The Scottish Feud [Private/Mature]

Adriana had been waiting for days, since she had learned her best friend was pregnant. She was anxious. She had finally received word that the relatives of her friend would arrive soon to bring her to her friends home, so that she could keep the promise she had sworn. Everything was packed and ready to go, her mother wasn't there to stop her from going, from going across the border and into Scotland. She was English, and the English and Scots did not get along, though she thought that was foolish. Her caretaker came out to once again try to talk her out of going, but Adriana wouldn't listen, as she was dead set on going. The young woman could be very stubborn at times. Well, all the time, actually.

Laird Alec McCloud was in a foul mood. He could have throttled his brother. Because of his promise to his wife Alec was having to take the four day journey into England. Even just saying the name made his skin crawl. Nothing good came out of England. But now he was going there to hear his brothers wife best friend tell him that she wasnt going to come back with him. And he would have to drag her back, which would end of making the trip longer when they returned home.

Now he was getting close to where he was told the Lady Adriana would be. His men that he had chosen to ride with him were grumbling, but they were grumbling since they crossed the border, Alec didnt blame them, England smelled and the people dressed strange.

He himself along with his men were all dressed in their colours, knee length plaid and barechested. They all had there wepons close at hand and rode through the gates and up to the woman. Alec looked the woman up and down. She wasnt too hard on the eyes. The rest of his group stared at the woman too. They were all dreading traveling back to the highlands with a complaining woman. But orders were orders and they would follow their Laird.

Alec cleared his throat and looked down at the woman then he dismounted causing the plaid he was wearing to slip and showing his entire thigh the muscles was well definded, his chest was tanned from the sun, he was tall even for a highlander. He rudly stared at the woman.

"Lady Adriana I be Alec McCloud, Me and my men are here to get your refusal to travel with us to the highlands so if you can just give us your no so we can be on the way I do not wish the sun to set while we are still in England"

((Hope you like, borrowed a bit from the book, I can add more or what ever up to you))

Her gaze shifted to the men as they arrived and rode right up to her. Her attention was on the male who introduced himself as Laird. He was handsome, indeed, and very male. But his words surprised her. "my refusal? I believe, lord, you won't be getting that which you seek, for I have every intention of returning with you to see my friend. I made a promise and I have every intention of keeping it." Adriana was a stubborn woman, and she was going, no natter f they like it or not.

Alec had his hand glasped behind his back and his feet braced evenily apart. He had watched the woman stare at him and his men, and that made him innerly smile. So this woman was brave. That would be good.

When she addressed him he blinked. "You are going to be coming willinly?" He asked astonished. Well that was going to change things. "Well I would like to mount up, you will be ridding with me" He said coldy

He mounted his horse and offered his hand to her.

Adriana rolled her eyes. "isn't that what I just said?" she asked him. When he said she was riding with him, she eyed him. "that is not proper at all, I have my own horse, thank you," she told him, as one of the servents brought out her fiesty, energetic mare. Her bag was beside her, only one, as she was a light packer, she didn't need very much things, and she could manage with a few clothes.

Alec had to smile at this young womans reactions, many ladies went screaming for the hills seeing men dressed this him and his party, but this woman didnt seem to care at all. That intrested him.

When she brought out his mare he raised an eyebrow "Now Lass we are going to be traveling hard for days through hostile terriorty and through real hard terrien it would really be better if you traveled with one of us"

She studied him, she really didn't like the idea of riding with a man, it seemed terribly uncomfortable. "I don't want to be a burden to you," she told him. Also, she didn't want to be just like baggage to him. It was so... Unnerving.

His companions stared at this woman, Alec shot them a evil glare over the top of her head and then tunred to Adrianna "Ahh Lady Adrianna you are already a burden" He said in a gruff voice, not even thinking that it was mean. The other men responded with a grunt.

Alec mounted his horse and went to grap her around her wasit, as long as she didnt move He would be able to scoop her up and their would finally start on the way back.

Adriana huffed when he said she already was a burden. How annoying, and rude. He startled her, though, when he made a move and grabbed her around the waist, and scooped her up. "Dont!" she gasped in complete annoyance by being manhandled in such a a way.

Alec ignored the womans protest urged the horse into a gallop and snatched up her bags. He was in a hurry to get out of England. It made his skin crawl. He looked at the horse. It was a beautiful horse but it looked to weak to make the long trip.

"You will be coming back soon enough to this...." He paused looking for the right word "Place" he finally decided. He then made the single and they staryed on the trip.

Adriana had to hold onto the saddle when he urged the horse into a gallop. She was very annoyed by his gruff behavior. She didn't like the sound of his words either. "I'm staying for as long as my friend needs me to," she told him, stubbornly.

Alec chuckled at the womans words. So his brother was right Lady Adriana was a fire ball. He liked to look at her, but she was till English and therefore when her services were no longer needed she would be returned to England.

"She has her family, her clan is there I dont understand why she needs a englishwoman" He said gruffly.

She shook her head in annoyance. "you apparently wouldn't understand a friendship. I made her a promise a long time ago to be there for her when she got pregnant. I will honor that, you can keepyour English hatred to yourself," she told him, defiant.

Alec raised a brow the of couse the woman wouldnt be able too see. He had to smile at this womans fire. It reminded him of stories that his father told him of his mother who had been raised in the lowlands, they had helped stop a war between england and scotland. He had to smile at her though.

((I seemed to have used the same last name as another character so I am going to make Alec that characters son hope you dont mind)

she watched where he was going, not very comfortable in the saddle with him, he took up most of the space. There was nothing for her to do then to sit there.

( <3 it's cool ^^ )

Alec much preferred the silence, although his father taught him that his mother, had helped out in many cases all the women that had come his way were just too chatty for his liking.

After a few hours of ridding and they crossed the border he called for a hault and dismounted and then took Adriana down

"We be resting for a few minutes, stretch your legs" He said then led his horse to the creek to drink and brought out some bread and meat

"You hungry?" He asked his men had all dismounted and were milling around. He found the way that his men were staring at the woman he shot them all glares and the all chuckled.

The silence really got to her, and she nearly fell asleep a few times, though she didn't, as she was uncomfortable. When they finally stopped, and he helped her down, she was sore and tried to walk it off.

Her gaze shifted to him, hearing him ask if she was hungry. For him grabbing her, and pulling her up on his horse with him, she was going to be stubborn. Even if it meant more discomfort on her behalf. "no," was her short reply.

Alec nearly smiled at her stubbroness but he wasnt going to have her fall ill on the trip. He shook his hand and handed her an apple. "Eat Lady Adrianna, you friend would want you to fall ill" With that he left her and went to the brook to wash his face.

He needed to clear his mind, already her smell was clinging inside his nostroles the way her eyes bore into him. Angerly he shook his head at his lack of dicispline and turned to his men. "I wish to ride 4 more hours get us closer to the highlands then we shall rest"

He went back to Adiranna. "We leave in five minutes"

She glared at him and took the apple. She didn't eat it till he walked off to wash his face. This man was very male and arrogant.
When he returned, she glanced to him as he stated when they would leave. "okay," she replied. Letijg her hair down, she braided it so it would be out of the way during the journey.

Alec watched as she let down her hair and began to braid it he tightened his jaw. He had to storm off, no doubt hurting the poor lass's feelings but he needed to get controle. Nathen, one of the men traveling with him, laughed

"Alec" He would have gone on but Alec shot him a glare which made all the men laugh too hard. He got his horse and two extra plaids, he put one on the sadel then mounted and rode to Adrianna "Lady Adrianna I do hope this extra plaid helps" He would lift her up and place her more on his lap leaving his knees bare. The other blanket he would use to cover her. his hands would go around her wasit to hopefully make it more comfortable.

They would have a few more hours of traveling then they would stop for the night and Adrianna would have a tent and they would all sleep under the stars.

((I hope I didnt controle her too much))

Adriana looked to him when he walked away, she frowned, more confused than hurt, after all, he was just taking her to see her friend. Turning away, she finished braiding her hair, and then tied the band around it so it wouldn't come out during the trip.

When he came back, she was startled by him puttin the plaid on the saddle. Sje didn't protest this time when he lifted her up, and she blushed a little. He did make it more comfortable for her, and wrapping the plaid around her was completely unexpected. "thank you, it's better."

( <3 nope you didn't.)

Alec grunted gruffly in response. The sighed. "You are welcome, I know it is strange traveling with us, but we will be keepingyou safe as long as you listen to us, that means when I tell you to be quiet, you must remain sielent, If I tell you to stay on the horse while I get off you will" He turned her face to look at him the sterness in his voice.

"Because of my parents there is much peace between the lowlands and the highlands but there are a few rebels that are not happy about the peace" He tightened his grip around her waist and urged his horse into a faster pace. "We will only be traveling for a bit longer then we will be making camp for you"

Adriana looked up to him, as he told her to obey. "Okay," she stated softly, though she had the urge to defy him completely, even if it meant there was risk to her, just because he was lookin so stern. Feeling him urge the horse faster, she had to look in the direction they were going. "I don't need anything extra, or special, just because I'm a woman and your passenger," she told him, hearing his words on making a camp for her.

Alec had to smile, yes this woman was ike the stories his father had told him, much to the embarrassment of his mother. His father had gone to the lowlands of Scotland from the Highlands when the King Ordered it, the plan was to stop the warring between the lowlands and highlands and join them together to stand against England.

He could tell that she was stubbrone. "We may be strong men, but do you not think the horses would prefre to rest for the night?" He asked wondering what her response would be.

Adriana wrinkled her nose when he mentioned the horses wanted to rest for the night. "Well, of course they would," she replied, eying him, he was very tricky. And rather annoying.