Highland Intrigue - A Prequel
Elysia ignored the gesture. “I will decide who I wed.”
“You have three choices, no more. Chieftain Emory made that clear to you. Do not be foolish and cause an innocent young man to suffer for your stubbornness,” Bram accused.
Elysia’s breath caught in her throat for a moment, though it seemed longer. It was almost as if a hand was at her neck squeezing the life from her, waking her to the truth of her situation. Chieftain Emory had issued an edict. She would be forced to wed one of the three warriors. Nothing would stop it. Nothing would change it.
“I see by the shock on your face that you finally realize your fate is set,” Bram said and nodded to his arm for her to take it. “I will walk you home so we may talk and come to know each other, since I intend to be the warrior you pick for a husband.”
Elysia shook her head. “I prefer to be alone.” She hurried away from him only to be grabbed roughly by the arm and brought to an abrupt halt. A spark of anger had her saying, “You dare touch me without permission.”
He let go. “Be careful of your words with me, Elysia, and remember when you are my wife, I won’t need permission to touch you. A good wife submits.”
“You are right. A good wife submits to her husband,” she said. “But I will not need to submit to you since I will not choose you to be my husband.”
Bram took a step back and what he did surprised her. “My apologies. I have been rude and have not considered how upset you must be with all that has happened to you and your sisters. Let me walk you home so that we may talk, and you can discover for yourself that I would make you a good husband.”
Elysia recalled what Lendra had told her about Bram. Bram cares for Bram and no one else. He loves to win and you are a prize to win. That meant he would do anything to win, including lying to her.
She decided it was best to appease him. “You may walk with me, but I will not take hold of your arm.” She caught a spark of annoyance on his face, but he complied.
“What would you like to know about me?” he asked as they walked.
A question came quickly to her. “Will you be a faithful husband?” Her own question surprised her but it evidently shocked him, since his steps faltered and he looked as if he searched for a response. “Your delay in responding is answer enough.”
He laughed. “You caught me off guard.”
“A poor excuse,” she chastised.
“My fine features make it difficult to be faithful to any woman,” he teased with a smile that was meant to cajole.
It worked. Elysia could not help but smile.
“See my humor makes you smile, and it is good to have a husband who makes his wife smile,” he touted proudly.
“Humor is good in a husband, but so is faithfulness,” Elysia said.
He grinned. “Keep me happy and I will not be unfaithful.”
She did not smile when she asked, “Does that work for me as well? If you do not keep me happy, I can find a man who will?”
He rushed to stand in front of her, bringing her to an abrupt halt. “A wife that betrays her husband deserves to be punished harshly for it.”
“Then a husband who does the same to his wife deserves the same harsh punishment.” Elysia did not wait for his response. She stepped around him.
“You think strangely,” Bram said, taking quick steps to keep pace with her.
“I think wisely,” she corrected. “And I will keep our conversation in mind when making my decision.”
She rounded the curve to her cottage and was so shocked to see Saber standing in front of the closed door that Bram caught her off guard.
He grabbed hold of her arms and yanked her toward him. “Remember this as well.”
His lips came down to claim hers and she turned her head to avoid them while struggling to free herself. She gasped as she was abruptly ripped away from Bram, shoved aside, and stumbled to remain on her feet.
Saber moved so fast Bram had no time to avoid the punch that slammed into his jaw and sent him flying backward to land with a solid thud on the ground.
Saber turned, glared at Elysia, and pointed to the cottage.
She stubbornly stayed where she was.
Saber gritted his teeth and struggled to speak. “NOW!”
Her eyes turned wide, shocked by the strength of his voice. It was like thunder to her ears and she turned and walked away, though she did not go all the way to the cottage.
Saber turned to Bram who had gotten to his feet. He stepped close to him and she could see Bram was talking and appeared none too pleased. Silence seemed to fall after Bram stopped talking, then suddenly Bram nodded, turned, and walked away.