Scotland x Reader ~Ashen Fell~ Part 1

~Ashen Fell~ Part 1

Just like that, the two of you were off snapping at your reins and tucking your bodies close to the necks of your horses to reduce wind resistance. From the corner of your eye, you spotted Allistor riding neck to neck at your pace. Regardless of his position as the eldest Kirkland son, you weren't about to lose—you had your pride, after all. Without hesitation, you began to kick at your horse's hindquarters urging it to go faster and snapping your reins with a swift motion hoping to gain some distance between you and Allistor. You could feel the cold, crisp morning air biting at your skin through your thin dress, but you could also feel the rush of blood pounding through your veins at the exhilarating speed you were going at.

You looked behind your shoulder. Much to your frustration, Allistor was right at your pace, keeping up with you with no problem at all. While looking at him, you caught something you had never seen on any of the young masters you had met during the course of your lifetime: pure, raw joy. He was enjoying this: his glistening green eyes were alight with an electric fire, his smile was genuine and out of pure alacrity. Before you knew what was happening, you were smiling, too.  

But then, you noticed that Allistor's horse was picking up speed. Realizing that the makeshift finish line was hastily approaching, you began to urge your horse to go faster, but by then, your opponent's horse had gained the upper hand. It was far too late now. You were going to lose.

Even as Allistor's horse passed between the two trees, he still continued to ride his horse past the valley encouraging you to follow him.

"Allistor! Wait for me!" you called after your old friend as he sped through the morning fog and began to grow further and further out of view. Soon, he had disappeared altogether leaving you completely lost in the valley mist.

"Allistor?" you breathed as you looked around to see if you could spot the redhead from above the grey droplets of water condensed in the air.

"Allistor, stop playing with me," you shouted into the open air hoping your friend would come out laughing and teasing you about how you worried too much. But you did worry about him. While he wasn't stupid, the guy tended to be too reckless and stubborn when it came to safety. Worrying about him only came as natural.

When you thought that he had turned around and gone back, you suddenly felt something grab onto your waist and pull you straight off your horse.

"Allistor!" you screamed as your friend plopped you onto his horse's saddle laughing all the while.

"You should've seen the look on your face!" Allistor laughed as you situated yourself at the front of his horse.

"You idiot!" you huffed and gave your friend a light push. "That was unnecessary and uncalled for!"

"At least I know you still worry about me," your redheaded friend joked, his forest-green eyes twinkling with a mischievous light.

"Ha!" you dryly laughed. "It's impossible not to worry about you what with all the trouble you get yourself into." You sighed. "Honestly, Allistor, sometimes I wish you could set a better example for your brothers. You are the oldest, after all."

Allistor only groaned and ran his hand through his red bangs. He had a tendency to do that when he was feeling particularly stressed.

"I can't help it," he said. "I don't like being stuck inside the estate all of the time."

"Of course you don't, and neither do I, but at least that way you'd wouldn't get yourself into bad situations."

"Aww, but if I did that, then how would you have fallen in love with me?" Allistor teased you bringing up memories of the first time you had met. During one of your family's visits to the Kirklands' estate, you had gone outside to escape from meeting the other Kirkland suitors out of pure boredom. Allistor had happened to be in the area and, as far as you could recall, immediately took a fancy to your spitfire attitude and "bite" as he liked to call it.

"If I remember correctly, 'Mr. Kirkland,' you were the one fell in love with me first," you corrected your friend putting an emphasis his formal title; Allistor hated his formal title.

"Don't call me that, ___________," Allistor said with a mild tone of disgust. "It never suited me, and you know it."

"I know," you smiled and gave him a light kiss on his forehead. "You've always been a reckless recluse."

Allistor chuckled. "That's fine with me so as long as I'm the one you fell for."

"But you fell for me first," you corrected.

-----

When the two of you returned to the Kirkland family estate, a maid was waiting impatiently for your arrival. By the way she was tapping her foot against the ground, she had been waiting for much longer than she would have liked.

"Mr. Kirkland, Ms. __________," the maid greeted the two of you, "I've been waiting out here for approximately half an hour hoping you would show up after your ride. Do you honestly expect you can just keep your parents waiting for such a period of time? I think not."

"If you really cared, you would have gone after us," Allistor replied helping you off your horse.

The maid frowned. "I didn't think you would take so long," she said in a flat voice. "You usually don't take more than ten minutes. What were you two doing out there, might I ask? You weren't snogging, were you?"

You and Allistor looked at each other with scrunched faces. Then the two of you burst into laughter.

"I take that as a no," the maid sighed and led you back inside the estate where you parents were probably having a conversation with the Kirkland brothers' mother. Lately, you had been paying more and more visits to the Kirkland estate since your parents were trying to find a suitor for you. Based on their person preference, Allistor's younger brother, Arthur, was the better choice for your future as he held potential as the next head of his family's line of industry, and he had far better manners than his oldest brother did—but that was what you liked about Allistor.

Unlike his brothers, Allistor had a free spirit much like yourself. Sure, he might've gotten in a fight or two with some of the lower class citizens and gone out to drink with the wrong type of people, but deep down, you knew his heart was in the right place. It just took one to know one as you hesitated to put it as. While you, yourself, were a member of the same status as the Kirklands were, you were a lady, and a lady was expected to behave properly and with restrictions. Fortunately for you, your parents had given up trying to correct your bad habits and out-of-line behavior so as long as you found yourself a proper suitor. You hadn't admitted it upfront, but you had always hoped that your parents would find it in their hearts to accept Allistor as your chosen husband.

When the two of you returned to the main room specified for trivial and important conversations alike, you sat down alongside your parents, and Allistor returned to their mothers' side. Upon close inspection, you noticed Allistor's clothes were covered with green grass stains. You couldn't help but suppress a slight giggle when you noticed how much he stood out from the rest of his family.

"Mr. ____________, Mrs. ____________, and Ms. ____________," Allistor's mother began, "I have been discussing this amongst myself and my own sons, and I believe that, with time, my son, Allistor, will be able to become a suitable bachelor one day, and in time, a suitable husband."

Your heart leapt when you heard her say this. Did that mean she was giving you permission to marry him?

"However, before I do that, I must see to it that my son learns to become a better gentleman," she continued.

Now, your heart sank. What on earth did that mean? Allistor was perfect the way he was. If he were any different, you would not have fallen in love with him in the first place.

Allistor looked confused, too. "Ma, what're you talking about?" he asked. "____________'s parents are in the clear so why not you?"

Allistor's mother tilted her head towards her son and threw him a disappointed glare.

"You embarrass me, Allistor," she said with a cold tone. "You would rather spend your time and money binging your life away while your brothers work hard to earn their place in the world. Not only that, but you are the oldest. I expected you to make a better example of yourself for them, not to make them work harder to make up for your failures."

Allistor hung his head towards the ceiling in annoyance. You had heard him tell you about similar conversations he had with his mother. Sometimes he would add that if he had a father figure in his life, he wouldn't have to abide by so many restrictions. He could have been completely free and left the responsibilities to his brothers, but no, he had to be the oldest.

"Until you learn how to behave yourself, I'm sending you to the city to work with Arthur in factory management."

"What?!" Allistor exclaimed. His mother silenced him with a hand.

"Until you prove to me that you are capable of taking responsibility, then you will not be allowed to ask Ms. ____________ for her hand in marriage. Should you do so without permission, then consider yourself disinherited."

"That's going too far," Allistor growled.

"You should be lucky I haven't dismissed you ages ago," his mother huffed. "The behavior you conduct appalls me at times. I wonder how I bore such an uncouth son."

Allistor grumbled some incoherent words before turning to you and giving you and sad look. You returned it with a silent look of pity.

"You're leaving in two days time," Allistor's mother continued. Then she turned to your family. "I'm dreadfully sorry it has to be this way, but I hope you can understand that if such measures are taken, your daughter will be marrying a much better man."

A man I didn't fall in love with, you bitterly thought. Allistor wouldn't be Allistor without his attitude and way of thinking. It wouldn't feel right. At least it was better than being disinherited altogether. If that were the case, then your family would absolutely have forbidden you to marry Allistor.

-----

Just think about it, ___________, you told yourself. It won't be too long. Until then, you can wait for Allistor to return.

As Allistor loaded up the rest of his belongings in the carriage, you walked over to exchange some final words before setting off to the city.

"Allistor, I know that the entire point of the trip is so you become a better person, but no matter what, don't change who you are on the inside," you said with a bittersweet look in your eyes as you cupped your lover's face in your hands. "That person is the one I fell in love with, and I don't want it to change."

Allistor chuckled and gave you a quick kiss on your cheek. "I'll be back in a few weeks time if everything goes well. It's nothing to worry about. I'll still be me at heart. It's not easy quitting the spirits when you're in a rut."

You rolled your eyes. "Oh, please, Allistor," you sighed. "Let's not go through with this again. No drinking. None. Understand?"

"Aye, I understand," Allistor sighed and swopping over your head to give you a kiss, but you stopped him just as he was about to reach your forehead.

"Promise me, Allistor," you said. "I want you back as soon as possible. It's not going to be the same without you here. Arthur will be writing daily reports to your mother, and I don't want you to give him any excuse as to why you shouldn't come home. Now promise me that you won't do anything reckless and out of line."

Your redheaded friend pursed his lips into a frown and softened his tense gaze just for you. Then, he placed his hand on your head and ruffled your hair in a way similar to that of his brothers.

"I promise, ___________," he finally said. "And when I come home, we'll get married, aye? I'll even bring you back something from the city." With that, he planted a soft kiss atop your head and loaded up the last of his luggage before stepping into the carriage.

"Write to me often," you said as Allistor closed the door.

A bright head of red hair poked out from the window. "I will," your friend said with a smile. "Be strong for me until then—and don't go changing on me, either. You know I can't stand those housewife-type ladies."

"Of course, you don't," you laughed. Then, the carriage driver got into position and snapped the reins on the horses and proceeded to take off. Even when you couldn't see Allistor's bright red hair poking out of the carriage, you continued to wave until the horses and carriage disappeared out of sight from over a hill. And like that, Allistor was gone. It was going to be boring without him around.