by Fiona Faris
“When ye go in tae the council meeting, go with an open mind, aye? Ye need tae hear the people, hear what they need. Yer a great leader, but ye’d be an e’en better one if ye listened more tae those around ye.”
Logan had to agree with this statement. More often than not, he shrugged away the advice of others, always thinking he knew best.
“I will listen. I will keep an open mind,” he said without thinking. “I canna say what they will be saying, and all I can hope is tae prove that I know how tae handle things, but I will listen tae their ideas.”
He meant this earnestly. He thought back to the dragon story and thought about the villagers, and how they all banded together to help the king keep the castle safe. He was like that king, and there were going to be moments where he couldn’t do everything he needed to do alone.
He bade his sisters good night and began making the journey up the stairs yet again, turning this time towards the council room. He thought about his sister’s advice. Though he did not like the idea of listening to ideas not his own, it was fine advice. Logan knew deep down that Mildred was a skilled and intelligent woman who would have made a fine leader. Often, Logan thought she would have made a much better leader than he was, had she been born a man. But things were as they were.
By the time Logan made it to the floor of the council room, he could hear a cacophony of voices. This was going to be an important moment, and the first of many steps in proving he could earn his people’s care back again. But it would require he be patient, kind, and keep an open mind. Could Logan do all of that after the day? Would he be able to stay determined and keep his pride from further ruining his reputation?
Chapter Seven
Logan entered the council room with a stern but focused expression on his face. As nervous as he was, he knew he could not show this to the council or anyone in attendance. The room was filled with many faces; everywhere he looked was someone he knew, someone who had helped give strong council to in some way or another, even if it was done quietly. As he walked toward his chair at the head of the table he looked around. There were so many people he knew there, people who had seen him grow from just a child to the Laird of their estate. There were people who have been on the advising council longer than he’d been alive. Many of the elders came to the council meeting to speak on different issues, to ensure that Logan was leading well. They all brought a different skill set. He knew a few of these council members had voiced their concerns over his attitude in the last few years, and the way he seemed to ‘lack focus.’
But he could not be discouraged by their presence. Logan needed to do his best to listen and to care for the situation. His sister’s words rang in his ears: keep an open mind and heed their advice. She was right, as was the story he told Ava: a leader was only as good as his people, and he needed to remember this. It was important to show that he could give them the space to contribute to their own estate.
Logan reached his chair and sat down. He greeted each elder personally and shook their hands, thanking them for joining a meeting on such short notice. Logan stood then and pounded on the table with his fist.
“Aye, thank ye all for coming tae the council meeting. There is much tae discuss, and—” Logan paused. In one corner of the room, not at the main table of elders, he saw Fanny. As much as Logan hated to admit it, he immediately looked around her, hoping for any sign of the lassie from earlier. Sure enough, next to her sat Sophia, and on the other side, Gilbert. He was momentarily distracted as he met her eyes, but he pulled himself back to focus. “Ahem. We have much tae discuss and take care of. It has been a long day, and an even longer night. Let us begin.” Logan sat back down, ready to try his best to fix an impossible situation.
“As most of ye likely ken, there have been multiple fires around the southern border. They started within moments of each other, an’ because it was night, they blazed through the dry grasses, burning the farmlands and many of the homes as well. There has been great loss of life and resources, and we need tae find some solutions—and quickly.”
There was a murmur around him as the people took in this news. Many of them knew about the fires but none of them had known that there were so many, or that they had started all at once.
“Let me begin by expressing my concerns fer the estate an’ for our clan. Alrick, can ye please explain tae the people the losses we’ve sustained?” Logan motioned to Alrick, who stood.
“Aye, Laird. The farm lands have suffered greatly. The fires moved too quick for anyone tae do anything but run for their lives. All of the fields have been burnt tae near ash. We may be able tae save some of the harvest, but what we save will amount tae no more than a field of goods. In addition, all of the farm houses were reduced tae rubble. The livestock also fled as quick as they could. We may be able tae track some of them down, but it will take a lot of effort and time. That is all I have fer now.” Alrick stood back down. Around him, Logan could see the sorrowful faces. Everyone was concerned about all this meant for the people.
“As ye ken, there has been much lost. I am concerned; with so much of the harvest gone, how we will provide fer our people through the long and hard winter? The houses that have been lost have led the people here. While they can stay in the keep as long as we need them tae, there will be a point where we won’t be able tae house e’eryone or feed e’eryone. My other concern is the livestock. We need tae begin salting and preserving the meat if we’re tae have anything other than potatoes this winter.” Logan continued looking around the room. He felt a sense of power and force behind his own words. Their sorrow pushed him to show he could care for them.
“I have some ideas of how we can take care of this. First—” Logan stopped himself. Though he did have some ideas, at that moment, he remembered Mildred’s words. Right now was not a time for him to lead with his ideas. Ultimately, if he wanted, they could follow his ideas. At that time, however, he needed to show that he was willing to listen. Maybe they had ideas he had yet to consider.
“First, I want tae open this up. While I do have ideas, I want tae hear from all of ye, the people. I want tae hear yer ideas are for getting us back in shape. How can we care fer each other in a time of great need?”
Beside him, Alrick looked shocked. This was the first time in a council meeting that Logan had done anything but talk and demand. It was a welcome surprise. Alrick pounded his mug on the table in support of the idea. All eyes fell on him, and many seemed confused, perhaps questioning if this was a true suggestion.
As Logan said the word “need,” his eyes drifted to the back of the room where Sophia sat with Fanny. Her eyes, even from where he sat, held that same sheen as earlier. This had to have been a difficult moment for her. He wanted to walk over to her, to sit next to her and stroke her soft hair, telling her all the while that everything would be alright. He wanted to know what drove her near to tears in this moment. What had she lost in the fires?
All around him, people spoke quietly to each other. As much as Logan wanted to demand they speak in that moment, he knew they needed time. The room felt tense with an anticipation. Who would be the first to speak? In front of him, a small older man finally stood up. Logan looked to him patiently and expectantly.
“Aye, elder, what have ye tae offer tae the conversation?” Logan tried to sound gentle and considerate.
The elder smiled at him. “Well, it seems one of the biggest losses was nae only the crops, but all the homes of the farmers who grew the crops.”
Logan nodded. “Yes, tis a tremendous loss.” In the corner, he noticed Sophia wiping her eye with an ashen linen. She had started silently crying.
“Well,” The elder continued, “I think tis a good idea that we send the scouts with the families tae salvage what can be salvaged from all the wreckage. If we do that, and we do that fast, we might be able tae begin rebuilding.”
Logan looked to Alrick to gauge how he felt about this idea. Alrick nodded in agreement. Logan had to admit it seemed one of the mo
st pressing matters.
“Aye, it will be important tae get those homes back as soon as possible. We do have a list of all who lost their homes. Alrick, let us start going down the list and sending out the neighboring families to see if anything is left in the wreckage that can be salvaged.” Alrick agreed.
The elder did not sit, however. “And, I think tis necessary we begin building right away. These families canna’ stay in the keep, crowded all tae one room, for long. If we use some of the workers tae begin building houses for some of the larger families, we can open up rooms, and get them back tae their lands quickly. They can prepare the farmlands for farming sooner that way.”
“Thank ye, elder, I think tis a fine idea. We shall begin building a few homes at a time, and should have them done quick, before the winter hits.” The elder smiled at Logan, happy to have been heard and considered.
Logan had to admit this was likely the most important step to begin with. He turned to the table and all the other elders.
“All ye in favor of beginning with rebuilding, slam yer ales down and swig.” All around him, the men looked at each other, smiling. They all slammed their ales down quickly in support of the elder who chose to speak up first.
Logan was glad that the people were opening up to him, and sharing their ideas for what could rebuild the estate the quickest. He waited for someone else to speak now, still glancing often at Sophia in the corner. She tried to keep herself composed, but the pain was written on her face. She was having trouble staying here.
The room grew quiet once again, but Logan knew someone else would speak soon. And sure enough, another frail older man stood. Normally, Logan didn’t appreciate listening to anyone who looked so near their deathbed, but this was a respected elder who had guided his own father on occasions a long time ago. The man cleared his throat.
“Ye mentioned much of the harvest being destroyed,” the man paused. “Tis been a long time, but in this estate we used tae plant winter wheat. The grain grows well in the harshest of weather. It grows quick, too. But it needs fertile and rich soil. We used tae plant it more when yer father was laird, but then we began planning and storing, and we stopped doin’ so.”
Logan recalled the winter wheat—how sweet it had been, with a certain kind of smokiness to it. They had stopped planting it because it did require fertile soil and a lot of work in some of the hardest months. The harvest in the autumn season had long since provided enough for them to store and share, and there wasn’t any other reason to plant it.
“I recall tasting that wheat as a child. It might be a good idea.”
The elder smiled softly. “The fields, now that they’ve been burned tae near nothing, may very well serve as good fertilizer. It’ll give the wheat enough nourishment, and hopefully help it sprout and grow quick.”
“That may help some, but we do need some more ideas for food, I think.” Logan himself had struggled to come up with many ideas to feed all his people and to have enough to store through the winter.
Alrick stood as the elder sat. “Well, tis only been a day since the events took place. There is a large chance much of the livestock are still nearby. We can send out men tae hunt them down. It shouldn’t be too hard. The cattle are slow, even when frightened. And we know this is a busy time for the boars tae come out for foraging. If we can use a wee bit of our food, we may be able tae lure in the animals and hunt them down. If we do this in the next few weeks, we may be able to salt the meats and preserve them quick enough for winter. We can even send a few men on a hunting trip.”
The elder tipped his walking stick to Alrick as a sign of respect. That was a fine idea.
“Aye, Alrick, I think that is doable. We have many people who will be able tae work, and who might be able tae join in these endeavors. We’ll make an announcement that we are in need of hunters tomorrow morning.”
“Sounds good, Laird.” Alrick sat back down with a soft grin, clearly pleased with himself for the idea. Logan realized then that that was the first time Alrick had spoken in a council meeting and made any kind of suggestion. Perhaps opening the meeting up for commentary was a good idea.
After the first two men spoke, it seemed everyone was more open to making suggestions. And Logan was pleased with the ideas that were being suggested. With all of the elders’ help, they might be able to work together to get things in order.
The room grew silent however, when one of the scouts rushed in and spoke in Alrick’s ear. Everyone quieted down, aching to hear what the conversation was about. Finally, they finished, and the man rushed out.
“Logan, tis the scout who was in charge of preparing the list of the deceased. He has given me his sheet. I must read the names an’ the count.”
Logan worried about this moment. He knew it would be one that would bring great distress and sadness to his people. They had been working so well together, but they needed to face the truth. More than just homes and the harvest had been lost, and it was time for everyone to know how many had perished.
“Go ahead then, Alrick.” With Logan’s permission, Alrick stood and began reading from his list. There were a total count of twenty families affected. Logan recognized one name of a woman who walked with a cane, and realized that must have been the mother of the child he saw in the great hall. The loss brought ache deep in his chest. But it was another name that most caught his interest.
“Alan McDragel.” The name rang through the room. Alrick would have continued listing more people, but in that moment, Sophia began loudly weeping. She tried to shield her face, but she was overcome with her grief. Logan knew then that it had to be someone who was close to Sophia. Logan felt helpless. He wanted to talk to her, but everyone around the room was looking to him to move forward with the meeting.
“Lassie, I ken this is hard to hear. Do ye want to stay in this meeting?”
Sophia waved her hand and shielded her face, but the question only made her weep more.
Finally, Fanny stood to speak for her. “This is Sophia McDragel, Alan was her father. He carried her out of their home, and he perished before Sophia could do anything further tae help.” Logan understood then why the grief was so familiar in her eyes. Sophia had also watched someone she loved die in front of her, all in the name of doing something for her, protecting her.
Fanny continued speaking. “Sophia was an only child, and she lost her mother when she was only a wee lassie of ten years. This is a difficult moment for her.” Sophia turned to Fanny, who welcomed her into her arms.
“I am very sorry, Lassie. I am sure Alan was a great man.” Logan didn’t know what else to say, and he knew his words wouldn’t help the situation. Sophia continued crying, and finally she stood, realizing the meeting would not go on until she left the room. Fanny helped her to her feet and led her outside, where they would wait for the meeting to end.
Logan wished he could go with her, to explain that he understood loss as well, that he knew what she must be feeling and how lost she must feel in those moments. But he needed to finish meeting with the council and implementing their new suggestions.
After Sophia left the meeting, Alrick continued reading the names of the deceased. There was so much loss from those fires, and Logan wished he could have done something to prevent it all but there was nothing that could be done now. Finally, it was time to close the meeting with a report from the healers.
“Gilbert, given that Fanny has left the room to tend to Sophia, I need ye to update us on the patients.” Logan was tired at that point, and had little energy left to focus on the scrawny young man. But Gilbert looked pleased with his newfound position of leadership. He stood, proud to take over for Fanny in the moment. He faced the council members. His voice was louder than it needed to be as he went through the list of how many were injured and how many people were so wounded they likely wouldn’t make it through the night.
Logan couldn’t help but notice how uncaring Gilbert was in his reading of the list. At least Alrick had sounded tired and sore
at the mention of so many names. But here, Gilbert sat reading it as if it was a list of ingredients to buy at the market. There was no emotion behind any of his words. How could someone care so little when their fellow healer was out there mourning one of the perished ones?
Gilbert finished his list and gave a clear explanation of how many would have difficulty recuperating, but might survive. He read through a list of items that would be needed for them to continue healing others.
Logan nodded in response. “Well I will make sure tae get the supplies tae ye three first thing in the morning. Thank ye for the report, Gilbert.” It was at that moment that Logan looked in the back corner and watched as Sophia and Fanny returned to their seats. Logan felt much sorrow in his chest for what the lassie had gone through. So young, and to be left alone without a home or without any way to provide for herself. He didn’t wish that on anyone. Logan stood and looked around the room.
“Tis my idea that, given the nature of the loss…” At this point, he looked to Sophia, and their eyes met. She didn’t turn away from him, and he realized just how beautiful she was, even with tears staining her cheeks. “I think it only proper we honor all who were lost. They were our people, an’ they died in a manner that nae shouldda’ happened. We will hold a proper burial service tae honor them in two days’ time.”