9. Alliance

KERRIENNE

Before I even had a chance to reply or ask where the hall was, he was already out the door.  A timid knock sounded a few minutes later, a muffled female voice from outside the door said something I couldn’t hear.  I cleared my throat.  “Enter.”  I said.  It was the same young girl from before.  

“Your father and your men are already in the hall my lady, I've come to help you dress for the banquet.” 

“What banquet?”  I asked suspiciously. 

“There’s talk of a treaty between our clans.” 

“I don't see how that's possible.  Our clans seem to be at war.  Your laird kidnapped me and  is probably holding me for ransom.” 

“Seems to be?  My lady, your soldiers attacked us.  My laird was only seeking justice for the wrongs your people committed against us.” 

“What?...”  I asked, all the color draining from my face.  “We did no such thing.” 

“I know ye are the warrior princess.” She continued as if I hadn’t spoken.  “The men we captured were wearing yer colors.  

“But, we didn't...” I stammered. 

“My people have a legend about a warrior princess,” she continued.  “Who will marry our chosen laird and join our two clans, that is the only reason ye are still alive.”  She said sternly.  I said nothing more as she kept babbling about destiny.  

Clear as day, I saw a vision of a handfasting ceremony where Emrick and I were standing in front of a druid… I gasped out loud as dizziness tried to overtake me.  The young woman reached out to steady me. 

“Thank you… Umm, what is your name?” 

“My name is Sarah milady.”  She said, giving me a friendly smile. 

“Thank you Sarah.  My people did not do this.  I swear it.  We would never attack anyone without provocation.” 

She smiled wider,  “Me laird is just.  He will listen and pass judgment.” 

After helping me lace up the dress, Sarah brushed and weaved my curls into an intricate design, then handed me a mirror.  I was shocked by the person staring back at me.  I usually just combed my hair with my fingers and tied it back with a piece of cowhide.  She had my hair styled up in the front, leaving my face and neck exposed, leaving me to look very elegant and feminine.  While the rest of my hair fell down my back in ringlets that fell just below my shoulders. 

I felt a little self conscious as Sarah led the way to the great hall.  I was  usually in breeches, not gowns.  The few occasions my father’s tenants and allies came around were sporadic at best, leaving little opportunity to dress up.  And I’d complained so much that my father had agreed to let me dress as I pleased, which meant dressing like a boy.  How my clothes chest came into Emrick’s possession, I know not.  The dress I was wearing was new.  It hugged me in some places and enhanced others.  In this dress, I looked every bit the princess that I was, though I care not for such things, this is the dress I was planning on wearing when I came to ask Emrick to grant me an audience.

As Sarah and I neared the hall, I could hear loud angry voices coming from within, mainly my father’s demanding my immediate return or else.  Everyone fell silent as I entered the great hall. Emrick looked up, straight into my eyes.  Heat rose from my cheeks and travelled south straight to my core, leaving me a bit breathless.  His gaze held mine as I made my way to the center of the hall, doing strange things to my body as I flashed back to the tub scene earlier. 

As I took my place besides my father, Emrick addressed the room, but he was looking at me as he said, “Ye claim that the people who attacked us are not of your clan.  But the fact still remains that we were attacked.” 

Shouts of agreement were heard around the room.  Emrick raised a hand and the room fell silent. 

“I propose an alliance.  Your daughter’s hand in marriage.”  Emrick looked at my face, to gauge my reaction to his statement as he continued. 

“Joining our clans will be beneficial to us both.”  He continued.  “Someone attacked us wearing your colors.  I propose we join forces, find the bastards and put ‘em down.”

EMRICK 

There was a look of fire and intelligence in her honey colored eyes that call to the deepest parts of me, not just my groin.  I’ve always felt on the brink of losing control.  Since I turned sixteen and became whatever the hell I am.  Always felt out of sync with everything and everyone around me, some days, I barely felt human.  Being near her made me feel normal…  like whatever the  hell was inside me was at peace.  Being near her made me believe that I was still good. 

I stared at her as my memory flashed back to the previous hour, when I’d almost taken her.  Well my other side anyway.  The power inside me seems to have already chosen her as my mate otherwise she'd be dead and this would be a whole different type of gathering. 

I smiled at her and her cheeks reddened beautifully, and I knew she was thinking about what had happened between us in my bed chambers earlier. 

KERRIENNE

I'm not sure who was more shocked, me or my father.  “I'm not sure I..”  I began, but before I could finish the sentence, there was a commotion as the doors burst open to admit three men covered in blood.  The middle man was being half carried, half dragged towards us. 

Though they were wearing Emrick’s clan colors, something didn't feel right.  As they drew nearer, I could feel the animosity rolling off them. Without pausing to think, I grabbed my father’s sword just as the man in the middle made a move towards Emrick’s throat. 

Emrick jumped back but the short sword in the stranger’s hand had found its mark.  I watched in horror as a thin red line dripped down his neck, bloodying his shirt collar.  Only Emrick’s lightning quick reflexes had kept him from losing his head.  Literally.   

The man moved in for another attack but I blocked the blow and drove him back.  My vicious counter attack took him and his two cohorts by surprise.  But they soon recovered and all three came at me at once.  But Emrick was by my side, sword in hand as he made quick work of relieving two of them of their heads. 

He turned to me as I drove the last man to his knees and grabbed him by the throat, “Who sent you?”  I asked.  I got a mental image of what he was thinking.  He was secretly meeting with a man in a hooded robe, “Word is that Emrick has captured the princess of the McKay clan.  I will give you three times your weight in gold.  Each, if you bring me their heads.”  I'm not telling you shite, Alastair will have my head. 

I shoved him away from me and took his head off with one blow then turned to Emrick.  We stood staring at each other, like we were the only two people in the room.  The attack happened so quickly, no one else in the room had even reacted.  I looked up into Emrick’s face, his eyes were blood red.  Just like when we’d first met on the battlefield and in his bedroom.  He looked at me with a look of admiration, one corner of his lips lifted in a crooked smile.