“And bread and stew and honey cake,” Mariota added. “Ye’ll get no sympathy for that last.”
They passed the meal in pleasant conversation, interrupted by well wishes from everyone walking by until Stellan could eat no more. “’Tis time,” he told his twin.
“Da is waiting in his solar.”
“Let’s go see how angry he is,” Stellan said and stood.
“I’m the cause of this. I’ll stand with ye,” Mariota offered.
Stellan shook his head. “Nay, lass. This has to be between our da and us. ’Twas my decision to make the switch. Ye were no’ involved.”
“I was! If no’ for me, ye wouldna have done any of what ye did. Ye wouldna have made the trip, nor risked yer life.”
“I did what I wanted— what I needed to do to keep ye safe. I will answer to the Sutherland for that.”
He knew he’d won when her shoulders dropped and she turned her gaze on Anders. “Ye, too, then?”
“Aye, of course. We’ll be fine. Da will yell at us, and may put us on duty cleaning out the stables, but we willna be harmed.”
“He’d best no’ or the might of MacKay will fall upon him.”
Anders laughed and held up a hand, then cut off the laugh when he saw the determination in her eyes.
“She’s impressive, is she no’?” Stellan asked, grinned and stood. “Let’s get this over with before Mariota sends for Seamus.”
He leaned down and kissed her soundly on the mouth. “Stay here. Likely ye’ll be able to hear most of what is said,” he told her.
“Hmmmph,” she replied and crossed her arms. “If I hear steel sliding, I’m coming in.”
Anders laughed again. Stellan gave her a grin and joined his brother walking toward the solar.
“Are ye truly ready for this?” Anders asked, concern on his face now that Mariota could only see their backs.
“Aye. Let’s get this over with. The sooner we do, the sooner I can be married.”
Their father stood when they entered. “I’m glad to see ye on yer feet, son,” he said by way of greeting, and gave Anders a nod. “Ye may remain standing while ye tell me what the hell ye were thinking.”
His tone remained mild, but Stellan wasn’t fooled. Their laird was displeased. He explained how the attraction he felt for Mariota would not let him simply give her to Anders and how they arrived at the decision to impersonate each other.
“I thought ye had grown past such nonsense,” their father told them. “I thought ye had grown enough, and learned enough by now no’ to indulge in such risky behavior. Ye do ken how wrong this could have gone. How wrong it did go,” he added with a glance at Stellan’s shoulder. “And ye compound it by riding home alone though ye kenned there was trouble in the area. Not to mention bringing the MacKay heir back to Sutherland. What do ye think her clan will do about that?”
Stellan exchanged a glance with Anders. “About that— she’s nay longer the heir. She was the laird, but she’s nay the laird, either. Nay longer. She’s free to wed with me.”
Sutherland spluttered. “What the hell did ye do to clan MacKay while ye were there?”
Stellan laughed, groaned with pain, then told him the story, sparing only a few details such as his time in the storeroom with Mariota, but including what happened to her father and how she decided to abdicate in favor of Seamus MacKay.
Sutherland was silent for a few moments after Stellan finished speaking, then he surprised him, taking a breath and saying, “Well done, lad.” Then he, too, laughed. “Yer lass already told me much of that. They’re stronger and have a good man in charge. Ye will have a good wife to help ye here, as well.” He glanced at Anders, who nodded his support. “Ye may wed when ye can laugh without groaning in pain,” he added to Stellan. Now go, rest and finish healing.”
Stellan took that as a challenge and began light sparring sessions as well as eating more and spending time in bed under the healer’s watchful eye. But it took days more, days he spent with Mariota, with Valkyrie, who did lose a talon, but no more than that, much to his relief— for her sake and Mariota’s.
He left the practice field one afternoon to find Mariota teaching archery to his cousin Nan and to Anders’ friend Brìghde, along with several younger lasses. Once they finished, she came to him and admitted she’d begun on her own, but had sought and received permission from his father.
“Ye talked to my da about this, too?”
“Of course. He and Anders have been very good to me while ye recovered.”
“What else did ye talk about?”
