“Do you want me to deal with your untactful cousin, Alainn, or would you like to attend to him with some form of magic spell?” Killian only half jested.
Alainn glanced mischievously at Killian and then to her grandfather.
“Might I turn your grandson into a mule, Grandfather?”
“In truth, I think he is already a bit of an ass, Alainn, but if you feel you must, so be it! I’ll see to it he has adequate food and a reasonably comfortable stall in the stables.”
Riley knew very little of the druid ways as he had always been completely unwilling to accept druidism. He also was disbelieving of many of Alainn’s supernatural abilities and, although he had witnessed some of her unusual powers, clearly, he didn’t know whether what she’d just spoken of could truly be accomplished. Alainn continued on with the jesting for she had caught the look of utter uncertainty on her cousin’s face. She mumbled something in the druid language that meant nothing but gibberish, but Riley didn’t know that.
“Alainn, what are you doing? Don’t do anythin’ rash now! I did not mean to insult you, and I didn’t say you’re not still bonny and fine, for of course you are. From behind you cannot even tell you carry a child, for you still have a narrow, slender waist and you’ve not a large unattractive backside, not like those women whose arse gets as wide as an axe handle when they carry. Neither is your face swollen and unattractive nor liken to a bloated hog as are some women when they are about to birth a child. And I apologize if you thought I was rude. In truth, you’re surely still the loveliest girl ever created. I was just surprised to see how much the child has grown.”
He stammered and stuttered and soon Killian was laughing earnestly at Riley’s frightened face and his groveling toward his cousin. The elderly man standing with them chuckled as well. Alainn finally relented and placed a quick apologetic kiss on Riley’s cheek.
“Grandfather, you and Riley must come in and join us for our evening meal. Cookson has been working all day to create a wonderful feast for you. And I have made a dessert as well.”
“You did, Alainn?” Killian asked, grinning widely at the thought of his wife helping out in the kitchen for he knew how much she enjoyed such activities.
“Is it actually edible?” Riley queried.
“By God, Riley, ’tis no wonder your own wife left the country to have a time apart from you. You clearly have no notion how to deal with the fairer gender.” Killian shook his head as he lifted his own wife into his arms and effortlessly carried her up the many stone steps to the castle.
Killian glanced around the table and smiled widely. His wife had insisted that not only should their kin share the meal with them, but, his captain, and the captain’s son Pierce, and the cook, Joseph, as well. Killian did not object for these men had been his friends the entire time he’d lived at Castle O’Brien, but he saw the disapproving look his steward, Fergus Flannery, had worn when he’d seen servants and members of the guard dining with nobility. Killian would need to speak with the man for he would not want Alainn to feel she couldn’t dine with whomever she pleased.
“The meal was entirely delicious, Cookson; you have outdone yourself!” Killian praised the young man.
“And your apple dessert was most flavorful, Alainn!” Cookson smiled at his friend. “Even if you did use half my honey supply!”
“Aye, it was superb, Lainna. You knew it was my favorite, aye?”
“Aye!” She smiled back at him and they gazed at each other as though they were alone in the room.
Killian leaned over and placed a lengthy kiss on her lips and he thought they were considerably sweeter than the dessert he’d just completed. Riley cleared his throat loudly and they regretfully pulled from their embrace.
“Think of the amorous reunion you and Mary will surely have when she returns, Riley. She has been gone for nearly six weeks now. You must miss her presence terribly!” Alainn suggested.
“Aye, of course I miss my wife!” Riley stated as he gruffly cleared his throat, but did not sound even the slightest bit convincing.
Killian noted Alainn staring at Riley and believed they both were thinking their cousin’s marriage was not as strong as they’d hoped it might be.
The captain and her grandfather were in deep conversation with each other regarding the English and Alainn recalled both Danhoul and Maire O’Donnel telling her of the battle Killian had been involved in. She questioned him on it, but he clearly downplayed it.
“I did not send word of the incident, Alainn, for I feared it would simply cause you undue concern. There were only a handful of them.”
“How many?” she demanded to know.
“Two dozen... perhaps three dozen at most... and they only carried swords.”
“And how many were you and your men?”
“Five and ten, but we are far superior with the sword, Alainn. You needn’t fret so!”
She reached out to touch the amulet that hung from his neck. She had charmed the amulet for him and thus far it had proven beneficial in keeping him safe. She prayed it would continue to do so, but if the English came in the great numbers as was predicted, no amount of magic in an amulet would keep him safe, and she shivered.
“Are you cold, Lainna? Here, take my overcoat.”
He took the garment from its place on the back of his chair and placed it around her shoulders tenderly, and she touched his hand and smiled at his caring gesture.
The conversation went to talks of the gathering of the clans and what, if anything, had been decided. Even the few men here seemed divided on how might be best to deal with the English and their damnable king who seemed set on once again taking away the Irish ways, and the Irish rule. Even the title of chieftain was not to be used, for they were actually to be known as earls or lords, but it was scarcely adhered to. The Irish way of speaking, their music, customs, and even their dress were once under strict scrutiny of the English, and it appeared the Tudor king wanted this again, as well as being named sole King of Ireland. That was something few Irishmen could tolerate, to have an arrogant English ruler declared King of Ireland, when it was the English who had stripped the actual Irish kings of their titles centuries before. When the conversation became heated, Alainn was driven to change the subject to something she thought would be much more amiable. She was soon proven wrong.
“Have you recent news of Rory? It has been some time since we’ve had a message from him or from your mother, Riley. Do you know if all is well at Castle O’Brien? I know since he’s your twin brother, the two of you remain close. Have you heard from him then, Riley?”
“He looked well enough.”
Both Killian and Niall threw Riley a warning glance, but the damage had already been done.
“He looked well enough... you saw Rory?” Alainn asked in a strained, hushed voice.
Riley looked sharply toward Killian in hopes he could diffuse this unpleasant and quickly escalating situation, but Killian had closed his eyes and waited for the thunder to begin.
“Rory was with you when the council met near Dublin? Killian, you saw Rory?” her voice trembled as she spoke.
“Aye, Alainn, but......
She stood up so suddenly her heavy chair fell backwards and crashed to the stone floor. All the men at the table rose as well.
“No, sit down, the lot of you; remain as you were, I simply require a breath of air.”
Alainn felt light-headed as she began to walk toward the far end of the great hall, to the large arched windows, but Killian caught her elbow.
“Alainn.”
“It would be wise to allow me this time alone, Killian O’Brien!”
Surely most of the men at the table had no notion what had caused the woman’s unusual reaction. Only Niall, Riley, and Killian knew why she had stormed off in a furious state. And none of them seemed inclined to offer any explanation.
Killian followed her across the immense room where she stood by the arched window and deeply inhaled the fresh evening air in attemp
t to calm herself. As she lowered herself to a nearby chair, Killian crouched beside her.
“You did not heed me, none of you! Not even my grandfather, but you, Killian; I believed you would!” A sob caught in her throat as she spoke.
“Rory needed to be there, Alainn. He is chieftain as well, together with our Uncle Hugh.”
“But I thought it has been decided Rory would not attend, that only your uncle would attend? Riley would go with our grandfather this time. Because you have been appointed to the council of the clans your presence was necessary, but Rory was to stay at Castle O’Brien, what caused him to deviate from the plans?” she asked her voice shaking with emotion.
“We were only together during the gatherin’ of the clans, not once afterward, not at the inns not even for drinks or meals! We did not journey anywhere together.” He assured her.
Killian saw Riley heading toward them and he gestured for him to stay away for he thought he was on the way to calming Alainn’s fears as well as her temper. His cousin, being typically boar-headed and unintuitive, approached anyway.
“Alainn, how can you tell me I cannot be with my own brother; or Killian either for he is like a brother to us? It is unnatural for us to be parted because of some damnable vision you’ve had? How can you possibly know it will ever come to be?”
“I know it well!” She glared at her cousin. “I have seen you dead, the three of you more times than I can count now. Do you know what it is to see the man I love dead, and you and your brother who are dear to me as well? In my visions I see all of you lying bloody and lifeless on a field during a battle with the English. I know not how to prevent it but to keep you apart, but still you refuse to heed me!”
“And are your damnable abilities so infallible that you couldn’t be wrong on this? Do you think yourself so powerful that you know all?”
“This has nothin’ to do with how powerful I am. I tell you now; if the three of you are together you risk the chance of being killed. If you stay apart then the vision cannot come to fruition.”
“You will not prevent me from seein’ my brother! Tell me, Alainn, what clan would you suggest forfeit their vote, then?”
“You and our grandfather share joint chieftainship as do Rory and your father. You and Rory can simply alternate in attending the council. Did your father not attend council as was planned?” she demanded to know.
She shuddered at even mentioning Hugh O’Brien for in the past he had caused much trepidation and heartache for Killian and herself.
“My father’s health has been failing recently and his physician insisted he could not make the journey!” Riley replied in a solemn tone laced with apparent concern regarding his father. “It was then decided our Uncle Sean would go in their stead, but that also did not happen.”
“And why could Sean not attend then?” Alainn demanded.
“Well, you’ll know Iona is with child and she was apparently most grievously opposed to Sean leaving her for she was feeling poorly.” Riley offered.
“Oh, aye, far be it for poorly Iona to be alone for such an insufferable time when she is newly with child!” She rolled her eyes indignantly and glanced from Rory to Killian and back again. “So ’tis that bitter and spoiled young woman, Iona who rules Castle O’Brien at the moment, then is it?” She sarcastically suggested.
That was when her grandfather slowly made his way across the gargantuan room most certainty moving unusually slowly due to his advancing age and his lengthy time upon a horse this day.
“Alainn”—he spoke in his stern yet gentle manner—“sure it cannot be beneficial for you or your unborn child for you to become so aggrieved.”
“Aye, Grandfather, sure you speak the truth, but tell me then, do you suppose it will be beneficial to me or my unborn child if his father and his kin lie dead on an open moor outside of Dublin? Would it be beneficial to me to know I have been unable to prevent a vision I have been seeing for so many months now?”
He shook his head slowly, realizing he was not achieving the desired effect of soothing and calming his granddaughter.
Alainn looked at each of the men’s faces with exasperation and then pulled her anelace from her pocket.
Chapter Four
Riley jumped back at the sight of her weapon, unsure of her intentions and Killian stepped toward her.
“Alainn, please calm you down, let me take you to our bedchamber and settle you. There’s no need for further unpleasant discussion.”
She stepped away from him and walked toward Riley once more. His eyes grew wide and his hand went to the hilt of his sword.
“I’ll not use my weapon upon you, Riley O’Brien, though if it were the only manner in which I could ensure my husband and your brother would live, then perhaps the cost would not be so very great in sacrificing your life!”
She walked past him and to the nearest castle wall. With her weapon she began scratching a rough drawing upon the stone. She placed three large marks upon the drawing and began to explain.
“In my reoccurring vision it is apparent the battle will take place on an open moor, but in the far off distance a city is within view. Since your council meetings are almost always held near Dublin, I feel it is a great likelihood the battle will ensue at that location.” Her voice shook as she continued. With her weapon she tapped loudly upon the site of the first mark.
“This is the location where Rory shall die for he is the first to lose his life, by way of arrow through his neck and throat, his death is undisputedly bloody, but quick and mostly painless.”
As she pointed to the second mark she glanced up with tears in her eyes and pain in her voice. “This is where my husband shall meet his death, a sword so near to his heart that it, too, shall be quite swift!” By her achingly sad tone, it was obvious her very own heart was breaking at conveying this information. “It shall be deemed a brave and admirable death for you will kill over a dozen of the enemy before you are overcome, Killian. I shall be certain to inform our son of your dauntless bravery while relating the reasoning why he shall never know his father!” Her tone was now lower and laced with a hauntingly sad sarcasm.
“And you, Riley O’Brien, shall be the last to die; you shall witness the death of both your brother and your cousin. You shall suffer a sword’s blow to your belly. It shall leave you near a state of disembowelment, and it will be a long and excruciatingly painful death. Perhaps hours you will lie there on the cold, wet ground looking upon the dead bodies of your kin! Perhaps it is a death befitting you, Riley, since your stubbornness will surely be the death of you!
Believe me, for I have seen this vision in its brutal gore entirely, surely more times than I can count. I know how it will happen; I am almost certain where it will happen. It is only when it will happen that eludes me. So I cannot force you to heed my words, if that is your choice. Though every one of you can be asininely stubborn, I urge you to listen to my words and abide by my wisdom for I know not how else to warn you of what is to be!”
Riley’s face had grown pale at her ominous words, but he chose to retaliate in anger.
“I won’t believe it!” He roared, nostrils flaring indignantly.
“Your obvious stupidity will end up costing you your life, Riley O’Brien, and that of Rory and Killian as well!” She fumed.
“Are you callin’ me stupid to my face, woman. You have no right!”
“Riley, would you just shut the hell up, man!” Killian yelled loudly and his authoritative voice echoed off the walls of the enormous room.
“And you, Killian, cannot order me about!” Riley shouted. “You’ve been damnably irritable and cantankerous these past weeks. You might not know that about your husband, Alainn, but he becomes entirely unpleasant to be with when he does without the company of a woman in his bed.”
Alainn glared at her cousin once more at choosing to refer to a topic that would further enrage her.
“You might have accepted the invitation of the many women dancers at the gatherin’, K
illian. Apparently you seem no less appealing to other women, maidens or whores, now that you are a married man and so boldly choose to wear a ring to alert others. They want you still and proposition you often. By Christ, the whores offer to service you for no coin, simply for the mere pleasure of being with you in that manner!”
“Are you completely consumed with drink or is it simply your own discontented embitterment that causes you to speak in such a manner, Riley O’Brien?” Killian glared at the other man and stood threateningly to his full height beside his cousin.
Riley was a tall man as well, but Killian was taller and at the moment clearly angrier.
Alainn looked up at both of the men in disbelief of what was being discussed. “You were openly propositioned by lewd and promiscuous women, Killian? Who are these dancers of which you speak... Irish dancers?”
“Hardly, cousin, now who’s bein’ naïvely stupid?” Riley scoffed. “They were sultry and exotic female dancers, not typical Irish dancers by any stretch for they were naked women dancers who dance for the chieftains and the lords at the gatherings and provide entertainment and a vast array of other favors.” He elaborated as his eyebrow arched in a suggestive manner.
“Riley, you can get the hell out of here until you learn to keep your mouth shut!” Killian ordered. “Niall, take your grandson home before I slit his cursed throat!”
“Riley, get you back to our castle, you’re acting like a bitter child instead of a man! These are topics not broached with womenfolk present. How can it be you don’t respect or understand that?” Niall O’Rorke declared.
Alainn had started up the winding stone steps, but Killian went after her.
“Alainn, we must speak on this further!”
“I am simply fetching my grandfather an elixir for the pain in his back and a balm remedy for the nagging ache in his shoulders. If I do not distance myself from our cousin immediately the dark magic I direct toward him will not be nearly as kind as what I alluded to earlier this day!”
A Chieftain's Wife Page 4
