Chapter Twenty-One #6
“This is good timing. I just cleaned all of my surgical tools, so we do not have to take the time to do that. This time the water had come to a boil before I dropped the tools in. Surprised me how much easier they cleaned in the hot water. I hardly had to touch them. I’ll wash my hands and get my tools. ”
Aunt Brenna looked up at them as Aunt Jennie went for her instruments.
“I’m hopeful, Maddie. The bowel was not pierced, so that is the good news.
I think we can repair his liver. Jamie, ‘tis a good thing you brought him here. Caralyn does not do much surgery. Why not take your mother down to the hall? This may take a while, and if Alex wakes up, which I doubt, we will put him to sleep again.”
Epilogue
Alex steps down from the lairdship…
Jamie glanced at his brother Jake, the two of them standing at the entrance to the great hall, waiting to see why they’d been summoned to the keep from the lists. Jamie fidgeted every once in a while, unable to stop himself.
“Can you not hold still? You never could when you were wee either.”
“Why?” Jamie whispered. “Does it bother you? Because if it does, I’ll make sure to do it more often.”
Jake gave him a wide grin. “I have two fists behind my back that might change your mind.”
The hall was empty except for the elders seated at the dais. It was a special meeting that had been called, but neither Jake nor Jamie knew the reason for it.
At the table were three of the elders who had been part of the group, the dearbh fine, since Alex had been chosen laird.
In their clan, the laird did the disciplining with his second, but Alex had always had two seconds—his brothers—so Uncle Robbie and Uncle Brodie were both elders.
Nicol; Edwin, Nicol’s sire; Taran, the eldest male in the clan and also Edwin’s sire; and Solas.
Jamie glanced over at them: Taran, Solas, Edwin—the eldest three, and the newer members—Nicol, Robbie, and Brodie. After the laird, the dearbh fine held most of the power in the clan.
“I’m thinking this is about Da.” Jake leaned toward Jamie, doing his best to keep his voice down.
“Why do you think ‘tis about Da?” Jamie asked.
“Because he has not healed as fast as everyone thought he would.”
“There’s naught wrong with his mind,” Jamie insisted. “He can lead from a horse, he just cannot do battle.”
Jake sighed. “I agree with you, but I’m not sure Taran and Solas agree with us.”
The door opened at the end of the great hall, the new area built especially for Alex and Maddie.
Their mother held it as their father made his way through it with slow, deliberate steps.
He used a whittled oak branch to keep him upright, something Kenzie and Loki had whittled until it was smooth as a stone plucked out of the bottom of a rushing riverbed.
Alex Grant nodded to the men at the dais and his two sons who’d been instructed to remain by the entrance to the great hall until they were called forward.
Jake whispered, “I still can’t believe he survived. Damn good thing you were there to argue with me. I was sure our sire was a dead man. They say he may never get back to full strength.”
“He does not need to,” Jamie whispered. “He’s the great Laird Alexander Grant. His days as the best swordsman in the Highlands might be over, but I think he’ll swing one again.”
Jake glanced at his twin. “I hope you’re right.”
“Mama and Papa love their new chamber. You did a nice job with that. They’ll never go back upstairs,” Jamie said.
Their sire would not be able to handle the keep’s stairways for a while, so Jake had overseen the addition of a chamber near Uncle Brodie’s tower, but at the end of the hall instead of in the corner. He’d added a hearth and a sitting area for their mother.
Once their parents had settled, Taran, the chief of the elders, asked, “For what purpose did you call this meeting, Laird?”
Jamie couldn’t believe what he’d heard…his sire had called this meeting?
“I’ve called this meeting because I believe it’s time for me to step down as laird of Clan Grant.”
A huge uproar followed. So many comments were made that Jamie could not keep them straight.
“You cannot step down.”
“Why is your wife here? She’s a woman.”
“Women are not allowed at our meetings.”
“You’ll be fine in no time.”
“Who could possibly replace you?”
“Give yourself time to recuperate.”
Alex finally brought his fist down on the table to gain everyone’s silence.
They all stared at him wide-eyed, though Jamie was not sure whether it was due to his father’s statement or his fist.
“You cannot mean that, brother,” Uncle Robbie said.
“If I may, I’d like to continue.”
Taran banged his hand down on the table in agreement. “I’d like to hear what he has to say. If he wants to step down, then we should vote on his eldest son, Jake, taking over.”
Jamie glanced at his brother, who’d paled at that statement. He elbowed him, but said nothing. Jake’s moment was finally here.
It was Jake’s right as the laird’s eldest son, and Jamie did not want to see it go to anyone but his brother. This was their clan, and they needed a sound leader.
“Allow him the opportunity to speak his mind, he’s our laird,” Solas said with an emphatic nod.
They quieted and gave his sire the chance to speak.
“First of all, I brought my wife along because she will have an important contribution to this meeting.” Alex cleared his throat.
“Understand, dearbh fine, that ‘tis an honor for me to serve my clan, but I also firmly believe that I should be in this role only as long as I am fit for it. I would like to suggest that the lairdship be passed down to my sons.”
“Sons?” Taran asked.
“Sons?” Edwin echoed.
“Aye, my sons. I suggest that the lairdship be shared equally between our firstborn sons, Jake and Jamie.”
Jamie’s knees nearly buckled, though he somehow managed to stay upright. This possibility had never occurred to him.
“But Jake is your firstborn son, Laird,” Edwin said. “And our custom is to pass the lairdship over to the laird’s firstborn son unless he is unfit. Jake is perfectly fit for the job, though the matter would need to be voted on.”
“Is he our firstborn? Who on the dais can answer that question for me?” Alex leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.
Taran glanced at the others at the table. “Robbie? Brodie? What say you?”
Uncle Robbie shrugged his shoulders. “I was not there. I cannot say for certain.”
Uncle Brodie said the same. “I was with Robbie in the hall.”
Taran turned to look at Jamie and Jake standing near the doorway. Jake said, “We were there, but I do not think either of us recall.” Their comment gained a ripple of laughter from everyone in the council but Taran, who had a more of a scowl than usual.
Jamie and Jake exchanged a glance, grinning at each other.
“Who was there?” Taran asked. “Alex, you were there, were you not? Your poor wife was attacked in the middle of the long event. Did you not stay in the chamber after the birth? ‘Tis the tale the minstrels tell.”
“Aye, I was there. Besides the two of us, Maddie’s dear maid, Alice, who has since passed on, was also present. So was my sister Brenna, who now lives with the Ramsays.”
“Enough of this foolishness, Laird,” said Solas, who was red in the face. “When the first bairn was born, what did you name him? Jake, was it not? Then it’s Jake.”
Alex looked at Maddie. “We did not name them until much later. I do not recall myself which one came out first.”
Taran stood up, banging his hand on the table.
“Here, here, Laird.” His frustration was evident in the way the words spewed from his mouth, spittle flying everywhere.
Taran had sat as the head of the dearbh fine for some time now.
He was as old as dirt, according to the lads of the clan, and his long beard was a testament to his age.
“We need not hear the details about women’s work. Just tell us who was first.”
Jamie could not believe the spectacle in front of him. All these years, he’d been told he was the second born. His sire had planned this perfectly. Of course, everyone knew the lads looked nothing alike—Jamie was fair, and Jake was dark-haired—but no one could openly accuse the laird of lying.
His father said, “I’ll ask their mother. Maddie, what say you?”
“I was verra busy trying to deliver the second one to pay attention to the first. I cannot answer that. And we could not decide on names. We never even thought about it ‘til after the bairns had been brought downstairs into the hall and then back up to me. Then we decided to name the dark-haired lad after Alex’s sire, John, because he had the same coloring, and the light-haired lad after my sire, James, for the same reason. It had naught to do with who came out first. John became Jake, James became Jamie, and there you have it.”
Taran bellowed. “Again, must I hear about issues that took place inside a woman’s chamber?
I care not to think on it. Just tell us who was first. The clan’s dearbh fine commands you to reveal the truth.
” He sat down and stroked his grizzled beard as he awaited the laird’s response, his beady eyes aimed directly at him.
Alex said, “Please calm down, Taran. With all due respect, I tell you this because in my eyes, it does not matter. Maddie feels the same way. We did not pay close attention because she’d had a dagger at her throat minutes before the bairns were born.
But here is what I’d like to present to you.
Our sons are two verra different men, and this past year has illustrated as much.
Jake is the type of warrior who focuses on the big issues, while Jamie is more likely to concern himself with details.
Jake is an expert on knowing how to do what’s needed immediately, while Jamie recognizes what is needed in the long-term.
They are two verra different leaders, and I believe we are best served by having them both lead our clan.
Just as my two brothers, who have both been invaluable to me, are verra different, so are Jake and Jamie. Together, they will be more powerful.”
Jamie looked into Jake’s eyes as he thought about what his sire had said. He could see the truth of it. Was his brother appraising him the same way?
“He makes a valid point,” Uncle Brodie said. “They worked well together both at our fight with MacNiven and Hew Gordon at Castle Dubh and in the battle with Baron Crichton.”
“But it was Jake who led the battle against the baron,” Solas argued. “I saw him do it. He was at the forefront of the battle all the way.”
“True,” Nicol said, “but it was Jamie who saw our laird go down and who called for our warriors to protect him. He was farther back. Jake had no idea our laird was injured.”
Uncle Robbie said, “And if it had been up to Jake and me, my brother would not be here. He would have died within a day’s time. Jake and I wished to allow you to die in peace. ‘Twas Jamie and Brodie who said to take you to Jennie’s, and your sisters are the reason you are still here.”
Taran waved to Jake and Jamie, summoning them over to the dais. Jamie’s head was spinning. What would come next?
Taran stood when they came to a stop in front of the dais. “Lads, would you accept our decision if we ask both of you to step into your sire’s position as laird of Clan Grant?”
Jamie glanced at his brother, unsure how he would take this. They’d both believed their entire life that when the time came, Jake would become laird. He’d wait to see what his brother said first. It would be his choice.
Jake thought for a moment, then said, “Aye. I trust my brother’s judgment. We often have different ways of approaching a problem, but we always seem to come to terms. I think the clan would benefit from having two lairds.”
Jamie was shocked. He was about to be named chief of Clan Grant alongside his brother? Many times over the years, he’d thought of becoming the laird instead of his brother, but alongside him? The possibility had never occurred to him. He thought it was a sound plan.
“Jamie? Your brother accepts. We must hear from you.”
Jamie nodded. “I am honored to be included. I would accept on one condition.”
The elders looked aghast that he would consider making a demand of the elders.
“I’ll hear that condition, Jamie,” his sire said.
“On the condition that when you are strong enough to take the lairdship back, we will relinquish it until we are again needed.”
His mother pulled a linen square out of the folds of her dress and dabbed her eyes.
“Accepted,” Alex said.
Taran banged the table and said, “How many are in favor of this, say aye.”
A chorus of ayes greeted him.
“Nays?”
Silence.
Taran said, “James Alexander Grant, John Alexander Grant, you are now the new lairds of Clan Grant, based on the dearbh fine’s recommendation.”
The entire table erupted into cheers and smiles.
Jamie looked at his brother and asked, “What have we done?”
Alex and Maddie…
At the end of the table, Alex Grant looked at his wife of more years than he could count and said, “Does this please you, wife?” He kept his voice low so the others would not hear him.
“Aye, Alex, but I’m still surprised you decided to do this. You still have an able mind to lead.”
“Maddie, I must tell you something.” Alex had dreaded telling her this, but he knew it was time.
“What is it?”
“Did you know that all your hairs have turned white? I fear I must have put you through too much with this last injury.”
“What? But I have had a few white hairs for some time now.”
Alex tipped his head, his gaze traveling to the bound hair hanging down her back. “A few?”
Maddie grabbed the bottom of her plaited hair, tugging it over her shoulder and as far into the air as much as she could. She stared at her long tresses for a moment and then whispered, “Why, so it has. Why has no one told me?”
“Because you’re still as beautiful as the day I met you. ‘Tis time for me to spend all my time with you.” He tugged her onto his lap and kissed her.
Taran barked, “Och, for the love of God. Look at the two of them.” He tossed his hands into the air and scurried out the door.