Snickers and sly comments hung in the air around Jamie as they rode back to Castle Leoch, all of which were in the spirit of good fun. Yet the longer they rode together the more distant Daniea seemed to become, the weight she had been carrying, back upon her shoulders.
"Lass, what seems to be the matter, I would have expected ye to be happy?" Murtagh questioned, reining in his horse to walk with hers.
A fake smile appeared on her face, "Aye, I am happy, couldn't be happier in fact."
"Now that's a tale if I have ever heard one, and believe me Lassie I have heard some whoppers in my time." Murtagh explained, pointing casually at Angus and Rupert trotting ahead of them.
"Where do I go from here?" She questioned, a weary sigh escaping her lips.
Before he could answer Jamie galloped up signaling that they had found a spot to camp for the night before their final trek to Leoch in the morning.
Murtagh gently stroked her cheek, "We'll talk later m'iníon." He assured allowing Jamie to take his place beside her.
"I didn't see you this morning?" She noted, attempting to be friendly. Yet even though they had become man and wife, even in the most intimate sense, the hard feelings still were under the surface.
" Aye, I'm sorry Lass, I had to ride out with Dougal first thing, besides you looked so peaceful asleep I couldna bear to wake ye."
Not knowing what to say she just smiled and allowed him to tell her about his morning. Once they had reached the glen where they planned to camp, Jamie asked Willie to take care of their horses so he could spend a little time with his new bride. Taking her by the hand he began to lead her up the hill to an overlook, away from prying eyes.
"James Fraser what are ye doing?" She stated out of breath and weary from the unexpected hike.
"Can't a man want a little privacy with his wife, I haven't got a minute alone with ye in days." He huffed, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
"Oh no, I don't think so." She giggled, backing away slowly.
"Why not, it's quiet and beautiful if I do say so myself, and I bet the grass is soft." He chuckled as he rushed to scoop her off her feet, twirling her around until her hair comb had fallen to the ground. Her ebony locks fell all around her in a tangle of waves and curls, "Mo fiadhaich aon ," He marvels, trailing his fingers through her long hair, "Ever since I met you, I've thought the Fae sent a siren to capture my soul."
His honesty cracking the ice around her heart as his face became serious. He let a deep breath out as his forehead touched hers, his fingers now stroking her cheek.
"Does the need ever stop?" he questioned, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear, looking her in the eyes.
Her brow furrowed, unsure of what he meant.
"It aches something fierce when I am not with ye, it started when I first met ye but now, I need you all the time I can't concentrate or even breath without you near, I worry…" She stopped him with a sweet kiss on the cheek.
His eyes now ravenous, "What about this feeling?" he snarled wrapping his arms around her, pulling her in tightly. "The wanting ye, needing to be joined with ye could make a man go mad."
She couldn't help but laugh at his feelings.
"Must be my siren powers." She teased, turning and running away from him down the other side of the hill. Quick as a flash he ran after her, grasping her from behind and tumbling into the tall grass. A luminous smile plastered on his face as he pinned her arms above her head in a playful manner.
"Best be thanking my lucky stars I'm not a seafaring man, you would have drowned me already."
Catching his lips, she can feel his breathing becoming labored as he allows her to roll him over, now straddling him, she breaks the deep kiss, smirking at his hungry expression.
" How do you know I haven't." She retorted, gathering her skirts and running full speed towards the camp, leaving him in the grass groaning, begging for release.
A half an hour later he meanders into camp, looking less than cheery. Daniea meanwhile brushing her horse and joking with her friends.
"Thought we lost ye?" Dougal chuckled, piling wood into a pit.
"Nope, just an evil witch of a woman decided to play a cruel trick on me is all."
Murtagh, Angus and Rupert burst out in laughter as Jamie discreetly attempted to readjust himself as his eyes laid upon the "witch" once more.
Dougal clapped him on the shoulder, nodding in understanding.
As the night sky devoured the sunset, they all gathered around the fire listening to Rupert tell the tale of the mysterious Water Horse and his bride. Daniea could listen to him for hours, yet when the story was almost over the horses began to fidget at the edge of camp. All the men quietly wrapped their hands around their weapons in preparation for a fight, yet none gave away that they knew intruders were near. Jamie bent over to Daniea, slipping his long dagger in her palm.
"When I tell you, run for the rock face near the hill and wait till I come get ye."
Like fire blazing in the night the rival clan descended from their hiding spots, crashing into the camp like a huge wave. Then men fought brutally, metal clashing in the night. Yet Daniea didn't run to the rock face, she ran to higher ground, clutching the long knife in one hand and her dirk in the other. Every slash and stab ran home as she worked her way through the crowd of clansmen. When the first ones fell, she sheathed her dirk, picking up a sword and began to fight just as fiercely as any of the Mackenzie men.
No sooner than it started the rival clan retreated, unable to steal much of the grain and supplies collected for taxes. Jamie immediately headed towards the rock face, a triumphant grin on his face that soon turned to panic when he discovered she wasn't there. He began to run for the others and found them standing awe struck around her as she wiped the blood stained sword on one of the seven bodies splayed at her feet. Not believing what he was seeing, he yanked the blade from her hand, tossing it to the ground as he dragged her back up the hill for answers.
She stood still, arms crossed, the night wind whipping her hair about as he seethed in gaelic, pacing like a caged animal.
"I told ye… to go to the rock face and stay there till I came fer ye."
She didn't answer.
"You could have been killed! Or hurt." He urged, running his hands through his hair.
"I'm fine Jamie." She stated calmly.
"Do you know what if would have done to me if ye got hurt again? Do you want me to go mad?" he hissed, grabbing onto her arms, trying not to shake the sense back into her.
She wasn't ready to have this conversation, luckily he drew her into his arms and held on for dear life.
"Don't ever do that to me again, ye ken?"
Again she didn't answer, but silenced him with a reaffirming kiss that in turn calmed his nerves while warming his already scalding blood.
The click of a gun's hammer locking into place by Jamie's temple instantly froze him. The pressure of the barrel nudging him away from Daniea who stood stone faced against two cowardly stragglers from the nights raiding party.
"The gods smile upon us brother," the one said holding the gun to Jamie's head. "What fortune to catch a wanted man with a hefty price upon his head."
The other one snickered, licking his lips as his eyes drifted over Daniea's form.
"And what do we have here?" he said inching closer to her.
Jamie began to fight towards her but the barrel pressed even harder, a reminder not to move.
Daniea grinned wickedly, raising her skirts slightly as she inclined her head towards them.
"Just a night's worth of pleasure." She cooed, "One that hasn't been paid fer yet."
She teased, biting her lip as she slowly untied the top of her corset strings, exposing the tops of her breasts.
The men chuckled while Jamie turned pale as a ghost, unable to do anything to stop them.
"It would be a shame to let such a beautiful creature go to waste, wouldn't it brother?" The one stalking towards her called.
"Aye it would," She agreed, playing with her skirts. "And ye two should make him watch, I've had him before, he needs a lesson on how real men handle a woman." She smirked.
They laughed as Jamie struggled even harder.
Daniea sauntered over to her first lover of the night, dragging her hands in a languishing fashion along his body, making him harden fast and furiously.
"You ready?" She called to the drooling man ready to ravage her. Slowly she pulled her skirts up, preparing to put on a show they thought, when a blade glinted in the moonlight, with a twirl faster than the wind she raked it deep across his throat, blood arching through the air drenching her being. The other brother suddenly realizing what she did, moved slightly to shoot Daniea when Jamie bolted his arm up, making the gun charge in the air while simultaneously slashing his dagger across his attackers throat, with so much strength he almost decapitated him.
Jamie's hand shook as he tried to reach for Daniea, whose face was as grave and unfeeling as could be.
"Mo fiadhaich aon?"
She didn't utter a single word, while his pleading face looked at her with such horror.
The others had heard the gunshot and had come running, only to discover more bodies and a trembling Jamie, staring at his blood soaked bride.
She bathed while the men moved the bodies to the other side of the glen where their clan would collect them. That night Jamie tossed and turned with nightmares and when he awoke a hardness had befallen his emotions, anger seeping into his muscles.
He didn't dare look at Daniea or even touch her. He couldn't understand her reckless behavior and her cold bloodedness. But worst of all he couldn't believe he had already failed in his promise to never let anything harm her again, if she hadn't of acted so quickly or had frozen with fear; he would have watched her be raped multiple times and possibly murdered before his eyes.
"Jamie?" She called, her voice riddled with worry, he hadn't spoken to her since the incident.
He didn't respond, yet she could see his knuckles go white as he squeezed his reins in his fists.
She cursed in gaelic, gathering up her lead and sprinted away from him to settle next to Murtagh at the front of the caravan.
Jamie could tell they were having a deep discussion because of the hand gestures and the way they glanced back in his direction. Yet he stayed in his place till Castle Leoch loomed in the distance. Home for the time being.
It was dinner when they reined in their horses, cold and hungry they ventured into the castle, greeted wholeheartedly by Mrs. fitz and Alec.
Jamie took his place with Daniea as they walked towards the head table, Colum standing, a broad grin on his face. Along the table with him sat his wife, son and a newcomer Jamie had never seen before.
An older gentleman, dressed in all black, his appearance harsh and weathered.
Before another word was spoken the man rose to speak, a hush dispersed among the crowd.
"Why Colum you did do it after all, you found my daughter. The assassin!" He spat, eyes boring into Daniea's own.
