Over the Highland Mountains

Chapter 2 • First Meeting

"Lily! Where have ye been, m'lass?"

"What's the matter, Father?"

"We received news," a supportive hand was placed on her back. Gavin. "The Mackenzie arrived no' more than a quarter o' an hour ago. They are seeing to their horses with our stable master and will expect to have an audience soon."

Her breath caught, finally understanding the tense atmosphere in the keep. During the month's intermittence from when Lady Fiona departed, Lily had almost allowed herself to forget about her distressing future.

She pulled herself together, standing a little straighter. With the conscious effort to release her lip from between her teeth, she answered, "Weel then, I best go make myself ready."

When Lily reached her chambers, Keeva was already there. No words were needed; Keeva simply pulled her childhood friend into her arms. She was so grateful that Keeva had postponed her journey home, she really needed her right then.

Lily wasn't sure how long they stood there, but a sudden thirst caused her to pull away. She filled a goblet with the watered down mead that stood on the small table and downed it in one gulp. She silently offered to pour Keeva some, but her slightly shocked friend politely shook her head. After downing a second and then third full goblet, Keeva spoke up, "If ye keep this up, ye'll need to relieve yerself before the audience is even over."

Lily dabbed her lips remorsefully, set the goblet down with a little sigh, and joined her friend where she had perched on the bed.

"What if he actually accepts the betrothal?" Lily whispered her fear after a pause.

"Then ye'll get married and have lots o' bairns," Keeva answered kindly, ever the realist. That won a smile, but only a little one and a short-lived one at that.

"What if he is as cruel at home as he is in battle as the rumours suggest?"

"Then ye'll avoid him when possible and endure him when it's no'. And ye'll teach yer bairns to be kind - I'll be sure to help with that."

"But Keeva!" she protested, purposefully ignoring the mention of bairns.

"Mayhap, ye should just run away,?" Keeve suddenly suggested with a shrug.

Lily frowned deeply at her friend, surprised and appalled, "What!"

"Run away and forget about all this."

"Keeva! I gave my word, I can no' just run away. Besides, the people o' Leslie need this union, 'twill bring them out of the many hardships they have suffered fer so long."

"Weel, there's yer answer then," her friend concluded gently placing a hand on Lily's.

Lily stared at their hands resting on her lap, her eyebrows touching as she considered this. Aye, she knew very well she would never back out once she made a commitment. She knew that, Keeva knew that - heck, the whole of Leslie knew that!

"The things I hear about him are frightful," Lily confessed in a small voice. She looked into Keeva's caring brown eyes, "They say he seeks after the wounded to finish them off - and he does no' make their death quick, mind ye - they say after a siege, he slaughters the innocents: women, bairns, women with bairns -"

"And who is 'they'?" Keeva challenged calmly, "What do they ken? For all we ken, none o' these rumours are true, but are meer stories his own clansmen have started to strike fear into the hearts o' their enemies." Keeva placed her hands on Lily's shoulders, turning her towards herself to make certain she heard this next part, "Lily, ye are doing a noble thing. Ever since we met, ye have always been willing and eager to help yer people, even to yer own hurt. Even now, ye are following yer mother's footsteps, serving yer clan; she would be very proud o' ye."