But I stood afore that mighty bush
And let loose a mighty stream…
Which became verra awkward
To be interrupted by a scream.
Auld Gommy rolled from beneath that bush,
Flailing at his hair.
But I couldnae stop my mighty piss,
Even if I’d had a care.”
Weesil fell off his horse, he was laughing so hard.
There were tears running down Giric’s cheeks as he pointed to his fallen comrade. “Compose a song about him next, Robbie! The dobber fell off his horse!”
Mook was tapping his thigh happily, as if he was only paying attention to the music, and Auld Gommy was hooting with laughter, despite being the butt of the joke.
Even dour Pudge was wearing a smile.
Kester, still chuckling, urged his horse up beside his old friend’s. “The song was funny, aye?”
Pudge dropped his chin in acknowledgement, before taking a swig from his skin. “Aye,” he drawled as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “The lass is clever, I’ll give her that.”
It took a moment for his words to sink in, but then Kester sent him a sharp look. Pudge shrugged.
“The rest might be blind, but a mustache dinnae fool me. She’s the lass ye were mooning over at Oliphant Castle, is she no’?”
Kester debated how to answer, especially with his old friend watching him so shrewdly. Finally, he looked away. “I thought…we might’ve had a chance at a future.”
“And now she’s willing to wear a mustache to go chasing after ye, Laird.”
“Nay!” Kester glanced at the others, still laughing. “She’s…she’s attending the piping competition.”
Pudge hummed, his finger tapping idly against his thigh as they rode on, leaving the others to follow. “She’s talented, as I said. So, she pretends to be a lad for that reason? No’ because she wanted to be with ye?”
Here and now.
Kester twisted slightly in the saddle and met Robena’s eyes. Hers were twinkling merrily, clearly amused at how her song had been received.
When they’d set out on this journey, he’d thought her angry at him. Mayhap she was, until she learned the truth of his impending marriage, and how little he wanted it. Until he accidentally confessed his love to her.
But now…. “I’m…no’ certain,” he confessed.
“Have ye asked her?”
Leave it to Pudge to cut to the heart of the matter. “She says she’s content with…what I can give her. Here and now. She understands we cannae have a future together.”
“Well, Laird,” Pudge growled, slamming his fist into Kester’s shoulder, “Ye should make the best of what time together ye do have.”
And that was all the grizzled warrior said before he clucked at his horse and left Kester alone with his thoughts.
Or…mostly alone. Behind him, his men were still guffawing good-naturedly, and after a while, Robbie appeared beside him.
He wanted to take her hand again. Wanted to pull her off her horse, tug off the ridiculous mustache, and sit her on his lap where he could kiss her neck and play with her tits with his free hand. The thought had his cock twitching beneath his kilt.