Page 43 of Wicked Kilted Highlander

She grabbed her gown, draping it over her nightshift for modesty's sake. Meanwhile, Darragh stripped down to his undergarments, leaving his muscular torso exposed.

Climbing into bed, Lara noticed Darragh shivering slightly from the cold. Her heart went out to him, and she reached for a blanket, attempting to cover him, but the awkwardness of the situation was palpable.

"Thank ye, lass," he murmured, taking the blanket and wrapping himself in it.

Lying in the dimly lit room next to each other, Lara's eyes fluttered as she stared at the ceiling. The silence of the evening was soon interrupted by her own thoughts, swirling and dancing through her mind like a storm. She shifted her gaze towards Darragh, who lay still beside her, his breathing deep and even.

"Ye ken when the healer arrives and confirms I'm nae with child?" she whispered, breaking the quietude, " what will we do then?"

"Shh," Darragh replied. "Go tae sleep."

"I cannae," Lara admitted, turning to face him. "I cannae stop thinking about what's going tae happen."

"Nothing is going tae happen," he assured her, his voice soft and comforting.

"Ye cannae ken that. Just but a minute ago ye were the one concerned about it," she said, her voice breaking. "My father… he disnae like ye, Darragh."

Suddenly, a loud commotion outside the window erupted, with shouts and a metallic clattering startling them. Lara noticed Darragh's body tense up immediately, and his breathing quickened as a worried expression overtook his face. She followed his eyes as they darted around the room but saw no threat.

Lara stammered, "What is it?" as she watched Darragh panic over some unseen danger. His usual calm demeanor had completely changed. He appeared gripped by fear, his eyes searching frantically for something that was not there.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" she asked him, eager to understand what was going on with him.

"I…" His voice trailed off, his gaze continuing to dart around the room as the cacophony outside went on.

"Darragh." Lara reached out, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Ye're scaring me."

He didn’t answer, and as she looked at his terrified eyes, Lara moved closer to him.

"Darragh, yer safe here," Lara said gently, keeping her voice low and steady. "It's just some noise outside. We're in a room, away from danger. I’m with ye, ye are well."

He didn't seem to hear her at first, still caught in the throes of fear. His breathing came rapid and shallow. Lara wished she knew what terrible memories were replaying in his mind.

"Darragh, please, I want ye tae breathe," she pleaded. "We're alone, just us two. Nae one else can hurt us. There is nae battle, nae danger."

Darragh let out a loud, guttural groan. "Wha-what are ye doing?"

She put her arms around him, and when she pressed her head to his chest, she could hear his heart thudding, his body shaking against hers. "I've got you," she murmured, trying to soothe him.

Darragh clung onto Lara, holding her tightly. "Dinnae let me go," he whispered, his voice hoarse.

"I willnae." Lara held him, stroking his back. The commotion outside finally died down. Darragh's breathing slowed, and his grip on Lara loosened.

"What happened?" Lara asked quietly.

Darragh hesitated for a second, but then he stroked her cheek and looked into mid-air before his voice came out a whisper. "The sounds… they reminded me of battle.”

"Ach! I understand. But yer safe now," Lara murmured, light dawning in her mind as she continued to caress his hair.

"I ken." He drew in a shaky breath. "It's just hard sometimes."

Lara pulled away slightly, her eyes meeting his. "Tell me about it," she said softly.

Darragh took a deep breath, his eyes distant. "The first battle," he began, his voice trembling slightly, "was the worst. I remember the chaos, the sound of swords clashing, the screams of dying men and horses."

Lara listened silently, her heart breaking for him.

"There were so many," he continued, his voice thick with emotion. "So many lives lost, and for what? I couldnae even tell ye why we were fighting that day. All I ken is the sight of broken bodies lying on the field, their blood soaking the earth beneath them."