"It is related."
"Well, ye must be happy then. The position ye obviously wanted is now free. I was surprised when ye told yer brother to think better about it. One would think ye would jump at the opportunity pretty quickly."
Gawain couldn't help the scowl that spread out of his lips. He had never portrayed himself to be that selfish. Was Scott deliberately insulting him? "I’m nae as self-centered as ye choose to see me. If I want something, I would rather work toward reaching it than fer it to be handed to me. I'll earn it so when I’ve it, people can talk about me hard work and not because someone simply handed it to me."
"Like the position of the laird? If what ye’re saying is what I think ye’re saying, then ye still believe ye should be in that study and nae yer brother. If I’m being honest, I agree with ye. Caillen lacks the experience and the proper decision-making skills a laird needs to have." Gawain stepped to a halt, spinning around with his hand on his dagger. Furious blue eyes held amused green ones as Scott raised his hands in surrender. "Have I struck a sore spot?"
"Watch what ye say about me brother. He’s me blood and me laird, and I’ll nae allow ye to insult him any further." Scott opened his mouth to talk but stopped when Gawain unsheathed his dagger.
"Oh...what a fine blade ye’ve there." Gawain narrowed his eyes as his grip on the hilt of his weapon tightened. Sharpened and polished until light could glisten off its curved blade, Gawain had earned the blade after he was ambushed by bandits one summer night in the forest.
As compensation for sparing their lives and knocking over his food, he plucked the dagger from the hand of one of them and went off to find another place to camp. He hardly used it on people as he had gotten used to using his limbs in fights, but Scott had provoked him. Scott chuckled before he stepped back from Gawain. "I mean nae disrespect. Me apologies if I came off as rude. It will nae happen again."
Gawain watched him for a moment before sheathing his weapon. "And me apologies if I overstepped me boundaries. As a clan member, I can make allow me laird to be disrespected. And as a brother, ye leave me no choice but to defend him. Nae one is perfect. Caillen has led the clan fer years after father passed on, and if he really did lack those things ye said then this clan would have fallen apart. I once made the mistake of trying to become what I was nae supposed to be, and I faced the consequences, but now, I’ve been given the grace to make amends, and I assure ye that the last thing on me mind is taking over me brother's position."
"But ye agree that ye’re more suited fer the job?"
"...I did train to become laird, but that doesnae mean I might have done better than Caillen. Me father and the elders chose him fer a reason. His current distress and disorderliness are only due to his frustration. His right-hand man is someone he trusts with his life, and that man was targeted and harmed right after fires were set to the food the clan had. A food shortage is sure to happen unless the farmers can hurry up, and even with that, things would still be a wee difficult. All of that is enough to stress a man out so please, excuse me brother if his actions are nae to yer liking. This is his clan after all and if ye do nae like how things are done by out Laird, ye may go back to yer clan."
Scott gave Gawain a small smile surprising the younger man. "I see. If ye do nae mind me asking since winter will soon be upon us, there is obviously no time fer yer farmers to start all over again and as ye said, a good shortage will obviously break out. How would ye fix that?"
"The clan has money. With what I’ve seen, me brother has allowed foreigners to go as far as settling down here. The tax paid to the keep had increased over the which means the clan is in nae way poor. Our best option would be to buy food from merchants."
"Merchants? Nae other clans?"
"Buying from other clans might expose the clan's predicament. We could get swindled, or the other clan might take advantage of us and attack. Buying from merchants is the surest way to get food into the clan before winter." Scott nodded before a small laugh escaped him as he turned around to hide his face. "Have I said something amusing?"
"Nae. Nae at all. I was just laughing at the mistake yer father made."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"I’m just saying that he gave the position to the oldest but nae the smartest. Trust me, Gawain. The best thing ye can do fer the clan at the moment is take that position of right-hand man, or yer brother will run this clan to the ground in a matter of weeks. If ye will excuse me, me wife must be looking fer me. Or ye? I cannae tell with that woman." Scott shot him a smile over his shoulder before walking away, leaving Gawain to his thoughts.
Gawain could only wonder what was going through Caillen's mind.
Chapter Nineteen
Gawain forced himself to continue toward his initial destination. He wanted to go back to see to his brother, take the position to ease Caillen's stress, but things would go downhill if the men did not agree with him. He shook his head, rubbing his left temple as he felt a slight ache start to bloom. He would deal with Caillen and his position when he was ready. If Caillen needed his advice, Gawain would give it but if he was not asked, he would not speak.
As Davinia had said, he had to be careful.
Gawain looked up and frowned at the said woman carrying a tray of food in her hands, staring at him before she beamed up at him. "You do nae look that happy to see me. Did yer brother say something wrong to ye again?" She stepped up to him, tilting to the side to press a kiss on his cheek. "Good morning, Gawain."
Gawain blinked before he straightened up, taking the tray from her with one hand and using the other to pull her closer to him as a giggle escaped her. "Good morning to ye as well though I hate to say, me morning had nae been going as I planned. From being rudely woken up by me maid and having to rush down to meet me brother, also with a puzzling conversation with Scott, ye’re the only one I’m actually happy to see."
"Ye did nae mention breakfast. Have ye eaten?"
"Unfortunately, nae. I was planning on getting something to eat in the village later." She raised a brow for him to continue. "Since Caillen made me the third in command, the village falls on me, but I need men. I’ve to gather men but with me reputation, I doubt it’ll be an easy task to do."
"I see." She bit the inside of her cheek as her eyes drifted away from his face for a second. "Do ye want to hear me piece?"
"Always."
"Hector has recently recruited some men. Just a week before yer arrival. It would be easier to go fer those men since they do nae ken the details of what happened that led to yer exile. And besides, they have been locked in the keep as mere watch guards, they would jump at any opportunity to do some active work."
"But will they be willing to work? Honestly work?"
"Aye. They are new, still excited about working just a few ranks under the laird. Hector has nae exposed them to the harsh battles, yet they still have their innocence and enthusiasm intact. They might be reluctant at first but it’ll be easier to lure them over then those who have been here for long enough."
