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

Chapter 37: Unravels

Brian is taking a breather from the festivities by standing at the back of one of the tents. The dancing to folk music as well as drinking games has started and everyone's making merry.

"It's always good to have a bit of a fight, isn't it?" Brian looks up to see it's the man he's met earlier at the wedding ceremony, Brynmor Jones.

Brian blinks in confusion. "What?"

Brynmor gestures over his shoulder. "The fight between Manfred McGillivray and Harley Boble."

Oh, Brian remembers now.

It's not surprising that things are never calm at events like this, especially with heightened tensions, and murmurings of revolution plus everyone has a bit of a drink, celebrating the Gathering as well as Roger and Ellen's wedding. And it's because of this that Brian meets the rest of the McGillivray clan mentioned when he had met the father and daughter duo when Harley Boble, whom Brian has already had this misfortune of meeting, tried to arrest the eldest McGillivray offspring.

Brian was about to intervene and protect the young man when he saw three young talk blonde women (one of them he realised was Inga McGillivray, who he thought looked rather beautiful but is sixteen which he is not going near), come charging over with an older version taking the lead and feeling rather impressed as they then subdued Boble by sitting on him. He thought Inga was remarkable in the way she spoke up for her brother when Da had questioned them on what had happened.

Brian looks away from the blue eyes and lets out a shaky chuckle. "Uh, yeah, you're telling me."

"Why you out here? Are you hiding from all the attention?" Brynmor smirks.

Brian thinks of all the attention he's received from all the young ladies. Some he liked and many he didn't. "Er, um, yes, you could say that."

"Why?" There's no judgment in his tone as he watches Brian curiously, walking closer.

"Just..." Brian hesitates, looking down at his shoes. He is not sure, if it is appropriate to share his predicament with the stranger so he shrugs, keeping his answer vague as he says, "...needed some space from everything else in there, I reckon."

Brynmor simply hums understandingly, pursing his lips. "I don't blame you. I'm not a particularly a big fan of all the attention of the ladies."

Brian dares to look up at that. "And you're all so desirable then?"

"I like to think so." His lips tip into a rakish smile. Brian can't help but notice he's standing closer than he had been before.

Brian laughs awkwardly. "Yeah, well, I don't think I completely fit in with the archetypal son my father wants."

"What? Flirting with all the beauties you come across? Not an enthusiast?" Brynmor is standing right next to him now.

"No," then Brian corrects himself, "well, I am, sort of. I do and can but not fully plus I, er, don't like being the centre of attention."

"Well, too bad. From what I've heard, you're the stud of the ridge." Brynmor remarks.

Brian scrunches up his nose. "Erghh. No thanks." It makes him sound like a cad.

"Prefer to hide in secluded corners then?" Brynmor is leaning close now.

Brian freezes and is able to splutter, "W-well, I–I only needed—" and then Brynmor lips press to his.

It was so fast that Brian hardly even felt the brush of fingers against his cheek. In his shock, all Brian can do is sag against Brynmor, hands gripping his clothes on reflex, limbs pliant and mouth moving. He tests leaning into the kiss and is rewarded by Brynmor making a breathless noise.

After a few moments, there's cheering from behind them, loud enough to have Brian rip himself away from Brynmor and bolt upright with a panicked look around the tent. He takes enough time to ensure that the cheering they hear is actually from the crowd as they play some sort of drinking game. He can feel the slight tremor in his frame. His gaze moves back to Brynmor and he wonders what he looks like. Probably someone filled with fear and anxiety.

Brynmor seems to have realised no one has seen them and rushes forward, kissing Brian on the mouth once more. Brian is startled once again but this time he has enough thought to shove him back, hard.

"Brynmor—stop. God." He runs a hand through his hair, panting. "We can't."

"Why not? We're alone." Brynmor grabs at the wool of Brian's coat, trying to reel him in.

"Brynmor, stop. We're not– I said no." Brian says hurriedly.

Brynmor stumbles back, blinking, and gets a good look at Brian's face. "Oh, you're serious. I'm sorry, I'm so embarrassed." He laughs awkwardly.

"Brynmor, it isn't you. We just can't." Brian tries to reassure him, feeling bad for having made the other man feel embarrassed. "It's just my Da will strangle you dead with his bare hands and me too."

Brynmor nods reluctantly. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have put in this position."

"It's fine. I–I should go find my friends." Brian stammers, swallowing hard and periodically flicking his gaze back to the crowd congregated. He gently touches Brynmor's elbow, and he sees Brynmor shiver. Brian continues, "Nothing's changed. I won't say anything, and it will be as if this never happened."

Brynmor frowns in disappointment and nods. Brian takes the opportunity to immediately flee.

Oh God.

——

Ellen's vision blurs as she stumbles away from where Lord John and Da stand, those words ringing in her ears.

There have been sightings of Bonnet in the Province.

She needs– she can't—

He is dead. The explosion– he should be dead.

Oh God. Jemmy, Roger, Brian—

Brian. She needs to find Brian, now. She needs her brother.

She eventually does find him, but he's surrounded by two young women, looking up at him, giggling, and twirling their hair.

She recognises them, she was introduced to them earlier. It's Marion and Agnes MacLeod, Bobby MacLeod's (one of the Ardsmuir men) daughters. Normally her brother gets uncomfortable with the attention from girls who fawn over him but is too polite to say anything. This time he seems to be actually enjoying it with no hint of worry. Ellen would hate to break that.

Normally she would laugh but instead, she feels forgotten as she watches Brian laugh at something Marion MacLeod had said.

She shakily stumbles away, full of abandonment, to where she knows her mother and son are, trying to swallow down her emotions so Mama won't notice anything's wrong.