Page 36 of Highland Prince of Darkness

May’s smile faltered as she remembered how uninviting and intimidating Iain had been around other men that had just been trying to have polite conversations with her. It was something that had been happening more and more frequently, yet he was refusing to admit that he was jealous. To admit that he was jealous would be to admit that he still had feelings for her, and May knew that he wasn’t going to let that go too easily.

“I thought I saw Douglas around here before,” May spoke up after a while. She searched the room with her eyes and tried to think of where she had seen her husband’s friend.

She stopped in her tracks as she thought about labeling Iain as her husband. It still felt like a rather foreign idea, something that she had dreamed up but would never become a reality. But the strange fact was that it was the truth, and he was her husband.

May continued to say the word over again in her mind with a small smile that grew across her lips. She was toying with the word and trying to make it sound natural, but she knew that it would take a while before it would stick and sound normal.

“Aye? I haven’t had the chance to see him yet today.”

Iain glanced around too in search of his friend. May remembered how fond he had once been of Douglas, how much he had enjoyed spending company with the soldier. Douglas had always been kind to May, and she wondered if she were to engage in a conversation with him if Iain would get just as angry.

“I think ye should go and talk to him, I’m sure that he would love to hear from ye,” May suggested, as she finally picked him out of the crowd. He was dancing with a blonde-haired woman who looked slightly younger than him. There was a rather lazy smile on his face as he danced with both of his hands on her hips.

“Nay,” Iain shook his head at her suggestion, “If I go out there to speak with my friend, it will only invite the conversation of others, and I’m nae in the mood.”

May knew exactly what he meant, she was sure that she would lose her mind if she were to be congratulated on her marriage by one more person.

“Are ye two goin’ to sit there all night?” Bruce asked as he walked up to the table. It was clear that he had been drinking for most of the evening already; the slight swagger in his step, the fact that none of his steps were in a straight line and the slurring of his words were all rather strong indicators, but not as strong as the smell of whiskey on his breath.

May couldn’t help but chuckle at seeing her father-in-law in that state, she had always found Bruce easy to talk to, but also quite uptight at times. Seeing him so free with his words and actions was incredibly amusing. She turned to look at Iain, who was also slightly amused by the sight of his guardian in front of him.

“Have ye had enough to drink yet, do ye think?” Iain asked him over the music. It was the first time that May had seen him properly smile that evening.

“Nay, I dinnae think so, lad,” Bruce slurred, as he rested most of his body weight against the table.

Iain chuckled, and May whirled her head around to look at him in astonishment. She hadn’t thought that she would hear him laugh like that again, part of her had just come to accept that he wouldn’t laugh anymore. It only worked to light the flame of hope inside of May that the old Iain was still in there, and he wanted to surface again.

“I think that we should have some servants take ye to yer chambers soon, all right?” Iain spoke with an amused smile.

May knew what that meant. They were supposed to be one of the first people to retire from the evening to go and consummate the marriage. She swallowed thickly at the idea of sharing a bed with Iain after so long. It was rather intimidating, especially since she didn’t know how he would be toward her.

“Well, ye have to retire first,” Bruce chuckled, and pointed his finger accusingly at the newly-wedded couple.

Iain stopped with his jests and looked down at his lap for a moment. He was suddenly not as playful with his guardian as he had been.

“If ye’re goin’ to send me back to my chambers, can ye at least make sure that ye get one of the pretty servants to dae so?” Bruce continued to laugh as he spoke.

May couldn’t help but giggle at the comment, she knew that he was the same as any man, but it was still amusing to hear him saying those words.

“Aye, I’ll see what I can dae for ye,” Iain nodded. It was clear that he was still entertained, but there wasn’t the same amount of jest in his voice as there once had been. “He’s right though,” Iain spoke directly to May at that moment, “It’s almost time.”

“I ken,” May nodded, unblinking, after a moment of hesitation, “I’m ready.”

“Good,” Iain said. He sent her a small, reassuring smile that she hadn’t been expecting. It then dawned on May that perhaps he was nervous too, even if he was too stubborn to admit it.

Iain called one of his advisors, and May knew that it was to make arrangements for the incoming hour. She felt her nerves flurry up as she realized that they were finally going to bed.