The day had started off as any other day he had. The only addition was Hammond popping in to check on Evie before he had headed down to break his fast as the rest of the Keep woke up, and heading to check on all his clansmen. Amhuinn had been what Hammond assumed was fast asleep as he had woke up, as she had been every day ever since the day she had walked away and clammed up from him. He had hoped that after Evie's birth the day before, she would warm up, a little, but it had been just as chilly that night. Nevertheless, Hammond had dressed and gone about his day.
He had let Connor have the rest of the week to tend to his wife and his new son whom he had christened Caederyn. The young boy was quickly winning the hearts of many within his clan, and even young Adair was completely smitten with the boy. Between doing his chores, Adair had proudly shown off his cousin to his bunch of motley friends. Hammond had been surprised at how close Adair was with Malcolm, Ewan and Darach. The four of them were as thick as thieves, and it was obvious that the other three older boys watched out for the four-turning-five year old, who was eager to prove himself as hardy, worthy and warrior-like. He knew Darach was merely a farmer's son, unlike Ewan and Malcolm whose fathers were part of his men, but all three had the makings of fine warriors.
As the sun had set for the day, he gave in to a small smile of amusement from where he stood observing how Adair was sparring with the wooden sword Tamhas had fashioned for them. They pretended to be might warriors, using long branches as their make-believe steeds.
"Would ye be teachin' us how ter fight and spar when we get older, Laird?" he heard Malcolm ask. Malcolm's father, Grant, had perished in an earlier skirmish, and both he and his mother stayed at the Keep so they were cared for, especially since Elspeth helped in the Keep's kitchen.
He raised a brow, and wandered closer to the boys. "Do ye want ter?"
"Yes!" the four of them chorused, making Hammond laugh. He turned to Adair, raising a brow and smiling at the rosy cheeks and exhilarated look. "And ye, young Adair? Do ye enjoy being here?"
He flushed, but nodded, his blond hair flopping. "I dinna know what tis like ter be a boy afore this, laird. But... I dinna want ter leave me friends."
Hammond knew Amhuinn would be overjoyed to hear this. He too, felt himself completely at ease to see the young boy now. He had been forced to mature beyond his age, so watching as Adair relived a childhood he had been cheated four-years of was a relief. He now wore the flushed cheeks, scraped knees and breathless look that children his age should have.
"Then train ye, I will. All of ye. I think ye all would make fine warriors. But fine warriors need their food. Is it nae time ye all go and wash up?" he reminded.
They squealed in delight, and hurriedly ran off towards the outhouse in the back. All of them, except for Adair. Much to Hammond's surprise, he had slowed down, and stopped his paces, turning back to look at the rusty haired laird with a question unvoiced in his blue eyes, a pair of eyes he no doubt got from his mother. Hammond cocked his head, and bent down again. "What is it, lad?"
"Ye... Yer married ter my mither, right?" he asked, hesitance obvious in his voice. Hammond raised a brow, but nodded. "Do ye... Do ye think I could call ye Father? I... I dinna think my father liked me calling him that. He always locked me away when he had his lady friends. Do ye have any lady friends?"
For a brief moment, Hammond could almost see the fear that flashed in Adair's eyes. He quickly shook his head, and clarified, "I have nae wish fer any other lady friend. Yer mother... is very dear ter me, lad. As are ye."
"So I may call ye father?" he asked again, seemingly excited.
In that moment, Hammond knew he had been an idiot. How could he deny a love that flowed deeper then a river in his heart for the mother and son? Right in that instance, on that twilight day, as Adair looked at him with caution, hesitant, but that eager need for affirmation and affection that every child wanted, Hammond knew he loved Amhuinn, but more then that, he knew he couldn't go on denying it, to her and to himself.
"Laird?" he heard a small voice knock his thoughts back to reality.
Seeing the scared look the four-year old wore, Hammond smiled, and reached out to ruffle his head. "O'course ye can, lad. I would be proud ter call ye my son."
The joy he felt when Adair's worried look broke into a smile, Hammond knew then that he'd do anything for the joy of the boy and his mother. Because his clan was in good hands. Even if anything were to happen to him, he knew Connor would do a good job, and if not, Amhuinn was just as invested in the MacKenzie and the clan as he was. Together, they'd do a better job of leading and protecting the clan then he could ever do alone. Besides, he couldn't expect Connor to stay here his whole life, could he? Technically, his best friend was the Viscount of Karlsborough now. It would be unfair.
Looks like I need a new first-in-command soon, he mused to himself. "Go and find yer mither lad. Tell her yer father would like ter see her after sup tonight, would ye?"
Adair nodded vigorously, and ran after where his friends had disappeared, as Hammond straightened up, feeling lighter then he had ever felt in months. No sense in keeping one's love hidden, now did it? And if a child from him and a monster like Kincaid could be so beautiful, how would a child between them look? Suddenly, Hammond was anxious to see her with a child of their love.
---
By the time Hammond had washed the grime from his body, and changed into a fresh kilt and tunic, the sun had set, and the bustle could be heard from the great hall as the clan filed in for the evening meal. Walking in, his eyes roamed immediately to find the figure of his wife, something he had already been unconsciously doing for the past month since they married, but was only now noticing that habit. He frowned when he failed to locate her blonde head, but reasoned to himself that she was probably checking on Evie.
Walking towards the main table however, he frowned when he saw Adair running in trailing Malcolm and Darach. Hammond frowned. Did he not ask the young boy to look for his mother and ask for her to look for him?
Catching Adair's eyes, he waved the four-year old over. "Did ye find yer mither, lad?"
"Och, I dinna see her anywhere. I thought ye saw her already." Adair bit his lip. "Is she aroond here?"
Anxiety began building in Hammond's chest, as he straightened and swept his eyes across the hall again. Sure enough, no blonde head stood out to him. Not wanting to frighten the young boy however, he bent down to ruffle his blond head. "Dinna worry. She's up with ye Aunt Evie most likely. I'll go check on her. Ye go and have yer sup, alright?"
Adair ran off, and only when he disappeared with the rest of the clan, did Hammond let the worried look return to his face. He caught Tristan and Tamhas as they passed by him, exchanging words. "Have ye seen yer sister, Tamhas?"
The dirty blond male frowned, and shook his head. "Ye dinna know where yer own wife is, Hammond?" he asked. While Tamhas had accepted being part of the MacKenzie's, he was still as defiant as he used to be. Hammond usually let it slide, for her knew Tamhas still had some time to go before his reckless nature died down, but with his mood already souring, the male bristled.
Tristan recognized his laird's tempter rising, and instantly lay a hand on his friend's arm. "Dinna be so rude, Tamhas. The laird usually has a long day. He dinna has the time ter track where Lady MacKenzie is all the time."
"Is he entirely sure? From what I've seen since they got married a month and a half ago, he barely sees my sister in the day." Tamhas scowled, his look darkening. "I wouldna be surprised if Ammi disappears for a couple of days and he wouldna have noticed."
On any normal day, Hammond would've brushed off such a flippant comment. But Tamhas's words hit a little too close to home. And reality hurt. Had it been so obvious that he had not been paying attention nor spending time with his new wife at all? Hammond knew it had been largely due to his own need to not fall too hard, too fast... but who was he kidding? He was gone since the day he noticed how deeply Amhuinn cared for anyone close to her. He had been selfish, and in the process of his own self-protection, he's probably hurt her, something someone like Amhuinn really didn't need.
Tamhas however, must have noticed the anguish in his eyes, for his defensive stance relaxed, and he looked on as Hammond's rigid, tensed up posture loosened, his gaze falling in dejection downwards to his toes.
A couple moments of silence passed, before he reluctantly voiced out. "I'm only saying this because technically, I'm indebted ter ye fer saving me from the Kincaid's. Plus, ye will do my sister good, but only if ye get off yer high horse, Hammond. My sister doesnae need more people who doesna put her well-being first." He paused, observing how Hammond looked at him with a little more hope in his eyes. "Ammi doesna have much places ter go in the Highlands. Me and her... we were born and raised on Kincaid lands, and ye can bet yer arse she willna return there. Once we left, we mostly kept ter ourselves. But she feels safe in comfortable places. If ye know her enough, ye will know where she went."
---
It looked derelict, rundown. But Amhuinn hadn't been surprised, considering how neither she nor Tamhas had been back to what had been their home, for over two months. It had been a split second decision, to leave their little hut in the jungle and seek the help of Hammond MacKenzie when Tamhas didn't return.
Sitting on the bench which Tamhas had fashioned out of fallen logs, Amhuinn's sad eyes fell upon the overgrown vegetable patch she had tended. Over a corner, the mare she had took whinnied, grazing on the growing grass. Her brown dress was damp with the morning dew, but the sun was beginning to dry it up. Scenes from the past two months played in her head. How did one fall in love so fast? All those tales her mother used to tell her as a girl... she scoffed, ridiculing her younger self. Love wasn't a fairytale, who was she kidding?
"Well, if I'm to come back home, I better get ter doing some cleaning." she muttered, pushing the sleeves of her dress up and pushing the door open. Dust immediately greeted her, making Amhuinn hack as it rushed up her nostrils. She waved her hand in front of her nose, as the dust settled, wrinkling her forehead.
"Gads, I've got me work cut oot fer me."