Highland Grace (Highlands Trilogy) (Book Two)

Highland Grace (Highlands Trilogy) (Book Two) (Prologue, Ch 1-3)

Copyright © K.E. Saxon 2008

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS CONTAIN ADULT CONTENT AND ARE INTENDED ONLY FOR THOSE READERS 18 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

The twelfth and thirteenth century Scottish Highlands is a fascinating time in history. Although much is known, there is still much that remains in shadow and supposition. The old laws of succession, and the old Celtic systems were mixing with the new feudal systems brought in by the Norman-influenced kings of Scots (the first key figure in this being David I, who became king of Scots in 1124).

Although, by the time of William the Lion (William I), who ruled Scotland from 1165 to 1214, the feudal systems were more firmly established in the southern region of Scotland, the king had managed to exert his influence and sway in the wilder northern and western regions as well. Mostly through alliances with foreigners to whom he chartered land, or to natives who sought a royal charter for their land in order to secure it for their own offspring.

My vision, therefore, was of a kind of "melting pot."The old ways, not completely abandoned, yet the new coming to be embraced.

AlthoughI did many, many (many) months of research into this time in the Scottish Highlands history, I still found it necessary to take some creative license on certain aspects in order to fulfill my vision for the romance, and allow for less confusion to the romance reader. I won't list the licenses I took, but hope that the history purists will close an eye to these instances and simply enjoy the tale.

K.E. Saxon

GLOSSARY

Alban Eiler \ all-ben A-ler\:The feast of the vernal equinox. Lit.: Light of the earth

crwth \ krooth \: an ancient Celtic musical instrument with the strings stretched over a rectangular frame, played with a bow.

Cymru \ kumree \: Welsh for ‘Wales’

Hogmanay \ hog-muh-ney \: The eve of New Year’s Day

kraken \ krah-kuhn \: According to Viking legend, a sea monster large enough to swallow a whole boat

Matins \ 'mætinz \: Morning prayers at sunrise

Pencerdd \ Penkerth \: the chief poet in a welsh court

penteulu \ pentaylee \:head of Prince Llywelyn ap Iorwerth’s uchelwyr teulu, his noble warriors

Sext \ sekst \: The fourth of the seven canonical hours, or the service for it, originally fixed for the sixth hour of the day taken as noon.

Terce \ turs \: The third of the seven canonical hours of the divine office, originally fixed at the third hour of the day, about 9 a.m.

uisge beatha \ishka beyha\: Lit: ‘Water of Life’, a.k.a.whiskey

Uphalieday \Up-helly-a\: January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, a.k.a. ‘Twelfth Night’.

PROLOGUE

Perth, The Highlands, Scotland 1204

“Relax and let me love you.”

“Aye,” she murmured between the hot, wet kisses she blazed across his neck and chest.

Through the slits of his half-opened eyes, he watched her. Watched as her gloriously blushed breasts bounced in time to his rhythm, as her nipples grew ever more tightly wound.

He bent forward and greedily sucked one of them into his mouth.She climaxed instantly, the undulating walls of her taut canal squeezing and caressing him as they milked him into a long release as well.At its peak, he arched his back and choked out, “Oh, God!” as the head of his erupting sex rammed against her womb, flooding it with his hot seed.