"Weel, I wouldnae say being slapped around was much of a fight, Fither. Er, Fither, do ye think ye could wait but a moment for this visit? There is one or twa things I need to do ere I sit and talk."
At that moment Storm nudged her way through Islaen's brothers who were gathered in the doorway. She efficiently moved everyone out into the hallway except for Alaistair. Islaen nearly laughed as she watched her father nearly carry a startled Iain into the other room to see to his needs while Storm quickly helped her see to hers. Iain was still looking bemused when Alaistair brought him back and bundled him back into bed at her side.
"I will fetch ye some food to break your fast,” Storm said as she started to leave. “Do not frown so, Iain. T'will not be gruel.” She opened the door and stared at the group of large MacRoth men. “I will bring ye a lot of food,” she drawled.
"God's toe-nails, has everyone come then?” Islaen asked weakly as her brothers filed into the room. “Nay, the big twins arenae here."
"Nay,” Conan said as he moved forward to kiss Islaen in greeting, “and we left that lad, Gamel, behind as weel. He was carrying on some about having failed ye. William plans to take him for a wee swim an he doesnae hush soon."
"Oh dear, poor Gamel. Weel, I had hoped ye would make him see things a wee bit less dreamily."
"He is a good lad, dearling,” her father said as he sat down by the bed, “and beneath all that hair is some wit when ye can get him to cease talking nonsense. Now, introduce your mon to Angus and Conan, then ye can tell me all that happened."
Even though she was certain Robert had told her father most everything, she dutifully obeyed. Storm and Meg arrived with food about halfway through the telling. Islaen ate and gave over most of the telling to Iain for she found that the memories of that horrifying time were still too fresh and disturbing to speak of calmly. By the time the tale was done, all questions answered, she was feeling weary. Her head did not ache half as much as it had but it still drained her strength. Leaning against Iain she felt his arm slip around her shoulders to hold her more comfortably against him.
"Ye did yourself proud, lass,” her father said quietly.
"She should have fled when I told her to,” Iain murmured.
"That wouldnae have been Islaen. Ye needed help. Now I can see how ye think, lad, and the lass ought to obey her mon but I can see clear why she didnae. Aye, and approve of it. Ah, the bairns,” he exclaimed joyfully as Meg, Storm and Grizel entered to deposit the children upon the bed.
Islaen suddenly became aware of the fact that she felt no need to feed her children and looked at Storm with consternation as the woman handed her Padruig. “Storm, I dinnae think I can,” she whispered.
"They have been fed. I had suspected that your milk had dried up and was prepared. The shock of your attack and your injury,” Storm shrugged. “They have begun to need more than milk anyways and they take well to goat's milk. Grizel has had no trouble keeping them all fed although she has had to enlist the aid of a young girl for they all seem to become demanding at the same time. ‘Tis not such a tragedy, Islaen,” she added softly.
Although she nodded, Islaen was not quite sure she agreed. She felt a keen sense of loss. The time while she had held her sons close as she nursed them had been a pleasing time. There was also a small sense of jealousy concerning Grizel which she knew was wrong but was unable to fully subdue.
"Here, lass,” Alaistair murmured as he bent forward in his seat to pat Padruig affectionately, “dinnae look so dowie."
Seeing Storm, Grizel and Meg slip out of the door, she smiled weakly at her father. “'Tis but foolish jealousy. I feel as though I lose them."
"Nay, ye cannae lass. E'en Liusadh will soon turn to ye more once her belly isnae her first and only concern, though the maid will e'er be dear to her. Many fine ladies dinnae feed their bairns, but if they wish their love ‘tis there for them. Ye can feed them the goat's milk and gruel so ye arenae missing out completely from their feeding time. Ye held them in your body for near nine months and the lads to your breast for six. The mark is upon them.”
"Here, lass, think on fithers. They ne'er carry the child in a womb nor feed it but there are few bairns that dinnae feel some bond to the mon whose seed made them."
"Aye, ye are right, Fither.” She kissed his cheek. “'Tis a loss I wasnae prepared for and felt it too deeply for a moment.” She glanced towards Iain who was smiling rather foolishly at his tiny giggling daughter. “Liusadh kens her fither weel already and beguiles him."
When his granddaughter turned her wide-eyed gaze his way, Alaistair smiled with a touch of sadness. “She has your mither's eyes. Shame she got your rogue of a husband's dark hair but she will be a beauty for all that,” he drawled, then looked at Iain and grinned. “Aye, that is a lass that will cause ye a time and more once she becomes more woman than child."
It was not long before Alaistair put an end to the visit. Islaen smiled sleepily as she watched her children carried out by their doting uncles. It gave her a very good feeling to know that, no matter what occurred in the future, her children would never lack for love. Yawning, she snuggled up to Iain and knew she would soon be asleep.
"I dinnae think I like the way your fither grins so when he talks on the trouble Liusadh will be in a few years,” Iain drawled.
Even though she laughed, she said, “She will give it to him too. Fither feels about each of his grandchildren as if they are his very own children. If Liusadh makes ye pace the floor, Fither will be keeping step at your side. If ye could see him with the others, ye would ken it."
"Islaen, are ye still upset about your milk drying up?"
Due to his extended absences she was not accustomed to discussing the matter with him and felt herself blush slightly. “'Tis already passing. T'was unexpected. Aye, and I found myself prey to fears and jealousies. I feel as if Liusadh will ne'er be really mine and feared to lose the lads as weel. But, Fither is right. ‘Tis but a small part of the bairn's lives and I can find muckle another way to tend to them and love them. Fither wasnae there for me as a mither or nurse was but I couldnae love the mon more. When I kenned that I was greatly soothed.” She yawned widely.
"Get some rest, Islaen."
"If ye dinnae want to sleep, Iain, ye neednae stay with me."
"I am staying."
There was a tone to his voice that both puzzled her and raised her hopes. He had sounded almost as if he made a vow. Before MacLennon had come she had thought there had been a change in Iain's feelings but was afraid to hope. She wished she were not so sleepy for she would like to try and have a serious talk with him. It was time for them to stop hiding how they felt or thought, to stop trying to guess each other's heart and mind, and be open with each other. However, that sort of discussion required that she have all her wits about her and they were hopelessly dulled at the moment. As sleep conquered her, she told herself firmly that if all she had accomplished was to bring him back to bed that would be enough for now.
