Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 42873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
There was a squeal of excitement followed by a loud bark, and Cree shook his head. “I knew Lizbeth would not be able to wait.”
“Mummy! Mummy! Look who has come to visit,” Lizbeth called out, tugging at the hand of someone standing behind one of the cottages.
“You were not supposed to tell. Da wanted to surprise her,” Valan admonished, walking from around the cottage, holding his three-year-old brother, Tynan’s hand.
Beast followed behind them but made a dash for her as soon as he spotted her, and Dawn gave him a welcoming hug.
Joy filled her heart to see her three children so happy. Lizbeth had the same dark auburn colored hair as she did and no matter how many times it was braided, strands always fell loose. Unlike Dawn’s plain features, Lizbeth was a beauty, and she was only five years old. She could only imagine what a beauty she would turn out to be, something Cree did not wish to think of but had mentioned to Dawn. One thing Dawn was ever grateful for was that her daughter had not been born voiceless. It was the one thing she had feared passing on to a daughter.
Valan was somewhat like Cree, matter of fact, do what needed to be done, and listen to what I say. He was a natural leader and protector and already finding skill with a sword, and he forever got annoyed at his twin sister.
Tynan was young and full of energy and curiosity and loved tagging along after his siblings. He was a cross between Cree and her, having inherited the best of them both.
With her mind on her children, Dawn didn’t notice right away the man who stepped from behind the cottage. Her face lit with joy when she finally spotted him.
Da! She wished he could have heard her cry out his name, but it was as if he did since he spread his arms wide. She ran to him, her smile wide, and his arms circled her in an intense hug.
“I have missed you, daughter, and my grandchildren,” Kirk said.
She smiled and patted her chest letting him know she felt the same. He visited occasionally, but it had been far too many moons since they had last seen him. Age had been good to him, his body still firm and few face wrinkles marred his fine features.
Dawn gestured to him, eager for his visit to be a lengthy one.
“Aye, I intend to spend a moon or more with you and enjoy your new home,” Kirk said, his words brightening his own smile.
Dawn nodded, pleased, and hugged him tight, a sign that she did not want to let him go.
“Your husband has done a fine job here on your new home. You must be proud.”
She would not take such a remarkable accomplishment away from her husband even if she had mixed feelings about the move. Cree deserved praise for seeing that his clan thrived and grew powerful securing its importance and might in the Highlands.
Dawn nodded, acknowledging her pride.
“Come, Grandda,” Lizbeth urged after grabbing his hand and tugging at it. “I will show you the keep.”
Tynan hurried to take his grandda’s other hand, but he quickly scooped him up in his arm and Tynan’s small arms went around his neck, locking tight to him. While Dawn knew her da loved all his grandchildren, she saw that he had a special bond with Tynan, the little lad forever following him around and her da relishing his company.
“We will talk later, daughter,” Kirk said, Lizbeth having released his hand and hurried behind him to push at his backside, forcing him toward the keep.
“Stop touching Grandda’s backside,” Valan scolded as he followed along.
“Not until I get him in the keep,” Lizbeth argued and the two squabbled all the way to the keep, their grandfather laughing and Beast following them, barking with excitement.
“Before we join them,” Cree said, his arm going around his wife’s waist to turn her to look over the area and point with pride. “More fields have been made ready for planting oats and barley at the end of summer, we should have more than a decent winter crop. Individual gardens have been seeded and will sprout soon enough. We have cattle, goats, and sheep aplenty as well as fish from the loch. The clan will not want for food.”
Dawn looked over the fields in the distance where he pointed, men working diligently in the soil while individual gardens had been prepared and staked for the sprouts that would soon show themselves. Everywhere she looked she saw growth, expansion, and the strength and determination of her husband to build a powerful and influential clan.
She pressed her hand to her chest, then pointed at him.
“I am pleased you are proud of me, but I owe a duty to my family and my clan, and I will not fail them,” he said and took hold of her hand. “Let’s go rescue your da from his granddaughter.”