The Strength of a High and Noble Hill (An Outlander Story)

Chapter 3: Peaceful Family Life Disrupted

A/N: I'm able to get quite a few chapters out quickly but that might change. Don't expect a consistent or speedy upload all the time 😅

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Once in Scotland, Claire, Brian, Fergus and Jamie settle into farm life at Lallybroch with Jenny, Ian and their family. Jamie's sister, Brian's Aunt Jenny, is a strong authority figure despite her being barely five feet tall. Brian can see his aunt has the same deep blue eyes that are slanted like his father's, but her hair is dark. Brian's Uncle Ian is an unassuming character but he has an undeniable authority. He's taller than his wife and has brown hair and brown eyes and walks with a wooden peg leg that sits below his right knee. Both are happy to meet Brian and, in a way, he becomes part of the brood.

Fergus easily integrates into family life. From what he has heard about his adoptive older brother, Brian believes he deserves it, to experience a family. Fergus and Young Jamie, the eldest of Brian's cousins, become fast friends and partners in crime. More than once, Father has had to scold Fergus for his foolhardy plans which often involved Young Jamie, who's only a few years old compared to Fergus' almost 10 years. But that doesn't matter to Young Jamie who runs after him with his black curly hair like Jenny's bouncing away and with wide brown eyes inherited from his father. Margaret, Maggie, his younger sister would pout and grumble as she tries to follow them on her nearly two year old legs, her mother smiles at her when she stares at her with wide blue eyes and pets her strawberry blonde hair.

Brian flops over on his blanket from where he'd been watching his mother and aunt work to look at his companion that lies next to him. Katherine, more commonly known as Kitty, grins and gurgles at him from the basket she lies in, staring at him with her mother's and uncle's blue eyes. His youngest cousin had been born a short while after the France trio arrived. Brian smiles back at her, petting her hand in greeting.

Jamie is an attentive father. At meal times, when all gathered round the table, Young Jamie and Maggie hitting the table legs in impatience, Kitty babbling away, his father would be occupied with entertaining Brian, who is always determined to lock his tiny fingers onto Jamie's curls. Curls that he has no doubt inherited himself. While everyone around them is engrossed in dinner or conversation, his father always remains fully attentive to him, grinning tightly and speaking softly in Gaelic as he bounces him on his knee.

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April 1745

The first year of Brian's life is almost complete. He's not quite walking at this point but he can pull himself to stand and can take a few steps while holding onto furniture much to the delight of his parents.

But things soon change. News arrives that alters everything. Brian can't gather much as he's put down for naps in another room often or the adults don't talk about it fully when he's around. All he knows is that his father has received a letter, an urgent one and they must depart immediately. What Brian knows for certain is that he's coming with them as his mother refuses Jenny's offer to leave him with her.