My Highlander, My Love, Part Three:Forbidden Love, The Greatest Love Story Ever Told.

Riches and Rags

Prince William's eyes sparkled with admiration as he watched Valerie throw more logs into the fire. 

"Please let me help you, the logs are heavy, you will hurt your back!"

"Nay, I'm fine, I don't need your help! You stay in bed until you heal." She threw over her shoulders as she stoked the fire, and the oranges flames blazed and licked the logs, bringing warmth in the chilly cabin.

William slid his hand inside the pocket of his kilt and felt the diamond necklace. It was a gift to the Princess of Spain, the woman his father had hand picked for him to marry and unite their kingdoms. 

"Think of the power Scotland would gain with such a union my son!" His father had said, pleased that his son did not defy him. 

"Aye father, I shall make her my wife, but she is cold and distant and desires only the position she will gain by marrying me, I don't think she is in love with me!"

"Love? What's love got to do with it? Do you love her?"

"Nay, you know I don't!" 

"Then why the hell would you care if she love's you?" The king asked. "You are the Crown Prince of Scotland and one day you shall wear my crown. It is your birth right to have as many women as you desire in your bed! Take Anna as your queen to bear you sons of royal blood, and then take as many mistresses as you please on the side!"

William sighed! His father was right, he thought with dismay, he was the Crown Prince of Scotland and he was bound by ancient laws. Being the next king in line to wear the crown, William knew that he must follow his father's advice and do what is necessary for the good of his kingdom. 

Princess Anna was very beautiful and came from a strong bloodline of royals. She would Make a fine queen one day, and bare him strong sons, but he was not in love with her, nor was she with him, she was only interested in the riches she would inherit once she became queen of Scotland.

Valerie lifted herself in a standing position and straightened out her apron. She then grabbed the tray and filled it with all kinds of goodies she had stolen from Cooks kitchen. 

"A tray with a hefty breakfast as promised!" She told him, "eat and then I shall change your bandages."

William hungrily grabbed the tray from her hands and placed it on his lap. He was starving and wolfed down every crumb on the tray. 

Valerie's eyes sparkled with laughter, "Slow down or you will choke yourself to death!" 

When the Prince was done eating, the Druidess removed the tray from his lap and placed it on the table. Walking back to the bed, she unwrapped the bandages and checked his wounds.

"Miraculously, your wounds are almost healed." She told him, and dressed the wounds with salve and a fresh strip of material that she wrapped around his ankles.

"It still hurts!" He lied. 

"Aye, and it will continue to hurt until it is healed completely." She told him, and grabbed the old bandages and walked over to the fireplace, "stay off your feet and you will heal in  no time."

Throwing the old bandages in the fire, she then turned to face the warrior once again. "I must leave you now, I promised Cook that I will help her in the kitchen, but I shall return later with your dinner."

Disappointed that she couldn't stay with him a while longer, the Prince desperately tried to think of a way to postpone her departure. "Please wait, I have something to give you for nursing me back to health." He told her, and pulled out of his pocket the diamond necklace. "Please take it as a token of my appreciation for all that you have done for me."

"Nay, you keep it, I have no use for diamonds!" 

"What?" The Prince asked, stunned that she refused his gift. "Take it, and if you don't want to keep it, then sell it, you can get a hefty amount of gold for it, and you can buy yourself whatever your heart desires!"

"There is nothing that I desire that I don't already have. I have my health, a roof over my head, a warm bed to sleep in, food to eat and I am surrounded with people who love me, what more could I ask for?" 

Prince William was speechless, she rejected his gift claiming she has everything she needs, yet she was dressed in rags and walked barefooted. 

"Valerie, the diamond necklace is worth a fortune, you can buy yourself clothes and shoes to wear! Do you not what to look and feel pretty?" He asked her, wondering if she had misunderstood him. "Take it  Valerie, tis yours to keep, and I want nothing in return!"

"Nay, I have no use for it." She told him innocently. "Take it to the orphanage, mayhap they can sell it and buy themselves food for the long winter ahead."

The Druid took a deep inhalation of breath, and then he slipped the necklace back into his pocket. He did not understand her way of thinking, he had never met a woman before who did not want a diamond necklace. Were it Princes Anna, she would have grabbed the necklace in a heartbeat. All his mistresses would have done the same, but the servant girl was different from any other woman he had ever met. She was innocent and pure, and full of compassion. 

William opened his eyes wide when he realized something he had never thought of before. The servant girl had no gold, and was very poor, yet she was rich in heart and surrounded by love. He was the Crown Prince of Scotland, living a privledged, wealthy life, yet he was very poor. A man's wealth is not measured by the amount of gold he has, a man's wealth is measured by his honor, and by the size of his heart!

His heart swelled with love for her, if only there was a way he could keep her. Mayhap her Master would be willing to trade her for gold, he thought, he would be willing to pay no matter what the asking price was!

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Note: a few days ago, our beloved family pet Gucci, our dog, passed away during the night. He was fifteen years of age and we loved him dearly. He gave us fifteen years of his devotion and unconditional love, and we shall always remember him in our hearts. R.i.p. Gucci, may you find your way to dog heaven and meet up with your buddy peekaboo, until we meet again my friend, xoxxoxoxxoxo

My only wish is that you say a little prayer for our little friend, to find peace and love wherever he may be. Thank you kindly, and may GOD bless you and yours. Xoxoxxoxoxxo

Thank you for your votes and comments, xoxoxxoxox