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

Chapter 4: Goodbyes

No one explains things to Brian or talks about anything around him. He doesn't understand where Angus disappears to or why Fergus returns one day, shaken with red on his face. He assumes there's fighting due to the number of men his mother treats as the next year rolls around.

His parents are very serious these days. Brian is able to lift smiles from them when he takes his first proper steps and creates laughter when he points at a man everyone is calling a Prince and saying cat (his first word).

——

Brian is almost two when he begins to say his goodbyes.

He doesn't understand when Fergus says his goodbyes as he heads off to deliver a message for their parents. Surely he'll come back?

Murtagh ruffles his hair and calls him a Diabhal beag again by now, Brian knows what this means but he has never heard it uttered by Murtagh in such a sombre tone.

——

April 16th 1746

Brian stares at his parents with tears in his eyes as they argue.

"Ye... yer promised me tha' if it came te this, ye'd go back through the stones, back home." His father says.

Go back? Go back where?

"But you are my home." His mother argues.

"And yer are mine, but this home is lost. And now ye, Brian and the bairn... yer must go te a safe place. Te a man... a man tha' could care for yer all."

Brian stares at them both questioningly. But neither of them turns to him to provide answers.

"No. No, I..."

"Claire. Claire, there's no time." Da argues.

"How will I explain all this? How can I go back?"

"To Frank. All tha' I leave te ye. Tell 'im wha' ye will about me... about us. 'Tis likely he'll no want te hear, but if he does... tell 'im I'm grateful. And tell 'im I trust 'im, and tell 'im I hate 'im te the verra marrow o' his bones."

Brian winces and whimpers as he begins to hear a buzzing sound getting louder and louder. He rugs on his mother's skirts. "Mama, it buzzing."

Brian doesn't know how to explain the looks he receives from his parents. Relief? Devastation?

"He can hear it..." His mother murmurs as she stares at Brian before snapping to his father with renewed desperation. "Jamie please tell me, please tell me that you can hear it."

But his father shakes his head and denies it. Brian doesn't understand, it's so loud! Then Mama and Brian are being pushed towards the stones, encouraged to touch them. Brian glances over his shoulder, just before he touches it, and sees his father watching them, tears falling down his cheeks.

"Da?"

His father crouches down and strokes Brian's hair. Hair that matches his own. "Goodbye wee laddie. Yer look after yer mother fer me."

Brian frowns at his father, confused, but then he and his mother touch the stone and they're gone.

——

Mid-April 1948

Brian experienced a lot of pain going through the stones. His mother was a bit disoriented too but also distressed. When others found them, in clothing that Brian almost feels is familiar in some sort of way but struggles to recall where. His mother is weeping and crying. Brian wants to stay, to comfort her but they tear him away from her. Thankfully, he's soon returned to her and, as she sits in this bed, she cradles him, singing softly. The radio plays in the background.

♪ Oh, milkman, keep those bottles quiet ♪

♪ Been jumpin' on the swing shift ♪

♪ All night ♪

♪ Turnin' out my quota all right ♪

♪ Now I'm b*at right down to the sod ♪

♪ Gotta catch myself some righteous nod ♪

♪ Oh, milkman, keep those bottles quiet ♪

♪ Milkman, stop that grade A riot ♪

The song is interrupted by a door opening. His mother doesn't look at the person and Brian can't see them as she blocks his view.

"Can you turn that bloody thing off, please?" She demands.

♪ If you can't lullaby it ♪

♪ Oh, milkman, keep those bottles... ♪

There's a click and the noise stops. Brian is thankful, not used to the noise, but then he can now more clearly hear all the loud noises from outside.

"So noisy here." His mother murmurs. There are footsteps and suddenly she tenses, clinging to Brian tightly causing Brian to let out a small cry. His mother lets out an apologetic noise, stroking his red hair soothingly. "I-I'm sorry." She apologises to the man that Brian now realises is standing next to the bed. "Y-you're not..."

The man has dark hair, with wide hazel eyes that flicker over Brian's mother questioningly and curiously looks at Brian. "Claire?"

"Frank. Hello. I'm back." Brian glances up at his mother curiously, still not understanding what's going on. It's like there are memories locked away somewhere that would explain this new world around him but he can't unlock them.

"And I am so grateful." The man, Frank, says tearfully. Brian stares at him, he must know his mother quite well from his reaction but how come Brian has never seen him and where's Da?

"Are you?"

"Of course. With all my heart." He walks towards them but his mother lets out a gasp, pulling Brian towards her. Frank looks at them apologetically but also looks hurt. "I'm sorry... wh..."

"No. It's not you."

"Mrs. Randall?" A different voice calls then there's a blinding white light.

More voices appear out of Brian's eye line.

"Hey! What are you doing? Get out of here!"

"Easy now, I'm just doing my job. Now watch the camera!"

The door slams shut.

Brian flinches at the noise causing his mother to hold him closer. He looks up and sees that the man, Frank, is staring at him with a frown on his face.

"Claire... who's this?"

——

A/N: It was strange doing this one as there is so much dialogue from the show that I used.

So I have lots of plans for different moments for Brian as he grows up but I'd be happy to hear any other ideas of scenarios people come up with and they might make it into the story.