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They stopped to watch the sky, now streaked with purples and pinks as day surrendered to night.

In that quiet moment, Lachlan turned to her, cradling her face with a gentleness that contradicted his warrior’s strength.

His lips met hers in a kiss that spoke of promise and hope, a tender seal upon their shared dreams.

“Wherever the future leads us, we’ll face it together,” he vowed, his forehead resting against hers.

“And with ye as me guide,” Ailis added, her green eyes gleaming with the last light of dusk. “We shall weather any storm.”

As they entered the keep, Ailis chilled. The great hall was alive with murmurs and laughter, contrasting the somber mood that had settled upon her. She was a newlywed, and she dearly loved her husband, but the threat of impending battle became closer and closer each day, and her mood was suffering.

“Gather ’round, me dear ones!” Fiona’s voice rang out like a bell, drawing the clan members closer to her by the warm hearth.

Her eyes sparkled with an unfamiliar light, and their curiosity was piqued.

“As ye all know, the McAfee blood flows strong in our veins,” Fiona began, a proud smile on her face.

“And I am thrilled to announce that our family will soon welcome another into our fold. I am with child.”

Gasps of surprise and cheers of joy erupted from the kinfolk as they surrounded Fiona, congratulating her and showering her with affection. Ailis couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy as she forced a smile onto her face and joined in the celebrations.

She longed for a child of her own, but it was her sister who carried the next potential laird of Clan McAfee. As much as she loved Fiona, Ailis couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if she were the one expecting a child.

Later, seated beside Lachlan at the feast, Ailis’s hand rested lightly on his arm but found no solace now. Her thoughts were tangled with jealousy she dared not confess. She so desperately wanted to be happy for her sister, but she was caught in a sadness that would not seem to leave her.

“Are ye well, me love?” Lachlan questioned with concern. He could tell something was bothering her, and he wanted to help if he could.

“Aye,” she lied, gazing at Fiona. “I am merely…overwhelmed by the tidings.”

“I think it is wonderful she is expecting. The McAfee line will carry on with this child.” Lachlan smiled. “We will be hopeful that our turn will come soon.”

“Hope,” Ailis echoed flatly later in their conversation. Beneath the table, her fingers curled into a fist. It was hard to keep feeling hope day after day knowing a battle was coming, and she would most certainly lose clan members if not her own husband.

As the night wore on, torches flickered and shadows lengthened. Ailis remained lost in thought, her eyes tracing intricate patterns of tapestries that told tales of valor and sacrifice.

“Are ye certain nothing ails ye?” Lachlan persisted.

“Naught but the weight of duty,” she confessed softly. It was an honest answer, if incomplete.

Lachlan nodded, his blue eyes searching hers for the unspoken words. “I know we’re all faced with difficulties, but I know that we can get through it if we work together.”

Ailis forced a smile, nodding in agreement. Yet as the celebration continued around her, the image of Fiona, aglow with impending motherhood, lingered in her mind—a stark reminder of the life growing inside her sister, and of the unspoken ache within her own heart.

The distant strains of a lute filled the hall, weaving a melody that danced with the flickering firelight. Ailis watched as couples twirled gracefully, their laughter mingling with the music. She excused herself from the table, needing a moment of respite from the revelry.

The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on her. She’d been thinking she needed a little frivolity, and here it was being offered, and she chose to move away from the fun the others were having.

Stepping out into the crisp night air, Ailis found herself drawn toward the courtyard. As she wandered deeper into the garden, she spotted a figure emerging from the darkness.

“Lachlan,” Ailis greeted, her voice soft yet tinged with turmoil.

He turned to face her, his expression reflecting concern. “Ailis,” he replied, closing the distance between them. “I sensed yer unease. What weighs upon yer heart? And dinnae tell me it’s naught because I know better.”

Ailis hesitated, her emotions roiling within her like a tempest threatening to break free.

She met Lachlan’s gaze, the moonlight painting his features in shades of silver and shadow.

“It is Fiona,” she admitted. “Her news…it fills me with a longing to have a bairn of our own. As happy as I am for her, I’m just that much disgusted that it’s not us.

I know I make little sense, but it’s how I feel. ”

Lachlan’s brow furrowed in understanding as he reached for her hand, his touch grounding her. “Ailis,” he soothed, “Each path we walk carries its own burdens and blessings. Fiona’s joy does not diminish what we share.”

Tears welled up in Ailis’s eyes and spilled down her cheeks. “I fear I am being selfish,” she confessed, her words heavy with the weight of unspoken fears and desires.

Lachlan brushed away her tears with a gentle thumb, his eyes filled with compassion and love. “Nay, Ailis,” he murmured, pulling her into a tender embrace. “Yer heart is as generous as it is burdened. Yer feelings are valid, and I am here to share them.”

In the solace of Lachlan’s arms, Ailis allowed herself to release the emotions she had held back for so long. The moonlight bathed them in its silvery glow, casting a tranquil aura over the whispered confidences that passed between them.

“I know not what the future holds,” Ailis confessed. “But in this moment, with ye by me side, I find solace.”

“And I will be by yer side for the rest of me days,” he vowed, resting his cheek atop her head. “And we’ll have a child, just not today. Remember they’ve been married longer than we have.”

She sighed, snuggling close to him. “I do remember. And I know it will happen. It just won’t happen soon enough for me.

” She smiled a little at how silly she was being.

If she was expecting as well, she wouldn’t be able to be there for her sister as she needed.

And Fiona, and the new life within her, needed to be a priority, not something that caused her jealousy.