by J W Murison
She got to her feet, ‘god bless you, you big lump.’ She wiped the tears from her face with the hem of her dress and went in for a morning cup of tea.
Scout squeezed in beside Gareth, ‘I got to warn you we have a full scale domestic going on in the palace.’
‘My wives home are they.’
‘Oh they are home but it’s not them that's causing the problem, its Graun’s.’
‘Really is he home?’
‘Oh aye, Billy's taken charge of the expedition, were almost ready to set sail again, about two days.’
‘Long enough for what I want to do so what the hell’s happening with Graun?’
Scout burst out laughing.
CHAPTER 40
Chloe was woken to the hammering on her door, it was barely dawn and there were no servants in attendance. She tried to ignore it but the hammering would not go away, if anything it got louder. Chloe shook herself awake, with the king missing it might be Graun returned. The marble floor was cold on her feet but she ignored it.
She unlocked the door and swung it open expecting to see Graun on the doorstep. Instead a striking woman with grey in her hair and a handful of young girls stood there.
‘What! Who the hell are you?’
The woman’s smile never reached her eyes, ‘are these the apartments of Graun Grant.’
‘Yes why?’
‘I'm Mary Grant his wife.’
Chloe’s blood froze in her veins, it was then she noticed the tartan shawl and dress the woman was wearing was the same as Graun’s. With a squeal of horror Chloe tried to slam the door shut but Mary slammed it open and Chloe was thrown across the room to land on her ass with her nightie flying up round her waist.
Mary’s tut tut followed her across the room, ‘what on earth does that man of mine see in a skinny little thing like you. Look at that girls, if I ever find you wearing anything like that I swear I will take you over my knees.’ She looked around at the lush trappings, ‘My my, it looks like your father is doing really well girls.’
A bleary-eyed boy stepped into the room and Mary thought she was going to burst into tears, ‘what’s happening Mum?’ The boy was a miniature Graun, there was no mistaking the truth in that.
His arrival got Chloe to her feet, ‘go back to bed Brandi. It’s ok its nothing.’ She shooed the boy back to his room and returned her eyes blazing fire. ‘What the hell do you want you dried up old prune?’
Mary had no idea what a prune was but she assumed it was nothing nice and took Chloe by the throat. ‘I am Graun Grants first wife and by our law his only wife, that gives me the right to cut your throat and take whatever is yours as my own. The only thing that is keeping you alive right now is that little boy in there. Do you understand?’
Chloe managed a weak croak and Mary tossed her away from her, ‘good now show us to our rooms.’
Chloe didn't know what else to do so she showed Mary around the apartment which was just as big as Gareth’s on the other side of the palace. Mary was taken aback by the splendour of the place. Even with all her girls having a room apiece there was still plenty room. Mary was tempted to take Chloe’s own room but when she showed her the room at the far side of the apartments that had a balcony and had a sea view Mary fell in love with it. The sun was just rising above the horizon and the sunrise breathtaking. Mary took a deep breath of the fresh sea air and closed her eyes to the warmth of the suns first rays.
‘This will do me. Wilma you will take the apartment next door.’
‘Oh mum there's no windows in that room.’
‘Exactly my girl, no windows and one door. That way I can be sure there is no Ogilvie climbing in your windows late at night for a little taste of what he should only be getting on his wedding night.’ She kept all her girls close and soon realised they were all intimidated by the size and the grandeur of the place. A petrified Chloe hovered close until she had the girls with their meager possessions settled in.
‘Is there somewhere around here I can cook?’
Chloe shook her head, then nodded, ‘there is the royal kitchens, but the cooks don’t allow anyone else to cook. A steward comes round every day and takes your days order of food. Fruit and nut bowls are changed daily if you eat them. You order breakfast the day before.’
Mary looked her up and down, ‘do you actually eat?’
Chloe turned red, ‘of course I eat you bloody whale.’ The slap could be heard rooms away.
A short while later Mary found herself out on the balcony of her new home. The day was beginning to warm up and she couldn’t believe how beautiful it was and how full of energy she felt. She could feel her blood stirring in a way it hadn’t for a long time.
She had brought William with her but as soon as the guards had recognised him he had been dragged away. She had no idea why but suspected it had something to do with his uncle. A guard had shown her to Graun’s apartments and she had winged it from there. It hadn’t been a good start she admitted to herself. The skinny girl had a strange haunting beauty and Mary had hated her on sight. No not a good start but she had gotten the upper hand quickly in the relationship. She was Grauns first wife and she would accept the others as a punishment for her own stupidity, but she would make certain the other two knew their places. One down one to go.
Her eyes were caught by a number of Eagles out catching the first thermals. Some played in the morning air and she found herself smiling. All of a sudden one let out a long cry and dove. Mary soon realised the eagle was heading straight for her and it was bloody huge. With a cry its wings beat the air and its talons grasped the balustrade. A second later it transformed into a naked woman.
‘Mary,’ the woman gasped.
It took Mary a moment, ‘Melina.’
Melina jumped down, ‘oh my goodness, where did you come from.’
Mary took a deep breath, ‘I decided to follow my husband.’
Melina was in shock, ‘wow, this is, so, unexpected.’
Marys smile was little more than a grimace, ‘um, maybe some cloths Melina, before a chat.’
Melina looked down at herself, ‘yes maybe I wasn’t expecting to go visiting, give me ten minutes please.’
It was almost half an hour before Melina appeared at the apartments, by that time she had caught up with the news of Mary’s arrival from a very distressed Chloe who had been waiting for her to return from her morning flight.
Melina beamed and handed Mary a large bouquet of flowers, ‘oh thank you Melina,’ she took them not really knowing what to do with them. This was a lot different to the sprigs of heater and the odd bluebell she was used to receiving. She stepped aside and Melina came in shooing away her handmaidens.
‘Do they follow you everywhere?’ Mary asked.
‘That is their job Mary they are the queens handmaidens. It would be unseemly for me to wander around all day on my own.’
‘Really, why?’
‘Trust me on that for the moment. So you finally came. I see you have uh! Already met Graun’s second wife.’
Mary lifted her head, ‘yes I have, it wasn’t as pleasant a meeting as I had hoped for, but I can’t say I didn't enjoy every moment of it.’
‘I understand, well I really just wanted to welcome you to my home.’ Her words were not lost on Mary who smiled.
‘I don’t think I have ever seen anything so grand in all my life.’
‘You should have seen it before we arrived, it was opulent in the extreme, I think there are still a few rooms in the palace untouched, ones we don’t use, I will have to show them to you some time.’
‘I would like that very much.’
‘Would you and the girls like to have breakfast with me?’
‘We had breakfast fast hours ago, I'm sure the girls are feeling hungry again. I will give them a call, if I can remember where they are.’
Melina laughed, ‘I am sure you will get used to it.’
Within a short time Mary managed to gather the children and they followed Melina to h
er private dining chamber. Catherine was already there, ‘oh do we have guests Melina.’
‘Mary Grant this is the princess Catherine, Gareth's second wife. Catherine, Mary is the first wife of Graun.’
Catherine was in the process of pouring orange juice into a cup for Teal and froze, ‘really.’ She put the jug down and stood, ‘it’s a pleasure to meet you Mrs Grant, I have heard so much about you.’
Mary raised an eyebrow, ‘and I you.’
Catherine waved over a maid, ‘we need more forks and plates then get the chef to send up more food.’
‘Yes your Highness.’
There was plenty chairs at what was considered a small table in the palace and the girls soon got more comfortable. There was some laughs as one of the girls tried to eat an orange with the skin still on. Melina demonstrated how to eat the different fruits. Teal and Alex soon got bored with all the women talk and ran off to find Brandi and go swimming.
‘Do you know where William is?’ Wilma asked Melina.
The two royals passed a look, ‘I believe he is with Aswari the head of the Royal Guard.’
‘Why, what is he doing?’
Melina took a deep breath, ‘yesterday Gareth took out a horse from the stables and has never returned, they are searching for him.’
‘He took off!’ Mary exclaimed.
‘Yes.’ Melina confirmed.
Mary looked from one to the other, ‘I wouldn’t worry about it, he’s a Highlander. He will return when he’s worked through whatever it is that's bothering him. Graun is exactly the same. He will piss off and get drunk for a few days then return home with his tail between his legs.’ She could see that both women were on tender hooks. A strange noise drifted down to them on the morning breeze. The women and children went outside and saw Grey Eagle and Amber a little way away conducting some sort of ceremony.
‘They look strange,’ Mary commented.
Melina explained who they were, ‘I think they are conducting some form of religious ceremony.’
‘Can’t you speak to them?’
‘No they are a different species of Eagle, we have to touch heads to be able to see into the others minds or talk like that.’
‘I didn't know there were others of your kind that were different.’
‘Neither did we, or my father and our racial memory goes back a long way. They are actually quite nice once you get to know them, it still feels a bit strange though.’
‘I think most of them live in some kind of mud hut,’ Catherine told her.
‘So did I until a few years ago,’ Marys reply was curt and a little admonishing and Catherine clamped her mouth shut before she got in deeper.
Melina wasn’t fazed though, ‘got to be better than a cage or a stable,’ she mused.
‘The stables in Clover Castle were very warm and snug,’ Catherine couldn’t help but take a small dig.
‘You would know.’
Catherine scowled, but it quickly vanished, Mary realised that many of the stories she had been told about these two were true. It was quite strange standing next to a pair of living legends, a notorious pair at that. Now that was a story she would love to hear from their own mouths, there was questions that tumbled through her mind like autumn leaves but knew she would have to befriend them to ever get the answer.
‘So what is there to do around here all day?’
Melina smiled, ‘to start with we could take you shopping. Those winter dresses will kill you in a day if you wear them down here.’
‘How do I buy them, I have no money.’
‘Graun has plenty money, ask Chloe for funds or how to access them.’
That was to start an even bigger fight, Chloe was very frugal when it came to money and tight fisted. In the end she launched herself at Mary who beat her half to death but still she wouldn’t part with any money. The servants called the guard and the guard sent for Graun.
When Graun eventually arrived the following day he found out Gareth was missing and sent for Scout. Now he stood outside his own apartments with not a clue what to do. Graun realised for the first time in his life he was truly afraid to go home. He took a deep breath and marched in. The first person he bumped into was Wilma. She squealed very un-lady like and ran to fetch her mother.
Graun went to Chloe’s room to search for her. There was no sign of her or his son.
‘They aren’t here Graun; they stayed in a different part of the palace last night.’
He turned slowly, ‘hello Mary, I have to say I am surprised to see you.’
‘I’ll bet you are, upset the apple cart have I?’
‘A little I suppose. What have you done to that girl?’
‘Interesting choice of words Graun, girl, hardly a woman.’
‘Don’t,’ he growled.
Mary stiffened recognising the tone of his voice and for a moment thought she had made a major mistake, ‘I am sorry Graun, I shouldn’t have said that, she is after all the mother of your only son. Something I couldn’t give you.’
‘There was a day when I was speaking to a very wise old eagle who told me the sex of the child depended on the man not the woman, don’t blame yourself for that. It wasn’t for the lack of trying on your part, so what finally brought you down here?’
‘Guilt I think, for the way I have treated you over these past few years. I should have listened closer, been more of a wife to you, if I had we wouldn’t be in this position now.’
‘So what now Mary? I assume you know your own mind in all this.’
She shrugged, ‘I don’t know, you tell me.’
Graun growled again, ‘don’t give me that Mary, you didn't come all the way down here without knowing exactly what you were doing and what you want out of it.’
‘I want my man back in my damn bed,’ she snapped. Grauns eyebrows shot up and Mary took a deep breath. ‘I still love you with every fibre of my being Graun. No other man has so much as laid eyes upon me in all my days and I wish no other to either. You were always the one and only one for me. Your daughters are getting to the age where they will marry to and need their father, I will not be responsible for that either.’ She took another deep breath.
‘I won’t lie to you Graun, my skin shudders at the thought of you touching that young woman, but I only really have myself to blame. You have always been an active man and to my shame I haven’t been able to provide for your needs for a long time now, but that doesn't mean I don’t love you anymore or that I don’t need you. I will always love you Graun and always need you. So I am prepared to put up with these other wives of yours however, make no mistake about it, I am your first wife and will always be you first wife and they had damn well better toe the line with me.’
Graun found himself smiling, ‘really, so what happened yesterday then.’
‘We got off on the wrong foot; I was a bit of a surprise to her. I met the queen and she suggested we went shopping to get the girls something to wear that was more fitting of the climate here. However your second wife decided she had no intentions of parting with any of your money and she attacked me. I will admit to taking a little of my frustration out on her.’
‘You beat her.’
‘Soundly.’
‘Aye so I heard, well thank you for your honesty.’
‘Are you going to send me home?’
It was Grauns turn to take a deep breath and he ran his large hands through his hair, ‘no why would I want to do that, you are as you have pointed out my first wife and my own true love. I have missed you Mary and the girls so much,’ he stopped himself saying any more. ‘Ok by rights you should have the purse strings and Chloe was definitely wrong yesterday, but you have no idea of how things are done here. I will give you your own money but I insist that you take Chloe with you or the traders here will skin you alive. She normally handles all the money, she is a tight fisted little shit but I would wish for you to defer to her judgement on all things money until you know what you are doing anyway.’
Mary
nodded, ‘I can live with that, let’s hope she can.’
‘Well I wish I could spend more time but Gareth has gone missing and there are matters I need to attend to.’
‘Won’t he come back on his own?’
‘I would think so but after what he has been through these past few years it wouldn’t surprise me if he just took off for good.’
‘That bad.’
‘Aye, it’s had its moments.’
‘Is it a bad thing for us if he has left?’
Graun contemplated her for a long time, ‘if Gareth is gone then he will be declared dead, Melina will return to her father and Catherine to hers. That means I will be declared King and I'm damn sure I'm not doing that job Mary Grant so we had better fucking find him.’
‘Is it that bad Graun?’
He shook his head, ‘I couldn’t do it Mary, it’s one thing being in charge of a few hundred men on the battlefield even a few thousand, but Gareth has millions of subjects scattered over half the known world. I have it easy here, I stay close to Gareth, watch his back. I pretty much have the run of the kingdom and his power to do whatever I wish without the responsibility that goes with it. He trusts me implicitly more than any other. In return I keep him grounded and centred. That is my job here my only job and if I fail in it then I have to do what he does and it would make an old man of me in a week.’
‘How can he be that busy when you've been sailing all over the world on a ship for a year?’
‘If only, he keeps in touch using the Eagles. They can talk to each other over vast distances; they are at him day and night. I suspect this is what this is all about, he just wanted some peace.’
‘Did I misjudge the man that badly Graun.’
‘You didn't Mary, I did. You could only know him through me and what I told you about him. The blame is mine for that not yours.’
‘Yes but when you tried to tell me I didn't listen Graun.’
‘I don’t blame you for that Mary, it took me a long time to come to terms with the man I was fighting alongside, you weren’t there and didn't have those experiences.’