Page 20 of Highlander the Conqueror

“Concerning our marriage?”

“Aye.”

“There is nothing I hide from you about the marriage agreement,” he assured her.

“Except that you have not told me why your father chose me to wed Warrand, then you, when I bring no benefit to the union.”

Slayer never expected her to ask that, but he had said he hid nothing from her about their union. So, honor dictated he speak the truth. “You asked for the truth, and I will tell you it. My father was a man who put Clan Ravinsher before anything else. He claimed that wives were more a hindrance than a benefit. He told me that he wanted to find a wife for Warrand who would not consume him with desire or one he could not possibly lose his heart to. He assumed Warrand would have no interest in a woman with two different colored eyes, nor would he find any passion with her.”

Sky stared at him, his words sinking in deep, squeezing at her heart. “So, your father believed me undesirable, unlovable, and all Warrand would need to do is tolerate me when it came time to get me with child.”

“To him it was a marriage of convenience like most marriages, nothing more,” he said, to make it sound less hurtful, but it did nothing to stop the hurt gathering in her eyes. While he kept his feelings stoic, necessary for a Gallowglass commander, he could not stop the anger that sparked in him for causing her pain. He never expected to hear her say what she said next.

“If he expected that of Warrand, then he must have expected the same from you. So, tell me, Slayer, will you only tolerate me?”

Sky had learned for herself that a lack of a quick response demonstrated shock and the inability to answer. She watched as Slayer sat there silently, staring at her. It was all the response she needed. She got up and ran out of the cottage into the rain.

CHAPTER7

Sky ran. She didn’t know where she was going and did not care. She just needed to escape the hurt that tore at her heart and soul.

Unlovable.

She had heard that before and had gone with tearful eyes, though she would not allow herself to shed them, to her sisters to tell them what the women had said about her that no man would ever love her. That she was unlovable. Worse they had laughed about how a man would have to slip a sack over her head, so he did not have to look into her evil eyes. Leora demanded to know who the women were, but Sky had refused to tell her, knowing it would only make matters worse. Elsie had told her they were jealous of her beauty and that was why they were so mean. She wanted to believe her sister since it helped lessen the hurt, but the women were right, and Slayer’s words had just proved it. No man would ever love her. She was unlovable. Slayer would tolerate her, do his husbandly duties, and care nothing for her.

The rain poured down on her, soaking through her garments, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to run, escape, but how did one escape oneself?

Sky gasped when her arm was grabbed, and she was yanked to a stop and spun around to be plastered against her husband’s hard, wet chest.

“Don’t ever, EVER, run away from me like that again,” he yelled to make sure he was heard above the pouring rain and his pounding heart, thinking it could be heard it beat so heavily. “You cannot escape this marriage as much as you may want to and never would you escape me. I would find you no matter where you went. Nothing, absolutely nothing would stop me from finding you.”

Though she was locked in no cell, this marriage still made her feel very much a prisoner and one from which she would never be able to escape. Her shoulders slumped and her head drooped in defeat.

He scooped her up into his arms and carried her back to the cottage, the heavy rain soaking them every step of the way. Once inside, he stood her on her feet in front of the hearth.

“You need to get out of those wet garments,” he said and went to the chest at the foot of the bed and grabbed the blanket folded on top and returned to her. “Take off your garments and wrap yourself in this.” He placed the blanket on the table and stepped away from her and began to strip off his own garments.

Sky stood staring at him, too shocked and fearful to move while he undressed without hesitation.

“Get them off, Sky, or I will do it for you,” he ordered.

She forced her chin up and she wished she could force her fear away, but that was not possible. Instead, she did her best to temper it. “Please, Slayer, do not make me do this now. I have only learned I am your wife. Please give me a chance to digest this news and come to terms with it before we consummate our marriage.”

She had braved her own fear to speak up to him and for that he admired her, and her plea made sense. This was all shocking news to her, news she had yet to come to accept.

“You make a reasonable request so I will not deny it but when it comes time, I will have your word that you will not deny me but willingly consummate the marriage.”

“You will give me time?” she asked, her fear subsiding now that she had been granted a delay.

“I will give you a few days, no more.”

“A few days should be sufficient,” she said, though she had no idea if it would be. But at least it gave her time to better understand her situation and to learn more about her husband and perhaps befriend him as she had thought it wise to do. Maybe then things would not seem as dreadful as they presently felt.

“We will revisit this in a few days. Now get out of those wet garments,” he ordered and stepped away and turned his back on her.

She was grateful he gave her a bit of privacy. He was right about the wet garments. They would do her no good, though the thought of having only a blanket to wear left her feeling vulnerable.

She hurried and rinsed the rainwater from her hair before she began to undress and get the blanket wrapped around her so that she would not be left standing there naked when he turned around.

---