"Catch me if you can Callum," I called over my shoulder. I spurred my horse to run. My brother and I were hunting in the forest that bordered our manor home in the Highlands of Scotland. We had lived here almost our entire lives. I knew this forest like the back of my hand.
"Maisie, slow down. Or you are going to injure yourself," Callum called back. But I was already ahead of him. Callum was ten and eight, just three years older to my ten and five. Yet we were thick as thieves. We had shared a bed chambers for most of our childhoods. At least until my courses came at three and ten. My mother deemed it was time for us to have separate bed chambers from that moment on. But we also took lessons together growing up as children. Most siblings did not spend as much time together as we did, but our mother wished for us to grow up together, to be true brother and sister. We often would go hunting together every chance we got, and we were tracking a stag, one that Callum managed to wound just a few moments ago with his crossbow. I could hear the hounds howling, a sign that they caught the scent of the wounded animal. It was a beautiful spring day, the sun streaming through the trees overhead. Causing different shaped shadows to appear on the forest floor. The air is beginning to warm. I was excited for summer to come. More time to ride and to hunt, and less time at home and mama trying to teach me how to be a lady. I often preferred manly suits as mama called to women's nonsense like needlework and gossip. I found things boring and tedious, one could only listen to gossiping for so long. I slowed the pace of my horse as I began to notice the small traces of blood on the ground. I could hear Callum coming up from behind me. I dismounted my horse and grabbed my crossbow, it was ready to be fired. All I had to do was hit the trigger, killing the beast in its tracks. I could hear Callum breathing hard, no doubt irritated that I beat him once again.I was always better on a horse then he was.
"We really should wait for the others in our hunting party, Maisie. We cannot take the stag down by ourselves. You know this," he said sternly. I shook my head. The men would just take the glory for themselves. I was the one who discovered the stag, and Callum was the one who wounded it. We should do the honors and kill it. We should get the credit.
"Nay deartháir mór, the stag is close. I can hear the hounds clearly. This way," I replied. I heard one more huff, and I knew that Callum was grabbing his own crossbow. Any time we argued, I always managed to win. He was not as stubborn as I was. And of course I was his little sister. Therefore, I won when we did argue. Which was not very often. I was greatful for that.
"Maisie, tis not a good idea," he called in frustration. Callum knew well enough that I was stubborn. I knew well enough that the wounded stag was no match for the two of us. We continued to follow the blood trail. The howling of the hounds became louder and louder. The blood led us to a nearby clearing, the tall grass swaying in the breeze. The hounds had the stag surrounded. Nipping and biting when the stag got too close. They had cut off the stag's escape. Making the animal more agitated. One easy arrow to the heart, and the animal would be dead. Both Callum and I stalked forward. Trying to be as quiet as possible.
"I can hear the party Maisie, just wait a few more minutes," Callum said next to me. I rolled my eyes and moved a little closer to the animal. If we waited any longer, the hounds could allow the stag to escape, and we may not have another chance like this.
"Nay brother this kill will be mine," I said. I slowly aimed the crossbow at the stag. Slowly putting my finger on the trigger, ready to pull it. When suddenly the stag reared up on its hind legs. Kicking the two hounds closest to it. It began to charge at me, I just needed a few more feet. Then I could pull the trigger. Sending the arrow into the beast's heart.
"MAISIE, WATCH OUT," Callum screamed. I suddenly felt myself being pushed out of the way of the charging stag. The crossbow flying from my hands, landing in the grass nearby. I fell to the ground. The air knocked from my lungs. I heard a loud crack and the animal screaming. I looked up and saw the stag's antler embedded into Callum's stomach.
"CALLUM," I screamed. The stag stumbled away before crumbling into the grass nearby. No doubt dead from the loss of blood and the sudden charge. I crawled to where my brother lay in the grass. He was extremely pale, his hands cradling the wound. But blood was seeping through his fingers. Staining his skin red. The antler coming up from his stomach like a deformed tree.
"Callum, no," I whimpered. I pulled my brother into my arms. I could feel his labored breathing. He began to cough blood, which stained his lips. Blood was pooling on the ground underneath him. I felt tears prick my eyes. This was not suppse to happen. I should be the one dying, not him. Why did my brother always have to be the hero.
"Stay with me brother, HELP! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME," I screamed. The others in our hunting party ran into the clearing. They eyes wide when they took the sight in. Me on the ground holding my dying brother. The only heir to our Clan. Blood all around us.
"My lady," Henry cried. He raced over to us and fell to his knees. He took my brother's hand. Henry Hamilton was my cousin on my father's side. Henry's father and mother had died in a plague outbreak when we were all children, and my father took him in after that. He was only two at the time of his parents' deaths. We had all grown up together after that. I looked up at Henry. He was like my second brother.
"Henry, please help him, help him. You have to do something," I cried. Tears now streaming down my face. I could not lose my brother. Not like this. He did not deserve to die like this. Die by accident, taken down by a stag. He was suppose to get married in just a month. He was suppose to have a happy ending. He did not deserve this.
"Maisie, listen... to ... me," Callum coughed. I shook my head. He needed to save his strength. He needed to survive this.
"Save your strength deartháir mór. You be alright, you will live today. You have to live," I sobbed. The men gathered around us. Their hats in their hands. They knew what I could not accept. That Callum was dying, the wound that the stag gave him was fatal.
"Maisie, promise me that you will find love like I did. That you will not marry Edmund Boyd. That you will fall in love with someone and fight for that love," he said. His voice was full of pain. I shook my head again, I could not bear thinking about his betrothed back at the manor. Sitting with mama sewing. She was the local constable's daughter. It was a love match through and through. They were set to marry in just a month. Now that will never happen. Now they will never get to be together and live their lives.
"Callum please; do not speak like this. You will live," I whispered. Holding my brother closer to me. My hands turned red with his blood. He gripped my hands with his.
"Promise me deirfiúr bheag," he whispered. His voice was so low I could barely hear him. I felt Henry touch my shoulder.
"I promise deartháir mór, I promise," I sobbed. With those words, I watched as life faded before his eyes. His hands go limp to his side. I sat there in complete shock, a scream lodged into my throat. Until it finally made its way out of my mouth.
"NO," I screamed. Shaking him, trying to get him to wake up. This was not happening. Henry pulled me to my feet as I fought him. But he just pulled me into his arms as I sobbed. I buried my face into his chest. I heard the other men pick up my brother's body. They would put it on the wagon that was meant for the stag. We went hunting for a stag, and now my brother is dead. Taken by the prey we were hunting. No he was killed because I was too stubborn to wait for the rest of our party. Why did I not listen to him.
I felt completely numb as we made our way back to Hamilton Manor, which had just been completed a few months ago, it was commissioned by our grandfather. Now that it has been finished, our father moved our whole family from the traditional seat of Clan Hamilton to the new Hamilton Manor. Henry had me mount his horse and was leading the way. Callum was my father's heir, now that he was dead with no heir of his own. That made me the heir of Clan Hamilton. The thought that I would lead an entire clan one day scared me. I was not prepared for it. That role was always meant for my brother, not me. As we rode toward the main entrance of Hamilton manor, I could see the white stone shining in the sun. Da was already waiting for us at the main doors. His arms crossed, he was not pleased with this hunt to begin with. And now his eyes went wide as he saw me on Henry's horse, and the wagon holding his son's body. Henry helped me down. Both my mind and body numb, I clung to Henry. We heard my father's primal cried as he realized that Callum was gone. The cries had reached my mother's ears. Lady Isla Hamilton and Amelia Dougal raced out of the house and toward me. Both had looks of sheer terror and confusion on them.
"What happened daughter, are ye harmed," she cried. Taking in my blood soaked clothes and hands. She grasped my shoulders. Amelia looked to me and then to the cart, before her face went pale. She ran to the wagon and let out a pained scream. My da held her as she took in the sight of her dead betrothed. Which made my heart constrict in even more pain.
"Mama, the deer... charged. Callum knocked me out of the way. Its antler," I sobbed. She pulled me into her arms. My father's head snapped up suddenly upon hearing my words.
"What did ye say lass," he hissed. He stalked from the wagon to stand in front of us. Leaving Amelia to mourn on her own. I felt fear fill my body, my father was livid. I never liked when he was livid.Callum would often be there to sooth his rages. Now Callum was gone.
"We were tracking the stag that Callum managed to wound. We found it in a clearing nearby, the hounds had it surrounded. I was aiming to take it down, but it charged. Callum pushed me out of the way," I whispered. I felt my father's hands on my arms, pulling me from my mother's grasp. And I felt my head snap back, as my father slapped me.
"ROBERT," my mother screamed. She pulled me from his gasp, and pulled me behind her. Henry came up behind me. I could feel anger rolling off his body. Henry had no love for my da. Even though he had taken him in. He had seen how wrathful my father could be.
"Margaret is to blame for all of this. If Callum was not so soft hearted. He will still be alive," he hissed. I felt as if he had slapped me again. Did he not care if I lived or died? Did he only care for the son he had lost.
"She is our daughter Robert. She witnessed her own brother be mauled by a stag. She held him as he died. Show some compassion, no one is to blame for this. It was an accident," she said. Her own anger and grief coming to the surface. She wrapped her arms around me and led me into the house. After that day, everything changed. Amelia soon fell ill, the doctors said that it was because of a broken heart, and she too died just weeks after Callum. They both were buried side by side as my brother wanted. And as the months turned to years. I felt overwhelmed with grief and anger. But the words that my brother whispered remained. The promise I knew I could not keep but made.