Page 12 of Highlander's Lady of the Lake

Chapter Six

Nimue was glad to see the castle when it appeared on the horizon. She had spent so many days on the road that the thought of a warm bed and a good meal was more enticing than anything else.

Despite her hatred for Chrisdean and the rest of her captors, as well as the fact that she missed her home, she had to admit that the Highlands were beautiful, with their sprawling green fields, the jutting mountains, and the seemingly endless lakes. The scenery took her breath away, and so did the castle of the MacIntosh clan when it appeared before her.

The castle’s walls towered over the land and, behind them, the building itself looked like it belonged in one of the legends that her father so often used to tell her as a child. The stone walls, grey and sturdy, looked much older than her father’s castle, and Nimue couldn’t contain her awe.

“This is yer home?” she asked Chrisdean. Once again, they were sharing a horse, and as much as Nimue hated being in his presence, she was glad that they hadn’t given her one of her own. “I have never seen anythin’ like it.”

“It’s bonnie, isna it?” Chrisdean asked, and though Nimue couldn’t see his face, she could have sworn that she heard the smile in his voice. “Perhaps ye’ll like it here, lass. I told ye that ye shouldna be so quick to judge.”

Despite the castle’s beauty, Nimue doubted that she would enjoy her time there. How could she, after all, when all she wanted to do was go back home? Chrisdean seemed unable to understand that, though, and Nimue could do little other than put up with him.

When they entered through the gates, Nimue’s gaze tried to take in every single detail. The castle seemed even more magnificent now that she was within its grounds; its courtyard full of people was bustling with activity. To her surprise, everyone seemed friendly. Her father had told her many stories about Highlanders, about how being up in those lands made them mean-spirited and barbaric, but at first glance, they looked just like her and her people.

Then again, Chrisdean had been more than happy to snatch her out of her home, so Nimue didn’t know if she could truly trust any of them. Even if they weren’t like their Laird, she doubted that anyone would disrespect his commands. No one in that castle would help her escape, and no one could be trusted with the knowledge that she was planning to run away.

“Ach, laddie, ye had me so worried!” a woman’s voice called, and Nimue turned to see someone who could be Chrisdean’s mother rushing towards them, but then she remembered that his mother was dead. Then it must be Brock’s wife, Nimue thought as she looked at the woman, with her long, brown hair that was peppered with streaks of white and her bright blue eyes.

“Dinna fash, Mairi,” Chrisdean said, jumping off the horse and rushing to her. The woman—Mairi, Nimue corrected herself—wrapped him into a tight embrace the moment he was within arm’s reach. “I’m fine.”

“Ach, ye worry about the laddie, but ye dinna worry about yer husband?” Brock called as he rushed to Mairi, giving her a peck on the cheek just as she slapped him gently on the shoulder.

“Why should I worry about ye?” Mairi asked Brock. “Look at him, Brock; he’s skin and bones.”

Nimue looked at Chrisdean with a frown, noticing that he was certainly not skin and bones. She could see his strong muscles under his shirt, the way his arms flexed every time he moved, the way his thighs almost burst out of his trews. The exchange startled her, as well, since she had never had anyone worry that much about her in her life, or at least no one had ever shown it. She was certain that her father worried about her, and so did the women who had raised her, but she had never received such affection.

“And ye must be Nimue,” Mairi said. Nimue found herself under the woman’s scrutinizing gaze as she dismounted the horse, relieved to finally be getting off. “What a bonnie lass ye are . . . but ach, ye must be so tired after that trip.”

Nimue didn’t know what to say. Mairi was treating her like an old friend and like nothing strange was happening, while Nimue wanted nothing more than to leave.

Does she na ken that Chrisdean brought me here by force? Or does she simply think it’s normal?

Nimue had no hope of understanding Highlanders, she thought. Everything about their behavior confused her, and she didn’t know how to respond to a woman who was being so kind to her, despite all of her previous expectations.

“I . . . weel, aye, I am,” Nimue admitted, thinking that perhaps what she needed was a bath and some rest and that everything would be in order after that. Then again, she didn’t know if she could sleep after everything that had happened.

“Ye should rest until dinner. All of ye should,” Mairi said, turning to look at her husband. “I’ll take Nimue to her chambers, and ye can make sure that everyone else does as I say.”

Ignoring the incredulous look on her husband’s face, Mairi grabbed Nimue’s hand without another word and began to lead her toward the castle's front doors. Nimue followed her dutifully, not knowing what else to do.

“Me lady . . . do ye ken why I’m here?” she asked Mairi. Her mind was full of so many thoughts that she didn’t even notice where Mairi was taking her or what the castle's interior looked like. “I dinna ken why I’m here. I dinna ken why I was brought here.”

“Call me Mairi,” the other woman told her, and she stopped dead in her tracks at Nimue’s questions, turning to look at her. She placed a hand on each of Nimue’s shoulders, and her gaze was so kind that she reminded Nimue of her mother. “As Chrisdean told me, dinna fash. Ye’ll find out everythin’ soon enough, but it should come from him, na from me or anyone else.”

Nimue could have groaned in frustration. She could have shouted at Mairi, she could have tried to escape, she could have tried to demand an explanation, but she didn’t do any of those things simply because she didn’t see the point. She just had to come to terms with the fact that she wouldn’t find out anything unless Chrisdean wanted her to, no matter how angry that made her.

Nimue stayed silent as Mairi guided her through the castle until they came up to a large, wooden door. When Mairi opened it and let Nimue in, her jaw dropped, and her gaze took in the room.

There was a beautiful bed in the middle of the room, with white linen hanging from the top beams. The room was decked in blue, and large, mahogany furniture took up each corner, from a rocking chair to a vanity donning an oval mirror.

It was not as impressive as her room back home, that much was true, but she had never seen a guest room as grand. She wondered for a moment if it had been decorated just for her but soon dismissed the notion. Why would Chrisdean or anyone else have gone to such great lengths for her?

“I’ll have the maids draw ye a bath and bring ye something to wear for tonight’s feast,” Mairi said as she turned around to leave.

“Feast?” Nimue’s voice was little more than a squeak. “There will be a feast?”

“Aye, of course there will be a feast,” Mairi said, giving Nimue a small, soothing smile. “Chrisdean wishes to throw a feast for ye.”

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