"We have a son, Scotia. A fine, strong son."
Scotia shook her head, still not believing what her heart told her was true. "But the Warrior Trainer only has daughters—that's all they've had for centuries."
He gazed at her uncertainly. "Does it grieve you to know you did not have a daughter?"
"Nay," Scotia mused, "I am merely unprepared for this. All my life...." She gave a soft chuckle. The baby nestled against her body, seeking the warmth and comfort of his mother. "What shall we call him? We can hardly call him Scotia, as we had planned for our daughter."
"Might we call him Malcolm?" Ian asked, his tone suddenly solemn.
Scotia smiled. "It would be fitting." Ian tenderly touched his son's tiny hand. His fist opened and he wrapped his perfect fingers around his father's large one. A look of utter satisfaction rode Ian's features as he brought his gaze back to Scotia's. "Do you know what the birth of a son means?"
Scotia nodded, and a heartfelt smile came freely to her lips. "That our daughters and our sons will train together."
The sound of Ian's joyous laughter filled the room. "Who could ask for anything more?"
Afterword
I have interwoven fact and fiction so closely in The Warrior Trainer that I believe a few clarifications may be in order.
Scotia is a true historical figure. The first records of her come from Egypt, where she was known as Meritaten, a pharaoh's daughter. She was given in marriage to a Greek linguist who came to the Egyptian court to teach the Pharaoh Akhenaten the Greek language. In Greek, her name translated to Scotia. Scotia's husband, Niul, found the Stone of Destiny on the Plains of Luz on his way to Egypt.
Scotia and Niul took the Stone with them when they returned to Greece. They had many children, one of whom was named Scotia, after her mother. The second known Scotia married a Greek king named Milesius. During this time, Scotia became known as a warrior woman and a master of the martial arts. When her husband died in battle, Scotia decided to lead her people, the Milesians, to the Isle of Destiny as was prophesied to Niul's descendants by a Hebrew Prophet named Moses.
With her two sons, numerous followers, and the Stone of Destiny, they arrived off the shores of Ireland, named after the local Queen, Eire. The Milesians and Queen Scotia were victorious over Queen Eire, but both queens died in battle. Scotia's people eventually took the Stone and moved north to a remote country known as Albania. They renamed the country Scotia, after their dead queen, and the new rulers were called Scoti.
The Stone of Destiny was moved several times after its arrival in Ireland. When the Stone was located on the Isle of Iona and at Dunnad, it was used to inaugurate the High Kings. In the sixth century, the Stone was moved to a fortress named Dunstaffnage. In the ninth century, the Stone was moved again, to protect it from Viking raiders. At the Abbey of Scone, it was used for the inauguration of the Scottish kings. At this point in history the Stone of Destiny became known as the Stone of Scone.
In 1296, Edward I of England stole the Stone and placed it under the throne in Westminster Abbey, where the English kings were crowned. Some say the Scots knew Edward was coming, and that the monks of Scone hid their precious stone, replacing it with a lump of common sandstone. The real Stone was said to be composed of black marble, with intricate carvings in the shape of a seat. The current Stone, weighing 336 pounds, is of sandstone with a single Latin cross carved on its surface. It has been theorized that the original stone remains hidden in Scotland and is kept safe by a secret society.
On Christmas Day 1950, four Scottish students took the Stone from Westminster Abbey in order to return it to Scotland. In the process of removing it from the Abbey, they accidentally broke it in two. The two halves of the Stone were smuggled separately through roadblocks and across the border, where the Stone was passed to a senior Glasgow politician who arranged for it to be professionally repaired by a stonemason. The Stone was then left by its temporary custodians four months later on the altar of Arbroath Abbey. And again, rumors circulated that the Stone had been copied and a false Stone returned.
In 1996, the Stone of Destiny was returned to Scotland in preparation for the 1999 reestablishment of the Scottish Parliament. Today, it has a place of honor within the Throne Room of Edinburgh Castle, where it is on public display behind armored glass, surrounded by a sophisticated security system. However, it still remains the property of the English Crown and will be returned to Westminster for any future coronations.
In The Warrior Trainer, I took creative license in making the Stone of Destiny much smaller than it is so that it could easily be moved by a single person.
I also took the liberty to give Queen Scotia a daughter in addition to her two sons, who are not mentioned in the story. This daughter, the Warrior Trainer, would carry on her matriarchal duty by training her countrymen as warriors, and by protecting the most valuable symbol of Scottish independence, the real Stone of Destiny.
Since it has been proven time and again that real life is often stranger than fiction, I hold on to the firm belief that Scotia's story, and her lineage, could have continued just as I imagined.
Other Books by Gerri Russell
The Stones of Destiny Series
Warrior’s Bride
Warrior’s Lady
Brotherhood of the Scottish Templars Series
To Tempt a Knight
Seducing the Knight
A Knight to Desire
Border Lord’s Bride
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