Epilogue

EPILOGUE

M inna was sleeping soundly, dreaming of a table groaning with cakes of all descriptions, every one more delicious than the last. She was smiling with appreciation as she bit into a strawberry tart, savoring the honeyed sweetness on her tongue as she licked her lips.

"Mmm…" she moaned as the sweetness hit the back of her throat. A moment later she squealed as she was jerked out of bed and lifted into someone's strong arms. In her half-asleep, befuddled state, it took her a moment to realize that they belonged to her husband. She could smell the earthy, leathery scent of him - she would recognise it anywhere, and it stirred her desire as it always did.

"You monster! Put me down!" Minna yelled in laughing indignation as Gowan carried her upstairs. "I am only with child. I am not an invalid."

"Ladies in your condition often become tired very quickly," Gowan replied, not budging an inch. He twitched a mischievous grin at her and she began to beat his chest in mock rage with her closed fist. He took absolutely no notice. "Please don't waste your energy," he begged. "You're going to hurt your hand."

Minna said a word that no lady should ever say and he looked at her in mock disgust. "Minna! You will frighten the bairn!" he cried.

At that moment Minna realized that they were not going down to the dining room as she had thought, but were heading for the stairway to the battlements.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, frowning.

"It is Midsummer Day," he replied tenderly. "And it's dawn. I wanted to let you see our first midsummer sunrise together."

Minna's heart surged with love. "You remembered," she whispered, smiling widely. "You remembered how much I wanted to see it."

"Of course I did, Minna." he murmured. "You are everything to me. You saved my life when I had no hope left. I would do anything for you." His voice was soft with love.

"And you saved mine too, my hero!" she reminded him as she kissed the scar on his cheek.

"My lovely lass." he whispered. He stopped in the middle of the stairs to bestow a tender kiss on her willing lips. "I wouldn't want to live without you."

Brown eyes gazed into blue for a moment, before he resumed his climb to the top of the stairs.

Minna could never remember being so happy. As Gowan set her down on the walkway around the turrets she leaned on his shoulder and looked out over the valley below. Faraway in the distance, the first glimmer of dawn peeped over the crests of the hills. The light was gray at first, then gradually a tinge of red began to seep into it, and slowly it bloomed into a huge red blossom before the first fiery rim of the sun edged over the horizon. They could not look at the sun itself, however, so they shaded their eyes with their hands and did the best they could as the sky brightened around them.

Gowan had brought some spiced ale with him and they sipped it as they gazed at the awesome spectacle before them.

"I doubt that too many people are privileged to stand as high as we can and watch this." Minna murmured in awe.

"Next year we should bring the whole village." Gowan said, laughing. "There is plenty of room."

Minna looked around her. The square tower, and those around it, had miles of parapets for people to walk on, even though the one that had burnt down had never been rebuilt. She could imagine the awe and wonder in their faces as they gazed at the sunrise. Perhaps they could have a celebratory meal afterwards. It sounded like a wonderful way to welcome in the coming of summer.

"I want to celebrate with the tenants and villagers," she told him. "God knows, they deserve a treat."

"So do you," Gowan remarked. "But first, it is time for you to face your biggest fear, if you can."

She gulped. "You mean, going to the loch?" Her eyes were wide and fearful.

"Yes." Gowan nodded. "I will go with you - there is nothing to worry about, my sweetheart. I will not let any harm come to you."

Minna hesitated for a moment, then nodded firmly and squared her shoulders. "You are right, Gowan. It is time I faced my fears. I know they are foolish, but they are very real to me. Perhaps if I went to the loch and faced them they would disappear."

"I know they will," he said tenderly, "and you will have peace. No more nightmares." He kissed her forehead. "But you cannot face fears on an empty stomach, especially since there are two of you now. Come and eat, then we can banish those demons once and for all."

After they had breakfast, they set out towards Loch Begg, but as soon as they came within a few yards of it, Minna began to tremble. This was the place where her life had almost been extinguished, and about which she still had nightmares. This harmless-looking body of water was a place which filled her with terror and haunted her dreams, although they had been fewer of late now that she was waking up in Gowan's arms. He was her salvation, her lover, and now the father-to-be of her child. How could she live without him?

Gowan saw the apprehension in her face.

"Do you want to wait here for a while?" he asked.

"No." Her voice was determined. "I should have done this a long time ago, Gowan. I have put it off because things have not been so terrible now that you are here, but I cannot spend my life avoiding this place forever. Just think - our children may want to play here."

Gowan grinned. "Our children. I still cannot believe it."

Minna took a deep breath and urged her horse forward, slowly at first, then faster until she reached the water's edge, where she stopped and looked down at the wavelets lapping against the horse's feet. Brownish weeds swayed and bent to the will of the water as it ebbed and flowed, and as she watched, tiny fish darted over and between a myriad of polished pebbles. It was beautiful but dangerous, as lovely things often were.

Presently, Gowan drew up beside her and reached over to take her hand. "How do you feel?" he asked.

"I don't know," Minna answered. "Confused, I suppose. It looks so peaceful. How can something that looks like this -" She swept her arm out in front of her to indicate the vista of the loch. "Be so dangerous? It almost killed me."

"No, the water did not suck you under - it has no will of its own. Your brother pushed you in." He dismounted and set Minna down at the very edge of the loch so that the water was almost touching her toes, but she instinctively took a step back. He removed his boots quickly and told her to do the same.

Reluctantly, Minna did as he had bid her, then he took each of her hands in his. "Do you trust me, Minna?" he asked softly.

She nodded, but her eyes were still wide with fear.

Gowan took both of her hands in his. "Look at me," he said gently, then he turned and backed slowly into the water, keeping their gaze locked. "Follow me."

Minna inched into the loch, almost hypnotized by the deep, deep brown eyes looking into hers. "Come with me, Minna," Gowan whispered. "Trust me. I will not let you go, my beautiful wife. Nothing bad will ever happen to you as long as I am with you. Do you believe me?"

"Yes," Minna answered.

"Look down," Gowan ordered.

Minna lowered her gaze, then gasped. Her skirts were floating, since she was up to her knees in the cold water of the loch, hardly noticing how she came to be there.

"I could never make myself do this before," she said in wonder. "I never had the courage." She looked up again into Gowan's deep brown eyes, and tears sprang into her own.

He smiled at her lovingly then took her in his arms and kissed her gently. When he drew away, he stroked her hair back from her cheeks then let it slide through his fingers, all the while keeping her gaze fixed on his. "I love you," he whispered.

"And I love you," she answered. "Just one thing, though, sweetheart."

"What?" His voice was fearful.

She gave him a sudden grin. "My feet are numb."

Gowan swept her up into his arms, making sparkling droplets of loch water arc through the air and spray them all over. He stepped onto dry land again and whirled her around and around until they were both dizzy and helpless with laughter, then he laid her down on the soft grass a few yards away from the loch's edge. He lay down beside her and propped himself up on his elbow, looking down into her face. "I cannot remember the last time I felt so good, apart from our wedding night."

"Neither do I." Minna smiled and sighed as she took his hand and kissed it.

"Being with child suits you." Gowan observed, then frowned as Minna gasped. "What is it, Minna? Is something wrong?"

She shook her head, then slowly a beatific smile spread over her face, lighting it up from within. "No, Gowan," she replied. "Nothing at all. I am just a little surprised." She took his big hand and placed it on the slight bulge on her stomach.

Gowan's eyes widened in wonder as he felt the faintest of rhythmic movements under his palm, a series of tiny taps that made him shake his head in disbelief. "The baby is kicking!" he whispered, almost reverently. "I could never really believe it was real until this moment, Minna. It is so wondrous. And it will be a daughter. I am sure of it." He looked up at her, his dark eyes shining with love.

"You would not rather have a son?" Minna was surprised.

"I have never cared about bloodlines, ancestors and nonsense like that." He shook his head, making his pale hair glint gold in the sunlight. "Pfft! What is a name? Only a way to tell one person from another. Why must we worry if it is passed down from one generation to another? I do not care if my name ends with me."

"I must say I agree with you," Minna replied. "If our daughter - or son - is the last of our line then it is meant to be."

"I hope he or she has blue eyes like yours." Gowan ran his thumb lightly along her cheekbone and kissed her eyelids one by one until Minna giggled. Then she pulled him down for another kiss, but it turned into something more as he pushed up her skirts and whispered.

"Let me inside."

Minna opened her legs and opened herself up to him, then cried out as he buried himself inside her and made her scream in ecstasy as she reached fulfillment.

A moment later, Gowan made a long moan and shuddered in the aftermath of the fiercest, most powerful climax he had ever experienced, stronger even than the one on his wedding night. He found his wife even more desirable now that she had his child growing inside her.

He pulled her over to lie beside him while they gazed at each other, blue eyes shining into brown, and he felt as though nothing could ever go wrong in his world again. He had everything he had always wanted; a home, a beautiful wife and a child on the way. What more could he wish for?

"There is only one thing I want at this moment," Minna said, sighing.

"What is that?" Gowan asked.

"A plate of rabbit stew and half a loaf of bread." Minna stood up and Gowan followed her. "I am ravenous!"

"I do believe this ‘eating for two' is a myth, you know," he remarked.

Minna giggled and put her arms around him.

"You once said you would do anything for me," she reminded him.

He sighed, then smiled. "Come on, then, you insatiable woman! Rabbit stew it is!"

Six months later their baby girl was born. Much to Gowan's disappointment and Minna's delight, her eyes were the same deep brown as her father's, but he loved her at first sight anyway.

"What shall we call her?" he asked Minna, not taking his eyes off the little face.

"There is only one possible name," Minna answered, smiling. "Tara."

She would forever treasure the smile of gratitude and love on Gowan's face.

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