Luna Alana's Arranged Marriage

Hugh Douglas

Alana quickly cleared her throat and drew her attention back to the two men currently standing in front of her. "Would one of you mind terribly helping me bring down a large wood trunk from the attic?" Alana asked, gesturing towards the stairs. The handsome man was the first to speak up.

"Of course not, my lady. Please lead the way." His voice was soft but dominating at the same time. It held a note of authority, but as he spoke, it also carressed you. Alana shook her head for a second time. This was definilty odd behavior for her. She nodded once at the man and began to go back up the attic stairs. She could hear the creaking of the wood stairs as the man began to follow behind.

It did not take long to get to the top of the stairs where the green trunk sat. Alana pointed at the trunk. "This is the trunk. If you could just put it at the bottom of the stairs, I can take it the rest of the way." Alana hated having to ask for help. However, she knew that if she tried to bring down the trunk on her own, she would topple and more than likely hurt herself. She was stubborn, but she was not dense.

The man walked over to the back of the trunk and took the handles in each hand. He lifted the heavy trunk with such ease. Alana began to doubt herself. Lovely, just what she needed, some man thinking that she was a weak, pathetic woman who could do nothing for herself.

As Alana was sitting there berating herself, she could not help but notice the mans muscles as he held onto the trunk. The way that they bulged under his white tunic. Stretching the fabic to the point that it looked like it might rip. Alana secretly hoped that it would. It would give her even more of a glimpse of the darkened skin underneath. This man obviously spent a number of hours outdoors. His skin was well kissed. Speaking of kisses, she wouldn't mind.... Alana practically screamed at herself. She needed to pull herself together and now.

"My lady, might you move to the side of me so that I can make my way down the stairs?" His gentle but firm voice had her nodding like a fool and did his bidding. Moving to the other side of the stairs to allow him room to pass her. As he did so, she could smell the scent coming off of him. He smelt of the sea. It's one of Alana's favorite scents in the world. She had to stop herself before she fell down the stairs behind the man as he continued to make his way to the bottom.

Alana took a moment at the top of the stairs to collect herself before beginning her own descent. She took a few calming breaths and shook her head to try and rid herself of this ludicrous behavior. "My lady, is everything alright?" The handsome man called up the attic stairs. He must have noticed that Alana had not followed behind him.

"Yes," Alana said. She took one more breath and then headed down the attic stairs to meet the man who had taken the trunk down for her. When she got to the bottom, she noticed that the trunk had been set right at the bottom as she had asked. She looked up at the man. Studying his features once more. His hair was not as dark as she had originally thought. The light from one of the nearby windows was bouncing off of his locks. Giving away their burgondy color. His jawline was chiseled and his nose perfectly straight and proportionate to the rest of his face. It was his eyes, however, that caught her attention. They were the most deep blue she had ever seen. They also held a note of grey to them. Once again, she was reminded of the ocean. How interesting that this man would resemble the one thing she loved the most.

"We shall leave you to your task, my lady. If there is nothing else?" The man asked. The second man had been quiet this entire time. Alana wondered if the man could even talk. She knew that he could, though. She had heard both of them talking when she had first made her way down the stairs.

"Yes, thank you. That will be all." Alana cleared her throat and tried her best to put a bit of conviction in her words. She was sure that her father would be wondering where his warriors had wandered off to. If something became of it, she made sure that she would let her father know what she had asked and come to the mans defense.

Alana could not stop herself as she watched the man leave. His large muscles in his back moved with each step under his shirt. His shoulders were large and then, in a sort of V fashion, came to his hips. He did not have a bad back side to look at eiher. After the men had rounded the corner and Alana could no longer see them, she let out a long sigh.

What was the matter with her? She had never given a man a second thought. She wasn't sure if she just did not find the men in the clan worthwhile or no one had peaked her interest enough to give it a second thought. This man, however, he had her thinking things that she was well past her years of thinking. If it were someone else, they would not be as surprised at her reaction.

Alana decided she had better try and get this trunk to her mother as she had requested. She still wondered why her mother needed this trunk at all. Alana began to drag the trunk. The same as in the attic. It took some time to make it back to the guest rooms, but when she finally did, she could still hear her mother giving orders. Davina had made her way into one of the rooms furthur down the corridor.

Alana drug the trunk and set it down right in front of the opening of the bedroom door. Davina noticed her daughters arrival and smiled. Upon seeing her daughters appearance, her smile widened, and she let out a small chuckle. "My darling girl, did you drag that trunk all the way from the attic?"

"Of course I did, mother. It's as if you do not know me." Alana flounced into the room and fell onto the already made bed. One of the maids nearby saw and let out a gasp. Davina nodded to her, letting her know it was alright.

"Why do you not go to your room and change? Our guests should be arriving soon and I was hoping you would make a better impression than sweat marks on your dress, my dear." Alana sat up from the bed and leaned on her elbows. She looked at her mother, who seemed to be holding back her laughter.

"If you say so, mother." Alana got off the bed and left the guest room. As she made her way down the corridor, she could hear her mother give way to the laughter she had been holding onto while Alana had been in the room. 'Glad she got some amusment at my expense,' Alana thought.

Before she knew it, Alana was back in her own room, removing her dress and garmets. Mary came into the room as well and helped Alana to change. Once Alana had shed her sweat soaked clothes, she grabbed a cloth that was hanging on the water basin in the corner of the room. She dipped it into the bowl and rang out the access water. She quickly wiped her warm body down from the exersion of moving the trunk from the attic.

Mary grabbed one of her dresses that hung on the side of the room near the window. Mary walked over and showed the dress to Alana. Alana nodded in approval, and Mary began to help her get dressed in her new clothes. Mary had chosen a forest green dress with gold embrodery. The dress was tighter in the bodice but cascaded to the floor. Mary ran a quick brush through Alana's hair.

"There ye are. Good as new," Mary said as she stepped back from Alana. Alana walked over to her mirror and checked her reflection before she let her room. She agreed. You could not tell what Alana had been up to. Her face was back to its normal porcelain color. Her bright caramel eyes show even brighter with the dress that she was wearing.

"Let us head down to the great hall. I suddenly find myself in need of something to drink." Alana said to Mary. Mary held her bedroom door open as Alana passed through. The two women made their way to the great hall. When they got to the top of the stairs, Alana heard her father's boisterous voice from the foyer of the great hall.

"Daughter, come down and greet our guests." The Douglas Clan stood near the front doors of the castle. They must have just arrived. Alana quickly made her way down the stairs. Mary following behind. When the women got to the bottom of the stairs, Mary took off in the direction of the kitchens. Leaving Alana to walk over to stand near her father and brothers and greet the Douglas Clan on her own.

"Hello, Alpha Fergus. Welcome to our home." Alana said as she looked the giant man up and down. Fergus Douglas was slightly taller than her father. His expression held a constant scowl. It made one wonder if he was always angry. His dark features did not help with that assumption either.

"Thank you, Lady Alana. Please allow me to introduce you to my son. Hugh Douglas. Future Alpha of the Douglas Clan." Alana's eyes followed as the Alpha motion to his right side. Alana's gaze was captured by none other than the man who had helped her not long ago bring down the green trunk from the attic. Hugh Douglas just sat there with a smirk on his face.