THE KING'S DAUGHTER - Chapter Seven (The Bard)
“Oh, please Auld Nana, do not stop the story! T’was just getting good!” Cristabel whined rather prettily in protest to the long pause that the bard gave the audience.
“But my dears, ‘tis time for bairns to seek their beds and sleep this night.” Auld Nana told the grumbling audience. “I shall carry on this tale tomorrow night, but for now I must stop, for I am too weary to continue.”
The mumbling group dissipated, leaving Auld Nana in her chair next to the cooling hearth. Enthralled in the tale, no one had remembered to feed the fire. She stood up and stretched her arms out while yawning deeply. Wrapping her woolen shawl around her shoulders, she made her way from the Hall to her little lonely cottage in the village. Things had certainly changed for the better during her twenty year residence at the castle. Hope had sprung back into the eyes of the common folk, and the master and mistress of the keep had begun to change. It was subtle at first, but then as time progressed, it couldn’t be denied; they were in love. When in the beginning, there was no laughter ringing in the hall, but that of sadistic entertainment and drunken chortles. When no smiles graced faces, except for cynical sneers and wicked grins. When people cared not whether they lived or died. It was then, when the Change came.
It went unnoticed by all but Auld Nana, for the Change was rather subtle. The cook, whose true talents lay in carpentry, was replaced by a village woman of ample girth. When inquired about her cooking aptitude, the simple woman folded her arms across her abundant belly and began to chuckle. “Bless me dearie, I dinna get this way by eatin’ me husband’s cookin’!”
With Ona Ní Bhraonáin wielding her spoon in the kitchens, things began to take order. More lasses from the local village were hired as maidservants, scullery maids and laundresses. Strapping lads became stable hands, footmen, and the not-so-strapping became potboys and pages. The castle was cleaned, top to bottom, inside out. The recently displaced cook went to work repairing all things wooden.
Fergus’s manner softened considerably to all, for when he would relapse into his past boorish ways, he would be scolded by his “Auld Nana”. Slowly, he began to change, and as he evolved into a more gentlemanly fellow, his wife blossomed under Auld Nana’s guidance. Then it happened. Lady Anne began to swell, then gave birth to a wee lass, whom they named Mairi. After that little cherub, there came Collum, then Adam. Laughter of the little imps rang through the Hall, and it was good.
The crofters began to take heart in the land, and the land rewarded them with many a bountiful harvest. Cheeks on the children no longer were darkened hollows, nor did their tummies grumble and scream for want of nourishment. Sheep and cattle became more than just flea-ridden sacks of bones. The Change came, set down roots and flourished; the castle became a home.
Auld Nana quit reminiscing as the bite of the spring night sank deeply into her flesh. It was times like this that reminded her how old she really was. With a leaden step, she picked her way along the patches of heather, avoiding the large muddy expanses. As she neared the curtain wall, she saw a figure move among the shadows. Stepping into the moonlight, she waited for the figure to come to her. A young man, blonde hair, blue eyed and smiling enough that the moon glinted off his teeth as he greeted her warmly. “Sweet Jesu, woman, do ye never age? The last I saw ye, you looked the verra same!” He enfolded her in a great bear hug which stole her breath.
She took a step back to free herself from his embrace while she scolded, “Laddie, look at ye! When I wasna looking, ye had to go and grow up on me!” She sniffed a tear away. “Have you seen your mither yet, Keevan my boy? I want you to know she is verra ill woman. Seeing you will brighten her good days. She has so few of those anymore. I was on my way over to her just now. Walk wi’ me?”
“I know she is ill. Aye I was comin’ tae get ye, actually. I brought ye a present I picked up while I was fostered to the Munro’s. But ye shall have ta share her with Mam.” He laughed. “Why did ye never tell grand tales like that when I was a bairn? I had to make due with tales of the early crusades, Saints and old Celtic Gods. This story is not your usual fare, is it?”
“Oh… well, Cristabel, a dear child, asked me very nicely for a story. What was I to do? Tell her a tale she already knows by heart? This one I can make up as I go along. Now back to what slipped out of yer mouth before ye changed the subject. A ‘her’, is it? Ye gone and done it, did not ya? Ye got married!” Auld Nana bounced with excitement. Stopping suddenly, she thumped him hard in the arm. “First ye grow up on me, then ye get married to a lass yer mither and I never met! Oh, Keevan… you are itchin’ for a switchin’, laddie! So when do I get to meet your lass?”
“I wanted tae discuss that with ye and Mam. Tell me everything that happened since I left!” For a moment, Keevan sounded like the boy he no longer was.
Together, the two forms blended into shadows and moonlight as they crossed the castle’s bailey to the hidden and little used postern gate. The spring night was quiet, as if the stars shining above held a finger to their celestial lips for want of silence. The newly emerging grasses and wildflowers cradled each step, muffling their footfalls. Upon reaching the postern gate, Keevan opened the heavy oaken portal that led to the outside world. He held it open for Auld Nana as she crossed the threshold. Once outside the castle walls, they picked up their conversation.
“Well, let me see, boy. You have been gone for fifteen years, is it? Wee Mairi wed a laird who has a holding to the northwest. Adam has grown into a fine man, and has joined the church. Rumor has it that his order may travel to the Holy Land for the French King’s second crusade. I pray it nae so. Collum has done his family proud and married a lass from the Mackenzie clan. They hae a bairn already, which is a shame. His wife is a mere lass of fifteen summers, but looks as if she were twelve, for she has no hips! That birth took a toll on the lass, and she hasna’ healed properly. A new babe may kill her, the poor thing. Lord Fergus has given them a fine cottage in the village, for he canna stand the wailin’ of the bairn. Fergus is so verra pleased that Rehgana Mackenzie birthed a son first. Dylan, on the other hand…”
As time passed, they wound themselves through the soundless village to the cottage of Keevan’s mother. It was made of stone, a privilege that Keevan earned for his family when he became fostered to a sept of the Munro clan, doing Lord Fergus a great honor. He lived with the Munros since he was nine, having been sent to the holding with a missive from Auld Nana. In her journeys through the land, before she settled at Dunloch, she had rendered a service to the Lady Munro, exacting a promise that the favor would be repaid someday. No one was quite sure what the service was, for the lady spoke to no one about it, but t’was whispered about that Auld Nana saved the lady’s life, but none knew for certain.
The letter that Keevan held next to his heart as he trekked through the Highlands on the back of a fat pony to the minor Munro holding, was the key to his future. It requested that Master Keevan FitzFergus be assigned as a page, until he was of a proper age to become a squire to a goodly knight. When he proved worthy, then a knighthood would be furnished. When Master FitzFergus had grown to manhood, and deemed the time right, Lady Munro was to find a wife for him as well. His lineage was not to be questioned, for he was of diluted noble blood, according to the letter. When those tasks were completed, the favor would be repaid in whole.
Lady Munro had taken to the young and friendly lad. He proved a hard worker, honest to a fault, and rather levelheaded, except when his temper was roused. He learned simple mathematics and reading from the castle’s priest, and quickly picked up Church Latin. With permission from Lord Munro, Father MacLlyr elaborated Keevan’s education, teaching history and philosophy, logic and the French language. Keevan had been everything Auld Nana promised, and with unexpected pleasure, Lord Munro gained a valuable and loyal knight.
Then Keevan discovered the pleasures of female flesh. For a few years, he sowed his oats upon many a willing lass, all charmed by his lopsided grin. Lady Munro began to grow concerned when a few of the lasses fathers came calling one day, upset that they were all soon to be first-time grandfathers.
Duly upset, Lady Munro sought council from the castle’s priest. Father MacLlyr’s green eyes twinkled merrily when he suggested that the time had come that Sir Keevan to settle down. His aunt, the Abbess of St. Cecilia’s, was sure to have or know of a marriageable lass who would suit the knight.
Kaila FitzFergus visibly held onto every word that stumbled out of her son’s mouth as he regaled the two ladies with tales of his youth. She had missed him so much during his fostering. With her husband dead, and her son fostered to another clan, Kaila was left alone, and she had not been gifted with the strongest of characters. With the absence of her only child, Kaila grew disheartened. Quiet and ill at ease. Auld Nana felt responsible for Kaila’s situation, since it was her idea to foster out Keevan. But still, none could fault her for Keevan could have never become a knight without Auld Nana’s involvement, and Kaila was forever grateful of the good turn.
But of late, her chest would hurt for hours on end, while she shook with horrific coughing that failed to bring any mucus up out of the lungs. But her interest grew even stronger when the word “marriage” came into the conversation. Unable to keep the smile off her face, Kaila inquired, “An’ did the Abbess hae a lassie for ye then?”
Auld Nana couldn’t resist adding, “What of that gift for yer Mam? The one I am to share?” She could not hold back the mirth any longer.
“Ye brought yer auld Mam a wee giftie, then?” Kaila’s eye’s widened at the prospect.
Keevan blushed a furious red, before lowering his gaze to the blazing fire. “Aye, I have a gift for ye both, but ye have tae make me a promise first.”
Kaila looked a wee bit puzzled, while Auld Nana’s gaze narrowed barely at the request. Speaking for them both, Kaila quietly said, “If this gift is so precious as tae need a promise, then by the Blessed Virgin’s name, tell us what it is.”
Thank you for reading! If you’d like more of the story, help yourself to the rest of the posted chapters: