Chapter 13
Callum led them down the sloping road through town, where he waved and greeted people.
He spent the time talking with them and asking how they were recovering from the storm.
It seemed as though most people had been able to prevent too much damage as the clouds had looked threatening all day, and they had banded together to fix whatever needed fixing.
Callum assured them to go up to the castle if they needed anything else, and the people were grateful.
As they left town, the fields and houses gave way to colorful bushes and tall trees.
The horses cantered at a gentle pace, and Islay was able to take in the beauty of the new countryside.
The air was sweet. There were still glistening drops lingering on the leaves of trees, and the world seemed new again.
Callum teased her by increasing Thunder’s speed, urging Islay to keep up.
Islay was never going to shirk a challenge like this, and soon enough, the two of them were racing along the winding path, laughing with glee.
Islay had no thought of bandits or anything else threatening.
With Callum, it didn’t seem as though anything bad could happen.
Eventually, they reached a loch. Callum got to it moments before Islay, although she put his victory down to the fact that Thunder was a larger horse and thus his nose was longer.
They alighted from the horses to have a rest. The horses made their way to the loch and dipped their heads, slaking their thirst. Callum handed her a waterskin.
Islay’s thighs ached from the hard ride, but she was in good spirits.
The loch was wide, and the surface of the water shimmered.
The banks of the loch were lush and verdant with soft moss, while on the other side, a rocky rise met the horizon.
Wispy white clouds drifted about them, and trees encircled them, separating them from the rest of the world.
Callum sighed as he sank down into the moss, gesturing for Islay to join him.
He had his legs outstretched and his arms planted behind him, while she crossed her legs and started to idly pick at the moss and grass surrounding them.
“Well, Islay, what dae ye think of the place?”
“It’s lovely. Yer whole town is lovely, and the castle is bigger than what I’m used tae. I was reading something about the history of yer clan in the library. I read how the four brothers overthrew the tyrant.”
Callum beamed with pride. “Aye, there are always evil people in the world, and we must remain vigilant. We hae worked hard tae maintain control of this area and ensure that we dinnae let evil rule again. I am just the latest in a long line of guards against evil.”
“It seems like a noble cause,” Islay said softly. “Yer history speaks of great prowess with weapons.”
“Aye, the Connalls hae always been fighters. It’s in our blood. I cannae say that I want tae fight all my life, but I will fight when necessary. Da was always disappointed in me whenever I expressed other interests,” he said with a wistful smile.
“What other interests dae ye hae?”
Callum looked longingly towards Thunder.
“Riding. I could ride Thunder all day if I haed the opportunity. There’s something about the bond between me and the horse…
roaming across the land, uncovering new things, but I am the laird, and must sit in the castle, ensuring that nobody takes advantage of the people I might leave behind. ”
“Hae ye never thought about abandoning yer duty?” Islay asked, struck by how similar they were.
Callum pondered the question. “Perhaps, when I was younger. And I suppose that there are times when I dae wonder what my life would be like if I didnae hae my duty. But there are people that depend on me, that depend on my family and my name. I couldnae forsake them. Ye hae seen how hardworking they are and what a community we hae built taegether. I cannae walk away from that. It’s nae a burden. It’s a way tae serve my people.”
“Does that include marriage?” she asked.
Callum nodded. “Aye, lass, it does. What good is a laird if he doesnae provide an heir tae rule when his time is done? A marriage offers security and a lasting legacy. My father described life as a chain, and that we are all one link. Ye dinnae want tae be the last.”
Islay thought on his words. They were wise for a man who was only five years older than her.
But she was touched by how thoughtful he was of his people and that he realized his life belonged to others.
It was something she was still coming to terms with and wasn’t sure she could ever be as comfortable with it as he was.
“Does it nae concern ye that ye hae no choice in yer bride? Would ye nae rather choose a woman who ye fall in love with, rather than someone ye are told ye hae tae love?”
“Are ye trying tae convince me tae nae marry ye?” Callum asked, laughing as he did so.
Islay averted her gaze, unsure if that was still what she wanted.
“Tae be honest, there are times when I think that would be nice, but I trust my da’s choice.
I know he wouldnae hae chosen anyone unsuitable.
It is nae my place tae be selfish in this.
The alliance between yer clan and mine will help protect a lot of people.
There is tae much death in the world, and if I can dae anything tae stop it, then I must. That is my place in the world. ”
“I suppose,” Islay replied, annoyed that what he said made sense.
It seemed that everyone else knew how to be true to their duty apart from her.
Was she just a selfish person? She was forced to wonder if perhaps there wasn’t anything wrong with the world at all, but just something wrong with her.
She had always fought against her destiny while others adapted themselves to it.
Perhaps she had been in the wrong all this time, and should stop thinking of herself.
“I know it is nae ideal and if we were peasants we could choose who we wanted tae get married tae, but I hae always known that I would treat my wife well. I dinnae want tae end up living in an unhappy home, or making anyone else unhappy because of me. The woman I end up marrying may nae love me, and I may nae love her, but that doesnae mean we couldnae be happy.” He looked at Islay pointedly.
When she spoke next, there was much hesitation in her voice, and she could not bring herself to look at Callum directly.
This was the first time when they had truly been alone to share their feelings.
Islay did not count the time when he had rescued her from bandits as she had been forlorn and in a difficult state of mind.
But now it was time to be truthful with him and share with him the feelings that had plagued her mind with doubt.
“I hae tae be honest with ye, Callum. I hae reservations about marriage.”
“Ye dinnae say,” he replied dryly, but there was a teasing twinkle in his eyes.
“I always thought that choice was the most important thing. I wanted tae make my own decisions, and I hated that this was made for me—for us—by our fathers. I’ve spent sae long fighting against that I’m nae sure what else I can dae.”
Callum nodded. “Well, the vow was made by our fathers, but mine is no longer here, and I dinnae think yer da could truly make ye dae anything ye didnae want tae dae. This can still be our choice, Islay. Ye will certainly hae a better life than if ye ran off intae the woods and were captured by bandits. I know ye dinnae know me well, but I am nae a monster.”
“I know ye are nae, Callum,” Islay sighed and brushed a few strands of hair away from the hollow of her throat.
“I always pictured my husband tae be a brute, a man who saw me as naething more as an obligation or a duty. I didnae want tae live my life as a prisoner.” Shame tinged her voice as she spoke about this because by doing so, she was besmirching Callum’s character.
Callum took it in good humor, though, and laughed.
“Well, ye should hae spent some time getting tae know me!” After saying this, his tone turned more serious.
“I know there are some men out there like that, but I promise I am nae one of them. I even hope that one day I could learn tae love ye,” he spoke earnestly.
Islay was almost afraid to look at him. There had not been any thought or mention of love yet.
She hadn’t even thought of that as a possibility.
With a marriage like this, she wasn’t sure that love could blossom naturally, at least not true marriage, and she hadn’t been sure if Callum was even interested in such a thing.
She had heard and seen some husbands treating their wives as little more than maids, more interested in hunting and drinking than being a part of a family.
But as she listened and looked at Callum, she realized that he was far different than what she had assumed, and she told herself that she should have given him more of a chance.
She had dismissed marriage ever since Laird Gallach had told her of her eventual duty, and she had only ever assumed the worst. Now that she was beginning to see other possibilities,, she started to think that it might not be so bad after all.
“I hae tae be honest with ye, Islay. The last few years hae nae been kind tae me, or easy.
Ever since my father died, I hae felt lost. They made me laird, but I didnae feel ready for it.
I was barely a man, but I haed tae step up and dae my duty.
The people needed a leader, after all. But it is lonely without him.
Jean is a good sister, but she spends most of her time in books, and this castle can get awfully filled with silence.
I used tae spend a lot of time with him.
I knew that I wasnae completely the son he wanted, but I tried tae learn everything he taught me and tried tae dae the best I could.
“In these past few years, I hae come tae realize that life is nae best lived alone.
I hae seen how precarious it can be. My da should hae had plenty of years left in him, but fate took him away.
The same could be true of me, or ye, or anyone.
We shouldnae wait tae long. That is why I pushed for the wedding tae be brought forward, as well as because of the bandits.
“Islay, I want tae hae a family and continue the legacy of my own. I want tae hae an heir tae pass my history tae. I’m sorry that we didnae spend more time taegether over the past few years.
I wanted tae, but becoming laird…I haed tae much tae deal with, and given my grief, I dinnae think I would hae been the best company.
But that time is over now. I’m ready...are ye? ”
To her surprise, he reached out and clasped her hand.
His skin was warm and inviting. His eyes were earnest, and his face was handsome.
The more time they spent together, the more she started to think that being married to him wouldn’t be the worst fate in the world.
But still, she had spent so long resisting her fate that it was difficult to relent to it, to finally let the tide wash over her.
She gnawed on her lower lip before she answered, but just as the words lingered on her tongue, they were taken away in one breath.
Callum leaned forward and kissed her, his tender lips pressing against hers.
For a moment, she went rigid with shock and surprise as she had never been kissed before, but heat spread through her body and melted her.
Islay’s shoulders sagged, and she leaned into the kiss, letting the pleasure roll through her mind like a mist on the moors.