Written in 55 minutes. This is a bit short. I wasn’t really feeling it tonight, so I hope it’s okay.

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The festival was held in a valley not far from their home which made Elizabeth a bit less leery about taking the boys away from the keep. She consoled her off on the trip to the site by reminding herself that she knew the face and the man in her dream. The vision had been sent to warn her.

“We’ll be fine,” Jason promised her. He reached up and lifted her from her horse, sliding her to the ground. “Francis isn’t going to leave your side, and Johnny will be with the boys.”

“You should have left one of them at Braegarie,” she fretted as she turned to look at the wagon behind them, carrying their supplies, tents, the boys, and the nursery maid. Trailing behind the wagon was Johnny who didn’t look all that thrilled at being assigned to babysitting duty.

“The keep will survive a few days without us,” Jason reminded her. “Tracy and Max will be there.” He put his hand beneath her chin, lifting her face so that their eyes met. “I promised I would make you safe.”

“Aye.” She forced herself to smile. “I know. Let’s find your sister. I’m eager to meet her and learn everything your aunt wouldn’t tell me.”

Jason made a face, but then went over to help the men unload the wagon and retrieve his sons. He left Jake with Lulu, the nursery maid, but took Cameron up on his shoulders.

“Da, Da, look!” Cameron tugged on his blond hair. “Lots of people.”

“Let’s go meet some of them—” Jason began but then he heard a shriek that sounded familiar. He turned, grinning as he saw his sister dashing up the hill towards them.

“Jason!”

Emily Cassadine, formerly Morgan, threw herself into Jason’s arms. He hugged her back. “It’s good to see you,” he told her.

“And you—” Emily beamed as she pulled back. “And this is the oldest? Is this Cameron?”

“Aye.” Jason reached up to tug his son off his shoulders. “Cameron, this is your Aunt Emily, my sister.” He gestured for Elizabeth to join them. “And here is Elizabeth and our youngest, Jake.”

“Oh—” Emily pressed a fist to her mouth as her eyes misted. “Oh, they look just like you, Jason. I’m so happy to finally see them in person—” She looked over at Elizabeth. “Can I hold him?”

“Of course.” Elizabeth set the four-month-old infant in Jason’s sister’s arms. “I’m so glad we could be here.”

“I know. I haven’t seen Jason since I married.” Her lips trembled as she pressed them to Jake’s forehead. “They’re gorgeous. Oh, Jason—”

“I should see to setting up the tents,” Jason said, shifting uncomfortably at his sister’s display of emotions.

“Take Cameron with you. He’ll want to help,” Elizabeth advised him. She stretched up to kiss his cheek and then kissed Cameron. She turned to Johnny. “Johnny—”

“If you’re staying with Jake,” the soldier began, “I’ll stay with Cameron. They’ll need my help.”

Emily frowned as Jason, Johnny, and Cameron left them behind, then turned back to her sister-in-law. “Is everything okay?”

“Oh, I’m just—” Elizabeth wrinkled her nose. “I’m just nervous about letting Cameron out of my sight. I’m terrible.”

“No, you just want him to be safe.” Emily cuddled Jake closer. “I’d be the same with my own.” She stroked a finger down Jake’s soft cheek. “I’ve been married for five years.” She looked at Elizabeth with sad eyes. “No babes.”

“I’m—” Elizabeth bit her lip. “I’m so sorry.”

“Nikolas—my husband—he’s supportive.” The two of them began to stroll slowly towards the campsite. “He knows we’re both trying, but his family—” She lifted a shoulder. “They’re not as kind about it.”

She looked into the distance and Elizabeth caught sight of where Emily was looking — large and elaborate tents were already set up. Dark-haired men were wandering around the site. “Nikolas—he’s the only son of an only son. To hold onto the land, they need an heir.” Emily gestured for Elizabeth to take a seat next to her on the grassy knoll that overlooked many of the camp sites.

“That’s a lot of pressure.” Elizabeth reached over, and under the guise of adjusting a blanket around Jake’s body, she let her fingers drift over Emily’s shoulder. She saw the woman laboring in a bed, a man by the door pacing. “There’s always hope,” she said finally.

“I’m sorry. I just met you—” Emily flushed. “There’s just—there’s not many women at the estate, and Jason’s written such lovely things about you. You’ve made my brother so happy.” She beamed at Elizabeth. “Just look at him—and, oh, how adorable Cameron looks—”

Elizabeth did smile as she saw their son trailing behind Jason as they set up the tents. When Jason paused to put his hands at his waist, Cameron followed suit, fisting his tiny hands at his side.

Cameron looked so joyous following his father around—Elizabeth felt a trickle of shame for holding back—for not letting Cameron have this as often as he could.

“He loves his father,” Elizabeth murmured. “I’ve been very fortunate to be blessed with such a wonderful family.”

“Now all you need is a little girl to keep at home with you,” Emily teased. She handed Jake back to his mother. “Come along and meet some of the other women. They’ll love to coo and fuss over an infant.”

—

Jason watched as his wife and sister disappeared down the hill and waited as Francis followed behind them.

“She seems better now that we’re here,” Francis said.

“Maybe.” Jason hoped that was true, but he couldn’t quite shake the feeling that she’d done this entirely for him—that given the choice, she’d still be locked behind the doors of the keep.

“And Johnny won’t let her out of her sight. Whatever she’s worried about—Albany would be a fool to come after her in the middle of all our allies.”

“I know.”

Francis frowned at him, but Jason lifted Cameron into his arms and turned to greet the group of men who were approaching.

“Cameron,” Jason nodded to the chieftain and the older man grinned and lightly embraced the youger man.

“This must be my namesake,” Lewis Cameron said with a broad smile. “Are you Cameron?”

“Aye. Da says I’m named for someone important.”

“So you are.” Lewis arched a brow at Jason. “Where is your lovely wife? Did you bring the new babe?”

“She’s visiting with my sister.” Jason shifted his son from side to the other. “Alexander—” He nodded to Lewis’s oldest son. “You’re back from Sterling?”

“Aye. I bring news of the White Knight. Da says you’ve problems with the regent,” Alexander said. “He’s still in France, but his minion has been wandering around our area looking for allies of the Humes.”

Jason grimaced. Antoine d’Arces, the Chevalier d’Arces, was one of Albany’s French allies and had been handling many of the day to day issues in the kingdom with Albany in France. He’d been on the hunt for David Hume and his family since they’d commited some sort of crime against the crown—

He was also an ardent follower of the Church and had been known to preside over witch hunts and trials which did not make him entirely popular in the Highlands.

“I thought I’d warn you that the man was lurking around. Just because Albany isn’t stinking up the place, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t have friends.”

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