Winter

The minute he drove off with Lady Blackwood we were able to move again and I immediately ran to Duncan, who fell to the ground, Niall was right beside me and held him up. The blood was pouring from his wound and there was no way we could save him. James had cut right through his body, as if it was nothing.

“I’m so sorry Duncan.” I whispered but Duncan didn’t see me but his wife. “I love you so much my sweetheart.” His voice wasn’t more than a whisper and I felt guilty for the fact that he couldn’t say goodbye to his wife or that he had to say goodbye at all. I looked at Niall with pleading eyes. I had to give Duncan a chance to say goodbye even though I wasn’t his wife. I was her doppelgänger and if it gave him some comfort I couldn’t deny him. I had his head against my chest, as I gently put my hands through his hair. I even went as far to kiss him on the top of his head, to comfort him. I felt him relax in my hold.

“I love you Winter.” Was the last thing he said and I felt the tears running down my cheeks. I was overcome with sadness, it felt like my heart was breaking for the love that he had for the woman who apparently didn’t love him back. Niall had put a hand on my shoulder, to let me know he was here for me.

I felt terrible even though I didn’t know him well, I did know he was really kind and deserved better than this but now it was too late and he was gone. I hadn’t realised that his men were around us as I detangled myself from his body. Niall helped me get up and as I turned to one of his men, he nodded and lifted his lord and walked away. I looked at Niall who pulled me into his arms and we stood like this for a few minutes. He led me into our room and asked for a bath, he set me on the bed and I couldn’t help but curl myself up into a ball and I hugged my own knees. I felt the bed dip after a while and Niall’s hands were holding me.

“It will be okay sweetheart.” He mumbled in my hair but I couldn’t even nod because it was not only that Duncan had died in my arms but also the fact that if we didn’t find James and forced him to send us back, we’d never get home again and this only because he needed a distraction, so he could move in on Lady Blackwood. “Let’s get you out of these clothes shall we.” Niall mumbled into my hair and as he said that I sat up and waited for him to undress me. There was nothing sexual about this, as he quickly undid my clothes.

He lifted me up in his arms and put me gently in the bath, he joined me and pulled me against his chest. I was crying because James and Lady Blackwood were our only way back and now we were stuck in this era and to top it all, I just saw someone get killed right in front of me, I looked at my hands which were clean now but just a few minutes ago, were covered in blood. “We will find a way back, I promise Winter.” Niall was trying to sooth me but I just couldn’t think straight right now. He kept rubbing my shoulders and back in soothing circles and I must’ve fallen asleep at some point because when I opened my eyes I was in bed.
Niall was holding me tightly and it made me feel safe. He was my home for some reason. I moved around so I could look at him and the minute I did, I met his eyes, he wasn’t sleeping.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” His voice was not even sounding sleepy and this made me worried. “Did you sleep at all?” he shook his head and pulled me closer and kissed me, it probably was meant as a sweet kiss but the minute his lips touched mine, I had to have more so I deepened the kiss. Niall was hesitant for a second but the minute his grip on my waist tightened I knew I had won. He lifted himself up so that he was hovering over me, he broke up the kiss and kissed his way down and the moment his mouth touched my sensitive spot I was lost.

Niall was dressing himself as I was putting on my riding clothes. “We have to find James.” I heard him say and I just nodded along with this because he was right. We had to find him and force him to get us back. “We know they went south so if we head back on the same path we should be able to find them.”

“Right but first we need to eat something.” I wasn’t going to argue with him on this because after the activities we had earlier, I was famished. He had packed all our stuff and I ordered the food, while he was packing the horses. We ate our food in silence and started our journey to the south, we had to find them, we had to get back to our time no matter what.

Notes