big breath through his gaping mouth, finally remembering to breath, then clamped his mouth shut. He strode to her swiftly, taking her arm.
“Ye are a vision, Anna.”
She beamed up at him. “Thank you, Lucian. Y ou look quite fetching yourself tonight.” Her eyes darted around the room as she spoke beneath her breath. “Is something wrong? Everyone’s staring at me.”
“Nay, wife,” he laughed. “They are in awe of your beauty...and mayhap, envious of m e good fortune.”
She blushed as they were seated on the dais next to her father.
“For a moment there, lassie, I thought your maither had entered the hall.” Dugal’s eyes misted. “It warms me heart ta ken that I can look at ye and see her again.”
Her blue eyes softened as she gazed at him. “I am going to miss you, Father. You promise to visit again soon?”
“Aye, Arianna. A horde of Vikings could nae keep me away!”
Her eyes sparkled as she laughed. Lucian gave her hand a gentle squeeze as he or dered the festivities to begin. He was pleased to see that his new wife was happy and fitting in so well with her circumstances. He had been a bit concerned at first. Even her strange spee ch was changing as the days passed by. Lucian did not even think she was aware of it. They were growing closer as well. Aye she pleases me greatly.
Two hours had passed before Fergus appeared in the hall. She excused herself the moment she spied him and hurried over to collect the gift while Dugal distracted her husband. He handed it to her carefully. She felt the lightness of it through the red velvet wrap.
Her eyes sparkled. “Did you have any trouble with the metal, Fergus?”
“Nay, m’lady. Tis the strongest and lightest I have ever made. Tis wondrous metal! If ye ever have more I would be pleased if ye allow me to forge it.”
“I doubt that will happen but I’ll remember if it does. Thank you, Fergus. I’m in your debt.”
“Think naught of it, m’lady. Now go and give him his prize.” He grinned widely exposing a few missing teeth. “But be careful...tis terribly sharp.”
Nodding, she rushed back to the dais.
“Lucian?”
“Aye, wife?” He turned to her raising a quizzical brow at the bundle she held.
“I wanted to give you a gift...a wedding present...when I first asked Fergus to craft this. But now it is even more than that. It is in thanks , as well , for what you did for Shalizar...he even contributed to the making of it.”
She held it out to him as the clan observed their exchange. Lucian sucked in a breath as he unwrapped the velvet exposing a magnificent sword. The silvery blade was etched in Gaelic: mo gradh (my love), mo bheatha (my life), mo cridhe (my heart), agus mo anam (and my soul).
He glanced up at her in awe. She had declared herself to him in written word! He was speechless as he looked back at the weapon. The hilt was wrapped tightly with the finest leather in his land and was topped with a large emerald. He gripped it, amazed at the lightness as he raised it for all to see. A loud cheer rose in the hall as the light flash ed across the blade.
“I hope you like it, Lucian. Fergus says it is the finest he’s ever made.”
Lucian pulled her against him roughly as he placed a passionate kiss on her lips.
“Tis a beautiful sword, mo cridhe, but how did it come ta be so light?”
Her eyes darted around them then spoke softly, “I used Shalizar’s horseshoes . They were made of lightweight steel. I didn’t think it was smart for him to wear them here.”
“Steel? I do nae ken this metal.”
“My point exactly!”
“This is a strong metal?”
She smiled at him. “It withstood Shalizar wearing it! This way you won’t tire as quickly if you have to fight someone. It will keep you safe.”
He tested the balance and took a few swings with it. His face lit up with pleasure. Arianna frowned when she noticed the emerald.
“Tis a fine blade, Anna, why do ye frown?”
“I didn’t have any gems for the hilt.
“Ye are a vision, Anna.”
She beamed up at him. “Thank you, Lucian. Y ou look quite fetching yourself tonight.” Her eyes darted around the room as she spoke beneath her breath. “Is something wrong? Everyone’s staring at me.”
“Nay, wife,” he laughed. “They are in awe of your beauty...and mayhap, envious of m e good fortune.”
She blushed as they were seated on the dais next to her father.
“For a moment there, lassie, I thought your maither had entered the hall.” Dugal’s eyes misted. “It warms me heart ta ken that I can look at ye and see her again.”
Her blue eyes softened as she gazed at him. “I am going to miss you, Father. You promise to visit again soon?”
“Aye, Arianna. A horde of Vikings could nae keep me away!”
Her eyes sparkled as she laughed. Lucian gave her hand a gentle squeeze as he or dered the festivities to begin. He was pleased to see that his new wife was happy and fitting in so well with her circumstances. He had been a bit concerned at first. Even her strange spee ch was changing as the days passed by. Lucian did not even think she was aware of it. They were growing closer as well. Aye she pleases me greatly.
Two hours had passed before Fergus appeared in the hall. She excused herself the moment she spied him and hurried over to collect the gift while Dugal distracted her husband. He handed it to her carefully. She felt the lightness of it through the red velvet wrap.
Her eyes sparkled. “Did you have any trouble with the metal, Fergus?”
“Nay, m’lady. Tis the strongest and lightest I have ever made. Tis wondrous metal! If ye ever have more I would be pleased if ye allow me to forge it.”
“I doubt that will happen but I’ll remember if it does. Thank you, Fergus. I’m in your debt.”
“Think naught of it, m’lady. Now go and give him his prize.” He grinned widely exposing a few missing teeth. “But be careful...tis terribly sharp.”
Nodding, she rushed back to the dais.
“Lucian?”
“Aye, wife?” He turned to her raising a quizzical brow at the bundle she held.
“I wanted to give you a gift...a wedding present...when I first asked Fergus to craft this. But now it is even more than that. It is in thanks , as well , for what you did for Shalizar...he even contributed to the making of it.”
She held it out to him as the clan observed their exchange. Lucian sucked in a breath as he unwrapped the velvet exposing a magnificent sword. The silvery blade was etched in Gaelic: mo gradh (my love), mo bheatha (my life), mo cridhe (my heart), agus mo anam (and my soul).
He glanced up at her in awe. She had declared herself to him in written word! He was speechless as he looked back at the weapon. The hilt was wrapped tightly with the finest leather in his land and was topped with a large emerald. He gripped it, amazed at the lightness as he raised it for all to see. A loud cheer rose in the hall as the light flash ed across the blade.
“I hope you like it, Lucian. Fergus says it is the finest he’s ever made.”
Lucian pulled her against him roughly as he placed a passionate kiss on her lips.
“Tis a beautiful sword, mo cridhe, but how did it come ta be so light?”
Her eyes darted around them then spoke softly, “I used Shalizar’s horseshoes . They were made of lightweight steel. I didn’t think it was smart for him to wear them here.”
“Steel? I do nae ken this metal.”
“My point exactly!”
“This is a strong metal?”
She smiled at him. “It withstood Shalizar wearing it! This way you won’t tire as quickly if you have to fight someone. It will keep you safe.”
He tested the balance and took a few swings with it. His face lit up with pleasure. Arianna frowned when she noticed the emerald.
“Tis a fine blade, Anna, why do ye frown?”
“I didn’t have any gems for the hilt.
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