Scotland

Chapter 5

The winter was ruthless. It was snowing en masse. The roof would have collapsed several times if Malcolm hadn't pushed down the snow. Angus crouched on the bed. He was wrapped in furs and whimpered from the cold. Malcolm came back in. He had taken care of the animals in the stable. He was pretty snowy and took off his coat, which he hung over a chair, as well as his shirt. Both was wet with snow. Malcolm took a towel and rubbed his hair dry.

"How is it outside?" Asked Angus.

"It's snowing. Damn much." Malcolm grumbled to himself, trying to warm up by the fire.

"I'm cold." Angus wailed.

"I really didn't think so." Malcolm muttered.

"Mal! It's so cold!" Angus cried.

"And what should I change about that?" Malcolm asked angrily, looking at him. "I'm not Jesus! We're in the Highlands and it's snowing!" Malcolm rubbed his hands together. "I'm sorry, Angus. I don't know why I'm in such a bad mood." Malcolm went to his brother and put a blanket over him. "Better?" Angus shook his head. "Jesus. You have now what? Five blankets and three furs?" Angus whined softly.

"I'm so cold." Malcolm reached under the covers with his hand.

"That's damn warm." He muttered and put a hand on Angus forehead. "Angus, you have a fever." Malcolm said in shock. Angus whimpered softly and pressed against his brother. "Crap. You have a fever." Malcolm jumped up and walked out of the house dressed in his kilt and boots. The cold stung his body immediately. Goosebumps gathered on his skin. He was trembling badly and ran to the vegetable patch. Malcolm fell on his knees in the snow, trembling as he tried to brush the snow aside to get to the bed. He prayed that some of the herbs had survived. He kept digging until he found some plants. "Thank God." Malcolm muttered, plucking the herbs from the frozen bed. Then he got up and walked back into the house, shaking. He closed the door behind him and quickly knelt in front of the fire. God, he was so frozen.

"What were you doing outside?" Angus asked weakly.

"H ... herbs fetched." Malcolm's teeth chattered heavily.

"Mal? Why don't we have parents?" Angus asked quietly. Malcolm turned his head and looked at him.

"How do you mean?"

"Why do we live here alone, in a hut, at the end of the world? We have no neighbors. I have no friends." He whispered the last sentence. Malcolm took Angus' hand.

"Angus. I'm your friend." Angus smiled weakly.

"Yes. You're my friend." Malcolm quickly realized that the younger one was delusional and began to cook a remedy, just as Maria had taught him. He poured the remedy into a wooden cup and slowly helped Angus up. Angus leaned against him, panting. Malcolm wanted to put the cup in his hand, but the younger was shaking badly.

"Lean your head back." Said Malcolm. Angus did. Malcolm put the rim of the cup on Angus' lips and the smaller one swallowed it all. "Now sit back and rest." Malcolm hummed as his brother lay down and he gently covered him. "Take a rest, then you'll get well again."

"Promised?" Angus whispered, giving him a weak look. Malcolm nodded quickly. "Can you lie down with me?" Angus took Malcolm's hand in his trembling.

"Angus, I have to ..." He closed his mouth when he saw his brother's pleading green eyes. "OK. I'll lie down with you." Malcolm took off his boots and lay down next to his brother. He pulled the sick boy to his chest. "Take a rest, little brother." Malcolm whispered, brushing back a few of Angus' locks. Angus snuggled up against him.

"Mal?" He asked softly.

"Mh?" Malcolm patted Angus' back.

"When I grow up, I want to be a knight." Malcolm smiled.