'Are you under some misguided notion that I am answerable to you Sorcha?'

He spoke quietly, but she felt the authority of his question. Still her face contorted with furious jealousy. 'I wait every night for you, every night,' she hissed. 'You do not call on me. Instead you are cavorting with some dog from our enemy camp!'

Eskine breathed a silent sigh of relief that Sorcha was unaware of the identity of whom he was meeting. He chastised himself sternly. Nobody should have been able to track him. He should have been aware, should have sensed any threat, significant or not. Clearly his newly discovered love, was a distraction to his normally alert intuitive self.

'Sorcha, I take no orders from any woman!' His heart vociferously decried that lie. He knew Grisell's every wish was a command he would obey. 'I will remind you,' he hissed quietly, 'your insolence will not be tolerated. Do not presume, because I have bedded you, that you now occupy some position of priority alongside me!'

'I love you,' she sobbed.

He felt a tide of guilt wash over him, for she had come to him over a year ago, a virgin. He'd warned her that she could have no permanent place in his life, but she'd boldly let her dress slip off her shoulders and she'd had nothing on, underneath the dress and he was human. He could feel her sense of injustice now, reverberating off her, at gifting him her purity in vain. Perhaps she had hoped her virginity would secure her the position as his Lady Chief... but he loved another. One that completed him; that took his breath away; consumed his every waking moment; one who's enchanting smile, gave him endurance for the day, as he rose each morning and one who's reciprocating love gave him strength each night when he retired to bed. He dragged his eyes to Sorcha, shook his head slowly.

'I am sorry,' he murmured.

'You can't just abandon me!' she spat at him. 'What about my feelings?'

He looked away. 'I know General Gaynor is interested in having a relationship with you. I can arrange___'

'I do not want to be with somebody I do not love!' she sobbed.

His eyes met hers. He didn't utter a word, but understanding dawned on her that he likewise could not be expected to be with her, when he did not love her. She covered her face and sobbed. His natural instinct would be to wrap his arms around a woman and offer her comfort, but he knew, Sorcha would presume that if his arms went around her, that there was hope she would win him back. So he stayed put, not wanting to give her false encouragement.

'I am sorry Sorcha,' he offered, for the second time.

She dropped her hands, screamed abusive profanities at him; her eyes blood shot red, tears streaming down her face. 'I will find that dog, you are chasing,' she vowed. 'Our whole clan and so will theirs,' she jerked her head towards the Dalmahoy's property, 'will know you are sleeping with the enemy!'

He folded his arms. 'I give you two choices Sorcha Lees.' 'Leave the clan, go live wherever you please,' he waved his hands towards the ocean. 'Alternatively, you may stay, but do not for one second forget your station! His eyes bore into hers with unmistakable warning.

Her eyes registered his admonition, but only for a second, before she stormed off, marching away, mumbling vitriol over her shoulder at him.

Hell hath no fury ... Eskine raked his fingers through his hair. He'd warned her right in the beginning; they had no 'future.' Before taking her virginity, in his bed, as he'd held her, he'd reminded her, he could offer her nothing, but his body. He'd asked if he should stop, and he would have, if she'd said yes, but instead, she had wrapped her arms around his naked body, pulled him over hers and demanded he make love to her, which he'd duly complied____ being human. Eskine made a mental note to have Macrae watch her and discreetly place two men as 'body guards' over her. They would all think she was his lover, his woman,' he would not feel the need to correct their assumptions.

You have to be more careful. Grisell's safety is at risk, he sternly reminded himself.

It was a good thing; the secret route Eskine took to meet Grisell was behind the communal residence of the single men of the DeMartino tribe. That evening, Eskine had summoned Macrae, informed him of his request for two soldiers to be allocated as guards over Sorcha twenty-four seven. He'd further ordered that the single men's compound was out of bounds to Sorcha. Macrae was to ensure her guards kept her away from that area of the property, at all times. He'd ignored the cynical grin on his second in command's face.
'Effective immediately,' Eskine had instructed dismissively.

Eskine prepared for his rendezvous with Grisell. His heart thumped with eager anticipation. He could not wait to have her in his arms again. He could smell the natural scent of her skin, the herbal fragrance of her hair. He could hear her whispered sigh, when he wrapped his arms around her. Damn he wanted her. Hastily he collected the basket of food he requested his head chef to prepare and rushed to meet his lady love.

'My darling heart,' Eskine threw his arms around Grisell. 'I missed you so,' he murmured, as he pressed his lips to her throat.

'And I you,' she smiled. With her palms gently cupping his face, she kissed him full on the lips. 'But you're late.'

'Yes,' he sighed.

Giselle's eyes worried at the sudden serious expression on Eskine's face. 'What's the matter Eskine?'

He spread the blanket on the grass. 'Have a seat.' He removed from the basket the cloth wrapped with brie, ham, cold chicken, fruit, cheese and bread, and the flask of coffee; handed her a plate with a little of everything on it, and did the same for himself.

'Eskine?'

He looked at her, offered her a half smile. 'I'm afraid I have been discovered.' He ventured with a heavy sigh.

'"Discovered?"'

He stared into her eyes. 'When I returned from you last night, Sorcha Lees, one of my clan, discovered me coming from here. She knew I was with a woman. She does not know it's you.

Grisell set her plate down. 'Your lover?' She could not hide the pain in her eyes, nor contain the jealous anger in her heart.

He felt a piercing ache in his chest, seeing the hurt in her eyes. 'My former lover,' he took her hands between his.

She pulled her hands away. 'Is your lover going to be a problem to us?'

'My darling, I have not been with another woman since we started our relationship. I love you,' he vowed, as his eyes held hers.

'Are you saying that you are being faithful to me and that you have not bedded another woman, since you and I became intimate?'

'Yes.' He took hold of her hands again. 'I desire only you Grisell. I want no other.'

She believed him, but it weighed heavily on her that they could hardly have this relationship in the open. As it was, they were meeting rather clandestinely late at night. And was Eskine content just with hand holding and kissing. She craved his love, and him? He was a man he could not stay celibate. Surely he expected their consummation.

'Was that why you were late?' She asked softly.

He nodded. 'I had to make sure I was not being followed. I took three different aimless detours before I arrived here to you,' he offered somberly.

He chose not to tell Grisell that he'd ordered Sorcha to be under guard and that her movements were restricted. He had to continue to be cautious, much as he trusted his men's loyalty, Sorcha was still a problem to him.

'Will you please eat,' he lifted her plate and fed her a piece of creamy cheese.

She laughed as she bit into the cheese. He felt the weight lift as her smile lit up her face. She was so adorable, her beauty so arresting. He could not believe that she was his. 'Tell me you love me,' he demanded.

She chuckled. 'I love you Eskine Aird, with all my heart.'

He smiled. Picked up his plate and began to eat. 'How is your father holding up?' He asked, biting into a ham sandwich.

'He is well,' she nodded, pouring herself some coffee. 'Some days he is more tired than other days.' She shifted, so she could be closer to him, leaning herself against his shoulder.

'I wish these barriers and antagonism between our clans to be done away with,' he placed his arm around her shoulder.

'I do too,' she sighed, pouring him some coffee. 'Do you think it ever will,' she pressed her lips to his cheek.

He smiled, framed her head, so he could steal a kiss. He deepened the kiss, tasting coffee on her tongue. He wanted more. He angled her body, so she faced him, her chest pressed against his. He sighed, holding her tightly, wanting more, knowing the place they were, was inappropriate.

'Do you think in a hundred years we could have an open relationship and I could make love to you darling?'

She laughed. 'You will wait a hundred years for me?' She laced her fingers through his, admiring his beautiful hands that were roughened from hard work.

'I don't know if I can survive another twenty fours Grisell. I am consumed with need. I think about you all day, dream about making love to you each night.'

'I'm sorry,' she whispered, cupping his cheek. She didn't want to be selfish, but her heart could not deal with another woman in Eskine's arms or his bed. She did not want him whispering words of love or him being passionate with another. She just could not sanction that.

'I want to be yours, Eskine. I want you to give me children, a little girl with golden plaits like mine and a chubby little Eskine, with dark unruly hair running about,' she raked her fingers caressingly through his hair.

He laughed. 'You give me hope darling.'

'With that said,' she smiled brightly. 'I think I have a ____workable plan to propose to the mighty DeMartino.'

He raised an eyebrow, lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to inside of her palm. 'Chief Dalmahoy, are you saying you are going to saddle your mare; ride into DeMartino camp and make an announcement?'

'Hardly,' she laughed, 'but I want you to meet me at the beach tomorrow morning. You may bring some of your clan members who show some skills in engineering and geographic limitations,' she stated mysteriously.

His eyebrows shot up again. He shook his head, looked away, laughed and his eyes were drawn to hers again. 'Is there no end to your intellectual abilities, ambitious planning and astonishing surprises?'

She laughed, as her cheeks blushed to a beautiful tomato red. 'At times, my tribe motivates me, by their sheer lack of confidence in my abilities,' she sighed, 'but this one, this idea,' she looked into his eyes, 'it's driven by my desperate need to be with you,' she spoke softly.

He smiled into her eyes. 'So mysterious. I can hardly wait,' he smirked. 'For what it's worth, Chief Dalmahoy, I think you are an amazing and ably competent leader.'

She laughed. 'You're biased.'

'Perhaps,' he wrapped his arms around her and drew her close against his body and kissed her deeply. 'You go on back home,' he murmured against her ear. 'I will pack up here.'

'Shouldn't I help you?'

'Thank you, but I got it covered.'

'See you in the morning Chief DeMartino. Don't be late,' she blew him a kiss and disappeared.

Eskine, sat down again on the blanket. He nibbled on some fruit, poured himself more coffee. His thoughts went back to Grisell's wish for him to give her children. Gosh he wanted that too. He wanted a brood of his young ones running around, at least six. He smiled to himself. He could not wait for the pleasure of having her in his bed, making love to her, making her his. He prayed to the gods it will be soon ... soon.

'Chief DeMartino, good morning.'

'Chief Dalmahoy.' Eskine had been astounded to be summoned by her to the beach, in public. She'd told him last night, it was motivated by her need to be with him, so he trusted her completely. He could not wait to find out what her mysterious plan entailed. He brought his smartest man, his most trusted soldier. He also understood all things engineering fairly well. Eskine observed six of her guards hovered nearby, just out of earshot.

'This is Macrae, my second in command. Macrae, you know Chief Dalmahoy.'

'You must have a first name! She smiled impishly at him.

'Longrod,' he grinned charmingly, liking that the highly feared and revered Lady Chief was so pleasant to talk to.'

'"Longrond" huh' she grinned mischievously. 'Interesting.'

Macrae laughed. 'At least you're not making ___.'

Eskine watch the play between his Number Two and the love of his life and wondered what the hell she was up to. He clenched his fists that wanted to strangle Macrae.

'I believe you have some proposal to discuss, Chief Dalmahoy!' Eskine rudely interrupted his Number Two.

She directed her gaze at him, her face expressionless. She nodded, inhaled and presented her idea. 'Your tribe and mine covet one priceless commodity,' she started. 'I have an ambitious plan that your clan and mine can ____ cooperate on,' she ventured. 'I think I have an idea, than can be jointly beneficial'

Eskine considered her words thoughtfully, his eyes holding hers. A surge of pleasure spread through him. If she was correct, they could have a legitimate excuse to see each other more often. It took great restraint to contain his joy.

'Enlighten me,' he encouraged with a polite smile.

'Delighted that something is making you smile,' she taunted.

From his peripheral vision, Eskine observed the wide grin covering Macrae's face. 'What will bring a truce between us Lady Dalmahoy?' Eskine exacted.

'Water,' she started and observed both men stare with a blank expression. 'You've heard of desalination.' She looked dreamily towards the sea. 'Let us jointly convert it to drinkable water and share it equally.'

Eskine's eyebrow shot up. He understood the concept perfectly. He had read on it a while back, but had not considered tackling the intricate process, but if Grisell was right, this priceless commodity could bring peace between them and closer ties between him and his lady love.

Macrae scratched his beard, 'so ____ we will extract the salt from the seawater and through pipelines transport clean, filtered drinkable water all the way up to our respective clans?'

'Yes. That would be the challenge, transporting it upwards, but achievable.' Grisell was about to open the book she brought to show them the two diagrams, one showed using coal fire to create steam which was rather laborious, or the other option was wind power.

'Desalination requires electricity. The most practical method would be renewable energy,' Eskine nodded enthusiastically. 'We can use wind power,' he looked high up where the Dalmahoy had a vantage point. 'It can work,' he breathed elatedly.

Grisell beamed with delight. She was in agreement. 'Yes. The desalination is a continuous operation. So it will need something like wind power or alternatively fossil fuels. I would support the renewable wind power option,' she breathed excitedly. 'But the most costly infrastructure of such a project is the pipelines to transport the drinkable water, up to where we can consume it,' her eyes followed the elevated position to where their camps were; the Dalmahoy camp was much more elevated than the DeMartino site.

Eskine wanted to wrap his arms around her and dance a merry dance of triumph. He wanted to kiss her passionately. This was a brilliant idea. It was workable. He could see it functioning. He could see it being the peacemaker. He could see his future with Grisell, clear as a bell.

'It's brilliant,' he spoke aloud. 'I support it, but I suggest we transport the seawater up to us through installed pipelines and we do the desalination up there,' he pointed to their lands. 'We can agree on a Green Line, which will be a common safe area between us. We will install the tanks holding the drinkable water there, and two dedicated pipelines will divert the drinkable water to our respective lands.'

Grisell clapped her hands with delight. 'I am ecstatic,' she beamed. She looked at Eskine. 'You and I will discuss and conclude a financial agreement. We will agree that the costs will be shared equally,' she emphasized. 'I will table it with my Board, but that is just a formality.'

'I am amazed,' Macrae laughed. 'Chief,' he spoke to Eskine. 'We have a supplier that will give us good rates on all pipes and plumbing items.'

Eskine nodded agreement.

'Chief Dalmahoy, you are just brilliant. First,' he pointed to the sea. 'You reclaimed land from the sea for your tribe and now you are proposing this selfless generous project.'

Her eyes caught Eskine's. He knew as she did, this was motivated by their secret burning desire to be united in soul and body. If their tribes could benefit; if their peoples were happy, then the cold war between both tribes would thaw out... and who knows they could have a future. She exhaled, trembling with excitement.

This is going to work... It has to!

'I'd like us to begin a test run as quickly as possible,' Eskine declared. He looked at Macrae. 'Go tell the Committee. We are convening an urgent meeting.'

'Yes Chief,' he saluted and rushed away.

Eskine gazed into Grisell's eyes. 'You don't know what torture it is to stand here and not touch you my darling.'

Her guards were very nearby, so she had to exercise restraint likewise. 'I feel the same,' she whispered with a heavy breath. 'But I take comfort in the fact that this project will draw our clans closer and pave the way for us,' she boldly ventured.

He raised an eyebrow, his eyes filled with laughter. 'You did all this thinking, planning and executing so we could be together?'

'Yes. And as you are in a relationship with me Eskine Aird, Chief of DeMartino. 'You shall be faithful to me. I command it!'

He threw his head back and laughed. 'So used to issuing your decrees, are you not?' he teased.

Her cheeks coloured to a blushing red. Very slowly she dragged her eyes to his. 'You have something to issue to me?' She questioned.

'No,' he grinned. 'Somehow I suspect you don't take kindly to being ordered.'

She smiled. It lit up her face. She stole his breath away.

'I love you,' she whispered.

'And I love you my sweet Grisell.'

'I guess we need to go to our respective homes.' She sighed.

'Shall I come to you tonight?' He enquired.

'Yes. And tonight, I shall be yours,' she vowed.

He inhaled sharply. His eyes locked with hers. 'Are you certain?'

'As certain as I am that I love you Eskine.'

'Oh my darling,' he shoved his hands behind his back. 'I can't wait,' he murmured huskily.

She smiled and began walking away, and then spoke over her shoulder. 'Do not come before midnight,' she ordered and escaped to her quarters.

-                 -end chapter 14-