Highland Queen

by Melanie Karsak

  I nodded. “Duncan’s ineptitude reveals itself each day.”

  “What he learned at Malcolm’s foot and what you learned in Moray are, no doubt, very different.”

  “Gillacoemgain was a good ruler, that is true, and I learned much from him. But it is you and Epona I credit,” I said with a soft smile. “I learned how to manage things from watching the two of you.”

  “Corbie,” she said with a dismissive wave.

  “It’s true. You must care about what happens. If you don’t—”

  “You end up with Malcolm…and Duncan.”

  I nodded.

  “Very well. All right, my Corbie, you’ve hidden Lulach from me. I can accept your reasoning on that, but I think you’ve had my man long enough. Where have you stashed Tavis?”

  A knot hardened in my stomach. “Tavis?”

  Madelaine caught the confused sound in my voice. She’d been blustering about the room, fingering the dresses hanging in my wardrobe. She turned and looked at me. “Yes. Tavis.”

  “Tavis rode south just after the war. He…he’s not in Fife?”

  The color drained from Madelaine’s face. “No. He’s not here? He didn’t ride with you?”

  “No,” I said, a terrible feeling of dread washing over me.

  Madelaine covered her mouth with her hands. “Corbie, he never returned,” she whispered.

  I went to the door.

  “My lady,” Killian said, coming to attention the moment I opened the door.

  “I need to speak to the Thane of Lochaber at once.”

  “I will see to it, my lady,” Killian said. He signaled another guard to take his place then headed down the hallway, moving quickly.

  I shut the door behind me then turned and looked at Madelaine.

  “Oh, Great Mother, what if something’s happened?” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes.

  “Don’t think like that. Surely, you would have felt it. Banquo will come. He will be able to see. We will ask him to search for Tavis the old way.”

  Madelaine sat down on the corner of my bed. All the mirth that had surrounded her had deflated.

  “Maybe he found some good hunting. Or perhaps he missed you and Fife and is on his way now,” I said, but even as I spoke the words, I knew they weren’t true. I could feel Tavis, just on the edge of my awareness, and all was not well.

  “I hope so,” Madelaine whispered. “Oh, Corbie.”

  I sat beside her, wrapping my arms around her. “We’ll pray to the Goddess for his safe return.”

  “May she listen well to our words.”

  Banquo arrived within the hour, a worried expression on his face.

  “Gruoch? What is it? I was in the field with the men when one your guards came,” he said then paused, looking toward Madelaine. “Lady Madelaine,” he said, giving her a short bow.

  “Tavis did not return to Fife,” I told Banquo.

  I could see him turning my words around in his mind then he nodded. He pulled his dagger from his belt.

  “Lady Madelaine,” he said, turning to her. “I need a lock of your hair.”

  Madelaine took the dagger from Banquo’s hand then cut a red curl, which she handed to Banquo.

  Banquo nodded to me then went before the fire. Kneeling, he poured some water into the cauldron. He then dug into his vest and pulled out a small pouch. From within, he withdrew some herbs and berries. He dropped them into the water as he whispered quiet words. He pulled other herbs from a pouch hanging on his belt. He tossed these onto the flame. The room filled with heady sage and the sweet scent of herbs. Madelaine and I stood behind him, watching him as he worked.

  I could feel the energy around me shift and move. The light streaming through the window bent oddly, scattering at strange angles, the shadows twisting. When I narrowed my gaze and looked at Banquo with my ravens’s eyes, I saw the green glow that often surrounded him.

  Banquo whispered under his breath then tossed Madelaine’s hair onto the fire.

  The scent of burnt hair filled the room. I felt dizzy. I reached out for Madelaine, so I wouldn’t swoon.

  Banquo stilled and looked into the water.

  After a moment, he winced and clutched his side.

  Madelaine moved to go to him, but I held her back.

  Banquo shuddered then lifted his hands, covering his eyes. I could hear him whispering but couldn’t make out his words.

  A moment later, he sat back on his heels.

  “I know where he is,” he said, his voice soft.

  “And?” Madelaine asked. “Is he…”

  “He is injured, Lady Madelaine,” he said, gently touching his side once more. “I…I just hope we can reach him in time.” Banquo rose and turned to me. “I’ll send riders at once. He is not far from your old keep,” he told Madelaine. “There are some soldiers amongst my men who follow the old path. They will understand,” he said, touching the tattoo on his forehead. “I will go to them now.”

  “Thank you, Banquo,” Madelaine said, tears trickling down her face.

  Banquo passed me a look. I could read the words behind his eyes. It might already be too late. With a nod, Banquo left.

  Exhaling deeply, I closed the door behind him.

  “Oh, Corbie. Whatever would I do without Tavis?”

  I shook my head. Having been separated from Banquo, I knew well the pain. But I could not imagine Banquo dying. If Banquo died, I would lose my mind. It would be the very end of me.

  “Don’t think like that,” I whispered. “Have faith, not fear.”

  Madelaine nodded mutely but said nothing more. In the face of uncertainty, fear is a monster that’s impossible to slay.

  Chapter 9

  In the days that followed, I did my best to keep Madelaine preoccupied. We expected to hear word any time now. The waiting, the worry, was difficult to bear. To keep her busy, I asked Madelaine to manage the ladies who’d come for the crowning while I attended to other work. I was in my meeting hall reading over some dispatches when I heard a trumpet herald.

  Then another.

  Then another.

  I set the scroll down.

  Someone of great importance had come. I rose.

  A moment later, Macbeth appeared in the doorway. All smiles, he entered the hall to fetch me. But as he drew near, he remembered the ice between us. He stopped.

  “Gruoch, will you please escort me to the square?” he asked.

  “Who has come?”

  “Thorfinn.”

  “Here? He’s come here?”

  Macbeth nodded. “By ship,” he said then came closer. My temper rose as he took each step. How dare he come so close to me? I imagined pulling my dagger from my belt and stabbing him to death. What would happen if I were to do such a thing?

  They would think me a mad woman.

  I cast a quick glance at my hands. There, I saw the bloody spots.

  Maybe I was.

  “He wanted to surprise everyone, to present a united force. He wants them all to know that to tempt me is to tempt him.”

  “Us.”

  “Sorry?”

  “There is no me. There is us. We will be the rulers of this land, Macbeth. Not you alone.”

  Macbeth stared at me. “Yes. You’re right. He went north to fetch Injibjorg. If all went well, she is here with him. Will you come?”

  I turned to one of the pages. “Please find Lady Madelaine and ask her to meet us in the square.”

  “Yes, my lady,” the boy said then ran off.

  I nodded to Macbeth. “Very well.”

  Signaling to my guards, I joined him. Two of my Moray men followed along behind me. Macbeth cast a glance back at them.

  “You are quite safe, Gruoch.”

  “Who says I don’t feel safe?”

  Macbeth frowned. “Have it your way. I have been thinking about our next steps. There is a small castle not far from here, Glamis. It isn’t a large estate, but it is well fortified and comfortable. I went hunting there when I
was young with—well, before the troubles. Between here and there is the ancient hilltop fortress at Dunsinane. I have sent a party to inspect the fortress. It is in need of repair, but I’d hoped to keep my—our—seat there.”

  “At Dunsinane Fortress?”

  “Yes.”

  I cast a sidelong glance at Macbeth. In the very least, the plans he was making were wise. As much as I wanted to return to Moray, we needed to stay south and get the country in some sort of order. Macbeth and I needed our own place, somewhere from which we could control both north and south. Dunsinane would work well.

  “Very well.”

  “We will leave Scone immediately after the crowning. I’ve sent people ahead to ready Glamis. Perhaps Lulach will join us at the fortress when it is completed.”

  I said nothing. If Macbeth believed he had any right to know anything about my son, he was sadly mistaken.

  Macbeth exhaled heavily. “Must you be so difficult?” he said coldly.

  We turned the corner to the yard. There, I spotted Banquo alongside Thorfinn’s party. I stopped, blocking Macbeth’s path. I turned and looked at him. “If you are so eager to have a child underfoot, perhaps Elspeth can send your son, Findelach.”

  Macbeth stared at me, his eyes widening in surprise.

  It took everything inside me not to bash his face in.

  Saying nothing, I turned back toward the square. Lifting my hand, I waved. “Thorfinn! Thorfinn, many welcomes,” I called then crossed the space between us, leaving Macbeth behind.

  As I approached Thorfinn, I couldn’t help but notice the strikingly beautiful woman on a pale horse alongside him. Thorfinn dismounted then went to help her down. Hand in hand, he led the woman toward me.

  “Lady Gruoch,” Thorfinn called.

  Banquo followed behind the pair, chatting merrily with the Northmen who’d come with Thorfinn. The morning sunlight shined on Banquo’s chestnut-colored hair, which was now sprinkled with flecks of silver. How handsome he was. Even still, my heart was moved at the mere sight of him. Banquo caught my eye then smiled softly at me.

  I returned the gesture, not caring in the slightest if Macbeth was watching. I then turned my attention back to the newcomers.

  “Jarl Thorfinn…and is this the much-renowned Injibjorg?” I asked.

  “My lady,” the girl said, inclining her head to me.

  Thorfinn’s report of Injibjorg’s beauty hadn’t been a boast. She had beautiful, straw-colored hair, which she’d swept into a braid that nearly reached her knees. And she was, as Thorfinn had suggested, a curvy girl. She would, no doubt, produce many sons for the jarl.

  “Welcome to Scotland,” I told her, taking her hand.

  “By Odin’s beard, what a place,” Thorfinn said, glancing around at the mix of southern lords and ladies and priests who filled the square. They all stood still as statues, staring in wonderment at Thorfinn and his men. The Northmen who’d arrived with Thorfinn where a rough-looking crowd with long, braided hair, tattoos, and enough weapons to slaughter pretty much anyone they wanted. No wonder everyone looked nervous. Suddenly, I was delighted Thorfinn and his men had come.

  Macbeth smiled awkwardly, casting reassuring and calming glances at the gathered nobles. “Yes, well, customs are a bit different this far south. Come, old friend. Let me see you and Injibjorg inside. Banquo, can you see to Thorfinn’s men?”

  Banquo inclined his head to Macbeth. At every turn, Macbeth found one reason or another to keep Banquo and me separated. I didn’t blame him for trying to minimize the rumors. But I hardly gave a damn. After all, it was Macbeth who had failed our marriage, not me. If Macbeth had stayed steady, had been a good and decent person, all would have been well.

  “No need,” Thorfinn objected. “These men have traveled long and far to see you, Macbeth. We will feast together. And I want Banquo to tell me about the battle. So, Lochaber, did you see Duncan lose his head?”

  Banquo laughed. “Unfortunately, no. I did see his blood. There was a lot of it.”

  Thorfinn laughed. “Too bad you didn’t get that head on a pike. He could have ridden with Macbeth to Scone.

  Macbeth laughed nervously then clapped Thorfinn on the shoulder. “You will scandalize the ladies,” he said, motioning to Injibjorg and me. But it was evident that it was more the southern lords and ladies within earshot whom Macbeth was worried about, not us.

  Injibjorg chuckled. “Have you not heard of shield-maidens, King Macbeth? My mother was a shield-maiden of great renown. Talk of battle doesn’t frighten me.”

  “Well… It’s just… Never mind. Let’s go within and feast,” Macbeth said then nodded to Banquo.

  I frowned. Who did Macbeth think he was to order Banquo in such a manner?

  A king.

  He thought he was king.

  And he was…or soon would be.

  At my doing.

  I looked down at my hands, then took a deep, shuddering breath. A slick of red covered my fingers. Droplets of blood dripped from my hands onto the stones below. Pausing a moment, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, pushing the image away.

  “Queen Gruoch?” Injibjorg said, reaching out to take my arm. “Are you all right?”

  I exhaled slowly then opened my eyes. Queen? Queen? “Yes. Thank you. Sorry.”

  She laughed lightly. “Not at all. All women swoon so when they are with child. One day soon, I hope to swoon too. If I can get Thorfinn off his ship.”

  “With child? Me?” My hand drifted toward my stomach, but I froze just short of touching my stomach for fear that I would leave bloody marks on my clothes. I clenched my jaw then forced myself to look. There was nothing there.

  “I am very good at noticing such things. Some people call me a völva. You see, I can tell the moment a woman conceives. And I can even guess the gender, and I am always right. For instance, you are carrying a princess for this land.”

  I stared at her.

  She laughed again then took my hand. “Don’t look so startled. It seems I’ve given you the news before the gods. I hope they don’t mind my presumption. In my mind’s eye, I see you large and round with child. And I sense a sweet girl within you. Odin sends you happy tidings. I am delighted to be the first to give you such glad news.”

  “I… Thank you. But please, say nothing to anyone else,” I whispered.

  “No? There is no need to doubt. I know some ladies do not wish to excite their men with the news too soon. But I assure you, I am never wrong.”

  “I have no doubt in the wisdom of the old gods…and those to whom they lend their voice on this earthly plain. But, please. Say nothing.”

  “As you wish.”

  “Injibjorg, where have you gone?” Thorfinn called to his wife.

  “Here,” she called. She squeezed my hand then let me go. She went to her husband who gave her ass a hard squeeze as we made our way to the feasting hall.

  A small band of priests passed us. They crossed themselves at the sight of Thorfinn and his men.

  Banquo fell into step with me. “What is it?” he asked, his eyes searching my face. “Something Injibjorg said upset you.”

  “Nothing.”

  He chuckled lightly. “You can’t lie to me, Gruoch.”

  “It’s nothing. Please don’t worry yourself.”

  “Cerridwen,” Banquo whispered silently so others couldn’t hear.

  I took Banquo’s hand, forcing myself not to look when I did so for fear the vision would return. “Later.”

  Banquo looked at me, his eyes meeting mine. “All right.”

  Was it possible? Was it really possible that I was carrying the child of the man I loved? As we passed into the abbey once more, a raven alighted on the archway.

  Its sharp cry shattered my happy thoughts.

  I looked up at the bird.

  Banquo followed my gaze. He lifted his hand and touched the mark of the stag on his brow.

  The bird cawed loudly once more then turned and flew off.

  My ha
nd drifted to my stomach.

  And where I should have been filled with a deep sense of joy, a terrible feeling of dread washed over me.

  Chapter 10

  Having Thorfinn at court changed the tone of everything. Scone had felt stifling. Coupled with the gloom of not knowing what had happened to Tavis, I was glad Thorfinn had come. Madelaine smiled and treated all the visiting lords and ladies with utter kindness, but her eyes remained haunted. Add to that Injibjorg’s startling proclamation had my world feeling like it was spinning off its axis.

  That night, the Northmen brought joy and laughter to the feasting hall. While I worried for Tavis and prayed to the Goddess for his safe return, I couldn’t help but be moved by the Northmen’s merriment. Was I really with child? Banquo’s child? It was almost too much to hope.

  “I dare say,” Fife, who had been seated next to me, said, “that Jarl Thorfinn is a man much maligned by his own reputation. He’s quite the jolly chap.”

  As kind as Fife’s words were, he too eyed the Northmen warily.

  “So he is. Though I suspect he’s as fierce in battle as he is determined in mirth.”

  “Which makes him all the more dangerous,” Fife said with a chuckle. His eyes drifted to Madelaine who was talking with Lady Lennox. Madelaine smiled, but her stare was vacant. “Has there been any word?” Fife whispered to me.

  I shook my head. “We expect news at any time.”

  “She paced all night long, half awake, half asleep. I am an old man, but I am not a blind man. Tavis has been a loyal companion to her. Do you think… Should I take her back to Fife?”

  I shook my head. “She won’t go. I’ve already suggested it. She will stay here until there is news.”

  Fife sighed. “I love your aunt dearly. I hate to see her in such a state.”

  “That is very generous of you, sir. All things considered.”

  Fife laughed then patted his over-round belly. “She has been very generous, all things considered. A fine woman, your aunt. She has told me, somewhat, of her life with Allister,” he said then coughed uncomfortably. “Malcolm should have taken better care of his sister.”