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The wax melted in swollen drips. The flame flickered, and the black wick glowed. From the windows, Niall could still hear the people of his clan celebrating, while in his arms, his wife rested. Strands of red hair spread across his chest as her head nestled in the crook of his neck. He idly stroked her arm, enjoying the soft feeling of her skin, while the rhythm of her breathing lulled him into a relaxed state. The room was quiet, and for the first time in a long time, he was able to rest properly.

“It seems as though they’re still haeing fun,” he said, his voice low and quiet, as though he did not want to disturb the peace.

“Mmhmm,” Tovie murmured, keeping her eyes still.

“I’m glad everyone welcomed us. I’m glad that everything worked out without any trouble,” he added.

Tovie looked up at him, her eyelids cracking open, revealing the beautiful emerald glow of her eyes. They were heavy with tiredness and wine. Her lips curled into a smile. She draped an arm across his body, her hand resting on his stomach. It was such soothing intimacy, and it hadn’t taken his body as long to get used to it as he had assumed it would.

“There is something I’ve been wanting tae talk tae ye about, though,” Tovie said.

The skin in between Niall’s eyebrows crinkled as he looked down at her, wondering what could have been playing on her mind that she had not told him about. Tovie was a straightforward woman, and usually if there was something troubling her, she would say it outright.

“Is there something that concerns ye?” he asked.

“Nae a concern, really. I just think it’s important that we talk about the future of the clan now that it’s been unified. I always wanted tae be a part of the decision-making with Fraser, but he never bothered tae listen tae my ideas. All he wanted tae focus on was war,” she said with a shake of the head, and her words rode a frustrated sigh. “Fighting was all that concerned him. Everything went intae fighting bandits and making weapons and protecting the land from any villains, but of course, eventually, those villains were defeated and there was no reason tae hae an army at all. I tried tae tell him that in order to grow, the clan needed tae explore other avenues and make different alliances, but he would nae listen. He could never see past his own desires.”

“Aye, that sounds like him,” Niall said, breathing heavily. “Sometimes I wish I haed never left. I feel as though the clan would be in a better position if I haed stayed.”

“But ye cannae know that. Sae ye agree with me?”

“Aye. I hae seen how much ye care about the people, Tovie. From the moment I met ye, I haed known that all ye want is tae make the clan a better place. I still remember the look on yer face when ye realized that ye were nae gaeing tae be able tae make decisions for the clan.”

Tovie scowled. Perhaps it was better not to remind her of that moment. Niall had swaggered in arrogantly, and perhaps if he could have gone back, he would have acted differently.

“I was all ready tae take command. Ye took that away from me.”

“Well, I’m nae gaeing tae stand in yer way again. While I remember the lessons my father taught me when I was young, I’m the first tae admit that I hae been away for a long time. It’s only right that ye should hae a say in the direction of the clan. Fraser haed neglected its progress. War is only one part of life. What ideas dae ye hae?”

Tovie adjusted her position to make it easier for her to speak. She leaned on her elbow and rested her head in her palm, seeming to sober up as she explained her ideas.

“Fraser put sae many people tae work making weapons, and there’s no need for them all. We really need tae sell a lot of them and then turn our attention tae making things people can actually use. The smiths and masons here are talented, and they’re being wasted with just making swords and spears and the like. Fraser was also reluctant tae make trade deals with nearby settlements and villages. I think he was afraid that they would somehow take advantage of us. There was no trust with him.

“We should share our resources more and trade what we hae, building up trust in the region. The one thing he was right in was the hunting parties. There’s no shortage of meat thanks tae them, sae that doesnae need changing. I think we should send messengers tae the nearest towns tae speak tae the merchants there and get them tae visit us. If they know that we’re willing tae spend our coin on more than weapons, they’re more likely tae come. Eventually, we could be the location for a market, and people can visit us from all around. Aside from hosting the merchants, we could also sell our own wares and raise some more income this way. I know it’s gaeing tae be a lot of work, but I think it will really pay off in the long run,” she said.

Niall gazed into her eyes as she spoke, and it was as though he could feel himself falling in love with her all over again. He smiled and kissed her, which was not exactly the reaction she was expecting.

“I assume ye like the ideas?” she said.

“I think they’re grand, and I cannae believe that my brother didnae appreciate everything ye hae tae offer. Ye dinnae just hae a beautiful body or soul, but a beautiful mind tae. Ye are a canny lass, and I know that the clan is gaeing tae be much better off with ye guiding it. I’m sure there will be no problem implementing these ideas. I’ll speak tae the elders taemorrow sae they can think about all the finer details. I suppose ye will want tae be a part of these messengers who visit the other villages?”

Tovie tilted her head from side to side. “It only makes sense. I dinnae think ye should be the only one who gets tae see the world. I hae always wanted tae travel, after all,” she said.

Niall smiled and nodded. He wanted to give her all the things she desired and make up for the cruel treatment she had suffered at the hands of his brother. He could never erase that from her past, and he could never make it right, but he thought that if he loved her enough then it might at least cause some justice in the world. He wondered if she felt the same about his pain. They had both suffered in life, and in part, it was this pain that had brought them together.

He gathered her in his arms and pulled the sheets over them again. They laughed and murmured with delight at the thought of the future they were going to create together, both for the clan and for each other.

* * *

Morning had arisen. The candle had burned down to its wick and left a glistening, glassy pool of liquid behind. Sunlight streamed through the window as Niall opened it to the outside world. Tovie murmured and moaned, turning her head away from the light and burying it in a pillow. The sheets of the bed were draped across her body, and she was clearly not ready to rise yet. Niall chuckled to himself and decided to let her sleep, descending the stairs of the castle to fetch some breakfast.

People were still cleaning from the previous night, and some bleary-eyed people had not slept at all. They all smiled at him, and he laughed again. It truly felt as though a new day had dawned in his life, and the future seemed sweeter than it ever had before. It was still a shame that there were so many people who would never get the opportunity to enjoy this period of prosperity, but he hoped he could live well enough for them to be at peace in the afterlife.

His smile widened when he saw people from the separate clans laughing and sharing conversation together. It was clear that friendships had been made during the celebration, bonds that would not easily be broken. All the fears he had of the clans never being able to come to an understanding, of being an intruder in the place of his birth, had been unfounded. He had no idea how many of them knew the truth of his brother’s nature, but perhaps enough of them knew to understand that his ways of war were never going to lead the clan into a better future.

Niall went to visit the elders, who were standing in their small chamber. They greeted him with a nod and congratulated him on the success of the celebrations.

“Aye, I’m glad they went well. There is no time for rest, though. During my time here, I hae learned that my brother didnae take care of the future of the clan. I hae been talking tae Tovie, and she haes some good ideas about what we can dae tae increase our influence and wealth in the area.” He was about to continue when he noticed the elders glancing at each other. “Is there something wrong?” he asked.

“Well, it’s just that I would hardly think that lass haes good ideas for the clan,” one of the elders said. “She’s just a wee girl, after all. It was a mercy ye returned. I dinnae know what we would hae done if she haed become laird.”

Niall felt anger rise within him. His eyes narrowed. “That ‘wee lass’ is my wife, and she is more capable than ye might think. If I haed nae come back, the clan would hae been in good hands because she does something that my brother never did: she cares about the people here. I will nae hae any bad words said against her.” He thrust out a finger and jabbed it in the air toward them. “I may be the man, but that doesnae mean I know better than Tovie. I trust her, and ye should tae. Ye are gaeing tae take direction from her and dae whatever she says because she haes the best interests of this clan at heart, and ye will dae sae with respect. If I ever hear any of ye speaking about her like that again, then ye will suffer the same fate as my brother!”

Niall embraced the wildness that had become a part of him during his time away from the clan. Anger flared within his eyes, and his voice became a growl. He didn’t have any real intention of carrying out his threat, but the elders didn’t need to know that. All they needed to know was that he was capable of anything, and he wasn’t going to stand by and listen to his wife being insulted. Fraser’s greatest failing was being unable to understand what a precious prize had been gifted to him, and Niall was not going to make the same mistake. He knew well how fleeting and tragic love could be, and with Tovie, he was never going to waste a moment.

He sat there with the elders and told them all of Tovie’s ideas and that it was their duty to implement them, and they obeyed him without question. Niall was not going to allow anyone to disrespect Tovie again. He spun on his heel and left the elders behind, determined that if they should so much as reject Tovie’s ideas, he would see them replaced swiftly. This was a new dawn for the clan, and the old ways had to be relinquished.