Beyond The Lines (Chapters 8-_

Chapter Eight

      Three days had spanned out since the last attack on the MacGregors. Aidan was busy letting his shoulder heal and letting his men plan the next strategy. Hearts were heavy between both clans. Men had died, and both bloods soaked the earth. And all wanted the fighting to be over, but highland pride stood in the way. As the fight went on the days became longer and filled with a forboding dread.
      Moira spent her days waiting news of when her return home was to be. Aidan still didn't give her an answer. But neither would she press him. He at least cared to give her news of her brother that day.
      Moira dreamed of Teagan and how she was faring. And how her family was handling her absence. But she kept hope that one day she would make it home. So her time, recently, was spent on hearing the news from Seamus' friends and trying to figure out the man who held her captive. Aidan at times confused her. He had this temper, and great strength. But in the next moment could be gentle. It usually showed itself in small quick moments. And then disappeared like the morning mist. Most of the time she just passed it off as a man not wanting to show weakness. And at other times she wondered if there was something more. Either way he had her puzzled. She was pretty sure that was how he liked to keep things.
      Moira picked up her skirts as she followed Aidan down the little trail through the brush. He had come in the tent and told her to follow him. At first she just questioned him. But Aidan had told her to never ask questions and just obey. In an instant she was ready to yell at him, but he silenced her quickly. After a moment she finally followed. She wasn't sure where the trail lead to, and why she was even moving. But when the sight of the loch came into view she was happy. He new just what she had needed.
      "You're sure no one will see?" She asked the third time.
      Aidan sighed in irritation at the third time she had asked the question, but answered her again. "I promise no one will see. Most of the men are tending the horses or doing drills. They will be down here to bathe later. But if you don't hurry they'll be here to see."
      He saw her make no movement. "You either want to wash up or you don't. It's your choice."
      "Okay, but turn around. And don't you peek." She warned him. He gave her a grin, and then tossed the leather bag with the bar of soap in it to her.
      Moira waited for him to turn before she started at the laces on her dress. It was off in a flash along with her undergarments. Unbinding her hair she let it fall free down her back and rushed for the water before anyone had the chance to see. It was cold and she shivered, but she could endure anything if it meant being able to wash herself. Dirt, dust and even some of Aidans blood had soiled her dress. She just didn't think that Aidan would have the time to take her, and she certainly didn't trust anyone else. Not that she fully trusted Aidan. But he was better than anyone else.
      Aidan heard the splash as she entered the water. He wasn't used to caring for the needs for a prisoner. Usually that was left up to the prison guard. And it was twice as tough with it being a female. It seemed that it took twice as long, and there was always extra things to do. But he had seen his blood on her dress, and the dirt along the hem line. She probably had wanted to bathe and just never asked him. He heard her giggle a little and he turned to look out of instinct. But once he looked he didn't stop. He could only see her white shoulders, and her long red hair soaked, But he could see that she was enjoying the time to get clean.
      She had giggled cause the soap smelled so good and she was finally able to wash the dirt off her body. The water that had been so cold at first was too wonderful for words now. Moira was had just finished rinsing the soap out of her hair when she looked up to see Aidan. Even though she was completely covered by water she still wrapped her arms about herself.
      "Aidan McConnell! You said you wouldn't look."
      He laughed, and for the first time she heard what his real laugh was like. It was almost nice to hear. But it still didn't excuse the fact that he had been watching her.
      "Now what kinda man would I be if I didn't look?" He asked with a laugh.
      "A gentleman thats what?" She watched him turn back around. He was still laughing at her.
      "I just promised I wouldn't touch you. I never promised that I wouldn't look."
      "You're a horrible beast, Aidan. Is this a McConnell trait or just yours?" She asked angrily.
      "No just a mans trait. Calm down, I never saw anything. Just your shoulders." He said, his face still turned to the bushes.
      "You swear? Or are you just telling me stories?"
      "I swear."
      Moira made sure that he stayed with his face to the bush, and she came up out of the water. When she reached for her dress it was gone and replaced with a simple brown dress with a cream colored sash. She fingered it before asking, "What's this?"
      "Your other dress needed to be cleaned. So I sent for one when the new troop of men rode in yesterday. I hope i guessed your size right."
      She never said a word even though she guessed that he had stared at her body too much. He had told her that all of the men had been with out a woman for a while. And that included him. She didn't think that Aidan would ever hurt her in that way, but it made her uncomfortable to know that he looked at her in that way. Moira dressed as quickly as she could, and found that he had guessed right. The dress fit her wonderfully, and was comfortable. Moira struggled with the sash and then felt warm hands at her back. Moira's head came up quickly to find Aidan behind her. She gasped and tried to step away but he never let go of her sash. He tied it and let her go. It took the span of a deep breath before she could turn around. She was sure her cheeks were flaming red but she had no choice to look at him. In a quiet voice she told him that she was done and could leave at anytime.
      "You can wait while I bathe. I trust that you won't run."
      She couldn't speak or make a sound. It unnerved her for him to be that close behind her. And tieing her sash seemed like such an intimate gesture. One that Aidan shouldn't have done.
      "What are you waiting for, Moira?" He asked her. It popped Moira out of her daze. "Turn around." He told her. Aidan grinned and began to strip himself free of his tunic and shirt. Moira finally turned. "When I get in the water, you can go down stream a bit and wash the clothing. But come back in a bit."
      Moira wordlessy obeyed and was thankful for her moment away. It didn't take her too long to wash the dirty clothes and she headed back to the bathing spot. When she returned her was already dressed in a fresh kilt, and drying off his upper half. He winced as he dried the angry red cut on his shoulder. Moira didn't even wait to be asked. She pulled the strips of clean cloth out of his bag and went to work on his shoulder.
      "It's starting to look better already, and its only been three days." She told him. She could tell he was tuning her out so she kept silent for the time being.
    Aidan may have looked like he wad bored by her company or that he was tuning her out but, he was trying to think of everything else except how good it felt to have Moira's soft hands on him. He even ignored her when she spoke. He struggled greatly when she changed his bandages. What he needed was a woman badly, and to get this one back home where she belonged so he could focus on his duties of the war. He felt her pull the ends tight.
      "Is it hurting badly?" She asked him?
      He finally looked down at her, and found that her hands were still playing with the bandage ends. But what caught him was her blue eyes and how brightly they shown. He found that he didn't want to look away just yet. And to his surprise, she didn't either. She started to back away from him, but his hands instantly caught her waist and hauled her against him. She felt so good pressed to him, and he lowered his head and let his mouth find hers. In an instant she was fighting him. Moira pushed against his chest in protest. But little by little he felt her relenting to his kiss and his arms. His mouth moved slowly on hers, and after a short second she was catching on to what he was doing to her. He let himself enjoy the kiss just a few seconds more, and when he pulled away Moira was speechless. He grinned that mischievious grin at her like he had won their silent war. It only set her off. She grabbed the bag of clean but wet clothes and took off up the trail. He followed after her, but when he caught up to her she turned on him with blue eyes blazing.
      "I can't believe you did that. You're a McConnell." She yelled at him.
      He nodded his head at her. "Yes and you're a MacGregor, but I still enjoyed it. And I think you did too." That comment made her pot boil over. Raising her hand she went to slap him, but he caught her hand instead. His smile died. His moment of harmless play had disappeared. "Don't do that Moira."
      Jerking her hand free of his Moira turned on her heel and was making it into a run back to camp. He found that she could run quite fast, and when he made it to camp a two of his men had caught her and was giving her the fifth degree on where he was.
      "I'm here. There's nothing to worry about." He called as he was making his way to them. In a instant he could tell the thoughts running through their minds. They took a look at Moira's new dress and wet hair, and how Aidan was shirtless and had dripping wet hair. Smiles had turned heated and lustful.
      "I'd say I win that bet." The man said to the other one. "I knew Aidan would give in and bed her before he took her back."
      The other one laughed evilly. "Yeah and I say we get a turn now." They both laughed and the man pulled Moira against him. His hand travelled to her breast and he filled his hand before Aidan could protest. She fought and struggled against them.
      "Let her go." Aidan yelled.
      "Come now Aidan. You got a round. Just give me fifteen minutes with her and you can have her all to yourself again. Tisn't fair that we go months with out a woman you have one hidden away in your tent."
      Moira was still struggling to get out of the men's grasp. "I have never had her. You need to let her go now. There will be consequences for disobeying my orders."
      They laughed at him instead. Any other time this would have just been a joke to him as well. But Moira was different. There was something in him that wanted to protect her. And he could see how scared and terrified she was.
      "I assure you. I have not had her. Now let her go." He ordered more firmly.
      "She's just a MacGregor. No harm done in just having a little fun with her."
      His hands were moving all over her body and something caused him to become monsterous. The men saw that fierce look on Aidan and their smiles died.
      "She is a MacGregor, men, but we can use her to end this war. I can't do that is she is violated. Release her and go back to your chorse immediately."
      The men pushed her into Aidan's arms. She pushed away with out looking at his face, and found her way back to her tent. Moira found the line that hung in the middle of the tent and draped the wet clothes to dry. And it sectioned off her side from Aidan's side. That suited her just fine.
      Moira sat herself on the bedroll and let her tears come. She missed home. She missed her sister. And she missed the safety and the privacy of her own room. The way those men put their hands all over her body almost made her sick to her stomach. Why did women have to be treated the way that they were? If it hadn't been for Aidan her virtue would be gone. And then her insides hardend when she thougt of Aidan. He confused her. He either hated her because she was a MacGregor or wanted her cause she was a woman. Or there was something more. And she couldn't tell. His kiss had bothered her that was for sure. And her first kiss had been with a McConnell. Her father would have a fit if he found out. She wasn't sure what Aidan wanted from her. But she knew what she wanted. Moira wanted to go home.
      It was a few hours later when Aidan finally came in. He saw the clothes hanging in between their bed rolls. He couldn't help but grin a bit, but he didn't voice his amusement. Parting the garments Aidan handed her some food for the late meal. Moira took it but never said a word to him. The anger hadn't passed.
      Darkness had fallen and Aidan had to light a lantern to be able to see. She was at least eating the food he had brought her. He needed to see how she was, but whether or not she would talk to him was another story.
      "Are you alright?" He asked. She didn't say anything. "I had another talk with my men to straighten the rumors out. And that none of them are to touch you. My men are obedient and you'll be safe."
      She slammed her plate down and looked at him with anger. "And what about you? Am I safe from you?" She stood up to him angrily and she still came no where near his height. "You kissed me. Without permission kissed me."
      He nodded. "If I had known it was your first kiss I wouldn't have done it. I apologize."
      Moira was enraged. "You don't know that it was my first." She retorted quickly at him.
      He cocked his head to one side and lifted his eyebrow. "Moira that was the most inexperienced kiss I've ever had."
      He had been right all along and it irritated her to no end. Moira plopped back down on her bed roll. "I'm not talking to you anymore tonight."
      Aidan was careful not to laugh and get her anymore angry at him. But within ten minutes of silence she asked, "If I was anyone else besides Carrick MacGregors daughter would you have given me to those men."
      He pulled back the skirt that hung between them. "No I wouldn't have given you to those men."
      "Would you have tried to......." She trailed off not wanting to say the rest.
      He shook his head at her. "No Moira. I would never force a woman. And I've never needed to."
      Disgusted by that last comment she pulled the skirt back between them. "Ugh,you're dispicable, and any woman that goes to you willingly is worse." Moira ranted at him.
      He opened it back up again. "You don't think that your brothers have had a woman or two?"
      "My brothers are married men with children." She tried to jerk it back, but the damp dress just fell on her instead.
      Aidan laughed at her. "Well I don't plan on marrying, so I do as I please."
      Moira was busy hanging up her dress again, and she looked down at him. "Doesn't your father want heirs to carry on the clan when he's gone? I mean when Logan married my father went on and on about them having wee bairns before he passed on."
      He nodded. "Aye he asks. But I'm sure Seanan can produce them in good time."
      "But you're the eldest. And if the rumors are true Seanan will be roaming free like you for ages as well."
      He shrugged. "I'm not ever going to marry. Women only complicate things. I've seen it to many times. Especially the woman in my tent now." He told her with a grin.
      "Any other examples. Because alot of people tell me I complicate things. So I don't count."
      "Your mother. My mother." He answered her.
      She looked at him spread out on his bed roll, his feet where his head normally would be. He was on his side and he picked at the fur that covered it. She could tell this subject of women bothered him. But for such a fierce man women shouldn't bother him. Most men never let women bother them.
      "He really loved my mother didn't he?" She finally asked him.
      "That's putting it lightly. He married my mother when the alliance with the Campbells folded. She was from another clan. But he never treated her well. And she always tried to defend him to us but we could tell he put up with us cause he had to. He always wanted Eveleen to have his children. He rarely talked of your mother, but you could always tell she broke his heart. Probably tis why I never wanted to marry. And I'm perfectly okay with that."
      "My mother always told my father that she would never ever try and marry us off just to keep an alliance with another clan. She knew that it hurt your father, but she loved my father. She just wanted to be happy."
      Moira smiled in the meory of her parents love for one another. They didn't love out of duty, or because it grew in time. They loved each other because they just did.
      "And what about you? You've been of age for a while." He told her.
      She shrugged. "No man will have me. Not that I care a wit about it. I like my freedom. And all the men I know wouldn't never put up with me."
      Aidan laughed. "Some how I can believe that."
      "And I just want to be happy like my mother. And you men don't believe in women having happiness."
      "Like I said. When given the freedom you women will cause chaos. I'll bet if I asked your father that he'd agree with me. I'm sure you've caused him much trouble."
      She laughed. "Probably. I have a temper and most of the time you can't keep me in one place." She played with the end of her braid. "Besides if I have to marry. I want to be in love with the man. Not just a forced union."
      His smile died at that comment. She hadn't meant to bother him, but she could tell that that it had. Moira leaned close to him and said, "I don't exactly know what you struggle with the most when it comes to your parents. But I'm sure it has to do with the feelings they had toward one another. But I don't think one person is worth heartache the rest of my life whether I loved them or not."
      "And what do you know about love?" He asked her.
      "Just about as much as you, Aidan McConnell." He didn't respond to her coment. "What I was going to say was that, even though your parents weren't madly in love, and he didn't pay as much attention to you. I'm sure you were still the pride and joy of your mothers heart. I don't know any mother who doesn't love her children."
      Aidan nodded. His mother loved him. He knew that.