"I think father was tougher on ye because I—"
"There! A guard." Gawain pulled his brother back under the shade of a stall. "The morning market is about to end. People are packing up for the next batch of traders. The whole place will be in disarray, and an argument is sure to break out."
"But is it nae the guard's job to settle dispute?"
"Aye, but nae when they are the one starting the dispute. Just watch." Gawain covered his face properly with his hood as his brother leaned against his shoulder, both patiently waiting for the prophesied fight. They did not have to wait long as a fidgeting horse, an impatient guard, and a spice stall were not very safe to be around each other.
Gawain saw it clear as day. The guard had startled his horse by slapping its flank quite harshly, sending the mare into a panic. She kicked in an attempt to throw off her rider but knocked over a few trays of spice instead. The trader, a small-looking foreigner, was simply not having it as he flew into a rage with the guard. It was an argument between two annoyed men who were not about to back down for each other. It was exactly what Gawain needed his brother to see.
"The guard should be able to calm the trader down, Caillen. This is his fault if we look at it properly. Anyone would be angry if their wares were ruined by a guard." Caillen hummed in agreement.
"Let us wait fer a while longer. I want to give my guard the benefit of the doubt. Even we while growing up were taught that the people were to always come first." Gawain settled back down, and they watched both men exchange words until the guard grabbed the trader by the front of his shirt, then they sprang into action with Gawain getting to the scene first. He was able to hold back the guard's arm before it went down on the trader's face. Caillen stayed mingled in the crowd.
"That is enough, mate. Hitting a villager is nae how ye were trained." The guard snatched his arm back before turning to face Gawain.
"And who are ye to tell me what to do? I serve directly under the Laird!" Gawain scoffed before pulling up his hood, not missing how the guard's eyes widened. Gawain was attacked by the instant whispers and murmurs of the crowd. The guard staggered back in laughter. "Ye? A traitor dares to stand up to me?"
"Well, in the hierarchy of this clan, I’m still higher than ye, traitor or nae. I ken the watch guards are trained to help and nae terrorize the villagers and foreigners. I witnessed a scene a few days back, similar to this, and I’ve realized that ye simply bully these people because of yer position. Yer abuse yer power and—"
"What I do with me position should be none of yer—"
"Do nae cut me off when I talk. Other than it being insubordination, it is simply rude." The guard drew his sword and pointed it at Gawain, causing an uproar in the crowd.
"I dare ye to keep talking. I shall do the Laird and the clan a favor and get rid of ye fer good." Gawain said nothing but raised his hands, spreading out his cloak.
"As ye can see. I’m unharmed. Will ye strike down a defenseless man?” Gawain spread out his arms to his side, exposing his body to the fuming guard. “That is cowardice if I’m nae mistaken." Gawain's lips curled into a teasing smirk.
"Were ye castrated as a child?" The guard lurched forward, sword raised, but Gawain stepped out of the way, and the guard stumbled.
To Gawain’s surprise, some of the villagers who had gathered around help him to his feet. He looked around him and saw their faces. They weren’t cheering for him even though he was fighting for them. He could see that their support was with the guard.
The guard recovered quickly and charged once more, backed by the cheers of the hateful crowd. In his charge, the guard anticipated Gawain's evasion but was left stunned when Gawain kicked his sword out of his hand just as he got close enough. The crowd seemed disappointed.
The weapon fell at the feet of the crowd, and Gawain feared that anyone would pick it up and returned it to his attacker. Or worse, stab him from behind. Caillen must have known this as well. Gawain saw him hurry to pick up the sword, and some people reached for it. Caillen tucked it in his cloak as he continued to watch the guard charge at his brother, fists clenched. Not wanting to harm anyone, Gawain dodged the punch once more but this time kicking the guard's knee to force him to his knees. A small cloud of dust formed where he fell, and it rose to blind the guard temporarily.
While the guard fidgeted with his eyes, Gawain pushed down on his shoulders with enough strength to make getting up difficult. "I do nae want to hurt ye, but if ye come at me in such a manner again, I’ll be forced to attack. Please, fer yer own sake, stay down. If ye get up, I'll put you down on yer back, and it’ll hurt, I promise you." Gawain got into a stance allowing the guard to scramble to his feet, turning around to face his superior.
The guard pointed a shaking finger at Gawain, his face and eyes reddened, and the veins in his forehead bulged under his skin. "Ye...ye will pay fer this disgrace!" Searching about him, he found another guard who had joined the circle of onlookers. He drew a basket-hilted broadsword from his side and launched again.
Gawain poised to defend himself, but Caillen stepped in.
Chapter Ten
Caillen took off his hood, earning a series of gasps from the crowd. Separating himself from the crowd, he moved toward his brother and the guard. Unlike Gawain, the people had more than a good thing to say about his brother. Though he tried to brush it aside, Gawain remembered when people had something good to say about him. In all honesty, he had expected nothing less than to be pelted with stale food.
"That's enough now. I’ve seen more than enough to pass judgement." Caillen addressed the crowd first. "Me people, me sincere apologies that it has been a while that I’ve been amongst ye. If I had done better, I would have noticed the ill-treatment of the guards toward ye instead of me brother who I’ve made me left hand pointing it out to me. If nae fer his persistence, I would never ken me men were abusing me people in such a manner." Caillen shot the offending guard a nasty glare as his lips curled into a scowl. "And I assure ye, this one will be punished to warn the others of the consequences of what will happen when ye abuse ye power. As he seems used to beating people up in public, I think it is only fair that the same be done to him." The crowd cheered as loud as they could just as the guard fell to his knees, begging for the laird's mercy but even he knew he was past that.
In the background, Gawain smiled. Caillen had acknowledged him in front of the clan. There was a small chance when he got to work, people would not be as hard in him as they would have been without his brother’s acknowledgement. Apart from that, he was glad that he fixed something in the clan. It was small, easily looked over even, but it made the people happy.
Caillen continued, “Do nae thank me, nae should ye praise me fer I would have never found out about this unjust treatment if nae fer me brother. If there is anyone ye will thank, it should be him. Me brother will be me eyes and ears in the village. If ye’ve any complaint whatsoever, please talk to him. I’ll also urge ye to make his work easier by cooperating with him. We all make mistakes in life. The thing that matters is if we can learn and grow from them. I’ve learned and grown from me mistakes, ye’ve grown and learned from yer mistakes, and so has me brother. I can only ask of ye to make his job amongst the people easier."
The crowd naturally agreed with their leader, but Gawain thought their cheers were a bit hesitant this time around. Forced even, like they did not want to fall on the laird's bad side. Gawain did not mind. He pondered on a way to assure them he was on their side as he took his leave with his brother.
It did not take long for the news that Sir Gawain was the Laird's third in command to spread. It was certainly enough for daily gossip and members of high rank who had been expecting the position. By the end of the day, when the two men arrived back at the castle, Gawain was sure he had gotten his full of insulting whispers. News of their visit to the village had reached the castle, and the first person they ran into was Hector, who looked like he was about to lay an egg.
"Sir, Gawain! Milord, why did ye nae tell me ye were going into the village. Ye should have taken me with ye, those men are my men, and I’m ashamed ye found the torn hole in me tunic." Hector in Gawain's eyes was close to groveling, which was attracting unwanted eyes on them. Gawain spoke first, wanting to leave as fast as he could.
"‘Tis nae yer fault, Hector." Hector looked up at Gawain as he started speaking, his eyebrows furrowing into a frown while his jaw visibly clenched. Gawain only smiled at this reaction. Hector may consider this an attempt to undermine him, but Gawain hoped he would see that he was only doing his job. Gawain pushed on, "There was nae way ye could have found out about the atrocities some bad apples committed in the village as ye’re also busy with the security of the castle. Ye even oversee the servant's, which is more than ye should be doing, so please, do nae fault yerself. We are only human, Hector, and we can only see as far as our eyes will let us." Hector got to his feet with a shaky breath, forcing a tight smile at Gawain.
