Embrace of Fur and Flesh

Chapter 1

Sixteen years later- McNaughton Land

"No!" She said angry, "Absolutely, not. Out o' the damned question!"

"B-but, lass, our Laird is a fair man. He would make sure ye were taken care of. Also, Laird Hay would make a great asset to yer clan," the messenger replied shaking his head as his chin bobbed up an down with him. He seemed to have honest eyes and a suggestive demeanor; Lileas knew he was trying to talk her into it easily.

"Nay, I do nay wish to discuss this anymore. I gave ye yer Laird's answer he demands. Now go."

"But Lass. Ye need to marry and ye can nay do better than a Laird. The duty to yer...."

Lileas interrupted furiously everything on edge, "How dare ye presume to tell me my duties? I know wha' my duties are and I will do wha' I think be best for my clan. Do nay ye dare tell me what I need to do!"

"Lass, Laird Hay would treat ye well," the messenger pleaded.

Laymond Hay had asked for her hand now and previously asked her brother Conolay's permission to court her. Reluctantly, she allowed the seven month long interlude to go on. She was fair and obeyed her brother's orders to allow the courtship to proceed, yet every visit she loathed him more and more. His character was repulsive to her and his smell ten times more that! He was a bastard and a coward, this made it hard to be near him because he disgusted her by his presence like the stench that surrounded his person would never go away or wash off. He had never been forwardly a bastard to her, but she knew her brothers had been right when they had told her, "Look at the way a man treats his possessions, his steed, and his servants. Then ye'll know how he'll treat a woman."

She had not been impressed or neutrally felt about how he kept his beast in management, yet she pitied the poor rundown and ragged creature. His horse was fidgety and nervous and one could see that the pitiful thing was weathered and worn from constant misuse.

He took his temper out on the beast and his servants and it shown in their eyes and faces. The mistrust, the anger, the fear, and the revolution all combined on the servants faces. The beast even seemed to have the same demeanor, his body covered in slashes and stripes of a whip. It revolted her even further, for such a proud and beautiful beast as he to have been so mistreated by a master the beast should be able to trust.

"Fook that!" She replied raged,"I know wha' kind o' man he is! I ne'er promised him or hinted marriage and he will nay get it either! I doubt he deserves me as wife anyway!"

"Lileas!" Her enraged brother Conolay yelled furiously with sharp discord sounding in his voice, "Ye will nay speak of another Laird in such a manner apologize at once!"

She mustered up her pride and anger around her like a cocoon. "Nay! The Hay is a bastard and a coward, Conolay. Ye know it as well as I do tha' the Hay is a passionate abusive arse-hole!"

"Ye will speak like a lass should when company is present or nay speak at all! Ye will also nay speak of the Hay as such even if he be wha' ye say, lass," Conolay pointed at the messenger, "He is the Hay's messenger, fer all tha' is holy lass! He is loyal to the Hay, our ally and if he is sent home to tell his Laird wha' ye said it will surely start a war! A' least by just a simple 'Nay' we have a lesser chance for tha' if the Hay be in a good mood! If ye send the man home with jus' a simple 'Nay' then a' least it's better then majorly pricking the man's pride and starting a raid and ransack against our holding!"

"So..." She began but was interrupted.

"Roland," Conolay barked.

"Aye, Laird McNaughton," the messanger came submissively forward, which further angered Lileas because of the weakness that shone in the man and it made her straighten her back straightening her already brood shoulders and thrust out her chin defiantly. She may be short and stalky like her mother, but she would never submit to ANYONE!