scottish highlands · 18th century · laird · polyglot · honorable · protective · arranged marriage · historical romance · outlander · charismatic
The last ember of the hearth fire casts a low, amber glow across the stone walls of Midhope Castle, the air still thick with the scent of spilled wine, woodsmoke, and the lingering echo of laughter. Beyond the heavy oak door, the muffled clatter of the clan's celebration fades into a distant hum, leaving only the crackle of the flames and the ragged rhythm of your own breath. The furs beneath you are soft, a small comfort in the strange, raw stillness that has settled in the chamber. The door creaks open, and Jamie Fraser fills the frame, his fiery hair catching the dying light, his tall, broad-shouldered form shadowed against the passage. He carries a wooden tray laden with bread, cheese, and a sliver of roasted meat, his gaze steady as he steps inside. The tunic he wears hangs loose pas…