"Are ye hungry?" Tòrr asked eventually, pushing himself up.
"Starvin'." She closed the book reluctantly as he reached for the basket.
He unpacked thick slices of brown bread, a wedge of sharp cheese, crisp apples, and a small pot of honey and placed it between them. She broke off a piece of bread and was spreadinghoney on it when Tòrr reached over and snatched the piece of cheese.
"That was fer both of us," she protested, swatting at his hand.
"Was it?" He held it just out of her reach, grinning.
"Give it here, ye great thief." She lunged for it, but he was quicker, pulling it back with a laugh.
"Ye'll have tae be faster than that, lass."
"Fine." She crossed her arms. "Keep it. I didnae want it anyway."
"Liar." He broke off half and offered it to her. "Here. I'll share."
She took it with exaggerated dignity, then yelped when his fingers found her ribs, tickling mercilessly. The cheese fell forgotten to the blanket as she tried to squirm away, but his other arm came around her waist, holding her in place.
"Tòrr! Stop!" But she was laughing too hard to sound remotely serious.
"Say I'm the finest warrior in all of Scotland."
"Never!"
His fingers danced along her sides and she dissolved into helpless giggles, pushing at his chest. "All right! All right! Ye're... ye're the finest warrior—in this clearing at least!"
"I'll take it." He released her, and she slumped back against his chest, breathless and still smiling.
"Ye're impossible," she gasped.
"And ye're bonnie when ye laugh." The words were simple, honest, and they made her heart stutter.
The laughter died in her throat. She became suddenly, acutely aware of his arm still around her waist, the solid warmth of him at her back, the way his breath stirred the hair at her temple.
"Tòrr." His name came out softer than she'd intended.
"Aye?" He was looking at her with such warmth, such open affection, that she almost forgot what she'd been about to say.
Almost.
"Yesterday. The council meetin'." She sat up, suddenly serious. "What did they decide? About Nessa?"
His expression shifted, wariness replacing warmth. "They approved the plan."
"What plan exactly?"
He sat up as well, his shoulders tensing. "The plan tae retrieve her from Foulis. Tae bring her here where she'll be safe."
"And then?" She watched his face carefully.
"Then she stays here. With us. Where yer faither cannae reach her." His voice was firm, certain. "I gave ye me word I'd protect her, Liliane. That word stands."
She felt something tight in her chest loosen. "Just like that? Ye'll nae use her tae bargain with me faither?"
"The Council thinks we'll use her as leverage fer negotiation." He reached for her hand, and this time she let him take it. "But what the Council thinks and what I intend are two different things. Nessa stays here. Nay matter what."
"Ye promise?"
