Mark and Shyvonne at Eilean Donan

[Men of Skye]

Mark and Shyvonne sat in the courtyard of Eilean Donan, just looking around, enjoying the silence and solitude… Iain had not yet returned from Dun Darroch, so he was unaware of Mark’s marriage. The word of Searc’s death had rocked the family. To him, Searc dying was a blessing, he and Shy could be free… But he knew how Shy was suffering at the loss of her brother and Laird; all he could do was comfort her.

His comfort was a welcomed thing but still she had not said a word to her family about her marriage. Searc had died the same night they had married. What was to be one of the happiest moments in her life would also be a reminder of the loss to her family. She hoped Mark would understand this and that her family needed to mourn searc not slap his death in the face with news of her marriage. She asked for a few days time to give her mother time to grieve her son before she would tell her and Lindall of their marriage. Start slowly. Iain could know as he pleased, Shyvonne did not mind him knowing but he had yet to return.

All he had known had turned upside down… His life before was no longer… But the oddest thing that crossed his mind was he did not care… The incident at Dun Darroch was changing lives… his life… and still he faced the charges against him… soon the King would make a decision… he would either go free… be imprisoned for life… or axed… He just looked at Shy and smiled… His wife… his beloved wife… he was married !! A sept of the Robertson married to a MacGregor, no less… Another unexpected event…

He wanted to go home… to the only place he now felt safe… Oisles Academy…

She was glad of the solace the courtyard offered. No eyes followed after them. No threats loomed. Eilean Donan was peaceful to a fault and she was glad of it but she missed Oisles Academy. It was her home, it was her own Kingdom and she missed her students as surely as if a part of her heart was missing that was them.

It was hard to hide the fact they were married… He wanted to tell the whole world… but now was not the time, as Searc’s period of mourning was not over yet. Only Ivella wore black… maybe Lindall, but what good would black do for a pregnant and newly-married woman… Shy and Chloe wore their usual attire, save the black armbands… Mark would take every advantage to demonstrate his joy and happiness he felt; and now would be no different.

They had set up a small picnic on a blanket and Shyvonne had brought out his chess set she had gotten him. Sitting side by side, it was hard to play the two sides but she felt the need to be close to him. Until she continued to feel his arm snaking around her. "Stop" She hummed with a dangerous smile and wiggled out his grasp. "People will see…" She hissed wiggling again when his arm snaked around her again and she gave him an elbow in the ribs albeit it was devoid of any force behind it.

“So?? I dun care woman… yer my wife…” he tried to snake his arm around her again… until she elbowed him… “Uggh…” rubbing his side and smirking.

"If your not going to focus on the game, then I am ruining it." She laughed as she took out her book she kept notes on and opened it laying it across the board and knocking the pieces asunder. "It's my plans for the school...see...new class ideas, an expansion of the grounds. Look here.." Her finger pointed. "If we build this way, we can use the western side to build a stadium to hold school wide tournament..."

“Tis hard to focus on the game… yer a more pleasant game ta play…” then she trashed the pieces with her book… and her school plans caught his attention… and he chuckled a bit.

Her finger circled around the stadium she had etched onto the book. "That reminds me.." She hummed and took his hand into her own. Pulling him up from their makeshift picnic. "If you catch me...you win a prize..." She released his hand taking a few steps back and letting out a giggle before pulling her skirts up, she took off across the courtyard passing under the gates and around the side of the castle. She had no intention of running far, around the castle from sight when she stopped.

He rose with her… and suddenly a confused look crossed his face… “Catch yu?” then she backed up, turned, and darted off… He took off in a flash… and chased her around the corner, passing a bush, and an arm grabbed his and he smiled, looking around then back at her… “vera nice… just outta sight…”, and he moved closer to her…

When he caught up with her, her fingers curled into his chest, pulling him in, her chin tilted and her lips met his for a brief and quick but no less pleasurable kiss. "Look here" One hand uncurled from his chest to flick at a chain around her neck pulling it slowly from her dress. There on the end was a ring.

Eh, her damned quick kisses !! pleasurable, but never long enough. And when she spoke and her hand raised up… he smiled and looked into her eyes… But her next actions would alter his mind… and his actions.

Taking the ring from the chain, she took his hand in her own. "I believe I promised this to you." She hummed caressing his hand with her own. "With this ring I thee Wed (here placing it on his thumb), and with my body I thee honor (here placing it upon his index finger), and with all my worldly goods I thee endow (here placing it upon his ring finger)" She smiled up at him as she slid the ring completely down onto his ring finger. "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen"

He could say nothing… but his eyes would speak volumes as she positioned his hand… and repeated a portion of the wedding ceremony that was absent… and when she slipped the ring upon his ring finger, he closed his hand around hers…

Taking his hand into her own, she tilted a mischievous smile up at him. "Kiss me now, my husband."

And her command was quickly followed… his form pressed against hers until she was sandwiched between the castle wall and his body. His head tilted… “I shall always kiss you like this…” and he kissed his wife fully… passionately… a kiss for the ages… His form pressed hard against her, his mouth melded with hers, and tongues played games… Had any others ever loved like this? He had hoped so, for if they did, then there was hope for the world yet… Now the Collier were truly bonded with the MacGregor…

Her hands cupped at his face as he dipped towards her, her fingers pressed lovingly against his face, the tips teasing as they moved only a millimeter of an inch against his skin as she clasped his face in her hands backing up against the wall as he pushed her backward. A laugh escape her lips, her mouth open when his devoured hers and the laugh turned quickly to a moan. They were newlyweds, there was no lack of passion in their embrace nor lack of love, but it was not a passion nor love that would melt with time only grow every stronger and be ever present. With time, she reasoned in her mind, they would tell the clan of what they had done, perhaps in time, the world would know of the legend of Mark And Shyvonne Collier, like Guinevere and Lancelot. She was panting when his lips finally broke away from hers and her eyes found his as she grinned yet when he leaned down to kiss her again, her hand would come up between her lips and he ended up kissing her fingers instead, which made her laugh.

Her touch was worth a thousand years of torture… and her kisses were worth a millennia… Sometimes, it would seem they would both succumb to internal combustion at the spark of passion that resided in both of them. Leaning down to kiss her again, to delve into the sweetness of her lips, his mind envisioning it before it happened… But all he got was a surprise to find fingers placed strategically at her lips. Reacting quickly, he simply kissed her knuckles and laughed with her. Silly girl… but that is what he liked about her.

"Not here" She hummed and let her hand drop to curl into the front of his shirt. She wanted nothing more then to feel as she had on their wedding night, utter and complete bliss in his arms, but not here, not where they could be caught. Since coming to Eilean Donan, they had not been able to be together, at least intimately. Even their privacy here to spend time together talking was short lived. Though Lindall now shared a room with her new husband, Shyvonne had to share a room with her mother, for in the eyes of everyone, she was still unmarried.

Looking around, seeing no one… “Why not? No one will see us…” he fibbed. Unsure of discovery, his desire was foremost than sense. He too was frustrated that he could not lay beside his wife at night. Maybe soon… if he was able to live…

"I have a secret to tell you..." Her voice seemed to purr in a tease. "My mother, will be absent from the room tonight, visiting...a friend… Giaus actually, when she thinks I am asleep. And I happen to also know, she won't be back until dawn when she knows I get up and Robin is staying with his friend Rosie in her room with her mother for a sleep over..."

“A secret…?” then he smirked and lent an ear toward her, his hands placed upon her hips. And then she told him of the situation… and his eyes got an evil spark… and a wicked grin crossed his lips.

Her fingers tightened in his shirt and she raised on her toes , her chin jutting upward, her head tilting to the side as she suddenly captured his lips with her own again. This was not one of her slow teasing kisses, she took her time, for once letting go of the fear of being caught to taste his lips, to tease and tantalize them with her own. To tease the inside of his mouth with her tongue to catch the taste of him within her own mouth. It was only when her blood heated, when she knew that if she kissed him longer she would give in to melting with him anywhere, even the side of a castle, that she broke away.

His hand slid from her waist to her back, and he pulled her toward him, slightly upwards. Muscular arms could swing a sword with ease, but now they were for holding her… lips that ushered forth commands in a bolsterous voice in battle, now caressed hers in loving kiss… eyes that sought out his enemies, now closed and delved in happiness. Denied living quarters together, their ardor was a boiling pot; threatening to escape its boundaries… threatening to find solace in passion anywhere they could… anytime they could. Was her will greater than his? Or was it reasoning… the desire to enjoy it better in comfort and free reign of solitude?

"Will you come to me tonight?" Her voice was wispy and inviting. Her fingers again had curled into his shirt once more. Her head dipped pressed against his chest. She hated being without him. They had not even been able to enjoy their wedding night, spend the night in each other’s arms, wake up in each other's arms. No, that had been ruined by masked figured that had never been given a name. Never found, but to Shyvonne they would always be Searc's killer.

Oh her brother, it still hurt at her heart. Only in his death did she come to understand that he had grown up in a different world then hers. Life had been changing with her birth and she had the luxury to grow up in a world whose view was slowly changing on women. Yet it had been this change in the world that Searc had riled against and she had embraced that made them fight so. It did not mean she had loved her brother any less. In his death she now understood him more then she ever had alive. He had not been a bad man, except for what he had wrought on Chloe… and she in turn to him… Karma had balanced out in a few hours with that one… but he had simply followed a different life, one that had been fading and he had fought to his death to preserve it.

She missed him, she missed fighting with him, and in some way, felt guilty that she had not been able to have one good day with him in the months leading up to his death. To top it off, she had married Mark, against Searc wishes and had WANTED to spite her brother, wanted to revolt against him and had not regretted it, even now but it had been a slap in her brother’s face. It had been a slap in his face on the night of his death and she did not regret it, except the metaphorical slap in her brother’s face. He should have died happily an old man in his bed, but his life had been taken from him, and Shyvonne doubted it had ever been truly happy, or that he had ever been truly loved, outside of his family. Would he be angry at what she had done or could he finally find peace now in the afterlife and be happy that his sister had found love, true love?

It was rare, this true love. She knew it even if she did not speak of it to Mark yet. Theirs was a love that could transcend time and even death. Theirs was not only a true love, but they were soul mates. It was why they shared a connection through their dreams. Many a scholar would theorize on this, many would split down the middle on sides to the validity of true love and soul mates. Some able to believe but not prove its existence, others did not believe at all and would believe nothing of even accounts of lovers such as Guinevere and Lancelot, Iain and Chloe, The King and Queen, Shyvonne and Mark, as nothing more then strong emotion that lasted.

She had broken the kiss and pressed away from him, but no farther than arms length… It was then she seemed to drift off to another dimension of thought. “Yes, I will come to you tonight… and every night… for the rest of my…” She did not react… she was lost momentarily in the other dimension.

Twas true, they did share dreams… and it had saved her life… and his heart… He was sure they were whispered by some as witch and warlock, oddities to say the least. Myths of their love were once mere whispers… but from the flames of war, the whispers grew, as the man rushed into battle for his beloved… now facing death, he loved… she loved… equals to that of Guinevere and Lancelot…

Her mind was wandering from her brother to the existence of true love, of soul mates, while she rested in the arms of the one who was her true love and soul mate. Her face pressed her forehead against his chest, her fingers aching having been curled into his shirt for so long. Finally she heaved a sigh, wondering if he had the ability to read her mind as he had the ability to already see her visions in dreams. Slowly her head lifted and she blinked against the sun but offered him a smile of both comfort and silent reassurance that she was alright.

"Will you come to me tonight?" She asked again realizing she hadn't heard an answer, having missed it or it had been unspoken yet. "Will you stay with me tonight?"

He chuckled at her return, saying nothing, and as she buried her head in his chest, one hand held her back, while the other stroked her black hair upon her head. Where was she? What was she thinking about, that took her away from him? He could see her in dreams, but thoughts? Not yet… and that made him smile, returning her smile and nod. “Of course, did yu nay hear me?” he kissed the top of her head and spoke into her hair. “Every night, for the rest of my life…”

“… how ever long that shall be…” and he tightened the embrace about her, laying his head upon hers. The King had yet made his decision upon their charges… though he wished soon…

"No, I am sorry, I was deep in thought. About Searc...about life" Her lips curled into a grin though he could not see it with her head upon his chest. The stroking his fingers against her hair a comfort even as her heart beat wildly within her chest when he said however long that would be. What had they done? She did not regret their marriage, but she could not fathom a life without him. She had been plagued by no dreams since coming to ED, everything was darkness and while another time in her life she would of seen it as a relief, it scared her. The last thing they had seen was figures being lead to the axe man. Now there was nothing to do but wait until the King's decision. Had anything she had said to the King not to long ago held any weight? It was not evidence and still the feeling that she had not done enough lingered.

She felt his head lean down onto hers and her fingers curled harder into his shirt drawing him closer although it was impossible to their bodies pressed so tightly to one another. Slowly her lids closed to kiss at her cheeks as she let out a heavy sigh. "However long that shall be..." She repeated and turned her face to press into his chest instead of her cheek before lifting her head. "God has heard my vows as surely as you and the priest have, I shall never love another, but I cannot fathom life without you. Mark...if the King’s verdict comes back....if things should go wrong..." Her lips pressed into a tight line and then she sighed opening her eyes to look at him. "If you are convicted of treason and sentenced to die, I cannot allow it, I have men from the Academy coming, in anticipation of returning to Oisles but in secret, if the King should sentence death, they have orders..."

She stopped there. Did he get what she was saying? she found it hard to get it out, moss green eyes searching his face left to right. "We will flee here, we can go anywhere...we can find somewhere they will not follow us. I cannot lose you, I won't... we'll fight our way out if we have too, as Lancelot fought Arthur men to save Guinevere from the flames when condemned to die for adultery. We can be like them, fade from here into history, find a life somewhere else."

Her fingers hurt tightened so hard within his shirt as she lifted up to press her lips against his own but a voice called and her lips paused only a breath away from his own.

"Lady Shyvonne!"

Gasping, her hands untangled from him, she even gave him a shove back to distance the space between then and smoothed a hand down her dress turning her attention as Leigha came around the corner. Leigha cheeks flushed as if she had known what had gone on but to her credit she said nothing with hands folded demurely in front of her as she dipped into a curtsy.

"Apologies My Lady" Leigha hummed not raising her eyes to look at either of them. "Your mother and sister require your presence..."

Shyvonne attention turned to Mark and then back to Leigha, for a moment her fingers touched at her lips in thought before falling away as she gave a nod her head. "Please, excuse me" She hummed at Mark pausing as Leigha disappeared around the side of the castle again to take his hand into her own. "I shall see you tonight" Her hand squeezed his and then she was gone.

Mark listened to her intently as she described the plan that was to be, should he found guilty of treason by King’s decree. He shook his head resisting the thought if things went awry. As his mouth formed words, the words never came, as a call from the side made them both look. It was Leigha summoning her mistress…

And as Shy turned back from Leigha and spoke to him… he simply nodded… “My room…” offering a smile.

[Men of Skye]

The Verdict had set in motion a tiding of good times and good friends to rejoice and celebrate that the dark cloud that had lingered at the beginning of such things, was finally dissolving. As far as anyone could tell, there could only be only the sunrise on the horizon. Villages, miles away would speak of this night, when ED erupted into joy instead of wiles of despair. Wine flowed as freely as the music played. Those who had died in battle were remembered with toasts. Those absolved of guilt of treason were hailed in dancing. Families for the first time in months mingled, Robertson with MacGregor, MacDonald with Robertson.

Shyvonne celebrated with the lot of them. she even at one point found Iain and begged of her new 'brother in law' a dance for they were as good as family with Mark as her husband. Late into the hours, conversations began to wan and mumble with the aid of drink and still many lingered in the hall. Couples kissed in shadowed corners while others displayed demure touches upon a makeshift dance floor in middle of the room.

It was nearing midnight when Shyvonne stole into her husband’s arms despite onlookers who were chuckling and commenting on the wanton and newly married couple. "I wish to celebrate, husband…" She purred into his ear and then captured his lips with her own, one of those poisonous quick kisses that always left him wanting more. "Alone" She hummed when her lips broke away from her own.

Mark had been discussing the new-found freedom, and his marriage to the Lady Shyvonne… male discussions interrupted by a married woman who wished to be with her newlywed husband. And when she whispered into his ear… all he could do was smirk and look to the men… “M’Lords… do excuse me… pressing family matters… By yer leave…” and he moved away from the men, his wife’s hands upon his arm, as the men took their own discussions after the teasing dispelled.

It did not seem a difficult task to pull him away from the spirited celebrating congregation and many would talk of how the couple left the hall fairly tearing the clothes from one another bodies as they went for it was true, each kiss was passionate, each touch a stoke to the fires of desire for one another as they climbed the stairs and moved down the hall pressing each others bodies against the wall pawing at each others’ bodies at they went until the door to his rooms slammed shut and locked them away from prying eyes.

Not able to get too much of one another, the newlyweds, out of sight of those that mattered pawed at one another stoking enflamed passion between them. They only broke the passionate kiss long enough to acknowledge the servant girl’s apology and bright red facial tint of embaressment at catching them. Mark just smirked at Shy and opened the door pushing his wife inside and slamming the door closed and locked immediately… Shy teased and tried to run, but Mark grabbed her arm and spun her into his grasp… Clothes were virtually ripped from torsos, kisses were passionate and almost consumed one another.

Mark was married… and he finally loved someone more than he ever thought possible… life was anew… and his new life now consumed his every thought… which translated into touch and kiss… It would be he would make love to his wife thru the night and into early morning… no position, nor act deemed inappropriate between lovers… friends… newlywed husband and wife.

Clothes were strewn asunder on the ground and the moans and cries of passion that resounded off the walls were enough to shame Angels in watching. Hours into the midnight hour, Shyvonne loved her husband without abandon, without shame so even the walls had they eyes would be green with jealousy. She loved him with her moans, with her cries of pleasure, with every inch of her body as it moved with his to that ever rising high only obtained by two bodies melding against each other as if to become one. She loved him until it was painful to move any longer and their bodies fell exhausted onto the bed panting and heaving in delight of passion and desire well touched and yet never fully sated.

The covers were a mess, the sheet covering her pert little bottom as she lay upon her stomach, the rest of her body bare to him, her hands underneath the pillow, her head turned towards him and her dark hair framing her chalky white face, those pale pink lips pulled into a grin and she let out a hum of a laugh as she rolled, the slip of sheet over her bottom slipping baring her body completely to him, she shifted and draped her sweaty form over his.

"We should call for a bath, lest we stink in the morning" She hummed in an exhausted tone against his shoulder before placing a kiss against the appendage of his body as her fingers trailed small circles across the rest of his flesh and her head dipped to share his pillow with her own head. "I was thinking, we should go back to the Academy to see things set in order, the children are out for the holidays so this would be a good time to call in an architect and start building the Academy up to those drawings I showed you, start adding new classes, this way the children can create their own schedule when they get back, start learning about things they want to learn about, with the appropriate classes they need to take; reading, writing, math and the likes."

“A bath?” he smirked wickedly. “Aye, sounds delightful… you can wash my back and I yours…” he tapped her nose. She was beautiful… and passionate… as if the years pentup were released… yet unyielding… He tilted his head as she lay upon his pillow… With a chuckle he spoke… “Aye… by all means, let us go home… I am tired of Waternish…” he kissed her forehead. “I shall give Iain my resignation personally…” then he embraced her.

She paused to turn her head towards him and smiled, her hand rose to lay against his cheek, her thumb stroking at his chin. "I was prepared to fight for you, you know, like Lancelot fought to save Guinevere from the flames of her adultery with him. Loyal subject or not, I cannot live without you. A day without you, is like a year without rain." Her fingers stroked at his cheek as her moss green eyes searched over his face from left to right. "You taught me to open my heart, I am not prepared to close it again, not while I have chance to keep you in my life, not with there is breath in my body."

“Fight for me?” he smiled… “Silly wench… why would yu give yer life for me…??” then she finished her words… and he saw why… “You have no heart wench, for I have it… and as my heart… soul… and body, is yers…”

Her leg curled with his own, her hips rolling forward to press against his own as her fingers curled against his jawbone to pull his lips to hers. There were still sounds of merriment downstairs. The threat of a life without him was gone, it seemed, and yet she wanted to make it perfectly clear that if ever there was a threat of a life without him, she would fight for him, to keep him with her. With a heavy sigh, her eyes turned from the him to the ceiling. Her brother was dead, her sister would return to her new husband’s lands with him and Chloe was now Chieftain of the MacGregor clan. She was certain Chloe would do what was best for the clan, what she thought was best but this was the first time Shyvonne knew of, of a non MacGregor in blood ruled over the clan.

It didn't seem right or fair. She still held a measure of contempt for Chloe. Rather then have someone come straight to ED to tell them of Searc’s death so the MacGregor women could rush home for his funeral, it was days later and the cook who told them. No, she didn't think Chloe gave a rats ear about the MacGregor women as much as she said she did. After a moment’s pause, she turned her eyes to Mark again and offered him a shy smile, one that said she had been lost in thought again but that she was fine. "My brother is dead, Linny will return to her new husband’s lands with him, and undoubtedly my mother will return to Dunsgate with Chloe to put things to right, no doubt she is worried with Chloe being pregnant she will be too hormonal to make the right decision all the time."

He watched her in silence… it seemed that she was far off, trying to touch the stars… then she looked at him and spoke. “Tis nay our problems… each shall, and must adapt… as we do… The King’s way of changing things is a bit awkward… but so far, he has proven himself worthy of my fealty. I have sided with Iain for so long… done his bidding most of my life… and still, he managed to keep his life in turmoil… and mine. Now, I have a responsibility to someone I love…” he flicked her chin teasingly. “Besides, I am nay too old to live happily…” he gave her a wink.

She sighed and brushed her hand against his face again as she rolled to stomach untangling her leg with his only to continue its drape of the limb over his waist humming with a small laugh that she had taken up the conversation and he was ever silent listening to her ranting. "Say something... don't let me talk off your ear all the time, for once talk off my own. Tell me your thoughts, take me away from my mind."

He laughed… “You do well enough without me saying too much… Some men do not like talkative females… but I like yer voice woman…” he popped her bare arse. “Among other things…” he chuckled waggling his eyebrows. “God, I must give up my luxurious life as a lazy HorseMaster and party beast… for a teacher… and a husband… Oh forlorn I be…” he chuckled, his hand upon her leg. “Sooo, when do we go home yer Majesty?” he laughed.

She listened quietly when he talked of Iain, of handing his resignation in personally, of how Iain had managed to keep both their lives in turmoil. For once Shyvonne did not agree. She did not know Iain and yet somehow there was a measure of respect for the man, no not a measure, a good amount of respect for him. He had been willing to defy the King's orders albeit to kill her family but in the name of what had been done to someone he loved, thinking Chloe dead. She could respect what he had done, what he had been attempting to do in order to avenge his lover. Iain hadn't been the only one to create turmoil, Chloe had been party to it, and Searc but with Searc out of the equation, life would have some measure of peace. This she knew.

Her head jerked on the pillow to look at him. "Not our problem? Mark, my family has always supported me in what I wished to do and be in life, Searc may not of always proven it, but in his heart he knew he could not change me, as I could not change him. Linny has always been supportive of me, never judgmental and mom has been our rock since before I could even fathom having memories. Each member of my family is a stepping stone in our family line, there is no walking away from that. Should they call of me, have need of me, I will always answer that call. An just as you and I have united, our families have wed, Robertson, MacGregor and MacDonald, we all of us are united; each problem is our own when it hurts out family. What would any of us be without our families? We must stand united now, all of us, as one, perhaps not with the same ideals in mind but united and supportive none the less, least this whole mess reoccur again."

She had gotten heated now and jerked away from him tugging the sheet with her to wrap around her body as she rose from the bed. Her cheeks were flushed red in her heated argument with her husband. What a way to start a clear and open marriage, making love only to erupt into an argument because he had said it was not their problem. "Iain was never alone in his creation of torment, Chloe and Searc, they were apart of it as well. I know there were problems with my brother, I am not denying that, but Chloe would not let go of Iain either, she put a wedge into the lives of my family as surely as Searc brought her to us to do such a thing."

He propped his arm upon the pillow and looked at her as she moved from the bed.. “Wooo lass, calm down…” he teased. “Yer too tight upon the reins… I am in agreement… we must be united… tis what the King desires… I am nay against you… If I misspoke, sincerest apologies is mine to give…” he shook his head. “I am nay defending anyone… God knows my past is nay pure…” again he shook his head… and plopped upon his back, his head sinking deep into the pillow. “We are arguing over who did what to whom… and who is right or wrong? I could care less… we, you and I, are married… we have Oisles to be concerned with… You are my FIRST priority.” He just exhaled.

Mark had grown up under Lord Alexander’s rule of clan… he saw Iain and how he rebelled… Mark was a Collier, a sept of the Robertson… deep seeded into clan loyalty… but having grown up as he did, he did not live by clan law… he lived by Mark’s law…

She stopped there. Long enough to go to the door and peek out to ask a passing maid for a tub and water so they could bath and then quietly she shut the door again. For a moment, she pressed a hand against her face and then brushed it back through her mess of hair as she moved to sit on the edge of the bed, her elbows holding the sheet around her body. "I am sorry, I did not mean to get so...impassioned. Part of me understands their actions, now having faced my own events where I could have lost... you. That they are willing to move the earth itself for one another is admirable, inspiring even, but I still hold some contempt for Chloe and what pain some of her actions have inflicted on my family." She shifted to look back at him and then fell backward to lay upon the bed reaching out for him. "This whole experience has impacted us, I know I am not alone, and while some bear scars that are noticeable, mine are wounds inside that are healing. We should leave for Oisles tomorrow, as soon as my guards have arrived to escort us home."

Returning to his propped position as she laid back down… he looked at her. “Apology accepted M’Lady…” he winked. “Aye, passionate you are… both in bed and politics…”

[Shyvonne MacGregor]

[glow=red,2,300]Warning: Content Contains Scene of a slightly Graphic Nature. Do not read if you are under age or squimish to such scenes.[/glow]

Her fingers found his arm, her tilted back to look at him though he was upside down in her eyes and her position on the bed. Her lips curled into a grin, what a night to have their first night to be freely husband and wife. Passion was not something they were lacking either in carnal pleasures or words. She let out a laugh as he pulled the covers back to examine her body for injury in a teasing and playful manner that boasted promise of more. A hum of a moan escaped her lips, eyelids sliding closed, as his fingers probed at her body looking for the non-existent wounds.

When his body rolled onto of hers, instantly her legs were about his waist, her eyelids opened so she took take his face, her hand lifting to touch at his cheek as she let out a laugh. "Silly man" She teased back as her fingers stroked at his cheek, her thumb rolling over his lips. Her heart in this moment was swelled with love, swelled to bursting, and she took a moment to marvel in the feeling of it below her breast bone, such a feeling as she had never had before and once she was more assured of now, than ever, that she would never lose, even if she had to defy King and Kingdom as Iain and Chloe had done to keep it.

He would look down upon his wife… ‘His wife…’ he thought. In its own way, he found it a bit amusing. Most his life he had been the lady’s man… regardless of the woman’s age, background, or social, or married, status… he had never been in love, though he was more experienced in love-making than most men his age, or older… and at times, had been requested by married women of prominent men to indulge their fantasies. And now, he found himself in love with a young beautiful woman, who was in love with him. One so passionate, driven to success, and strong-willed, yet she never excluded him from her life. Passionate? Aye, she was… and she had proven it several times, even austere conditions… and now she was determined to demonstrate her unrelenting passion. As his breathing had accelerated from his excitement, he only offered her a wicked smirk.

She hummed in a small laugh as both eyebrows hitched high upon her forehead in a look of pure wonderment at him. Did he enjoy hearing her so impassioned and angry even when it had been briefly directed at him? Or had it been touching her flesh that had so excited him? Surely he could feel the heat rising from her thighs against his flesh from what his roaming fingers had done to him. "As you wish." She hummed at his request to see how passionate she was. The heated whisper was husky and hinted at danger of such request.

Her thighs tightened around him, her heels digging into his buttock gave her leverage to throw his weight to the free side of the bed, her legs unlocking from around him as she pushed him to his back and climbed onto of his weight, the sheet that had covered her down rolled between them, locking them together as it tangled in their rolling bodies. Her mouth opened and her lips curled into a silent laugh as she wiggled to get into position onto of her husband, her dark hair framing her face as she turned a mischievous look down upon him. There was no shame nor embarrassing creep of color to her cheeks as she reached between their bodies to take hold of his excitement and position it at her opening. Once in position, her hand found his chest again and her hips rolled forward, her pelvic bone meeting his own as she sank down upon him inch by glorious inch.

She had caught him by surprise with her movement and he laughed as he rolled upon his back. She had taken control so easily… and he had no qualms about it. And as she positioned herself and slid upon him, he could only close his eyes momentarily… his hands finding her form… and fingers unconsciously exploring bare skin.

Mark had been the man to take her maidenhead, it had been painful and not to mention embarrassing to leave the evidence of their marriage and first love marking behind in a storage closet in Struan, but the pain had been quick to disappear, now it was a faded memory in the back of her mind, and their love-making earlier was proof enough, that passion could lay exquisitely behind the pain. Here was another thing she had never to experience with a man and not one she would likely want to leave behind again, though she wanted this passion with one else save Mark. Save her husband, who in God’s eyes, was her husband unto the ends of time. She released abandon, pushed away any embarrassments to feel the pleasures of her husband’s body beneath her as hips rocked back and forth, her knees pushed tight into the mattress as her leverage with her head thrown back in ecstasy that escaped even her lips in cries and moans of passion unbridled.

His mind delved in the haze of passion, as he had limited control of the situation… from slow intimate touches to the wild abandoned rhythms… he loved… and made love to his wife… ‘Wife…’ again his mind drifted to her and the smirk crossed his face, only to be twisted by passion. He was in love with this woman… not just for her passion, but everything about her… Love had a hold upon him… and he was married… married to a woman he loved. What a concept?!! No embaressment from either, as husband and wife loved one another the way they did.

What she would not expect were the servants who came with tub and water in the middle of her love-making. The servants were just as surprised as she was. She had forgotten to relock the door when she had gone and asked for tub and water in the first place and they stood frozen in spot with Shyvonne, unable to stop the build within her body, unwilling to let passions die, threw her head to the side at the intrusion. "GET OUT!" She screamed at the frozen servants. "Wait..ugh oh..Outside!" She managed to heave between breaths when they backed up a step at the screaming one and then stopped again before backing out and shutting the door. It mattered not to her how long they waited,

He had no time to laugh, chuckle, nor even smile, as passion’s control upon mind and body continued despite the interruption… If he had been able to even notice the stark realization of the moment by those viewing two lovers, he would have laughed… Time, nor interrupting visitors, could stop what was the inevitable.

It was only when they were finished, when she had caught her breath that the servants were allowed in with tub and water. Shyvonne still showed no signs of embarrassment as she waited for bucket after bucket of water to be brought in and dumped within the tub to be filled, while holding a robe closed over her body and yet there was no look of shame upon her face. "Please, bring a pair of scissors and a razor." She asked the final servant as the last bucket of water was dumped into the tub. The servant nodded and left the room.

While waiting for the scissors and razor to be brought, Shyvonne took a new kind of tenderness and passion. She washed her husband’s hair and washed his body. Though she knew he was an adult who could do it on her own, she relished the chance to do it; To tend ever inch of his body as she would her own, to tend him as wife. They had been denied much and had their whole lives to have experiences but this was one she wanted to attend to now, to lovingly tend to his body and know it intimately as she did in their love-making.

When the scissors and razors were brought, she tended his unruly mess of hair that he had grown in battle and imprisonment. It was not that she did not like the way he looked, she loved him no matter what but she did so out of love, that they could put the past behind them and not bare marks of it to their future, he could regrow his hair and beard in the future if that was his wish, but for now, she wished her husband clean shaven and clean cut. Though she had never shaved a man, she took care in shaving the beard that had amassed on his face and then wiped his face clean. When he was finished, she would join him in the tub.

As a squire would prepare a knight for battle, Shyvonne groomed and prepared her husband for a new day… a new life, together… to know him as a squire does a knight. The elaborate details of intricacy were the same; the squire hefted the heavy mail and slid it slow upon the knight’s form… then piece by piece, he would don the armour onto the knight, as if he gently tended a king. Helping the knight upon his steed, then raising sword and shield to the mounted knight, Shyvonne would tend her husband with the same intimacy… to wash every bit of skin… to know his form better than he… to tenderly shave away growth from time in the dungeon and solitude. And as the squire would tend the knight if he fell in battle, Shyvonne would quell the dying embers of a man’s ego, by raising him up before time had a chance to emotionally destroy him. This is what she did for Mark… and as such he would do the same… to groom his Lady in her slightest of needs… to share time with her… to make her feel as important as anything in life itself… He would wash her form with the extra tenderness required, as if she were a Queen. He was her protector… her lover… friend… husband. He was her Lancelot to his Guinevere.

Dawn was peeking over the lands of Waternish, the window frames were beginning to creep with light. A tub sat in the far corner of the room, its water now dead cold from hours of rest. The couple was abed, the sheet laid leisurely around their bodies, Shyvonne on her stomach, right hand propped under the pillow to boost it up a little higher, her other hand lazily placed on top of the pillow near her lips, her breathing was heaven and shallow of sleep but her face was twisted in sleep.

After days of having nothing in her dreams but blackness, now she dreamed of masked men riding along the road. A road she knew well, the road between the Academy the countryside which lead to the outlining lands of Dunsgate, the Abby, Struan and others. Ahead was a caravan, a Lord’s banner swaying so hard in the wind, it was hard to tell exactly who it was, but it was apparent the five masked and armored riders were headed for the guarded caravan.

Shyvonne woke with a gasp, her face pressing in the pillow to mask the sound from Mark who slept behind her, her body jerked and she felt Mark arm tighten around her. For several minutes, she lay in the late morning light replaying the image of the masked riders in her head. Their masks were different than ones who had attacked Struan. These people were different. Slowly and carefully she rolled to save Mark and her hand found his cheek, ever so gently and so she would not wake him, she stroked at his cheek marveling in his sleeping face and worrying that trouble, was not yet done with them.

Heavy in the pillow was his head… a deep sleep he was enjoying for the first time in so long… his eyes would flutter behind closed eyelids… his mind vacant of all recognizance. No dreams… no nightmares would invade his subconsciousness… He lay upon his back… his strong arm above her head and pillow. The fire in the hearth snapped and popped with morning embers soon to die away…

Mark was usually a light sleeper, cognizant of all that surrounded him; save this morn… for a deep sleep enveloped him. But when his beloved wife moved all too suddenly, his arm automatically tightened around her. A soft voice reassuring her… “I am here… its alright…” He patted her back as she lay beside him, unknowing what she had seen in her dreams…

The truth was, she had not been able to go back to sleep once waking from the dream. Part of her wished to witness it again, but knowing her visions never worked that way. It was likely she would see something far different then before. She felt Mark arm tighten around her and sighed, allowing herself to release her tension and relax. His breathing evened out once more and she knew he was asleep. For another hour she lay within his grasp replaying the scene over in her head. She could not tell the Lords banner fluttering in the wind, it had been to rapid with the pull of the horses but the masked men, those people were familiar, they faces hidden by masks, she had no idea how she knew of them, but she had the uncanny feeling she knew who each of them were although she could not name them. Not yet.

By the time he woke, Shyvonne was already awake, dressed in her pastel blue and purple dress, sitting at the dressing table, brushing her long dark hair, as she gazed in the mirror. Flipping off the sheet, he rose, his bare feet hitting the floor softly. Padding to her, he stood behind, laying his strong hands upon her shoulder. Bending low, he whispered in her ear… “Good morn my wife… I pray the sun finds you well…” followed by a slight squeeze to her shoulders. “Did I ever tell you I love you…?” he would question… But her lack of answer, except for a nod gave him notice of something afoul.

“I think today would be a good day for travel… We should bid our farewell to the King and be upon journey to Oisles… What do you think?” he would say unbeknownst of her dream.

Silence reigned supreme in the mornings. It reminded her of the Academy in the hours the staff would wake up before the children. The occasion scuffle outside, the distant sound of doors opening and closing as easily as possible to lessen the noise for those still sleeping. ED was slowly waking up and Shyvonne was awake to listen to it, content for a spell to lay in her husband’s arms until the light of the sun was spilling across the floor. Rolling carefully, she kissed his sleeping lips humming in a small note as her lips curled into a grin at his sleeping face.

Ever so slowly she wiggled from beneath his arm and padded her feet against the cold stoned floor to dress before sitting down to brush the tangles of a wild night of lovemarking and dreaded dreams from her hair. Had Mark witnessed the dream? Perhaps not, her head reasoned as she straightened the tangles out of her hair. If he had, he would not have gone back to sleep. He could not of slept, like see to witness such a thing. She heard Mark rustling in bed and held her breath as he rolled to the side and slowly rose from the bed. Waiting, expecting some sign that he had seen it too. When he said nothing until he was behind her, she sighed her shoulders slumping. This was the proof she needed that she had been alone in her vision. She managed a small smile in the mirror for him, eyes sliding closed as he bent close to her ear and then the smile slid from her lips as quickly as it came, unable to hold it long she simply nodded to his question and lay her brush aside to turn on her chair.

"I think it a fine idea. Leigha should be here any moment to check up on me. I shall have her check to see if the men have arrived from the Academy to escort us home." She spoke and then turned in the chair again to look at her reflection and his in the mirror as she took up her brush again.

"Will you not say goodbye to Iain then? I wish to bid farewell to my family as well. God only knows when we shall all be together again."

Mark was oblivious to her dream, but he could sense a sort of distress in her… but he said, or acted upon, nothing. “To Iain? Um…” he thought a bit… Had Chloe told him of the indiscretion? What thoughts he had upon his marriage to Shy? “Aye, I shall… and we can be gone from this hellhole… to our own piece of heaven.” Slipping a shirt on, he made tisted facial expressions, a bit of tension in them.

She finished the last tangle from her hair and began to work strands of her hair backward to hold it out of her face and clasping it back. For several seconds while she finished getting ready for the day she was silent and then she turned in the chair again and offered him another fleeting smile. God knew there was nothing she ever wished to keep from him but she found herself doubting telling him of this dream she had. They both had been through much in their short time of even knowing each other. What would it say of her to ruin what little happiness they had captured by telling him there was the possibility of more unrest. Besides, there were visions that did not come true, his execution or the others.

"I shall tell you what, why do you not go say goodbye to Iain while I instruct Leigha to what needs to be packed and then we shall both say our farewells to their majesties and my family and be on our way. There is something I wish you to give to Iain." Rising from the dressing table, she strolled to her trunk in the corner and pushed the lid up. From within she took out two jewelry, inside one was a small hand painted portrait of Iain and in the other, one of Chloe.

"I had these made in case things did not go well, I was going to give them to Robin, but seeing God has smiled on us, I think they should go to Iain and Chloe. The one of Chloe should go to Iain and the one of Iain naturally to Chloe. Will you take these to him when you say your farewells?" She explained the contents of the jewelry cases as she handed them over to Mark. With his hands full, she cupped his face between her hands and pulled him down to give his lips a tender sweet kiss.

Dressed and ready to leave, destiny with Iain looming near, Shy made him pause. He stood near her and waited, then he held out his hand accepting the gifts. He looked at them, then to her briefly. “You are some creature… one to have and hold…”]/b] then he slipped them into his jacket pocket… and kissed her farewell. “I shall meet yu at the stables…”

Before departing, he summoned a servant to pack his belongings and take them to the carriage to be loaded.

Iain opened the door to his quarters, responding to the knock. There he found Mark, dressed in traveling clothes of brown leather, the man’s arms by his side. Iain glanced back at the sleeping Chloe, and stepped out into the corridor, closing the door.

Mark had hesitantly knocked upon the door, truly not desiring any confrontation between the two old friends. He was a bit dismayed when Iain stepped into the hall. “M’Lord… I just wanted to say goodbye and offer well wishes to you and yours. Our paths now diverge in separate ways… and…” he reached in his pockets. “Lady Shyvonne wanted me to give you these gifts…” Holding out the lockets.

Iain was silent… slate grey eyes peered at the man with no emotion, no inkling of what lay upon his mind. This was the first time since the trial that the two men had spoken. As Mark spoke, Iain looked at the lockets and received them with an emotionless thank you. “I am sure the Lady Chloe shall appreciate them…” was all he offered.

“Iain… I wanted to say, that my love for yu has never faltered… nor shall it… You are, if I had one, closer than a brother…” Mark spoke softly…

Iain’s expression changed, and he grabbed Mark by the jacket, spinning him, and pressing him to the wall. “Well brother, you EVER come around Chloe again, I shall kill you…” his eyes narrowed and darkened… and he spoke in a gruff but lowered voice. “I trusted you with everything I own… and you kicked me in the balls… I know about the baby, I am nay stupid… and ye shall nay play me as such…” he paused… “And to ease yer mind… Chloe did not tell me… yu did by yer lack of action and words… But know this, I swear by all that is Holy, if yu see her again… I will kill you… but to show I am a good man… Your Shyvonne shall ne’r know…lest you tell her… I shant be the cause of your failure…” releasing his jacket, he pushed Mark away. “Go with yer woman… and leave me to mine… and yer bastard… I shall raise him, not like Alexander did me… I am a better man…” The expression upon Iain’s face was odd… the most strange Mark would ever see.

Mark was taken aback by Iain’s actions and words… but he never raised a hand, nor said a word, in defense… Only his eyes would speak for him, never to leave the floor, for he had lowered his eyes as Iain looked at him. A simple nod was all he did. And when Iain pushed him, he stumbled a bit and leaned against the wall. “Your wish is my command, M’Lord… as it always has been…” As he started to walk away, Mark softly said... “Iain, I forgive you… and pray that you shall me, one day… but yu know not what ye talk about…” one last line of defense.

Iain huffed and did not look at Mark, disappearing into his room.

By mid-morning the carriage was packed and waiting as the couple said their final farewells to the family and they all filed outside to see Shyvonne and Mark off. Shyvonne paused at the carriage door offering one final smile to her family before climbing into the carriage. Her stomach was in knots, there was a sense of excitement to be going back to the only home she had ever felt safe enough to be herself, but there was an ominous feeling there to which only grew as the carriage left ED behind and rolled over the countryside, this feeling of dread, as if another kind of destiny awaited them at the doors of Oisles Academy.

Mark had walked around the gardens after the encounter with Iain… he could not figure things out… and he knew soon he and Iain were history… and he and Shy would be on their way to Oisles… Life had taken a different path than any of them could have ever expected. And by mid-morning, he was no closer to figuring things out…
Exiting the gardens, he made his way to the stables where the Shy and the carriage would be waiting…

Upon arrival, he saw that he had missed the farewells to the King and Queen… and Shy was already in the carriage waiting for him. He royals had already departed, unable to wait due to their schedule.

He stepped into the carriage where his wife was waiting… and he sat down. “Iain sends his best regards… and sincere appreciation of the gifts… Chloe was asleep and I did not wish to disturb her.” Mark lied… He refused to give anymore heartache to his beloved Shyvonne. His hand patted her thigh, and he looked at her with a smile… “On to better days M’Love… let our past be behind us…” And he looked out the window toward ED as it got smaller and smaller… and a tear fell from his eye.