The Swan Maiden by Susan King

Author:Susan King
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

"The wee lads are well," Abbot Malcolm answered as he wrapped Juliana in a hug. As soon as she had seen Malcolm hurrying across the yard, she asked about her brothers, and blurted out that she was married to a Sassenach. Despite his shocked expression, she insisted on hearing about Alec and Iain first. "They are still at Dalbrae. I saw them there last week."

"Pray God they are treated fairly and not imprisoned," she said in Gaelic. She glanced through the gate at the two knights, who had not yet ridden into the enclosure.

"The lads have some freedom there," Malcolm assured her. "I saw them recently. They are fine, though anxious to come home. Juliana, there is news of Niall and Will."

"I heard," she said. "Taken."

He nodded sadly. "And we cannot buy their release. Our abbey is poor. Even if we had the coin, the Church would not allow us to pay a war ransom with it."

"There may be another way. My husband"—the word felt odd, yet surprisingly right somehow—"may be able to help them."

"No more delays. Tell me about this marriage."

"Ach, Father Abbot," she said, sighing. "It happened so fast." While she spoke, Malcolm walked with her toward the foregate, his tunic and her white gown sweeping the grasses.

The swans circled around them, clapping their beaks and extending their necks, looking for food and attention. The birds frequented the abbey yard almost daily, waddling up from the lochside and through the open foregate. Juliana noticed that one of the monks in the yard produced a cloth sack and began to toss out bits of grain, attracting the swans toward him.

Succinctly and selectively, Juliana recounted her weeks as a prisoner. Malcolm listened, brow knitted with concern. She spoke of the king's feast and the impromptu wedding, then touched upon the return journey, where she had been displayed and chained as the Swan Maiden. Finally she mentioned her warm welcome at Avenel. She kept the nights, and the kisses, to herself, but her cheeks burned as she remembered.

"Father Abbot," she finished, "Gawain was with the men who ruined Elladoune. He is the one who saved me that night."

"Your Swan Knight himself? Ach, God loves irony." He shook his head. "The marriage need not stand if you do not want it. We can annul it, though we must first petition the bishop's replacement in Glasgow and wait for an answer from Rome."

Her heart seemed to twist in protest. "My husband did not want this marriage or this assignment in Scotland, but he has no choice. He must obey the king's orders. If the marriage is annulled, he will face dire consequences."

Malcolm peered at her. "You care about him."

She made a vague, noncommittal sound and shrugged.

"Juliana, are you... the man's wife truly now? Is it even possible to annul it? Certainly you can preserve the marriage if you want to do so," he said gently.

"I—I do not yet know what I want," she mumbled, and blushed hotly. Turning away, she looked around the abbey yard.

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