Scotia's Grave

by T L Harty

  “What’s that?”

  “We need to make sure the people around you are loyal. They need to be put under your spell.”

  “Make everyone fall in love with me?” I asked. “That sounds like a good idea?” I sat on the edge of the bed. My pain was so much better, but the anger also helped me forget.

  “No, no. There are different levels of the bonding spell. You must know how to implement it for the desired effect,” Bridget explained. “And the subject will determine how they would like the spell to affect them.”

  “What?!”

  “This morning, when you licked Douglas’ hand, for instance, he didn’t fall in love with you. He was merely an agent of your bidding. If your sweat doesn’t make contact, just your saliva, a man will still be bonded, but not in love and bonded. It works that way so married men can be in your service.”

  “Is this ceremony in front of everyone in the castle?”

  “No. Only the council members know you have this power…and Douglas…and Bruce. No one can ever know you possess such a gift.”

  “But, what about Lorrah? She read the letter. She knows. She even made Rick promise not to touch me when we met to sign the divorce papers.”

  “True. But, she will be taken care of.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “The bonding ceremony will be tonight,” Bridget announced, as she walked to the door.

  “What do you mean by ‘taken care of’,” I asked, without being given a response.

  Bridget couldn’t pry the door open and I knew it was my doing. I wanted answers and she wouldn’t be leaving until I received some.

  Chapter 13- Sunrise

  The sun rose over the pool house from the east and slowly brought me out of my slumber. It didn’t take long to recall the events of last night. If a naked man beside me wasn’t reminder enough, the soreness of being ravished so many times would also do the trick.

  Quietly, I gathered up my clothing and went into the bathroom to get dressed. I’m not sure why I felt the need to tip-toe…it’s not like I’d be leaving here without Rick. He drove.

  My mind raced from one scenario to the next. Rick had finally gotten what he wanted. Maybe now he would cast me aside…his conquest complete. It would be like all the “love ‘em and leave ‘em” stories that were repeated in the dorms.

  I brushed my teeth with my finger, after finding toothpaste in a bathroom drawer. If he was planning on cutting me loose, it wouldn’t be blamed on morning breath. Wait. What thought just ran through my head? Did I want to be with Rick? What the hell am I thinking? Am I thinking?

  After exiting the bathroom, I stood outside the doorway, not sure where to go next. Rick’s towel still lay on the floor. Goosebumps rose on my skin, as the smell in the room brought me back to the night before.

  “Hey beautiful,” Rick said, half yawning. “Come here.”

  His words snapped me back to the present. I walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge. He sat up, poorly covering his naked body with the white, down comforter. His tan skin against the pale blanket was beautiful. And the way he invited me to him, by patting on the bed, made me smile.

  “Seriously?” I questioned. “I just got dressed.”

  He moaned. “I can fix that in a jiff.”

  The night before was raw passion, but this morning, we took everything slow. We looked into each other’s eyes, caressing and holding one another. Sex in the daylight hours felt different, but equally amazing.

  Afterwards, we showered together in silence. This act somehow being more intimate than anything we’d done up to this point. We dressed and then walked out to the car to travel back to school. Not long after we were in the car, Rick reached over to hold my hand and flashed a handsome smile.

  “Anything on your mind?” he asked.

  The lie came easily. “No, enjoying the moment.”

  By the time he had pulled into the dorm parking lot, my imagination got the better of me. I had prepared for every possible scenario to come, whether we parted ways as soon as the cars doors shut or we decided to hang out more. I waited for direction, feeling naïve with inexperience.

  Rick turned to face me. “I had the best time, Muriel.”

  I smiled, hoping to find out what that meant. Rick got out of the car, helped me out of my side and kissed my cheek. We went up to our hall, sharing uncomfortable goodbyes before retreating to our own rooms.

  The open window in my room let in a fresh breeze. If that goodbye in the hall marked the end to whatever Rick and I shared, I was oddly at peace with that. A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.

  Rick was on the other side of the door, looking at me like a tortured, thirsty man and only I could set him free. He rushed into the room, shutting the door, enveloping me in his arms. We fell on the bed, wrenching at our clothes and had sex like our lives depended on it.

  Both of us were out of breath afterwards, but Rick strung a few words together that made my heart stop.

  “I love you. Marry me,” he said. “Be my everything.”

  I hugged him tightly, but felt guilty, unable to return the sentiment. It wasn’t long before he fell asleep.

  I got up out of bed and paced back and forth, looking at him every now and again. Why hadn’t my feelings delved as deeply as his? How could he want to marry me? Is he joking? He seemed so sincere!

  He slept peacefully, as I wondered how we could be sharing the same space, while pangs of loneliness haunted me.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked, groggily. “You look worried.”

  It took a minute to formulate my thoughts. It must have been obvious to Rick that I was in a bit of torment as to how I should word things.

  “When you say such meaningful things to me, I’m confused why I don’t feel the same way yet,” I rambled. “I mean, I’ve really enjoyed this weekend and our time together, but were you serious about loving me and wanting to get married?”

  Rick’s expression became a little solemn, confirming that he was, in fact, serious.

  “I’ve had a lot longer to think about all this,” he answered. “I’ve loved you for a long time.”

  There was no pause when responding this time. “That’s something else I don’t understand. We were barely friends and then you made that ridiculous spectacle in the school cafeteria…the day after you set me up with your best friend. Can you at least try to see why I’m overwhelmed with your change of heart? It’s like a light switch got flipped and, suddenly, you loved me. You don’t find that odd?!”

  He shrugged, unaffected by my concern. He propped his head up, resting it on his hand, while his elbow sank into the mattress. “I don’t know how to answer that. It’s not my words that matter so much, but these feelings I can’t contain.” He paused briefly. “I know I love you. I do. If this will take some time for you to get used to, that’s OK. I’m not going anywhere.”

  I felt flattered, but not convinced. It was all too much, too soon. When the last man professed his love for me, I remember practically busting at the seams to say it back. There were no doubts or questions.

  Still looking at Rick, I asked, “What if I can’t say that back to you?”

  “You will, eventually. I’m not worried.”

  My eyebrows rose at his ill-placed confidence. He sprung up from the bed to begin dressing. His body was amazing and the fact that he boldly strutted around in the buff made him even more attractive. But, the gorgeous, smart and funny man before me was merely my first. He lacked one thing- my heart.

  He patted my ass on the way out. “I’ll be seeing that later,” he growled lewdly.

  “So much for not going anywhere,” I joked. “Lie number one.”

  When the door shut behind Rick, relief washed over me, which didn’t seem the right response. The last time Jed left my side, I remember how my soul ached of loss.

  Rick was in misery the last two weeks of school, knowing we would be apart all summer. He accepted an internship in France over the summer, long
before we had started hanging out.

  We went to a local restaurant for one last meal together, before parting ways.

  “I’m going to cancel my internship,” Rick announced. “It’s too long. We shouldn’t be apart.”

  “Don’t be silly, it’s not even three months,” I argued. “Besides, you might meet a hot, French girl. Ooo lah lah!”

  That last remark hurt him but, luckily, the waitress had arrived to take our order. After she left, we sat in silence for a few minutes.

  “You shouldn’t say stuff like that, Muriel. It makes me think you don’t care. The only person I want to meet this summer is your father, so I can let him know my intentions.”

  “Do you not remember the first time you met my dad?! Let’s travel back to January, shall we? It was the beginning of the second semester and you were saying goodbye to a girl you’d finished having sex with. You then told my dad that stuff like that happens all the time. I believe you even used the phrase ‘books and babes’.”

  Rick grimaced. “I had forgotten about that.”

  “I can guarantee you that my father hasn’t and your face is forever etched in his memory. You should stay away from my father. He owns guns.” I smiled, amused at the fear that ran across his face.

  Rick lifted my hand to his lips for a quick kiss, raising his eyebrows. “Well, you’ll have to talk me up.”

  I retrieved my hand and put my index finger over my lips to say hmm and pretend I had a great idea. “I know,” I said. “I’ll tell him that I lost my virginity to you.”

  This comment made Rick look like he was the recipient of a sucker punch.

  “Why are you being so difficult?!”

  “I don’t want to do this over the summer,” I said. “Let’s take a break from each other and see how it goes. You go to France and I’ll go home. We’ll see each other when we come back to school.”

  “I don’t want to do that.”

  I threw my napkin from my lap onto the table, getting up from my chair to leave.

  “You don’t have much of a choice.”

  Chapter 14- Grosse Isle

  “Let me out of this room, Muriel,” Bridget seethed, still trying to open the door. She whirled around, her tunic billowing, the long necklace around her neck moving past the point where the rest of her had stopped.

  “Why is everything so difficult between us? Why don’t you simply answer my questions or explain things to me?”

  “Because you don’t deserve it,” Bridget relented. “You want none of this. You resist. You act like your gifts are a mere inconvenience, but I’d give anything to…” She trailed off.

  We looked at each other, finally with some understanding. It dawned on me that Bridget’s jealousy couldn’t be contained any more. My flippant attitude bothered Bridget most, because she valued the lifestyle. She respected the history and somewhere, deep down, she longed to be more like me. A few months ago, this concept would have been impossible to understand, but I’ve coveted having a life like Deidra’s or Macy’s, lately.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered with honesty. “I had no idea. Sometimes I get so caught up in all this drama circulating around me that I forget what you may be going through….what any of us are going through. Please accept my apology.”

  Bridget nodded in acceptance, but didn’t speak. Slowly, she turned to open the door and the latch gave way. She opened the door slightly and then closed it again. Still facing the door, she spoke.

  “You may ask me anything and I will be honest. Please don’t ask a question where the possession of knowledge will be regretful.” She slowly turned around, walked past me and sat in the chair that Macy so often inhabited.

  “Shouldn’t I be able to answer all the questions myself…if I’m truly the queen everyone says that I am?”

  “Most of them, yes,” Bridget agreed. “But, there are times we can be too close to the canvas to see the whole picture.”

  “Did you know I was going to lose my baby?”

  “No.”

  “Is Owen the right choice for Deidra?”

  “No, he is the worst of the candidates.” Bridget adjusted herself in the chair. Her answer shocked me because Deidra favored him. She didn’t want to meet any other boys.

  “What did you mean when you said that Lorrah would be taken care of?”

  Bridget took a moment to answer. “I phrased that incorrectly. We will be doing nothing to harm her. Both Lorrah and her son will die in child birth.”

  “How could you possibly know that?” I wondered.

  “When you and Macy went to see Rick, there was a double-grey hue that enveloped Lorrah. That’s what that sign means.”

  I sat on the bed, still empty after the loss of my own baby.

  “Is there anything we can do?”

  Bridget shook her head.

  “I didn’t see a hue.”

  “You were focused on taking care of the situation with Rick the last time you saw them. And you may not remember, but Macy trained you how to read hues after you met with Rick.”

  Searching my memory deemed unhelpful because the sequence of events was jumbled. There had been too many to keep them all straight. I watched Bridget, her countenance unwavering.

  “Do you accept me as your queen?”

  “Yes. There can be no denying that you are Danu.”

  “Well, I’m sure there will be questions that I wish I’d have asked,” I said, my interest dwindling. “The one that’s really on my mind is about this bonding ceremony tonight. What is it?”

  Bridget raised her eyebrows. She evidently expected some tougher or more pressing questions, but was visibly relieved that this sounded like my last.

  “There are a dozen or so men on their way to the castle to pledge their allegiance and service. You will put them under your sweat spell and they will be bonded to you for the remainder of your life. It’s a small number, but we will soon have hundreds.”

  “Where do these men come from…why would they do this?”

  “They will state their reasons when they come to see you tonight. They will also decide at that time how they will be under your rule. Your male subjects get to decide that, not you.”

  “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “Remember how I explained the different levels of the sweat spell? These men will decide whether they will serve you with everything, including their hearts.”

  “That’s ridiculous. Why would anyone choose to do that? I’ll speak to them beforehand and tell them not to.”

  Bridget shook her head. “You’re the queen, but this is not on your authority to decide a subject’s attachment. They alone will choose.”

  “Fine. I’m sure there will be no giving away of hearts tonight.”

  An unconvincing smirk followed from Bridget. It did little to help reinforce the hopes of my last comment.

  “Because you’re still not healthy enough to exercise, you need to go to the steam room this afternoon to produce some sweat, just in case.”

  “We have a steam room?! Since when?”

  “Since the castle was built,” Bridget answered, coolly.

  I decided to ask someone else where the steam room was located when the time came to utilize it. My patience with Bridget became frayed once again. She picked up on my irritation, leaving the room. Staring at the chair for a time, I mused about replacing it with a different one where more favorable news might be delivered.

  A little more than a week had passed since I lost my baby. I stretched out on the bed, with my hand over my empty womb. After the crying stopped, I realized I was in no mood to deal with all the extra company in the castle, much less the current residents.

  It dawned on me that instead of mourning over a daughter I would never have, I could be spending time with the one I did have. I crossed the hall and found Deidra primping before spending time with Owen.

  “C’mon,” I whispered.

  She gave me a side glance, suspecting I was up to something. She knew me
so well. “Let’s get out of here for a while, shall we?”

  Deidra gave a quick nod, following me out of her room. She knew nothing would stop me when an idea popped into my head. We shared that trait. We walked down the hall and descended the staircase that led to the kitchen. The hustle and bustle in the kitchen was deafening. Because there were so many new arrivals, the kitchen help had multiplied.

  When the chef saw Deidra and me, he dropped a huge aluminum bowl that bounced off the floor, making a horrendous noise. He bowed, greeting us. I waved his respectful salutation off and quickly asked if anyone had a car I could borrow.

  Everyone offered, but the chef insisted we use his. He said that he wouldn’t get in trouble for it like some of the others might and he couldn’t afford to lose any kitchen help.

  We quickly thanked him and went out the back door of the kitchen. I’d never been out here to witness the impressive mini parking lot. You couldn’t see it from the grounds at the back of the castle because of the little wall that ran the length of it, blocking it from view. It was no wider than the castle, which also made it invisible from the front.

  I recognized Macy’s car, but immediately realized that the chef’s car was foreign to me. There were close to fifteen vehicles in the lot. Deidra stood by one and motioned for me to come toward that one. The key worked. We got in quickly, took a left out of the lot and sped past the front of the castle. After getting on the main road, I released a breath.

  “How did you know the chef’s car?” I asked.

  “Ann’s started dating him and I’ve seen them leaving in his car from time to time.”

  “Oh.” It dawned on me that I hadn’t spoken a great deal to Ann after she told me that I’d lost the baby. After this realization, I hoped to make a better effort.

  “Where are we going, Mom?”

  “Away for a few hours,” I answered. “There is a bonding ceremony tonight and I’m not ready to deal with the thought of that. I want to be out among people, with my beautiful daughter by my side.” I looked at Deidra, smiling.

  It felt good to be away from the weight of responsibility and expectation. We got to a fork in the road and we could go left to Montreal or right to Quebec City. I chose right.