I kissed my wife's forehead with affection and smiled. If anyone told me a month ago that today I would go mad on account of a woman to the point of marrying her, I would certainly laugh at her nonsense. Now, lying next to the most incredible woman I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, I can't imagine living without this girl.
- Tell me I'm not dreaming. - said Annabel in a whispered and then sank her head even deeper into my chest. She smiles with satisfaction when she hears her voice dragged along.
- How did I get here?
- Don't you remember anything?
- Vaguely!
- Alec found her and brought her to Dunhill. - I explained it by sighing. - I owe my life to my cousin for getting my jewel back.
Annabel smiled and raised her head to kiss my chin. She ran her hand through my chest until it reached my abdomen.
- I'm a jewel?
- The rarest and most beautiful I've ever seen. - he said with a laugh. - Stop it, you're tickling me.
She laughed when I held her wrist and carried her fingers to my lips.
- How long have I been asleep?
- Two days!
- Two days?
- Yeah. - I sighed kissing your forehead. - I can't tell you how worried I was after I woke up and I didn't see her again.
She made a face.
- Morvan hit me in the head and I fainted. When I woke up I was already on his horse with my hands tied. - she explained. - When I realized that he was leading me towards Inverness, I felt I had to run away anyway.
- Yes, Morvan was very brave to go in that direction, even at the risk of finding Bree's army.
Annabel suddenly sat on the bed.
- Bruce, did you know my sister was alive?
- Not until I see Bree and Aideen together! - he said. - The resemblance between the two is impressive. When I got to Dunhill and looked at Aideen, I had the impression I'd already been with her. I tried to pull it into my memory, but there was no known face, so I left it there and fell into oblivion, until I saw Bree again. They look like twins.
Annabel had a laugh.
- Is she here in the castle?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- How's she doing?
- Preoccupied. - I answered smiling. - She's waiting for you to talk.
Annabel shrugged her knees and leaned her chin over them. She looked at me and, for the first time, I saw fear in her eyes.
- I don't know! Maybe we shouldn't talk.
- Why shouldn't I? It's your sister!
- I don't know! - Annabel sighed. - She's been missing all this time. She never sent us a single letter to say she was alive. I don't know if I'm angry or relieved. I'm still very confused and I think Aideen feels the same way.
- Annabel, we don't know why you kept her quiet for so long. - I whispered kissing your forehead. - Talk to her! Give Aila a chance to explain herself. Be malleable and gentle, as I know you can be.
Annabel smiled and then sighed. She took my hand and kissed her, so she dragged herself into my lap.
- It's okay! It's okay! I'll talk to her tomorrow morning. - she took a break and opened my shirt. - Now, I wish to enjoy my Husband and remind Him of how deeply I love Him.
I let out a laugh before I grabbed her throat and pulled Annabel closer.
- That's good, because I have such a short memory that I think it takes more than one night to remember it.
Annabel laughed before she kissed me. I was very happy to have her in my arms again. I'd do the impossible so that nothing but death would separate us again. I would protect Annabel with my life until the end of my days and make her very happy. Starting that night.
Epilogue
Annabel
The door to the salon opened suddenly and I hurried in next to Aideen. We were looking at the woman standing next to Alec. She supported one hand on the handle of the sword that was attached to her waist. The red hair fire, they were braided backwards. The braid covered part of the other sword she was carrying on her back. The sword that belonged to our grandfather. I knew it belonged to him because of the jewel in the silver handle. She wore the same silver dress, but without the mesh quota. She wore a wide leather belt, where she had two daggers attached to it. The arms were adorned with a leather armband, certainly to protect it during the use of the bow. That meant she was ambidextrous and could use either hand to handle the gun. On his neck was a thin cut that went from end to end of his throat. So did his forehead, which had a thin line between his eyebrows. Her gaze, however, had changed greatly and had become severe. Yet there was a glow in his gaze that I could not explain what it was about.
Aideen and I look at each other. I wanted to jump into her lap and hug her, but the confusion within me prevented me from doing that. I was still in shock from the fact
