Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Outlander. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and Diana Gabaldon. Please support the original release. I do own the original characters created for this storyline. Thank you.
Writer's Notes: Thank you Roxhall and msmallory for your reviews! I love confessions of love! It's one of my favorite things to write. I hope everyone is having a great Friday! Happy Veteran's day to all the vets out there! Thank you for your service! As always, don't forget to follow, favorite, and review!
[Glencorse]
Dougal was met with red coat soldiers that were under the authority of second Lieutenant Whitlock. He didn't say anything to the men, just walked past them, Bella by his side with Rupert and Murtagh following. They came to a stop outside a shop that had an apartment over it. Dougal turned and looked at Bella. "Tell me now and I want the truth."
Bella blinked, confused. "What?"
"Are ye an English spy?" He said, his voice low only she could hear.
Bella shook her head. "I'm not. I'm from America. The colonies."
Dougal studied her and then nodded, keeping his thoughts to himself, as he opened the door and walked inside.
"Second Lieutenant Whitlock is expecting you. He just arrived shortly before you." A red coat said. His hair was darker, a mahogany color. His nose was crooked, and his green eyes seemed to be the shade of spring grass. His voice was smooth, like velvet, lilted slightly from England. "Only her." The soldier said blocking Dougal's way when he tried to walk forward.
"She's under my protection and the protection of Colum Mackenzie." Dougal said, challenging the soldier.
The soldier nodded. "We're aware. She'll be treated well." He said.
Bella looked at Dougal. "It's fine. Thank you, Dougal." She said and then walked forward, taking the stairs to the top. There was a door and Bella went through it.
Jasper slid off his gloves and looked up at Bella when she joined him. He nodded to the soldier that followed her up. "Thank you, Edward. Go back to your post." He said and the soldier nodded and left, closing the door behind him. "Take a seat."
"I'd rather stand." Bella said.
"I'm not going to harm you miss. I want you to be comfortable."
"My only experience with a red coat has been disastrous, so forgive me when I say I don't trust easily." Bella said, but she took a seat.
Jasper nodded, walking around the large table that sat in the center of the room. His boots clicked on the wooden floor, echoing in the room. He came to a stop at the head of the table, four chairs away from Bella. He gave her distance for her comfort. "You said that the Captain accosted you. Do you remember any details about this Captain?"
"He had dark hair. Pulled back like you have yours. His eyes were dark. Square jaw. I can sketch you a picture if you would rather see for yourself." Bella said, her voice still stern, and unwavering. She had to stay strong, even if her heart threatened to beat right out of her chest.
Jasper shook his head. "That's not necessary. You speak of Captain Jack Randall." He was quiet for a moment. "He has signed an execution order for you. You are not protected by a clan since you are not Scottish or English. You are a foreigner from another land."
Bella frowned. "I have done nothing that warrants execution."
Jasper nodded. "Perhaps." He leaned back in his chair. "I am to deliver you to him at Ardsmuir Prison."
"This is preposterous." Bella said, standing.
"Sit." Jasper said, his voice stern.
Bella narrowed her eyes at Jasper. "I will not go willingly."
"I assumed you wouldn't. Though I have no desire to follow his direct order. Captain Randall… he is a master at hiding his demons, though you have outed him by telling me what he has done to you. He wants your head because he wants to silence rumors that you can start."
"I don't care. You asked me to come here and sign a statement. You brought me here under false pretenses."
Jasper smiled. "Perhaps, though you are the only witness I have against him."
"Wait."
"I want to expose him for the villain he is. He doesn't know your name, just a face. I imagine that it was James Fraser that saved you from the Captain's advances."
"No."
Jasper chuckled a little. "I'm not a fool Miss. Don't pretend that I am."
"Okay. What do you want from me?"
"Nothing. I want a sworn statement. Then you are to disappear. Escape this place and find a place to hide. In the very least I can bring the statement before my Admiral. If there is something to be done about the Captain, I will find you again. Trust me."
Bella shook her head. "I don't trust you."
There was a knock on the door and Jasper sighed. "Enter." He called.
Edward swung the door open. "Sir, Captain Randall has arrived in the city."
Jasper frowned. "Why? He doesn't know I have the girl."
"He's visiting the city on his way through back to Inverness." Edward replied.
Jasper looked at Bella. "Okay. Is he coming here?"
"Yes sir." Edward said with a nod.
"Damn." Jasper cursed and stood. "Okay. Take the girl, give her back to the Scots."
"But-"
"Edward, I have waited entirely way to long for a moment like this. I will not toss it out the window because he's made a surprise visit to my city." Jasper said rushed. "Take her now. Give her back to the warchief."
Bella looked at Jasper. "How will you find me?"
"Go back to Castle Leoch. I will find you there. Go now. No more time can be wasted."
Bella nodded and stood, picking up her skirts and followed Edward out of the room and down the stairs. Dougal looked at her in surprise.
Edward looked at Dougal. "Captain Randall has made a surprise visit. Take her. Lieutenant Whitlock will find you at Castle Leoch. Go now." He said and pushed Bella towards Dougal.
Dougal's hands steadied Bella. He was confused by the sudden departure, but he didn't want to stick around and confront Captain Randall. "Alright lass let's go. Murtagh and Rupert are near." He said and left the building through the back.
Jamie was pacing, making Angus dizzy. "Calm down Jamie. Dougal will handle it."
"No, Dougal doesn't care about her."
"Aye, maybe, but he's bound by his brother's promise." Angus reminded him.
Jamie was about to say something when he saw Dougal returning with Bella, Rupert and Murtagh. Relief flooded him when he saw Bella. She pulled her horse to a stop and he moved automatically towards her. "You're okay." He murmured, looking up at her.
Bella smiled at Jamie. "I am, though we can't stay stalled right here."
"Aye let's move. There's shelter nearby we can stay at for the time being." Dougal said and then whistled to his men.
Jamie hesitated, but he went to his horse and swung up on its back. He followed Dougal and the others so they could be out of sight and off the road where red coats frequented.
There was an old tavern inside the small village outside of Glencorse. The red coats didn't frequent the small village because the red coats tended to stick to the bigger towns and cities. This village was one of Colum's, therefore rents were to be collected anyways.
Once inside the tavern, Dougal pulled Jamie and Murtagh aside, leaving Bella with Angus and Rupert and the other men.
"It appears that Lieutenant Whitlock has something against Captain Randall. He wants to use Bella as a bargaining chip. She's the one that spoke with Whitlock alone. I wasn't permitted upstairs." Dougal explained.
"She didn't say a word on the ride over." Jamie said. "Do ye think he's made a deal with her?"
Dougal shook his head. "No. I don't think they had time for a deal. Either way, from what I overheard briefly, is that Captain Randall has signed an execution order for Bella. She's not English nor Scottish. She has no ties."
"Then make ties." Murtagh said. "Dougal this is not hard to figure out."
"Aye, it's not. If she marries then she'll be a Scot rightfully here in Scotland."
"I'll do it." Jamie said. "I'll marry her. Protect her."
Dougal looked at Jamie. "I was going to suggest ya lad if ye would have let me finish." He said. Dougal thought about marrying her off to Jamie before. There were many options within the ranks, but Jamie was the only one that threatened his inheritance of Castle Leoch. If Jamie married a foreigner, he wouldn't have favor with the people, therefore, Dougal could slide in and control Castle Leoch after his brother passed.
"Alright. I'll find a priest. Go fetch the lass and tell her the good news." Murtagh said then left Jamie and Dougal standing there.
Jamie felt his heart pound in his chest, but he didn't say anything but look at Dougal. "Thank you, uncle."
Dougal just nodded and motioned for Jamie to leave to get Bella.
When Jamie found Bella, she was upstairs in the room above the tavern. She was sitting on the bed looking through her bag. "Bella." He said, when he closed the door behind him.
Bella closed her bag and looked up at him. "Jamie. I told you everything would be okay."
"Aye, ya did. Ye didn't tell me about the execution order."
Bella stood, laying her bag on the bed. She walked over to him and then reached up framing his face. "I didn't want you to worry. Jasper wants to use my statement to pass on to his Admiral. Then hopefully something can be done about Captain Randall and maybe you can even tell your story. The real one. You didn't kill anyone. If you can clear your name, then you can go back home to Lallybroch."
Jamie moved his hands up to cover hers, taking them in his own and running his thumb over the back of her hands. "Aye, though it isn't safe for you in Scotland without ties."
Bella frowned. "I… if they clear me then- "
"Yer still foreign. Yer not Scottish or English."
Bella shook her head. "My mom is- "
"Ya wasn't born in Scotland. Bella…"
"I don't want to leave. I want to stay with you. Jamie, I- "
"Marry me." Jamie murmured. "Marrying me means ye will be Scottish."
Bella blinked a few times, shocked by hearing his words. She never thought about marriage before. Her parents were the typical American family in the beginning. She was close to her father, and her mother, though her mother and father fell out of love. "I…"
"I love ya Bella. I know that ye love me too." Jamie said. His blue eyes pleaded with her.
Bella just nodded. "Okay. This is the only way to keep me safe?"
Jamie nodded. "Aye, it's the best that we have for now."
"Okay. I will. I'll do it." Bella said with a nod and she let out a gasp when his arms came around her, hugging her to him, kissing her madly. She returned the kiss, pressing against his hard body. She felt the familiar burn of arousal between her legs and she wanted nothing more than to fall onto the bed with him. She reached for him, her hands trailing down, but he stopped her.
"Bella…"
"Jamie, why are you stopping?"
"We're not married yet." Jamie murmured, resting his head against hers. "Murtagh went to find a priest."
Bella smiled. "You knew I would agree?"
Jamie was silent. "It wasn't going to be a choice if ya said no. Dougal would have forced ya to marry me or someone in the party. I volunteered of course."
Bella wasn't surprised to hear this. Dougal was a brute man. She was happy Jamie was willing to make an ultimate oath like this. Divorce wasn't an option to Scottish men and women. She was stuck here in the past and before she would have fought hard to make it to her time again, but she couldn't now. Not with her love for Jamie growing as each day passed. She just tipped her head up a little and kissed Jamie softly. "I can't wait."
Jamie smiled, kissing her forehead gently, before hugging her against him, her head resting on his chest.