Blood of the Clans Ch. 39

Kyla did indeed fit the dress well, her large breasts filling out the bodice and her mature body giving the dress a womanly shape. Kyla blushed crimson at the compliment and smiled happily through her tears..

"Why don't ye join the men, Sloan and leave Kyla here wi' us. I know ye'd much rather be in their company, than ours." Arabella told him, a small wink accompanying her smile.

Sloan hugged Kyla and left her with Arabella, then bowed to the ladies each, before he made his way inside to the hall.

Kyla sat on the bench with Arabella and the others and before too long, started feeling comfortable sitting with ladies of such standing. Her biggest surprise came when the ladies offered to fix her hair. The trip to Dunvegan had left her long, dark hair scattered and twisted. After a good combing and the use of clips and ribbons, Kyla was transformed to look more beautiful than she'd ever done before. The polished silver tray doubled as a mirror for her and she gazed at herself for the first time in many years and saw how she looked. She didn't recognize herself at first, the transformation so drastic, but soon accepted the image she saw as her own.

"Yes, it is ye, Kyla." Heather told her. "Ye look absolutely beautiful." Anne and Therese agreed and complimented her as well.

"I think we all agree wi' that, Kyla. Yer a lovely, wee lassie." Arabella confirmed.

Someone else who thought Kyla looked beautiful, was Peadair. From the moment he saw her, his heart was filled with longing to have her. He stood in secret, unseen behind the flowering Gorse bush and watched her become an exceptional beauty, under the guidance of trained hands.

Sloan had entered the hall and stood at the entrance, taking in the revelry among the

men. A guard ushered him to Garreth's side and announced his presence. Garreth excused himself from talking to Sorley and stood to acknowledge Sloan.

"Sloan Fraser, it is indeed a pleasure tae meet ye. I can'ne thank ye enough fer what yer doing tae aid the cause. I offer my condolences as well on yer loss, but we'll no speak of it the now. Join us and drink and eat. Ha'e yer fill and enjoy the celebration, Sloan, yer among friends now." Garreth told him and offered his hand in friendship.

Sloan clasped wrists and looked at the man before him, only a few years ahead in age,

but his stature and power placed him far above his own station.

"It is my honour tae be wi' ye's and celebrate yer joining. I saw the ladies as I came in,

which one are ye joining wi'?" Sloan asked.

"The one wi' raven black hair tae her waist and green eyes tae melt yer soul. Lady Therese is who I'm joining my heart wi'." he explained, as they sat down, Sloan taking Peadair's seat.

"She is a true beauty, Laird Garreth. Yer a very, lucky man." Sloan relayed.

"I thank ye, Sloan. She is indeed a true beauty. She had my heart the moment I laid eyes on her. I understand ye ha'e brought a lovely wee lass wi' ye as well. Where is she?" Garreth asked.

"May I sit here, Laird Garreth,?" Sloan asked, realizing he must be in someone of honour's seat.

"Yes, sit, Sloan, Peadair is out on the grounds most likely, so sit and enjoy."

"Kyla's oot in the gardens wi' the other ladies." Sloan told him.

That brought laughter from Garreth and he clapped his hand over Sloan's shoulder.

"Ye won't be seeing her anymore till later tonight. She'll be their captive and talk all that silly woman talk oot of her." he told Sloan, laughing harder.

Sloan understood and laughed as heartily as his new friend.

Garreth stood and shouted out for quiet and after some coaxing, the roar of laughter and talk died down.

"Men, I'd like tae introduce ye's tae Sloan Fraser. He's a welcome friend of the MacDonald's and the Stewart's and oors as well. He and his clan will be among us, so bring him food and drink noo, tae make him welcome here." Garreth shouted out, then clasped wrists with Sloan.

A full plate of meat, vegetables and potatoes was soon placed before him, along with a tankard of ale as well. Before his first drink of ale was done, Sloan was enjoying the company of jubilant men and forgetting the terrors of war, as he joined in the raucous talk of female conquests and nights under the robes.

*******************************

"I don't ha'e tae describe all the goings on that night, do I?" Stuart asked the guests. "Shall I just get tae the next day and tell of the ceremony?"

"Did anything juicy happen worth talking about?" Gayle blurted out, which brought a few more requests for steamy highland sex.

"I swear, I could just ferget all aboot the battles and just go on about the sexual exploits and ye's would all be happy, wouldn't ye's?" Stuart jokingly chastened them.

The women whooped out loud and agreed with Stuart's call.

"Okay, as far as I know, there were a few goings on that night, but I'm not going intae any details. I'll just say that Kyla must'ae impressed Sloan wi' more than her beauty that night. According tae Arabella's diary, Sloan announced that he and Kyla were going tae bond once the war was o'er. So I'll let ye's fill in the blanks wi' whate'er yer minds can come up wi'." he laughed and saw the look of dismay on the women, "Och, don't gi' me that look, ye don't need me tae describe what they did." and he laughed a bit harder. "Now, if ye's would let me get tae the next morning, I'll get tae tell Tom and Deb about the ceremony."

"Thank you, Uncle Stuart." Debra said loudly and blew a kiss at him and snuggled into Tom.

"Yer welcome, Dear. Ready? Here we go then." he said and started in at the crack of dawn, as it broke the darkness and spread silver streaks through the clouds, highlighting Dunvegan Castle in a wash of light.