Highlander's Trials of Fire

The trip to her bedroom was quiet and peaceful, her bare feet crossing the distance easily. Soon, she made it upon the tall wooden door barring her entrance and when she entered, her maid, Freya, was in the process of making the bed.

Freya looked up at her and gasped. “Miss Jonet!” she whispered fiercely, as if daring to say it any louder would alert the entire castle. “What happened?”

“I cannae do anythin’ right, Freya,” Jonet said simply, in a tone that belied how much it didn’t bother her. “Ye ken I’ve been tryin’ to make shortbread for Murduck, but it dinnae turn out so well.”

“Did ye just take fistfuls of flour and threw it at yeself?” Freya gasped. She abandoned the bed to take the shawl Jonet had slipped from her shoulders.

“Nae exactly,” Jonet said with a chuckle. “Though, I can see why ye look at it that way.”

Freya shook her head. Her blond hair was tied back into a long braid that laid heavily in the center of her back, tendrils of curls fringing her hairline. She always moved with a quiet urgency as if everything she was doing had to be done immediately, which was quite the opposite of Jonet. Jonet usually found her amusing, like the deep frown she wore right now.

“I daenae ken what possessed ye to do such a thin’ so suddenly,” she said, fussing over her like a mother hen. She fetched her a new dress, one that was a soft blue linen to go over the petticoat Jonet already wore.

“I wanted to surprise him,” Jonet responded conversationally. To be honest, having Murdock witness her as such a mess made her anxious. “That’s why I got someone like ye. To help me.”

“Aye, aye, I ken.” Freya sounded exasperated. Though they were close in age, she tended to act as if she were much older than Jonet.

“But I should know I cannae do well at such things. I should stick to the things I ken, ye think?”

“Aye, I do.”

Jonet nodded. Now that Freya was done helping her into her dress, and fetching her another heavy shawl, she sat to allow Freya to comb the bits of flour from her hair and redo her braid. “I cannae wait for the wedding,” she gushed, unable to help herself. “When do ye think me Faither will set the date?”

“I dannae,” Freya said softly.

Her lackluster response did not dim Jonet’s happiness.

“I should speak with him. I doesnae make any sense to delay it for too long.”

“Ye are right.” Freya stepped away, an indication that she was finished. Jonet rose and gave her a bright smile.

“Thank ye, Freya. Ye daenae think it would be too much if I went to see Murdock now, do ye?”

Freya’s eyes went wide. “N-now?”

“Oh, daenae worry,” Jonet said dismissively. “He’s a true upright man. I will send a servant to see if he’s awake, that’s all.”

Freya’s shoulders visibly relaxed and she nodded. “Aye, well, ye can do that. I daenae think I have the power to stop ye anyway.”

That made Jonet laugh. She lifted a hand in farewell as she made her way out of the door. By now, the sun had risen fully, leaving dawn behind, and Jonet could almost feel the castle waking up.

More servants were milling about, and she caught the attention of one to send to Murdock’s room, merely to inform him that she was waiting for him in the banquet hall.

Jonet made her way there and stood by the window while she waited. The broad expanse of land that surrounded the castle was a warm sight that filled her with happiness. There were rocky terrains dispersed throughout the sea of green, with tall grace that danced under the wind. The forest could be seen in the distance.

She loved her father’s land, loved the clan that lived in and around it. She could not wait for the day she would make them all proud once she was married.

The stretch of green grew blind to her eyes as her mind drifted elsewhere, Jonet became unaware of the time that passed. She was startled when the servant came rushing back to her, out of breath.

“What is it?” she demanded, alarmed by his flushed face and his horror-filled eyes.

“I

t’s terrible,” he gasped. “Murdock has been—he has been—”

Jonet’s heart seized in her chest. She gripped her shawl tighter to her body, trying to remain calm as she pushed out her next words.

“He is what?”