Was there a part that bored or that you didn't really like in the book? *

Even a character, a scene, or anything. You could say no if nothing bothered you.

Do you enjoy stories that include prophecies? *

• Yes, I find them very intriguing.
• No, I find them kinda predictable.
• I can't really decide. They are ok I guess.

Do you think the fact that Katarina was a woman of colour, influenced your opinion about her? *

• Yes, it did influence my opinion of her
• No, it did not have any influence on my opinion

Was the story too heavy because of Katarina's family's fate? *

• Yes, I found it too heavy because of it
• No, I found it appropriate for the story
• I can't really say. It was ok.

Submit

Orkney Islands, Scotland, One year later

Katarina stood atop the battlements and watched the clan’s men and women bringing in the first harvests from the fields beyond. It had been a year since they had fought the bloody battle to keep Orkney safe from the clutches of Alistair Morgan. She thought for a brief moment of Morgan’s trial but pushed it from her mind. Today was a day for happy thoughts. She gently caressed her belly, smiling softly to herself. She had not yet told Dunn the good news, but she planned to do so that very night after the celebrations. It was Lammastide, which just so happened to also be Adamina’s day of birth. Everyone would be coming to the castle for the celebrations.

Idalia and Leonor had gone to Rome to deliver the news of their parents and grandparents’ deaths to their aunt. Katarina had been scared to let them go, but Dunn had assigned them to be guarded by Ewan and Andrew, along with several other of their men. They had been gone for some time but were to return at any moment if fair weather held. Tor was about the business of the king. It was unclear whether he would be able to return, as he now held his own responsibilities apart from the clan that kept him away most of the time.

Returning to the hall to continue preparations for the evening’s festivities, Katarina inhaled the delicious scent of bread coming from the kitchen. Baking bread was an important part of the Lammastide tradition using the first wheat harvested. The cook had been baking all morning. Katarina’s stomach rumbled at the delicious smells, and she tore a piece from one of the finished loaves. It was fresh, warm, and just what her body needed. “My lady,” the cook greeted her with a smile. “Does it meet with yer approval?”

“It does,” Katarina nodded with a smile. “Our people will be well fed this night.”

The cook nodded in acknowledgment of the compliment. “They will indeed. Let us pray that yer sisters make it home i time tae enjoy the fruits o’ our labors.”

“I have faith that Ewan and Andrew will get them here as promised.”

“And the laird’s brother, our own dear Tor?”

Katarina shook her head. “It is not certain.”

The cook shook her head sorrowfully.

“He has his own responsibilities now.”

The cook frowned at this and spat on the floor. “He is ours, nae the king’s.”

Katarina nodded. “We do what we must. What he does, he does for us.”

Nodding, the cook went back to work, grumbling under her breath about the cost of the crown upon the clan and their dear sweet Tor being dragged into it all. Katarina stifled a smile and left the kitchen before she could get into trouble for an inappropriate remark about Tor perhaps being a willing sacrifice to the king’s wishes. Feeling tired, she went to her bedchamber and laid down for a moment on the bed. There was much work to be done, so she did not intend to lie down for long. But before she knew it, she was fast asleep.

Dunn came in from the fields to find his wife sound asleep in her bedchamber. She never slept in the middle of the day unless she was ill. Concerned, he crawled into bed next to her and pulled her into his arms to feel if she was feverish. Stirring, her eyes opened, and she smiled up at him sweetly. “Are ye unwell, lass?” he asked, brushing the hair back from her face.

She shook her head. “I was simply tired. I did not mean to fall asleep.”

Dunn smiled in relief. “Ye have been working hard. Ye deserve a rest. Are ye certain that naught is amiss? Ye did nae break the fast this morning.”

Katarina gave him a knowing smile, and he raised a brow in question. Taking his hand, she laid it across her lower abdomen. “I am with child, Dunn.”

Dunn’s heart stopped, then raced forward with a powerful force as what she said to him sank in. “Ye are with child?”

“I am.” She nodded, her expression one of excitement.

Dunn squeezed her tight, kissing her passionately. “When?” he finally asked when he came up for air.

“Sometime in late winter to early spring.”

Dunn looked down into her eyes and felt as if they held his entire world. “A wee bairn,” he breathed in awe as he gently caressed her stomach.

“Aye, a wee bairn,” she mimicked his Scottish brogue, and he laughed. She had gone back to speaking with her own native voice when they had told the clan the truth about her, but every once in a while, she would speak in the way of his people. His heart always warmed at the sound of it.

“I pray that the wee bairn has yer eyes,” he murmured, nuzzling her neck as he sprinkled kisses all along it. He leaned back to look into her eyes and saw tears there. “What is it, my love?”

She shook her head and brushed the tears away. “I only wish that my mother and father were alive.”

“As do I.” Dunn understood her feelings all too well. He held her close for some time before either of them spoke again.

“If we have a son, I know what I would like to name him, but I do not know how you will feel about it.”

“What is it? If it is after yer faither, I would consider it. It would make the bairn’s life harder, but we could prepare him for that.”

Katarina shook her head. “I would not wish to cause our son further difficulty than his inheritance already will bring him in life.”

Dunn nodded. “I am sorry, lass. I wish it were not so difficult.”

Katarina nodded. “I know that. You have done well for your people. I am proud of ye.”

“I ken well enough the burdens that the future leaders o’ our people will carry tae their graves. The difficulties will nae cease with me, as they did nae cease with my faither or grandfaither. In time, I hope that it will be different, but that is for us tae see tae as each day comes. I dinnae wish tae burden him with my faither or grandfaither’s given names either. The crown does nae need tae be reminded o’ past rebellions. He will bear my surname. That will be enough.”

Katarina nodded. “I understand.”

Dunn kissed her on the forehead. “What name did ye have in mind, lass?”

“Bran,” she whispered the name as if it were holy.

Dunn gave her a squeeze of reassurance. “It is a braw name tae be certain, a worthy name indeed.”

“He gave his life in an attempt to save mine. I want to honor that sacrifice. He was not able to bear sons of his own, but his memory will live on in ours.”

“Aye,” Dunn nodded, burying his face in her hair. He breathed in the scent of her and closed his eyes. The thought of her in danger made his entire being tense with the need to protect her. He pulled back and looked her in the eyes. “If we have a son, he will be called Bran.”

“When Andrew arrives with my sisters, I would like to tell him of our decision.”

Dunn nodded. “Aye, I have nae doubt that he would very much like tae hear such bonnie tidings.”

“It is a terrible thing that we were not able to have his body returned for a proper burial.”

“It was never found. Andrew beat the truth out o’ the Morgan master o’ arms.” A shiver passed over Katarina’s body, and he squeezed her tighter. “Let us think upon happier things, my love. We have much tae be grateful for.”

“We do,” she answered, wiping the tears from her eyes.

“We can announce our joy tae all before the evening’s feast.”

“My sisters will be overjoyed.”

“As will mine.”

They both smiled at the thought. A knock at the door interrupted their private moment. “Enter,” Dunn answered, sitting up to see who was at the door.

One of the guards entered the room and nodded his head in respect. “My laird, my lady, they have returned.”

Katarina squealed with delight and leaped up out of bed at a run. Dunn laughed and followed close behind her. They raced down the stairs, across the courtyard, and down the path to the shoreline where the boats came in. Katarina was out of breath by the time she got there. As soon as her sisters’ feet touched solid ground, she engulfed them in a hug. “I have missed you both so very much!”

Dunn stepped forward and clasped arms with both Ewan and Andrew in turn. “It is good tae have ye home again.”

“We brought guests,” Ewan announced and turned to help a woman out of the boat.

Katarina’s eyes opened wide with surprise. “Aunt?”

Katarina’s aunt stepped out of the boat and into her arms. “Katarina, my darling niece, it has been too long. I hear that you have had many adventures since last we saw one another.”

Katarina could not speak for the tears clogging her throat. She sobbed into her aunt’s hair. She had thought that she might never see her again. Her aunt had married the leader of another important Romani family—her duty was to her new people, and yet she had left them behind and come all the way to the north of Scotland to see her. The emotion of it was too much to bear, and she could do nothing but cry. Her aunt simply held her until she could get her emotions under control.

“My Katarina, my beautiful Katarina, do not cry.” She said, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

“I thought that I might never see you again,” she sniffed, trying to get herself together.

“When Idalia and Leonor told me what happened, I knew that I had to come.” She turned her head to eye Dunn’s tall, formidable form standing protectively next to them and smiled. “But I see now why you decided to stay.”

Dunn smiled. “Ye have come at an auspicious time, Auntie.”

Katarina smiled at his use of the familial term. “Indeed, you have,” she agreed, taking a step back to stand beside her husband so that she might tell all of them at once. “I am with child.”

Joy spread across every face present. Her sisters rushed forward to embrace her once more and to coo over her belly, speaking to the bairn within. Katarina laughed. Her aunt stepped forward and placed her hand on her belly. She murmured a Romani blessing that brought tears to Katarina’s eyes once more. Ewan and Andrew stepped forward to deliver their well wishes.

“My lady,” Ewan brought her hand to his lips, then stepped back to allow Andrew to do the same.

“There is something that Dunn and I wish to share with you.”

“Aye?” he asked, his brows arched in inquisition.

“We have decided that should our child be a son, we will name him Bran, after your brother.”

Andrew stilled, and his eyes met Katarina’s. “I thank ye, my lady. Bran would have been honored tae have yer bairn bear his name.” Breaking with his usual reserved form, he stepped forward, embraced her, kissed her softly on the cheek, then stepped back. Nodding his congratulations to Dunn, he walked away.

Ewan stood with his jaw dropped. “That is the most emotion I have ever seen him show outside o’ rage at Morgan for killing his brother.”

“Andrew has lost much,” Dunn murmured in sympathy. “He is the last o’ his family.”

“He has us,” Katarina reminded him.

“Aye, he does.”

“We are his family, and he should not be allowed to forget that.” Squeezing her husband’s hand, she ran after Andrew, stopped him, threw arms around him, stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek, then laid his hand on her belly. She knew that people were watching, but she did not care. His brother had tried to save her life, and she would never forget that or the debt that she owed his family. “You are a part of our family, now and forever. This bairn will be as a nephew to you and you an uncle to it. You are bound by blood and by name to this child, always. Do you accept this solemn duty?”

Andrew, strong, masculine, brave Andrew, stood there with tears in his eyes and dropped to his knees, his hand still on her belly. “Aye, I do here pledge ye my oath. By blood and by name, I bind myself tae this bairn, and only in death will I be parted from it.” Rising, he bowed at the waist. “My lady.” This time when he walked away, Katarina let him go. She had no wish to make him cry in front of his fellow clansmen. There were some things a person needed to do alone.

She turned back to where her own family stood and thought back over everything that had happened to them. It was a mixture of the most traumatic of sorrows and the greatest of joys. In a little over a year’s time, she had lost nearly every person that she loved, regained her sisters, married, and now was expecting a baby.

Had someone told her that running from August Raymond would result in all of that, she would have told them they were of unsound mind. Now, August Raymond was nowhere in sight, Alistair Morgan had been dealt with, and her family was finally back together. She could feel her parent’s spirits with her. She murmured a prayer for their souls.

Walking back over to Dunn, he enfolded her into his warm embrace. “I am proud o’ ye,” he whispered. “Ye are more o’ a wife than I ever could have dreamed o’ having. Ye are the lass that God meant for me tae wed, o’ that I have nae doubt, but ye are more than that. Ye are the true lady o’ my people, the true lady o’ my heart.” He kissed her deeply, then leaned back to look into her eyes. “A curse may have brought ye tae me, but ye are truly a blessing gifted from God himself.”

Katarina smiled up at him, her eyes filled with tears. “Nothing so pure as our love could ever come from a cursed heart, my love. The curse did not bring us together. Only God himself could have foreseen a match such as ours.”

Dunn laid his hand on her belly. “And the bairn? What will we tell him o’ his beginnings? Will we tell him o’ the evil that Morgan wrought or o’ Esmerelda’s curse and why it was cast?”

Katarina thought about his words for a moment. “I believe that we must. For those we have lost live on in our memories. If we do not remember them and the sacrifices that they made, then it is as if they have died once more. It will bring us pain to speak of it and will bring our children pain to hear of it, but it is the only way that we can be true to those that are gone. I want our children to remember where they came from. I want our love to live on through them. And that will not be possible if we are not truthful with them about what brought them here. Are you with me?”

Dunn smiled down into her eyes, his love for her clear upon his face. “Always.”

The End.

If you want to know what lies ahead in our story, you may want to get the sequel…

Katherine Morgan’s world is turned upside down when she is forced to marry by royal decree in order to save her father from the noose. However, when she discovers that her groom is Tor Leòideach, the man who sentenced her father to death, she walks down the aisle with a heavy heart and buried truths on the tip of her tongue. Katherine risks everything to keep her end of the bargain as their mutual desire grows stronger. But she’ll soon realize there’s no way out of this mess without a broken heart…

Married to her Highland Foe