Gawain reached out to help her, but she stepped away from him, pulling his blanket off the bed to cover up her back before she rushed out of the room.
* * *
A tense silence descended on the brothers with Gawain clenching his hands as not to throw a tantrum at his brother’s interference. Of all the times his brother could have chosen to barge into his chambers, why did it have to be at that moment. He had to find Davinia and apologize to her. Caillen turned to his brother, who hadn't bothered to cover himself up, and frowned, turning his nose up at him.
"I do nae barge into ye space like that, brother." Gawain challenged, sliding off the bed to pick up his discarded breeches.
"Me apologies. I should have knocked." Caillen looked back at the direction Davinia had run toward. "Emer would nae like her sister with ye."
"Davinia is nae Emer. Davinia can make her own decisions."
"Aye, but ye should stop her when ye ken things would get out of hand. That is nae why I’ve come here. I cannae find Hector."
"What do ye want me to do about it? The man is probably off somewhere doing heavens kens what. Ye should have nae bothered me fer that. Excuse me, I’m going to look fer Davinia."
"It would be best to leave Davinia alone fer now. Hector is just as important to the clan as I’m. He’s missing, and I’ve had his men go back to look fer him, but they cannae find him. Did ye nae see him?"
Gawain shrugged on his tunic before focusing on his panicked brother, a frown etched onto his features. Hector was no child. He could come back when he wanted. Caillen did nae have to throw this much of a fit just to find one man. "Nae. We worked in different parts. If I recall correctly, ye assigned him to the granaries while I took half of the fields. Ye were also at the granaries. Ye should ken where he is."
"If I did, I would nae be this worried! I’m nae settled about this matter. I’ve a bad feeling, Gawain. Ye do nae think someone has harmed him?"
"Caillen, I would nae ken. Hector will turn up later. Go to bed. I’m going to look fer Davinia. Ye scared her off, thank ye very much." Gawain replied, sarcasm thick in every word, but Caillen was not having it
"Nae. Nae one sleeps until Hector is found. This is me right-hand man, fer crying out loud. He’s an extremely important person who kens majority if nae all the clan's secret. I want him found Gawain. Report to me study now."
Gawain was more than annoyed as he begrudgingly followed behind his brother toward his study. Hector was nae a child. He could find his way back, and even if the man was missing, how was it his business? Caillen was throwing a fit, everyone knew to stay clear, but his reaction to Hector's disappearance only annoyed Gawain further.
Arriving at the study, he met Scott, who looked even more annoyed, along with a guard who kept his distance from the three men. " Gawain, this is Wal. He was among the men that Hector led. He said everyone was preoccupied, but by the end of the fire, Hector was nowhere to be found. Thinking he had come back to the castle, he led the men back to give their report." Caillen sat behind his desk, hands crossed over his chest. "Hector never came back to the castle because if he had, be would have come straight to me like ye and Scott did."
"Aye, considering he had more men, he should have finished faster than us. Ye two were together, so ye should have run into him. This leaves us to think either Hector absconded or he’s currently in danger."
"He’s obviously in danger!" Caillen shot up to defend Hector, which Gawain rolled his eyes at. "Hector would never betray the clan. I’m sure of it. Gawain, what do ye think?"
"I do nae ken what ye want me to say. I do nae think Hector absconded or is in danger. Perhaps he felt now need to report and went to bed. I’m sure by the marrow; he will show up." Scott nodded in agreement.
"Nae! His chambers were searched, his home in the village was searched, nothing came up. I’ve a bad feeling about this Gawain. Ye!" Caillen turned to the guard who flinched. "Gather the men available and bring them here."
"But me lord, majority already retired and—"
"I did nae ask fer yer excuses! I asked ye to bring me men to me." The guard scurried out to carry out his order leaving Gawain shocked at his brother. Never had he expected Caillen to act like that for Hector or all people. Hector was a guard, he was just someone that Caillen favored enough to make Hector his right-hand man.
"Caillen, perhaps ye’re overreacting a wee too much. Hector is surely fine wherever he’s and—"
"Nae, Gawain. Hector is nae fine. I ken something is wrong, and the last thing I want is the man who kens everything about the clan spilling secrets because he was captured."
"But do ye nae think Hector might be off on his own somewhere. He’s a man who can take care of himself, brother. Ye are overreacting and snapping at everybody for Hector's sake.
"Well, Hector is diligent at his work, pardon me fer worrying about a hard worker!" Gawain stepped back, his annoyance visible on his face at Caillen's words. Why had they stung him more than they should? But he was ready to put it aside. Caillen was worried, Gawain would let it go until Hector was found.
The guard soon returned with a generous amount of men who were not too pleased with being woken up after the fire, but they had to heed their laird's call. Caillen stepped into the foyer to properly address them. "Men, ye’ve me apologies fer waking ye up after the hard work ye all did earlier. I too wish I could be asleep by now, but we have pressing matters to attend to. Do signify by stepping to the left if ye worked with Hector during the fire. If ye worked with me, step to the right." Gawain watched with an uninterested gaze as the men messily arranged themselves into their groups. "If ye worked with Hector, did any of ye see him on yer way back?" He got no response. "Nae one saw him? Nae one at all? What about my men. Did ye at least see him on yer way back?" The men gave no reply, and Scott let out a frustrated sigh.
"Well, Hector is missing. He had nae been seen ever since the fire, and I want ye to look fer him. I want ye to fan out into the village and the castle, even the surrounding areas in search of him. I also want ten and five men to stay behind. Five will go with Gawain, five with Scott, and five with me. We have to search fer him too, and even if it means going into other clans, am I understood?" He was met with a chorus of 'Aye' before his men scattered.
"Caillen, all I want ye to ken is that I’m nae riding into another clan fer the sake of yer lackey. I’ll search fer him but only within this clan." Gawain spat out, earning a raised eyebrow from his brother.
"And why are ye so reluctant to help find Hector?"
"Perhaps I ken this is a waste of time and that he will turn up eventually."
