The Highlander's Touch

THT | 7

"Oh, Saeran," Blaine wailed the second she saw her sister. She didn't have time to close the door of her sister's room before the older woman was throwing herself at Saeran, thick tears welling in her eyes. "He is terrible! What kind of man talks to his future wife like that?"

Saeran patted her back uneasily, kicking the door closed. Her sister was hugging her so hard that it was hard to breathe. Not only that, but she was leaning into Saeran so much that her leg began to throb.

"Blaine," she gasped, pushing at her sister's shoulder. "Blaine, sit on the bed."

"Do not boss me around like that!" her sister said, distraught. Still, Blaine pulled away from Saeran and threw herself onto the extravagant bed. She, of course, had taken the room most suited for her lady-like sensibilities. Saeran had thought this was the previous Lady Shaw's room. It was beautifully furnished, and everything was in the best of shape, though there hadn't been a woman in this castle since Annalise Shaw, as she'd heard from the maids. "Oh, he is absolutely dreadful! And large--did you see the width of his shoulders? He is the size of an elephant, all large and clunky in the way he walked."

Saeran hadn't thought he was clunky. Aye, he was large, but he was definitely not 'clunky'. He moved with the grace of a lion. Soundless. Deadly. Every thing about him was terrifying--especially the way he looked at her, as if he could see straight into her soul, straight past all of the lies she was telling him.

She sat beside Blaine, letting her complain and whine and cry over laird Shaw, while her own mind raced like a horse.

He knew something was wrong. There was no doubt about it, for she knew she was a terrible liar. Everyone who knew Saeran also knew she couldn't even lie on whether she ate a meal or not! Her sister knew this better than most, and that had been one of the reasons why she'd let her sister take care of the talking.

She knew how to work her words so that anyone could believe them. She'd seen it happen with priests, with her parents, with the men at court. It was all fun and games, so Saeran had never taken part or commented on her sister's sneaky habits, but now she sorely wished she'd taken an interest in learning the art behind dishonesty.

Didn't that sound terrible of her.

"--and I have to be married to him, for the sake of your survival," her sister said sharply, jerking Saeran out of her thoughts. She looked at Blaine, shocked.

"Do not give me that look," Blaine said, pushing herself into a sitting position. If it weren't for your barrenness, this would not be a problem. Yes, I know that now. I should go down there right now and reveal--"

Saeran grabbed her sister by the arm. "Blaine, whatever I did to upset you, I'm sorry--please, please do not go down there. Mayhap he is sore from his journey, or stunned by the king's announcement for him to be married."

Blaine's lip trembled and she fell into the bed. "I'm sorry, Saeran. I don't know what came over me--I'm just so scared. The rumors surrounding him are true, I can feel it just by looking at him," she whispered.

Saeran's heart broke at the sight of her sister's distress. She scooted toward her, slipping her arm around Blaine's shoulder.

"Blaine, listen to me." She took her sister by the chin and made her look at Saeran. "Every heart of ice eventually melts. Everyone loves you, Blaine. Why would Kane 'The Lion' Shaw be any different? Just wait," she said, smiling when the confidence returned to her sister's eyes. "Soon enough, he'll be crawling on his bare knees to take your hand."

Blaine rested her dark head against Saeran's shoulder. "Thank you, Sae. You always manage to make me happy."

"We're sisters," Saeran murmured. "It's my job to make you happy."