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lady-o-ren · 2 years ago

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A NIGHT IN THE WOOD

AO3 link (HERE)

A thunderstorm lights up the sky above a cottage somewhere deep in the mountains, belonging to the lady of the wood.

Some say she can take flight as a raven, white of feather.

Others, a witch who feasts on the fair and young.

But those who seek her out know her as a wisewoman who can heal the sick from whatever ails them.

Be they man or . . .

And though the hour is late, she pounds her pestle into her mortar. Over and over again. It doesn't matter that her fingers are growing stiff from the repetition or that her eyes crystal with tears. She's still too angry, too regretful, to allow herself to stop.

But as the storm continues on, her cottage shaking with each bolt of thunder that disturbs the herbs hanging above to scatter down upon her, the lady hears a strange noise coming from outside her door that makes her jump and drop her pestle. Something that sounds like -

Scratch, Scratch, Scratch.

Hand at her heart, she hurries to lift the latch at the door and opens it wide, knowing it's more than just a gust of wind she hears and finds . . . An odd but familiar sight.

A fox has taken refuge on her doorstep, beaten from the rain and wind. His red coat is soaked and he's shivering so that the rabbit he offers to her in his maw seems to tremble as well.

But his eyes are unwavering and gleam with love that knows no end. Along with great remorse for what a wretched beast he's been. A star-flecked blue that nearly smites her heart.

If only she didn't think him so devious for trying to gain her sympathy by presenting himself in his furs.

"Come on then, before you catch your death," Claire says. Her tone is not unkind but there's no tenderness in her words either. For all is not quite forgiven just yet.

So, with his ears pinned back and tail between his legs, the exhausted fox takes a few tentative steps inside, body slacked low to the floor.

And then he sneezes.

Once. Then twice.

A squeaky sound that nearly makes her laugh.

"No need to put on a show, Jamie," she says, making more of an effort to soften her voice as she moves to the corner to snatch the quilt off their bed. "I promise I won't go at you with the broom again. But I refuse to speak to you as you are. Now get to the hearth and shift from those furs so I can warm you properly."

But when Claire turns back around she finds her dear fox lying lifeless on the wooden floor in a puddle of rainwater turning black with blood.

"Jamie!" The lady of the wood cries.

She falls to her knees beside him and presses her hand to his chest, her palm flickering with a blue radiant light that pulses from her inner being through him. Searching, searching for a beat . . .

The red fox wakes sometime later to the soft patter of rain and something savory cooking in the air.

He's been washed and mended and is laying beneath a heavy quilt atop the bed. He thinks he's maybe human now, but just to be sure, he wiggles his long toes and tries to speak.

"Claire," Jamie rasps, tasting the bitter tang of his lady's tonic on his tongue and lips. "Mo chridhe . . ." He tries again, this time opening his eyes, seeking the face of his heart who comes swiftly to his bedside.

"Hush, love," whispers Claire, smoothing the thick mass of hair from off his brow, her touch infused with warmth and gentleness just as her voice. "You need your rest."

Jamie grunts trying to sit up anyway, but only manages to push himself up on one elbow.

"What I need is you. Your forgiveness. I had no right to do as I did wi'out telling ye and then to speak to ye in such a way -"

She presses her fingertips to his mouth bristled dark red like his furs around the corners curled into a frown.

"You're forgiven, Jamie. But I need you to forgive me too. There was no reason for me to be so angry with you, not when you were only trying to protect us. Like you always do. "

He sits up straighter and lays a big hand over hers, bringing it flat to his bare chest where the beat of his heart thumps the same fervent, aching rhythm as hers.

"There's nothing to forgive, Claire. My heart has been yers since first I saw ye, and my devotion too for keeping my soul and body safe between these hands here. "

His mouth twitches.

"Though I will say I've learned to never cross a woman holding a broom. Ye ken my arse is still stinging like holy hell? "

Claire doesn't share his smile.

"You're lucky it was only my broom. If that monster ever figures out who you are, where you've been hiding -"

Her voice suddenly breaks as her fingers curl like talons into the warm flesh of his breast.

Jamie holds her by both arms, unflinching. "He won't, Claire. I promise ye. Ye needn't worry for me or us."

"But if he did," she lifts her gaze, burning a fierce otherworldly gold. "I'd break my oath for you Jamie. To never harm nor kill."

"Ye'll do no such thing," he snarls, tightening his grip on her and gives her a little shake. " I've blood on my hands already but you - I'd never forgive myself for having ye taint the purity of yer God given gift for me."

"You think I care more for myself than you? That I love you less?" Claire lays a hand to his cheek, her thumb caressing the bold bones beneath. "I'd do it, Jamie, and gladly. "

He swallows thickly and leans his brow against hers. "I know ye would, mo ghràdh. Just as I would go to the stake wi ye."

After a long breathless moment, she nuzzles her nose against his and says softly against his mouth.

"Thank you for bringing home dinner."

Jamie smiles crookedly. "Least I could do for my lady when she patches me up." And intends to leave a trail of kisses down her neck when she pulls away, protesting.

"I meant what I said, Jamie. You need to rest," she says, running the back of her hand over his jaw. "Or would you rather have a bit of stew?"

"Damn the stew. I'd rather take a bite out of you," Jamie growls, and falls back into bed with his lady in his arms to do just that. He nips at the soft skin of her neck while his eager hands ruck up her homespun dress, revealing skin more luminous than pearl and finer than silk beneath. There's even bitty leaves in her hair as if she sprouted from the earth for him to pluck and keep forever.

But then she swats him away.

"Jamie!"

He groans, voice gruff with unfulfilled need as he rolls to his side, wincing a little from where she healed him, but keeps a firm grip of her plump backside.

"I thought you were supposed to warm me? " He pouts.

Claire sighs, brushing her curls from her flushed cheeks, having come undone. She knows how this will end, and the anticipation of devouring each other whole has her pulse pounding like a kettledrum down to her fingertips. But the healer in her just needs to make sure.

"Are you even up to it?"

Jamie arches a ruddy brow, face so deadly serious that it's almost comical.

"Do ye really need to ask?"

The lady of the wood rolls her eyes yet smiles wide, biting her deliciously pink bottom lip. And untangles herself from her lover's embrace and very slowly begins to undress.

A/N:

I wrote two versions of this nonsense but couldn't decide on which one I liked better (not that this is outstanding writing or anything) The top part was version two. This bottom one is actually what I wrote first.

*There's also a loose quote in the version above from the book describing how Claire holds Jamie's life in her hands.

"You're forgiven, Jamie. But I need you to forgive me too. There was no reason for me to be so angry with you, not when you were only trying to protect us. Like you always do. "

He sits up straighter and lays a big hand over hers, bringing it flat to his bare chest.

"There's nothing to forgive. My heart has been yers since first I saw ye, and my devotion too for keeping my soul and body safe between these hands here. "

His mouth twitches.

"Though I will say I've learned to never cross a woman holding a broom. Ye ken my arse is still stinging like holy hell?"

"Well you deserved it, my wee fox," says Claire, tugging at the curly hairs on his chest.

Jamie snarls playfully and wraps his arms around her, bringing her close.

"I wasn't arguing any differently, vixen. But I could use a bit of your womanly sympathy. "

"Healing you wasn't enough?" She smiles coyly, running the back of her hand over his jaw. "What even took a bite out of you anyway?"

Jamie pokes his tongue out to lick the tip of her finger. She tastes of garlic and onions and meat with traces of her terrible tonic too.

"Twas my own fault. I wasn't looking where I was going, not that I could see really with all the rain, and came head to head with a mangy wolf. He wanted our supper. But I was faster."

"Not nearly fast enough," frowns Claire, thinking about the dark ugly bruise on his side, all that remained of the encounter. "I thought you died on my floor!"

Jamie shrugs, grinning cheekily.

"I wouldn't have died. Not wi' ye around, mo ghràdh. "

"Lucky you," she sighs, sounding rather annoyed, but nuzzles her nose against his. "But do try to avoid anything with sharp teeth next time. I've grown rather fond of you and your fluffy tail."

He chuckles warmly. "I promise, a nighean." And intends to leave a trail of kisses down her neck when she pulls away, protesting.

"I meant what I said, Jamie. You need to rest. Or would you rather have a bit of stew?"

"Damn the stew. I'd rather take a bite out of you." Jamie growls, and falls back into bed with his lady in his arms to do just that. He nips at the soft skin of her neck while his hands ruck up her homespun dress, revealing skin more luminous than pearl and finer than silk beneath. There's even bitty leaves in her hair as if she sprouted from the earth for him to pluck and keep forever.

But then she swats him away.

He groans, voice gruff with unfulfilled need as he rolls to his side, wincing a little, but keeps a firm grip of her plump backside.

"I thought you were supposed to warm me? " He pouts.

"Are you even up to it?"

Jamie arches a ruddy brow, face so deadly serious that it's almost comical.

"Do ye really need to ask?"

The lady of the wood rolls her eyes yet smiles wide, biting her deliciously pink bottom lip. And untangles herself from her lover's embrace and very slowly begins to undress.

#outlander #outlander fanfic #outlander fic #jamie x claire #nonsense writing #fox jamie

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