They skinned the animals and cut up chunks of meat to cook faster, which were then roasted on wooden spits. The smell of roasting meat and smoke permeated the air, making the warriors’ stomachs rumble with hunger. A few men made oatcakes, and warriors grabbed these to stave off their hungerand grumbling bellies. More oatcakes were made and placed in oilskin sacks for their time traveling on horseback. The men ate their fill that night.
Watches were set, and warriors patrolled the dark, clear ni-ght, walking the perimeter of the camp. Their clansmen slumbered in the cold by the fires piled high with wood. Most slept soundly for the first time in months. A few cried out with nightmares. Unfortunately, it was a lingering aftereffect of the wars they waged, seeing men slain in battle. The watches changed, and the men took their turns sleeping, arising at dawn and breaking their fast with leftover smoked meat.
Although the men anticipated a joyous reunion with family members in a couple more days, there were families whose loved ones would not return. The laird did not relish sharing the news of those who had perished, watching the heartbreak of families he’d known for years and being unable to help ease their pain. He would have his four sons share in this duty to ensure the welfare of those clansmen who lost family members. They would provide as best as possible for the widows and children.
Unfortunately, more perished than expected at the outset, despite the fact that their unrelenting training and strategies had won the day. The laird was proud of his sons and their prowess and courage in battle. Especially, he was proud of Cailean, his youngest, who had devised novel strategies to defeat their enemies. Those strategies saved many of the warriors’ lives.
The laird, tired of fighting, despaired over the lives lost on both sides—men in the prime of life. He vowed to find more successful ways to avoid wars in the future and hoped to seek alliances with other clans through marriages. Stronger alliances would forge powerful bonds and hopefully prevent wars in the future.
The MacPherson laird tasked Cailean with negotiating with other clans in the spring, hoping to build powerful allies. This quest would take Cailean far from home, broaden his understanding of different regions and clans. Negotiations were best made from a strong position. Besides, the boy had charm and turned many ladies’ heads.
After warming themselves with hot tea, they saddled their horses and resumed their ride home. The snow flurried, swirling lightly around them, decreasing visibility, but they rode as fast as possible.
It had been providential that they’d eaten heartily last ni-ght—animal tracks proved hard to see in the now heavy snow. They rode warily and continued looking for tracks farther ahead and on the periphery. The silence brought by the large flakes engulfed them. Though it was harder to find landmarks, the mountains in the distance led them home.
They made camp, more subdued than before. In the cold weather, they changed watches often. The men were glad they had loaded the previously empty wagons with dry wood. They discovered a stream that was frozen on top. With their dirks, the warriors chopped through to retrieve ice-cold water for the horses to drink. After their thirst was quenched, the men filled their own water bags.
Cailean removed his saddle and made his bed under closely knit pine trees that kept the ground dry. The trees also formed a barrier to the wind. He brushed down his black stallion, Night, and led him to the stream to drink his fill. Afterward, he led him back to his campsite for the night and fed him handfuls of oats.
Night found tender grasses to nibble on while Cailean cut more pine branches to soften the bed he’d started on the hard ground. It would insulate him and his horse, as they slepttogether under the trees. A few of his close friends and their horses joined him inside the clustered trees.
The warriors joked with him. “Trust Cailean to make the most comfortable bed. Whether with a woman or not.”
“I’d rather be with a passionate woman now than freeze my bollocks off,” one warrior said, drawing guffaws and laughter.
Cailean accepted their teasing in good measure. Then he slipped into the forest, following tracks other hunters had not yet followed. The tracks led to a stream. Cailean found a good vantage point and waited for his prey. His patience and perseverance were awarded with a female deer.
With careful aim and steady hands, Cailean took his shot. The deer fell instantly. Although heavy, he could pick it up and carry it over his broad shoulders all the way back to the campsite. The men cheered when they saw him with the deer. The other hunters had shot rabbits and pheasants, which were already roasting. Cailean dropped the deer away from the campsite and dressed it in the field.
Men picked up huge chunks of meat and placed them on multiple spits over fire pits. The meat hissed over the heat of the roaring fires. Fat dripped down on the wood and sizzled. The snow had stopped, but the skies remained overcast. Cailean’s boots crunched as he trod through the hard-packed snow. The men stood around the campfire, which crackled in the chilly night air.
They told tales and stories around the fire, putting more space between them and the battlefields behind them. There was much laughter among the boasting and ribbing. Camaraderie among the men, young and old, brought them even closertogether. Watches changed, and men bedded down for the night until their watch.
Just before daybreak, the warriors arose the following day, eager to return home late this evening if the weather held, or tomorrow. The sky cast a pewter color, making determining the time of day difficult. The men saddled their horses and loaded their gear, swords and dirks already strapped to their backs in leather sheaths or belts.
Horses sank in the snow up to their stifle joints, so traveling slowed more than they wished. As they climbed out of the valley, the depth of the wet snow lessened. The men could make up time by riding faster, lifting their spirits. The closer they got to their home, the more anxious they became to get there.
The MacPherson laird looked to the future, hoping his strategy would lead to no further wars. He wished to stay home with his wife, sons, and daughters and enjoy time with his grandchildren. If Cailean established powerful alliances, they could put the bloodshed behind them. As he got older, he disliked sleeping on the hard ground more and more.
The following day, the weary warriors rode inside the caste gates, arriving home in a procession. People on the ramparts and lining the village streets cheered their triumphant return. Shouts of joy and jubilation with the return of their loved ones echoed across the courtyard. Anxious women looked to identify their fathers, husbands, brothers, and neighbors, even from a distance.
Then the wagons followed with wounded men, taken swiftly to the healer. As family members recognized their injured and maimed loved ones, sobbing and cries of incredulity rang in the air. For others, the reality that their dear ones were dead and would never return caused raw pain and anguish.
The laird and his sons quickly assessed the situation. Clan members volunteered to assist families who had lost their fathers and husbands who earned the family’s living. The laird, lady, his family, and his steward would meet with the families in the morning, when the steward would give them their husbands’ and fathers’ stipends as warriors. Relatives offered housing. Or they would help to bring relatives to aid them.
In advance of the next morning’s tasks, the steward had drafted a list of the affected families. For widows living on the laird’s lands, they would forgo any rent for years, allowing the families to grow, prosper, and earn money for their future welfare. For those who lived on lands belonging to others, the laird and his sons would seek for them to forgo the rent or lower it. In select cases, the laird and his family paid the difference in the rent. The clan’s laird and family were compassionate.
After they broke their fast the following morning, they met with the affected families. The widows had tear-streaked pale faces. Their eyes were dazed while they tried to manage young children who did not understand what their father’s death would mean for them.
Lady MacPherson offered jobs to the neediest. Those skilled in cooking or sewing would augment the services of the castle staff. One young widow without any family was offered a housekeeping job in the castle. Otherwise, she had nowhere to go.
It was heart-wrenching, but the laird and lady refused to leave their clansmen to struggle alone.
The lady and her daughters had formed a sewing circle. The widows gathered for refreshments and to talk with other women, young and old, in the lady’s solar. They offered supportand encouragement to each other. It made the tedious mending more enjoyable too.
Later in the week, the laird met with his sons. The warriors shared their insights and lessons learned from the battles waged. Hopefully, decreased loss of life and injuries would result.
The laird revealed his plan to his family in his study.
