Chapter 11: The Crown and Thistle

Disclaimer: D. Gabaldon owns all rights to Outlander

We left the church, and I was confused as to where we were headed. "We're not going back to the cave?"

"Och … nay, I'll no have my new bride spend her weddin' night lyin' on a filthy hide in a cavern much like a hibernatin' bear. Isna fittin' atall. We'll put op at an Inn, so ye can sleep on a right fine mattress, wi' a roof o'er yer head, and a hearth crackling wi' heat from a good, wood-burnin' fire."

It wasn't long until we came to the The Crown and Thistle, a stately tavern and inn, which was a cut above some of the other places I had visited. Jamie had his arm around me protectively as he paid for the night's lodging, even though the bleary-eyed patrons that remained inside seemed harmless enough.

When we reached our room, Jamie swept me up in his arms and carried me over the threshold, kissing me before lowering me to the floor.

We removed our shoes, kicking them under the bed.

"Weel, Mrs. Fraser, will ye be wantin' a sip o' the whiskey afore we consummate our union."

"Why?"

"I thought as maybe ye might be feelin' a bit nervous, ye ken."

"I'm not nervous. I love you, Jamie. It'll be fine. Are you nervous?"

Jamie rubbed a hand over his face, and sighed. "Aye, a bit."

"Well, don't be." I turned my back to him, "Can you help me with this corset?"

He stepped closer and began moving his fingers among the laces, pulling each out of its individual eyelet.

The constricting garment fell away, and I stepped out of my skirt next. Pivoting around to face Jamie, I noticed the worried look on his face. I stood there in my shift, and in my stocking feet, reached up on my tiptoes to match his lips with mine. He responded hungrily at first, clutching me to his chest, but then drew away slightly.

I had no idea what was going on in that brain of his. "What is it, Jamie? For heaven's sake, you were so randy when we were together in the cavern, you were practically ravishing me."

"Aye, but then, I was only dreamin'."

"And now?"

"And now, it's real, and afore we go any further … I must tell ye somethin'."

"Jamie, it's fine. I understand if you're afraid of hurting me, but I assure you, that won't happen. After all, I'm not a virgin."

He walked to the bed and sat down, averting his eyes. Sighing loudly, he said, "The thin' o' it is; I am."

I couldn't think of what to say to that revelation.

I sat beside him, organizing my thoughts. "You know, I was a virgin once as well. There's no shame in it. Actually, I find it kind of sweet."

"But ye're a woman. I'm a man, and—"

"What bloody difference does that make?"

"I'm supposed to take the lead. I'm supposed to ken what pleases a woman."

"There's a first time for everything. Anyway, I have a distinct feeling that you'll catch on very quickly. Now kiss me you fool."

Tugging on his hands, I pulled him up to meet me. With his face held in my palms, I peered into those lake-blue eyes, and smiled in encouragement. He hesitated for a minute, then sought out my lips tentatively. I held back, letting him take the reins to buoy up his fragile, masculine pride.

True to my prediction, his kisses became more urgent, trailing down my throat and behind my ear. I could hear his breathing accelerate, and felt his arms tightening their hold on me.

# # # # #

As much as I anticipated makin' love to mo nighean donn, I was afeared as she'd laugh at my clumsy attempt to take her. I'd ne'er lain wi' a woman afore, and lovin' her like I did, I wanted nothin' more than to please her on our weddin' night. It wouldna do for my Sassenach to lose all respect for me on that account.

In my dream, we came t'gether wi' nary a bit o' trouble, but would that carry o'er to what was in true life? My heart began to beat faster, the fear risin' op in me. I loved her so, and wished wi' all my soul to be acceptable in her eyes, a lover worth his weight.

For these many weeks, I wanted to tell her the facts o' my innocence in carnal matters, but 'til now, there wasna a need—a need that prompted such flutterin's in my stomach as to make me ill. My Sassenach discerned my discomfiture and pried the reason right outta me.

Sinkin' down to the mattress, I confessed my inexperience, but that didna deter my feisty lass. She drew me opright, and told me to kiss her. Those words soothed me somewhat, and after our lips moved t'gether, the fear in me fled, and I couldna control my impulses.

Claire stepped back long enough to doff my jerkin and sark. When my bare chest touched the thin gauze o' her shift, the soft mounds o' her breasts pressed agin' me; my body began to scream for release. Wi'out thinkin' I unbuckled my kilt lettin' the fabric fall to the floor. I lifted my woman by her thighs, wrapping her long legs 'bout my waist, and walked us to the bed, layin' us both on the mattress.

She guided my hands wi'out speakin' a syllable. And finally, writhin' 'bout amongst the blankets, she whispered, "Now, Jamie, please," when it was time to be joined. Her little noises and moans startled me, but then began to send me to blissful heights. God in heaven, there were nay words to express the sheer feelin' as was so powerful as to make me shudder in ecstasy. Such was my pleasure, as I wanted to shout her name to the rooftops. My only wish was, as I could prolong the feelin'. It was o'er too soon to my mind. Sassenach explained as I would learn to make it last a bit longer, and for that I was grateful.

We slept for the rest o' the night; my body cupped to hers, much like two spoons in a cupboard drawer. I kent as I'd like to sleep this way for the rest o' my bairn days, hopin' as there'd be many o' them.

I awoke to sense Jamie's piercing, blue eyes staring at me. I stretched and yawned, then twisted my neck to see his expression. As expected, he appeared to be composed … smug even.

"I told you that you needn't be nervous. So, see. It wasn't that dreadful, was it?"

Och … nay. It was the most pleasurable thin' I e'er experienced. Were ye pleased as weel."

"Yes, it certainly was everything I hoped it would be."

"Good.

His face scrunched up in consternation. "I didna ken as ye'd be makin' those sounds, tho', and I was afeared at first as I was maybe hurtin' ye. Ye're no hurt then?"

"Heavens, no! Quite the opposite."

His face colored as he spoke the next words. "Sassenach …"

"Hmn …"

"Would ye mind … I mean, d'ye think …"

His cheeks were burning; the poor boy embarrassed to ask for an encore. I put him out of his misery by turning over to face him, and letting my mouth glide in a trail down to his abdomen. He took that as his cue, and soon we were once more in the throes of passion.

It was thrilling to me that he was so eager after only one bout, unlike Frank, who I had to practically beg to make love to me. I felt as though Jamie and I were going to be good for each other, in more ways than one.

What sloths we were that day. We lay in bed in a most decadent manner, until our stomachs growled that it was time to get up and on with it. It didn't help that the aroma of food being cooked wafted up to our room from the kitchen.

Jamie was the first of us to climb out of bed and into his kilt. He had just pulled on his boots, when the door burst inward, the bolt separating and splintering the wooden frame. There in the opening stood a very belligerent warchief, Rupert and Murtagh on either side of him. How on earth did they find us?

Still in the bed, dressed only in my shift, I drew the covers up to my neck. Dougal glared at us, shouting first at me, then his nephew, "So, the ruttin' little trollop has made off wi' young Jamie, aye? And I see as ye've tupped her."

"It's no what it seems, Dougal. The lass and I are legally marrit." He reached for the nearby chair with one arm and retrieved our marriage certificate, waving it at the man.

"It means nothin' to me. I'll have yer bollacks for this. Then when she's widowed agin, I'll have her take the vows wi' me, whether she likes it or no."

Dougal lunged headlong into the room, sword drawn and racing toward Jamie. My new husband grabbed his dirk and broadsword, parrying off Dougal's attack. I screamed, and hopped out of bed, hurrying to gather up my clothes, and donning them as fast as I could.

Murtagh was yelling at Dougal, "Leave off, man. They're marrit." Rupert at the same time, stepped inside, and scurried me out the door to protect me from the two furiously dueling idiots.

The swords were clashing; the clink of metal against metal ringing in the air. Furniture was knocked aside, thudding to the floor. I gasped as my sweetheart jerked back, narrowly missing the point of the older man's weapon. Jamie's quick reflexes saved him numerous times from the vicious onslaught, and finally he managed to slash at Dougal's sword arm, drawing blood. When the surprised warchief staggered back, Murtagh and Rupert dragged him from the room, while he sputtered, and struggled with them.

"Go—the two o' ye. Now!" Murtagh shouted.

Clutching his clothing and weapons, Jamie dashed with me down the stairs and out to the stables. He halted long enough to lace me up, and pull his shirt down over his head. I quickly helped him into his jerkin and coat, buckled on his bandoleer, and he then replaced his sword into its sheath after wiping the blade off in the straw.

I looked around the stable. Where was Brimstone? Bloody hell, did some horse thief arrive in the night? There was no time to search for her, so Jamie saddled up Donas. We rode in tandem astride the poor beast until we felt we'd put enough distance between us and the raging maniac that was attempting to cut Jamie to ribbons.

We hid out once more at the little cavern, our happiness dashed to pieces.

I sat on the one hide left to us, my hands folded in my lap. "I don't understand. How did Dougal find us?"

Jamie added more kindling to the fire he built, then joined me on the pallet. "Did ye no see the horses inside the stable? I kent who they belonged to. I cared for the lot o' them long enough. Dougal must've gone to ever' tavern in the whole o' Scotland searchin' for us. When he stabled the animals, he set his eyes on Donas and Brimstone and kent right quick as we were rentin' a room there."

"But I should think that Murtagh above all, would refuse to help your uncle, knowing how jealous he was of you."

"That as it may be, yet, he's sworn to Leoch, and has nary a say in the service of Colum and Dougal. He canna renounce his oath; they'd as soon slit his throat as look at him. An oath is bindin', ye see. Ye gave yer word, and it'd be the ruin o' yer honor for withdrawin' it for any reason atall."

I was so sick of hearing about the imbeciles and their honor. "How can you stand it? Your own uncle tried to kill you this morning."

Jamie stared long and hard into my eyes, never blinking. "I ken how the man feels, as I'd feel the same if he'd carried ye off and marrit ye. The love o' a woman can do insensible thin's to yer mind. Love is a kind o' madness in a way. I canna blame him for it."

Placing my palm on his cheek, I murmured, "You're too forgiving, Jamie." How I'd love to bloody throttle the man.