TITLE: Irish Lament
AUTHOR: Dissolved Girl (ba479@chebucto.ns.ca)
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: Stephan and Hamish watch over William until he is gone...
ARCHIVE: Just ask. =)
It was truly a black day when William Wallace was slaughtered by the English. I watched it happen, unmoving in the sea of hecklers, with Hamish at my side. Unable to do a thing to stop it... yet I could not simply turn away.
He is--was--a friend, an ally. The man who united his people and battled for Scotland's freedom. A selfless, avenging Scotsman. They will talk of him for centuries to come...
I would have died for him, had the Almightly asked me to. And even if He hadn't asked... had I known, I would have taken Wallace's place. He is a hero, and heroes are not meant to die like this. Perhaps, were I a braver man, I would have tried to save him. But it was too late for that... it was more than his blood they'd spilled while I'd been standing there thinking on him.
I wanted to look away, but I could not. Would not. I had sworn I would watch over him until he was gone from this world completely. It did not take long after that...
I finally closed my eyes when they had dragged his mutilated body away. Drawn and quartered, and disemboweled... and not once had he asked for mercey. A true hero until his last breath.
I rubbed a hand over my face to hide the tears. William Wallace had died for what he believed. Died for freedom. William Wallace... my brave Scotsman. He was a true friend.
Hamish had put his hand on my shoulder then, and I looked up. He did not bother trying to hide his tears. I gave him a sad smile. "He fought until the end..."
"Aye... that he did."
My smile slowly faded as I looked at Hamish. He looked as broken as I felt. They had been childhood friends, Hamish and William. Lord... no wonder there was so much pain here. "Come," I said quietly, "Let us return to the army. There is nothing more to be done here..."
Hamish nodded and we threaded our way back through the crowd. Filthy English... I've never been more disgusted with them. I walked behind Hamish, watching his back as he moved. His step was heavy and his shoulders slumped.
"He didn't die alone, at least..."
Hamish stopped. He didn't speak.
"We were with him to the last, and he will remember that, wherever he goes from here..."
Hamish turned to look at me then. He looked as if he was remembering something else--the words must have reminded him of something.
"He is happy now, Hamish."
He gave a faint, sad smile. "Aye. He will not be alone now, either..."
I didn't understand what he meant, but I returned the smile and stepped forward, throwing an arm over his shoulders. "I'm sure he's not. The Almighty will take care of him."
As we started walking again, I caught his barely uttered words.
"Murron will take care of him..."
AUTHOR: Dissolved Girl (ba479@chebucto.ns.ca)
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: Stephan and Hamish watch over William until he is gone...
ARCHIVE: Just ask. =)
It was truly a black day when William Wallace was slaughtered by the English. I watched it happen, unmoving in the sea of hecklers, with Hamish at my side. Unable to do a thing to stop it... yet I could not simply turn away.
He is--was--a friend, an ally. The man who united his people and battled for Scotland's freedom. A selfless, avenging Scotsman. They will talk of him for centuries to come...
I would have died for him, had the Almightly asked me to. And even if He hadn't asked... had I known, I would have taken Wallace's place. He is a hero, and heroes are not meant to die like this. Perhaps, were I a braver man, I would have tried to save him. But it was too late for that... it was more than his blood they'd spilled while I'd been standing there thinking on him.
I wanted to look away, but I could not. Would not. I had sworn I would watch over him until he was gone from this world completely. It did not take long after that...
I finally closed my eyes when they had dragged his mutilated body away. Drawn and quartered, and disemboweled... and not once had he asked for mercey. A true hero until his last breath.
I rubbed a hand over my face to hide the tears. William Wallace had died for what he believed. Died for freedom. William Wallace... my brave Scotsman. He was a true friend.
Hamish had put his hand on my shoulder then, and I looked up. He did not bother trying to hide his tears. I gave him a sad smile. "He fought until the end..."
"Aye... that he did."
My smile slowly faded as I looked at Hamish. He looked as broken as I felt. They had been childhood friends, Hamish and William. Lord... no wonder there was so much pain here. "Come," I said quietly, "Let us return to the army. There is nothing more to be done here..."
Hamish nodded and we threaded our way back through the crowd. Filthy English... I've never been more disgusted with them. I walked behind Hamish, watching his back as he moved. His step was heavy and his shoulders slumped.
"He didn't die alone, at least..."
Hamish stopped. He didn't speak.
"We were with him to the last, and he will remember that, wherever he goes from here..."
Hamish turned to look at me then. He looked as if he was remembering something else--the words must have reminded him of something.
"He is happy now, Hamish."
He gave a faint, sad smile. "Aye. He will not be alone now, either..."
I didn't understand what he meant, but I returned the smile and stepped forward, throwing an arm over his shoulders. "I'm sure he's not. The Almighty will take care of him."
As we started walking again, I caught his barely uttered words.
"Murron will take care of him..."