Maeve was tired after the meeting finally ended, but not in the way that made her want to sleep. It was more that her mind was full of too many things, and she needed a way to let them all process without thinking about anything new for a while.
Fortunately, Cailean seemed to understand her completely. They didn't even need to speak. As soon as she approached him after the meeting had concluded, he'd simply held out his hand, and the two of them had strolled together out of the castle to take a walk through the nearby village together.
Maeve loved visiting the village. She loved being able to see the people they were helping just living their day-to-day lives, and loved being able to actually contribute to them on a personal level as well as simply helping direct the seemingly endless war. It was especially joyful for her to come here with Cailean; she saw it as a special treat and, despite his powerful leadership, it was here that she saw him most as a king.
"Yer Majesties!" someone called. They paused and turned to see an old man hobbling out of his little thatched house toward them. He had a young man who looked a little younger than Maeve in tow, and a huge smile sat on both of their faces. "May I interrupt yer walk?"
Cailean and Maeve glanced at each other, then Cailean smiled slightly and said, "It's never an interruption, Iain," he told the old man in a friendly voice. Maeve found it remarkable how easily he remembered the name of each and every resident he'd ever had a conversation with in both the castle and the village, even as the population continued to grow. "Is this yer grandson that ye told me about?"
Iain, who Maeve now recalled was an old cobbler, beamed with pride. "This is Sean. His mammy finally brought him back home tae work with me, now that things are turnin' around."
"Granda, I'm an adult," Sean said, rubbing the back of his neck in obvious embarrassment. As he spoke, Maeve noticed that he leaned slightly to one side; there was obviously some issue with one of his legs.
Cailean laughed, though was careful to make it clear he wasn't laughingatthe young man. "Even adults listen tae their mammies, in me experience," he said. "Are ye the man of the house?"
"I am," Sean admitted. "We fled south when I was a bairn after me father was killed in the aftermath of the False King's takeover. Granda here refused tae come with us. I learned the cobblin' trade in the city, but I always wanted tae come back tae the Bruce Clan and continue me father's legacy."
"And now he can!" Iain said jubilantly. "Because the two of ye are here, and because Laird Bruce has finally returned tae us. I remember how good life was twenty years ago when the True King ruled over us fairly. I only hope that the day comes where the whole of Scotland can breathe as freely as I can."
"It will," Cailean promised. He glanced down, obviously noticing Sean's uneven leg as well. "We're plannin' an ambush tae take back Castle McNair. Ye'll hear word soon enough; we'll be recruitin' anyone who can fight."
"I can fight!" Sean said immediately. "I'll join yer army."
A look flashed across the old man's face, his joy obviously dimming a little. "Och, son. Yer mammy would be heartbroken if?—"
"Dinnae start! I can fight as well as anyone else!" Sean insisted.
Maeve was about to intervene, but before she could, Cailean spoke. His voice was calm and even, not panicked or stressed at all, friendly but with an undercurrent of firmness to it as well. "There's nae shame in nae bein' as physically able as anyone else, Sean," he said.
"I'm—"
"And besides," Cailean continued, not giving the young man time to protest. "There's plenty ye can do for me army without fightin'. Ye've already said ye're the man of the house, and yer mother and granda both need ye here. But soldiers cannae fight well if their shoes are fallin' apart. I'm commissionin' ye and yer grandfather tae ensure me army have sturdy, comfortable boots tae make sure they're prepared for whatever we might face on our journey. Can ye do that?"
Maeve's heart swelled, and she wanted to cheer. No matter how long she had spent with Cailean, he continued to surprise and impress her. Yes, hewasthe king. She stood back and did not intervene as Cailean negotiated a deal with the old blacksmith and his young apprentice, and by the time he was finished, everyone was happy.
After they had said goodbye and moved on, they continued to slowly make their way through the village. Every so often, someone else approached them. Some were young people wanting to commit to the fight, others were people wanting to contribute to the cause in other ways, and others still were those who remembered how things had once been and wanted to thank Cailean and Maeve both for the work they were doing to bring their country back to its formal glory. They heard stories ofthe old days and hopes for the future, they solved small day-to-day disputes and offered help where they could, and by the time they reached the other end of the village, it felt like they'd spoken to a whole world's worth of people.
"I'm sorry," Cailean said as they entered the forest once again, hand in hand. "Ye were already tired. Ye must be exhausted now."
Maeve shook her head and squeezed his hand. "I probably should be more tired, but honestly, I feel more energized than ever. I love watching you with people."
He laughed. "I love watching you in general," he replied, with an overexaggerated wink.
She rolled her eyes playfully and smacked his chest, then the two of them walked on together into the forest.
It took about an hour of walking without their horses before they finally reached their meadow, but neither of them minded. They both settled down on the grass, which was slightly damp from the rain the night before, and enjoyed the rare moment of peace and seclusion. Birdsong was their accompaniment, and the gentle wind was a soothing blanket, wrapping them in the very spirit of their secret Highland spot.
"I feel like I can truly take a moment tae just breathe whenever we're here," Maeve mused, content, as Cailean leaned back on his elbows. She stayed sitting by his side, her legs crossed in a basket, picking a few daisies and starting to twist them into a chain.
Cailean closed his eyes, a smile on his face. "Me, too. I dinnae think there's anywhere else in the world right now I can feel so at peace. So long as ye're here with me, anyway."
"I'll always be here with ye," Maeve replied. To her, it was really that simple. She kept weaving her chain and added, "When this is all over, I think I'd like tae travel further north. See more of our country. Find as many magical spots like this one asI can tae share with ye until I reach the very limits of Scotland, or perhaps even sail out tae the islands."
He opened his eyes, regarding her curiously. "When this is over, we'll have lots of work ahead of us still. I will be a king, and ye me queen."
"Aye," she agreed. She finished her daisy chain and sat it gently down beside her on the grass, then shifted herself a little closer, leaning over Cailean so that she was looking directly down at his face. "But ye ken, it'll be a time of peace. True peace, for the first time in as long as either of us can remember. And ye'll have Darren and the council tae help keep things runnin' when we, after a year or so of settlin' in, decide tae take a tour of our country and meet more of our people."
His lips curved upward, his strong jaw highlighted by the sun and the shadows. He reached up and gently touched a strand of her hair, twirling it around his finger. "Aye? Tell me more about this future, then."
