Page 4

“There cannae be another war…there just cannae be. We hae suffered tae much, Marcas. Ye cannae let it happen!” Moira said, her face pinching in panic. The color drained from her cheeks, and anxiety swam in the pit of her stomach. Why did these clans have to be so complicated? Why couldn’t they all just live in peace? Was there not enough room in the Highlands for all of them?

“Actually, that’s something that I want tae talk tae ye about. As it happens, there is one way for us tae avoid another war, but it depends on ye, nae me.”

At first, Moira couldn’t glean the meaning of his words, but he stared intently into her eyes, and then she knew. The idea gripped her heart and squeezed all the hope out of it. Her eyes widened in terror, and she began to shake her head.

“Nay, Marcas. Please dinnae ask this of me.” The words rushed out in an anguished whisper as Moira felt everything begin to change.

2

“I cannae believe he would dae this!” Moira collapsed on her bed in tears. They ran like a hot spring down her cheeks, which were now reddened and flushed. She curled up and clutched her pillow as though it would offer any sort of comfort. Kirsten was there beside her, stroking Moira’s back and arms, murmuring whispers that it would be fine, but in this moment, Moira couldn’t believe that.

“How could he dae this? How could he dae this behind my back, without even talking tae me?!” Moira said. Her words were sharp and stinging, which reflected the pain and betrayal she felt. All her life, she had trusted Marcas with everything, and now, when it mattered, he had used her life as a bargaining chip.

“I know it’s difficult,” Kirsten said, “but this is the way of things. Ye must know that Marcas wouldnae dae this if there was any other way.”

“But I…I cannae leave. What about Gregor and Lileas? What about Max? What about…what about us, Kirsten? I cannae leave ye. Ye are my best friend,” Moira sat up and wiped the tears from her eyes, although another stream flowed down and made her cheeks glisten as brightly as the morning dew. “Ye are a sister tae me.”

Kirsten opened her arms and embraced Moira tightly. Moira buried herself in Kirsten’s warmth, sobbing fretfully, holding on to her as desperately as a drowning man would cling to driftwood in the middle of the ocean. For a while, they remained silent. Kirsten allowed Moira to express her sorrow until she was ready to speak.

“I dinnae want tae speak badly of yer husband, but I hate him,” Moira said.

Kirsten laughed. “Ye dinnae hate him,” she said gently. “Ye are just angry with him, and I cannae blame ye. I felt the same way when I learned I was tae be married. I haed a life that I liked. I haed friends and a home that I didnae want tae leave, but it was my duty for the clan. It turned out well for me, and it might turn out just as happily for ye as well.”

“Aye, but we are nae the Calbraiths,” Moira said darkly.

Kirsten laughed again. “That is true, but dinnae forget that when I arrived, yer brother didnae have the finest reputation. He was always brooding and stubborn, barely paying me any attention until he softened. It wasnae easy for me, and I doubt it will be easy for ye, but sometimes as women, we hae tae make the best of the choice that is made for us. It is our curse of being born intae nobility.

“I hae a friend, a cousin, and she felt similarly tae. One day she told me that sometimes she used tae dream of being a commoner sae that she could simply marry who she wanted and dae what she wanted without having anyone tell her otherwise, but that’s nae who we are. We are ladies, and our position means something. Because of us, alliances are formed, and wars are avoided.”

Kirsten’s words were impassioned, and Moira couldn’t help but be swayed by them, even though her heart still burned with anguish. She took a few moments to compose herself, dabbing her eyes.

“Did Marcas talk tae ye about this?”

Kirsten averted her gaze. “He told me that it might be a possibility, although he didnae want it tae come tae this. Ye must understand that, Moira. Ye know he loves having ye around here. We both dae, and the children adore ye. He told me nae tae tell ye in case he could find another way tae come tae an agreement with the laird.”

“I suppose he couldnae. But what am I tae dae, Kirsten? How can I be apart from ye and the children? It’s all I’ve ever known.”

Kirsten gripped her forearm tightly. “Ye will be fine. Ye are a kind soul, a good woman, and people will see that. Just make sure ye arenae thrown intae the dungeon,” she said with a wry smile. This helped to diffuse the tension somewhat, and Moira even laughed a little.

“Aye, I suppose it couldnae gae as badly as yer arrival here. I just…I just wish I haed more time. It’s the shock of it all that haes taken me by surprise. Marcas never even mentioned it as a possibility.”

“I dinnae think he wanted tae admit it tae himself. Ye mean a lot tae him,” Kirsten sighed. “Things must be bad if he haes tae resort tae this. I truly thought the conflict with the Calbraiths was over once we uncovered Roderick’s plan.”

“Aye, I think we all did. I suppose it’s hard tae undo generations of enmity,” Moira said. “What are we gaeing tae tell Gregor and Lileas?”

“We’ll tell them the truth—that ye are gaeing on an adventure and that ye will be back. Ye arenae gaeing far. And I know Marcas wouldnae forget about ye. None of us could. We’re always gaeing tae take care of ye, and I know that if anyone in that clan mistreated ye, Marcas would be the first tae raise an army and take back everything that haes been given tae them.”

“I hope it doesnae come tae that.”

“I hope sae tae, and I’m sure that Laird Calbraith would feel the same. This marriage gives a seal tae the peace. Think of it...ye are the woman who will bring taegether clans that hae been warring for generations. Ye are the one who will finally put aside all the years of war that haes plagued these clans. That’s something tae be proud of, Moira. That’s a story that will gae down in the history books.”

Moira blushed at this. She felt a little better after talking to Kirsten, and she had always been of a pragmatic mind, so she knew there wasn’t really much point to all this anguish. The decision had been made, and there wasn’t much at all she could do about it—even though she knew that if she pleaded desperately with Marcas and begged as hard as she could, she might have been able to convince him to reverse his decision. But that would be selfish of her.

They all had to make sacrifices for their clan, and Kirsten was right when she said that this was part of Moira’s duty. Her father had sacrificed himself on the battlefield to protect the clan, and in a way, Moira was doing something similar. If she did not marry into the Calbraith clan, it was likely that war would break out again, and she would not be able to live with herself if anything happened to Marcas.

She had seen the horrors of war firsthand and had always vowed to do anything she could to prevent it. If that meant getting married, then so be it. She would just have to make the best out of the situation and hope that her husband eschewed the usual stereotype of a Calbraith man: brutal and blunt and arrogant.

“I think I’d like tae see the children now and spend as much time with them as I can,” Moira said.