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Ten years later…

The open ocean was dappled in sunlight, making it look as though the water danced before them. Spray flew up and flecked the side of the small trading ship; the Redemption. The crew was hard at work manning the sails and looking out for potential dangers. The wild sea was filled with deadly creatures and snapping jaws that writhed and looked unholy. The sun was setting upon the horizon, and soon they would have to sail by stars, making the long voyage between Spain and Scotland to unload their wares and pick up other commodities to trade. Red streaked through the sky, as though a sword had cut through and made it bleed. The sail rippled in the wind, and the Redemption moved along at a quick pace. They were making good time, and should be back in Scotland a day or two before they were scheduled to arrive.

The captain was a strong man, a hard man. He stood at the prow of his ship, his eyes narrowed, peering into the distance as though he could see the future. His muscles were knotted, and his beard made him look fearsome, as though he was the devil of the waves. That’s what he had come to be known as by anyone who had crossed paths in battle with him. Word had spread, and pirates had soon shared the word that if they came upon the Redemption, they should not chance their luck because the captain was unmatched with a sword.

The captain peeled his eyes away from the horizon and walked across the deck, making sure that the men were all hard at work. He had forged a strong crew, loyal to a fault, and all willing to work hard.

“A good voyage it’s been, men,” he called out. “Ye hae earned yer coin, and if ye keep this up, there’ll be a bonus for ye when we return tae land.” This was met with a great cheer, and the promise of extra coin gave an added impetus for the crew to work harder. But there was one man who didn’t share in the joy. He stood on the port side of the boat, gazing down into the depths of the water. The captain approached him and stood by him.

“What are ye thinking about?” he asked. The man, named Monty, was a lean man with a thick black mustache shadowing his upper lip. His hair was thin on his scalp, and in his hand, he held a letter, which he held up.

“The past. All I hae lost,” he said. “I’m sorry, Cap’n, but I cannae stop thinking about my beloved Elsie and how she…how she…” His words broke into sobs, and he hung his head again. The captain placed his hand on the man’s back.

“Dinnae call me captain. Come, let us share some wine. For tonight ye can call me Ruairi.”

Monty nodded and looked surprised at the generosity of the captain. They walked across deck and into the captain’s chambers. The boat rocked gently as it soared across the water, but the sailors were experienced enough to move with the swaying motion of the ship. They went into Ruairi’s chambers, which were large and private. A map had been spread upon the table. Ruairi unlocked a cabinet and pulled out a glass bottle, pouring them both some exotic alcohol they had procured from a port in Spain.

“Tae yer wife,” Ruairi said. Monty’s story was a sad one.

“I cannae believe she’s gone,” Monty gasped, taking a long sip of the drink. It was bitter and left them both rasping, but it left a pleasant haze in their minds. Ruairi gestured to a seat, and the man sat down, looking awkward at being in the captain’s chambers.

“It must hae been a shock,” Ruairi said, remembering how devastated Monty had been when he had received the letter.

“Aye… I spent sae many nights thinking about our happy reunion. I made enough on this trip tae be able tae stay with her for a while. I always promised that I would give her a better life, a good life. That’s why I’m out here. I heard sae many men speak of finding fortune out at sea, and I thought…I just wanted tae treat her like a lady. But now…now she’s gone, and I was nae by her side. She must hate me.”

“I’m sure she doesnae,” Ruairi said solemnly. “She knew why ye were daeing this.”

“I should hae been there. I hae missed sae much time with them. Oh Cap’n, I dinnae know what tae dae. I hae spent my life out here when I should hae been spending it with her. I should hae been making a family. We always talked about having a few wee little ones. I told her that when I returned, I’d hae enough coin tae set up a business of our own, perhaps buy an inn somewhere, and we could settle down, but now I suppose I’ll stay out here forever. I hae no reason tae return tae Scotland again after I hae said my goodbye at her grave.”

It was a further sad thing that Monty would not be able to attend the funeral, for nobody would keep a dead body around for that long. His wife was going to be buried without her husband mourning her. The life of a sea trader could be a cruel and callous one; Ruairi knew that for sure. He had rarely been back home over the past ten years. Every so often, he would stop by to see his sister and bring his nephew a rare gift. Time passed, and they grew older, living their lives without him. It was as though he had a window into their lives, and they were never the same the next time he came back. He had bought a small patch of land in Spain where he stayed while the trading took place, but otherwise, he was on the Redemption, sailing the open sea. Life was exciting enough that he rarely thought of home, although speaking with Monty brought old feelings to the surface. He hadn’t shared much of his personal life with his crew, and certainly not that he was of noble origin. He was sure that some of them had speculated about his past, but he tried to convince them that he was as common as they were. After all, his titles meant nothing out here. The Calbraith clan was going from strength to strength in his absence, and he had formed a lucrative trading business.

It seemed as though his leaving had been best for everyone.

“Ye will be fine, Monty. I know it hurts now, but I can tell that yer heart is filled with a need tae love. Perhaps somewhere along the way, ye will find another lass, and ye can give her all the love that ye missed out on here. I’m sorry for keeping ye from yer wife.”

“Ye dinnae hae tae be sorry, Cap’n. It was my choice tae come here. I just wish I haed spent more time with them, that’s all. Life haes a habit of passing us by quickly, and we dinnae hae a chance of catching up.” Monty took another sip of the amber liquid, and it must have given him courage because he ventured a daring question. “Some of them hae been speculating about yer past, Cap’n. A lot of people think that ye were some kind of orphan because ye never speak about anyone ye care about. Nobody knows where ye gae when ye stop off in Scotland. Some people even think ye were raised by bears, on account of yer strength and all…”

“What is it ye wish tae ask me, Monty?” Ruairi said, silently amused at the ideas that sprang up from his men.

“Well…dae ye hae a family? Dae ye hae anyone ye care about? And how can ye bear tae be away from them for this long?”

Ruairi pursed his lips and considered the question. He brought his drink to his lips and let the stinging liquid settle on his tongue for a moment before he swallowed and felt the fire slide down the back of his throat.

“The truth is, Monty, that I never felt myself at home. It was only when I came out here that I found my place in the world.”

Ruairi wasn’t going to tell Monty about the mistake he had made all those years ago, nor was he going to reveal that he was in line to be the laird of a powerful clan. It was better for them to think of him as just the captain, and Ruairi was proud of this because it was an identity he had built for himself over years of hard work. It was something he had earned rather than been born into, and he was proud of the position he had found for himself.

Monty thanked him profusely for spending a wee bit of time with him, and Ruairi said that it was no problem. The man was in mourning, so a little bit of friendship with the captain would go a long way. Monty went back to staring into the ocean, thinking of his beloved, while Ruairi leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the table. He glanced at the map and followed the line all the way back to the Highlands, to home. Despite rarely setting foot in that place, he still thought of it as home. Speaking with Monty made him think about his family. Maura and Moira had at least been understanding about his reasons for wanting to be out at sea, but Niall had never understood properly. At first, he thought it was just a rebellious phase that Ruairi needed to get out of his system and that at some point, he would see sense and return home. The longer Ruairi stayed out at sea, the more Niall realized that this wasn’t just a phase, and he felt betrayed that Ruairi had chosen a life at sea over the life as Laird Calbraith.

Ruairi pushed the thoughts aside, though. Thinking about home only ever made him melancholy. He went back out on deck and felt the crisp air rushing through his hair. He clasped his hands together and watched the ship cut through the water. There was no place he would rather be.