12th Century Scottish Lairds

Last night I finished up the first round of edits for Fated. It is the story for the emergency prompt that I picked up over at the M/M Romance group. The opening scene is the Battle at Renfrow in 1164. The King of the Isles transported 15,000 troops over the firth to do battle with the King of Scotland.

The year of 1164.

I picked it because I needed a plausible time when a pagan could still be found. I didn't think about the language of the time. That wasn't even a consideration. But then again, the Scottish laird is a shifter so that throws the world into an alternate universe and the language is a little more flexible but not much. I made sure the words used were no older than the 14th century. Now I can almost tell just by looking if the word is old enough but I still double checked to be sure. Oxford Dictionaries Pro got a subscription out of me because of it.

So there is one more round to go. I added an author's note about the time period and language. I would hate for someone to go into to the story thinking they were going to get a true historical and wonder what I was smokin' as they read. Hopefully I was able to write it in such a fashion that it has a historical feel about it.

So here is a quick excerpt. I had to find one that wouldn'y give too much away. I also wanted to share my favorite line out of the whole story. If you follow me on Facebook you might have seen it already because I posted it last night as I was doing a final read through.

“My shield in defence, my sword for redress, my arm in labour, my mind in council, my fate be now bond to ye. Yer life ere mine, yer house ere mine, yer kin ere mine, all of this I avow.” --Roi Iain mhic Leoid

Here's a quick excerpt -- not quite safe for work--  :)

I woke in the early hour of the morn trapped under a large snoring body. At once, panic flickered as I tried to place my surroundings. The events of the day ere pushed past the terror, only it did not help me to bring to mind the bald male who sprawled on top of me. Did I mistakenly climb into a tent not belonging to Ewen?

 Striving to extract myself without rousing the man, I shifted to move out from under him. The soldiers were celebrating heavily last evening. I did not want this one to wake and know he had not tumbled into bed with one of the camp’s women. Honest blunder or not, violence would ensue.

 A low grumbling growl caused me to halt and tense. My body shamefully responded to the noise. I laboured to hide my arousal in Ewen’s presence. Now here I was being made to think back to the many times I had denied myself the tender touch of another. I should have taken myself in hand last eve to relieve the tension, yet I had imagined being caught and all desire fled.

 The man began to sniff at the crook of my neck and I went from partially aroused to aching with need. There would be no way I could get out of this without a fight. The large strong arms clasped about my torso constricted, holding me tighter as the man rolled his hips, digging a steely manhood into the flesh of my hip.

 “Roi.” The voice was rough with sleep but I recognized Ewen in that one spoken word. The matter had not changed. If he woke he would not look kindly on a man in his bed. Natheless, I was well and truly trapped.

 Ewen continued to sniff my skin. At any other time, the soft puffs of air ghosting across my skin would stir my blood. A warm tongue licked along the skin where my collar would lay, raising the skin to gooseflesh. I fisted the hides underneath me to keep from pushing back against Ewen as he rolled his hips again.

 “Roi.” This time Ewen sounded harsh and full of agony.

 I waited for Ewen to wake. When he raised his head and stared down at me with clear hazel eyes, the strain left my body. The dread leaked away and I became pliant under Ewen’s firm body.

 “Tell me, dae ye— will ye— accept me?”

 I should argue for time. There were things I needed to tell him, explain to him… but I had only ever wanted him. Would he understand what I am— who I am? Would it even matter?

 In the end, I declined to deny him. With a boldness I oft lacked, I grasped his hips and ground my aching erection into him. The “aye, please” I intended came out sounding like a groan. Ewen nipped my chin, pulling lightly on the short hairs ere burying his nose back into the crook of my neck.

 

Thanks for stopping by and reading!!