by J W Murison
She blanched, ‘Yes sir we have, I was one of the few who survived the massacre by the sea.’
A vivid picture of this young beauty bent over puking and shitting while clutching onto a sword leapt into his mind. Gareth smiled, ‘I remember, I presume the Eagle who is now your husband is the one who went to great lengths to protect you.’
She flushed scarlet, ‘yes sir, for it wasn’t for him, I would be little more than bones.’
Gareth nodded, ‘Very true, I have heard that those of you who survived the massacre have no great love of me and there's more than a few who would like to run me through.’
Gail’s colour returned to normal and she looked Gareth straight in the eye, ‘I really don’t give a fuck sir.’ Gareth's and Graun passed an amused look, ‘to be truthful if my husband wasn’t a lord I would be here with you.’
A slow smile spread across his face, ‘then you must be Gail.’
She was surprised he knew her name, ‘yes sir, how did you know?’
‘You used to visit my wife back at the Eagle city, she told me of you, for some reason she believes we would have got on really well.’
Gail laughed, ‘I have a great problem holding my tongue sir, and wear my feelings on my sleeve, or so I've been told, as I hear you do.’
Gareth couldn’t help but grin, ‘You mean I swear a lot.’ They all laughed, ‘how are you getting on with royal protocol?’
‘It’s a pain in the arse.’ She admitted.
Gareth agreed completely, ‘Isn’t it just, it was invented by a bunch of arsehole to flatter themselves, it makes my skin crawl.’ Gail almost peed herself with laughter. Gareth pulled her sword from the forge, ‘that's a nice colour.’ He picked up a hammer and went to a spare anvil and began to beat a new edge onto the sword.
Gail stood to the side and Graun joined her, she leaned in close, ‘is he really going to put an edge on my sword sir?’
‘Think yourself lucky,’ he half drew his from its scabbard, ‘he made this for me and no finer a blade have I ever had. I call it Singing Death.’
‘Wow, you gave your sword a name!’
Graun smiled, ‘we care more for things we give name to. So you were an unhappy member of the sea King’s forces?’
‘I was dragged from my home because of my size and weight and forced into his service. I resented the shit out of that. I didn't want to go and fight and kill a bunch of people I had never met either. Many of my companions were really looking forward to the rape murder and pillage, I didn't, and it obviously never made me very popular with the rest of the troop.’
Graun understood, ‘especially with you being vocal about it.’
She shrugged, ‘my father was a drunken bum but an honest one, his outspokenness eventually done for him, he was stabbed in a bar fight, but you know he never ever beat us, or my mother. Many thought he did but he never, at home he was a happy drunk. My mother despaired at times, especially as we grew up to be like him, but he was a kind man for all that. Never do unto others what you wouldn’t want to be done to you. Speak your mind and fight for your beliefs if you must, but don’t force them down anyone else’s throat.’
‘He must have been quite a man.’
Her smile was sad, ‘He was a drunken bum sir, but I loved him dearly. I have to admit I get my nature from him, I get happy when I'm drunk, or just horny, but I have his tendency to open my mouth if I disagree with something that's being said.’
Graun was really beginning to like this woman, ‘That will make you popular in royal circles.’
‘Not really sir.’
‘I was being sarcastic.’
‘I know.’
Graun laughed, she would fit in well with his own people, ‘where are you from?’
‘From the arse end of nowhere. A town on the edge of the empire. Beyond our walls lies nothing but scrub land for hundreds of miles then there is a sea, or so they say, I've never seen it.’
‘What’s scrub land?’
‘A bit like a desert but with boulders instead of sand and the vegetation is quite hostile. Bushes with thorns and forests of cactus, it’s very hot. Nothing much lives there except for poisonous snakes and insects.’
‘What’s a cactus?’
‘Big green plants with spines as long as a man’s arm, we harvest them for the oil they bear. The rich folk love it, put it in their bath or in lotions to make the skin on their arse smooth.’
Graun laughed, ‘that's why you call it the arse end of the world.’
She grinned, ‘pretty much sir, it was very popular in the temples.’
‘Aye, I’ll bet it was.’
Gareth was lost in his task and by the time he was finished Alan had joined the group along with Gail’s husband who was talking to Natina. He took the rings from Alan and melted them down too. He poured the molten gold into fingers and let them cool. Then he took a whetstone to Gail’s sword, with a little oil he began to polish it. He worked the sword back and forth across the stone; it wasn’t long before it began to shine.
Graun came over with a smile on his face, ‘man you look happy.’
Gareth grinned, ‘I suppose I'm kicking the arse out of it, she looks capable of polishing it herself,’ he waved her over, ‘so how do you like your edge?’
‘Sharp enough to trim his tail feathers if he pisses me off.’
Gareth laughed, ‘they can all do with their tail feathers trimmed now and then.’
‘Tell me about it, bunch of stuck up bastards most of them. Too many years around me has trimmed the polished edge of my man, he swore in court a couple of times and we aren’t invited their anymore. He blames me of course but I know he can’t really be fucked with it all.’ She smiled, ‘it suits me just fine, but we are still stuck as one of the royal guard.’
‘Did he make that decision,’ Gareth asked.
She sighed, ‘yes he says it is his duty, so I'm sort of stuck with it as well. I suppose it gives me something to do all day.’
Gareth turned the blade, ‘no children yet?’
‘No thank you, we’re part of a group that is going round visiting all the old cities of the Eagles and towns. It’s fun seeing all those old buildings come to life. I've seen complete farm houses raise themselves from beneath the ground. Burnt timbers reforming, water beginning to flow. My husband’s family once had a large plantation, we rediscovered it. Every time we go there something’s changed or grown.’
‘I know what you mean,’ Gareth smiled. ‘I've seen it many times myself. What’s your husband’s name?’
‘I can’t pronounce it, so he goes with Stony.’
‘He doesn't mind.’
She shook her head, ‘it’s an Eagle name that just doesn't translate, sounds like a screech and has no real human equivalent. Something to do with water running over pebbles or some crap like that so I called him Stony and it just stuck.’
Gareth paused for a second, ‘my wife sends her best wishes and asks that both of you visit her while you are here. She can’t take our form just now she is nesting but you can talk to her through your husband.’
‘I would love to visit her sir, to be truthful I didn't think she would want to see me now she’s a queen and all that, no disrespect intended.’
‘Oh none taken, my wife has never forgotten where she came from or how she spent her life until I freed her.’
Gail smiled, ‘Nice to know some haven’t sir.’
‘Aye, I know.’
He handed the sword over and she was delighted with it. They said goodbye and the couple left. Alan collected the fingers of cooled gold and left with his wife. They talked with Stan for a while before leaving him to his task. Gareth led them to his spot down by the sea, it was calm today and gentle waves lapped at the rocks.
‘So how’s your wee bit?’ Gareth ventured.
Graun raised an eyebrow in suspicion, ‘why do you ask?’
‘I was told to, Melina.’
Graun sighed, ‘I don’t really know, I've hardly seen
her. All I know is she is supposed to be pregnant.’
Gareth's head snapped round, ‘what, yer shitting me.’
He shook his head, ‘it’s what she has implied, I don’t really know.’
Gareth's eyes swam out of focus for a second, ‘Melina says its true enough, she caught just before you left, but didn't know. What you gonna do about it?’
‘I have no idea Gareth, it’s no a situation I've ever found myself in before.’
‘I've enough ado with one,’ Gareth grunted.
Graun grimaced, ‘They still trying to throw that princess at you?’
‘Aye did you hear the latest?’
‘No.’
‘Leo told me he was going to marry her to a 60 year old bastard, the King of Moray if I didn't take her.’
Graun looked inquisitively at Gareth, ‘No Nice.’
‘Aye well according to him the old bastard killed his last wife in a fit of rage when he was drunk, which is his normal state. Drunk and abusive. He has killed three of his own family while drunk or by giving them impossible tasks to do. I think it’s all a load of shit to try and force my hand into marrying her.’
‘How can you marry her, your already married?’
Gareth shrugged, ‘They don’t get it, as a King they say I can marry as many as I want, fuck that. One wife’s enough for any man.’
‘I got to agree with you there Gareth, mine however refuses to come with me. She just won’t fucking budge.’
Gareth raised an eyebrow, ‘No one’s told her about, what’s her name.’
‘Chloe, no, not that I'm aware of anyway. I just don’t understand it Gareth, why won’t she come. She’s heard me rave about these lands a hundred times, but still she won’t come. I want to be here, not there, we’ve fought a hundred times, it was getting to the stage where it was affecting the bairns. I can provide for them well down here, they could have stayed with me here, or maybe in the Eagle city, I suppose being here wouldn’t have been fair on Chloe. She just doesn’t want it though, wants nothing to do with these lands or its people.’
‘Has she asked you to give it up and come home?’
‘Now you come to mention it, no. She kept telling me to come back here where I belong, that she and the girls were fine. Why doesn't she want me at home Gareth?’
‘Oh don’t ask me Graun, I have a hard enough time figuring out my own one.’
‘Maybe I was gone to long and she has found another man.’
‘I've met your wife, I can’t see it Graun.’
‘No that was unfair of me, but she hardly ever wants to, you know.’ Gareth grunted it wasn’t a subject he really wanted to talk about, but Graun went on. ‘I admit she was getting that way before we first left, maybe she’s sick.’
Gareth ventured an opinion, ‘Maybe she is going through the change.’
Graun shook his head, ‘no I don’t think so, she would have told me, all she said was she just didn't seem to get those feelings anymore.’ The two men went deep into thought.
Eventually Gareth spoke, ‘well the way things are it looks like neither of us are going to get much for a long time to come.’
Graun sniffed, ‘at least were in the same boat, fancy getting drunk.’
‘Aye fuck it, but no here, I'm fucking sick of being watched every hour of the day. Let’s find Scout and Billy.’
‘I know exactly where they will be,’ Graun grinned.
Gareth stood, ‘Then let’s get the fuck out of here.’
CHAPTER 10
The two men sneaked out of the palace with little effort and quickly found Billy and his Scouts. With the arrival of Gareth and Graun the few beers that were intended soon turned into a bit of a party. Gareth tossed enough gold on the counter to keep them in drink all night. By mid evening the bar was full of Highlanders. All of them greeted Gareth and Graun but few bothered them. Only men they knew approached to speak to the two war chieftains.
‘What are we going to do about these Eagle breeding centres,’ Graun asked once they were settled.
Gareth shook his head, ‘I don’t really know yet Graun. One has splintered and the other has chosen to protect itself using god knows how many mercenaries and some nasty magic.’
‘Their magic doesn't bother us,’ Graun decided.
‘No true, but I'm not really sure it’s our problem anymore Graun.’
‘I never thought I would hear you say that Gareth.’
Gareth considered his friend, ‘My father in law has his own army now.’
‘They can’t go near that kind of magic, look what happened to the lads wives.’
‘He has plenty Highlanders in his army Graun.’
‘Aye maybe, but not enough to go after them. What’s really sticking in your craw, is it their attitude?’
Gareth nodded, ‘I detest the superior attitude of some of them. It gets right on my tits.’
‘You’re talking about her brothers aren’t you?’
‘Aye you’d be amazed by how many of them have passed through here in the past few months. They look down their nose at both of us and the way they treat the servants is abominable. I'm beginning to hate some of them.’
‘Gareth man, calm down for god’s sake. Most of those I've met have been great people.’
‘Aye but a lot of them still blame me for the deaths of their rider’s remember, and at times I can catch their thoughts on the way past. By the way, to some of them your little more than my barking dog.’
Grauns face reddened, ‘who thought that?’
‘One of her brothers.’
‘Did you kill him for me?’
‘There were a dozen of them in the room and I didn't know which one it was, but I'm sure they all heard his thoughts and I am sure they were directed straight at me. I'm telling you man I've about had enough of their abuse. As far as I am concerned he can free his own people. We know roughly where they are, we tell him and if he wants to do something about it he can. It’s all I can do to stop myself killing all of his fucking sons.’
‘I don’t like this Gareth; honestly, I like the King and the queen, and almost all I've met. I know you've had your problems man, but hey they are your family and you know the old saying, you can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family.’
‘Of course I've bloody heard it.’
Graun grinned, ‘well I'm sure you’re over reacting.’
‘Maybe, but they are still expecting good Highland men to lay down their lives as though it was our duty to.’
Grauns expression turned to a frown, ‘Well that isn’t right.’
‘No it isn’t; and a few months ago one of the royal princes actually said that to one of the great council.’
‘I can see where this is going,’ Graun grunted. ‘It didn't go down to well I take it.’
‘Nope, at the moment the council is split down the middle, you obviously know what side I'm on. There are still men on the council who think it is the morally the right thing to do and we should spill Highland blood until the cancer of slavery is cut from our world and the Eagle people freed entirely. Some believe as I do that it will cost more lives than we can afford. Thousands have already left the Highlands seeking adventure and wealth, there are those on the council who believe it is a drain on our most precious commodity its people.’
‘Well I know some, who definitely won’t leave the Highlands,’ Graun almost spat into his drink. ‘Enough of this talk for now; let’s turn our minds to more happy thoughts.’
‘Like what?’
Graun grunted, ‘like the day Malcolm and Stan met for the first time.’ The two men began to laugh until tears flowed in their eyes. Miles away Melina sat on her nest mortified at the two men’s conversation. She had never told Gareth that alcohol broke down the barriers he put up against her. She relayed everything they had discussed to her father.
The King sat with a warm cup of tea, one Gareth had recommended to him and one he enjoyed. He put it down, ‘thank you daughter.’ He cut
the link with Melina and turned to the queen, ‘what shall we do now my dear?’
‘You know what needs to be done my husband. Those not of both our blood should be expelled from the palace.’
The King shook his head, ‘That leaves only the youngest to take my place.’
‘Then youngest shall become the oldest,’ the Queen stated simply.
The King shifted uncomfortably, ‘You expressed a desire not to lay again.’
‘I am a Queen and shall do what is required of me,’ she leaned forward with a sigh. ‘Our oldest was killed by Gareth, the next in line by you yourself in a fit of rage. We know not if others of our blood survive so all that are left apart from the youngest is those not of my blood, they are an abomination and should not be allowed to live.’
The king felt his anger rise, ‘I cannot kill them.’
‘I know but you stoke the fires of trouble by allowing them to live within the palace. They pick up airs and graces that reflect neither of us and paint our people in a bad light. These Highlanders are lions; lions with hearts, good hearts darling. They have given us so much and we need them far more than they need us. If they turn their backs on us now thousands upon thousands of our people will remain enslaved. The magic is too strong for us to free them ourselves and we don’t as yet have enough Highlanders to even attempt a rescue on our own. I have also heard that many are already leaving to go home or join others. That is a direct result of the attitude of your own children. They are like a poison that's slowly strangling our people.’
The King shook his head, ‘You propose genocide wife, because if we banish them then they may always remain a threat to the throne and your children. Remember, there has been times when it wasn’t always the heir apparent that became King, to the strongest the spoils and our youngest is far from the strongest.’
‘He is young but has the qualities of a great leader. He listens to what people say, he keeps his thoughts to himself and he seeks out the Highland men for company. They teach him the ways of the sword and shield.’
‘Is that not because he is so far down the line that he believes he will never become King and wishes for no more than a post in the Kings army.’