Mhairi's throat tightened with emotion as she spoke her own vows.
"I, Mhairi Munro, take ye, Alpin MacDougal, tae be me husband. I promise tae stand beside ye, tae fight with ye, and tae love ye with everythin' I am. From this day forward, ye're mine, and I'm yers. Always."
The priest blessed them, spoke words about union and partnership and faith. Then he nodded to Alpin.
"Ye may kiss yer bride."
Alpin didn’t hesitate. He pulled Mhairi close and kissed her, deep and thorough and full of promise. The hall erupted in cheers and applause.
When they finally broke apart, breathless and grinning, the crowd was on their feet. Shouting. Celebrating.
"Lady MacDougal," Alpin said against her ear. "How daes it feel?"
"Perfect," Mhairi whispered back. "It feels perfect."
The feast that followed was chaos in the best possible way. Tables groaned under the weight of food, ale flowed freely, and music filled every corner of the hall. People danced and laughed and told stories.
Mhairi sat at the high table beside Alpin, his hand never far from hers. He kept touching her with small gestures that said more than words. A brush of fingers. A hand at the small of her back. A kiss pressed to her temple.
"Ye're bein' obvious," she murmured.
"I dinnae care." He grinned at her. "I just married the most beautiful woman in Scotland. I'm allowed tae be obvious."
"Flatterer."
"Honest man." He leaned in closer. "And later, when everyone's too drunk tae notice we've left, I'm goin' tae show ye just how honest I can be."
Heat flooded Mhairi's cheeks. "Alpin MacDougal, ye're terrible."
"Aye. But I'm yers."
She couldn’t argue with that.
Across the hall, Peadar and Kenina were dancing, swaying together. Peadar was still moving carefully, favoring his injured side, but his smile was genuine.
"They're leavin' tomorrow," Alpin said. "Headin' back tae their own lands."
Mhairi's chest tightened. She'd grown close to Kenina. The thought of her leaving saddened her.
"I'll miss her," she admitted.
"She'll visit. And we'll visit them." Alpin squeezed her hand. "Ye're nae losin' her, lass."
That pulled a smile from her. "When did ye become so wise?"
"I've always been wise. Ye just didnae notice because ye were too busy bein' stubborn."
She elbowed him in the ribs, and he laughed, catching her hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles.
The celebration continued late into the night. Eventually, Mhairi found herself standing with Kenina near one of the windows, both holding cups of wine.
"I cannae believe ye're leavin' already," Mhairi said.
"We have to." Kenina's smile was sad but resigned. "Our own people need us. But this isnae goodbye, Mhairi. We'll see each other again."
"Ye promise?"
"I promise." Kenina set down her cup and pulled Mhairi into a hug. "Ye're me friend. And that daesnae change just because there's distance between us."
