'richt (ok), although ye did scare me, ah ken find it in me tae forgive ye," she said modestly, watching the rugged man through her lashes.
"Alistair? Is it ye?" Came a feminine voice from a corridor. Alana turned to look at a very bonny woman behind her . She was dark haired with skin the softest caramel. She marched to them, her skirts swishing around her ankles. Her hair was the same raven black as that of Alistair but she had very beautiful cerulean eyes.
She gasped when she saw Alana and Lilly together.
"Now who ur these fine lassies my lad?" She asked, her hands on her hips.
She looked at Alistair with a warm look on her face, a smile breaking onto her soft lips. She was beautiful, the kind of beautiful only mothers were, especially when they smiled for their child. Alana's chest ached at the thought of her very own ma. Was she still alive?
Alistair explained to her mother about the situation that the two lassies had landed into. She looked at them, concern etched on her wrinkle-free face.
"Och mah Lord, urr ye two harmed?"
Alana and Ailith shook their heads no but Lady MacTaggart's eyes flashed to the dress of Lilly, spotting the dried blood on it. She gasped in horror.
"But ye urr hurt! Leslie! Go fetch some warm water and prepare a bath for these lassies and arrange for a bedchamber," she called to a passing servant.
"A'm Rhona MacTaggart," she said and went to hug them, not caring that their gowns were soiled.
"From which clan do ye come from?" She asked politely. Alistair looked at them as well, awaiting their answer.
"Clan Hepburn, of Laird Aodh Hepburn," Lana whispered Alana instantly.
"Clan Hepburn ye say? And it was raided?" Alistair said, his face turning serious suddenly. He couldn't believe it. It was one of the most influential clan of the lowlands. What happened there? He felt like something was amiss.
Ailith a moment longer to respond, as if she was thinking over her answer.
"Aye," she said at once, firmly.
"And what urr yer names?" Lady Rhona asked, taking Lana's hand. It seemed like they went through a lot.
"Alana Hepburn," Lana replied," and Ailith Hepburn," she looked at her sister.
Rhona gasped, her hand going to heart."ye mean lady Alana and lady Ailith Hepburn?" She asked quizically.
Alistair stood with his jaw clenched. Were those lassies' Laird Aodh's?
He got confirmed with a hesitant nodding of Ailith. Good God.
"Well, ye dae need rest, come, Ailith-May I call ye Ailith?" Rhona asked, a motherly smile adorning her lips.
"Aye Lady Rhona,"
"And it is Rhona tae ye two,"
Alana smiled. How she missed her own Ma. Her tear ducts burnt.
"Ailith will come wi' me, I'll find a healer to look after that wound," she took the lassie's hand and guided her to a flight of stairs,
"And ye lad, guide Lady Alana to her bedchambers, I guess Leslie is already done there, off ye go ye two. I'll send one of my gowns to ye Alana, what? Stop lagging, take her Alistair," Rhona said, smiling mischievously.
Alana looked down, a rose tint coating her cheeks.
Och a mother knows when his lad has taken interest in someone.
She secretly winked at Alistair and the latter smiled at her thoughtful mother.
"Shall we mah lady?"
|°|●|°|●|°|●|°|●|°|●|°|●|°|
Hope you liked the second chapter. I'm quite satisfied of it and yesss thank you loads. My book reached #509 in historical fiction, like how in the hell? I just put this book on wattpad. But I owe it to you. Anyway, byyye. Vote, comment and share.
Lots of love,
Kiwikiwi18