When they reached the courtyard, chaos reigned. The rebel army had arrived, Darren at the helm, and though the fighting had not yet begun in earnest, it was clear the dam would break at any moment. In the middle of it all, Cailean saw Darren and Fergus exchanging words with Maeve's friend, Eoin, and it seemed that only this discussion was holding the men back from full-fledged bloodshed.
No more. There would be no more death here tonight.
With a brief look to Maeve, Cailean rushed to climb atop a small stage at the side of the courtyard, no doubt usually used for plays and the like. He needed to be heard and make himself seen. Taking a deep breath, he called out, "Kyle Darach is dead!"
Only those nearest the stage heard him at first, but soon the word spread through the courtyard, and slowly but surely, the noise died down and all the gathered men and women turned toward him. He saw the rebels at the far end, and though his heart swelled with joy to see his family rallied around him, he needed to focus on the Darach men who stood ready to kill.
"Dead?" one of the Darachs called. It was a woman, and Cailean wondered what role she served in the castle. It was clear that these gathered were not all soldiers, but servants, ladies' maids, and more, all here to defend their home. He would have to tread carefully.
He glanced to the side and saw Maeve watching him, encouragement in her eyes. Heartened, he spoke out.
"Dead," he confirmed. "I killed him meself."
Murmuring broke out amongst the crowd, then the soldier who had knelt to him before, a man he now knew to be named Sean Darach, stood up by his side.
"It's true," Sean announced. "Me uncle, our chieftain, lies dead. I saw it with me own eyes."
"Why have ye nae killed this traitor?" someone roared from the crowd. "I'll kill him meself!"
"Traitor I am nae," Cailean announced. "Me name is Cailean McNair, and me father was yer rightful king. One day, I hope tae earn the right tae say the same. Darach was the traitor — Kyle and Malcolm both. Thieves, liars, and murderers. They took everythin', nae just from me but from all of ye as well. Ask yerself, how have ye suffered under their rule? What have they taken from ye — from the whole country?"
The expected whispers started again, but Cailean stood strong, not flinching back from the stares and suspicion and, yes,hopethat he felt emanating his way. Maeve had taught him that it was time to stand up and be who he was, who he had to be; to step up and be the king that he had been born to be. No more running away.
"This castle, and the lands around it, will be returned tae the Bruce clan. Kier Bruce is a good, fair man, and he willnae displace anyone who has made a home here, so long as they swear loyalty tae him and tae me," Cailean went on. "Wewilloverthrow the False King and bring Scotland back tae where she once was. Now. Ye may stay, or ye may flee. But if ye can, and if ye wish it, I urge those amongst ye who are warriors tae join me. Join me cause. Help fight back, nae just for yerselves but against the injustices our whole country has faced. Help me save our people, whatever the cost may be."
He expected resistance. Maybe even derision. But what happened instead took his breath away.
One by one, soldiers began to kneel. First a few, then more, and then almost all of the Darach army had knelt before him.
"We're yers, me king," Sean Darach said simply. "If ye'll have us. We're tired of bein' the villains. We want tae save our people, too."
Darren's voice called out over the bowed heads. "Tae the True King!" he cried.
And then, overwhelming Cailean, the rallying echo was picked up by the previous Darach men and the rebels alike.
"The True King! Cailean McNair!"
Cailean felt one of his hands shaking, but he grasped it in his other, determined to stay strong. He wondered how his father and his mother would have felt to see him here now. He thought of his brothers, who had been the ones for whom this role had been meant, and of his sisters, who had been robbed of the chance for any future. He thought of Maeve, strong and beautiful and loving, inspiring him on no matter what, and of the four old mentors who'd made him the man he had to be.
He knew that he would do them proud.
"Stand," he declared. "And let's face the world as one."
* * *
The feast held to celebrate the return of the Bruces to the clan and the return of the rightful king was beyond anything that Maeve had ever witnessed in her life. The castle stores had been raided, and many of the villagers from the castle town had joined them in celebrating the death of the tyrant and the rise of hope, which had been gone from this place for such a long time that many had felt they'd never see it again.
There was dancing, drinking, eating, merrymaking, and singing. The Darrach banners were taken down from the castle that very night, and soon enough, the Bruce colors would hang in their place, along with the sign of the capercaillie signalling the McNairs had truly returned.
Maeve watched from the sidelines, smiling at the little snippets of joy that she saw. Darren, dancing with several women and drinking perhaps more than he could handle. Kier, embracing Cailean and showing more emotion on his gruff face than Maeve had ever seen there as he surveyed a home he'd once thought he'd never return to. Eoin, being welcomed into the brotherhood of rebels with open arms. More faces, more joy, and the flickering flame of hope in so many who had thought it extinguished forever. Maeve knew that she should mingle, get to know people more, and be a part of it all, but for now, she simply couldn't bring herself to leave Breana's side.
"I thought I'd never see ye again," she told her sister for the thousandth time as they stood together, hand in hand, a little to the side of the main events of the feast. "I'm so glad…"
"I'm glad too, and oh so sorry, Maeve. I should have done somethin' to stop ye gettin' married off tae Malcolm Darach in the first place." Breana's eyes were filled with tears. "When Kyle came tae claim me, I… I saw it as a penance."
"A penance!" Maeve demanded, horrified. "Bree, what could ye have done against Father's wishes?"
"I'm the older sister. I could have…"
