Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

F eeling chilled and hearing vague voices, Mae woke up to discover Niall was gone and in the distance there was someone shouting. A glance around her room told her that he'd dressed and left her to sleep. That wasn't worrying though, she knew he had a job to do, and he'd have to leave in the morning to make sure Brian stayed out of trouble. The worrying part was she now recognized the voices and they were coming from outside.

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, feeling the coolness of the stone floor against her bare feet as she pulled the blanket around her. Resolute, she made her way toward the chamber window, her mind filled with questions about what was going on. It was still early, barely past dawn, so why Niall was shouting outside loud enough for her to hear him was very troubling. She was several stories up, so for her to hear his voice so clearly, had her concerned.

As she gazed out of the window, there, on a perilous edge of the castles ramparts, stood Brian, apparently still inebriated from the previous night's excessive drinking. He swayed precariously, his slurred voice echoing through the air as he sang in a drunken stupor. Mae's heart sank, realizing the danger he was putting himself and Niall in.

There were other guards there as well, but Niall was the one closest to Brian trying to talk him down from his death defying stance upon the wall. The others seemed to be speculating and taking bets on what was about to happen. Mae shook her head, knowing she couldn't just stand there and watch. She had to do something.

Without hesitation, Mae swiftly dressed, the urgency of the situation pushing her to act. She stepped out of her chamber, the corridor still quiet and dimly lit with the sconces upon the wall, their flickering candlelight waning as the candles were at their ends. She hurried down the stairs and out to the courtyard. She looked around trying to figure out how to get up to where Brian and Niall were and noticed a staircase that led up to the wall which was about three stories high. She stepped out onto the wall itself, which was somewhat wide, at least wide enough for two people to walk upon. The ramparts were the fortification part of the wall on the outer facing side where the guards could launch arrows from down upon whatever threat they were facing. It was that upon which Brian was precariously balanced. It was a much more dangerous position than merely being on the wall itself which the guards patrolled daily. The inner side of the wall, the part facing the courtyard, had a boundary that came up waist-high, but it was more level than the ramparts of the other side.

As she made her way toward the gathered guards, her heart pounding in her chest, the sound of her footsteps reverberated against the ancient stone beneath her feet. She tried to keep her composure, even as doubts gnawed at her, wondering if she was too late to aid in the precarious situation unfolding before her.

"You're goin' a fall, you need to come down," Niall was trying to cajole him to do as he asked and get off the ramparts.

Brian steadfastly ignored him as he belted out another round of lyrics to a song Mae didn't know. He tilted to the side and lifted one of his feet, his arms swaying as he attempted to balance on one foot. Mae's heart nearly stopped in her chest as she imagined him falling to his death. It was one thing to wish for him to go away, quite another to watch him die from his own stupidity.

As she stepped forward, she heard a couple of the guards muttering.

"This wouldnae have happened if'n you hadn't left him to his own devices."

"This is on your head, Niall, if he brings the Laird down upon us because the daft fool fell to his death."

"How could you let him drink all night?" another accused.

Niall didn't answer back, he was too busy trying to get Brian down. That didn't stop Mae from speaking out, though. She wasn't going to stand by and let them blame Niall for this.

"You aren't helping and when Niall left him last night, he was passed out drunk in his bed. Did you expect Niall to sleep next to him?" she said with exasperation. "Don't be ridiculous." She rolled her eyes and pushed past them to reach Niall's side.

"Mornin', love, though not quite the mornin' I had in mind when I woke." He glanced at her, a small smile touching his lips for half a moment before his serious look returned. "As you can see, we've a wee problem."

"Yep, I can see that." She stared up at the spoiled brat on the ramparts who was causing them all this trouble. "Let me see if I can talk him down."

"If you think you can, love, I am happy to let you try. He willnae listen to reason."

Mae patted Niall's arm and shared a look with him before straightening her shoulders and assessing the situation. She approached Brian slowly, and tried to keep her voice gentle and soothing. "Brian, can you hear me? I'm here to help you get down off the ledge there. Don't you want to come down and join us on this nice wide wall?"

"No, they all hate me," he muttered, waving his arm about to encompass the other guards.

"He's a Campbell, of course we do," one of the guards spit.

There was a round of chuckles from the others.

Mae turned and glared at them. "Shut your mouths. If you can't be helpful, leave," she said vehemently.

A few listened and with shrugs left her and Niall with just a couple others to keep watch on the situation.

Mae turned back to Brian. "I understand that you feel the Donald clan hasn't been very welcoming to you, Brian. Why don't you come down and we can talk about why you feel that way."

"Didnae wanna come here, but nobody cares what I want," Brian slurred as he stared out over the ramparts and down the hill toward the small village at the base.

"I know it wasn't your choice to come here and you've made the best of your situation, enjoying the Donalds drinks and accommodations. Perhaps if you come down, Niall will find you another nice bottle of whisky?"

"If there's any left," Niall muttered under his breath, but Mae heard him.

She flashed her eyes to him, giving him a stern look.

"Sorry, love," he added. "Of course, I'm sure there's one around here somewhere. Come down, Brian, and we'll go find it."

Brian shook his head as he wobbled on the wall. "Donnae wanna."

"Please, Brian? I don't want to see you fall," Mae pleaded, not because she really cared about him, but his death would only bring trouble down upon the Donalds and she didn't want that to happen.

Brian paused and narrowed his watery eyes upon her. "Give us a wee kiss, lass, and I'll do whatever you say," he slurred, his words laced with drunken confidence. "You want to help me down? Help me with your lips."

Disgust filled her as she stared at the drunken man. She wouldn't kiss him if he were the last man on earth. She squinted at him in response to his inappropriate request. She shook her head firmly, her voice carrying the disdain she felt for him. "Absolutely not, Brian. This is not the time nor place for such nonsense. Your safety and well-being are what matter right now."

The onlookers, including Niall and the other men, couldn't help but chuckle at Mae's refusal. It was a moment of levity amidst the tension of the situation, and Brian's ego was swiftly deflated. His face reddened, a mix of anger and humiliation overcoming his drunken demeanor.

Anger flashed in Brian's eyes as he struggled to regain his composure. His intoxicated state amplified his frustration, and he clenched his fists, his voice tinged with indignation. "Who do you think you are, rejectin' me like that? I am a Campbell, and you should be grateful for the attention I'm givin' you!"

Mae remained unfazed by Brian's outburst. He was acting like an entitled petulant child. She maintained her calm demeanor as she met his gaze. "Your last name doesn't entitle you to disrespect or mistreat others and especially not me. I won't tolerate such behavior, and neither should anyone else." She could see that he was finally noticing the predicament he was in, being on the ramparts as he was. "Are you ready to come down now?" she asked, arching a brow.

The few guards that remained stepped forward, ready to intervene if Brian's anger escalated further. They didn't interfere, but stood closer, ready to pull her to safety should she need it.

Brian crossed his arms, acting like the defiant spoilt child he was as his lip stuck out in a pout.

"Enough, Brian! You've caused enough trouble this morning. It's time to come down from there before you hurt yerself," Niall demanded, his voice firm with authority. It was one of those no nonsense, quiet, fatherly demands that brooked no argument. The kind that sent kids into a fear of panic that they were about to get the everloving shit beaten out of them if they didn't comply.

Reluctantly, Brian seemed to comprehend the seriousness of the situation he was in. He took a few unsteady steps back from the ledge, his anger visibly draining as his shoulders shrank and his head hung down. When Niall offered him a hand to jump down to the safety of the walkway, Brian took it and clambered down to stand next to them. He appeared cowed, like he finally realized how reckless he'd been and was now embarrassed by his actions.

Mae could only hope it was a lesson that would stick with him as they headed back down the full safety of the courtyard.