Kahleena MacCarthy ~ To Meet a Highlander (14 page)

             
In her daydream she was lying on the MacKinnon plaid. There was a soft breeze and the air smelled so fresh.  She must have dozed off because suddenly she felt someone over her, kissing her neck. She moved slightly to get closer to him, but left her eyes closed.

             
Tsarina would enjoy the moment, even if it was only a daydream.

             
In her mind, he continued to kiss her. He ventured down her neck and between her breasts. When he freed one and locked his mouth around the nipple to suck, she opened her eyes in pleasure as she wrapped her hand in his hair.

             
Tsarina let out a real gasp when she realized her seducer had been Zarik and not Tor. Her mind was trying to tell her something. Or was it simply because, once again, she hadn't gotten laid in forever?

****

              Not missing the fact that Niall approached, Zarik quickly turned on him. “Impatient for grandchildren, are ye, Da?” He asked coldly.

             
“I am getting no younger. I wish to have a few and watch them grow before my time is done.” Niall spoke apologetic.

             
“Why not just make Tor laird soon too? Ye ken I’ve no desire for it. I’d rather lead the battles; keep my station as captain of the guard.”

             
“Tor’s responsibility is not to be laird. That fell on yer shoulders the moment ye took breath.” Niall sighed as though the weight of the world had been placed on his shoulders. How had things become so complicated? “Yer choice not to work out the issues with Tsarina has no bearing on who will become Laird.”

             
“I’ve no desire to lead clan MacKinnon. Nor any desire to take a wife.”

             
“Aye, perhaps not. But ye’ll have no choice in the matter when the time comes.”

             
Tor and Tsarina continued to watch the exchange. Tor in stunned silence. Tsarina even more distressed, wringing her skirts with her hands.

             
Looking to Tor, Zarik asked, “Ye’ll love her?”

             
Tor nodded.

             
“Ye’ll care for her and see that she’s happy and always well protected?”

             
Again Tor nodded.

             
Zarik turned to Argus. “I need ye to promise to do something for me.” He walked over and whispered in the old man’s ear.

             
“But why don’t ye just…”

             
Zarik quickly cut him off. “Because. Ye’ll ken soon. Now, do I have yer word?”

             
“Aye, ye have it if it’s what ye wish.” Argus nodded.

             
Zarik nodded his appreciation and moved his attention back to his brother.

             
“Then I wish ye well, brother.” Tor took a step back to take hold of Tsarina’s hand. “I wish ye both well.” He placed a gentle kiss on her hand. Zarik took a deep breath and gave a longing look toward Tsarina as he still held her hand in his. A look that spoke louder than any words he could have spoken to her. Looking to his father, he finally spoke again as he released her hand. “I’m leaving at first light and I’ll no be returning. Tor will need to be molded into the new laird, like it or not. My choices will not be made for me.” With that, Zarik turned and left the hall while shocked faces stared after him.

Chapter Eight

1650’s Scotland

             
“What just happened? He’s leaving?” Caelan, who had come late into the conversation, was the first to find his voice.

             
“Where would he go?” Drostan chimed in, rubbing a hand across his jaw in confusion.

             
“Stop him.” Tsarina pleaded to no one specific.

             
Letting out a huge sigh and looking as though he’d aged twenty years in mere minutes, Niall threw his hands into the air, turned, and walked toward his solar. The others were able to hear the slight sound of the lock and knew he wouldn’t be speaking to anyone for now.

             
Caelan was unable to hold his tongue. “Ye plead for someone to stop him, Tsarina? Yet ye are the one to drive him away. You stop him. Yer the only one that holds a chance.”

             
“Caelan,” Drostan warned.

             
“Nay, the lass needs to hear. She and Zarik are two of the most stubborn people I’ve ever run across. But now their actions are starting to affect us all. The clan will suffer. Lass, why do ye push him? I ken he’s no the easiest person to be around and he likes to believe he’s never wrong. But he did try to make up with ye for the insult in front of the clan. It wasnae ye that he was rejecting; it was the idea of being married. It’s something he’s never wanted, ye ken?” Caelan paused to see Argus’ nod of approval.

             
“It sure seemed like it was me he was rejecting.” Tsarina crossed her arms in front of her chest. “It’s how I took it and clearly how everyone else did as well.” She shook her head and continued in a quieter voice. “I hear the whispers, Caelan. And you know you do as well.”

             
Drostan felt terrible for her, but he knew Caelan just wanted everyone to get their heads out of their arses so the clan could go back to normal. Zarik and Tsarina were causing the majority of the issues. If the two of them could simply find some sort of balance...

             
“Lass, go after him. Talk to him. Tell him ye’ll marry him.” Argus placed a gentle hand on her arm. “Ye ken that ye do love him, even though ye'd not want to admit it to yerself or anyone else. Don’t fight it. One of ye needs to stop being stubborn. Unfortunately, it will never be him. So, ye’ll need to learn to be the one to bend. But he’ll love ye and care for ye as no one else would. True love makes all the difference. Trust me, lass.”

             
“What about me?” Tor could no longer listen to the conversation go on as though he wasn’t there. He was, after all, the one who stepped up and offered her marriage and care.

             
“Now, lad, do not act as though the two of ye are in love. It’s clear that ye arenae in love. Ye’re a good friend to her, Tor and love may grow for ye. But it isnae there now.” Argus almost felt bad for Tor. “I know ‘tis ye that may suffer in this, but ye ken she belongs with yer brother.”

             
Tor said nothing, but managed a nod.

             
“Now, lass. Go to him. Ye need to catch him before he leaves.” Argus let go of her arm and sat down. “It’s up to you now.”

             
“I’m not going to chase after him and beg him to marry me. I’m marrying Tor. If Zarik chooses to leave, well then, that’s on him. He’s a grown man and can make his own choices.” Tsarina excused herself and grabbed her cloak so that she could go to the loch. She needed some peace. Peace that she felt would never belong to her. Had she just made the worst decision of her life?

****

Current day

             
Trystan had been to the police station every day for the last week. He wanted them to know he wasn’t going anywhere. Well, at least not until he had to get back for football season. He definitely couldn’t lose his job. That wouldn’t do Tsarina any good.

             
Finally, this morning a call came. They had some information for him. It wasn’t mentioned if it was minor or serious, but with the way it was going, Trystan would take it. It was still something and more news than he’d had on her in months.

             
Trystan all but ran into the station.

             
“Slow down, lad.” The officer he’d met the first day he was in town greeted him.

             
Chuckling, Trystan told him, “This is the first real bit of news on Tsarina for months. I need to hear it.”

             
“Well, it’s not a lot, but it’s something. She had a guide set up to show her around and to help her out. Evidently he has some old manuscripts and potential historical facts on clan Campbell. From what we’ve uncovered on various calls that is the clan she was researching. He evidently is the main descendant. So the castle she stayed in belonged to him.”

             
Trystan kept fidgeting, willing himself not to choke the life out of the short stocky officer that wouldn’t get to the point.

             
Sensing his mood change, the officer rambled on. “Anyway, Ms. Fraser’s guide was Galen Campbell. Now, wait.” He help up his hand. “Before you fly off about Campbell taking her you need to know some things. His father and great-grandfather both worked here. He’s clean as a whistle and always has been. So, I really believe he only helped her.”

             
“Where did she go? Does he know? When did he last see her?” Trystan was out of patience. Campbell could have taken her and the department would overlook it because of his family and his lineage.

             
“He doesn’t know. He said the last time he saw her she was safe and happy.”

             
“That’s not good enough for me. I want to talk to him.”

             
“I told him you’d probably want to. He gave me permission to give you his address.”

             
Trystan placed the small piece of paper with the address in his pocket and hurriedly jotted down directions to Galen Campbell’s house.

             
Today Trystan would find Tsarina.

****

1650’s Scotland

             
Tsarina spent the rest of the afternoon at the loch. It was chilly, but she didn’t seem to notice. Her daydream about Zarik had her out of sorts and then being told to chase after him felt like the last straw.

             
Her mother taught her better than to chase a man. Especially a stubborn one. Nadine always told her you can’t change a man. You need to be positive you can handle the person he is long before you agree to spend your life with him. Life with Zarik would be difficult. He was difficult. But still, Tsarina couldn't deny her thoughts of what it would be like to be in his arms. To have him kiss more than her hand, to make love to her.

             
Tom & Nadine, her parents had been married since out of high school. Tsarina wanted the same thing. Well, getting married out of high school hadn’t been her plan, but she had no plans for divorcing. She’d take her wedding vows seriously. Just as they had. Divorce was simply too easy in her time.

             
As dusk approached, Tsarina still sat at the loch, tossing small stones into the water. She jumped when Argus touched her shoulder.

             
“Are ye all right, lass?” The old man asked as he sat next to her. She couldn’t help but to hope he was able to get up.

             
“I’m fine. I just enjoy the loch so much, I lose track of time.”

             
“I have to confess something to ye.” She nodded for Argus to continue. “The shells. Ye ken how ye always wonder why there are those shells in this spot of the loch? The ones ye love to collect.”

             
Tsarina nodded again.

             
“Well, ye see, lass. It was Zarik.” Seeing the confused look on her face, he went on. “He’d gather them from other places and put them here for ye to find. He knew how ye loved them.”

             
“Zarik did this for me?” She was so touched; she could feel the tears start to form in her eyes. “But he’s such an asshole.”

             
“Lass, he tried to show you, in his own way. It may not be the perfect way or even close to the right way of things. But he did try in the ways he knew how.”

             
“Why didn’t you tell me before now?”

             
“I just found out today myself. When he asked that I promise to do something for him, this was it. Zarik wanted ye to know. He did care about ye. He just wasnae able to find the words to tell ye himself.”

             
“I have to find him.” Tsarina hurried to get up. While Argus, stronger than she’d have thought for his age, pulled her back down.

             
“Nay, lass. Ye cannae find him. He’s already left.”

             
Suddenly Tsarina felt as though she’d been punched in the stomach.

****

Current day

             
As Trystan pulled into Galen’s driveway, he saw that he was already coming out his front door. He’d likely been warned that he should expect a visitor.

             
“You must be Tsarina’s brother.” Galen stepped forward to extend his hand once Trystan had gotten out of his rental.

             
“I am.” Trystan knew Galen was sizing him up, just as he was doing to him. He wasn’t quite as big as he was, but Campbell was large none-the-less. Few were as big as Trystan anyway. So it wasn’t a shock.

             
“Look, I’m not your enemy. Your sister is a nice lass. I helped her while she was here as much as I could.”

             
“Is? You speak of her as if she’s still here. Do you know where she is?” Trystan once again felt like pummeling someone until he got the answers he needed. The longer he stared at Campbell, the clearer it became that he was hiding something. Something Trystan intended to find out, even if he did have to pound it out of him.

             
“I…well. Man, I don’t know. Even if I told you the truth, you’d not believe me.” Galen sighed in frustration.

             
Trystan could tell Galen wasn’t sold on being able to trust him. “Look, I’m her brother. I just want her back. I don't care how.”

             
“That might not be possible.”

             
“What do you mean?”

             
“Well, you may never see her again. But she’s well.”

             
“If you know all of this, why can’t I see her?”

             
“You may not be able to get there. Or, if you can, she may not want to come back. She’s a new home. One she seemed in desperate search for when she arrived here.”

             
“Look, I want my sister back. You can believe I’ll manage to get myself there and she will come home with me.” Trystan was losing his temper. Quickly.

             
“You’ll make her come back? Even if it’s not what she wishes? You’d not allow her happiness?” Galen couldn’t believe her brother would be so selfish.

             
“I don’t know.” Trystan ran his hand through his hair. “If she’s truly happy, I couldn’t do it to her. She hasn’t been happy since a few years before our mom passed away. Happiness. She needs it and deserves it. I’d let her stay. But I need to see that she's all right. And that where she is was her choice, not someone else's. I also need to know why she hasn't even called.”

             
Galen nodded his approval at seeing Trystan’s sincerity. “She isn't able to call. Or I'm sure she would have.”

             
“Will you take me to her?” Trystan wished his voice sounded more demanding than pleading.

             
“I can try. I can’t promise you’ll be able to see her. I can promise that you’ll think I’ve lost my mind. But, I assure you, I have not. I am many things, but crazy isn't one of them. At least not just yet.”

             
Trystan nodded and they agreed to meet the first night of Samhain. It was a few days away, so Trystan prayed for patience, trying to understand why it had to be a certain time. He tried to tell himself to take comfort that they were finally making some sort of progress, even if he had to wait days for it.

****

1650’s Scotland

             
Try as they might, no one could manage to get Tsarina out of the depression that had set in. She faked happiness and eagerness for her upcoming wedding, but it was clear she longed for Zarik.

             
Niall had tried to convince Tor that marriage might not be the best course to take with Tsarina, but his plea had fallen on deaf ears. His son was convinced that Tsarina needed protection and a husband. And the time was now. She'd been single far too long. Tor would not even consider postponing the wedding date.