Hannah & The Highlander [Book 1 in the time travel series]

Chapter Twenty-Three: Slipped Away

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Chapter Twenty-Three: Slipped Away

@Hannah's P.O.V.@

Amazingly enough the next thirty days moved with a startling velocity. People say that time flies when you're having fun; it turns out it goes even faster when you're in love. Especially if the man you love is Cailen.

We spent every available second together. We rode together during the mornings, Cailen showing me every inch of his land. During our rides we'd take a break in a field of heather, just talking and kissing and talking about our future. I told him about my family-my parents, my granny, and my gaggle of cousins.

In return he told me about his childhood.

"They would hae loved ye," he said as he played with a lock of my hair.

We were sprawled on the ground, our bodies perpendicular to each other, my head head resting on his stomach. I craned my neck just so, giving him a questioning look. "Who?"

"Me da and mam. They would have loved ye."

I smiled slightly. "Tell me about them. You never talk about your family."

There was a long pause as Cailen's mind worked, doubtlessly weighting the pros and cons about telling me about his family. Until at last he spoke.

"My da was a good man. He taught me e'erything I ken about fighting, riding, hunting. When I turned ten he brought my first horse. Strapping grey stallion named Stone."

I listened with a single minded focus of a child. "And your mom?"

"Och, she was a beauty," he said, his eyes lighting with love. "Ne'er was there a kinder, nor more gentle woman. She protected me from the monsters and cured my all my ails."

His voice cracked at the end sending a tremor straight to my heart.

"What happened to them?" I whispered, even though a part of me knew the answer long before I asked.

"MacKinnon. The late laird. He attempted to siege Balnagown. We werena prepared fer him. My father defended the gates and ordered me to get my mother to safety," he said, a heavy look of remorse deepened the lines on his fire head. "I didna listen."

I remained silent, my only prodding was my hand clasping his.

"I was only sixteen, still a lad, but I wanted to prove to him that I was the man he wanted me to be. My pride got them killed."

"Cailen," I began but he cut me off.

"Nay. Donnae try to soothe me, Hannah mine. Tis my cross to bare."

"I just . . . I don't think your parents would be upset that you disobeyed them. You stopped the siege, right? Balnagown is still here. You protected the clan and the keep. I think they would be proud of you."

Cailen said nothing. I left the subject alone and returned my gaze back to the sky.

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When I wasn't with Cailen, my days were taken over by Eileen, Daisy and the other women of the clan, my self-proclaimed wedding planners. They set to work on my dress, not allowing me a say in anything, saying that it was a surprise. They collected flowers from the ben, preserving them with elixirs and drying them out afterwards.