Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Dunstaffnage Reenactment Event - present

Today, the day before their wedding, and Marie stood on top of the wall walk, as the reenactment events unfolded on the grounds below. She giggled as John carried a large "creel" or basket filled with stones from one end of a castle yard to the other. Groups of villagers and guests for the reenactment event cheered him on. Colin and a group of men teased him as they piled more rocks into his basket.

He stumbled, and Marie gasped. If he dropped the basket, he would have to start over again. He duplicated an old Highland custom where the groom carried rocks. The rules required him to continue with this arduous task until his bride walked out of her house and kissed him. When she did, his friends allowed him to escape from the "creeling". If not, he would continue until he completed the circuit of the town, in today's case, the castle yard. This remained his third time already.

Bree stood beside her and sighed. "You really should put him out of his misery."

Ainslie, Colin's sister, stood on her other side and huffed a laugh. "And miss all this fun? If she ends it too soon, the reenactment will be over."

Marie gasped as John stumbled again and almost fell to his knees.

The men in the crowd cheered loud enough to echo across Loch Etive.

Marie turned and started down the wall walk. "Okay, fun's over. I need to stop this, or there will be no husband for the wedding."

Bree and Ainslie's laughter followed her as Marie smiled.

****

The following day, Marie stood at the castle doors, ready for her parade through the yard to the chapel. Finally, the day of her wedding had arrived. Her highland historical wedding occurred for the reenactment event, and the Scottish Historical Society remained on hand with a team of photographers who captured the events for Bree's upcoming museum tour.

She wiped her hands on the towel again to keep the historical dress clean. After the wedding, it would become part of the museum's display. She fingered the embroidery. The dress seemed perfect.

They took the past year to plan this event and waited for the right date, the same as his parents' wedding. Her love for John grew daily, and only yesterday, she shared news of her pregnancy with John. Ecstatic about becoming a father and husband, he raided Colin's cigar case and the men sat up as they smoked and drank whisky.

When she first arrived at Dunstaffnage, she wasn't sure if this remained where her life would take her. During her abduction, she wasn't sure she would make it back, back to John. His steadfast pursuit and devotion, her rescue, and the recovery of an Iona Stone, the Stone of Fear all led to this moment; everything seemed perfect.

The lead piper glanced over his shoulder and nodded at her the signal that they begin. Her bride's parade followed. In the past, people would line the streets to the church to cheer on the happy couple before they took their vows. Today she paraded through the castle yard led by bagpipers in the highland tradition to meet John on the steps of the Chapel in the Woods.

The pipers lifted their instruments and began to fill their bags with air. Marie took a deep breath—this was it. The two pipers started the bass tone, deep and low. The melody began with a traditional wedding march that had Marie near skipping as they led her out the castle doors and into the yard as she made her way to the chapel. Her heart swelled; this embodied the wedding of her dreams. As she walked through the crowd, she recognized many people from the village. The lads from the wharf waved enthusiastically, and Hamish McLean, the pub owner, stood by their side. The Historical Society photographers progressed behind the crowd as they snapped shots, and halfway there, video cameras stood on platforms as they captured every moment. As she drew closer to the chapel, she spotted friends from college who all wore highland dresses which fit into the reenactment wedding perfectly. She waved as she passed them by.

Bree and Colin stood upon the church steps, dressed for the historic occasion with the twins held between Bree and Ainslie. Evie and Ewan were dressed in historical clothing as well. They were calm, likely under threat from their father. Her gaze traveled to the chapel doorway, and in full highland regalia waited her love, John MacArthur.

He stood alone with no family member beside him. Granny died the day after they returned the Stone of Fear to the Fae. John said it seemed fitting, as she performed her duty by staying alive long enough to guide John on his quest for an Iona Stone.

Marie stood also alone on the chapel steps with no family left to give her away as well. They both planned to start their new life with each other, together.

As she stepped onto the chapel entry, John took her hand and kissed the back. "Ye look as bonnie today as the first time I met ye."

Marie returned his smile. "Ye look wonderful in a kilt."

John laughed. "Like me skirt, do ye?"

"Aye, yer knees are sexy."

The minister cleared his throat, and John and Marie turned to face him, arms linked.

Their service occurred on the chapel steps, as remained the custom in the old Highland way. Plus, not all of the guests would fit in the small chapel. The location gave the historical photographers a perfect setting for her dream wedding and plenty of space as they captured every moment.

When it came time to exchange the rings, Marie's stomach fluttered. The exchange of rings remained a key feature of any wedding. A circle with no beginning and no end symbolized the love within a marriage. She gazed at John as he spoke his vows in Gaelic and slid the extra band with matching scrolls to the ruby ring on her finger.

I vow ye the first cut of my meat, the first sip of my wine.

From this day on, it shall only be yer name I cry out into the night.

Into yer eyes, I shall smile each morning.

I will be a shield for yer back as ye are for mine,

Never shall a grievous word be spoken between us,

For our marriage is sacred between us.

Above and beyond this, I will cherish and honor ye through this life

And into the next.

The minister repeated the vows in English, but John insisted they each spoke them in Gaelic so her dream historical wedding was authentic. John ensured every detail was what Marie wanted, and his care touched her. Marie's eyes watered with emotion as she spoke her vows, the same as John's.

Holding a larger version of her band with the same decorative scrolls, she repeated Gaelic vows as she slid his ring on his finger. As the minister recited the vows in English, John smiled, bent, and kissed her. A loud cheer rose from the people gathered in the yard.

The minister huffed. "Well, I guess you can kiss yer bride now, John."

Everyone within their hearing laughed.

Marie and John turned together and held their hands high as Colin announced, "As Laird, I am pleased to present to ye, Mr. and Mrs. John MacArthur, Captain of Dunstaffnage."

The crowd erupted in cheers as the bagpipers picked up a lively tune of an old Scottish folk song, for the parade back to the castle. Prepared for the guests sat a traditional wedding feast of duplicate buffets set out in the castle yard. Roast beef, chicken, and pork accompanied by roasted potatoes, mixed vegetables, fruit, and nuts weighed down the tables. Wine and spirits sat prepared at the bar, the MacDougall whisky a feature.

In tradition, the feasting carried on into the night or until the men passed out where they sat. Today, the reenactment organizers planned to close the festivities around midnight.

John bent and kissed her at the castle steps. "Ye head up and change, so ye don't have to worry about messing up the historical dress."

Marie smiled and turned to the castle entry.

John held her hand tightly and pulled her back into his embrace as he whispered in her ear, "I love ye, Mrs. MacArthur, but don't take too long. Our exit will be early. I have a surprise for ye."

Marie couldn't change fast enough. Wearing another historical dress she planned to dine in, she strode to the castle steps where her husband awaited her. My husband.

He smiled as his hand reached for hers. Marie gasped when he shifted aside, and she cleared the doorway.

An antique horse-drawn carriage awaited them at the steps of the castle. Men dressed in traditional highland garb stood ready for another highland tradition—an escort who would attend the wedding couple to their new home. Marie and John stood at the entry landing, which overlooked the castle grounds. Colin and Bree stepped up beside them.

Colin leaned over and spoke to the couple as the crowd gathered below. "Congratulations, ye two. I am truly happy for ye."

John smiled and hugged Colin. "Thanks for all ye have done, for everything."

A teary Bree hugged Marie. "Are ye ready for the bouquet toss?" Marie gazed back at her very best friend.

Beyond her, Ainslie stood, and Marie leaned over to her. "Ainslie, aren't ye going to go down to be with all the single ladies to have a chance at catching the bouquet? Who knows, ye might be the next to marry?"

Ainslie scoffed a laugh. "Not in this lifetime, nor the next!"

Colin winked at Marie, who only smiled. Well, Marie would ensure their plan for Ainslie to catch the bouquet would happen whether she stood with the women or not.

Colin turned to the crowd of women who gathered beneath the castle steps and announced loud enough for all present, "Are all the single maidens ready for the bouquet toss?"

High-pitched squeals radiated from the woman below.

Bree turned to Marie and switched bouquets for a smaller one of flowers tied with a ribbon since the tossed bouquet usually ended up being involved in a tug-of-war match between women, each vying for the honor since a caught bridal bouquet meant the promise of the next to wed.

Marie gathered herself, spotted Ainslie from the corner of her eye, and tossed the bouquet. The flowers tumbled in her hands only to be caught by Bree, who also fumbled with the bunch once, then again. The flowers tipped into Ainslie's hands and landed there.

The crowd roared, and Ainslie yelled, "Well, damn if I didn't catch the stupid bouquet!"

Everyone on the entry landing launched into laughter.

Ainslie folded her arms. "Oh, the hell with it! I don't need a man!" She tossed the bouquet to the crowd of women below, who tumbled into a flurry of activity to capture the flowers.

John led Marie to the waiting carriage, helped her in, and climbed in after. As John and Marie waved to the crowd, the carriage started down the cliff's road.

Marie snuggled into John's arms. "Well, husband, this is a nice surprise."

John kissed her cheek. "It's not over yet, wife."

Marie smiled. "Well, I hope not. I'm looking forward to my wedding night, but where are we staying? I thought the plan was the castle?"

John bent and brushed his lips against her, then kissed her deeper. It was over two years since their first kiss, and she still got tingly when he kissed her.

The horse-drawn carriage progress stayed slow, and the view from the window changed as they traveled through Dunbeg. Soon Marie recognized where the procession headed.

She turned from the window. "John, are we headed to the priory? The renovation project doesn't begin for another few weeks. Only one building is livable, with a small living area, kitchen, and bedroom, and the roof leaks. What if it rains?"

John glanced out the window then at Marie. "Then I will have to hold ye to keep ye warm, wife."

She huffed, not convinced. John's finger on her chin turned her gaze to meet his. "Trust me, wife. We still have some traditions to tend to. I want to ensure we begin our lives right, and Colin and I got the place ready."

When they pulled up to the priory steps, John jumped from the carriage and held his hand for Marie. He helped her down, escorted her to the door, and opened it but stopped Marie from entering.

"Wait, wife. We must honor the ancient tradition of carrying the bride over the doorstep. This tradition will ensure that we step over the evil spirits that might inhabit the thresholds of doors. Considering the priory's history, I didn't want to take any chances."

Marie teared up. He wanted to ensure she felt safe as their life started at the priory, a place which in the past held terrible memories—her kidnapping, the priest's capture, and John's parents' deaths. But in the present, the priory represented hope—a promise for their future together.

John swooped Marie into his arms and paused at the doorway. "What did the miner say when he had to carry his new wife over the threshold?"

Marie smiled as she waited for the punchline.

John kissed her lips and replied, "Don't quarry. I've got this!"

He carried her across the threshold and lowered her in his arms.

He caressed her cheek as he gazed into her eyes. "Marie, ye are my greatest gift, my best blessing. Ye and the bairn, ye are my future."

Marie stared back at the love of her life and recognized she had no fear if John stayed with her. Together, they would conquer anything.

"John, I love ye. Ye are my best blessing, the greatest gift, true love, and my family."