“Beef and ale mostly,” Aaron said. “Ye can fill in whatever else ye want, but I need those two. Now get.”
Happier than he had ever been, Leith left the room. Dugald was resting on the opposite wall with a small smile on his face. “When we first heard him call for ye, we kent he was oot of his mind but when he kept calling for ye, we realized there was somethin’ different aboot his words this time.”
“And he dinnae call for mother?” Leith asked with a confused frown.
“Nay, just ye,” Finlay chimed in. “Ye must be happy.”
“Happy is a trite word to what I’m feeling,” Leith said as he went off to do his father’s bidding. Halfway down the stairs, he stopped and rested his almost-feverish forehead on the cool stone wall. “Thank ye, God, me Faither’s back to his senses. Please, let him stay that way.”
With each step to the kitchens, joy grew inside him. He was elated when he gave the news to the cooks and heard their cries of happiness too. Then, when receiving the promise to have the best piece of beef being sent up to his father, he went off to find his mother.
He knew she was going to be as relieved and happy as he was. When he got to her door, he knocked but did not expect to get an answer. He then pushed the door open in time to see his mother sitting up in a bed that was too wide for her small frame. Meager moonlight barely penetrated the thick curtains but he could still see her clearly.
“Leith?” She asked, “What are ye doing here?”
He came closer and sat on the edge, “Great news, mother. Faither is back to his senses.”
Sarah’s hand covered her mouth, “Ye lie!”
Gently taking her hand from her mouth, Leith rubbed her wrinkled hand. “He’s awake and aware, mother, and he’s askin’ for ye. He wants to apologize for hurting ye. Please get dressed and come with me.”
“Aye,” she said. “Aye, please find me shoes while I put on a robe.”
After helping her out of bed, Leith scouted under the wooden frame for her slippers while she put on a robe. She sat back on the edge as he put her shoes on her. “Do ye want a cap, mother?”
“Nay,” she said. “Please, let's go see him. How is he?”
“Aside from wanting to speak with ye, he told me he’s hungry,” Leith added, “I went to the kitchens before coming for ye. I can see that he is as hungry as he stated. He looked a little thin around the face and arms.”
“How can that be?” Sarah asked. “I made sure food was sent up every day. Ye ken I made it meself.”
That was a question Leith felt did need to be answered but could be asked another time. This was a time for a happy reunion. They arrived at the door and Leith nodded to the guards before opening it and entering with mother.
Aaron was sitting in the same place he had left him and when Sarah saw him, both of her hands flew to her mouth in disbelief. “A-Aaron…is that truly ye?”
“Aye,” his father said wearily. “It is I. I feel like I cannae describe how I feel kenning that I hurt ye, Sarah. It's like a part of me, the sane part stood aside and watched me do those horrible things to ye. Now that the madness has passed, I beg yer forgiveness.”
“Ye were aware of it all?” Sarah asked.
“Aye,” his father grimaced while his nostrils flared in frustration, “I kent it all, I just couldnae stop meself from doing them. Do ye ken how horrible it is to see yerself doing something but cannot stop yerself from doing it?”
Leaning on the wall, Leith could not fathom how something like that was even possible. His mother was pensive. Her hands were folded on her skirt and her head was down. She then shook her head, “I am grateful that yer back. The clan needs ye, Aaron.”
“I dinnae ken if I’m fit to be the leader now,” Aaron shook his head, and his hand massaged his wrinkled brow. “Isnae Nicolas around to help Leith?”
“He is,” Leith answered that for her. “But he and I manage all the duties.”
His father’s eyes narrowed, “He and ye? Why arenae ye the head? Nicolas is me second, but ye are the one who is supposed to take over. Explain this, son.”
This conversation was not what Leith had expected to have with his father. “I have nay yet taken the reins because I was set on ye coming back to us. I dinnae want to take over and then have to step aside.” His explanation was weak and Leith knew it. He also knew that his father would see through it immediately.
“Leith.”
His father’s one word, loaded with disappointment, tempted him to shrink away. That tone never failed to cut him in two. He felt like the five-years-old boy sneaking away to climb trees he was banned from or handling weapons he was not capable of handling yet. But he faced his father directly.
“Ye can do better,” Aaron said.
“He would have,” Sarah cut in protectively, “if he wasnae runnin’ all around trying to find a cure for ye. Ye arenae aware of what he was doing for the last six months when ye were ill. He—”
“Nay, mother,” Leith stopped her. “He’s right, I could have done more. Even with the search, I shouldnae left all the responsibilities on Nicolas. He is the battle chief, nay the Laird.” He then dipped his head to his father in respect, “I promise, I will be the leader ye need me to be.”
The door was knocked on and he went to answer it. A servant came in with a tray of food. The rich, savory aroma of beef and braised vegetables wafted up from the tray. Thin cuts of beef were piled on the trencher, covered with golden gravy, potatoes
