The Highlander's Lass; Arran's Story

Chapter 2 Maisie

"Maisie you must stop fidgeting, you are shaking the carriage more than need be," mama said. She was fanning herself vigorously. The day though still early had grown quite warm already. Knowing that the day was going to be warm, I chose a simple blue traveling gown. With a cloak pinned around my shoulders. The gown had lace trimming the border of my sleeves. Though it was a warm day. I chose a gown with long sleeves to hide the bruises on my arms and wrists. My corset was fully tightened, to expose my breasts. My hair was hanging down to my waist in curls. Like my father, both Callum and I were given fiery red hair. While Callum received our mother's blue eyes. I received dark green eyes like our father. A pearl drop pendant was wrapped around my forehead. I could not contain my excitement about traveling outside clan Hamilton's territory for the first time. To see the ocean, and to walk on the beaches that bordered Clan Wallace's territory.

"I cannot help my excitement mama, this is the first time in my whole eight and ten years that da has allowed me to travel outside Hamilton's borders. I am too excited to sit still," I replied. Mama sighed, she understood my excitement. Da had grown paranoid and violent after Callum's death. He blamed me for my brother's death. He often would remark that it should have been me who died that day in the meadow. And not his only son and heir to the Hamilton clan. So my da took out his grief and anger out on me. It had been a long and brutal three years. Even my mother was not spared my father's wrath. The only comfort he took was from the whiskey bottle. Often locking himself in the study for hours getting drunk on whiskey. Then coming out and beating either my mother or myself. He was not the same man he was before my brother died. He had become a monster. A monster I had grown to fear and distrust. A monster I wished would just be gone from our lives. Though he had years left to live.

"I know leanan, I am very grateful that I could convince your father to allow us to travel without him. That it would be good for you to survey the lands that you will inherit on our way to Wallace land," mama replied. I smiled at my mother, oftentimes my mother could convince my father to hand over authority over to her. Especially when he was in a drunken stupor. She had often done that in the last three years, so that the clan would not fall to ruin. Many in the clan knew it was my mama who made many of the decisions and not my da. This was just another time she could convince my father that allowing me to survey the Hamilton lands was a good thing for me to do. She also said that an alliance with Clan Wallace would be equally beneficial for us. I looked over at Henry who was staring out the window of the carriage, currently listening to our conversation. Henry and I had grown close after my brother's death. Henry was now twenty two years older than my ten and eight. Henry would often try to intervene when my father grew violent towards my mama and myself. Sometimes he became injured defending me. He even went as fair as sleeping outside my chambers to protect me from my father's wrath at night.

"Come now, are you excited Henry, we have not seen the outside of Clan Hamilton since before Callum's death. When was the last time you saw the sea and the beach," I said. He looked to meet my gaze and gave me a lazy smile. He knew a lot more then I did from leaving Hamilton manor. For he left more than I did. Which earned my wrath a time or two.

"Of course Maisie, it will be nice to meet some young women outside our clan. Lasses that need some love," he quipped. I laughed thinking about how cavalier Henry had become as he grew older. When there was business at court, it was Henry who was sent on my father's behalf. Much to my dismay, I wanted to travel to court. I wanted to learn how to become a courtier, and learn how to be a better politician. All of Scotland knows that I, Margaret Hamilton would inherit a clan and substantial lands after my father's death. But I could not make any decisions regarding that land. My father did not truly accept me as the heir. His grief and anger clouded his judgment. And his lapse of judgment was making all of Clan Hamilton suffer as a result. Even as my mother tried her best to make things right. We all knew that if something was not done, Clan Hamilton would not be able to come back from the path that my father had chosen.