Highlander’s Winter Rose by Fiona Faris
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rosallyn had been going around helping the maids to hand out blankets to all the people in the castle while the battle raged on. A quick broth was made and distributed to chase away the cold, and Rosallyn had been busying herself making sure that everyone got some while she tried not to worry about how the war was going. She had just been helping an old woman drink the warm broth when the door opened, and she saw Maximus step in. His fists were bloody, and he looked drained, but he was alive, and he had returned in one piece.
Rosallyn was flying the next moment, jumping into his arms and hugging him tightly.
“Is it over?” she asked tentatively. He looked at her with a tired smile.
“Aye…” he said. Rosallyn was hit with a rush of emotions. He had done it. He had ended the war and avenged all those who they lost. He had taken back the clan. Tears sprung up in her eyes and she lowered her head and kissed him lovingly, not minding that blood was staining her on each place she came in contact with him.
“Ah… well, I must admit that this is a rather… shockin’ development…” Rosallyn heard behind them and froze. Her eyes flew open, and she broke the kiss, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. That voice… There was no way, right?
She had not wanted to hope, but it was true. He was standing in the doorway, very battered and bruised and missing an arm, but it was none other than her father.
Rosallyn felt as though her heart had melted inside of her chest. She left Maximus and ran forward, tears streaming from her eyes as though from a spring.
“Faither!” she cried. There were tears in her father’s eyes as well when he held her to himself, wrapping his one remaining arm around her tightly.
“How… I dinnae understand anythin’. I thought ye were dead,” Rosallyn sobbed. “Maximus… he said… he said he watched ye die…”
“He was nearly correct, me child. I thought that I was dead as well. After I was surrounded, I did the best I could to fight back, but there were too many, and I had been cut so many times already. I closed my eyes thinkin’ that I would never wake again. Imagine my surprise when I woke up a week later in the Elyjon clan as an amputee. The remainin’ soldiers who were around me at the time had fought tooth and nail and managed to escape with me battered body. They took me to a healer where I was cared for, and I was kept asleep with medicine for me own good until it was somewhat safe to allow me to wake. The soldiers said that they had searched, but they couldnae find Maximus, so they thought that he was dead. With nay one of us completely fit for battle, we were left in desolation. The Elyjon clan Laird suggested that since there was nay one left who had rights to the Lairdship, that I should step up as the closest to the Laird’s family and take the responsibility of returning Mackay to the clan that our people kent. I hate to admit it, but I was in nay state for that. Me spirit had been destroyed. I am half the man I used to be… However, I was nae alone. The soldiers… they helped me, and I spent me days trainin’ again from the start, learnin’ how to live and fight with just me left arm. The progress was slow, and I was in nay way ready yet, so ye cannae imagine how happy I was when I heard the news that Maximus was still alive and had been helped by his lover to escape the castle after stealing from Ross. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the lover in question would be ye, me darlin’,” he explained, wiping a tear that was sliding down her face.
Rosallyn leaned into his touch with a smile.
“I saved Maximus from the forest and kept him from dyin’, although it is probably because he was with me that yer soldiers couldnae find him and assumed that he was dead. I took care of him, and we fell in love,” she said. Feeling Maximus standing behind her, she leaned into his embrace.
“Aye, Rosallyn saved me, and… I love her with every fiber of me being,” Maximus said. He then frowned slightly from nerves.
“I had already asked her when we thought that ye were gone, but now that ye are back I want to ask ye properly. I want to marry Rosallyn, General. Would ye give me her hand?” Maximus asked, his voice hopeful. Rosallyn beamed at her father, telling him with her eyes that she wanted nothing more.
The old General laughed heartily and pulled them both into a hug, smothering Rosallyn between them.
“I didnae see this comin’ but that doesnae mean that I am against it. I am so happy for ye two, and this is the best news I have ever received. If only Joseph could see this. Our children have decided to become family,” he said, looking up as though speaking to Maximus’s father in the sky.
Maximus laughed along sadly. “Aye, faither, brother, I hope that ye are watchin’ us,” he said.
Rosallyn was still reveling in this sweet moment when she caught sight of Boyd in the doorway. Her jaw dropped, and she pointed at him in shock…
“Ah… ye… ah…” she stammered.
“Oh, dinnae look so shocked to see me,” he said, and she turned to her father and Maximus for answers.
“What is he doin’ here?! I thought he was on the enemy’s side!” she said.
“Actually, it was Boyd who saved the war today. He alerted the Elyjon clan that Donald Ross was making plans to march on Macmillan and kill Maximus and begged the Laird to intervene. He sent along some documents proving that Donald planned to do the same thing to Elyjon once he was done with Mackay. He sent us the message this afternoon by bird, probably right after Ross began the preparations to attack. It was because of his quick action that we were able to make it here,” her father explained.
“He also convinced the Mackay soldiers who had betrayed us at first to betray Ross this time. So it was largely due to him that we won,” Maximus added.
Rosallyn turned back to Boyd who looked sheepish.
“Why would ye dae all that?” she asked. He looked thoroughly embarrassed.
“It was nae as special as they say. It was a haphazard move, reaching out to Elyjon like that. I was just lookin’ for help. I didnae ken that yer father was alive there. It was easy to repent after seein’ the way that Donald Ross uses people. He doesnae care for those around him. He doesnae ken how to run his own clan, but he wanted to take over five clans. His soldiers are all rash and evil at heart. Many who had turned to betrayal had already begun to regret their actions. I only gave them the bravery to dae what needed to be done,” he said.
Rosallyn gave him a look, telling him that he had not answered her question, and he sighed.
“It was because of ye Rosallyn… Ye made me realize how stupid I had been. I had hurt those I cared about. And for what? The fact that ye were nearly killed because of me… That was what it took to bring me back to me senses,” he said. Then he went down on his knees in front of them.
“Laird Maximus, I am a traitor who has betrayed the clan, and me sins are too great to be atoned. I surrender meself that ye dae with me as ye see fit,” Boyd said. Rosallyn looked over at Maximus and found that his eyes were shut. He looked deeply troubled, and his fists, still covered in blood, were clenched. Her father put his hand on his shoulder and Rosallyn wondered what had happened.
“I… I am tired,” Maximus said. “For now, I am tired, and I cannae pass judgement. I thought that I would be more vengeful when this point came and that I would relish bringing suffering on all those who had a hand in destroyin’ me family. I had planned me vengeance on Donald Ross, on his soldiers, on the traitorous councilmembers, and on all those who raised their weapons against us, thinkin’ that it would bring me closure. However, this is nae the case. I beat Donald Ross to death with me bare fists, but it didnae make me feel better. Nay, in fact, it made me feel worse.”
Rosallyn felt her eyes widen. So that was what had made his hands so bloody. She grimaced from the gruesomeness of it. Just how badly had Maximus beat into the man’s body for there to be so much blood?
“I have decided to pass the traitorous council members to Elaise. She will dae with them as she pleases. And for ye and all the soldiers who returned with ye, ye can stay here for now. I dinnae ken what is the right thing to dae with ye all at the moment, and I dinnae have the strength to think about it. For now, I just want to enjoy what I have left of me family. I am sorry that I cannae respond to yer wish for punishment yet,” he finished.
Rosallyn saw her father give Maximus a proud smile, and she turned to Boyd who had slowly gotten to his feet. As her father and Maximus began to walk away, she tapped his shoulder, causing him to look up at her in question.
“I forgive ye,” she said simply and turned away, completely erasing him from her mind and hurrying forward so that she could slip between her father and Maximus, heartily linking her arms with them both. She did not see Boyd fall to his knees in tears. All she could see was the joy that filled her heart and the beautiful future that lay in wait.
It was finally over.
