6
“What do ye want to talk about? If this is one of yer usual lectures I cannae be doing wi' that right now,” Blair said. Drew had led Blair out of the castle into the cool night air. The sky was free of clouds. The silver moon hung above them like a great orb, and the stars twinkled across the black cloak of night. The sounds of the feast were dwindling, but were still present. Many of the people in attendance had left the great hall and had settled in camps across the field. Drew looked across and saw groups lumped together. Most of them were sleeping soundly, others were talking together.
“Look at them, Blair. Look at all of them.”
“I see them brother, what is your point?”
“My point is that we should not be so eager to run to war. Are ye really willing to send these men and women to their deaths?”
“I am doing no such thing,” Blair slurred. “Everyone voted. Everyone chose. I am not making a decision for anyone. You heard them in there,” he said.
“I did, all of them were drunk and would have agreed to anything at that moment in time. You're drunk too.”
“That I may be, but are ye saying I cannae hold my drink?”
“Of course not, brother, I merely wish to caution you about what ye are doing.”
“And what might that be?” Blair said, steadying himself, baring his chest. He was one step away from flexing his muscles, and Drew didn't want to get into a contest of strength with him.
“Father wanted a certain way of life for us. I'm not sure that war is the right way for us.”
“War is the only way out of this. Gall's death cannae be left without punishment. The English have done too much.”
“Aye. We remember all they did. All the deaths caused. All the blood spilled. How many of the people around us will come back? What of the rest of the Highlanders?”
“Ye think that that will be the only end? Ye think badly of us, Drew. We are strong, and we can beat the English. I am tired of living in fear of them, of always having to worry if they are going to attack. We do not have to fear them. If we let this transgression go unpunished how much further will they go? How much will they take from us? If we keep letting them get away with these things we will only encourage them to move further up north, taking our territory, and by the time they declare war it will be too late. We must strike before they take more liberties than we can afford to give,” he said passionately.
Drew sighed, and turned his back to Blair. He continued to gaze out at the horizon, beyond their small fiefdom to the forest that lay beyond, and even further beyond that lay the English country, source of the scoundrels and dishonorable men who seemed to think that the Highlands were their birthright.
“And what of the people at home?” Drew asked.
“What do ye mean?”
“Perhaps I should have waited to discuss this with ye when ye were sober,” Drew sighed.
“Tell me now, brother. I have my wits about me.”
“Are ye sure about that?” Drew asked with a smirk.
“About as sure as I can ever be,” Blair replied, meeting Drew's smile.
“There are some who do not agree with your decisions, Blair. Ye have gone against years of tradition by claiming that lassie as your own.”
“Aye, I know that, Drew. Ye don't have to tell me the obvious.”
“I feel as though I do. Not everyone can be swayed by passionate words. Ye must think about the common people. I dinnae think they understand how ye can declare war on the English in one breath, yet take one to yer bed with the other.”
“Rosemary is not part of the English army,” Blair replied stonily.
“I know that, and ye know that, but not everyone does. To some she's just an English lass who has worked her way into your bed. I cannae blame them really. I felt the same when ye first came back with her.”
“And what do ye make of her now?”
“I've talked with her a bit. She seems like she has a good head on her shoulders, except for choosing to love ye,” he said, teasing Blair.
“I dinnae believe we do choose who we love, Drew. I think one day soon ye'll see that for yerself.”
“Aye, maybe, if I see this war through. Just be careful, Blair, that's all I want from ye. These be dangerous times for all of us, and things should not be taken lightly. Remember how vicious the English can be. I hope ye know what ye are doing when it comes to her.”
All good humor disappeared from Blair's face. “I told ye not to speak of her like that. Nobody can speak of her like that,” he growled.
“I dinnae mean it like that, brother. Forgive me,” Drew said. Blair looked at him through narrowed eyes, and eventually relented. Drew breathed a sigh of relief as his brother wished him a good night and then disappeared back into the castle. Drew stayed out for a little while, hoping that these people would remain safe. Then, with a sweep of his cloak he returned to his room and lay in bed, thanking the gods for all the ale he had drunk, for if it hadn't been for that he never would have been blessed by sleep.
The morning came, and with it Drew awoke with a yawn. He stretched his limbs and dragged himself out of bed, going down to the stream where he bathed with all the others. Men and women were together, some wrestling and enjoying the feeling of being in the water. Drew looked at them, tinged with sadness. Whenever he looked at them he couldn't help but wonder how many of them would be slain in war. How much blood would be on all their hands?
After washing, Drew took a walk along the river bank when he heard a soft voice. From the accent there was no doubting that it was Rosemary. He stopped before she noticed him, and thought about moving away. Eavesdropping was not a very honorable thing to do, but then he thought about it and he realized that he had something of a duty to his clan and his brother to listen to her prayers. While in communion with God she would reveal her innermost secrets, and Drew would be able to discover once and for all if she was trustworthy.
“...and please let Sarah be safe. If you can get any message to her from me I would be eternally grateful. I long to see her again, and my father too. I hope that one day you can arrange for us to be a family once again. Please also give me the strength to continue and do as I must. I love Blair, but I fear the rest of the clan. Sometimes I feel as though there is a place for me here, but other times I am not so sure.
I suppose at some point there might be a chance for me to return to the English. Is that what you have planned for me? Is that what I should do? I loathe the thought of leaving Blair, but if there is a war and I have the opportunity to return to my old life should I not consider it? And if Blair should die I would have no ties to this place. I pray for your strength and guidance to see me through. Amen,” she said dutifully.
Drew stepped back as she rose and smoothed down her clothes before walking back towards the main camp. What Drew had heard stirred trouble in his heart. If Blair should fall then it was true, Rosemary had no ties to the Highlands, and she could easily turn and run away to the English with all the information she gathered during her time here. It seemed to Drew that she was not so sure of her love as Blair seemed to think she was. Indeed, family ties could bind people strongly, and the pull of them transcended borders between countries.
Drew continued walking, lost in thought. He was always a man prone to brooding, especially when this weighed so heavily on his heart. Blair's judgment may well have been affected by his feelings for Rosemary, and there could come a time when Drew had to step in front of his brother to make his concerns known.
Upon hearing a sound behind him, Drew turned sharply, and was somewhat surprised to see Deirdre, Old Will, and a couple of other men, whose names escaped Drew at the present moment. Seeing them brought a sinking feeling to Drew's heart.
“What do ye want?” he asked.
Old Will and Deirdre glanced at each other. It was Old Will who shuffled forward first. His head leaned forward, his wispy hair hovered around his head, and his beady eyes looked straight at Drew.
“I think ye know why we're here,” Old Will said.
“I think I do tae, and I dinnae like it,” Drew said.
“Like it or nae, ye must have this conversation wi' us,” Old Will said. A wheezing accompanied every other word, for Old Will had lost a number of teeth over the years. Nobody knew exactly how old Old Will was. Some rumored him to be over a hundred years old. “I tried to speak some sense into your brother last night, but he would nae listen. He's been swayed by his heart. He would nae be the first man to suffer such a fate, but we cannae allow it to continue.”
“Ye heard what my brother said. He is a passionate man and he will nae betray his feelings. Neither shall I betray him. I have already had a conversation like this with Deirdre, and my answer remains the same.”
“Aye, ye will not betray him, but what if he hae already betrayed us? What dae we know of this lass? She could be a spy. She could want to run away from Blair at the first sign of trouble.”
Drew thought back to Rosemary's prayer and wished he hadn't heard what he did. Stroking his jaw, he blew out his cheeks and shook his head.
“What's really important is that we support Blair. The clan must be united in a time like this. We cannae go to war with the English if we're divided.”
“And we cannae go to war if there is a spy in our camp!” Deirdre shrieked. Old Will shook his head towards her, but Deirdre marched forward, her eyes flaming almost as brightly as her hair. “I know ye think I am mad and jealous about what happened, but really I just have the best interest of the clan at my heart. Ye know Blair better than any of us, but even I know that he's as stubborn as a mule. He's convinced that this lass is genuine, but how can we trust her? What proof hae she given us? All we have to gae on is Blair's heart, and this is a man who wanted to run away and leave. Can ye honestly say that ye trust Rosemary?”
There was a long pause. “Nay Deirdre, I cannae. But I also cannae go against Blair. What ye propose is mutiny, and that is worse than anything the English could do tae us. What if Rosemary is a spy? Surely she'd want to sow discord among us, so by doing this ye are doing exactly what she wants. Nay, if Rosemary is a spy then eventually she'll reveal herself. I'm not going to fight Blair. We cannae fight against each other. But I will keep an eye on her, and at the first sign of trouble I'll confront Blair. I hae my worries about the lass as well.”
“What worries, Drew? Do ye know something you're no' telling us?”
“Nay, I dinnae know anything. But I hae my suspicions. All I'll say is that I'm more worried about what Rosemary would do if Blair died than what she'll do while he's alive. I hae to think about what tae do next, but I dinnae want any of this to continue. Ye think ye are doing something good for the clan but ye are only sowing discord, and this isn't right. Do yer best, do yer duty, and let me worry about Blair.”
Without waiting for their reply, Drew pushed through them and left them in the forest. At the moment Blair was oblivious to the brewing discontent, but if it got worse a faction could arise that would prove Blair's downfall.
It was left to Drew to try and diplomatically conjure up a solution to this mess, but he didn't think Blair was going to like anything presented to him, especially not when it concerned Rosemary's honesty. However, Drew couldn't let what he heard pass without comment. If there was even a chance that Rosemary would forsake them Drew had to do something, even if it meant provoking the wrath of his brother.
So it was with a heavy heart that Drew made his way back to the castle where he would have to confront Blair once again. The suspicion of Rosemary could not be allowed to fester though. Drew wished that Blair had never brought that woman back with him. None of these problems would have surfaced if it had not been for that mistake, a mistake that Drew hoped would not prove fatal to the well-being of the Highland clans.