Fowler's shoulders slumped, his voice small and broken. "I only meant to sell it, to have coin so I could run away with me love… I dinnae mean harm!"
"And who, pray tell, is this love of yours?" Caiden asked, eyebrow raised, the corner of his mouth twitching with disbelief.
"The maid… Tilly," Fowler whispered, his words barely audible over the waves crashing outside the cave.
Caiden laughed, the sound harsh and incredulous, echoing off the jagged stones. "That maid? The one who's played every man in this castle for a fool? Ye truly think she's worthy of yer devotion, Fowler?"
Fowler quivered, ashamed, unable to meet his gaze. "I ken she's… she's nae perfect, but I thought…" His words faltered under Caiden's piercing stare.
"Thought? Thought? Fool! Ye'll learn that trust is earned, and ye've squandered it in the worst fashion," Caiden spat, his patience snapping. He moved swiftly, tying Fowler securely with strong rope, ensuring the man could not follow or cause more trouble.
"Now ye'll stay here, bound, until I decide what to do with ye," Caiden said coldly, his voice like steel.
Further into the cavern, the sound of soft, frightened sobs reached him, and Caiden's heart clenched. He rounded a bend and froze, the sight nearly taking his breath away. There, cowering against the wall, was Arran, pale and trembling, wide-eyed with fear.
The boy's gaze locked on Caiden, and without hesitation, he ran forward, arms outstretched.
Caiden knelt quickly, scooping the child into his arms. "Arran! Laddie, ye're safe now. Ye daenae ken how much I've searched for ye," he murmured, holding him tightly.
The boy clung to him, tears streaming down his small face, his tiny fists pressing into Caiden's chest. Caiden's own fury melted into relief and tenderness as he felt the boy's heart racing against his own.
"Uncle, I was so frightened!" Arran sobbed into Caiden's shoulder, his small voice shaking. "I thought they'd never let me go!"
"Shh, laddie," Caiden soothed, rocking him gently. "Ye'll be fine now. They'll trouble ye nay more, I swear it with me life."
The weight of the boy's fear pressed against him, and for the first time in days, Caiden allowed himself a moment of pure, unguarded relief.
He held Arran close, scanning the cavern to ensure no threat remained, his mind already plotting their safe exit. Every step he had taken, every risk he had faced, was justified in this single embrace. The boy's trust, so complete and unquestioning, struck something deep in Caiden's heart, a reminder of what was truly worth fighting for. And in that moment, all the anger, all the pain, and all the fear that had gripped him seemed to vanish in the warmth of a child's relief.
It struck him like a blow: he could not allow those he loved to be vulnerable to the cruelties of the world. He remembered Maisie's words, her insistence that he wasn't cruel to those he cared for, and he knew now the truth in them. While his enemies cowered at his name, those he loved could trust him utterly, and that realization steadied his heart.
He shifted Arran carefully, hoisting him onto his hip so the boy could feel the solid strength of his protection. The path back to the castle was narrow and treacherous, but Caiden's resolve carried him swiftly forward, each step deliberate, each thought fixed on the safety of his small charge.
"Laird!" Eric ran toward him with the guards.
"Arran is safe. Fowler is tied in the cave. Take him to the dungeon. Find out all ye can about the bandits layin' slain in the cave," he ordered.
"Aye," Eric said and ran down the shore with the guards following.
As the castle walls grew closer, the anxiety that had twisted in his chest began to ease, replaced with a determination he had not known in years. Arran's small fingers clung to his tunic, grounding him to the reality of his responsibility.
When they reached the courtyard, Norah was there, eyes wide with fear that melted into relief as she rushed forward.
"Me bairn! Oh, sweet relief!" she shouted.
She wrapped Arran in her arms, holding him close to her body, and the boy buried his face in her shoulder with a sigh of safety.
Caiden remained still, watching the tender reunion, and for a moment, the harshness of the world felt far away, softened by the warmth of family and the simple relief of a child returned.
Norah's gratitude did not need words; her gaze said all that was necessary.
Caiden adjusted his cloak and said, "I shall return."
The boy's eyes were wide, searching Caiden's face, and a tremor ran through his small shoulders. "Where are ye goin'?" Arran asked.
Caiden's heart tightened at the fear in the boy's voice, but he crouched slightly so he could meet him eye to eye.
"I'm going to get Lady Maisie back, laddie," Caiden said, his voice steady, full of assurance. "Ye daenae need to be frightened. I'll bring her home, just as I brought ye."
