Scars of the highlander

Chapter 2

"I wish he told me that he planned to do it today, I have no idea what you are going to wear. All of your dresses are patchy, why haven't you let me buy you any new cloth?" Ruth slammed open another chest which cause the small chest on top to crash to the floor. Iona had just gotten into the hot bath, she had a bath this morning and had washed her hair, she wasn't going to do it again. She rang out the cloth in her hand before she covered it with soap to clean herself.

"I don't need new cloth" Iona said watching her lady's maid, "happily to wear whatever is clean"

"This is your wedding you should wear something lovely" Ruth said

"The red one is fine" Iona said.

"Which red one, the one with seven patches or the one with a very short skirt because it had twelve patches or the one that has a whole in the bottom area?" Ruth said.

"All are fine" Iona said not looking up at her and started to wash the soap away.

"They are not fine" Ruth said

"What about the blue one" Iona said

"You only have one blue one and you wore that today. You can't wear it again" Ruth said

"They don't know that I have one blue one" Iona said, she got out of the bath and Ruth handed her a linen.

"Everyone knows your blue gown because it has different coloured blue patches all over it" Ruth said, opening another chess and brought out an old pale pink gown that Iona have not worn for a long time. Ruth dusted off the gown "This one will have to do it"

"I hate that gown" Iona complained

"It has the less patches, you haven't been riding in it, so it won't be stained, also there is nothing else to wear" Ruth said, smiling at her as Iona put on her chemise. Iona shrugged letting Ruth pull the dress over her head. Ruth laced it up for her and she sat on the chair near the fire as Ruth brushed her hair, "Do you know what cook is making?"

"He is making your favourite Apple pastry and they made some fresh cider when they found out this morning" Ruth said to her. Iona smiled, she loved out how cook knew what to make when she was sad. She loved the people at Munro, they were only a small in number but she knew everything about them. She had grown up with them, she had learnt from them, she had taught them, and she cared for them. "Are you alright?" Ruth asked her

"Aye" Iona said

"This one has scars too" Ruth said, as she did up her hair

"Probably from battle" Iona said. Ruth nodded and stepped away when she was done. Iona looked at Ruth, "I am so happy that you are here right now" Ruth hugged her

"I am glad that I am here as well. You look beautiful, even if you don't feel like it" They kissed each other on the cheek. They walked down to the great hall together, arm in arm both anxious. They both saw the minster as he turned smiling at them.

During the ceremony all Iona thought of was humiliation. Specifically, the humiliation that she was going to suffer when it was time for the bedding. At these points of her life she thought about Connor Barkley. Her first betrothed that had set her on fire when she was thirteen. She had refused to give him her maid-hood before the married. She knew what she did was the right thing, but Connor was so angry. Later that night, he crept into her room; pour whiskey on her and set her on fire. She only woke up because she heard Connor laughing. She never screamed but when she saw him laughing and her legs on fire. She let her lung lose and woke up the country. She grabbed her sgian-dubh and ran for him. Chasing him out of the room, under stairs and out to the bailey. She never remembered if there was any pain. She was too focused on getting him and stabbing him in the arm. She would done it again if her father did pull her off.