He looked down at her—dirty, exhausted, bloodied, and still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. She'd fought beside him, saved the children, refused to break even when everything was falling apart around her.
His.
And in that moment, with his people safe behind the walls of his castle and Mhairi warm and alive in his arms, Alpin felt something shift inside his chest. The weight he'd been carrying since the attack began to ease, just a fraction.
"Come on," he said softly, guiding her toward the castle doors. "Let's get ye cleaned up."
"What about the villagers? The wounded."
"They are bein' tended tae by people who ken what they're daein'." He brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Ye've done enough fer one day, lass. More than enough."
She looked up at him, her grey eyes searching his face. "We won. We actually won."
"Aye." He pulled her closer, his forehead resting against hers. "We did."
"And Ashcombe is dead."
"He is."
"So why dae ye still look worried?"
Because Graham has escaped. Because the threat isnae entirely gone. Because I come so close tae losing ye today that the fear of it is still gripping me.
But he didn't say any of that.
Instead, he kissed her. Right there in the courtyard, with his people moving around them, with servants and soldiers and villagers watching. He kissed her like she was the only thing that mattered in the world.
Because she was.
When he pulled back, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright.
"What was that fer?" she whispered.
"Fer bein' alive. Fer bein' here. Fer bein' ye." His thumb traced her cheekbone. "When I saw that soldier grab ye, when I thought I might be too late..."
"But ye werenae." Her hands came up to cover his. "Ye got tae me in time. Ye always dae."
"I'll always come fer ye, Mhairi. Nay matter what. Ye ken that, aye?"
"I ken." She smiled, soft and genuine despite her exhaustion. "Just as I'll always be here waitin' when ye dae."
Around them, life was beginning to return to normal.
The servants were organizing relief efforts. The healer was moving between patients. Children's voices echoed from inside the castle, already recovering from the day's horrors with the resilience of youth.
"We should go in," Mhairi said, though she made no move to step away from him.
"Aye. We should." But he didn't move either.
They stood there for a long moment, holding each other in the fading afternoon light.
The battle was over. The immediate danger had passed. And for now, that was enough.
"Thank ye," she said quietly. "Fer savin' me at the auction. Fer bringin' me here. Fer givin' me a home." Her voice caught. "Fer lovin' me."
"Mhairi..." He tilted her face up to his. "Ye give me all those things too. Ye give me purpose. Ye make me want tae be better, tae dae better. Ye made me believe there was more tae life than just duty and responsibility."
"We saved each other, then."
