"Me lord, Sir Hector came to me the day Sir Gawain arrived and told me he needed me help in eliminating him. At first, he told me to use the pot, fill it with sand and throw it down at Sir Gawain and Miss Davinia while it was raining, but they escaped. Then he and Sir Scott called on me again, they said they needed me to start a small fire by the fields after the feasts, and I did it! Sir Hector's attack was caused by Sir Scott Sir Hector needed to have people raise their brows at Sir Gawain after the fire. He had Sir Scott attack him and—"
"What nonsense are ye saying?! Me lord, this girl is—"
"And why was Scott helping Hector?" Caillen cut Hector off. The man had started to fidget under the pressure, his feet shuffling back and forth, earning another snicker from Gawain.
"Sir Scott had said Sir Gawain was trying to have an affair with his wife while Sir Hector said Sir Gawain wanted to take his position in the clan as well as the affection of Miss Davinia. Ida was quick to find out the majority of the plan as she had been eavesdropping on Sir Gawain's order. Sir Scott had one of his men kill her while Sir Hector was still unconscious. Everything was planned by Sir Hector."
"She lies, me lord! I would never do such a thing. Ye have to believe me—"
"Gawain, if Hector speaks when he has nae been told to again, ye’ve me permission to shut him up." Caillen turned to his brother, who eagerly rushed away from Davinia's side to grab on to Hector's tunic, fist raised high.
"This is long overdue, Hector." Gawain's grin could almost split his face in half in Davinia's opinion.
"Erica," Caillen took back the attention of the majority. "I see why Hector and Scott committed these crimes, but why would ye assist them?"
Davinia watched with surprise when Erica reached for Caillen almost desperately, managing to launch herself to his chest. The force of the action sent Caillen to the ground though managing to prop himself up on his shoulders. Davinia and Emer rushed to his side when a pained hiss left his lips while the servant fisted the fabric of his shirt in her hands, face buried in his chest as she took long whiffs. "I did what I did fer ye, me lord. I did it fer us! Sir Hector, he made me a promise. He said after I help him get rid of his obstacle, he would help me get rid of mine. He said he would make sure ye married me after he had gotten Miss Davinia."
"I said nae such thi—!" Hector yelled when Gawain's fist met him straight in the face. A sickening crack made Davinia wince, her lips pulled back in disgust.
"Thank ye, Gawain." Davinia aided Emer and Caillen in peeling off the maid, who had started to get hysterical at the rejection she received from the Laird before the guards who had been watching Gawain's cell took her from them. For Davinia, it all made sense at that moment. The mastermind behind the unfortunate incidents that had taken place ever since Gawain's arrival was Hector himself. Hector, along with Scott and Erica, had manipulated the entire keep, the clan even to think Gawain was the criminal, but somehow, without having to do more than speak the truth, her Gawain had been vindicated. There would be a lot to sort about between him and his brother later, but she was sure Gawain could handle that, and she was ready to stick by his side no matter the decision he made.
Caillen lifted himself off the ground with the help of his wife, and Davinia could say she had never seen the look Caillen gave Hector in his eyes before. It was safe to say the Laird was angry. "Hector...I trusted ye. I believed that of all people, ye would never betray me. I even chose ye over me own flesh and blood!" Hector had his head bowed, Gawain still holding on to him. "Out of silly jealousy, ye plotted against me brother, tried to kill him, set fire to the clan's food, stole the clan's deeds, and ye even murdered an innocent lass. Ye pinned every time on me brother, and ye were ready, waiting to see him executed. How dare ye!" Caillen drew his sword, and Gawain immediately stepped back, letting Hector fall to his knees, cowering before his Laird as the blade rested on the nape of his neck. Davinia, frightened at the turn of events, hurried over to Gawain, who dutifully tucked her behind him. She had never experienced the laird's full anger, those who have said nothing good about it, and this made her worry. Was Hector going to get immediately executed? She got her answer when Caillen turned around, pointing his sword at the guard's that held on to the wailing servant. "Lock them up and bring me Scott I do nae care what ye do to him. I only want him alive. Do nae harm a hair on his wife's head even if yer life depends on it, am I understood?" The guards replied with a chorus of 'aye' before getting into their assigned tasks.
No one spoke until the guards were out of the dungeon on their way to find the wanted guest, Hector and Erica, locked in two different cells. Davinia could see Hector's face buried in his hands where he sat unmoving while Erica had thrown herself against the cell doors repeatedly. Her confession of her undying love fer another woman's husband was like a mantra on her lips. Davinia heaved a sigh of relief. How the tables had turned. Only an hour ago, it was Gawain in that cell, fighting against the cold while she had been screaming her head off for Hector, to tell the truth in the laird's study.
Caillen sheathed his sword as he turned to Davinia and Gawain, "I’ve greatly wrong ye, brother."
"Brother?" Gawain scoffed. "I thought Hector occupied that position."
"...I deserve that. I deserve any insult or blow ye direct at me. I do nae ken how to properly apologize to ye fer the rift I let people build between us."
"Nae, ye do nae have to apologize fer anything. In fact, nae one has to apologize fer anything. I’ve made me decision nae to stay in the clan any longer. I ken when I’m nae wanted, especially when it has been made blatantly clear to me so many times. I hold nae grudge against he or the clan, brother. I just do nae see the reason I’ve to stay here any longer." Davinia felt weak in the knees at Gawain's words. He had asked her even before this mess started if she would leave with him. She could not give an answer then but now…
"Gawain, please. Do nae be so hasty to make such decisions? I misjudged ye, Emer misjudged ye, the clan, the elders and even father, misjudged ye." Caillen moved closer to his brother. "Even Flora spoke so highly of ye. She said she knew ye always had the clan's best interest in ye even when I returned and I was given the title of Laird. Anyone would be angry if such a thing happened to them. Even I would do something like that, but even though ye were angry, Flora said ye never once wished any ill upon the clan. I ken I’ve nae right to say this now, and I completely understand if ye refuse even though I’ll beg ye to accept it. Gawain, I want to rule this clan with ye by me side."
Gawain looked back at Davinia, who gave a small nod. As much as she loved Gawain, she did not want to leave the clan. She had her whole life there, she had her sister and the rest of her family, and Davinia was reluctant to leave. She also knew Gawain's decision to leave was solely because he was still upset. Gawain cared for his calm and his brother. She knew Gawain would always find it difficult to leave.
"I’ll think about it." Caillen beamed at his brother's response before nodding. "Even if I agree, ye’ve to promise me a few things. One, I do nae want ye or yer wife meddling in Davinia and my relationship. What we do with ourselves is completely our business, and it’ll stay that way. Second, I want to be the one to deliver Ida's body to her family. I only knew her fer a few days, but she grew on me. She was a kind soul who never once judge me despite what she had heard. I recall her saying she would rather hear what happened from me before she would take a stand. Third, if ye’re adding a public lashing to Hector's punishments, allow me to be the one who does it. He roughened up me woman and even bruised her. I refuse to accept it, and if I do nae avenge her now, I’ll chase him in the afterlife just to see if he can die a second time."
Caillen heaved a sigh but nodded. "I think Emer and I can agree that ye and Davinia do love each other. We were wrong to try to shape yer lives. ‘Tis years, nae ours. I’ve nae issues with ye going to give Ida's body with her family and as ger Hector." All even turned to the man who had curled up in a corner of the cell much like Gawain had earlier. "Aye, there will be a public lashing fer him and Erica. I cannae so such a thing to Scott, but I’ll be sending him back with a clear message that he’s nae longer welcome on our lands. In addition to Hector and Erica's punishment, Erica will be sent away from the keep seeing as she was just still the messenger for Hector. On the other hand, Hector will be banished, exiled far away from the clan that if he ever shows his face again, he will be executed."
"Then it is settled, I’ll stay, but I’m content with me position as the third in command. The villagers like me, and I’m just starting to gather up me men. There is a lot I want to fix and change in the village, and I’ll take over the position of the second in command when I’m satisfied with me job." Caillen nodded before turning to his wife, leaving Gawain to Davinia. "Ye saved me, ye ken. Thank ye."
"Nae." Davinia shook her head as his hands slipped down to rest on her waist, a soft smile rested on her lips. "I did nothing. All I did was stick to me promise."
"Still, thank ye." Gawain leaned down for a kiss, and she gladly welcomed it. "Ye took on so much fer me, nae regular person would do that for just anyone."
"Well, ye’re nae just anyone. Ye," She stood on her tiptoes to peck the tip of his nose. "Are the man I love, and I’ll never stop fighting fer ye. I love ye, Gawain."
And possibly for the first time, as Davinia could recall, a deep red blush crept up Gawain's face while his face split in a toothy grin. "I love ye as well, Davinia."
Epilogue
Davinia let out a deep breath after her corset was finally strung. The unforgiving material pressed tight against her skin, sure to leave its angry mark on her, but still, she was satisfied with the way she looked in the full mirror in her dress. The servants who had laced and tied up her corset stepped back, lovely smiles on their faces as they hurried out of the room for her sister, who came to a stop next to her, the mirror capturing both their reflections.
"Ye look beautiful, sister."
Of course, she had to. It was her wedding day, after all.
