Fia nodded without speaking a word. So did Maira. Willow stared at the ground.
“What are your names?” asked Edward.
Rook spoke up. “My daughter’s name is –”
“Nay,” said the king, coughing slightly. “I want to hear it from them. I want to talk to my granddaughters.”
“Go ahead, lassies.” Reed gave a slight nod.
“I am Maira, and my father is Rowen,” said Maira bravely, taking the lead as usual.
“I am Fia,” answered Fia softly.
“You must be Reed’s daughter with that bright red hair.” The king attempted to smile but since only one corner of his mouth lifted, it looked more like a sneer.
“Aye. I am his daughter.”
“What about you?” the king asked Willow. Willow’s gaze fastened to the ground and she didn’t look up or speak at all.
“Answer him,” Maira told her, nudging Willow with her elbow.
Slowly, Willow looked up with her big, brown eyes. “I am Willow,” she squeaked out in a breathy whisper.
“Aye, Rook’s daughter,” said the king with a slight chuckle. “With eyes like yours, you will have men falling at your feet when you get older.”
“She’d better not,” said Rook in a deep, warning voice.
“I have never taken the time to know my grandchildren,” continued the king. “Now, I regret not trying harder as Philippa once begged me to do. My sweet, Philippa. I miss her dearly.”
Fia heard a sniff from behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Alice’s disgruntled face at having overheard the king’s last comment.
“Ye summoned us here just to get a look at yer granddaughters before ye die?” asked Reed.
“Nay,” said Edward. “Sir Simon, please approach the bed.” The king nodded to a knight standing nearby, holding a box. The man walked over to join them. “I have something for my granddaughters.” Edward looked directly at the girls and tried his hardest to smile. It was a lopsided grin, and his lips quivered. “It is a gift Philippa wanted to give you girls just after the youngest of the three of you were born. However, I wouldn’t let her.”
“A gift for the lassies?” asked Reed, perking up at the thought. “I have another daughter, too. Her name is Morag. She is the same age as Rook’s daughter, Willow.”
The king looked up at Reed and shook his head. “I am sorry, Reed, but this gift is for each of your eldest daughters only. You see, Philippa was a strong woman, and was convinced that my bastard sons would have daughters someday that would be strong as well.”
“Shall I open the box now, Your Majesty?” asked the knight.
“Yes, Sir Simon. Please do. Each of the girls is to choose one.”
The knight set the long, wooden box on the ground and removed the lid so the girls could see the contents.
Fia stretched her neck curiously, peeking over the rim. Maira and Willow did the same. Inside were three of the late queen’s ornate jeweled crowns.
“What are you doing?” snapped Alice, rushing over to look into the box. The young boy followed. “Those crowns should be mine. Edward, you can’t give them to children. Especially not the children of bastards!”
“These are my granddaughters, Alice . . . I will do what I want.” The king started coughing, barely able to catch his breath. The healer rushed over, bringing him a cup of wine.
“Lady Alice, you seem to be upsetting the king,” stated the healer. “Perhaps you’d better leave for now.”
“I will not! I belong here, but these bastards and their children don’t.”
“Everyone, out!” shouted the king in aggravation. “All except for my sons and granddaughters.”
“Grandfather,” said the small, ten-year-old boy standing next to Alice. “You don’t mean me, too.”
“Yes, Richard, you, too,” said Edward, seeming very drained of any energy at all.
“But I am going to succeed you on the throne. If I’m to be the future king, I should be here as well.”
“And we’re your legitimate sons,” said one of two men who hurried over to the bedside. “Surely, we can stay.”
“John, Thomas, take Richard and wait on the other side of the room. I want to talk to the triplets and my granddaughters alone,” Edward commanded.
“Yes, Father,” said one of the men, taking the boy with them, not at all sounding happy about the situation.
“Rowen, bring the box here, atop the bed.” The king nodded slightly. “Girls, gather around me. Reed and Rook, close the bedcurtains so we can have some privacy.”
“Come on, lassies,” said Reed, taking the girls and plunking them down one at a time atop the foot of the king’s bed. Rowen placed the long, wooden box of crowns in front of them. Then Rook and Reed proceeded to pull the bedcurtains closed, leaving them all inside the secluded area with the king.
“That’s better,” said the king. “Now, go ahead, girls. You all can choose a crown. Fia, you go first.”
“Me?” asked Fia, not used to being first. “Mayhap Maira should be first instead.”
“Yes, let me choose,” said Maira, sticking her nose into the box.
“All right then,” answered the king. “I can see Maira is the leader.”
The three crowns were all beautiful but too large for the heads of children. Maira chose the one with the most gemstones. Then Fia took the tallest of the crowns, being attracted to the bright green stones. She picked it up in two hands, feeling the weight.
“That means, this one is yours,” said Rook, taking the last of the crowns for his daughter. “I will hold it for you, Willow.”
“I don’t understand,” said Rowen. “Why did the queen want to give these crowns to our daughters?”
“Aye,” added Reed. “Ye canna think they can actually wear them.”
“That’s right,” stated Rook with a curl of his lip. “The girls are naught but the daughters of bastards.”
“It was my late wife’s wish, and so I grant the girls permission to wear the crowns,” Edward told them. “Your daughters will, from this day on, be treated like the granddaughters of a king. They will be introduced to the highest-ranking barons and earls, attend the celebrations of the nobles, and be respected in every way. They will be fostered by the Earl of Northumberland, Lord Walter Beaufort in Rothbury.”
“Rothbury? Why there?” asked Rowen, not sounding at all happy at hearing this announcement.
“My castle in Naward isn’t far from Rothbury,” said Rook. “Why not let the girls stay with me to be fostered instead?”
“I’m a Scot and so is my daughter,” spat Reed. “I dinna like the idea of Fia being fostered by a Sassenach on English soil. Nay, my daughter isna stayin’ in England.”
The king continued, although he seemed to be fading fast. “Lord Beaufort has been informed of my wishes and has been compensated accordingly. He will carry out my orders since it was the wish of Philippa that he would someday foster the girls. The queen had plans for your daughters. I will see them carried out if it is the last thing I ever do.” The king squeezed his eyes closed in pain and swallowed forcefully.
“I dinna want my daughter being raised away from her only sister, Morag,” Reed told him.
“Indeed,” said the king. “I knew you would say that and it is why I made sure to tell the earl you will be sending him two daughters to foster as soon as the younger one is of age.”
“By the rood, I willna hear of this nonsense.” Reed crossed his arms over his chest. “Next ye will be tellin’ me my daughters will be betrothed to Sassenachs as well.”
“I don’t know about the younger one,” answered the king. “But my late wife was adamant that after what happened with you, not to mention your sister, Summer, that the girls wouldn’t be betrothed until they felt they were ready. And the three girls will decide if they want to marry the men chosen for them. Surely, you can’t disagree with that, Reed. After all, you wouldn’t want your daughter to marry someone she didn’t want to be with,
would you? Remember, your wife, Maggie, almost had to do that.”
“I suppose no’,” said Reed, hanging his head and uncrossing his arms. “I will abide by yer decision.”
“Well, I don’t like the idea at all,” said Rook. “I am Willow’s father, and I will be the one, not her, to decide who she marries.”
“Brothers, it was the queen’s dying wish. Now it is the king’s dying command,” Rowen reminded them. “Our daughters will be fostered by the earl just as the king has ordered. And allowing the girls to agree or disagree with a betrothal will ensure they marry for love instead of alliances only.”
“Father, I don’t want to live with a stranger,” protested Maira, being ever so bold to speak freely. Fia and Willow were terrified of the idea, but neither of them said a thing.
“We have no choice,” said Rowen, laying a calming hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “You will be well cared for and so will your cousins.”
“Why are you doing this, Father?” Rook’s face turned red as he glared at the king. “The queen is gone. You are soon to be gone from this earth as well. So what does it matter?”
“You are right,” said Edward, half-closing his eyes. “I don’t know the answer to that, as Philippa did not explain. She liked to keep her secrets.” He lifted his good hand, dangling a small velvet pouch from his fingertips. “Philippa wanted the girls to have these as well.”
Rowen took the pouch and slipped his fingers inside, pulling out three heart-shaped, metal brooches.
“What is it?” asked Rook, looking over at Rowen in question.
“Brooches,” said Rowen. “Three heart brooches that are exactly alike. What is this all about?”
“Philippa said the girls . . . were to always wear them. When the time is right . . . they will . . . understand.” Edward’s eyes closed and his head fell to the side.
“I dinna understand,” said Reed. “It makes no sense.”
Edward didn’t answer. Fia watched closely, but could not see the king’s chest moving up and down anymore. He was no longer breathing!
“Edward? Answer me,” said Reed.
“He can’t,” mumbled Rook.
“Why no’?”
“He’s dead,” Rowen said, slipping the brooches back into the bag. “Rook, pack up the crowns. There is nothing here for us anymore. It is time for us to go.”
“I want to carry my crown,” said Fia, clutching it to her chest. It meant the world to her and was the only memory she would have of her late grandparents.
The men opened the curtains and called to the healer. Everyone came rushing over in a frenzy when they heard their king had passed on. The women started sobbing. Alice put on the biggest show throwing herself over the body of Edward, laying her head on his chest and wailing loudly. Her hands covered the king’s. Fia’s eyes opened wide when Alice sat up, dabbing at her eyes and then folding something into the square of cloth and putting it into her pocket. The king’s fingers were bare, when a moment ago, he had been wearing two rings.
As the crowd pushed and shoved, trying to get closer to Edward, Fia stood frozen, unable to move.
“Come, lassies, it is time to leave,” said Fia’s father.
As the men ushered the girls away, Fia glanced back over her shoulder one last time at the dead king. She would never again see her grandfather. Maira and Willow started crying, not wanting to be taken from their families and their homes to be fostered by Lord Beaufort.
As upset as Fia was, she didn’t cry. She was busy taking in her surroundings and the people in the chamber. As she took a step, she barreled into the young boy named Richard.
“I want that crown!” He reached for it, but she only held it tighter. “It should be mine since I am going to be the next king,” he said with envy.
Fia turned and ran toward the door, following her father and the others. But she stopped once again when she noticed a woman in a hooded cloak watching her. Something about her was mysterious and intriguing. The woman came closer, looked down at her and smiled. Fia’s eyes interlocked with two-toned eyes of green and yellow. Then her gaze fastened to the brooch holding closed the mysterious woman’s cloak. It was a heart-shaped, metal brooch just like the ones the queen had left for Fia and her two cousins.
“Your brooch,” she said, pointing to it. “It looks like mine.”
The woman, whose face was half-hidden in shadow, raised her finger to her lips to silence Fia from saying more. Her hand covered the heart-shaped brooch.
“It is not time yet,” mumbled the woman. “You and your cousins will find me again when you are ready.”
“Fia, hurry up before you are left behind.” Maira ran back, tugging at Fia’s arm. “We have to go.”
When Fia looked back at the woman, she was gone. Little did she know that it would be five years before she once again saw the mysterious woman with the heart-shaped brooch so she could ask her what she meant.
Castle Rothbury, five years later (1382)
“Go back to the keep and stop followin’ us, Morag!” Fia hurried across the courtyard with her younger sister running behind her. Her cousins, Maira and Willow, were already in the stable, preparing the horses so they could sneak off before Lord Beaufort and his men returned from patrolling the border.
“I dinna want to stay here alone,” Morag fretted. For a thirteen-year-old girl, she still acted very childishly at times.
“Ye have been at the castle for three years now,” Fia scolded. “Ye should feel at ease by now. Besides, ye arena alone. Ye have an entire castle filled with people all around ye.”
“I dinna ken why ye willna let me come with ye and Maira and Willow. Ye are always runnin’ off without me.”
“Ye’re too young.” Fia turned and continued toward the stables with her travel bag slung over her shoulder that held her crown. If they were going to sneak out of the castle and go to the woods, they would have to hurry. Nightfall would be here soon.
“I am no’ too young,” protested Morag, dogging her sister’s heels. “I am the same age as Willow, yet ye take her with ye.”
“Willow has been chosen by the late queen to wear the royal crown, just like Maira and me. Ye havena. We have a lot to discuss tryin’ to figure things out, so stay here.”
“Ye are mean, Fia. Ye all are. I am goin’ to tell Faither the way ye treat me. He will come all the way from Scotland to punish ye.”
“We are wards of Lord Beaufort now, Morag. Faither has nothin’ to say about what we do here, so leave him outta this.”
“Fia, hurry!” Maira rode out of the stable, holding on to the reins of Fia’s horse. Willow was on a horse right behind her. They stayed in the shadows and would sneak out through the old, unused postern gate so the guards wouldn’t see them. Lord Beaufort’s guards usually played dice and drank a lot of ale while he was away and would not notice.
“Then I’ll tell Lord Beaufort ye sneak outta the castle when he is away. It’s goin’ to be dark soon, and ye dinna have an escort,” Morag reminded them.
Fia didn’t want Morag to tattle because sneaking into the woods with her cousins was much too exciting and she didn’t want it to end. She, Maira, and Willow had been sneaking away to play in the woods, wearing their crowns and pretending they were special ever since they came to live at Rothbury. It was their secret, and she didn’t want her little sister to ruin it for them.
“Ye do that and I’ll tell Lord Beaufort that ye were the one who stole the cook’s pie before it even had a chance to cool.”
“I was hungry. I love apples,” whined Morag. “Please, Fia, let me come with ye.”
Fia looked over to her cousins, but they were both frowning and shaking their heads. She didn’t like denying her sister, but it was for the girl’s own good. Morag was nothing but trouble. If she started coming along on their secret outings, she was sure to ruin things somehow or another. Fia loved Morag, but sometimes she wished her sister had stayed back in Scotland with their brothers.
“May
hap next time, Morag. Now, go back to the keep and wait for me there.”
Before Morag had a chance to protest, Fia took off on the horse. She and her cousins headed as silently as possible to the postern gate. It was dangerous leaving the castle unescorted, but they knew the woods better than anyone after all this time. They were in no real danger as long as they didn’t wander far from Castle Rothbury.
The three girls rode through the forest, stopping only for a moment to put on their crowns as soon as they were out of sight of the castle. They liked to pretend they were queens. It was silly, but it was their way of entertaining themselves. It made them feel special. Lord Beaufort let them wear the crowns when he entertained other nobles, but they weren’t allowed to wear them every day.
“Let’s go to the river and walk in the water in our bare feet,” suggested Willow.
“Willow, you like taking off your clothes way too much,” Maira said in disgust.
“I do not,” protested Willow.
“Aye, ye do,” agreed Fia. “That’s why ye rarely wear hose or even a shift under yer gown. If yer faither kent about it, he would have yer head.”
“I don’t like wearing hose,” said Willow, removing the ribbon that tied back her hair. Her long, dark walnut tresses spilled out around her shoulders and lifted in the breeze. “I like the feel of freedom.”
“Hah!” Maira blurted out. “We don’t know the meaning of freedom. We are women, or did you forget? Women are naught but possessions of men. Men treat their dogs better than their wives.”
“I don’t ever want a husband,” said Willow, fussing with her long hair.
“Ye dinna want to get married and have bairns someday?” asked Fia in surprise. “Every lassie wants that.”
“Nay, not me. I would rather flit like a butterfly from flower to flower and never have to choose just one.” Willow raised her arms in the air and threw back her head, smiling and closing her eyes. She took a deep breath and released it through her mouth.
“Willow, dinna say that,” warned Fia. “Someone might hear ye and think ye mean to someday be a hoor.”
“I am not a whore!” spat Willow.
Highland Secrets Page 2
