Page 77 of My Scarred Laird
CALLUM
After the king left, Callum made plans with Islay, Egan and a good twenty men to go to the new keep.
It was called Boltanguard Stronghold.
Callum was a little nervous. Though his people were more accepting of him, and were actually kind to him as of late, he didn’t wish to make others afraid of him.
But since the king gave him the other keep, it was now under his protection and he needed to make certain the people who lived there were taken care of, had enough to eat, and had the protection of his army.
A good handful of his men were all too happy to stay at this new keep and have a chance to see new things and meet new people.
Callum was thrilled for them as well. He wanted good people to go to this new keep with him, and knowing there were a lot who relished the opportunity, it was a good thing.
He was grateful also that the King had taken Gemma and Talitha into his custody to be tried for treason in England.
Callum felt for them, but not enough to try to save them. They had wanted him gone and had helped Angus to conspire against him and helped turn his own people against him.
They were getting their just rewards.
Callum went to his solar, finding Islay with a massive pile of herbs and other plants piled up on his desk.
She was working to press some, dry others and to preserve them to use when they got to the other keep.
She didn’t want to go unprepared and knew there had to be people there that needed her help.
He watched as she crushed some of the plants into a mortar bowl, and she blew a lock of her hair out of her face.
She must have sensed him, because she looked up at him, then a smile overtook her beautiful face.
“Hello there, my husband.”
He walked over to her, “Hello there, wife. How do ye fare this day?”
She looked at the mess she had made of his desk, and he smiled, “Doona stress abou’ this. I ken it is good for ye ta have the room ta make your medicants.”
She nodded, “Aye. I have run low on a lo’ of these plants when I tried ta help my own people with the sickness tha’ overtook our keep and village. I wasna able ta save mos’ of them.”
He kissed her, “I ken ye tried your best, though. Sometimes ye canna save everyone.”
She nodded, “Aye. Ye are correct. I just hope no one needs tae much help. I would be so sad if I kenned someone needed my help and I wasna able ta get ta them.”
He smiled, “My healer wife. Such a soft heart.”
She kissed him, “Aye.”
He left her to work, doing what he needed to so that they could leave within a sennight.
* * *
It tooktwo days to ride to Callum’s new keep. He hoped he could find a good steward to help keep the castle running when he was back at his own keep.
He knew he shouldn’t have accepted the responsibility of a new keep, but no one else could have done it.
Tague, Tavish and Malcolm had tagged along to see how the people fared, and they also pledged to send some of their men so that this new keep wasn’t left without a good army.
Egan rode beside Callum, and Islay rode on the other side on her huge steed, and Callum appreciated that the animal was a good one. Not going too fast, or too slow.
It kept pace with Callum’s war stallion and was well-trained.
