Time After Time . . .

Cora

They trundled along the stony ground. The farmer, who had given them the use of his cart and
mule, was too afraid to drive them to the sacred stones himself so Cora's father had taken up the whip. His inexperience was evident and they had to dismount at various points along the basic road and push the huge wooden wheels as the mule brayed in protest. The thin lace of her mother's wedding gown did little to protect Cora from the bitter wind as they reached the Cairngorms. They were only five miles from Aviemore when the cart stuck fast and after trying for what felt like an eternity to push free Cora, her father and her little sister Muiread set off on foot. The sad trio arrived over half an hour late. The other family and the pastor were already there looking glum and bored. Cora's father went immediately to apologize to the McLeods, while Cora stood with her tiny sister, shaking with cold and dread as she laid eyes upon the man with whom she would leave this place. He was almost as massive as the ancient sacred rocks by which they gathered. Dressed in his ceremonial clothes of kilt and tabard. She noted with dismay small, stern, blue eyes, overshadowed by massive jutting brows and wondered if the man mountain would make a good husband.

"We must be quick now." spoke the mountain's father in a rough deep growl. He was only slightly less imposing then his son, and only because the passage of time had slightly bowed his broad shoulders. The mother, who was round, fat and pink faced, was the only thing stopping Cora from bolting down the Cairngorms as fast as her flimsy silk pumps would allow. The woman patted Cora's arm, smiling reassuringly and Cora felt that if marrying Angus McLeod was her destiny then as long as she had this maternal jolly face by her side perhaps she could bear it. Cora looked down at her mother's borrowed pretty silk shoes as the pastor began to read in the ancient tongue she barely understood, but knew, from watching this same ceremony a hundred times. The words signified the beginning of the marriage.

Muiread sobbed beside her sister, silent sobs that heaved her shoulders up and down. She had been warned by her father not to make a scene and was trying her hardest to keep them inside. This would be hard on the younger sibling, but the McLeods had money and they could help her family out. Ever since their mother died the family had been struck with nothing but bad luck and god knows her father could use some help at the forgery. With some financial assistance he could afford an apprentice to help with the heavy lifting.

Cora dared a fleeting glance sideways at her new husband, his blue eyes looked back, this time Cora noticed that there was something beautiful about the way they glittered, like little gems, even with the low light provided by  the dark cloudy sky above them. Angus McLeod dropped his gaze directly to the floor and seemed to have turned an even deeper shade of red underneath the rusty coloured hair which covered almost all of his face. Cora could not help but smile. Behind Angus stood his father, his chin was resting on his chest and his eyes were partly closed, was he sleeping? The mother, rubbed Coras cold arms gently but quickly to provide her soon to be daughter in law with much needed heat in both a protective and loving motherly fashion. This wasn't going to be as bad as Cora had anticipated. Maybe her family's luck had finally begun to change. Maybe they could all make this work. Maybe despite the best efforts of the local English lord they were all forced to scrape and bow to there would be a good quality of life for them to live after this marriage.

The end of the speech, time for the vows. Cora drew a breath deep into her lungs. The pastor turned to the couple, he drew a cross in holy water across her new husband's deep brow. "Do you Angus McLeod take Cora Munroe to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"Aye" the large man looked at Cora and blushed again as he held her gaze. Cora smiled, was it not her job to be the blushing bride?

"And do you, Cora Munroe, take Angus McLeod to be your lawfully wedded husband?"