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Brenda awoke the following morning to find Douglas waiting for her. He offered to take her for a walk and show her the area in which he grew up. She was delighted and did not hesitate at all to accept the offer. Soon enough, they were walking away from the village through the leafy trees and onto soft moss. Branches occasionally cracked, and fallen leaves rustled. Birds fluttered, disturbing the peace, and occasionally she caught a glimpse of a small shadow scurrying about, hiding from all the scary things in the world. They emerged in a clearing. The hole in the forest was open to the sunlight, and they bathed in warmth. Clouds drifted by lazily. The grass was soft and long, and the collection of flowers that grew here filled the air with a fragrant scent. Brenda curled her legs underneath her and plucked a flower, bringing it to her nose. Douglas paced around the clearing.

“I used tae come here when I was a boy before I left tae live in Erik’s village. It was always my favorite place.”

“Why?” she asked.

Douglas pondered the question for a few moments. “I suppose because I never haed tae worry about anyone or anything while I was here. Da was always complaining about the Vikings, and I was tired of arguing about it. When I was out here, I could shut out the world and be alone.”

“I hae a similar place. There’s a lagoon on the other side of the island I found when I was exploring as a child. It’s quiet and calm. Nobody ever bothered me there.”

Douglas stopped pacing and sat beside her. He arched one leg up and rested an arm upon it. “I suppose I’ve haed tae much time tae think tae myself. There weren’t many Vikings that wanted tae make conversation with me,” he said.

“It must have been awful. I wish I could do something to make it better. I wish I could take away your pain,” Brenda said.

Douglas’s mouth twitched, forming a smile briefly, but it was gone almost as quickly as it had appeared. “It’ll gae in time,” he said. “Just sometimes I wonder if I’m meant tae be alone.”

“I don’t think you are. I don’t think any of us are. You have a future now, Douglas. You’re back here with people who love you and care about you. I know the last two years have been unkind to you, but they’re over now. You don’t have to think about them any longer. You can hope again. You can dream again. You can even love again if you wanted to.”

She wore a sweet smile and blushed when his gaze caught hers. Tension rose in the air between them. She could feel herself being drawn to him again, and the last thing she wanted was to wait for Lucas and Erik to settle their differences. She didn’t see why her happiness had to depend on two other men.

“Are you sure we have to wait for this to be over?” she asked. “I’m not sure that I can bear to wait for an agreement to be struck. That kiss was like nothing I had experienced before. Are you going to torture me by saying that we cannot enjoy another even though we are here, together, on this beautiful morning?” she asked, leaning forward.

Curls of hair fell around her face, and her eyes were wide. Her lips were full and parted, while her dress was loose enough that it showed the top of her chest. She could feel Douglas radiating with tension. He moved, and with every movement, he shook the world. His hand moved around to hold her chin, and then they were kissing again. Her body was on fire, and she was left breathless as their bodies folded into each other, falling onto the ground. It was as though their bodies had their own language and were completely at ease with each other. Legs entwined, and arms came wrapping around each other, pressing their bodies together so firmly it hurt.

The kiss deepened, creating a swell of emotion that burst through the middle of Brenda’s body. The more they kissed, the more familiar these sensations became, but the more her hunger grew too. Soft moans bubbled out of her mouth, and shuddering tingles rippled through her as she ran her hands through his hair. It was endless and loving, and she knew she didn’t want to wait for more, but he had too much honor to take her maidenhood before she was married.

They lay in the sun after they had driven themselves breathless. She draped herself over his body and lazily stroked his beard and chin. The steady rhythm of his rising and falling breath lulled her into a gentle state of mind, and she was quite sure that she could have stayed there with him forever.

Before they had come on this journey, she had been afraid that he had been silent, but now she understood that they did not need to speak. They basked in their own pleasure and simply enjoyed being in the essence of each other’s company. However, in time, they had to rouse themselves and return to the clan as there was a feast prepared in Douglas’s honor so that all the Bannerman men could welcome him back. Brenda was annoyed at anything that might disrupt her serenity.

Despite feeling irked that she had to tear herself away from the secluded clearing, Brenda’s mood was improved as soon as the feast started. Lucas was a good host, and there were plenty of things prepared. A fire stood in the middle of the clan, and meat was being roasted, filling the air with the pleasing scent of meat and the hiss and crackle of fat as it dripped onto the flames. Games of chance were played, and songs were sung. Everyone was in a good mood, and for a while, she was able to forget that any dispute between this clan and her cousin existed at all. She wondered why anyone would want to risk this for some land, especially when the fields were not being used. It seemed to her that Lucas was being stubborn more than anything. Surely the protection and trade that Erik could offer were more valuable than unused land.

She wasn’t about to speak about matters like this now, though, for she did not want to ruin Douglas’s mood. People clustered around him, treating him like a hero. In many ways, he was. He was a survivor of a terrible ordeal. It wasn’t every man who would be able to endure two years in captivity in a Viking clan, and it was no wonder that people wanted to hear his story again and again. Brenda smiled politely and made conversation with people around her, although they inevitably left whenever an opportunity to speak with Douglas became available. She also noticed that they were distant with her, likely because they knew she was Erik’s cousin.

Seamus came over to offer her some more drink, and she gladly took it. He had been keeping his father company, who sat near the fire and continually muttered to himself about the drawbacks of inviting Vikings into the Highlands.

“It must be good to have your brother back again,” Brenda said. “I have two siblings myself, and if anything happened to them…I don’t know what I’d do.”

Seamus smiled with relief. “It haes been a long two years. I just wish that he haed been brought back tae us sooner. He’s nae the same as he once was.”

“What do you mean?” Brenda asked. She, of course, had only known Douglas since he had returned.

“It’s nae that he’s a different man, just that he seems tae hae lost something of himself. He used tae love nights like this. He was always the life and soul of the party. I used tae want tae be like him when I was younger, but now…there’s something in his eyes. I suppose we should nae expect anything different considering what he’s been through.”

“I’m sure the more time he spends here, the more he’ll remember himself,” Brenda said.

Seamus nodded. “I never got a chance tae thank ye, by the way, for saving him.”

Brenda smiled. “I just found him.”

“That may be, but without ye, he might nae be here.”

“I assume that thanks is from you and your father? He doesn’t seem inclined to speak to me.”

Seamus rubbed the back of his head. “Aye, well, Da haes his own ideas. He’s harmless, really. He just missed Douglas, that’s all. He didnae mean anything by it.”

“I should hope not,” Brenda said.