Page 79 of Trapped with the Vicious Highlander
He needed to do something. He needed to unleash all the energy he was feeling into something and he might as well do that with the logs that had laid by the side of the castle for quite a while. He stepped out of the study, raising his sleeves as he walked past Darach.
The biting morning air didn't stop him as he headed straight to the logs, the energy in him rising more than usual. Darach returned with the axe.
And Flora.
“And what in God's name do ye think yer doing?” Flora’s voice was sharp and stern as Darach handed him the axe.
“Working. What else does it look like?” He took the first swing, the wood split straight into two.
“We have men for this. You should be talking to Ava since she's preparing to leave.” Flora suggested.
Brodrick took the second swing. “I dinnae want to talk to her.”
He struck the wood and noticed in his periphery, his sister and man at arms flinch at the impact. The log split but not complete. He raised the axe again.
“She is leaving for good. Instead of trying to break the damn ground, you could use this moment to?—”
“There is nothing to say!” Brodrick responded, bringing the axe heavily down on the wood. This time, it split completely. He grabbed another log and placed it on the stump.
“Brodrick—”
“Flora go back to the castle. I'm fine.”
“Yer not fine!”
He swung again. The axe landed severely on the wood. Then he swung several other times. For the next thirty minutes, he continued to hammer through the logs like a man on fire. Darach had left to go relay his messages to his men but Flora remained adamant. She had insisted on watching.
“Brodrick. Tis enough. Ye should be getting tired already.”
“Nay.” He responded even though he felt his arms getting sore. He would much rather do this than anything else. He continued breaking the logs, and it was quite rhythmic the way the axe blade fell on the wood.Thwap!
“Yer hands are beginning to redden. I can see it.” Flora tried to call.
Thwap!He swung again.
“Brodrick—”
The sound of the wood crashing against the axe laced his thoughts quite immensely.Thwap!
If only he could—Thwap!—properly express how he felt. He wouldn't even—Thwap!
“Brodrick please stop!”
He wouldn't even have to do this—Thwap!—in the first place!
“Brodrick!” Flora’s voice made him freeze, pulling him out of the momentary reverie he had placed himself in.
He felt himself suddenly come back to normal, releasing the handle off his grip. His hands were not just red, his fingers bled as well and a shudder ran through him just at the sight of the blood on his hands. His eyes darted to the axe and certain enough, blood was smeared along the wooden handle.
He didn't look at Flora, not as he managed to catch his breath, or leave the logs. He could feel his sister's eyes on her as he made his way to the castle but he didn't look back. She wouldn't understand. Not now. And he was not in the mood to explain.
CHAPTER23
The next morning,Ava stood in the courtyard, with Margaret’s arms wrapped around her waist, begging, pleading, crying.
Flora stood just a few feet away, doing her utmost best to maintain her composure. Ava knew this because she was doing the same as well. How did she fall in love with a place she had only been in for a few weeks? How did that happen in the first place?
“I know exactly how you feel, child. But people come together to grow apart,” Ava murmured, gently stroking the little girl’s hair.
