would deliver us right back into the hands of the English just so he could inherit more lands and titles. I was in the minority, I agreed with my father’s decision. Our clans had fought long and hard against one another over the decades, and whenever our two clans seemed to reach some kind of peaceful accord, the Bruce would break their promises and the wars would start all over again.
True enough, Robert seemed far more sincere and trustworthy than his wretch father had been, but still, a Bruce was a Bruce and we had been fooled far too many times.
But all of this politics mattered little to me as my life had taken a rather unexpected turn, and I spent my days mostly thinking about Derrick. We had not publicly declared our love for one another, as Derrick knew that once this happened we would be expected to marry and my life as a warrior would be over. He knew my nature and knew that I would be truly unhappy if I was to stop ranging and defending the borders of our lands. But to be honest, even though I loved the life of a warrior, I was also beginning to have deep thoughts about creating home for Derrick and I. I began thinking about spending my days keeping house and chasing after our children all day. At one time, such thoughts would send chills of fear down my spine, but now the thoughts seemed natural, like a life with Derrick was simply something that was meant to be.
When we were not together, all I could do was think about him and the next time we could be together. I dreamt of his body on top of mine, filling me again and again. I would sometimes grow so excited that I would wake up in the middle of the night with my bed clothes sodden and my skin dripping wet with sweat, and it would be long hours before I could go to sleep again. But despite this dreaminess, I did not let it interfere with my duty to the clan. The English were now a constant threat and most of our neighbors considered us to be hostile because we would not join Robert The Bruce’s war. It was a hard time for our people, but I knew we would endure just as we always had.
***
I had just returned after a particularly long three weeks of ranging along our northern border. The English were thick in these areas, and as much as my war party wanted to, we were currently not allowed to directly engage them unless they crossed over into our lands with the intent of advancing through them. If this occurred, we could slaughter them where they stood, and we took the same attitude towards the Bruce’s armies. Although we would often parlay with our countrymen before actually engaging them. Of all of the Bruce’s patrols that we encountered, all of them had been friendly and willing to speak and then ride around our lands. All except for one, and they simply took exception with the fact that I was a woman and they thought that I was too lowly to engage with. My party, of course, made them stick their heads up their own asses as they scurried away from the fierceness of our blades.
I was utterly exhausted and wanted nothing more than to return to the home of my parents and sleep for several days. I was so tired and distracted that I barely noticed the village humming with activity and excitement. We had a visitor in our village and he was someone I never expected to see in all of my short life.
I walked through the front door of my parents’ home and the whole of my family was gathered there. My Ma and Da, all of my sisters and their husbands and children. The children mobbed me as I entered, hugging me around my knees and calling my name. I was so preoccupied with their attention that I didn’t notice my father standing in front of me along with his guest, and his guest was none other than Robert The Bruce. On seeing him standing there right in
True enough, Robert seemed far more sincere and trustworthy than his wretch father had been, but still, a Bruce was a Bruce and we had been fooled far too many times.
But all of this politics mattered little to me as my life had taken a rather unexpected turn, and I spent my days mostly thinking about Derrick. We had not publicly declared our love for one another, as Derrick knew that once this happened we would be expected to marry and my life as a warrior would be over. He knew my nature and knew that I would be truly unhappy if I was to stop ranging and defending the borders of our lands. But to be honest, even though I loved the life of a warrior, I was also beginning to have deep thoughts about creating home for Derrick and I. I began thinking about spending my days keeping house and chasing after our children all day. At one time, such thoughts would send chills of fear down my spine, but now the thoughts seemed natural, like a life with Derrick was simply something that was meant to be.
When we were not together, all I could do was think about him and the next time we could be together. I dreamt of his body on top of mine, filling me again and again. I would sometimes grow so excited that I would wake up in the middle of the night with my bed clothes sodden and my skin dripping wet with sweat, and it would be long hours before I could go to sleep again. But despite this dreaminess, I did not let it interfere with my duty to the clan. The English were now a constant threat and most of our neighbors considered us to be hostile because we would not join Robert The Bruce’s war. It was a hard time for our people, but I knew we would endure just as we always had.
***
I had just returned after a particularly long three weeks of ranging along our northern border. The English were thick in these areas, and as much as my war party wanted to, we were currently not allowed to directly engage them unless they crossed over into our lands with the intent of advancing through them. If this occurred, we could slaughter them where they stood, and we took the same attitude towards the Bruce’s armies. Although we would often parlay with our countrymen before actually engaging them. Of all of the Bruce’s patrols that we encountered, all of them had been friendly and willing to speak and then ride around our lands. All except for one, and they simply took exception with the fact that I was a woman and they thought that I was too lowly to engage with. My party, of course, made them stick their heads up their own asses as they scurried away from the fierceness of our blades.
I was utterly exhausted and wanted nothing more than to return to the home of my parents and sleep for several days. I was so tired and distracted that I barely noticed the village humming with activity and excitement. We had a visitor in our village and he was someone I never expected to see in all of my short life.
I walked through the front door of my parents’ home and the whole of my family was gathered there. My Ma and Da, all of my sisters and their husbands and children. The children mobbed me as I entered, hugging me around my knees and calling my name. I was so preoccupied with their attention that I didn’t notice my father standing in front of me along with his guest, and his guest was none other than Robert The Bruce. On seeing him standing there right in
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