Three years later

Ceana paced the floor, waiting eagerly. He wasn’t supposed to be so late, was he? She knew that he had been summoned by the clan chief, but she knew nothing more, and it was awfully hard to wait. She had put two-year-old baby Torcall to sleep hours ago but could find no sleep herself. Since she and Torcall had married, she hadn’t had cause to sleep alone. Torcall remained a soldier for the Chief but would return home each night to her and their baby. He had kept his promises to her, and she had never once regretted risking her life for him.

The years had been peaceful, and Ceana knew that they were blessed. Sometimes, it seemed too good to be real, but it was. However, she could never hide the clawing doubts that were at the back of her mind. Torcall had been gracious about her worries too. Each night before they slept, he held her tight and whispered that he loved her. It was more than a declaration of love; it was also an assurance of safety. For months, she had had nightmares about Rannoch, but he never lost his patience with her. He had soothed her until they stopped happening to her anymore. She loved him more than life itself.

When Ceana was sure that it was past midnight, her patience ended, and she made her way to the bedroom to carry Torcall in her arms. She slipped a dagger into the sheath that Torcall had given her and tied it around her waist. She would take her baby to her parent’s house before making her way to the keep in search of her husband.

Just as she opened the front door, she came face to face with Torcall and relief washed over her.

“Where have ye been?” she asked him, worry evident in her voice.

“The meeting was a long one. I apologize, me love. Where are ye going?”

“To find ye!” she yelled and walked inside, slightly upset.

But Torcall stepped in after her and pulled her to him. He took their babe out of her hands and kissed his head. “I wasnae here, so ye decided to come in search of me at this time of the night,” he said, shaking his head almost fondly.

“Aye. Do nae give me that look–ye would have come looking for me, too!”

“Nay. I wouldnae have let ye go anywhere without me even,” he smirked.

They walked into the chamber and placed the baby down.

“I am upset,” she said.

“I ken,” he pulled her to him and held her tight. Then he kissed her. “I should have sent someone, me love. I am sorry. When Tam left, he said he would drop by here. I thought that would calm ye.”

“Tam is nae me husband,” she sulked.

“I ken,” he grinned, “and I am grateful for that.”

Despite herself, she smiled. “I was worried.”

“I realize that now but ye need nae fear for me. There is nae a man that can best me,” he boasted, “except he has ye. Ye are me weakness and strength. All in one.”

Ceana melted into his embrace, her previous anger forgotten. “I love ye.”

“I love ye more.”

“What was the meeting about?”

“The Clan Chief has asked me to be  the Chief’s warrior.”

“Did ye accept it?”

“Nae at first! They mandated that I move into the castle, and I refused that. We like our house here, do we nae?”

“Aye,” Ceana smiled, happy that she and her husband agreed.

“Besides, I ken that ye love living so close to Alina. I want ye happy. Naught else matters.”

Ceana’s heart swelled, full of joy. “What will ye nae do for yer family,” she smiled, pulling him to herself.

“Nae a thin’,” he replied as he claimed her lips. “For ye and me son, I would walk to the ends of the earth with nae a complaint.”

Ceana beamed. “Yer duties are about to increase, me love,” she muttered to him.

“How so?”

“I am with child,” she whispered in excitement.

Torcall considered telling her that he had suspected, expected even, but he didn’t. Instead, he swept her into his arms and kissed her.

“Let us go to bed, me love,” he whispered hoarsely.

“Ye do nae have to ask twice,” she laughed and kissed him again.

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