23
Jack couldn’t keep his heart steady. He was in a good mood the entire day and his men noticed this even during the training on the fields.
“Tighten yer stance,” he ordered the new recruits, then took out his sword and attacked one of them without warning. They fought, turned around and clashed blades until he maneuvered the young lad and made him drop his sword. “Ye just lost yer head,” Jack told him. “Ye must move quick else ye die.”
“When ye fight the enemy, ye must never hesitate. When ye fight any enemy, even if it is me, yer Laird, ye must never hesitate.”
He attacked the next guard, and they fought until the guard stuck the sharp end of his sword toward Jack’s abdomen. “Very good,” Jack complimented the lad. “Ye learn fast.”
The training went on for hours. He felt energetic and light today and he knew he could do this for hours unending. Jack could tell his brother and cousin were exhausted.
Aideen had his hands on his waist while he watched, but Elliot was not having it. He had found a spot to sit on the ground and relax while watching. Jack enjoyed his training sessions more than anything. Besides being with Isla, they were the best part of his day.
It was a chance to flex his muscles and practice his skill. He had always been good at swordsmanship since he was young, and he had started his training when he was five-and-ten.
He could never forget his first lesson with his father. Learning the skill had come easy for him and that had made his father proud.
“That will be all for today,” Jack announced and dispersed the men before he walked over to his cousin and brother.
He dropped his hand on Aideen’s shoulder and grinned. “Exhausted?”
“Yer energy is unmatchable today, My Laird,” Aideen answered. “Ye act as refreshed as man whose been charmed by a lass.”
“My brother’s definitely a very happy man these days,” Elliot teased as he joined them. “Look, he even smiles like one. He is the happiest these days. It is true that being betrothed is one way to make a man happy.”
“Do ye both question my happiness now, or would ye rather me be the sulkin’ laird who is never pleased?”
“Of course not,” Elliot answered. “I like ye so much better when ye arenae grumpy, Brother.”
They laughed, and Jack rubbed his hair before he raised his head to sky and sighed. “It’s a beautiful day for a hunt,” he said. “What do ye think? We can go out ridin’ past the village and hunt ourselves some meat for dinner.”
“As much as I would love to bring down a large red deer myself, My Laird, I must remind ye that ye have a council meetin’ this afternoon.” Aideen reminded him as they walked toward the Castle. “The men want to meet with ye concernin’ the issues at the borders. We are yet to pay our dues to our neighbors controlling the border.”
“I will have them paid,” Jack answered. “We have the gold. We can afford to pay some damn merchants.”
They entered the Castle and Jack saw Jamie then. He motioned for him to approach then said, “Send men to Calloway to pay the merchants what they’ve asked so they let our ships in through the waters. Have the village head in Onich deliver these shipments to the Castle himself.”
Jamie bowed and left to carry out Jack’s request, so Jack turned to his cousin. “See? Handled… now, would ye join in the hunt?”
“Not quite yet, Brother,” Elliot interrupted this time and Jack nearly rolled his eyes.
It was the first time in his life he wanted to do something different. He longed to spend time out in the fields hunting, not because it was some momentous event, but because he felt like being free.
“What is it this time?”
“The councilmen also ask for yer weddin’ plans. It’s been weeks since the betrothal feast, the people are hungry for a weddin’. They want to see their Laird and his Lady Wife speak their sacred vows in front of the Gods and make children with haste.”
“Ye all urged me to find a lass to betroth and I have done that. Now ye urge that I hasten my marriage plans?”
Jack laughed at his brother's statement, and his cousin joined him.
“Naythin’ I do can ever be enough for the councilmen can it?”
“Ye are Laird, Brother,” Elliot answered as he laughed. “A lot is expected of ye still.”
“All right, all right… announce that the weddin’ will happen in a three fortnights,” he said without thinking. He just needed everyone to back off a bit.
“That is too long, My Laird,” his cousin said.