Prologue

                                    

                                          
Aila breathed a weary sigh as she escaped to the solitude of her secret garden. Her Uncle was in a temper again over some bet he lost. He was an incorrigible gambler and a bad one at that.
He cared not for her father's people and were it not for the many men he brought with him her people would of rebelled long ago. 
Wincing slightly at the pain of the fresh cut upon her back, a gift from her Uncle, she set about to make the pain poultice she learned from her books and her nursemaid who had passed from old age a few years ago. 
She had been a healer in her younger years and a good one at that. Her father had promised her a home for the rest of her days when she had grown old and weary. It had brought her great joy to see the sparkle of interest and wonder in Aila's eyes as she learned the arts of healing. 
As punishment after Aila first met her Uncle after her father's death he removed her from her old spacious and richly decorated room to one in the servants quarters. 
Unbeknownst to him she had chosen a room that had a door that led to a secret garden at the back of the estate. It had grown wild with disuse, but years had past and Aila had tamed it. Now it grew her healing herbs and vegetables she traded to the cook for sweets and meat for Fang. 
Another thing her Uncle was unaware of. Fang was a wolf cub she had saved after his mother was killed by hunters. She had tried to take him back once he could fend for himself but he never stayed and always returned to her side. 
She used her own language with him so no other's could understand her commands nor try to command him themselves, not that he would listen anyway. 
He had tried to follow her past her quarters one day, but he learned quickly her room and the garden were the only places he was allowed. 
Once the poultice was made she carefully removed the top of her d and worn dress to apply it. She hissed at the initial sting then breathed a sigh of relief as it began to work its cooling magic.
Fang whined as he sniffed her wound and she pet him fondly. Suddenly there was a loud banging on her door and she quickly ushered him outside before opening the door. 
Outside stood one of her Uncle's guards. "Come, Master had requested your presence," he said gruffly. She had to resist rolling her eyes at her Uncle's insistence of being called Master. 
Once she had made her way back up the staircase to the main floor she found her Uncle with a large grin on his face. "Ah Niece. I have finally found the perfect match for you. MacFie of the Highland outskirts has expressed his desire for a young bonny virgin and is willing to provide a large dowry for her hand in marriage," he said rubbing his hands together as he looked me up and down. 
It was hard to keep the complete horror off my face. "You leave in ten minutes. Pack your things."