“Are ye ready?” Lyla’s voice made Ava turn to face the mirror.
She was dressed head to toe in a mixture of MacKinnon and MacLeod colors. On one shoulder were two clan badges, mixing their heraldry together. Her blonde hair was no longer in its customary braid, but a more ornate plait, bundled at the top of her head, with loose curls hanging down on either side of her face.
Lyla handed her a bouquet of winter flowers, the stems dried and pressed together with a bow. The white and blue flower heads were serene, contrasting the vibrant colors of her gown.
“I’m ready,” Ava said with a smile growing on her face. Lyla beamed and took her arm.
“Then let us get ye tae the church.”
They giggled together, leaving the chamber and hurrying down through the corridors. The whole way, guards and maids stopped, calling out to Ava and wishing her well. She thanked them all, waving back to them with her bouquet.
Downstairs in the entrance to the castle stood Finley. He was fidgeting, constantly adjusting his own tunic and the plaid strip thrown over his shoulder. When he heard the two of them approaching, he turned to face them, his own face going from one of apprehension to pure happiness in seconds.
“Dinnae ye look beautiful?” he said loudly, clapping his hands together in delight. He met the two of them at the bottom of the staircase. “Ye look a lot like yer maither did, on our wedding day.” There was a softness to his expression that warmed Ava’s heart.
From his words, it almost felt as if she there with them in that moment, laying an encouraging hand on Ava’s shoulder. Their marriage had been arranged, but over the years they had come to care for each other.
“Come, let us get ye tae the church.” Her father offered his arm to her. “If we are late, poor Kai may think ye have run off and changed yer mind.”
“Nae much chance of that,” Lyla said with a laugh. “The two are besotted with each other! Never thought that ye two, of all people, would be so sickly sweet in love.”
“Ha! We arenae like that.”
“Who else breaks off in the middle of a sparring battle tae have a kiss?” Lyla cast her eyes to the heavens, pleading for patience as they walked out of the castle and toward the horses that awaited them.
“Well, we dae.” Ava smiled, giddily.
Just two days before, when Kai had visited to make the last arrangements for the wedding, they had ended up in another sparring practice together. One which was heavily distracting. What Lyla, nor anyone else in the castle knew, was that the sparring had only lasted about five minutes before they had both strayed, doing other things.
Kai had barred the door with a sword to make sure they would not be discovered, before they made love in the middle of the floor. He had relinquished control completely, giving himself up so she could command every part of it. He did as she asked, lying there, allowing her to explore him, trail her fingers over every part of his body, then taking his length inside of her. She had leaned back as she had rocked, grinding against him in the most wonderful way. She had climaxed in that position as well, as he had finished inside of her, thrusting his hips upward to aid her final movement.
When they had emerged, both sticky and sweaty and had gone to dinner with their families, Laird Domhnall had muttered something about them clearly having practiced their sword skills hard. Magnus, on the other hand, had looked a little too intently at the pair of them for Ava’s comfort.
“They are all there, waiting for us,” Finley said as they climbed onto three horses and trotted out of the courtyard, heading toward the chapel in the castle grounds. “Kai’s sister arrived this morning.”
Thora had already arrived some days ago, so Ava presumed her father meant Enya.
“She has come?”
“Oh, aye, and she’s so excited tae see ye.”
As they reached the church, Ava allowed her father to help her down, cautious of jumping down herself when she was wearing so much plaid and was laden down with many petticoats. As they approached the door, Lyla moved behind them, taking up the place of the bridesmaid position as they entered the chapel.
Great pipes struck up the moment they stepped inside.
Ava tried to take in the view as much as possible. All the people that mattered to her were in that room, all the friends and family members she cherished. On one side, she could see all of Kai’s brothers and sisters, along with their partners. Thora, the one sibling not yet wed, stood alone, though she beamed widely, looking deliriously happy. Ava waved quickly at her and Enya, who waved back, then she set her gaze forward.
Kai stood at the front of the church with Domhnall at his side, staring back at her.
He was striking in his handsomeness today, wearing the same clan colors she was, showing the union of their clans. He was smiling so much, Ava was trying to remember the last time she had seen him smile in such a fashion.
I remember.
It was the moment she had told him that she loved him.
Ava and her father crossed through the aisle together toward the altar. As they reached Kai’s side, Finley passed her hand into Kai’s grasp. Instead of releasing them right away, he held his hands over the pair of them together. Ava smiled even wider, though she had thought a second before it would be an impossible thing.
“Joined forever,” he said softly. “May ye both be as happy forever as ye are now.”
Ava felt Kai’s fingers intertwine with her own.
Kai could not stop smiling as he looked at Ava on the dance floor. She was currently dancing with her sister, the two twirling one another under each other’s arms as the pipers and other dancers circled the floor, clapping along in time to the cheery music.
Kai drummed his fingers to the same beat on the side of his cup of mead, far to engrossed watching his wife to realize his brothers were approaching him.
“There he is,” Domhnall said, clapping Kai on his shoulders to get his attention.
“God, ye made me jump.”
“He was far too focused on other things.” Magnus smiled then followed Kai’s gaze to the dance floor. “Ye…”
“What?” Kai said with apparent innocence. He tried to shut down his thoughts, but Magnus worked too quickly. As Kai could read people’s emotions all too well, Magnus could read thoughts as if there were written on people’s skin.
“Ye two didnae wait!?” Magnus hissed.
“Ha! Like ye did?” Domhnall asked with a shake of his head. “Besides, I could tell ye that they didnae wait. I found them in Kai’s bed together just a few weeks ago.”
“Can ye say that a little bit quieter please?” Kai snatched the cup of mead away from his elder brother as Magnus chuckled under his breath.
“I should have kenned.” Magnus nodded in Ava’s direction. “I am happy fer ye, Kai. Happier than I can say. Goodness kens how long ye have been love with her.”
“Ye kenned? Ye always kenned?”
Magnus nodded, ever so slowly. From the way Domhnall looked sheepish, a man who never ever looked sheepish, it was plain as day that Magnus had told Domhnall sometime before what he had read in Kai’s thoughts.
“I also saw that ye never thought ye were good enough fer her.” Magnus shook his head. “I’m glad tae see she changed yer mind in that. Never were two people better matched.”
Coming from Magnus who had married his perfect match, Ciara, this meant a lot.
“Thank ye, Magnus.”
“Tae yer happiness.” Domhnall took back his tankard and raised it in the air to toast him. Magnus and Kai clinked tankards with him. “And tae more being added tae our family.”
He looked across to where Enya was standing with Thora, the two whispering together happily. Enya glowed with a happiness Kai could never remember seeing in her before she had married her husband Cillian.
“Any news from ye?” Kai said, turning his attention to Magnus.
“Ye starting tae read minds too?” Magnus asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Nae, but I can sense something… a hope, aye, that’s it. A hope.” He nodded at Magnus’ expression and the smile that was breaking through.
“I hope it willnae be long afore me wife has news.” Magnus smiled in Ciara’s direction. She had been towed into the middle of the floor by Lyla and Ava, joining the dancing.
They are trying.
Kai clapped his hand on Magnus’ shoulder, delighted for him.
“Though it looks like ye and Ava will have little feet following ye around too soon the way ye two are carrying on,” Domhnall said under his breath. Kai shot a glare at his elder brother, as Magnus chuckled deeply.
“Let us look tae others instead.” Kai looked away, desperate to change the conversation.
He had every intention, when the feast finished, to take Ava to his chamber so they could have a much more private celebration. He caught her eye across the room as she clapped and danced around Ciara. From the heat in her cheeks, she was thinking the same thing.
He winked at her, a silent promise that it would not be long, loving the way she blew a kiss back at him before returning her focus onto the door.
Thora and Enya walked close by, Thora looking a bit worried, but Kai didn’t have time to go and talk to her as she was being dragged by Lyla into a dance and Enya walked toward them. Seeing the opportunity to change the topic of conversation, Kai wrapped his arm around his sister’s shoulders. In a second, a laughing Thora came too, obviously wanting to be a part of the family reunion.
“Well, who shall be next tae wed, I wonder?” he asked. Fortunately, all his siblings played their part. Domhnall nodded along and Enya clapped her hands together excitedly as Magnus cocked his head, watching Thora with great intent.
“Me?” She blushed a deep shade of red. “I am nae thinking of marriage!” she insisted rather loudly. “Yer own wedding day has scarcely finished and already ye are looking tae the next celebration.”
“Aye, why nae?” Kai said with mischief. “Domhnall, dinnae ye think it’s time she turned her thoughts tae such things?” With ease, he pushed Thora between them, shifting his brothers’ attention to Thora.
“Aye, we should talk about such things.” Domhnall agreed.
“I am nae talking about it now.”
Kai took the opportunity to escape. Having left poor Thora to fight her corner alone, Kai ushered into the middle of the dancers and caught Ava’s hand, kissing the back with swiftness. He loved the way she smiled at his touch, her eyes sparkling with clear anticipation.
I ken what she is thinking. She is thinking of what we did the other day in the sparring room, when nay one was around tae see us together.
Even now, the memory of seeing her above him, of watching her as she took her pleasure with complete freedom and confidence, made him growl under his breath, wanting her again.
“Dance with me?” he whispered.
“On one condition.” She held up a single finger between them. “Dae we have tae stay at this feast for much longer? I’m a little… impatient… tae have our own celebration.”
He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close. She was too much of a temptation to possibly refuse. When the opportunity arose, they would certainly be slipping away from the celebration together.
“One dance,” he said softly. “Then , love, how could I possibly refuse ye anything?”
The End.
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