“I’m sure he will be.”
Although they exchanged words, they were only half-listening to what each other were saying. They smiled constantly as well. Rory’s jaw was beginning to ache. Then, a rude dancing couple came rushing past and danced in between them. Rory and Elvira were forced to take a step back each. They may as well have been stranded on either side of a chasm.
As soon as the dancers passed, which happened in a flash of a moment, Rory and Elvira stepped towards each other again. Rory asked if they could go somewhere private, and they agreed to head towards the garden. Elvira’s hand slipped into his, and they hastily left the hall, leaving the fun and frivolity behind to an open courtyard garden. The air was filled with a floral scent and stars blanketed the night sky. The moon was a crescent, as though it was winking at them.
They stopped in a small area, surrounded by a leafy bush. It helped give the impression that they were alone. Even though they stopped walking, they didn’t let go of each other’s hand.
Rory was overwhelmed by Elvira’s beauty. His heart thudded in his chest. A haze appeared in his mind, almost as powerful as the healer’s concoction. He reached up with his free hand and stroked her cheek, grazing his thumb along her jaw. It rested near her lips, and then he retracted it, instead leaning forward to kiss her again. He closed his eyes as he did so, losing himself in the dream that was her kiss.
“Talking about the new beginning for this place… it gets me thinking about ye. After all, with the new Laird things are safer now. Ye can come home again,” Rory’s voice hitched as he spoke these words. “I saw how ye were received in the tavern. People here care about ye.”
Elvira tilted her head to the side. She wore an enigmatic smile. She lifted her palm, twisting it away from his hand. She showed it to him, offering it. “Perhaps ye could read my palm and tell me where my future lies,” she teased.
Rory licked his lips quickly. She could be maddening sometimes. Was she going to make him come out and declare his feelings for her? He huffed as he placed his hand under hers, then looked at the slender fingers, the smooth palm. The lines across it were elegant and shallow. He had no idea what any of them meant, or how he could derive purpose from them. He only knew what he wanted them to say, and he hoped this would be enough.
“Elvira… I think ye are gaeing tae be very happy, surrounded by people who love ye. Ye hae a lot tae contribute tae the world. Tereza and Ollie are gaeing tae be grateful for all ye hae done for them, and ye should gae down in history for the part ye played in bringing peace tae this place. But I… I think that yer time here is at an end. I think yer future lies elsewhere,” he grew uncertain as he revealed his feelings.
“Oh, and where daes my future lie?” Elvira asked. Her words were a whisper that drifted past his ear. Rory took his gaze off her palm, looking into her eyes instead. A smile flickered on his face. He was standing tall, yet he felt as though he was on his knees, begging for her to come back with him. Being with her was what he wanted more than anything, perhaps even more than he had wanted to be a blacksmith. He took a deep breath and then stated his desire.
“With me. As my wife. I-”
He was ready to launch into a long speech extolling her virtues and explaining the depth of his feelings for her. He thought he might need to persuade her to stay with him. Instead, she placed her finger upon his lips, silencing him.
“Ye dinnae need tae say any more than that, Rory. I accept,” her eyebrows tilted and something shifted in her eyes. A smile broadened on Rory’s face. He swept her in his arms, lifting her off her feet and twirling her around. A light laugh soared through the air, and then it was silent as he pressed his lips against hers, stealing a kiss under the moonlight. His hands ran through her hair and she melted into him as they claimed their future.
EPILOGUE
Rory and Elvira were greeted with a hero’s welcome by Tarbuck and the others when they returned to the tavern. Word had traveled fast, although they hadn’t been aware if Rory and Elvira were alive. There were drinks all around, and then another round when Rory and Elvira announced that they were going to be married. They tarried while they celebrated, but then were on their way back home. An entourage of McKovac guards traveled with them, carrying a written decree from the new Laird that there would be no more threats to the surrounding land, and that any offending parties had been suitably punished.
When they reached home, the McKovac guards continued to the keep, while the others reunited with Torrin at the inn. Elvira and Rory were hugged by her grandmother. Elvira bent down and hugged her siblings as well. Torrin gave Rory a firm handshake, while Isla prepared hearty meals for them all. Tarbuck gave a garrulous laugh and slapped Rory on the back. He began telling the tale of their daring intrusion into McKovac lands. They all piped up as they ate and drank, sharing the danger and the thrill. Elvira and Rory spoke about the sceneswithin the keep, and how Laird McKovac finally met his end. Mirella closed her eyes at this, as though she was finally able to release some tension that had lingered within for so long.
Elvira and Rory remained sitting close to each other. She always made a point of touching him, her hand lingering on his arm or his thigh. Their legs were in constant contact, and she often rested her head against his shoulder. Isla observed this and pointed out that there might be some other news to share, and indeed the announcement was made. Torrin was the first to shake Rory’s hand, complimenting Rory and Elvira. Isla rushed to Elvira’s side and offered to help Elvira with anything she needed.
Elvira flashed a coy smile towards Rory. “I think the first thing we’ll need help with is moving intae the forge. He is nae gaeing tae refuse us this time,” she nudged Rory playfully. Rory wore an abashed smile, embarrassed about the way he had acted previously. He was able to laugh it off, however, for his rough edges had been smoothed away, and his true character had been revealed. He may have tried to avoid trouble, but sometimes trouble could lead to surprising things. He clutched Elvira’s hand firmly and looked at her.
“How could I refuse ye from yer own home? It is as much yer forge now as it is mine,” he said. Elvira kissed him on the cheek. There was a great cheer from Tarbuck and Rab, while Michael looked a little perturbed at the displays of public affection. He then cleared his throat and said that he had an announcement as well. All eyes turned to him. He wrung his hands together and his furtive gaze darted about the room.
“Well, I happened tae make the acquaintance of a rather… comely woman,” Michael began. Tarbuck and Rab raised their eyebrows at this. “It seems she rather took a liking tae me and, well, she insisted that I return tae her as soon as possible. I dinnae think I am in a position tae refuse,” he said awkwardly.The others laughed and said that it was about time Michael put down some roots, and perhaps the best thing for him was to find a woman who took his destiny into her hands.
While everyone else was celebrating, Rory and Elvira sneaked away from the tavern and returned to the forge. Ginger mewed loudly when they entered, turning her back on Rory for abandoning her.
“I’m sorry,” Rory apologized. Ginger might have been angry, but the feline was still willing to accept the strokes that Rory offered. Ginger lifted her tail and paced around the room, as though this was Ginger’s forge and Rory had to beg to be accepted again. Elvira laughed, but squeezed Rory’s hand.
“Welcome home,” he said, looking at her.
Some time passedsince Elvira and her family had moved into the forge. It hadn’t taken Rory long at all to get used to the company. In fact, he quite liked it. Elvira was still working in the tavern, but Mirella liked spending time at the forge, and she took on the duties of cooking. Tereza and Ollie were both fascinated by the forge. They were too young to be trusted near the heavy tools and hot fire, but Rory was happy enough to pass on his knowledge. He had them perform rudimentary tasks, and he was able to bond with them that way, which also helped bring him closer to Elvira.
As far as the rest of the clan went, things were peaceful. The McKovac guards had ridden up to the keep, at which point Glennrock had believed it was an invasion. He made the mistake of offering the clan’s treasure as a peace offering before he had a chance to read the letter, and begged for mercy. He said that he could be very useful to Laird McKovac, and was willing to turnhis back on his own clan. This was all related to Elvira and Rory later, by Declan.
When the McKovac entourage revealed that they were here to offer peace, Glennrock was revealed as the coward that he truly was. Everyone had seen his true colors, and Declan led a revolt against him, demanding that the letter be brought to the Laird as was only right. It was revealed that Glennrock had been keeping things from the Laird, who had no idea that anything was amiss at all. According to Declan, he was furious at Glennrock and dismissed him from his service immediately, exiling him so that Glennrock suffered the same fate he had once wished upon his own daughter. The Laird took the letter and all hostilities with the McKovac clan were ordered to remain in the past, which allowed a wonderful future to blossom, and there was no need for anyone to conspire against those in the keep.
Elvira and Rory did not want to wait too long to get married, but there were certain guests they wished to have at the wedding, and needed to wait for them. It was certainly worth the wait, however, as when Ian, Lucy, Anne, and Finlay appeared, it was a joyous occasion. Ian and Lucy looked hearty. He inspected the forge and nodded approvingly, saying that he knew he had left it in good hands. There was also an emotional reunion with Elvira as well, as they both lamented their lost families.
At least they had found happiness in the end, Elvira thought.
There was a moment of reflection shared between Anne and Rory, after they hugged, and he had given her a tour of the forge. Anne squeezed his hand and put her head on his shoulder, for now, he was far taller than her.
“Look at us, Rory. Can ye believe what we made of ourselves?”
