Chapter 35

35

Reunions

" O h, Dominic," sobbed Dakota.

She hugged her brother highly, and her sobs soon turned to laughter as the emotion swirled within.

"Why are ye here? Did somethin' happen to Faither ?" asked Dakota.

"Nay. At least, I daenae think so. He's out there fightin' with the clan. I came here with William to rescue ye."

"I cannae believe ye are here. He almost made me… it doesnae bear thinkin' about."

"Dakota," whispered William, returned from outside. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "We should leave this place."

"Aye," muttered Dakota.

She allowed William to lead her out of the chapel, and when the fresh air hit her, she felt she could breathe again. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. There was no sign of Conall—she knew he was gone from her life, from everyone's life.

There was no noise from outside the castle walls anymore—the battle had ended almost as quickly as it had begun.

Dakota panted and slowly regained her wits. She looked up at William and finally smiled.

"I kenned ye were still alive. Well, I thought ye were dead for a while, but I kenned when he spoke to me. Och, he doesnae matter anymore. Ye came for me, William."

"Of course I did. Ye are me wife. We have five clans here to fight for ye."

"I daenae need anyone to fight for me except for ye, William."

Dakota leaped into her husband's arms and wrapped herself around him. She did not know if she wanted to laugh or cry now that she was back in his arms.

"I thought ye were dead. Ye're nae dead, are ye?" she asked.

"I'm nae dead."

"I cannae believe ye came for me. I thought I was goin' to be locked in his dungeon forever, and then I thought ye werenae goin' to get to me in time to stop the weddin'."

"I wanted to come and get ye sooner, but I needed help. I'm sorry it took so long."

"Daenae be sorry, and daenae waste another second tellin' me anythin' more. I've been waitin' to taste yer lips again, me love."

"That, I can do," said William.

Dakota took her head from his shoulder and looked up into his blue eyes. She still could not believe that he was here. It was all a dream—her life was a dream.

William placed a hand tenderly on her cheek, holding it there for a while to study her before he leaned in and kissed her. Their lips pressed together delicately, barely brushing at first and then pressing together fully.

Dakota kept one arm wrapped around William's back, and she took a fistful of hair with her free hand. She gripped onto him as if her life depended on it. It did not anymore now that Conall was gone.

William ran a strong hand up her back, sending goose pimples prickling all over her body. His hand held the back of his neck, and she felt secure once again.

Dakota moved her head to one side as William moved his head to the other. Their lips parted and came back together in a dance, and Dakota felt her heart was finally whole again.

She moved her head back as the kiss came to an end. She looked him in the eye, becoming lost in the blue that almost shimmered. She could see her whole future laid out with this man. She wanted to start a family with him. He was all she wanted and needed.

"Och, are ye ever goin' to put her down?" asked Dominic.

Dakota laughed. Her brother had become much more serious since she left her father's castle, but hearing him being more lighthearted was nice.

William let Dakota down onto her feet.

"I just received word that Faither is on his way up here," said Dominic.

"That is great news," said Dakota. "Is he well? Was he wounded in the battle?"

"Nay, I daenae think so."

"I want ye to ken that Dominic fought bravely by me side when we came for ye, Dakota," said William. "I was glad to have him with me."

"Yer a good man, Dominic," said Dakota.

"Aye, I ken that," replied Dominic with a smile. "I'll go down and meet Faither on the way up here. Best to give the two of ye some time alone. Ye daenae want yer brother as part of this reunion."

Dominic walked off, and Dakota found herself a little nervous. She took another breath and looked up at her husband—the man she had been forced to marry and then had fallen in love with. She loved him!

Well, daenae just think it, Dakota!

"I love ye, William. I love ye so much."

"I love ye too," he replied. "I thought I had lost ye, and me life would have been over if I had."

"Me life was over for a while when I did think ye were dead, but I can start to live again. We both thought we had lost each other."

"Aye, but life has other plans for us."

"I love ye so much." Dakota leaped back into her husband's arms and wrapped herself around him again.

"I love ye too."

Their lips came back together once again, and Dakota wanted to kiss her man forever. She was stopped short by a cough from close by

"Aye, this is what I warned ye about, Faither. They've been like this since they got back together, and it's makin' me feel a wee bit sick," said Dominic.

Dakota smiled and came apart from her husband once more. "Och, Dominic, I'm sure ye will start feelin' things toward the opposite sex soon. Some of us are just late bloomers."

Dominic stuck his tongue out at his sister, and it felt like she was back home again, running around the castle with her siblings. Dominic looked at his father and stuck his tongue back in his mouth.

"I am glad to see ye well, Dakota," said Hudson.

Dakota ran over to her father and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank ye for comin', Faither."

"I couldnae leave ye here with that man." Hudson held his daughter by the shoulders as if she were a figment of his imagination. He looked past her to William. "Ye did well. Did ye do as I asked?"

"Aye, he willnae be troublin' us anymore."

"Good," said Hudson. He focused back on his daughter. "Ye have a good man there."

"Aye, I ken." She looked around as more and more men appeared. "I cannae believe ye did all of this for me."

"Daenae get ahead of yerself, Sister," said Dominic. "I think a lot of the men wanted a shot at the English."

"Aye, but most of them came for me, right?"

"Nay, maybe just the Laird."

"How about we split the difference and say half came for me and half came to fight the English."

"Mmm," said Dominic through his lips.

"This is what ye married into," laughed Hudons, clapping William on the back.

"Aye, but he's yer future Laird," William noted.

Hudson's laugh boomed across the upper courtyard.

"William!"

William looked to the side to see Cameron approaching with some of their men.

"Aye, am I ever glad to see ye, Cameron. I dinnae want to ask in case somethin' had happened—I wouldnae have been able to deal with that—but it looks like there is nae a scratch on ye!"

Cameron held his hand out for William to shake. "Och, the battle was over far too easily. We had the upper hand from the start, and when the news broke that the Viscount had been taken care of, the men had nothin' to fight for anymore. We're roundin' up the soldiers as we speak, but I dinnae think we need to take any prisoners."

"Nay, I daenae think so either. We can leave them be here, and they can sort themselves out. When word gets south, they will send someone up to make sense of it all."

"Nay, let me travel down with some of me men and explain it all. With this and the bribery, they will all ken the Viscount was in the wrong. Our plan was to reveal the truth and take care of the man. We did it a little differently, but the outcome was the same. Ye head home with yer wife, and I will travel back up in a few days."

"Och, ye're a good man, Cameron. Now, daenae be lookin' for a fight down there just because ye didnae get one up here."

"I willnae go lookin ' for one, but if one finds me…"

"If it does, I will deny kennin' ye. We have had about enough trouble for one year. The next should be one of peace and not war."

"Aye, and ye are the one to do that, William. I'll ready me best men, and we will set off south in the next two hours once we have eaten. I spoke to Laird Ricthie too, and he will stay behind with his clan to ensure there's nay more trouble from the defeated Englishmen. Ye will also have some extra Scots headin' back with ye. The men I placed here and some of the former deserters want to make amends."

"Aye, there is a lot to think about. For now, I want to take me wife home and get some peace."

"Um, did someone mention food?" asked Dakota. "I have only eaten bread for the past day and nothin' the day before that. I would like to eat too."

"Aye, we can all eat together, and then we will go our separate ways. And let's include the English in our feast so we daenae look like savages to them. They can provide the food, and us takin' care of their crooked Viscount is a fair trade."

There was no feast to be had for so many people, but the stores were raided, both the castle's and the supplies that had been brought for war, and everyone received a full belly.

When they were done breaking bread with the enemy, most of the Scots headed home, with some sticking around and a few heading south.

It took a few days for the Rottrich Clan to return home, but not for Laird and Lady Rottrich and her family. They rode on ahead to get back to the castle.

Dakota was reunited with her sisters, and William could have shed a tear watching the sisters embrace each other. Daisy made good on her word, and she helped to treat some of the wounded men as they returned, and there were whispers around the town that there was a witch in their midst. A rumor that William soon quashed.

On the last evening before the remainder of the McGunn were due to return home, Delilah sought out William.

"I, uh, wanted to apologize for runnin' off from the altar on our weddin' day. I owe ye an explanation," said Delilah.

"Nay," said William. "I daenae want to hear any explanation."

"Oh." Delilah looked sullen.

"Listen, I daenae meant to deny ye an apology, but yer leavin' is the best thin' to ever happen to me. If ye had nae run off, I would nae have met Dakota, and me life would never have been complete. I'm nae thankin' ye for it, but I do believe it was fated. I will live a happier life for it, and I believe ye will too, Delilah."

"Aye, I hope so. Yer a good man, m'Laird. Ye make Dakota very happy. She loves ye very much."

"And I love her too."