“Ugh,” Damon scoffed, “yer short and curlies are wrapped around that lass’s finger. And it will ensure that we arenae prepared to do anythin' about Magnus. He took our sister from us and beat her.”
Keegan could see the fury but even more the remorse flaring brightly behind Damon’s eyes. His brother was still holding onto a massive weight that resulted from his guilt. Keegan felt no better that they’d both been unable to stop Melissa’s abduction, but he’d been able to take comfort in her safe return.
Damon evidently had not.
Walking toward him, Keegan attempted to leave the memories that accompanied that shelf behind him. This was his chance to speak with his brother unencumbered, and he wanted to make the most of it.
“I understand, Damon. I do.” Keegan took either of Damon’s shoulders in his hands, squeezing them lightly. “I willnae allow that bastard to lively easily with his actions toward us. He is to be dealt with. I only ask that ye daenae see this as a union between the families. Willow has agreed that she is nay longer a part of the McCallums. She has essentially been cast out. This is to protect her.”
Meeting Keegan’s stare, Damon squinted, assessing what he could see in his brother’s expression. After a moment, he sighed, shaking his head.
“Why are ye so concerned with keepin' the lass safe?”
Keegan wasn’t ready to divulge everything that informed his decision to wed Willow, even to himself, so he would offer his brother what he could.
“I feel responsible for her situation. Additionally, I have seen that she is nae like her brother, and I daenae wish our people to ken me as a laird that would take out his wrath on innocent parties. I, too, am nae like Magnus.”
Sagging, Damon offered a simple nod, and Keegan relaxed a hair, letting go of his brother’s shoulders.
“This is unlike ye, Brother, and I think ye ken that well enough. Ye’ve never once spoken about marriage.”
Unable to stop the chuckle, Keegan shrugged one shoulder before walking back toward his desk and leaning against the edge in a half-seat of sorts.
“Nay. I’ve never been so daft as to believe it wouldnae come for me, however. I cannae imagine Willow spoke on marryin' someone from our clan or being taken from her home only to be left in the cold by her very brother. Life isnae what we plan or think at most times, Damon.”
His brother remained quiet, and Keegan could see his thoughts churning from even outside of the man’s head. With this opportunity to speak, he let himself be open about how he was feeling for once. If he couldn’t do it with his brother—a closer friend than nearly anyone else in his life—whocouldKeegan be honest with?
“She was caught in Magnus’s plot but is innocent. We have been caught in his snares before, and we will be again. That man isnae likely to give up his pursuit of Brahanne land. We…we have all suffered enough. I wish for there to be some peace for Willow, for meself, for yerself, and Melissa. Please, can ye find it in yerself to accept this? Accept her? I wish for ye to work with me, as ye always have. And further…this is somethin' I want. The…marriage. Can that be enough for ye?”
Keegan watched the surprise work over Damon’s face and then settle into an expression of understanding, his brother offering a familiar crooked smile. Damon approached him, holding out a hand toward Keegan with his brows raised in expectation.
“Aye. I can accept yer words as ye’ve said them plainly.”
The laird shook his brother’s hand, and relief worked through him so profoundly that the remaining tension in his body was hardly enough to keep him from falling victim to sleep right then and there.
“And I will offer ye me apologies, as well. I have been…unkind to ye both, Brother. I was…Melissa’s capture affected me more than I’d imagined it would. I suppose, well, I suppose it mademe think too much of our parents. I couldnae stand to lose her. Ye are the laird and, as such, have yer responsibilities. Ye will always be close to me heart, but ye arenae always as available as Melissa. Ye understand?”
Keegan nodded. “I’m the laird, and therefore cannae always just be yer brother. I understand. But Iamyer brother, Damon. Ye can always come to me. Ye are me blood, me friend, and I willnae have ye think differently.”
They both smirked at each other, clasping their arms together before leaning into one another for an embrace. Relationships were not simple things like they had been when they were younger. Still, Keegan cared for his brother—and Melissa—deeply. He would protect them, and he would do the same for Willow.
With a nod, Damon stood back from him. “What are we to do about Magnus then?”
Keegan dropped his stare to the floor, rubbing his hand over his stubble. “He must be kept from securin' more land. And hewilltry somethin'. He’ll see to the portion of land he has been trying to claim for a time now. I think it best if ye were to take a large group of our warriors to it and stand guard. I can come to join ye once the weddin' has finished.”
Damon met Keegan’s serious expression with one of amusement, smirking at him as he folded his arms over his chest. “I’ll miss yer weddin'? Och, how can ye slight me as such?”
All Keegan could do was chuckle, shaking his head. “If ye’ll be missing it so much, I can have Rodrick take yer place as war chief? Or perhaps, if that is too far, shall I have someone draw it up for ye? Or perhaps a reenactment of the event?”
Shoving him playfully, Damon rolled his eyes before taking up a spot next to Keegan, leaning on the desk.
“It will take me a few days to gather the men. We can leave in likely…three days’ time.”
“That should suit us fine. But I daenae relish the thought of Magnus sittin' behind his walls crafting some new plot. He’s proven how tricky he can be. If it werenae for Willow’s information, we would have been caught off guard by the archers.”
Damon balked slightly, turning to face Keegan. “Willow is how ye learned of the archers?” He turned the corners of his mouth down, cocking his head in a sort of nod. “Och, well, the lass has already proven to be more useful than I gave her credit for.”
“Ye have judged her quite harshly, Damon,” Keegan smirked, calling out his brother’s behavior.