Blood of the Highland Moon

Chapter 8: Attempted Pleasantries

Catriona's P.O.V.

"I'm proud of you. you didn't insult me once," Eallair said as we left the great hall.

"I told you I'd do my best."

"I wasn't sure if you'd be able to do it."

"I don't lie." I said angrily.

"I wasn't saying you do. I was simply saying I wasn't sure what you doing your best would be."

"It's easier when you don't talk to me."

"If you give me a chance, you could get along with me."

"What makes you think we could ever get along?"

"You get along with Alex."

"Only because it upsets you."

"No, I think you like him."

I shrugged. "He reminds me of my cousin."

"I didn't realize Vampires had any family."

"Yes," I said defensively. "My dad wasn't always a vampire, he was human a long time ago. He had a brother who had a daughter. His brother didn't want to be a vampire, but Sorcha, she wanted to be a vampire. Dad said that when she hadn't found a husband by the time she was 20, he could see no harm in changing her."

"Has she found a husband yet?"

"No. She's a bonnie lass, she just hasn't found anyone. She has a way if hiding in the shadows."

"Why has your dad not found a husband for her?"

"I don't know. I've never hacked him, and Sorcha would kill me if I did." I smiled at him and he laughed.

"Aye, sounds like Alex. Perhaps they should meet."

I snorted, "that would be a disaster, they would never stop antagonizing us."

"No, the tree of you would antagonize me, seems it's all you and Alex have done is try to agitate me."

"It's not our fault you make it so easy." We fell into silence as we walked.

we had reached the stairs before he said ananything. "You can see the training yard from the doors down the hall from the library. My men are training tomorrow. If you want to watch them from inside, you can. I have some things to look over in the library anyway."

"That would be nice."

"It's our of the sun, so you won't get sick the way you did today."

"Nothing happened, I'm fine now."

"Yes, but you could have gotten hurt by the sun."

"But I didn't," I said softly. I hated that I'd been so weak.

"Catriona, I'll not let it happen again. I'll not let anything happen to you." He said softly as we reached the top of the steps.

Anger built up inside of me of his words. "I'm not defenceless, I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, but you will not have to aw long as you're in my care."

I looked him in the eye in front of my door. "I'm not in your care, I'm your captive, nothing more."

I turned to open the door, but grabbed my arm and turned me to face him. "Lass, that puts you in my care."

"I don't want 5o be on your care or anyone else's."

"For that, I'm sorry."

"Good night, Eallair."

"Good night, lass." He let go of my arm and I walked into my room, closing the door behind me. I listened to the other side. It was a moment before he left. Letting out a breath, I walked to my bed. I'd wanted to argue with him, insult him, but I couldn't.

He was right, I was in his care as long as I was his captive. The thing was, I didn't want to be treated like a captive. I didn't want to be here at all. I didn't want to go home either, because I wouldn't be treated any differently. Dad would keep me locked inside for my safety, my freedom found in books alone.

I was tired of living through the words if others, I wanted my own adventures, my own life. Why did I have to spend the rest of my life listening to men? Shouldn't I be able to make decisions for myself once in a while? Shouldn't I have a little bit of freedom?

I pulled back the sheets and stripped to my slip, then slipped into bed. The wolves had spent the rest of the night in the great hall after dinner, listening to music and singing. They were very fun to be around, unlike my clan, who listened to music and talked in small groups.

Vampires, being unable to go outside during the day, didn't spend a lot of time throwing parties. The only parties were my birthday's, or on the centry mark of a vampire's life. Sorcha had a century mark coming up. My Mather hadn't had one yet, since she wasn't changed until I'd been weaned.

I wondered if there were an event Eallair hadn't told me about that they were celebrating now. I'd have to remember to ask in the morning. Maybe it was someone's birthday. Alex hadn't said anything and neither had Madeline. Yawning l, I pushed the thoughts from my head and let sleep take me.

Eallair's P.O.V.

As I walked to my room, I thought about the events of the day. It had started very badly and ended very well. I would have rather her have not gotten along with me at all than to have gotten sick in the window the way she had, however. I hadn't realized that she was even in the sunlight that much; it made me worry some about the room she was in.

The castle wasn't full of windows, but had enough that daylight came in. She had told me she could handle indirect sunlight without a problem. Had she been in direct sunlight in that window? Could it have been something else? When had she had blood last?

I shook my head and walked into my room. Stripping down, I tried to not think about what had happened. The sick feeling it gave me in my stomach was not something I enjoyed. I didn't want to think of how much sun it would take to kill her or how badly she had been affected.

If anything had happened to her I didn't know that I'd be able to live with myself. She was an innocent in all of this. Not to mention that it would ruin everything. I had to keep her safe from everything, even herself, as long as she was in my care. Slipping into my bed, I tried to quiet my mind so that sleep might come.

Gwen's P.OV.

Pain seared through me. I grasped my head in pain and fell to my knees. Images flashed through my head like lightning. A scream mixed with pain and anger filled my mind. The castle had disappeared completely as I had become one with the visions.

Determination flooded through me as I launched myself forward. Sickening laughter filled the air as his arm flew out and sent me backward. Pain sizzles up through my spine as I hit a tree. I looked up at the two men fighting and gained my feet quickly, knowing I couldn't show my pain. I began to circle them, waiting for my chance to-

Warm slobber covered my face as a dog licked me, pulling me from my vision. I shoved him away angrily. "Damn you mutt, now I don't know what will happen." I stood up and wiped off my face. I hadn't had a random vision in months, and that had been the first in over a year. I would have to find out what I could when the moon was fuller.

I'd not gotten a good look at the men fighting to know who they were, nore had I been able to decider who's eyes I'd been seeing through.

Catriona's P.O.V.

A warm hand brushed over my cheek ever so gently. I opened my eyes, ready to spit an insult at Eallair, only to find that it was Gwen. I blinked in confusion. The room was dark, aside from the lantern she held. "What are you doing here?"

"Eallair told me of what happened today in the library. I was but checking to make sure you didn't have a fever. I didn't mean to wake you."

I forced a smile through my bruised pride. "Thank you, but it was nothing to worry about. I had not slept well the night before, and the warm sun has a relaxing effect on me is all."

She put her fist on her hip and scowled at me. "Then why did you have blood at dinner?"

I sighed. "Please.let.it go, Gwen. I'm not used to the sun. It has happened before, and it is nothing, truly. When my dad found out.that I got weak in the sin, he refused to let me go out.intil the sun had been fully set for over an hour. I can build up my strength against it a little at a time."

"Eallair will not allow that."

"I do not care what he will and will not allow."

"You had better, lass, he is a king, you are only a princess, and a captured one in his castle at that."

"I'm beginning to not like you as well."

She raised a brow. "I am not here for you to like, I am here to tell you the truth and help keep you safe. We all need to watch our for each other."

I looked at her in confusion for a moment, then yawned while saying, "you never stop surprising me."

"Go back to sleep, I did not mean to wake you." She walked to the door and I settled back into the sheets. I wasn't sure I would ever figure her out. Would I ever get to go outside again? Could I get Eallair to let me out? Would father ever let me outside again?

After all that had happened, would my father even let me put at night ever again? Would I ever be left alone once I was home? What was going to happen once this was all over? The questions continued to flow through my head as I fell back to sleep.

Eallair's P.O.V.

She looked so relaxed and gentle when she was asleep. One could almost forget her quick temper and reckless nature, looking at her like this. I sighed, hating to wake her. "Catriona, it's time to get up," I said gently as I brushed her cheek with my knuckles.

Her body tensed and her face gained an angered expression before she even opened her eyes. "You do not have to touch me to wake me up." She opened her eyes and scowled at me.

I forced a smile. "Good morning to you, too. I trust you slept well?"

"I would have slept better had you kept your mouth shut." She snapped.

I was shocked and confused by her comment, and regarded her with a quizzical look. "What do you mean?"

"You told Gwen about what happened in the library!"' She exploded. "You had no right to tell her! I am fine; it was nothing for anyone to worry about!"

"Calm yourself, lass," I ordered sternly. "Your reaction to muted sunlight is something to be concerned over," I added softly. "I cannot let it happen again. I told Gwen so that she would know to keep the windows shuttered."

"Keep the windows- you bloody a**! You think I'm stupid enough to harm myself? If I get hurt then my dad will kill all of you! I'll not let that happen to Gwen or your mother!"

"Is that all you care about? Gwen and my mother? At least I can be sure you will fight for them. Alex will be sorry to know that you do not care for him as anymore than a way to amuse yourself," I said calmly.

Her expression darkened. "You think it's nothing but a game, my dad is going to try to kill you no matter what."

"Not as long as I have you."

"When he finds out you are the one who has me, he will be at your door within the week, ready to kill you with his bare fangs."

"And I will be standing at the top of the wall, with you at my side to talk sense into him. He'll understand once I explain everything and he sees that you're not even restrained."

"Yes, he'll understand that he mist get me out of the way before he takes your head off."

I waved a hand dismissively. "I'm not in the mood to discuss this with you; it's time to eat breakfast."

"You are out not in the mood for this discussion because you have nothing to argue in your defense. You know I am right."

"This isn't a good way to start the day, lass, this bickering."

"It is if you ask me."

"I thought we had an agreement."

"That I'll not disrespect you in front of your pack, I do not see anyone but you." She crossed her arms.

"What about last night, when we talked of your cousin?"

She waved her hand dismissively. "I was making an effort then to be kind to you, to prove that I could."

"If you can, then why do you not?"

"I have no desire to be nice to you this morning."

"Then perhaps I should leave you in your room all day."

She glanced at the window and smiled at me. "You wouldn't do that, not with the windows the sun comes in and it could make me sick."

I gritted my teeth. Damn the woman. "Then I'll find some other place to put you for the day, one without windows and without other people for you to torment."

"I do not need other people."

I smiled. "Then I'll jet have to have you spend all of the day with me again." She glared at me. "Now I'm going to leave you to get dressed; there is a fresh gown for you in the trunk at the foot of the bed." I walked out of the room and closed the door, standing with my back to it until she was ready.

She was silent most of the way to the great hall. It wasn't until we were right outside the hall that she spoke to me. "It does not matter what I do, you are going to keep me with you for the day, aren't you?"

"Just for the day. The men will be training, I'll be in the library taking care of some things. I would like for you to stay close, you do not have to stay in the library as lo f as I know where you are." The shocked expression that passed her face told me she really hadn't expected my response.

"Thank you," she said, as though she had won an argument over it. I ignored her and walked into the great hall instead.

"Good morning, Eallair, and a doubly good morning to you, Catriona, I trust you rested well?" Alex beamed as we approached.

"Yes, I had a wonderful night, thank you," Catriona said kindly as I pulled out her seat and she sat down.

"You are in an awfully good mood this morning, cousin," I commented as I took my seat as well.

"I can feel it, something is going to happen today. I think the training will go well. That, or there is a storm coming."

"Perhaps both," Catriona said hopefully

"You think you'll actually win a fight for once?" I asked, smugly poking fun at him.

He tossed a biscuit at me and glared. "The only reason I don't win when you are around is so that you don't feel bad when you're the only man among us who cannot fight."

I gave a small laugh and spread some honey over the biscuit he'd thrown at me. "You know, I always was faster than Alex," I told Catriona as I handed her the biscuit. "He was a great deal bigger than me when we were little, a fat little bugger, actually." I winked at her and glanced at him. "If he'd been able to get me down, he would have smothered me."

"You lying b*****d! You know id have beaten you silly if I'd been able to get you down. Not to mention, you made everyone look fat when we were lads. Lass &÷ was the scrawniest thing you'd ever seen. No one would have ever guessed that he'd grow up to be so big. He never skips a meal now, you can 5ell by his gut I'm telling the truth."

"Yes, and you have only gotten bigger since we were lads."

Catriona glanced at me as she picked at her biscuit. "I think the biggest part of you both are your mouths."

Alex and I both began laughing. "All the better to eat you with, my dear," I teased, mocking one of the tales from a book she'd been reading in my library. She shot me a glare and I laughed again. "I am but making fun, lass, calm yourself."

"Indeed, I should hope that you are not so stupid as to actually try and eat me."

"There isn't enough of you to fill a pup, you are so small. I don't think you have anything to worry about, lass." Alex jested.

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not," she said honestly, lookingat Alex.

"You are a fine sized lass, do not listen to him," I said as I smothered my biscuit in jam.

"Well that is not for you to decide, or any man here for that matter," she said defensively.

"I was but trying to assuage your hurt feelings, you do not have to get upset with me for complementing you."