differently. I looked at Alastair the same way when he first came back from his training in the seanachaidh school to reside in Father's hall."
"Taken wi' him am I?" Brianna pulled away. "Yer daft, if ye think that. I was merely recalling to mind our first meeting." Briefly she related their encounter by the lake, brushing absently at the soil from her thin woolen dress . "He is an overbold rascal!"
"Nae, he is merely a mon who sees what he wants and seeks to claim it." Were only Alastair of that inclination." She sighed, telling her own story and Alastair's reluctance to seek out their father. "Yon Campbell did me the greatest of favors, though he knew it not. When your bold lad mistook me for ye, Brianna dearie, he tried to begin where ye'd left off at the lake. Alastair came upon us and vented his jealousy." She clapped her hands with glee. "Ah, ye should hae seen it. He was going to fight for me."
"Alastair fight?" Brianna's brows arched in surprise. She'd always viewed the bard as a bit of a coward , but perhaps even a lamb would turn lion for the woman he loved.
"He claimed me as his own and said he would speak with Father."
"Oh, Glenna!" Now it was Brianna's turn to show affection, putting an arm about her sister's waist protectively. "I know he will…."
"But Father....." Her brow puckered in conce ntration.
"Wi ll say yes. I know he will when he's made to see reason." She smiled mischievously. "Just leave him to me."
"You'd charm the devil of his very horns an d ask for his tail as well."
"Aye....." The courtyard rang with their laughter. "That Campbell laddie is lucky he doesna hae to deal with me on the marriage terms." As quickly as her laughter started, Brianna sobbered. A clan chieftain's daughter was a pawn in the game of politics played by men. Most of a woman's life was spent under the guardianship of first her father then the man she married. Once she was married, her husband was responsible for her until she was widowed. Her father wanted peace, but she knew he would want the marriage to be profitable as well. A groom would be expected to give a large sum of gifts for her. What would be her bridal price? She couldn't help wondering just what the men were saying to each other right now. What she wouldn't have given to have heard the conversation going on in her father's chambers.
Brianna would have been surprised to find there was no talk at all. Indeed all was silent except for the growling of the russet-hued wolfhounds that guarded the door. They seemed to be Ian's greatest hazard as he entered the chamber. Bristling and barring their teeth, they gave warning of what they would do if he made a wrong move.
"Easy. Easy. I'm here as a gesture of peace." Ian slowly, carefully moved past the two animals. "It seems no one has informed the dogs that the MacQuaries and Campbells are no longer at war," he whispered to Aulay , who clung behind him as closely as a shadow.
"Perhaps they haven't been fed ," Aulay whispered back, following as Ian walked towards the far end of the large chamber. There Lachlan MacQuarie sat in a carved chair, gazing intently ahead as if Ian and Aulay were not even there. At last he spoke.
"Come closer. I would look upon yer faces. The only time I've looked upon a Campbell has been wi' a shield standing between us."
"As you wish." Ian thought of a glib answer but instead decided on a more diplomatic approach, bowing humbly before this man, who until now had been his fiercest enemy. They looked upon each other, each judging the other as a determined man.
"I wasna expectin' ye so soon. Ye sent no word." His eyes took on a look of coldness, aloofness, that warned of danger if Ian did not respond quickly. He seemed to perceive treachery , showed it by every furl of his brow, the tenseness in his jaw. “Ye sneaked up on us. It’s lucky for ye that ye
"Taken wi' him am I?" Brianna pulled away. "Yer daft, if ye think that. I was merely recalling to mind our first meeting." Briefly she related their encounter by the lake, brushing absently at the soil from her thin woolen dress . "He is an overbold rascal!"
"Nae, he is merely a mon who sees what he wants and seeks to claim it." Were only Alastair of that inclination." She sighed, telling her own story and Alastair's reluctance to seek out their father. "Yon Campbell did me the greatest of favors, though he knew it not. When your bold lad mistook me for ye, Brianna dearie, he tried to begin where ye'd left off at the lake. Alastair came upon us and vented his jealousy." She clapped her hands with glee. "Ah, ye should hae seen it. He was going to fight for me."
"Alastair fight?" Brianna's brows arched in surprise. She'd always viewed the bard as a bit of a coward , but perhaps even a lamb would turn lion for the woman he loved.
"He claimed me as his own and said he would speak with Father."
"Oh, Glenna!" Now it was Brianna's turn to show affection, putting an arm about her sister's waist protectively. "I know he will…."
"But Father....." Her brow puckered in conce ntration.
"Wi ll say yes. I know he will when he's made to see reason." She smiled mischievously. "Just leave him to me."
"You'd charm the devil of his very horns an d ask for his tail as well."
"Aye....." The courtyard rang with their laughter. "That Campbell laddie is lucky he doesna hae to deal with me on the marriage terms." As quickly as her laughter started, Brianna sobbered. A clan chieftain's daughter was a pawn in the game of politics played by men. Most of a woman's life was spent under the guardianship of first her father then the man she married. Once she was married, her husband was responsible for her until she was widowed. Her father wanted peace, but she knew he would want the marriage to be profitable as well. A groom would be expected to give a large sum of gifts for her. What would be her bridal price? She couldn't help wondering just what the men were saying to each other right now. What she wouldn't have given to have heard the conversation going on in her father's chambers.
Brianna would have been surprised to find there was no talk at all. Indeed all was silent except for the growling of the russet-hued wolfhounds that guarded the door. They seemed to be Ian's greatest hazard as he entered the chamber. Bristling and barring their teeth, they gave warning of what they would do if he made a wrong move.
"Easy. Easy. I'm here as a gesture of peace." Ian slowly, carefully moved past the two animals. "It seems no one has informed the dogs that the MacQuaries and Campbells are no longer at war," he whispered to Aulay , who clung behind him as closely as a shadow.
"Perhaps they haven't been fed ," Aulay whispered back, following as Ian walked towards the far end of the large chamber. There Lachlan MacQuarie sat in a carved chair, gazing intently ahead as if Ian and Aulay were not even there. At last he spoke.
"Come closer. I would look upon yer faces. The only time I've looked upon a Campbell has been wi' a shield standing between us."
"As you wish." Ian thought of a glib answer but instead decided on a more diplomatic approach, bowing humbly before this man, who until now had been his fiercest enemy. They looked upon each other, each judging the other as a determined man.
"I wasna expectin' ye so soon. Ye sent no word." His eyes took on a look of coldness, aloofness, that warned of danger if Ian did not respond quickly. He seemed to perceive treachery , showed it by every furl of his brow, the tenseness in his jaw. “Ye sneaked up on us. It’s lucky for ye that ye
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