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It might well be the case that she just wasn’t interested in the same things he was, which would make the marriage long and difficult. Still, he had never shied away from a challenge before, and he wasn’t going to do so now.

He dressed in some training gear and then went downstairs and outside, meeting Karl in a training arena where the warriors tested their skills. The industrious people of the Wallace clan were all up early as well and seemed to take great delight at the sight of these two newcomers clad in warrior garments, readying their weapons to test each other’s strength. After all the sorrow they had endured, it seemed sensible enough that they should want a distraction, and Gowan thought he could provide it for them. It was the least he could do, after all, and he hoped that it would endear him to his new community. From the previous night, he knew that some were already familiar with his reputation, but he wanted to ensure that even those who didn’t know him quickly learned of his ferocity.

Karl walked close to him as they prepared for their training. It was a routine they had enjoyed for practically all their lives. Karl wore a slanted smile as he approached.

“Sae, how was last night? I did see ye and yer lovely bride slip away when nobody was looking,” he said with a teasing look in his eyes.

Gowan sighed. “Whatever ye are thinking about, stop. Nothing happened. She gave me a wee tour of the castle, and then she went tae bed. That’s all.”

“I expected more of ye, Gowan,” Karl said.

Gowan arched his eyebrows. “She is a tough nut tae crack. I dinnae know what tae say around her. One moment I think we are haeing a good time, and the next she seems as cold as ice.”

“Well, the lass is grieving. I’m sure she’ll come around. I remember what ye were like when ye lost yer mother.”

“Aye.” Gowan nodded, trying to turn away the wave of sorrow that threatened to ruin his good mood. “And I’m willing tae give her the benefit of the doubt, but I dinnae know… I get the feeling that she is nae fond of the idea of marriage. But I cannae gae back tae my father in failure.”

“Then ye will hae tae find another way tae impress her. Perhaps once I knock ye on yer back, she will take pity on ye. Maybe she is the type of lass tae fall for a wounded animal,” Karl said while grinning.

Gowan chuckled as he grabbed his sword. “Ye can try, but I’m nae about tae lay down for pity,” he said.

They strode out to the warrior arena ring, which was separated from the rest of the ground by a thick rope. This rope was weighed down by stones. To the rear, there was a stall and benches that held the equipment, and as people realized what was happening, they gathered around in a crowd. Gowan greeted the crowd with a wave and a smile and bowed to them before the sparring began. He noticed a couple of the women he had been speaking to the previous night and almost wished that he could be marrying one of them. It wasn’t that they were prettier than Maeve, just that it was far easier to have a conversation with them.

He turned and faced Karl, who raised his sword in front of him. The men stared at each other, and then there was an imperceptible nod between them. They swiftly flung themselves into combat. The swords were like extensions of their arms as they flashed in the soft morning light, clashing with loud shrieks.

Gasps emanated from the crowd as Gowan and Karl fought each other. They struck with such intensity that it was impossible to believe these two men were friends. They growled and snarled and danced around the ring, taking care to keep their feet inside the rope. Gowan ducked a blow, spun around, and then kicked Karl in the chest. Karl staggered back and almost lost his footing, taking a moment to topple back before he leaned forward and righted himself, stopping himself from falling out of the ring.

Their eyes met, and Gowan cocked an eyebrow. They were feeding off the energy in the crowd, wanting to put on a show. They ran through some movements. They had known each other for so long that it was almost second nature to them, and they could almost read each other’s thoughts. That’s what it must have seemed like to the people watching, though, as the sharp edges of swords narrowly missed scalps. It seemed like a certainty to them that Gowan would have another scar to add to his collection by the end of this bout.

At one point, Gowan and Karl locked swords and pressed the blades against each other, coming face-to-face, so close that they could smell the heat of each other’s breath. Gowan pushed Karl away, and they fought again, their swords drawn to each other by some invisible force. By this point, the crowd had tripled. People stared in disbelief, and kids looked on with open mouths, the men becoming heroes in their eyes. The spark of inspiration took hold in their young minds, and they would go off begging their parents to be allowed to train with a sword, and of course, their parents would shake their heads and curse Gowan and Karl for making it seem so exciting.

But if Gowan were anything to go by, then these children would not be dissuaded. A long time ago, he had witnessed a battle like this, and his heart had been filled with the flame of ambition. It had led him to this moment, but there was only one face he wanted to see in the crowd, one face staring back at him with delight in her eyes, but whenever he glanced at the crowd, he did not see her.

He and Karl continued fighting for a while before reaching the climax of their little show. It ended with Karl taking the fall, and then Gowan basked in the adulation of the crowd. He helped Karl to his feet, who bowed as well.

“Would anyone like to take on the champion? The man who bandits fear, the scourge of the English?” Karl cried out.

Hands shot up all around the crowd from men and children and even some women, although Gowan thought they might have wanted a battle of a more intimate nature. He looked at his challengers and was about to pick a child, thinking that it would help endear him to the community if he allowed a child to beat him and feel like a hero. However, then someone came striding out of the crowd and yelled confidently that they would take up the challenge.

Everyone suddenly seemed shocked as their heads turned around. Gowan was intrigued though, for it was Maeve who came out. Nobody dared tell her otherwise. She walked over to the equipment stall and went straight to a thin, short sword. The way she handled it gave Gowan the impression that it was hers.

He left the arena ring and walked over to her.

“Are ye sure about this? I would nae want tae hurt ye,” he said.

Maeve laughed and slashed the sword in the air. “I would nae worry about that,” she said, and winked at him. She still had her hair covered by the black shawl. She wore a dress, although it wasn’t as billowing as the one she had worn last night. As she walked, though, he saw the heavy boot prints left on the soft ground behind her. She took her position in the middle of the arena ring, placing one hand on her hip while holding her sword out in front of her. Gowan glanced at Karl helplessly, who could only shrug. Gowan’s plan had been to let a child win, but what was he supposed to do here? It wouldn’t be a good look for him to knock down the woman he was supposed to marry and the Lady of this clan, but nor did he want to be embarrassed by a woman.

He decided the best thing to do was to let her get in a few blows and then end the duel as quickly as possible. He wasn’t sure what Maeve was trying to prove by entering into combat with him, but if this was a test, then he was determined to pass.

They touched the tips of their swords, and Maeve tilted her head, smirking. Her sword flashed so quickly it was little more than a blur, and it slapped Gowan on his arm. He looked shocked that she had actually been able to get through his defenses so easily and realized that perhaps he was underestimating her. He thrust back with a blow of his own, but she dodged out of the way. She was nimble on her feet, and her reactions were second to none. She waited until the last moment and then moved away, shifting her weight to dance around him. She struck back, but he was able to deflect her blows. She moved in a circle around him, and he followed her movements, meeting her sword with his as he tried to get used to her way of fighting. He was used to men coming at him with the full brunt of their strength, but Maeve was different. She looked for brief openings and then struck, trying to prick behind his defenses.

It may have infuriated a lesser man, but Gowan actually found himself infatuated by the way she moved. Her body swayed in such a way that it seemed as though there was no difference between her and her sword. She was in complete control of every part of her body, and what was more striking to him was the look of joy on her face. She relished the fight, and it made him see her in a different light. She had come alive in a way that she had not during the meal, and it gave him hope that there were depths to her he had not seen yet.

Their swords clashed, and he tested her by striking back with his own strength. He didn’t put his full weight into the blows as he didn’t want to wrest the sword from her hand. She managed to evade the blows, but then the smile fell from her face. She came to him as their swords met and ground against each other.

“Dinnae gae easy on me,” she growled, and then to emphasize her point, she struck his sword with all her might and then skipped back. Gowan was never one to deny the request of a lady, so he did as she asked, fighting her as though he was fighting a man. He put more strength into his blows, and he could tell that she was straining against the vibrations that ran down her arm and shook her hands. She gasped, and then he feigned a powerful blow, acting as though he was putting all his strength into it. She raised her sword to protect her face, but he quickly abandoned his movement and instead placed his hand on her shoulder. He then hooked his foot around the lower half of her leg and yanked it from underneath her. She toppled down, and he fell upon her, pinning her to the ground. As this happened, the shawl fell from her head, revealing a cascading wave of auburn hair that framed her face so beautifully. He gazed into her sapphire eyes and was struck by the way the air sizzled around them. Breath caught in his throat as he felt the weight of her underneath him. Her lips were slightly parted, and there was fire in her eyes.

The way she fought and the way she looked now stoked a fire within his heart. If the first night had been less than encouraging then this gave him hope. Perhaps she was the woman he wanted after all.