Highlander the Dark Dragon Read Free Page A

me.”
    Patience popped up and looked down at her two sisters. “How do I do that? How do I let such evil lay hands on my sister?”
    Heather eased her hand out of Patience’s hand to lay it on her rumbling stomach.
    Emma hopped off the bed. “Your stomach troubles you. I will fetch a soothing brew to calm it and you should try to eat a little something.”
    “The brew would help,” Heather agreed, laying her arm across her eyes.
    Emma nodded to Patience and she followed her to stand just outside the door.
    “She is upset enough, and rightfully so, do not upset her any further,” Emma ordered sternly.
    “How do we stop this travesty?” Patience asked tersely.
    “I do not think we can. As father said, it is done.”
    “And what if he treats her poorly or how do we even know if he does treat her poorly, what then?”
    “You are right. We cannot just let him take her away never to know what becomes of her,” Emma said, growing teary-eyed. She swiped at the unshed tears. “Ever since I have gotten with child, tears come much too easily.”
    “A woman’s tears usually turn men pliable, men that have hearts. It would be good to put the Dark Dragon to the test. At least then, we would have some idea of how he might treat our sister.”
    “And if it fails?” Emma asked.
    “Then we make another plan.”
    After forming a hasty plan, Patience returned to Heather. She was still lying on the bed, her arm draped over her eyes, and Patience did not want to disturb her. A bit of rest would do her good. Patience sat in the chair by the fire where she had often found her sister through the years, working on her embroidery. Her heart turned heavy to think she would never see her sitting there again and as she glanced around the room she could not imagine it stripped of all of Heather’s belongings, the room empty, and her sister gone from her life. The upsetting thought sent a shudder through her.
    The door suddenly burst open, sending Patience flying out her chair and Heather popping up off the bed.
    A breathless Emma stood, fighting to balance a wooden tray with a pitcher, tankard, and slices of bread and cheese on it. Her cheeks were flushed and she took a moment to catch her breath as Patience hurried to take the tray from her and place it on the small table near the hearth.
    With a deep breath, the words rushed from Emma’s lips. “The Dark Dragon sends word for you to be in the Great Hall to receive him. Father says to hurry, for the Dark Dragon is impatient to take his leave with his new wife.”
    “He does not want to take time to meet my family or rest and feed his men?” Heather asked. “And will he not give me time to pack my belongings?”
    “The Dark Dragon has informed Da that he will leave some of his men behind to collect whatever you instruct your servants to pack and be delivered to you. He also instructed that you are to bring whatever you need until then.”
    Heather stared at her sister in disbelief. “He intends to just whisk me away?”
    Tears clouded Emma’s eyes. “It would seem so.”
    Heather stood there not knowing what to do or perhaps knowing and not wanting to do what she must. She had woken this morning relieved to find herself in her own bed after the ordeal of her abduction, escape, and dangerous journey to return home. And now the man she had managed to avoid was here to take her away and to make matters worse, he had all the right to do so since he was now her husband.
    It was the terrified expressions on her sisters’ faces that finally got Heather moving. The longer she delayed this, the more she allowed her fear to show, the more difficult it would be for them, and seeing them suffer would hurt her terribly.
    She had two garments reserved for special occasions, one a red winter wool and the other a soft blue, linen shift with a pale yellow tunic draped over it, which she hurried to change into. She left her blonde hair pinned up, making certain the combs were secure. She had