Highland Magic Ch. 10

Cien stayed at her side until Tilda brought Maggie up to the chamber to bathe her. "Cien, she is a maiden. Surely you would not disgrace her so." Cien shook his head without speaking, and slowly stood up. He still held her limp hand in his, clutching it like a last life line. Maggie was silent as she watched him. "Does she know ye care so greatly for her, Cien?" He shook his head slowly after a moment, never taking his eyes off of her. Maggie smiled a gentle smile. "Then I shall have to make sure ye may tell her, shan't I?"

At her words, Cien looked up quickly at her, giving her a surprised look. "If she survives tonight, she may not wish my intentions upon her at all." Maggie smiled a secret smile.

"Oh Cien," she almost laughed. "As if ye were to know the way of a woman's heart." She shook her head at him, and waved her hand toward the door. "Be gone with ye now, lad." Cien looked a last time at Rose and turned away, walking quietly to the door.

Closing it softly behind him, he turned and stopped. Half of his soldiers were crowded up on the landing, and those who couldn't fit on the landing were milling about below, casting worried glances up at the door. Glancing about quickly, Cien's voice boomed. "Maggie says she will be well upon the morrow."

There was a general sense of relief among the men, as the seemed to relax as a group. Cien forced himself not to smile. How was it that a woman who had only been here a short number of days, had made such an impression upon the men? Cien wanted to laugh. Who cared, he thought, as long as the change remains.

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The pounding in my head was extreme. It was like there were a hundred tiny elves in my head pounding at my brain with a hundred tiny hammers. I groaned and clutched at my head, praying silently that it would help the pain. It didn't. I sucked in a hissing breath and brought my other hand to my head. Jesus, what was wrong with me?

"Do ye not remember, lassie?" That voice, so familiar.... I opened my eyes and looked up with veiled lids. Maggie stood above me, holding a candle above my head as if to light my face. "Ye have been gone a long time, lassie. Days now."

I groaned again and wanted to die. Why wouldn't the pain go away? "Drink this," she said as I felt a cool metal cup at my lips. I opened my mouth and sipped lightly. It was foul. I gagged and almost threw up on Maggie.

"Have no stomach for it, eh, lassie? Well, that just be to bad. Drink," this time, my lips were forced open and drink was forced down my throat. I gagged and choked, but I must have gotten enough down to satisfy her, because she stopped forcing me and cleaned my face up with a wet cloth. I cracked an eye open and gave her my best death glare. She smiled back.

"What," I groaned, "happened to me?"

Maggie sat back in the chair and regarded me with curiosity. "Ye truly do not remember," she shook her head. "This be the way of it." Over the next hour she told me of Alex trying to murder me and how Cien had banished him from Fraser land. She said I had been delirious for a few days, and unconscious a total of a week. That she had taken care of me every moment I was ill, and that

Cien visited the chamber several times a day, to see how I was.

At the mention of Cien's name and the realization that a week had passed, I realized I had missed our outing. It made me want to cry. "How's ye head, lassie?" I looked at Maggie and almost smiled. I hadn't thought about it recently, but my head wasn't hurting in the least. What ever she had given me needed to be in pill form.

"It is fine." I smiled. "What ever was it that you gave me?"

"A healer's secret, to be sure." I almost laughed, if I'd had the energy. I tried to shake my head instead. I think I managed a minor wiggle. I sighed and looked into the hearth. So, Cien had saved the day, I thought, and smiled. And he's been visiting you every day, several times a day, a little voice inside me cheered. I felt a blush work it self up onto my face, and closed my eyes.

"Is she awake?" At the hushed voice, I opened my eyes, and found my face a few inches from

Cien's.

"Aye, as you see." Maggie said in a merry tone of voice.

We stared into each others eyes silently for what seemed an eternity, and all too soon it was over, and he was moving away from me. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he had a worried look on his face. "Are you in pain, Lass?"

I shook my head, "No. Maggie gave me something vile, and now my head doesn't hurt at all."

Cien grinned. "I am glad to hear that."

I smiled up at him shyly, and looked away. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to go on the outing with you."

Cien waved a hand in the air dismissing me. " 'Twas not of your choice at all, Lady Rose." He suddenly went from looking arrogant to looking like a shy child. "It is my apology that I was not here sooner to protect you from Alex. I knew of his intentions, but dismissed them entirely. That is my fault, and I would beg your forgiveness."

I swallowed past the lump that had suddenly formed in my throat, and gave a weak smile. "Cien, I know you aren't to blame. I think Alex didn't want me to have any of your attention, and the only way he knew how to dismiss it, was to kill me." I gave another weak smile. "It is quite final."

Cien nodded gravely. "So there is nothing for you to be sorry for. It is in the past. Forget it."

"I shall make it up to you, Lady Rose."

"That isn't necessary Cien."

"Aye, I know it, but I will still." I shook my head slowly.

"All right. If you really want to make it up to me, as soon as I am better, take me for that outing." He looked surprised by my offer, but the surprise quickly vanished. It was replaced by a charming smile and sparkling eyes.

"Aye, a deal then." He grinned. "Shall we shake on it?"

I looked into his eyes and smiled. "Something less personal surely."

"A kiss then."

I smiled brightly to let him know he'd hit the nail on the head. He gave a small chuckle, and leaned down. He barely brushed his lips against mine and it was over. I smiled up at him a smile of happy satisfaction.

"Get well, Lady Rose, and I shall live up to our bargain." I nodded slightly as he stood up. "Take good care of her, Maggie."

"I shall, Cien."

Before he opened the door to leave, he looked back at me and grinned. I knew then everything was going to be better than it had ever been for me before.