by Mia Pride
She smiled at him and turned back to the large rectangular stone that surrounded the central hearth fire where she was preparing the pig, cutting slits all throughout the skin, rubbing rosemary and thyme into the grooves and carefully placing whole cloves into the slits. She would pour a mixture of ale and honey over it and let it cook on the spit for the next several hours, rotating and adding more honey mixture in intervals. Before Una, he had never tasted such delicious foods.
Collin watched her from behind as she worked. She was so petite and graceful with confident movements. Her waist was slim and her hips curvy. When she turned to the side, he could see the swell of her rounded breasts beneath her dress. How he longed to hold her in his arms, taste her red lips, feel her naked body on his. He may never get a chance to make love to her, and that sense of disappointment made him slink down further, trying to hide the aching in his loins. “I am going to lie down for a bit,” he murmured. She only looked back over her shoulder, nodded with a smile and then went back to cooking.
He wanted to grumble with frustration, wishing his guilt would not prevent him from walking over to her and taking her into his arms the way every nerve in his body was prompting him to do. Tonight, he would open that jug of mead, share the truth, and lose her forever. But for now, Collin needed to escape from her overpowering presence.
“Alright, Collin. Get some rest. Once I am done here, I plan to bathe before our meal is ready.” Collin clenched his teeth and fisted his tunic as he walked away. The image of Una nude in the bath just several steps away was the very last thing he needed if he was going to get any rest at all.
“Una…wake up…”
“Hmmm?” Suddenly she felt something cold on her skin and her eyes popped open wide as she sat up straight, hearing splashing all around her. “W-what is it?” She saw Collin’s warm blue eyes hovering over her with a guileless smile.
“I just awoke from my nap and found you asleep...in the bath. I assumed that was not your intention?” Collin raised a brow at her and she turned bright red, slowly looking down at her body and praying her breasts were not exposed. She was humiliated to see that the rosy tips of her breasts were, in fact, peeking above the water as she wrapped her arms around herself defensively, wondering exactly how long Collin had stared before waking her up.
He handed her a drying cloth and turned his back to her, walking across the room to check on the roast. “Looks like our meal is nearly ready!”
Una stood up quickly and wrapped the cloth around her wet body, thankful for Collin’s ability to pretend to be diverted when she knew very well that he was not.
“Good,” she said weakly. “I closed the curtains around the bath, did I not?”
“Hmmm? Oh, aye. I did not mean to intrude, but you were in there for a long time. I assumed you would not want to stay in there all evening,” he said matter-of-factly as he turned the ham one last time on the spit.
Una looked down at her skin and realized that a couple of hours must have past, based on the chill of the water, the doneness of the ham, and the amount of wrinkling on her fingertips. “My thanks,” she mumbled. “I am going to go change.” Una stepped out of the tub and went behind her curtained private area to find a clean dress.
Why was she so humiliated? She planned on marrying him, after all. Still, she felt so vulnerable and exposed. Una held her hands up to her face, trying to control the redness creeping up her neck and took a deep breath. It was done. They were both adults and certainly he had seen breasts before. He would see hers someday soon, once they married. “Oh my,” she breathed. That thought only increased her blush.
She tried on three dresses before settling on a light blue linen dress that adequately housed her bosom and still fit over the growing bump of her child before flowing to the ground. She quickly combed out her long wet waves of hair and walked over to where Collin was carving the meat. Una helped to bring the bread and carrots to the table before grabbing the mead and two mugs, all while carefully not making eye contact.
The two of them were silent, both feeling the tension of the moment. Una could sense a restlessness within Collin, but she ignored it as they took their seats. Collin broke the wax seal on the mead and poured it into the clay mugs, handing one to Una with a smile. She smiled back as they clinked mugs, both taking large gulps of the sweet, yet potent mead, hoping it would prove a magical elixir to cut through the building tension.
“This mead is quite bitter,” Una said as she looked down at her mug with a frown. She took another tentative sip and set it down. “I cannot drink any more of it.” She pushed her mug away and looked over at Collin curiously as he continued to drink down his mead in one long gulp. He slammed his mug down on the table with a loud sigh, clearly unperturbed by the curiously strong aftertaste of the mysterious mead.
“Una…Brocc did not lay with Mealla.”
“What?” Taken back by Collin’s sudden outburst about that horrible night, she blinked rapidly and shook her head. “Why would you know anything about it at all?”
“Una, I love you. So much so that I made some poor decisions. I must clear my conscience. Only then can you decide if I am worthy of your—” Suddenly, Collin paused and braced himself on the table with his hands. His body seemed to swerve and he closed his eyes. “Una…we set Brocc up…”
Then the dizziness came upon her. “I do not…feel well…” Una put her hand on her head just as her eyes began to droop. She felt as if she may be sick and clutched her stomach.
Just before everything went black, she saw Collin look at the half empty jug of mead on the table. “Mealla…” he whispered, just before he hit the ground with a thud. Una closed her eyes and followed him into the darkness.
Sitting in her mother’s home finishing up the final touches of the hem of a dress, Mealla ran her plan through her mind as she moved the needle in and out of the fabric with practiced motions. If all went as planned, Brocc should be returning by nightfall. Once he arrived home, Isobel would tell him of Una’s plans to marry to Collin. She had walked passed Collin’s home earlier and discovered the jug of mead she had left by the door was gone. She smiled to herself, admiring her ability to control any situation. Collin could ruin his own happiness, but he would not ruin hers.
Either way, Brocc was hers, she thought with a smirk. If he did not care enough to steal Una away after hearing the news, then she would have a clear opening to try and get back into Brocc’s good graces. Surely, once Una was married to Collin, no other woman could be of competition to Mealla, and she could have Brocc all to herself. If, however, Brocc became furious and stormed over to Collin’s in one of his fear invoking tempers, Mealla would already have the scene set up when he arrived. He would not still want Una after Mealla is done with her.
Putting the dress down on a table, Mealla walked over and opened the door to peek outside. The sun was down and the tuath had finished their work for the day. Nobody lingered outside, for the moment.
Soon, however, the hall would be flooded with men ready to indulge in their nightly round of bawdy stories, bonny lassies, and flowing ale. The time was right, she decided. By now, Una and Collin must have sat down for their evening meal and toasted to their new life together with the gift of the mysterious jug of mead.
Before Mealla’s father passed away, he had been a wonderful healer and taught her all about herbs and potions. She knew how to make a concoction out of poppies that, when mixed in with the sweetness of the mead, would render them both unconscious for several hours. She had seen her father use this tonic many times on his ailing patients. Just a splash of the stuff could put even the largest warrior into a deep sleep for an entire night. Una and Collin did not stand a chance if they followed her plans and actually drank the mead.
Wrapping her plaid wool cloak tightly around her neck and pulling the hood over her golden locks, Mealla slipped out into the darkness. It was a nearly cloudless night, just as it had been in the day. She could see the stars twinkling high above as she t
ook a deep breath of the fresh night air. Crickets were chirping in the background, but all else was silent. Her slippered feet tiptoed quietly upon the gravelly path that led through the main road and all the way down to the secluded corner of the village where Collin’s farm resided.
The white-washed chalk exterior of Collin’s home seemed to glow blue under the hazy moonlit sky. Beautiful orange tulips grew along his path, looking brownish-grey in the twilight. Taking a deep breath, Mealla steeled her nerves. Her entire plan depended on this one moment. What would she say if Collin, or worse yet Una, answered the door? What if Collin already told Una the truth? She was resourceful and quick-minded in a bind, she knew. If they answered, surely a good story would pop into her mind.
Knocking soundly on the door while her other hand hugged her cloak closely to her body, she held her breath for what felt like an eternity. Hearing nothing, she could not hold back a small smile as she gave one more confident knock.
It worked! It must have worked, she hoped to herself. When no answer came, she slowly tested the door to see if it would open. It creaked as she pushed on it and she cringed at the sound, pausing to listen for signs of movement. Nothing. She crept into the house and found exactly what she had expected to find. Una and Collin were both slumped, unconscious, on the floor near the table, their meals almost completely untouched on their plates.
With her heart drumming in her chest, Mealla slowly walked over to the table and nudged Collin with the tip of her toe. If he was out cold, surely Una would be as well; he was twice her size, after all. Feeling confident of her accurate dosing of the mead, she decided to get to work. If Brocc came to get Una tonight, he needed to find her naked with Collin, tangled in his embrace. It needed to look realistic, as if they had drunk too much mead, made love, and passed out in a satiated daze. Just as she bent over Collin, the earth started rumbling beneath her feet, accompanied by shouts and hoof beats. Brocc was arriving!
Everything was falling into place, but she had to work fast! Grabbing Collin’s arms, she attempted to drag his limp body away from the table. With a grunt and a pull, she found that she had highly underestimated the weight of his large body. Looking around, she started to panic. She did not have time to struggle with him! Brocc would stable his horse, arrive home and could be here in a rage within moments! If he found Mealla in here, goodness knows what he would do to her!
Deciding that this space on the floor would have to do, Mealla rolled him over on his back and quickly slipped his bright blue tunic over his head. His muscles gleamed in the light from the hearth and Mealla clearly remembered the few nights that she had spent in Collin’s bed herself. He never disappointed in that area. Una should be thanking Mealla for this, she laughed to herself. Having no time to daydream over his body, Mealla made quick work of his trousers, pulling the laces apart and tugging the fabric over his narrow hips, down his muscular thighs and threw them in a heap on the floor. Collin was fully nude on the floor by the hearth.
Una would surely be easier to move, Mealla hoped, as she swiftly grabbed her arms from the floor and tugged with all her strength. Even with child, Una felt almost weightless as she glided along the wooden floor. Mealla’s tension was rising as her anxiety increased. She could feel her hands starting to sweat and shake as she kept stealing glances back at the entrance, praying Brocc did not storm in just yet.
As Mealla quickly fumbled at the bottom hem of Una’s dress, she felt her curiosity peak as she slid the light blue fabric up Una’s legs, exposing her long, thin thighs. Mealla had never seen another fully naked woman, apart from her own mother, and she felt slightly curious. This woman, who Brocc loved desperately and who carried his child…was she truly as lovely as everyone believed her to be?
The dress caught under the weight of Una’s bottom, and Mealla rolled her slightly on her side as she continued to slide the dress over Una’s hips and swollen belly. The wicked thought that she could rid Una of Brocc’s child this moment crossed her mind, but she shook her head quickly. What an awful thought! She felt slightly ashamed at just how devious she had become.
Her hatred for Una was growing by the second as the fabric continued up her body and her large full breasts sprang free. Mealla slipped the dress over Una’s head and quickly looked her up and down. She was perfect. With her long thin legs, small curvy hips, and trim waist, even when carrying a child. Her skin looked luminescent in the firelight, not a single flaw to be seen on its smooth pale surface. Her breasts were pure perfection with their small pink peaks and lush round curves. Even when unconscious, her face looked as if it had been carved by the gods and her hair framed her face in silky brown waves.
Mealla felt a lump in her throat as her stomach knotted up. Una was just as beautiful as Mealla had feared. Never in her life had Mealla questioned her beauty, but she suddenly felt like a mere plain child next to this picture of classic female perfection. In that moment, her desire to succeed in her scheming quadrupled in strength. She could not let Una back into Brocc’s life! Mealla did not stand a chance if it was between her and this unearthly beauty. Brocc had to believe that Una was fully Collin’s now, that he did not stand a chance of gaining her love back.
Time was running out and Mealla continued with her deception. Una’s body was now side by side with Collin’s. Mealla kept Collin flat on his back because she could not move him, while she rolled Una onto her side, facing Collin. His left arm was placed under her neck while Una’s left arm draped over Collin’s bare chest. Mealla tangled Una’s slim white legs into Collin’s, taking her left leg and placing it over Collin’s thighs, so that Una’s hip was resting upon Collin’s.
Standing back with her scrutinizing gaze, Mealla thought it was almost perfect. Just a few details and it would be done. Running a hand vigorously through Collin’s hair, she ruffled it up to make it look messy and then she fanned Una’s wavy brown locks over his chest. She took Collin’s free right arm and placed it over Una’s, as if they were holding hands. With a quick position of their clothes to make them appear to be scattered in the throes of passion, she then took the half empty jug of mead and poured the remainder into the fire, watching it pop and sizzle. Not only did it create the illusion that they had drank it all, but it also removed any evidence that Mealla had drugged them. She placed the empty jug on the floor next to them on its side, as if knocked over during their lovemaking, along with their empty mugs. Stepping back one more time, what Mealla saw was a convincing scene.
A feeling of elation washed over Mealla. Her jealousy for Una was all-consuming, but she hoped that tonight was the last time she ever had to feel threatened by the woman who held Brocc’s heart. He could not ever forgive her after he sees this, she thought with jubilation.
Deciding her job was well done, she pulled her hood back over her golden locks, stuck her head out the front entrance to look for any signs of Brocc, and then tiptoed back into the night. Staying close to the edges of houses and keeping in the shadows, Mealla made sure to stay away from any sign of movement.
She stopped at a sound and ducked behind the closest roundhouse. It was Brocc. He was cursing into the night as he stormed through the streets, a deadly look on his face. Mealla’s heart jumped with excitement and anticipation. If he was mad now, wait until he entered that house! Mealla simply could not contain her glee. Part of her wanted to linger in the shadows to watch her genius plan unfold, but she knew she must find herself safely back to her own bed. No evidence of her presence could be found. Once Brocc was safely past her and well on his way to Collin’s, Mealla continued back to her mother’s home and slipped quickly into the protective warmth of her bed. Tomorrow would surely be the best day of her life!
“Well, we have made it,” Brocc said with a tired sigh to Liam and Garreth as they arrived through the gates of Darini. “And not a moment too soon,” he grumbled under his breath. It had been a rough ride for him, determined to fulfill his promise of arriving at Darini before the night was through. Though the sun had set several
hours ago, enough hours remained for Brocc to take a hot bath, eat a solid meal, and visit Una to make amends. It had to happen tonight.
Thoughts of Una were the only motivation pushing him through this arduous journey. Once he had decided to bear his heart to her the night before, the discovery of her sisters and the telling of the legend had only served to solidify his intent. They were fated to be together, and though he had always known this deep down, he knew now more than ever that she was meant to be his wife. The fact that all three sisters were with child was only more solid evidence that everything was happening as it should. How he longed to kiss her sweet lips and hold her once again…and this time, he would not be letting her go.
Fear of her rejection still lingered deep down inside his gut. He and Una had been through so much turmoil. Was she capable of forgiving him for his horrible mistake with Mealla? Then, there was his fatal error in saying he no longer wished to wed her, walking out on her. He should have fought harder for her. How could she ever believe he loved her if he was willing to let her go to another man? Well tonight, he was going to fight for the woman he loved and beg her forgiveness.
During their journey back to Darini, everyone had agreed to allow Brocc time to make amends with Una before sharing her true identity with her. This required the others to stay hidden away, which would be complicated considering that guests usually stayed in the king’s home, and he could not allow them to stay there if he was hoping to bring Una back. After some thought, Brocc decided that Una’s mother’s home would suit them well. Not only was it vacant, but it was clean, furnished, and he could staff it with a servant to cook for them.
Once his guests were safely escorted to their temporary lodging, Brocc walked home slowly with trepidation weighing down his every step. As he entered his home, he was instantly welcomed by the savory scents of his mother’s pork stew boiling away in the cauldron. He spotted her at the flat stones near the hearth chopping carrots to add to the already fragrant stew. “Mother!” Brocc shouted with affection as he walked over and kissed her cheek. “You are too good to your beastly son,” he smirked as he watched her nimble fingers make quick work of the carrots.