One year later

Olivia stared at the snow-covered trees where they met with the sky. Her eyes glazed over, and her hand routinely rubbed over her pregnant stomach. Her mind traveled far from the scenery before her. Time had moved so fast, it had been over a year since she had met Maxwell, a year that she had been married to him, and seven months since she had last seen him.

Any day. The midwife had said her bairn would be born any day, yet her husband was nowhere to be found. No, Olivia knew where he was. He was roaming the highlands with his band.

Olivia remembered when she was with him during the start of the new year, going places Olivia chose on the map. Just the both of them. They were happy that way until her father summoned them. Maxwell was needed to lead his scouts on a quest for her father. Olivia was dead set on going with them, and Maxwell had agreed.

He had snuck out of their bed without waking her and was most likely past the border of the clan by the time Olivia had woken up. He had left a  sweet note explaining the dangers of the quest and how he absolutely could not let her get hurt. Olivia had not seen him since, but she missed him terribly.

Her pregnancy was discovered only a few days after Maxwell had left, and she had written to him about it. If the letter could come to life, she would have had it bite his head off for leaving her behind. The last letter they shared was a few days ago when Maxwell’s messenger bird returned with his reply.

He was on the Scottish border and would be arriving any day, but so would their child.

Olivia blinked as something soft descended over her shoulders. Blaire had set a wool cloak over her shoulders, and Olivia immediately thanked her. “Staring at the gates will nae bring him any closer, ye ken.”

“Aye, but I keep feeling restless whenever I sit fer too long. I’d rather stand. And I was nae looking at the gates. I just thought the sky looked beautiful today.” Olivia said as she gave her stomach a small pat when she felt her child move. “He is so eager to see the world already.”

“How would ye ken if yer bairn was male?”

“I daenae ken. I just have a feeling it is a boy.” A particular chilly breeze blew into the castle, making Olivia close her eyes, shielding them from the snow. She winced after another kick, this one much stronger than the last. “Only boys are this bothersome.” Blaire laughed while tiny giggles left Olivia. Her laughing was cut short with a wince when another kick came.

Her breath left her in a loud hiss as she pressed herself against the wall, Blaire quickly by her side.

“How bad is the pain?” Blaire asked after a while; Olivia’s scrunched-up face had started to lose its red color. “Ye should be in bed, come on. Let us get ye into it to rest a bit.”

Olivia nodded, and the moment she took a step forward, she heard one of the guards from below. “Open the gate!” While Olivia couldn’t move as fast as she wished, she had to rely on her sister as Blaire poked her head through the window first.

“Olivia, they are back!” Blaire smiled and pulled Olivia closer as gently as she could to help her see to the castle ground. True to Blaire’s words, Olivia saw familiar horses throttle through the open gates. She zoned in on one person, her husband, when he rode up behind his scouts, his fur cloak almost white from the snow that had descended on it.

Olivia was ready to call out for him when she felt something trickle down her left leg. Her grip on her sister tightened, causing Blaire to look back at her. “Perhaps ye should send fer the midwife.

***

It had been five hours since Maxwell had returned. He had only seen Olivia for the first time in almost a year for a little under half an hour before she was whisked away when the midwife arrived. He had then been allowed to wait by her side for a little longer. Olivia had tears streaming down her face by the time the birthing started. She squeezed his hand so bad, Maxwell was sure it would break. Her forehead was shiny with sweat, and her voice raw from the screaming.

Maxwell was sure he did not want another child after that. Seeing the pain his wife was in, the sobbing and the screaming was enough for him to reach that decision. He wondered how his mother had given birth to three sons or how the townswomen he would see with a whole flock of children did it.

Maxwell found himself starting to panic when Olivia began to complain of having no more strength. He had seen how her eyes would roll back only for them to snap open when she was in pain. He had unknowingly snapped at one of the lassies that had come with the midwife, frustrated and on edge at the sight of his wife and her pained cries. He had been pushed out after that.

That was two hours ago, and Maxwell was ready to tear out his hair. His scouts left him be, each one recognizing the tiny tick of the vein in the middle of his forehead. He was ready to lash out, and Olivia’s cries were not helping.

The sun retired for the crescent moon to hang in the star-dotted sky. It had been roughly seven hours since Maxwell returned, six since Olivia had gone into labor. Maxwell had taken to sitting by the door, blue eyes glaring at the space ahead of him. His throat was parched, his limbs ached, and he was starting to feel the pangs of hunger, but Maxwell knew anything he put in his mouth would taste like sand.

About an hour later, Maxwell scrambled to his feet the moment a high-pitched scream came from Olivia. He was about to rip the door open when another cry came from the other side. Suddenly, voices filled the room.

“What a beauty. A bonnie lass just like her mother.” At that, Maxwell felt his whole body sag with relief, his head coming to rest on the wooden door as he blinked away the tears in his eyes. He was finally a father.

He was nae allowed to see his wife and daughter as the midwife insisted they needed to rest. It was nearing midnight when the rest of the family had settled down for a very late dinner. Olivia’s handmaid announced that his wife was awake. Her father and sister saw her first while Maxwell took the time to gather himself. He was meeting a life he created with his wife for the first time, and while it was apparent that the bairn would not remember it, Maxwell would. He would cherish that moment for the rest of his life.

When Maxwell stepped into their bedchambers where Olivia had been moved to, the first thing he saw was the tiny wool-wrapped bundle in his wife’s arms. Olivia beamed at him as he bit down on his bottom lip while willing the tears in his eyes away. “Maxwell, she has yer eyes.” Olivia waved her over, giggling as he did as told. He peered down at the bairn, who was pressed to her mother’s chest, lips parted as her chest rose and fell with every breath. She had a head of reddish blonde hair as he did. Tiny bright eyes watched him as he leaned in to press a kiss to his daughter’s head.

“She is just as beautiful as ye. Perhaps more.” Maxwell chuckled at the pout that formed on Olivia’s face before he leaned closer to capture her lips in a short, sweet kiss.

“Thank ye.” He rested his forehead against hers, noses brushing.

“What should we name her? I was expecting a lad with how much she kicked inside me.”

Maxwell’s smile fell slowly as he remembered his absence during a crucial time for his wife. “I am sorry I couldnae be there.”

“Nae, ye were fer the betterment of the clan. I can nae blame ye fer that. Ye are here now with yer daughter and I, and that is all that matters.” He hummed, not satisfied, but he would let it go fer now. Olivia looked down at their daughter. Her smile seemed to grow wider.

“I can nae believe she is here already. I can nae think of what to name her. All I have are names fer lads.”

“How about Charlotte.” Olivia paused to stare at her husband before her face broke out into another smile. One look at the bairn, and it was obvious that she took all of her father’s features, and Maxwell, in turn, had gotten all of his mother’s features. Olivia loved the idea and nodded as she gently hugged her daughter closer to her.

“Yes. Charlotte, it is. We can use the other names I have fer when we have other children.” Maxwell caught himself as he was nodding at her words. She did not see his glare as she was too engrossed with her child. They would talk about that later, but for now, Maxwell wanted to enjoy every moment he got with his family. For he had never been happier.

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