Page 58 of The Bells of Triumph
She raised an eyebrow, gentle but questioning all the same.
“Hestoleher?”
“Aye,” Finn answered, crossing his arms over his chest. “She and I were together. We never really talked about it much, but I thought that we were going to wind up together forever. And then he came along and stole her from me.”
“Was she ever truly yers in the first place, then?”
Finn's arms fell as he realized he wasn't going to win this argument with her. He wasn't going to win it against himself, either. He lowered his gaze and tried to focus on what really mattered.
“But how?”
“How what? How could my father be so calloused as to lock his only daughter away until she was needed? How did I get away?”
“How can ye be so peaceful, so…happy?”
He sank onto the bench next to her as he asked his question.
“Because I realized a long time ago that there is only one or two people on this earth who deserve my wrath. It does me nay good to walk around angry all the time. I would only wind up hurting those who truly love me. So I choose to be happy, tomaintain my peace, knowing that there will be a day when my captors will pay for what they have done to me. That is enough. That has to be enough.”
Finn shook his head, struggling to wrap his mind around what she was telling him.
“Are ye saying that I should do the same?”
“I am saying that yer anger is just like yer sword; wield it at the wrong person and ye could lose those ye care about most. Aye, Finn, ye should be happy. Ye dinnae have to like Seamus, but ye should be happy that his victory saved more innocent lives from being wrecked. That is something to celebrate. That should bring ye comfort, nae more anger. Ye have been saved from making a decision that would follow ye the rest of yer days. That is nay wee thing.”
Iona's wordswere still echoing in Finn's mind several hours later. They had affected him so deeply that he had, against his better judgment and the voice in the back of his mind, decided to join the others at Murray Castle. Though he had allowed himself to be swayed by another, he was still in charge and as such, he led the procession to the victory celebrations.
Iona sat atop her horse, riding just off to his right and a few steps behind. She hadn't said much since their talk in the courtyard. Neither had he.
The rest of the healers who had stayed behind at Glenkirk Castle now traveled with them too. Each of their saddles was laden with bandages and tinctures and salves that he hoped would go unused. Though he knew, a victory over Campbell would have come at a great cost. Glancing over his shoulder, hewondered if they had enough supplies at all. That was a problem they would have to try and solve once they got there.
Coming out of the forest, Finn, and the others were met by a village in the throes of celebration. Children ran along the road, screaming and laughing as they chased each other through the village. Their parents kept careful watch from over the brim of their mugs of ale. Some were dancing to the music that was being played; a fiddler and a man with a drum sat in the courtyard, running through song after song. They all cheered and celebrated Campbell's demise and the end of his reign.
“We are Murray Clan once more with a Murray Laird! The world is as it should be!”
Finn studied the man who had shouted such a thing. As Iona had told him, Finn shouldn't have been angry. He should have been celebrating with those who were dancing right then. At the very least, he should have been grateful that the villagers were still alive and could celebrate at all. If Seamus had followed Finn's plan, they would have all starved days ago. Still, the declaration in Seamus' favor made Finn grit his teeth.
Looking ahead towards the center of town, Finn watched as the villagers continued to add to the celebrations. They were simple folk who didn't have much to offer, but that didn't stop them from filling the tables with what little they did have. Farmers brought pigs to roast and vegetables to eat. Their wives placed steaming pies and fresh bread on the table. Merchants handed out simple toys to the children while the laborers came with armfuls of flowers. All in all, it was a beautiful sight. There was life here and the hope for a future that only a few days ago they did not have.
Keeping his head down, Finn pushed through the celebrations, not wanting to answer any questions as to why he wasn't at the castle with Seamus already. He could feel the villagers' curiosity in their looks, hear their judgmentsthat he should have fought alongside Seamus. But they didn't understand. And he was in no mood to explain it to them, so he pushed forward.
On the outskirts of the village, Finn let out a breath of relief. No one had stopped them, no one had so much as acknowledged their presence. If they did, it was a cursory glance before they were back to their ale and dancing.
“We are almost there,” he said more to himself than anyone else, but Iona nodded all the same.
With what little distance remained between him and Seamus, Finn tried to steady himself. He tried to calm down the resentment and rage that still simmered just beneath the surface. He wanted to go in with a level head so that when he made his demands to Seamus, they would be heard and respected. He had nearly made it there by the time they reached the castle gates.
Another, larger crowd had gathered around the outside of the castle. Just like the villagers, they were all dancing and laughing together. Every so often, one would shout for joy, crying out some sort of blessing on Seamus and the rebels who had fought against Campbell. They were no different from those in Murray Village—farmers, laborers, merchants. All strangers than Finn had been alright with sacrificing. The thought made his stomach turn and his expression sour.
“Ye never were one to ruin a good party, brother.”
Finn nearly jumped out of his skin. The voice that had spoken was the last one he had ever expected to hear now.
“Brid! What are ye doing here?”
He did jump down from his saddle, if only so he could wrap his little sister in a hug. She returned the gesture with as much zeal as he had given.
“I have been here since the meeting Seamus and Flora held in Aberfeldy Village,” she explained, her face still tucked in his chest, neither one of them ready to let go of the other.
