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“Has yer mind changed even slightly? Do ye still believe that the MacKie clan kidnapped yer brother?”
Astrid smiled, since just less than two weeks ago, Laila had asked her a similar question. “I dinnae ken, Daphne. From what I see and from how much I have come to ken ye all, I believe the MacKie clan didnae do it, but I cannae just forget something I have been taught to believe since I was a young lass. It is rather difficult.”
“Ye ken the Laird was also very young when all of it began. Billy and I weren’t married then, and I lived with me parents, but we all knew him, and we all saw him leading every fight that was waged between the two clans. He was always there for his people, and he was always ready to go to any lengths to protect us.”
“He still is that person. He cares about the clan and the people he loves immensely,” Astrid agreed, smiling as the image of a young Flynn came to her mind. He must have been young and energetic, ready to kill anyone who stood in the way of his clan.
“I still remember when the clan was accused of kidnapping the sole heir of the O’Donnely clan. The late Laird didnae address any of us, but Me Laird came forward and called all of us to explain that the accusation wasnae true and that someone had framed us.
“He promised us that the MacKie clan would never stoop so low, and the people of the clan should defend their honor proudly ’cause we were nae at fault,” Daphne said, a far-off look in her eyes.
Astrid could see Daphne was visualizing the scene still as if it was happening right in front of her eyes.
She smiled at the memory, and her heart fluttered as she saw yet another side of the man she was quickly developing feelings for. He had been a leader for his people and a beacon of hope, even before he had become the Laird. It was apparent his people loved him, and now, Astrid knew he deserved the love and respect. There really was no one like him. There couldn’t be.
Her eyes filled up as she remembered her brother, Aiden, and thought about how he might have been a similar laird for his people if his life had not been snatched from him. She knew the people of the O’Donnely clan would have loved and respected Aiden, but now, he was only a memory.
“Are ye all right?” Daphne asked as she noticed tears in Astrid’s eyes.
Astrid quickly wiped the tears away. “Yes, I am all right. All this talk just reminded me of Aiden,” she replied honestly.
“Yer brother?”
“Yes.”
“Were ye close?”
“Inseparable,” Astrid said in a heartbeat. “We were very young, and I was just a child, but I remember loving me brother. I remember being lost for days after he was taken away from us. Sometimes, there are days I feel lost still. Life would have been much different if he was still here.”
“It would have been. Perhaps this betrothal wouldnae have to be fake, then,” Daphne said, and Astrid couldn’t help but laugh softly.
“Disnae matter, Daphne. Aiden is gone, and me father would never allow this betrothal to be real. We all simply need to do what we are asked to do,” Astrid said bitterly.
“And what is it yer asked to do?”
The two of them had failed to notice a shuffling of footsteps as the door to Daphne’s bedchamber opened and Laila walked in. Astrid looked up to stare at the frail woman, who sat down on the bed in front of them, her questioning eyes directed at both of them.
“Laila!” Daphne exclaimed in greeting.
“What is it yer asked to do, Astrid?” Laila asked again, refusing to let it go.
“Listen to me father and abide by the rules of me clan,” Astrid replied, smiling softly.
She no longer felt bitter, just upset. She herself had never wanted this betrothal to be real in the first place and simply adhered to it for the sake of the clan and the King.
“And then, when ye get married, listen to yer husband and abide by the rules of yer new clan,” Laila scoffed.
Astrid smiled at the disdain in the old woman’s tone. Laila, too, was the daughter of a laird and knew the limitations and barricades that surrounded their lives hence she understood Astrid and her troubles.
“What can we do about it?” Astrid asked.
“I am afraid that is all we can do,” Laila said solemnly before brightening up. “Although, make sure ye rebel once in a while and do somethin’ yer clan would never approve of. That keeps things interesting.”
Astrid laughed at the advice, quite certain that Laila herself must have abided by it. The old woman still had a rebellious air around her, and Astrid could only imagine how heightened it must have been when Laila had been a young woman.
“I do try to do that sometimes.” Astrid laughed, patting Laila’s wrinkled hand with her smooth one.
Astrid had never had a grandparent, thus she had never known how warm such a relation could be. Laila made her feel loved in the most motherly way possible, and Astrid couldn’t have asked for anything better. As much as she had been dreading living here in the MacKie castle, the reality had been surprising in the best possible way. She did not know it was even possible to feel any more whole than she already did, but there was something about the people here, who had accepted her wholeheartedly.
