Pledged to a Highlander (Highland Promise Trilogy 1)

“You may need to hold your wife while I stitch her wound.”

Royden nodded, though his stomach clenched even tighter knowing the pain she would suffer. He brought his wife’s hand to his lips and kissed it. “I’m here with you and here is where I will stay until you’re so sick of me, you will chase me away.”

“Never would I chase you. You’re where I want you, beside me,” Oria said, her smile appearing a bit stronger.

“I will help too,” Demelza said. “And how wonderful that our children will grow, be close, like brothers and sisters.”

Oria turned, surprised that her sister was there. “You need to be in bed. You’re about to have a bairn.”

“I will know when it’s time to seek my bed. For now, I help you,” Demelza said.

“It’s time to get to work on Oria, then we’ll see about delivering that bairn,” Wren said.

They all got busy following Wren’s every word. Parlan directed the servants in getting whatever she requested, even running off at times to fetch things himself.

Demelza worked with Wren, doing whatever the woman instructed her to do and that included taking time to breathe through her labor pains.

When it came time for his wife’s wound to be stitched, Royden pressed their clutched hands to his chest to hold her firm and rested his brow to hers. He talked softly to her about their future together, hoping it helped to distract her from the pain. It pained him to see tears roll down her cheeks and feel her hand squeeze his with what strength she had. He wished a faint would take her so that she didn’t have to suffer so. But she was a strong woman and fought gallantly.

Never was he so relieved when the ordeal came to an end for her and he felt her body ease with relief.

Demelza was helping Wren wrap the wound when a strong pain struck her and while she attempted to muffle her cry, it was still heard.

“Time for you to return to bed,” Wren ordered.

“What are you even doing out of bed?” Trevor demanded from the open doorway, looking with alarm at his wife.

“Helping my sister,” Demelza said. “And don’t think to order me to bed.”

“If you won’t listen to me,” Trevor said with a glare, “then one word to your brother, who waits downstairs, should do it.”

“He’s here?” Demelza asked, a touch of fear in her voice.

“He waits to hear about both of his sisters, and the birth of his first niece or nephew,” Trevor said.

Oria clutched her husband’s hand tightly. “I don’t want to meet him yet.”

“You don’t have to,” Trevor said, hearing her. “Whenever you’re ready will be soon enough.”

Another pain struck Demelza and she grabbed her stomach as she let out a cry.

Trevor didn’t wait, he rushed over to her and scooped her up in his arms.

“I’ll be right with her,” Wren said, and with a nod Trevor hurried out of the room. She turned to Parlan. “Can you get that brew I asked the kitchen to keep ready?”

Parlan nodded and went to do as she asked.

Wren hurried around picking up bloody towels and cloths and dropping them outside the room along with the buckets of dirty water.

“A servant can do that,” Royden said.

Wren shook her head and came to stand by Royden and looked down at Oria her eyes so heavy with exhaustion she lost the battle to keep them open. “Oria needs rest, and I don’t want a lot of people in and out of her healing room. She cannot travel until I’m sure the wound does well and no fever shows itself. Four to five days at least. Now I must go and see to Demelza. Call out if you should need me for any reason. Give her some of the brew that Parlan returns with, but rest is what Oria needs now.”

Royden remained by his wife’s side and when she woke hours later it was to the news that Demelza had delivered a son and that the Beast had taken his leave, assured that both his sisters did well.

It was later that night when all were asleep, the keep silent, Royden still at her side that Oria woke.

“Do you need, Wren?” he asked anxiously.

“We never sleep apart,” she said softly and winced when she attempted to move and make room for him.

“Don’t,” he ordered quietly and gently eased his hands under her to move her enough so that he could join her, and he did. Once in bed, he settled her gently in the crook of his arm and she slept once again.

He didn’t. He still feared losing her and now their bairn. He had placed her so that his one hand would be free to help her if needed and he placed that hand on her flat stomach. He worried that he still may lose the both of them and that he couldn’t bear. He fell asleep begging God to keep them both safe.