Triallaire

A New Home Made

2 March, 1764

Cìosamul Castle, Isle of Barra, Scotland

JAMIE POV

Finally glad to be off of the water, Jamie stepped onto the dock of Cìosamul Castle and immediately vomited over the side. "There ye are, Da," said Archie, giving his father a firm pat on the back. "Feelin' better?"

"I... dinnae want te set foot on another ship again," Jamie muttered as Archie handed him a bladder of water, which he gladly took a swig of.

"Well, if ye want te go back te Lallybroch, ye'll have te endure another, but dinnae fash, I'm a good sailor. I'll get us there with minimal rockin'," Archie replied playfully, and Jamie narrowed his eyes at him - Archie had sailed them from Castlebay to the castle and he deliberately hit every wave and laughed while his father turned green in the face.

"Like hell ye will, ye wee bastard," Jamie replied, standing up straight as the aging Ronald made his way out onto the dock.

"My, my, I didnae think I'd see that face again!" Ronald said excitedly once he saw Archie. "Look at ye, a ghille ruadh beag ! Though yer no' so wee now, are ye?"

"Good te see ye, Ronald!" Archie said to him playfully, grasping Ronald's hand and giving it a firm shake.

"Christ, yer a man now!" Ronald said as he looked up at Archie. "And as tall as yer grandsire was! 'Tis a shame wee meek Cillian is te be the next Laird. Ye look the part much more."

"Nonsense, I'm sure Cillian'll do fine, Ronald," Archie told him. "Is my uncle in?"

"Aye, in his study. He'll be glad te see ye. Both of ye, my goodness, Mr. Fraser! I thought ye were dead, I did," said Ronald excitedly to Jamie, grasping his hand and giving it a firm shake.

"I'm surprised yer still kickin' aboot as well, Ronald," Jamie replied, teasing the auld man. Both Archie and Jamie made their way to the Laird's study, which no longer had a guard standing outside of the door as it had used to, and Archie tapped lightly on the door.

"Come in," Cailean said from inside, and Archie opened the door to see Cailean, his grandfather's old set of reading spectacles balanced on his nose, bent over a pile of papers with a quill on his hand - an appearance Eairdsidh Ruadh had taken on quite frequently. It was surprising how similar Cailean actually was to his grandfather despite not seeming so beforehand. Cailean glanced up at his visitors, then widened his eyes and smiled. "Christ, is that my wee nephew?" he asked, and Archie laughed.

"Aye, Uncle, it's me," Archie replied as Cailean got up, setting the quill and spectacles on the table and approaching Archie to embrace him.

"Christ, if I didnae ken any better, I'd have thought ye were yer grandsire!" Cailean exclaimed, and then he noticed Jamie standing in the doorframe. "Jamie? I mean, I kent ye were with Archie, but I... I didnae expect te see ye..."

"Aye," Jamie replied, then letting out a soft chuckle as Cailean embraced him. "Christ, man, ye've got grey hairs, ye auld bastard!"

"Bein' the Laird and Clan Chief will do that te ye," Cailean replied, acknowledging the subtle salt and pepper colour of the front of his hair. It was still predominantly dark brown, but it was clear that he was in his early forties - the subtle wrinkles by his eyes and the corners of his mouth indicated that as well. "Ye still look the same as ye did when I saw ye last!"

"I'm still an auld man, same as ye," Jamie replied, teasing him. "Is my daughter aboot? I should like te see her."

"Brèagha? Aye, she'll be around here somewhere," Cailean replied, leading the two of them out of the study. "We have a studio fer paintin' portraits that she spends a lot of time in but sometimes, she'll be in the library as well. Let's have a look." Cailean led them into the library, where Cillian, Caoimhe and Calum were, but there was no Brèagha in sight. As soon as the door opened, the three now grown Fowlis children all looked up from their tasks - Cillian from his book and Caoimhe and Calum from their chess game - and Caoimhe let out a gasp.