The Chieftain's Daughter

by Leigh Ann Edwards

  They came at each other again, both exhausted, both wounded, both wanting this to be ended, but neither entirely sure they could end it if it meant seeing the other die. Killian fell down to his knees this time and though he held his sword up to protect himself his uncle brought his own sword down sharply and knocked Killian’s sword from his hand. The earl glanced at the crowd and knew what must be done, he closed his eyes and drove the sword downward toward his nephew feeling he had no choice but to end this by taking his life, for it had not been him who’d made this a battle to the death.

  Killian saw the blade coming toward him, and thought this would be the last moment of his life, but somehow he summoned the strength and the dexterity to capably twist quickly enough to dodge the blade. It stuck in the ground beside him with the great force behind it. The suddenness of the weapon striking the ground sent the heavier man to the ground with a forceful thud. Killian painstakingly managed to retrieve his own sword and to pull himself beside his uncle. With difficulty, he rose to his knees and he weakly lifted his weapon over his head intending to drive it into him, to run him through and end his life for all that he had done to Alainn. But he found himself hesitant even knowing he had little choice when it was he who had declared how the bout must end. He clearly heard her sweet voice inside his head, yet again.

  “You needn’t do this for me, Killian. You have fought for my honor and I know you have won, the entire land knows you have won, but let not his death be on my hands or your own. Let this never be a wedge between us, my love!”

  Killian stared down into the dark eyes that reminded him so much of his own father’s eyes. He slowly began to lower his sword, but he spoke determinedly as he looked into the eyes that at the moment were fearful and filled with the knowledge he would soon surely die.

  “I cannot take your life, uncle. I want to, in truth, I want it more than you could ever know, but it does not seem to be within me to take the life of my kin. And I pray Alainn truly understands I mean her no dishonor by allowing you to live. But, you must apologize to her for all that you have done and said to demean and abuse her. And you must think long and hard on accepting her, the curse must be ended for I want my son to live! I want my father’s grandson to live, and begin a new generation of O’Briens!”

  The man nodded respectfully as Killian spoke. Killian leaned over to assist his uncle in rising, and then he painfully began to limp away. Alainn had watched the exchange and known that what Killian had done had been right, and perhaps the only decision he could live with. She glanced at Killian’s face and then she saw the figure heading toward him. She screamed out, but he could not hear her. She tried to force the warning to him in her mind, but he did not appear to hear her this time.

  She tore the amulet from her neck and envisioned herself standing down on the ground. When she opened her eyes she was in the crowd of people and she screamed out his name. He turned abruptly to look, half expecting to see his uncle with his sword ready to run him through. He saw the man was indeed holding his sword, but he had a look of terror on his face and he called out in warning to his nephew, as well.

  Killian saw out of the corner of his eyes, Richard McGilvary was coming at him with a dagger in his hand. He attempted to move out of the way, but in his gravely injured state his movements were unusually slow. The man was nearly upon him when he saw his uncle’s sword being hurled through the air and finding its target, it landed in the man’s belly. He fell to the ground clearly wounded and in agonizing pain, but he still lived.

  Killian watched on as Richard McGilvary heard, and clearly recognized the terrifying sounds of barking and snarling. He glanced up to see Alainn heading toward him from amongst the sea of people, and behind her the entire pack of his uncle’s wolfhounds followed and purposefully lunged upon the despicable young man. They tore at his flesh and ripped him apart in a horribly brutal fashion. Even people with the strongest of constitutions had to avert their eyes from the disturbingly gruesome sight.

  Killian turned to greet Alainn who ran toward him with such a relieved expression on her lovely face he felt tears in his eyes, and when she was nearly in his arms he saw her own beautiful blue eyes fill with a knowing, pained expression, and she fell into his injured arms in a crumpled manner. He grabbed her and lifted her into his arms, perplexed at what could have caused her to fall unconscious, when he saw the dart that protruded from her back. He pulled it from her straightaway and noticed the acridly pungent smell that came from it. He felt his heart sink. It had been poisoned. She’d been struck by a poisoned dart. He felt her grow entirely limp and he sensed a deep, shattered hopelessness overcoming him. He was at a loss to know what to do. Morag knew much of poisons, but she could no longer help, and he was unsure at how skilled the physician was at the knowledge of poisons. Perhaps Mara... or Danhoul, he frantically wondered. He felt himself growing weak and dizzy with exhaustion and deep emotion.

  Rory and Riley were at his side almost immediately and Niall as well.

  “Get the physician!” Killian weakly managed as he felt himself stumble and he dropped to his knees still holding tight to Alainn. “And the young druid, Danhoul Calhoun.”

  “Find the witch as well!” Hugh O’Brien hollered himself.

  Killian looked at him with disbelief in his eyes.

  “Aye, you heard me, someone fetch the glade witch. She may be the only one capable of saving her daughter, and ending the curse!”

  Killian was aware that Riley had taken Alainn from his shaking arms and lain her upon the ground. He felt himself fall over as well, but as he sensed the darkness overtaking him the last memory he had was the sweet scent of his face upon her beautiful hair and the knowledge they would be together, perhaps in death, but undoubtedly together, and he was at peace with that.

  Chapter Thirty

  She sensed the sharp pain in her back between her shoulders, but it was the pain within her belly that frightened her most. And then she’d felt a warm, wet rush of fluid between her thighs so that even in her fading consciousness she had realized her unborn child was in great peril. Though she was relieved to fall into the protective arms of her husband, she felt paralyzed by whatever object had struck her back and by the knowledge she would surely lose their child. Her body immediately became unnaturally cold and so still, and she felt her heartbeat first race wildly and then beat slower and slower.

  She barely heard the whispered voices around her and she could no longer see, though she strained to open her unwilling eyes. She had grown steadily numb and cold as she felt the poison seeping throughout her entire body. And her last thoughts were of Killian, lying beside her and knowing no one knew how to deal with the poison that now flowed through her veins. And then she could think no more.

  Killian awoke as if from a hellishly bad dream and moaned lowly as he tried to move. Every part of him ached, from head to toe. He opened one eye and it dawned on him the other was obviously completely swollen shut. He glanced down at his unclad body. A cloth was draped over his manhood, but the rest of him was unclothed and he reasoned there was scarcely any part of him that was not badly bruised, cut, or battered. The physician attended to his many slices that needed to be mended with needle and thread. He was lying upon the table in the physician’s chamber and he noticed Riley stood beside him and he came to Killian when he saw his cousin had come to. His uncle, too, remained there, clearly awaiting his nephew’s rousing.

  Killian laid his head back down for even the small movement had sent pain searing through his body, and he felt as weak as a small child. He noticed his uncle still remained unattended to, for the many wounds that had been inflicted by Killian in their challenge were still gaping and bleeding. How odd the physician had tended to Killian’s wounds before that of the chieftain. Suddenly, with great clarity, he remembered and he began to sit up without consideration of the pain that would cause.

  “Where is Alainn?”

  “Lie down!” the physician demanded. “You have lost a great quantity
of blood, perhaps a mortal amount, and I’ve yet to close the many wounds. They are numerous!” he stated.

  “Where the hell is my wife,” he asked in a ragged voice, entirely ignoring the other man as he continued his pitiful attempt to sit up.

  “Killian, listen to my physician, he knows what he’s doing!” His uncle ordered.

  “Riley, where is she?” Killian looked toward his cousin obviously believing he would not hold back telling him what he needed to know.

  “She is with her mother!” Riley said, and Killian did not miss the anxious tone in his cousin’s voice. He heard quick-paced footsteps and saw Rory had now joined them.

  “What news have you, son?” The chieftain barked.

  Rory glanced at Killian, and upon seeing he was awake, he did not speak.

  “Rory, you must tell me straight what you know!” Killian’s voice shook as he tried to force Rory to reveal the truth.

  Rory took a slow breath and regrettably looked down into the fearful eyes of his cousin. “Alainn’s condition is undoubtedly most grave, Killian. She has not yet woken, and her mother fears she will not. The poison has slowed her body, her heart barely beats. Mara and Danhoul are uncertain what can be done. They have attempted to heal her, administered an antidote Mara thought would counteract the poison, but she has witnessed no improvement.”

  “And what of the child?” It was the chieftain who dared to pose this inquiry.

  Rory once more looked at Killian with dread on his face as he revealed what he knew. “She threatens to lose the child; her mother says she cannot impede the bleeding and that the babe is surely ill-fated.”

  Killian’s ashen face grew even paler and he grasped the cloth that covered him as he finally managed to stand. The physician had been in the process of suturing a large slash on the back of his leg, and he quickly sliced the thread though the wound remained unclosed.

  “Find me my trews, for I must go to Alainn!” he called out to the men that surrounded him.

  The physician knew he would not be swayed, so he passed him the badly torn trews he had worn in battle. Killian saw they were soaked in blood and so ragged he doubted he would be able to pull then on without them falling apart entirely. He saw Riley who was much the same size as himself, pull off his own trews and pass them to him.

  “Aye, you must go to her!” he agreed.

  Riley didn’t even bother with the fact that he only wore his long tunic for he knew he must help Killian get to Alainn. Killian leaned on both his cousins’ shoulders as he made his way up the stairwell to where Alainn had been taken.

  She lay in the bed in his bedchamber, in the bed where they’d made love this very morning. She looked so tiny and helpless as she lay upon the large structure she was pallid, so unnaturally pale! Mara sat beside her on the bed, and his aunt was there as well. Danhoul looked at Killian with an expression of mingled regret and exasperation.

  Killian had briefly noticed Niall outside the door, but had barely acknowledged his presence for he’d felt such desperation to get to Alainn. Mara moved and allowed Killian to sit beside her. He noticed Mara observed his unclothed chest and the numerous slashes and bruises that covered his upper body. He grimaced as he painfully sat beside her daughter.

  Killian took her slender hand in his and tried not to think of how unnaturally cold it felt. Had she already left him? Did her heart truly still beat as her mother had assured him?

  “What poison was it?” he asked Mara, though he did not take his eyes from her daughter.

  “Henbane, I believe!” she said in a small voice that quivered.

  “And the antidote has had no affect?”

  “Not as yet, and sure it should have diminished the poison by now. I have attempted to heal her by way of my magic, I have chanted many healing spells, tried to draw the poison from her by way of alchemy. I have used all the herbal remedies I am aware of, but to no avail. She has responded to nothing.”

  “Is she in pain?” he asked, though he wasn’t certain he wanted to know the answer.

  “I believe she is incapable of feeling anything any longer, Killian. I fear she is near the end now. Death is almost certain to soon follow!” Her voice broke as she spoke.

  “What can I do, there must be something I can do to help her, Mara?” the man pleaded to the woman who stood beside him, the woman he had despised most of his life because of the wretchedly devastating curse she’d placed on the O’Briens.

  “Hold tight to her hand for if she is able to feel any sensation, if she is capable of any thought, then sure she will know you are with her! And if she is to leave this world then let your presence be the last certainty she knows, for she loves you well and dearly!”

  Killian not only took her hand, but gently lifted her head to rest upon his arm as he leaned on the bed. He kissed her cheek and let his lips graze hers, then put his cheek against her forehead.

  “You must awaken, my sweet, Lainna! I love you more than mere words or simple gestures could ever demonstrate, and I need you to return to me!” How am I to go on if you are not here beside me, my only love? You have always been so unusually strong, Alainn, since you were a wee child you have possessed great strength and tenacity. You must fight this damnable poison. Return to me, my Lainna!”

  The others in the room had all gone, knowing this time was for Killian to be with his wife. Even Danhoul cast a remorseful and completely defeated glance toward the young couple and left the chamber.

  Mara had remained, but rose to leave the chamber as well.

  Killian stopped her. “You have been denied a life with the man you loved, and with your daughter; you will not be denied this time if it is to be when her life ends!”

  The appreciation in the woman’s blue eyes presented itself in the form of large tears and Killian noticed now, how like Alainn’s her eyes were. The woman sat down on the chair beside the bed and held her daughter’s hand in her own while her husband still held her slender body close to him. Killian tried to avert his eyes from the large dark red stain upon the bed clothes. If she truly died, his grief would be two-fold for their child would be gone as well. He thought of his uncles and their wives who had lost so many children. His thoughts went to his own father who lost his wife and his daughter within hours of each other. How could he have managed it, he wondered? How had he lived through it? If he lost Alainn, Killian believed it would be a tragedy far too tragic to bear!

  Killian heard a knocking at the door and wondered who would dare to disturb them at this grievous time. A servant girl hesitantly poked her head in the door.

  “Milord, there are two women who insist on entering. I have tried to dissuade them, but they seem unwilling to leave without seeing your lady.”

  Killian turned toward the door and saw Mary and Molly standing outside. Mary wore a dismal expression and stoic teardrops rolled silently down her cheeks, but it was the cook’s daughter that sobbed openly and pushed against the door to be allowed within. The fretful servant girl looked toward Lady Siobhan who now stood at the doorway, for a sign of what she should do, and Lady Siobhan in turn, glanced at Killian.

  “Aye, come in then, sure she’d want you here beside her now.”

  Mary slowly, cautiously entered the chamber, but Molly raced across the room and swiftly dropped to her knees by the bed, grasping Alainn’s hand.

  “She cannot die. Your cousins have said she will surely die! That is not possible, she is young and strong and she has an unequivocal will to live!”

  Killian did not answer the girl, but simply laid his forehead against his wife’s hair once more and he felt his own tears stinging his eyes. Molly only then seemed to notice the bright red spot upon the bed where Alainn had been lying.

  “I hadn’t thought of the child, as well!” Molly’s face crumpled further.

  Mary dared to ask the question Killian had not even allowed himself to dwell upon. “Who has done this to her?”

  Killian shook his head and shrugged as if it mattered not to
him, for at the moment nothing truly mattered to him.

  “What has been done to her?” Mary asked further.

  “She has been poisoned.” Mara spoke quietly as Killian seemed deep in thought and apparently had not even heard or acknowledged the question.

  “But Alainn said she was immune to poison; she told me that herself.”

  “Immune?” her mother asked, startled by the girl’s declaration.

  “Aye, she told me so. She said, from handling the poisons so consistently through her life and in dealing with them in the balms and ointments, that she is unaffected by poisons.”

  “Perhaps to some poisons... in small quantities; but not when directly, violently driven into her body!”

  “But she said you must use poison to fight poison!” The girl would not relent.

  “Aye, I’ve tried with the safe amounts, and the lesser poisons that I dare use.”

  “Who did this to her?” Molly asked through tear-filled eyes, the question Mary had already asked, but no one had answered. “Who would hurt dear Alainn, when she has healed and helped so many?”

  “The assailant has apparently not been found!” Mara said, her tone regretful tone.

  Killian had closed his eyes and he held Alainn so tightly the sight made Mary’s tears begin again. And it was clearly too much for the other young girl to take. She burst into heart-wrenching sobs that startled Mary.

  “You simply cannot die, Alainn. You are, and have always been, my dearest friend for all my life. I am resolute that I shall never find a friend as true as you. And I have not yet told you of my joyous news. Pierce has asked me to marry him! You must awaken so I can tell you how happy I am!” Molly continued to weep as she pled with her friend.

  “She knows, Molly. Mac told us and she was most happy for you and extremely excited as well.” Killian assured the young girl. “And she was so very pleased to hear you will be living...” Killian stopped mid-sentence for when he looked down at the unnatural paleness of his wife’s pretty young face, he felt a deep pain in his chest for he believed she looked as though she surely no longer lived. He placed his hand to the softness of her throat fearing he would find no heartbeat, but finally he found it, weak and infrequent, but it remained present nonetheless.