Page 130 of Taming the Highland Misfits

Katrina giggled at Ailsa’s start of fright. “Where were you?” she asked, her eyes sparkling. “You looked as if you were away with the fairies.”

Ailsa gazed fondly at her little sister, thinking how fortunate she was to know her. She took after her father’s side of the family, with the same greyish-green eyes and light brown hair. However, her face was all her mother’s, with its tip-tilted nose, high cheekbones, and full lips.

Ailsa hoped that Katrina would never lose the generosity and kindness in her soft nature, although she knew she would slowly lose her innocence as she discovered more about the world and the people in it. Still, she never wanted the sweetness she had now to disappear; it was too precious.

“What were you dreaming about?” Katrina asked.

“I cannot remember,” Ailsa lied, laughing. “Would you like to eat, or would you like me to read to you?”

Katrina pretended to consider for a moment. Eventually, she said, “Both.”

“I cannot eat and talk at the same time,” Ailsa pointed out.

“Eat, then.” Katrina was firm, but just then her tummy gave a loud rumble and settled the matter. They spread out their picnic blanket and went to sit on the grass.

The fishermen had cleared this part of the shore of most of the water plants so that they could cast their fishing rods better, so the girls had a clear view of the rippling surface of the loch. On the bright, but overcast day they were enjoying, it was deep blue, and ducks of all colours were swimming across it, many followed by little bands of ducklings who squeaked and squabbled amongst themselves.

In contrast to the dozens of busy ducks, a few stately swans swam with the air of aloofness and hauteur that only they could achieve.

“They look so proud,” Katrina observed, pointing to the biggest of all of them. “That one must be a man.” Then she giggled, proceeded to finish her bread and meat, and began to eye the tablet guiltily.

Both sisters then made a dive for the same piece and a giggling, screaming wrestling match began for possession of the sugary treat. Katrina won, of course, because Ailsa let her, and after peace was restored they lay on the grass and Ailsa retrieved the storybook from her saddle bag.

“Is it a love story?” Katrina asked hopefully. She was at the age when she was just beginning to notice that boys were not the clumsy idiots she had always supposed them to be. Some were actually quite pleasant, so she enjoyed reading about boys kissing girls, especially when her sister read her the stories in her lovely deep, melodic voice.

“Wait and see,” Ailsa answered mischievously.

They made themselves comfortable on the picnic blanket, and then Ailsa began to read. The tale was a love story, as it always was because Katrina would not tolerate any other kind.

“Prince Tempest was the son of a great king who ruled over the northern kingdom of Pessium which was full of dragons,” she began. “He was travelling south to visit the King of Bellium because a powerful sorcerer lived at his court who could help him to get rid of all the fiery monsters. When Prince Tempest and Princess Pearl met each other for the first time, they looked into each other’s eyes and fell in love at once.

‘You are the most beautiful lady I have ever seen,’ he told her.

‘And you are the most handsome man,’ she replied. Her eyes were shining.

The Prince was very tall, so that when he kissed her he had to bend down a little to take her in his arms. It was the first time the Princess had ever been kissed, and she thought it felt wonderful.

‘Will you marry me, Princess Pearl?’ Prince Tempest asked.

The Princess was so happy that she clapped her hands and did a little dance, then she said, ‘Yes, my Prince. Of course, I will marry you!’

‘You have made me the happiest man in the world,’ he told her, with a big smile on his handsome face.

‘And I am the happiest lady,’ she replied, smiling back at him. ‘But we cannot marry without our parents’ permission.’

So they went to Princess Pearl’s parents, King Cupris and Queen Sibelia of Melior, but when they arrived in front of the King,”—Ailsa closed the book—“the King said no.”

She felt her heart skip a beat as she looked at Katrina, who had sat up suddenly at the sound of the book closing. Her little face looked puzzled and confused as she stared at her sister, but as Ailsa carried on speaking her expression became deeply sad.

“‘You cannot marry Prince Tempest even if you do love him,’ the King said sternly, ‘because I need to make peace with our enemies in the southern kingdom of Meridio, and the King there will only do this if his son marries my daughter, then we will be one family and there will be peace between our kingdoms.

They told her that even if she loved Prince Tempest, she had a duty to her family and her country, and she would not be able to marry him under any circumstances. Prince Calvius was not handsome, but that did not matter much, since Pearl knew that it was the character of a person that counted, but he was not kind either, and she was frightened.

She was a good and obedient daughter, though, so she did as she was told.”

“But could they not have run away and been married like Mammy and Da did?” she protested. “They loved each other so much that Da would have given up everything for Mammy!”

Ailsa looked into her sister’s sweet, innocent face, trying to imagine how what she was about to tell her would hurt her. “Sometimes that is just not possible, Katie,” she said tenderly. “Because duty has to come before love. Do you understand what I am trying to say? I have to marry John Ormond because it is the only way our families can live in peace together. What Mammy and Da did was very romantic, but it must not happen again or there will be even more trouble. You see, there is a piece of land they have been arguing over for years, and we do not want to have any more bloodshed over it.”