Flowers woven into garlands were strung all around the trees in a half-circle; the colors were eye-catching, and the scent was fragrant and light as he breathed it in with appreciation.
His three men, Gamelin, Jacob, and Aymer, stood waiting for him beneath one of the apple trees. Helen was clasping Aymer's hand fondly; he noticed and smiled to himself. Aiden, too, was there, smiling his gap-toothed grin in the shade, and even Fingal stood by, his hands clasped in front of him.
And in the center of them, stood Isla, her black hair long and flowing over her shoulders. A halo of heath milkwort and marigolds had been placed around her head, a crown woven surely by the two sisters that stood by her sides proudly. The beauty of the gardens around her was eclipsed by her radiance entirely; he could only focus his eyes on her and would look nowhere else. Her emerald green dress shone in the sunlight; to Iain, she looked like a woodland goddess.
As soon as Isla caught sight of him, a beauteous smile spread across her face, her eyes lighting up. She looked as though she might run towards him for a moment but stilled and straightened as she watched him approach.
"I thought I was supposed tae be here waitin' on yer arrival," he said, a teasing gleam in his brown eyes. "No' the other way aroun'."
"I wanted tae surprise ye," she said quietly. "I know ye've been ready tae wed as soon as ye proposed an' truthfully, so have I. I couldnae wait another minute."
His smile widened, and his eyes glinted as he took in the sight of his bride; she was positively radiant in the morning light, her emerald green dress bringing out the rosiness of her cheeks.
"Weel, surprise me ye certainly did," he said. "But I didnae want ye tae have tae do all o' this yerself."
Isla, though, shook her head.
"I didnae have tae lift a finger," she said. "'Twas all my sisters. And yer mother as well!"
Iain turned back to look at Fiona, who simply winked at him.
One of the clan's priests stood beneath the tree and nodded to Iain; the man carried a long strip of light blue fabric.
Iain turned to Isla, and together, they clasped their own hands together. He felt her shaking with anticipation and excitement in that moment, and his own emotions began to roil inside of him. Iain could not stop smiling, his heart full of love, as he stared into Isla's bright blue eyes. He could have taken in that image of her there forever and told himself that he would never forget her here in this moment.
"Thank ye all fer comin' tae witness and celebrate the love tha' these two share," the priest said after clearing his throat. "Iain MacThomas, Laird o' this clan, I present tae ye Isla Robertson, soon tae be Robertson no longer."
The first knot was tied directly below their two hands, followed by a second.
"This knot symbolizes Iain's love fer Isla," the priest said. "An' the second here is Isla's devotion tae Iain."
Iain could not tear his gaze away from his new bride; she was perfect, everything he ever could have wanted and thought he would never have again. She smiled brilliantly, her eyes wet with tears as she blinked them back.
"The third knot symbolizes the couples love fer those of ye who have come tae witness this marriage," the priest said, inclining his head towards the small crowd. "May they always have such fast friends and family."
Iain swallowed, feeling the eyes of his friends and family on him.
"Isla," he said, his voice coming out much softer than he thought it would. "I know tha' our clans have no' always been... friendly, tha' it has been more than tense in the past. I am ready tae throw all tha' away and bring peace tae the two clans together with ye at my side. I devote my life tae ye from here on out, and I swear tae love and care fer ye until the end o' my days."
One shining tear slid down Isla's cheek, leaving a bright trail of emotion that shimmered in the sun.
"Iain," she said, her own voice quivering. Iain felt his heart clench. "Our meetin' was no' the traditional kind, tha' is certain. But if it were no' for ye, I would never be able tae live freely and happily and surrounded by so much love. I am more grateful tae ye than any livin' person, an' there will never be a day when the thought o' ye does not fill my heart with joy an' love. I am yours, now an' forever."
They slid their hands away from the cloth, and the priest held it up, displaying the three knots still tied together.
"This man and this woman shall be known as husban' and wife forevermore," the man said.
Iain leaned down then, tilting Isla's face up to kiss her. As their lips met, the small crowd cheered and clapped at their sides, and Iain smiled into the kiss, feeling Isla do the same. The peace that Iain felt in that moment was unrivaled, and he knew that the rest of his life with Isla would reflect this one perfect moment. He would always know this dear, comforting feeling and felt again like the man he once was long ago. He was especially grateful that he had Isla here to witness it. Truly, she was to thank for his change of heart.
As Iain held Isla's hand in his own, he felt as though everything he had suffered through had led him up to this one moment. He gazed at his wife and then turned to look out at the people in his life who had come to support the two of them.
Iain, for the first time in his life, felt as though he were the luckiest man on earth.
Epilogue
Isla felt her heart beating hard in her chest as she made her way down the stairs of MacThomas Castle, her hand trailing the stone wall. It was just mid-afternoon; if she did not hurry, she would miss her sisters once again and have to go searching for them throughout the expanse of the castle.
She had wanted to see them early this morning, but she and Iain slept in and had missed her sisters at the morning meal. Now, though, she sped down the stairs.
