When North Meets South

Chapter 9: Weddings are for free alcohol

"Weddings are glorious events don't you think?" Mathan asked as he parried Alastair's strike, "I mean think of all the food, partying..."

The man had woken them at an ungodly hour and ridden further from the castle than they typically would go just to avoid getting dressed for his wedding.

If Mathan didn't understand the man's plight, he would have punched him but here he was getting his man parts frozen off because his cousin wouldn't enjoy the benefits the marriage would bring.

Gretchen was a bonny lass and any man would be lucky to have her warming his bed.

Any man but his prudish cousin that is.

Honestly, he couldn't understand how they were related sometimes.

"Don't forget the free ale." Rowan, one of their clansmen, added pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Of course how could I forget the free ale." He laughed.

"That's when you're not the one getting married." Alastair muttered darkly feinting to the left.

Mathan fell for his trick and moved to block his blow leaving his side unguarded but luckily the man didn't serve too hard a blow.

"Shouldn't you be upstairs getting ready for your wedding?" Mathan asked leaping out of the way of another strike to his side.

"I think he's nervous." Peter, another man, laughed.

"Who wouldn't get nervous marrying a fiery beauty like Lady Gretchen?" Mathan laughed, "I know I would be. You know Alastair, you're one lucky bastard having such a wild woman to warm your bed every night. You should rejoice in the fact that she's not one of those bony stuck up English women."

"Truly! I sure wish I had me a wench warming my bed every night." One of the others teased causing a round of laughter to go around the training ground, "And to think she's already grabbing for your..."

"Don't you dare..." Alastair growled.

His cousin's frown darkened even further with their laughter and Mathan was so tempted to push him further.

An angry and flustered Al made for good entertainment.

"How are you feeling man? It was only what? A week ago we teased you about dying old and alone. Now here we are, sparring on your wedding day. I'd say fate must have gotten a good at you." Mathan commented as he landed a blow to Alastair's jaw obviously startling the man.

Al glared lightly at him before spitting out the pool of blood that had gathered in his mouth moving to continue the fight.

"Now. Now. I think you've had enough. You don't want me bashing your face in on your wedding day, do you?" Mathan joked with his arms out, "The little lady's already preparing for tonight. I don't think she'd like having an ogre warm her bed."

Alastair raised a brow as if considering it and raised his arms moving forward before a shrill stopped them.

"Don't you dare Alastair Aymer Dawy Boyd!" His mother yelled stomping into the training ground with her ladies in tow.

"Aymer?!" Mathan laughed.

"Dawy?!" Another one yelled.

"Mother!!!"

"Don't you dare mother me!" She yelled.

One thing everyone knew about Lady Freya was that she never yelled. But when she had to, it signified that all hell was about to break loose.

Mathan chose that moment to slink back in the crowd before he was implicated in the mess.

"Mother I..."