Ah’ll never forget the way she smiled,
When ah repeated her name so sweet.
Her hair was made with moonlight,
Her voice a melodic streak.
If only ah’d asked her to stay,
But then ah’d not have a dream.
She left the next morning awake,
Before the sun had arose.
She was an angel of the loch,
Ah’ll never forget her face,
Ah’ll love her where’er ah go.
Siusan clappedher hands together in delight, and Baile beamed. The guards even let out a whoop or two. All the attention given to her thoroughly embarrassed her. The sun was up high enough now they must be able to see how pink her cheeks were. She adjusted the sling that held her arm to her chest, and ignored the stares she got from Baile and Siusan.
“Ye know, that’s not a happy song either,” Baile commented.
“Ah think it is. Perhaps not for ye. Yer woman loved ye forever. For me, ah think it is better to love once and find joy, than to go years with no affection or adoration.” She closed her eyes and imagined what it would be like to find love.
Siusan interrupted her thoughts. “Faither, ah need a rest.”
Baile nodded. “Aye, little’un. Ah think Mazey needs to stretch her legs.”
“She looks like she does,” Siusan agreed.
Mazey smiled at them both. They were so much alike when they spoke. “A walk sounds lovely. Ah’m sore on this horse.”
“May ah walk with ye, lass?”Baile asked, politely.
Mazey headed away from everyone so she could stretch her legs. She liked the quiet solitude after so much talking, but Baile accompanying her sounded like a good idea.
“Aye ye may. Ah hope ah didn’t sound foolish when ah spoke of love.”
“Nay, ye didn’t sound silly. Ye sounded hopeful, which ah find refreshing. Ah never thought of love that way. Ah’m greedy with time. Ah want all the time with the woman ah love and ah don’t want to miss a moment.”
He stopped walking and Mazey followed suit. He stood a full head taller than her. His lips looked soft and his eyes were intent on hers. She held her breath. It felt like something would happen. Baile reached over to Mazey and ran his finger down the side of her face, the same side that healed from her injury a while back. She kept her eyes on him, fighting the urge to look away. She loved the soft tingle that followed the wake of his fingers. She closed her eyes, relishing the caress.
His hand moved to the back of her neck and she opened her eyes. He leaned in slowly and brushed his lips across hers. A warm sensation spread through Mazey, running its way down her spine and into her belly. He pulled her gently into him and folded her in a warm embrace. She sighed in contentment, allowing herself to relax and revel in the warmth of his body against hers. For a moment, she felt joy. It felt like nothing she ever experienced.
“Do ye feel that?” Mazey asked him quietly.
“What, lass?” His voice was a low growl that sent goose bumps down her arms.
”Ah dunno what to call it—peace?”
The way he smiled at her, answered her question. “Aye. Peace.” He kissed her again.
On the way back to the camp she felt a sense of loss. She wanted him to continue to kiss and touch her. It was time to admit to herself how much she wanted him. She could tell by how his body reacted, he wanted her too. He was the clan chief though. She was a poor servant. She had no right to want him.
Chapter 7
