"Nay, me heart.Look."
She gestured behind them, and Cailean slowed his horse, turning his head to look over his shoulder. What he saw made him freeze in the saddle, scarcely able to comprehend the might of the sight in front of his very eyes.
Darren grinned and waved at him, looking as joyful as ever, but it wasn't Darren who had caused Maeve to gesture back. As Cailean looked beyond his friend, his brother in all but name, he saw something he had never expected to see. There were dozens—hundreds—of men following them, marching with pride and determination behind the horses, forming an honor guard.
Some of them were farmers and villagers. Others were bannermen, warriors, and even lairds and clan chiefs, carrying their colors high. Members of clans from all over the Highlands, chiefs and clansmen Cailean had been desperately trying to reach for months or even years, now following behind him, declaring themselves silently for the rebellion, for the McNair name.
As he continued to look, he noticed that there were even more people there than he had thought. Not just the men, but women, children, people from all walks of life, each of them marching steadily behind him. Each of them dedicating themselves to the country that Cailean loved so much.
"They're here for ye," Maeve told him. "Ye called them, and they've come."
"Nay," Cailean replied. "They're here forus."
He didn't remember ever feeling this overwhelmed by emotion, except perhaps when he had realized that Maeve loved him back. His soul felt light, his heart swelling in his chest, and a few tears of joy even pricked at his eyes. He had called them, and they had come, just as Maeve said. What would his father say, if he could see these people now? His mother? If his siblings had lived, would they be proud?
He whispered a silent prayer to them now, hoping they could hear it on the wind. He hoped that he was making all of them proud.
Darren rode up beside them. "Well, yer Majesty?" he asked, obviously teasing, but with an undercurrent of respect to his tone too.
"Formality sounds strange on yer lips," Cailean replied, his voice a little hoarse from the shock of the followers, even as he bantered with his friend. "What are ye askin'?"
"Fine, I'll call ye the Royal Bampot, if it helps," Darren told him with a chuckle, developing into a full-blown laugh as Cailean rolled his eyes. It was good to see Darren so light, a levity in this heavy moment that really shone with the power of joy that these followers were bringing. "But me question is this—what's next?"
Cailean smiled. "What's next?" He glanced back at the people behind him, then at his side to Maeve, then forward to the new, gentle love blossoming in front of him. To his people. His family. "Next, we take back our country, Darren. Next, we repair our home, once and for all."
They set up camp in a large field once they were far enough from O'Sullivan lands, makeshift tents and bedrolls shared out between the hundreds of new rebels who had rallied to the cause. Campfires cheerfully shone, the scents of delicious food and the sounds of laughter echoing into the night sky. Cailean and Maeve set up their bedrolls a little further away from everyone else, sheltered behind some trees for a little privacy, taking the chance to spend some time together after the terrifying ordeal of being apart.
"How are ye?" he asked her once he was sure they were as alone as they could be.
She sighed, laying her head against his chest as he wrapped her arms around her. They both stayed there like that for a moment, just staring up at the shining stars in the sky. Then Maeve replied, sounding thoughtful.
"I'm…feelin' strange, if I'm honest. Me heart is full from seein' all the support we have for the rebellion, but there's sorrow there too. I'm frustrated that I couldnae reach Nessa intime, and I'm worried that it might have been too late for her even if I had."
Cailean stayed silent, waiting for her to continue. He could sense that she had many things that she needed to say, and the sound of her voice was a balm on his frazzled soul. He could listen to her for the rest of his life if he needed to, and always be happy.
She shifted a little, getting more comfortable in his arms. "I am fearful that me father still lives, and yet grateful ye were nae the one tae slay him, nae matter how much he might have deserved it. I'm worried how the rebellion is gonnae manage this renewed attack, yet inspired by the support we now have. But most of all—och, it's silly. Ye'll think me selfish when I tell ye."
"Ye? Selfish?" Cailean stroked her hair. "Love, ye're many things. Stubborn. Tough. Frustratin' at times. But never,neverselfish. Say how ye feel, and I'll listen."
Maeve turned her head up to look at him. "Honestly? More than anythin', I'm feelin' more relieved than I have in me whole life. I've never felt fear or pain as I did when ye were away from me, kennin' ye were captured, kennin' I might never see ye again. For a short time, I didnae ken how I would ever live without ye by me side."
He leaned down and kissed her hair. "Ye would have survived. Ye would havethrived.Darren told me how ye stood by him in leadership when ye needed tae. I couldnae be prouder than tae call ye me love, me heart, me queen. Thank ye for comin' for me."
"I'll always come for ye," she told him. "Always." She sniffled, and he realized she was crying, all of the emotion she'd been holding in all this time finally coming loose in this private moment between them. It wasn't the weepy tears of someone who was broken, but the tears of a strong woman who was unafraid to allow herself to feel.
"I've never felt safer than I do at this moment," he replied. "Here's the deal. I'll always protect ye, Maeve—and I'll always ken ye'll protect me. Ye’re the light in me darkness, me love. Ye took a lost prince, and ye made him a king. I swear, nae matter what happens, I'll never leave yer side, nae matter how much distance may be forced between us."
She moved out of his embrace to lean up for a gentle kiss, then snuggled back into his chest. "Hold me tonight," she told him. "I ken we cannae be truly alone until we reach home, but for now, just hold me. Remind me ye're here with me always."
They lay down together, holding each other close. "There's naewhere I'd rather be," he murmured into her hair. "I'm yers."
Returning to Bruce Castle was one of the most inspiring and enlightening moments of Maeve's life. The looks of shock and awe on the rebel's faces as their leader rode in with so many banners raised in the McNair name would remain with her in her spirit forever. Fergus was one of the first to ride out to meet them, having safely escorted the others back from Taran's farm, and to everyone's surprise he embraced Maeve in front of everyone.
"Ye wonderful lass. Ye brought them back," Fergus said, his usually stoic nature broken in his excitement.
Maeve laughed and hugged him back, then was lost in a pile as more arms were around her. A cheer went up as more and more of the rebels spilled out of the castle, eager to welcome home their friends and welcome the newest members of the rebellion.
Breana and Eoin went off to help the newcomers settle, many of whom were refugees who would need a lot of help,while Darren went to debrief Fergus and the others on what had happened. Maeve and Cailean, meanwhile, went straight to the council, ready to share every detail of the events that had occurred over a short period of time that had felt like a lifetime.
