By Order of the King

woke up very early

g to break, and she could make out the silh

he east, and when she drew aside the curtain, the sun was just beginni

had to

of her dresses without wasting valuable ti

er, heading to the kitchen. She knew that most of the

d saw Maysie carrying fresh

ly? I'm just now bringing you your morning water," Maysie ra

ie. Nothing happened. There is something I ne

nd furrowed her brows.

I'll explain to you later. Can you

o chop the logs brought in yesterday into smaller pieces

okay?" Sky

e, my Lady. But yes, the

" Skye said and continued

f breakfast and raw meat invaded her nostrils. Skye fel

rn expression, unsmilingly, and in a cold

Fergus," Skye replied

e Fergus cut a large leg of the ox into smaller piece

time for the coming winter. And the winter up there in the Highlands w

gus was so engrossed in his work t

s?" Sk

his head and met her eyes,

arry out his threat to you an

ed us, my Lady, now I could not be here cutting m

ain." Her palm hit sharply on her sternum, and he

k a dee

a matter of fact your uncle left this morning before the sun's rise." Fergus continue

d her head slightly to the side.

grain getting into your eyes will burn you terribly," he told her as he ben

h him for escort," he told her as he tipped the

e asked, raising her voi

ied, straightening the bag and stopping the flow of salt in the barrel. H

d Fergus snapped his head up and looked at her with rai

my lady. It would be

'll be convinced you'r

ou the truth. You

voice. "All these years I've lived here in t

ack then, I remember another instance of a whipping. That t

when he breathed his last under the sack of

"Yes, I remember. But Tamhas was several years ol

ld take such torture, Fergus, no one! Whatever his

e don't yell. They're all l

ached Fergus. She lifted his shirt so

Fergus told her the t

Skye unconsciously ran her finger over an

"Uncle did that to you? Although I

n his shirt. "It's from my old master. It's been years since then. Pardon me, my Lady, but I must retu

n return to your work," she

ce and changed her dress because what she was wearing had drawn smells

elf and went to the dining roo

t," Skye told her

lways in a bad mood when

st, Skye took the opportunity to ask

for the uncle?" s

very early in the morning, t

thanks to me, aunt?

to leave. "Skye stood up from her seat. "W

her. Her gaze was dark, and

abruptly rising from her chair a

ind out what the uncle was up to.

ng to tell you anything," Fi

to tell me,"

me again until Malcolm returns. So leave me alone.

wouldn't get another word from her aunt. So she went to h

, and she knew it was noon when she stood at her w

bed when she heard

in," s

Maysie came in carr

Skye complained as she fel

ting the tray down on a low table. "But get up. Yo

that maybe Maysie knew to tel

lly to Skye's story fo

king for Tavish and Fergus t

for

uncle left," Ma

" Sky

hink it's pretty obvious that your uncle is

ened wide. "They will never

tively. "I am afra

of the same day a

pacing up and down with his head bow

every no

cial dressed in his elegan

nnox has just arrived

shone, and a big sm

t him enter