The Heart of an Highlander

revious day's training had left her muscles aching, but there was no room for complaint. Stretching stiffly, she dressed in the p

les," Maeve announced, her tone bright. "It

d her shoulders as she followed Maeve to the stables, her breath forming clouds in the frigid morning. Lach

le. "We ride at first light. I want to see w

g the stallion warily. "And

his saddle. "The Campbells have been seen near the bo

ntial skirmish?" she asked, her

unreadable. "You wanted to prove yourself,

tes they were riding out of the castle gates. The morning was still an

to the peaks in the distance, while the rolling hills were dotted with patches of

rained, but Isolde lacked the confidence and ease Lachlan displayed in the saddle. S

lan observed after a time, h

tted. "And never acro

ore he turned his attention back to the t

bread and dried meat. Lachlan remained distant, speaking only when necessary. Isolde trie

there greeted Lachlan with deference, their expressions lighting up at the sight o

of the guards reported. "A small group, no more than six. They

ightening. "And there's b

esting us, my lord.

s narrowing. "We'll ride to the ridge and

h rocky terrain. Isolde's mare stumbled more than once, and she had to fight to

w them, a patchwork of fields and forests divided by a winding river. It was beautiful, yet

o a cluster of trees in the dista

ouldn't see any movement, but the idea of being so

ked. "Why provoke you witho

d. "Looking for weaknesses. It's a game o

aught her eye, and she gasped. "

ged his stallion forward, motioning for her to stay close. They descended

ismounted, signaling for Isolde to do the same. She follo

ed, his voice low. "And

and went instinctively to the dagger Maeve had given her that morning.

ved swiftly, his sword cutting through the air. The man

!" Lachla

her dagger with all the strength she could muster. It str

man and pinning him to the ground. The scout g

hat," Lachlan said, his voice col

Lachlan's men arrived moments later, securing the

had acted without thinking, and the realizat

said, his voice pullin

her eyes wide. "I didn

ion softer than she had expected. "Instinct can b

Isolde replayed the events in her mind, unsure of how she felt about the role she had pla

ht of the setting sun. Isolde dismounted and handed the re

ing hers. "You've shown courage today, Isolde. Perh

but she nodded, too tired to respond. Maeve met her in t

f something unfamiliar-a sense of belonging. It was faint and fragile, but it was th

ee the path she had to walk. It would be difficult and fraught