Page 14 of Highland Prince of Darkness

Chapter Six

May walked through the castle and shuddered with every turn she made. It seemed that every servant that was available within the castle had been tasked with something to do with the wedding. She kept her head down as she walked, ignoring the servants who stopped to bow as she passed. May passed the great hall where she could hear the sounds of a choir practicing through the thick doors.

It was to be an event like nothing that the clan had seen for a long time, but the two main people involved weren’t even in love anymore.

The thought tugged at May’s heart as though someone had tied a tight noose around it. She hated what time had done to Iain, the world had been cruel to him, and he was being cruel to her as retaliation.

Seeing him out on the glen had been difficult, it had reminded her of when they would escape out there to get away from the bustling castle. Iain had for one moment looked like he had done all those years ago. There was something innocent in the way that he surveyed the land around them.

“One day, this will be yer land,” Iain spoke in a whisper, as he marveled at the view around them, “These will be yer people that will look to ye for leadership and guidance.”

“And ye’ll be there at my side to help,” May added, feeling a small buzz of warmth at this idea. She knew that her father wasn’t likely to accept Iain, they both knew that, but she saw no harm in talking about it like that. She wanted to simply hope that she would be given her own choice as to who she would marry, but she knew the truth that she was simply avoiding.

Iain was silent for a while, glancing out at the sloping hills. His hair ruffled in the breeze and he leaned against a nearby tree.

“I hope that ye’re right, but I fear for our chances of that coming true.”

May sighed and shook her head. Iain was too negative about that subject.

“We will be together, I just ken that we will,” she was saying it out loud, as though it would help their chances of it coming true.

Upon reflection, May realized that she should have been more careful about what she wished for. She made it back to her chambers without having to speak or interact with anyone, much to her relief. Her servants were busying themselves in her room, but she could tell that they were anxious for her. Sarah had served her for the longest, she had even been there before Iain was arrested. She was a rather plain girl with pale skin and mousy hair that was always pulled back into a tight braid. She was older than May but still treated her as though she was a friend.

May trusted her much more than any of the other women that came into her chambers and wanted to confide in her about what had happened.

“Not long now, my lady,” Sarah said with an excited smile, while May sat at her vanity. Her trusted servant was brushing through her hair slowly. May could only manage a forced smile in response.

She sat in silence as Sarah worked on her hair, while she watched as her other two ladies in waiting seemed to potter about before eventually leaving the room.

“Sarah,” May then spoke up with a slight cough.

“Aye, my lady?”

“Would I be able to ask ye an important question?” May looked at her friendly maid in the mirror.

“Of course, although I will nae get in trouble for speaking plainly?” she asked with a slight smile. Sarah often gave her honest advice, for which May was incredibly grateful and would never punish her for. Sarah was sometimes the voice that made her feelings seem valid, and May needed to hear her reasoning from time to time.

“Ye ken that ye’ll nae.”

“Aye, all right then.”

“Dae ye believe that a person can change dramatically within only a few years?” May questioned, and looked down at her hands in her lap.

Sarah put the brush down and thought for a moment. Her dark eyes scanned the wall ahead of her and May winced at how much time it was taking for her to conjure an answer.

“Aye, I think it depends on what happens to that person. If this is about Diabh, Iain, I think that it will be fine. It will dae good for the clan, will it nae? And let’s nae forget the romance that the two of ye shared when ye were much younger. I dinnae think that kind of love can just die.”

May nodded and bit the inside of her cheek as she thought about this.

“But it has been quite a long time, nae?”

“It has, but I feel as though the two of ye had a connection that cannae be broken that easily.”

May had thought so too, and she had thought when she first laid eyes on him again that they would be able to just continue where they had left all those years ago. In hindsight, she knew that she had been foolish for thinking so.

“I’m not sure that bond is still there,” May admitted quietly.

Sarah sighed and looked at her in the mirror again. Her face was a picture of pity and May was starting to regret telling her. She didn’t want any sympathy for her situation, she just wanted an honest opinion.