Embrace of Fur and Flesh

Chapter 2

The night was chilled, but mildly pleasant as Lileas slept peacefully in her bed chamber. Her auburn hair was nestled in a fanned out manner a crossed her feather pillows. The fur coverlet was pulled up to her breasts, and sometimes made her giggle being how naughty she was. "A lady doesn't sleep naked, well this lassie does," Lileas thought laughing.

She sighed aimlessly to the ceiling. What gift would she possess? Her mother had the gift of foresight, and her brothers had the gift of unlimmited strength and stamina. Other Clans possessed other gifts and it was a forenight passed when she should have gotten the gift. Her father had a gift too, yet no one knew his. He had kept it secret from everyone. Lileas thought she may never get it.

Three nights had passed since the messenger's visit and Lileas was getting agitated. She had expected that Laymond Hay would attack the holding soon and waiting was getting unbearably ridiculous. His ugly arse may be arrogant, but deep down she knew he was dangerous and should be regarded with caution; to do otherwise would be fatal and her clan could not afford to underestimate him.

Lileas suddenly heard a rustling outside her chamber door and a gasp for air. She immediately jumped out of her bed grabbing for her Claymore, which was her life line while in trouble, and shimmied her way into her white cotton bed-gown. She took a breath and braced her feet apart tensing everything in preparation for an attack.

The door flung open and Lileas' childhood companion Deirdre came running in, a scared expression casted over her oval face. She slammed the door shut and Lileas, no longer in attack mode but ready and concerned said, "Deirdre! Wha' in hell, lass, wha's wrong?"

Deirdre looked at Lileas, hazel eyes completely frosted over with fear and replied, "Lileas, Conolay has jus' got word tha' the Hay is headed this way right now! The Hay is migh'y pricked of pride and plans to come here and force ye to marry him his self!"

"Deirdre," Lileas said placing her hand on her friends shoulder as she cried,"Lass, come now, dry yer tears it will be alrigh' I'll fix it. Tell me where did the news come from? Has Laymond crossed our boarders yet?"

"Nay! He plans to go by the northern side of our boarders and lay siege to everythin'! He's nay left his barracks yet from wha' patrollers have told Conolay, but he's planning somethin' big and we do nay no wha' else it is he plans.

"I only overheard o' it when Conolay, the twins, and Somerled were all in conference with each other in Conolay's office," she said trying to remain calm.

"This is all my fault, lass, I know tha' and I am th' one tha' will fix it," Lileas said attempting to comfort her friend.

"B-B-But Lass, how will ye fix it?"

"I will go to the Hay and demand to see him. I will ask him to reconsider his plans o' action and stand down. He can nay figh' us forever. 'Twould be foolish o' him to even try. He has his allies jus' as we do, but as ye remember we have a truce with them and I will remind him tha'; he may nay care but 'tis worth a try. Plus, I will attempt to appease him by giving him somethin' better to make up for his loss," Lileas said thinking.

"Wha' do ye plan to give him?"

"I do nay know," Lileas said sighing, shaking her head and letting her hand fall slowly back to her side. She really did not know what she would offer to the Hay and what might even plicate him from war. She did hope, however that the Hay would be in a gentle enough mood to stand down.

"I will give him a horse," Lileas declaired smiling at her whit, "Tha' should plicate him from tryin' to start a war."

Deirdre smiled broadly and replied," Oh wha' a grerat idea, lass, but one problem though. Where are ye gettin' the horse."

"I was goin' to give him yer horse, lass. Now, now do nay look at me like tha'. I know ye love her, but ye know I would nay ask this o' ye if it were nay importan'," Lileas said, "Besides, ye are goin' with me."

Deirdre's mouth dropped open in horror and said, "Oh, I'll be damned tha' I will be goin' with you and given tha' rotten bastard my Lady! I will nay go meet with him! I cannay stand tha' rotted smell comin' out o' his arse let alone his presence in general and to have to hand over my horse too! Lass are ye out o' yer damned mind?"

"Och, lass, ye be cursin' again. Wha' would yer poor mother say," Lileas laughed at her joking, "Migh'nt I remind ye, lass, tha' ye be a lady. Ye should nay curse a' all."

"I will nay go," Deirdre said stubbornly. Her hands were fisted and she looked razzled enough though it was hilarious to see her feathers all puffed out in a huff. It was a humouous sight and Lileas could admit that. Her friend was a gentle soul and a pure bleeding heart lassie. Lileas knew that she should quit baiting her friend and just get on with what she planned to do.

"Lass, ye are comin' with me to make sure no harm comes to me. I trust ye to aim true with tha' bow and quiver o' yer's," Lileas said half smiling.

"There that should draw the lass into comin' along with me," Lileas though smiling to herself.

Deirdre looked at Lileas blandly with a pointed expression; Lileas focused on Deirdre wondering whaty she was thinking, "Really? Ye are trying to use tha' to get me to come with ye? Tha' is the most piss-poor excuse I've ever heard ye try use," Deirdre said rolling her eyes.

Lileas gasped, "Deirde! Wha' the Hell?"

Deirdre's eyes opened wide and her arms unfolded themselves. She looked at Lileas and raised an eyebrow, Lileas knew she was pushing her limits. She had to try to get Deirdre to go with her to barter with the Hay, but did not want to go alone.

"I need ye and I have a feeling tha' if I go alone without ye I could be in a more worse predicament."

"Ye do know tha' this could come in handy with yer mission to stop the Hay," Deirdre said sarcastically.

"Aye," she spoke blandly but mentally slapped herself and looked at Deirdre, "But yer still commin' with me. I do nay care wha' ye say. I will need yer help."

Deirdre sighed annoyed, "Fine, but only because yer my friend. Ye know we will be in a heap of trouble for this right? Ye'r brother will nay like it."

"I do nay care at this point because somethin' must be done by someone and it is only fittin' it be me since it was my fault anyways. There be no time to waste! Call for Angus, Lady, and my brother Finnegan's horse Bruce to be ready, we will be leaving by the next hour or so. Go get ready and get the horses prepared."

"Aye," Deirdre sighed leaving the room.

Lileas started to get herself ready. She wased her face and scrubbed her teeth at the water basin. She put on her knickers and a hemmed chemise that shooed at her knees. She knew knickers were a man's thing, for only men wore braies, but like hell she was gonna be knocked around in battle and show her bare arse to the world. Lileas proceeded in single-handedly folding each pleat in it's proper place and folding it around her curvy body. a white cotten shirt was added to her outfit and tucked snuggly into the hem of her plaid, she decided in putting on a rope belt and adding two daggars with the McNaughton crest casted into it. Lileas then took the excess plaid and pulled it through a golden buckle, placed the plaid over her left shoulder and around in through the loop of her excess and added the rest of the plaid into pennant to keep the two in place.

Lileas put her black leather boots and socks, then placed her sgian dubh into her sock, if the two other daggars did not work for protection then at least the sock knife would. Lileas then proceeded by adding her claymore and scabbard on her back. She placed her hair in a single pleat braid down her back and adorned it with a leather strip.

"Lileas," Deirdre said from her door in a whisper.

"Aye, lass, I am ready let's go," Lileas replied stepping from her chamber.

They both quietly walked down the corrodor and passed the hall leading to Conolay's meeting quarters. They walked from the barraks to the courtyard without fuss, and grabbed the three horses and ran out of the gate. Lileas motioned for Deirdre to get on Bruce and Lileas sattled on Angus' back. They road off into the forrest in the direction of the Hay clan. Lileas hoped that it would go accordingly and that her plan would work. She hoped...