Highland Dream (Book 1)

Chapter 47

AN - Hope you are still enjoying the story so far. Its only a small update, but something to keep you all going. I am currently doing the nanowrimo with Silently Hunted, so will update this when I can. Thanks, enjoy.

Chapter 47

With the hand fasting postponed and the clan told an accident had befallen Iona, the clan used the planned feast as a celebration of a life rather than of two lives coming together. No one noticed, or at least no one mentioned when Aislinn had not been seen at all by the clan, and the fact that Camdyn had not been seen after making the announcement about Iona.

Cam had made sure that Hamish had managed to slip Aislinn in through the hidden tunnels as he had given the announcement, slipping away as soon as he could without being spotted. Isla had already heard the news before the clan, one of the few that would be told the truth. Knowing that truth meant that she could not be kept from going to tend Aislinn instead of staying to mourn with the clan.

Leaving the clan in the hands of Anoghus and Artair, to field questions on the decided story they would take. Cam had spent the rest of the day with Aislinn. Thankfully by the time he had entered the room Isla had already stitched the wound on Aislinn’s forearm. He did not think he could take seeing her in that much pain after knowing what she had to deal with in that cottage while he had not been there to help her. After giving her a herbal mix to soothe the pain and ease her into sleep, Isla had given him her diagnosis.

Stood by the hearth, he looked towards the bed that held the one person who now held his heart. As he listened to the damage she had endured. “Camdyn, she will be in pain for sometime, I’m afraid. Apart from the wound on her arm, there are only some superficial cuts and bruises about her body. It is her ribs that worry me. There are some obvious breaks that can be felt. But her breathing is still laboured. That could just be the broken ribs themselves, or there could be deeper damage we cannot see.”

“She will be fine.” His statement did not shock Isla, she just patted his arm and headed back to the bed to make Aislinn more comfortable. She had been through so much already, of course she would be fine. No one with the personality of Aislinn could go through so much for nothing. She had to have her day, and even if it could not happen today he would make sure that she would get it soon.

He had heard Isla murmur earlier about it being a shame about her dress. So as he watched Isla make small adjustments to the pillows beneath her he thought of the dresses of his mothers that had been shut away by his father. They would have been a similar size from what he remembered of Suisan. They were in fact Aislinn’s heritage now, so there would not be an issue there. The only problem he could see was how thin Aislinn still was compared to what she should have been. He would get Isla on the task, see what could be accomplished.

As Isla left, Cam slipped into the bed with Aislinn and held her close. As he had done not so long ago, after her poisoning. This really was becoming to popular for them. He would have to have serious words with her and her penchant for danger when she awoke.

And so he held her. Whispering in her ear every now and then. Telling her stories of his childhood and hopes of the future to come. He listened as her breathing became a little easier as the day wore on. It gave him hope that there was no permanent damage. When she stirred a little he froze until once again settled and slept peacefully next to him.

As night drew nearer his thoughts turned darker, he had nearly lost her. The clan could very well have been in mourning for Aislinn right now, rather than Iona. While he felt for what the girl had gone through. She had never asked for help that would have been received. He would never have refused help, but now he did not know if he could pray for her troubled soul after the actions she had preformed in her last few months.

If Aislinn had been lost from his life he was certain he would have found no one else in this life time. As that being the case the clan could have been left with Larena’s offspring to claim the clan. And if they were raised as she had been then the clan could be in trouble in deed. With Aislinn’s survival at least he could try and curb Larena now with help. Maybe find someone who would actually marry her. Though that may be hard with some word that had spread to the nearby clans with her. He may have some trouble in that area. Not to mention Larena herself. Her opinion could and would be heard by everyone.

He would be sure to tell her of his plans in the morning. Smiling at the thought, he placed his head in the crook of Aislinn's throat and slept.