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Gorm stood on the deck, knowing that the gods would be happy. Haldor was leading the charge on the mainland, and there was no doubt in his mind that with their numerical advantage, they would easily overwhelm the pathetic Vikings and the weak Highlanders. Now he had a marriage to look forward to as well. There were never enough women in the world for him, and while this girl wasn’t the prettiest, she was a Hoffstad, and there was something to be said for that. He would enjoy taking a Hoffstad and punishing her for her family’s crimes. It would be a long marriage for certain, and there would be plenty of opportunities for pain to be shared. It wouldn’t stop him from attacking the Highlands either. Brenda was a fool if she thought that a marriage would be enough to prevent him from finding his glory. The Highlands were ripe for conquest, and he wanted to hold them all in his fist, something that even his father hadn’t been able to do.

“Gorm! There’s a problem. The bastard Highlander has gone!” a guard shouted.

Gorm’s face twisted in anger, and he stormed down to the cabin. A dazed guard rose, holding his throat and coughing. It wasn’t difficult to decipher what had happened. Gorm pulled out his sword and ran it through the guard’s stomach. The guard dropped to the floor, blood pooling around him. His guards only had one opportunity to disappoint him. Filled with rage, Gorm marched out of the ship and approached the elder and younger Erik Hoffstad.

“Where are they? Where is my bride?” he demanded, spittle flying from his mouth.

“If you can’t keep track of what goes on in your ship, then I don’t know how you expect to rule the Highlands,” the elder Erik said.

Gorm narrowed his eyes and drew his sword. “If you keep speaking, then I will grant you a reunion with your brother,” Gorm said.

Erik stepped forward to meet the challenge, the sword scraping against the sheath. The old man would soon prove himself a fool, Gorm thought, but just as they were about to begin, their duel horns sounded, and a great cheer rose up.

Brenda and Douglas huddled in the undergrowth of the forest, keeping well out of sight of anyone.

“It will nae be long until they discover I’ve gone,” Douglas said. “It’s only a wee island. They’ll find me eventually.”

“Then we’ll find a way to smuggle you back to the Highlands. You can take a boat and row fast. Once you’re over there, you can go wherever you like.”

“Brenda, I cannae let ye dae this,” he said again, taking her hands in his. “What ye are daeing means sae much tae me, but I hae already been through this. It’s better that I should suffer again rather than see ye be in pain.”

“No, Douglas. You might not believe it, but you deserve a chance at life just as much as anyone else, maybe even more so. You can make something of yourself. Tend to the land, fall in love, put all this behind you as just a distant memory. The last two years don’t have to define your life. You can be happy again. All you have to do is believe,” she said, her words filled with emotion.

Douglas stared at her, and they kissed, unable to resist the temptation to steal one last moment of affection with each other.

“I cannae believe that ye are real. There are times when I fear I’m dreaming, and I’m gaeing tae wake up in the prison again.”

“I’m real, Douglas, and the way I feel about you is real as well. Never doubt that.”

“And never doubt my feelings either, lass. Before I met ye, I didnae think I was capable of feeling anything like this again. Ye saved more than my body when ye wrenched me from the water. Ye saved my soul.”

His words were silenced by another passionate kiss as she let emotion flow through her. The kiss was bittersweet, as she knew that it would never lead to more. In another life perhaps they could have been happy, but in this one, they had to switch places. She would save the Highlands by giving herself to Gorm, but at least he would be able to know peace. Their tongues danced as their lips pressed tightly against each other. Their bodies crashed, and she burned with arousal, and then before anything else could happen, she heard a horn in the distance.

Breaking away, they twisted their necks. Brenda worried that it was a hunting horn sounded by Gorm.

“We have to get you to the coast so you can get away,” she said in a hurried breath, but Douglas sounded more relaxed.

“Nay, lass. I’m nae gaeing anywhere. That’s my clan,” he said, and rose.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“Tae fight.”

“But if Gorm finds you, he’s going to kill you.”

“If I die, then at least I will hae died fighting for a good cause. A long time ago, I swore my sword tae Erik. I suppose even after all this time that oath stands.”

Brenda rose too. “Then I’m coming with you.”

“Lass…”

Brenda gave him an indignant look. “Do you think this sword is just for show?” she asked, pointing to the weapon that her father had given her. Douglas seemed to accept this as an argument, and they left the sheltered canopy of trees, skulking across the island toward the sounds of battle.