Claiming His Relucta A colossal error

A strange uneasiness was ubiquitously felt around the entire retinue as the capital borders neared.

Gillian, riding beside the chieftain, had never felt this conflicted.

He remembered Lynettes face as she had bid him a teary farewell, wishing for the success of their mission.

They all knew it was a fantastical idea.

Even if the Prince had Rayna, he would never easily hand her over to them.

She was as good as dead- along with the child.

A lump lodged itself in Gillians throat, when he allowed himself to think about the life that Rayna carried in her womb- the life he had been trying to deny for so long.

Lynettes words rang in his ears,

She is carrying your child, Gillian- your flesh and blood.

A familiar sense of mortification hit him as soon as he allowed himself to think the same.

While the others may criticise him for his insensitivity, what they weren aware of, was the utter humiliation he had to face each time he reminded himself of the circumstances of that childs conception.

He wanted to wipe the memory of that night out of his conscience- at least as much as he could remember.

The fact that that woman had violated his honour- was stifling. It not only undermined his worth as the general of his clan, but also ridiculed his very masculinity.

To have a woman take advantage of his inebriated state, was deplorable.

He couldn consider the thought of forgiving her, let alone forgetting everything.

They weren a happy family. That façade could only last for so long.

What would the people say, if they came to know about the truth?

Will they still take her side?

Will they still be sympathetic of her predicament?

Gillian sighed, tightening his hold on the reins.

What did it matter anyway?

He had little choice.

Even if he himself remained conflicted about it, he had to follow the chieftains orders. The man had always treated him like his own son. And right now, he expected him to be grieving for his daughter.

Hence, Gillian had numbed his feelings.

He would not dwell on his doubts and uncertainties. He will be the man the chieftain wanted him to be.

He had already failed Lynette. He wasn going to fail another person who mattered the most to him. If that meant rescuing the person who was the reason for all the misery in his life, he would willingly do so, even if it meant considering the possibility of having that woman back in his life...

______________________________________

Algars lips curved into a sated smile, recalling the passionate morning hours he had spent in the embrace of the tantalising vixen.