Chapter 32

32

A rcher got good news the next morning after his meeting with Laird O'Kane. He strolled the O'Kane castle grounds with Jensen and Maeve. She had been quiet the entire morning, and he did not know how else to figure out what thoughts plagued her mind.

"I ride for MacFord tomorrow," he revealed after Jensen listed the four other clans that were eager to partner with him for business.

"The new Laird MacGuire has sent word too. He apologizes for the unfortunate situation that happened in his clan during our visit. The laird's killer was found out to be an enemy of their clan. He wishes to treat us to a proper feast so our clans can be allies."

"Do ye trust his word?"

Archer shook his head, and Jensen continued. "Neither do I. But MacDonalds, Drummond, Dune, and even MacBains all wish to ally with us now. Some of the O'Kane servants say the lairds sang praises of yer bravery and loyalty before they departed.

"The Highland clans were impressed by how ye saved the girls durin' the feast. Some say it was brave, but others say it was orchestrated to win their trust. Either way, this is the turn around we prayed for," Jensen continued. "So, do we trust that this is genuine? Because it might also be a ploy to get rid of us for good. The Highland lairds are ken for plottin' wars and lurin' their unsuspecting enemies into their traps."

Archer considered his options for a little while. "I will take the chance no matter the risks," he answered after he spared Maeve a glance and found her staring at her feet.

"Did ye hear that?" he asked to gain her attention. "Some of the Highland lairds wish to work with me now. They are willin' to give me a chance and trust my judgment."

Maeve's smile was weak. It did not reach her eyes or cause them to sparkle like it usually did. Archer slowed his steps and turned to her. "Ye willnae tell me what bothers ye?"

He did not care that Jensen walked with them. Maeve worried him, and he needed to be certain she was all right before he set out on his journey tomorrow.

"I am all right," she said with a light shudder and another forced smile. Her lower lip quivered, and her eyes held the hints of worry that he could understand.

"Leave us, Jensen," he said to his man-at-arms. "I will come find ye once I am done here."

"Aye, Me Laird." Jensen walked away from the garden, leaving them to the privacy of a quiet conversation. Maeve nibbled her lower lip and kept her head bowed.

"Maeve."

She finally looked at him, and he saw the flush on her cheeks. "Are ye all right? Do ye feel ill in any way? Are ye …"

Her skin felt warmer than usual when he touched her shoulder.

"I will have Quinn examine ye right now," he said when he touched her neck too and found that she had a slight fever.

"I am all right, Archer," she insisted, shaking her head. "There is nothing wrong with me. It is you I worry about. Are you strong enough for travel? Ye wounds have barely healed." ‘

She touched his chest as she spoke then pressed her palms to his cheeks. "Perhaps you should wait till the end of the celebrations? When we return to Devlin, you can travel then. The Highland clans have spent all these years hating you, but now, they wish to be allies. I am sure they can wait a few more days."

"I have suffered worse injuries, mo gradh," he told her before touching her chin with a finger. Archer kissed her tenderly on the lips when she met his eyes with her lovely ones.

Archer pecked her lips again. "Besides my travels, I must return in time and speak to me clansmen. There is a lot we must discuss and a lot to achieve before the new year. Allying with the Highland clans is somethin' we must do now."

Maeve sighed, closed her eyes for a bit, then nodded. "I understand," she whispered. "I just…" She licked her lips nervously, and he saw her throat dance when she swallowed hard. "I want to keep us here for a long time. We are happy here, and there are no Highland clans attacking you or unknown men trying to ambush us in the wild… I love to keep us here because we are happy."

Tears rushed to her eyes, and seeing it broke his heart into a million pieces. The shattering pierced him with a painful ache. Archer wished he could take away all she had suffered before they met and since she came to his clan.

I am trying to end it all and provide for her. Maeve was his future. Without her, there was nothing to fight for…Before her, he was in the verge of giving up and relinquishing the rights to his lairdship to anyone else.

"I will return safe, and we will keep on being happy for the rest of our lives. I swear it to you on me mother's grave."

He never spoke of his mother because thoughts of her brought back memories he wished to keep forgotten forever. Archer was focused on the memories with this woman.

The woman I am utterly in love with. As his gaze reached hers, he drew her near, and she rested her head on his chest. His heart thumped alive with love for her. He kissed her temples, gently ran his fingers through her hair, and held her there for a moment.

He wanted to keep them here, too. Archer had never been this happy, and if he could freeze time, so they spent the rest pf their lives here, then he would.

But I must do this. He did not know what the future held, or if the Highland clans indeed wished to ally with him. His travel to MacFord and any other clan might be his demise. He might be walking into a trap, but that did not matter.

Acher was willing to do whatever it took to preserve their future because for the first time in his life, he hoped for one.

The last thing Archer did as he prepared for his journey was go find Maeve in her chamber. She wore a riding habit and stood by her window when he walked in.

"Where are ye goin'?" he asked, surprised to see her fully clothed in a long tunic, gloves, and a cloak.

"Erin and I want to ride out in the moors once the snowing slows," she answered then walked to him.

Archer sighed when she kissed his cheek and smoothed her hand down his chest, gently stroking his leine. "I will miss you."

"And so will I," he told her, staring deep into her eyes because he could bring himself to pull away. He wanted to travel with her by his side, but that meant putting her in danger because he did not know how safe this journey would be.

"Promise me you will come back alive," she breathed out in a hoarse voice next. "Please, Archer. If you die, then I do not have any reason to live. You rescued me, and gave me a new reason to hope, so please return to me alive."

"I promise," he said with certainty then kissed her hands for a long time. Archer reached into his pocket and took out the heart-shaped locket his mother always carried around with her while she lived.

"I want ye to keep this," he said to her. "It belonged to me maither, and I have carried it with me for years since she died to protect me in battles."

"You cannot give it to me," Maeve quickly disputed and tried to push his hand away. "You need it to keep you safe."

"Nae," he refused. "I do not need it, Maeve. All I need is ye…I need to know ye are alive and well. That is all I need."

He felt a knot twist in his guts as her eyes bore into his for a long time. Archer bared his heart to her in one shaky sentence after that. "I love ye, Maeve, and I want ye to have it."

His blood roared in his ears. His pulse thundered, and the wildness of all those beats combined made him dizzy. Archer did not know what she would say. All he knew was his love for her, and he hoped to the heavens that she loved him too.

Maeve whimpered with a sob and squeezed her eyes shut. It was not the reaction he expected, and as she clung to him, he battled his own confusion and tried to console her.

"Maeve…"

"I am all right," she whispered and sniffed hard. When she stared deep into his eyes again, he saw her remorse. "I want you to give this to me when you return," she continued while touching his chin. "Tell me you love me again when you get back alive. I shall be here waiting."

She kissed him before he could say anything else, then pulled back.

Archer wanted to say more. He longed to refuse her wish and confess his love to her repeatedly till she accepted it.

Is this about those rules? She cannot love me because of the rules? He did not know what to think, and he did not have the time to ponder on his feelings right now.

He kissed her one more time. "I will return," he mumbled before he pulled back.

"Goodbye," she whispered with tears in her eyes. Pain sliced at his insides. The sensation shocked him. Maeve's whisper of goodbye made Archer suddenly feel like he would never see her again.

He pushed the feeling aside, gave her one nod of acknowledgement, then dashed out of her chamber in the O'Kane castle.

The chilly air outside caused each puff of breath out of his mouth to form misty clouds. Archer rode with a few of his men down the valley leading to the mountains.

It would take a total of two days to arrive at MacFord because crossing over to the other side of the mountain required a day. He knew he would not return in time to watch the Yuletide log go out.

Snowflakes gently swirled around in the wind as they continued in the serenity of the Highlands and rode at a steady pace till they reached the borders. The entire time, Archer tried to ignore the feeling in his gut that told him something was terribly wrong.

He could not explain it, but Maeve's eyes earlier and her tears, even her whisper of goodbye, made him feel as if he would never see her again.

"Somethin' is nae right," he muttered to himself.

Archer's murmur caught Jensen's attention, and he whirled his head to Archer's direction. "Is there a problem, Me Laird?" Jensen asked.

Archer swallowed hard, and the nagging sensation ate at him harder.

"We must head back," he ordered, halting in his tracks as he tugged on the reins too tight and abruptly. His horse spooked, whinnied, and lifted its forelegs off the ground. Archer didn't get the chance to brace himself for the sudden move. It flung him off the saddle, and he landed hard on a pile of snow.

"Me Laird," most of his men yelled, and they hurried towards him immediately. Jensen got to him first, and Archer groaned as he took the hand Jensen offered to help him stand.

"Do ye feel pain? Are ye all right?"

"I am fine," he said and cleared his throat. Archer knew ignoring his gut feeling was a mistake. "We must head back to O'Kane. Somethin' is not right. I fear Maeve might be in trouble."

"But we have come this far," Jensen stated. "Send one of the men back instead?"

"Nae!" Archer shook his head. "This is somethin' I must do, Jensen," he continued in a softer pleasing tone now. "I strongly believe that Maeve is in trouble, and she is keepin' it to herself. I must go back. I cannae travel at this time. I must be by her side."

Jensen nodded softly and ordered the men with a wave of his hand.

They reached the path and headed for the O'Kane castle again. By the time they arrived at its gates, Archer's fears became reality as they found he castle in chaos.