Page 33 of The Bells of Triumph
11
WHISPERS IN THE TOWER
Seamus wasn't entirely sure where he was going, only that he needed to put distance between the war room and himself. He needed a better perspective. So he climbed the steps of the tallest tower in Glenkirk. He passed window after window as the stairs wound around themselves. For a moment, he felt as though he was going nowhere. But then something just outside the window caught his attention.
Inching closer, Seamus pressed his face against the glass, peering outside. He scanned the view; the village that lay below him, the peaceful river rolling alongside it, and in the distance, Murray Castle. It was particularly strange to see his home, his inheritance, from this vantage point. But that wasn't what caught his eye. Rather, it was the growing mob of villagers gathering on the edge of the village. Curious, he undid the latch and pushed open the glass pane, only to be met by the sounds of people shouting. The sight gave him the distinct feeling that he had been here before, he had seen this sight before, if only in a dream.
This was not the first time he had stood in a tower, watching as people below him suffered. The difference is that this time, there were no Campbell guards in sight. In fact, there was nosign of Campbell at all. Peeling his eyes off the crowd, Seamus searched Murray Castle for any hint as to what Campbell was doing, what he would do next. Some part of him, a rather foolish part he could admit,hoped that he would be able to catch a glimpse of Campbell, that he would be able to discover the villain's plan, if only to save Seamus from having to make a decision himself.
His mother's words echoed in his mind, as they so often did.
“A Laird is nae judged based on how much land he is able to take from other clans, nor is he deemed worthy by his ability to wield a sword. A Laird is judged by the fairness of his rule and the way his people prosper under his care. There are times when that includes fighting for what is right, but I pray that when ye are Laird, ye have a peaceful reign that is marked only by the prosperity of those under ye.”
More than anything, Seamus wanted to see his people prosper. He wanted Campbell to be ousted not because Seamus was hungry for power, but because he wanted his clan to be able to thrive again. Cutting off an entire village from food and water in the hopes that they rise against Campbell was in no way helping them prosper.
He had seen this kind of thing before. He had watched Campbell invade and destroy entire villages simply because he could. The screams of those dying still haunted his dreams. And Finn wanted to do the same thing all over again. Seamus had a hard time seeing how the two men were different in their tactics.
On paper, Seamus knew that it made the most sense to wait to strike the enemy when they were weak. If Campbell was trying to fend off attacks and riots from a village, his attention would be split. Seamus could use the diversion to plan a sneak attack on an already strained army. But he also knew that sending Murray Village into a fight against Campbell without any help would all but guarantee their slaughter—that was if they didn't starve first.Seamus didn't think he was strong enough to approve such a plan and then look out on the village, as he was doing now, every day, only to watch the villagers suffer.
“Ye will ken when to fight just as well as ye ken when to strive for peace.”
His mother's words drifted into his mind, unsummoned. She had been so confident in him, so sure that he would one day be able to make the right decisions. And now that he was here, faced with making these decisions, he felt more unsure than ever.
“I thought I might find ye here.”
Flora's hand ran over his back and up his shoulder as she stepped closer to him. He nearly jumped out of his skin, having not heard her coming.
“Have I been away for too long?” he asked without looking at her. “I could nae think in that stuffy room. Every seat is filled with a different opinion, with someone who thinks they ken what is best or that they would do a better job at this.”
“Perhaps they would do a better job.” Seamus spun around to look at Flora in disbelief that she had said such a thing. “But I find it highly unlikely. Regardless of what they might think, they are nae the ones in this position. They are nae the ones who fate has handed this responsibility to. And I like to think that fate kens what she is doing.”
He relaxed into her words, grateful to find that even if he didn't believe in his own ability to lead, Flora still did.
“I merely needed space to hear my own thoughts,” he explained again, turning his sights back to the gathering villagers.
“Finn is wrong,” she declared. “I never thought I would see myself sitting so opposite of him. I never thought that our morals would ever shift in such drastic ways. Since I have kentFinn, I have thought of us being on the same side. But he is wrong in this.”
Seamus hummed thoughtfully. Flora took it as a cue to continue her passionate plea to make him understand her.
“We have wounded Campbell twice over now. The first was when ye took his leg, and now we have taken Glenkirk. Three times if ye count dispatching Drummond. Campbell is nae one to let anything go, especially nae something of this magnitude.”
“What are ye saying?”
“I am saying that we dinnae need to wait for the villagers to attack Campbell. We dinnae need anything else to instigate him. He will seek out retribution against us for the blows we have dealt him. Campbell is too arrogant to let us stay in a castle so close to him that we can see him from the windows. He will fight to regain his footing. He will fight out of arrogance, to prove that he is incapable of losing just valuable ground.”
Seamus shook his head as he ran a hand through his hair.
“Ye dinnae ken Campbell the way I do. Ye are speaking only on his reputation. But I ken the way he thinks. I have watched him come up with battle plan after battle plan. I ken what he values, and it is nae the control of a single village and castle.”
“What do ye think will happen then? Ye have heard enough of everyone else's opinions on the matter. Tell me what ye are thinking.”
He sighed heavily and turned his back to the window. The sight of the growing crowd at the end of the village was beginning to be too much for him to watch. Leaning against the window sill, he stretched his legs out in front of him and crossed his arms. He sat on his perch for a moment, contemplating all he knew of Campbell, all he had seen of the man, as though he were in a great chess match contemplating his next move. Only, Seamus' decisions wouldn't mean the mere loss of a piece of marble but the loss of countless lives. It wasn't a decision hecould afford to make lightly. There would be no rematches if he lost this game.
Needing the comfort her closeness brought, Seamus reached out a hand and tugged Flora into him. Only once she was situated between his outstretched legs, a hand brace on his chest with the other resting on his shoulder, her fingers playing with his hair, did he give her an answer.
“This is nae about controlling land or even people for Campbell. It stopped being about that years ago when he first discovered that I would nae rule the clan the way he has. It has shifted into a game of wills. He does nae care about having the clan for himself. He only wants to ensure that I never get it.”
“I dinnae understand. How does that change anything?”
