The Words of Kings and Prophets by Shauna Lawless

Author:Shauna Lawless
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: The Gael Song Series
ISBN: 9781803282657
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

The Road to Cill Rois, September 1000

Fódla

My horse plodded along the mud path as we followed the River Shannon south. The shipbuilders’ camp at Cill Rois was only another day away and was where we’d end our journey. Our pace was slower than originally intended and Sitric’s shipbuilders and Murchad’s workmen had ridden ahead of us after the first day. Murchad had insisted. The building needed to start, but he quickly realised their pace was too quick for Tairdelbach and Broccan. Sitric, Falk and Colgú had offered to accompany Murchad, something I guessed Sitric felt obliged to do rather than wanted.

The days were long, but not too arduous, though I had noticed Senna flying overhead at times. I was relieved he no longer watched me day and night, though the knowledge he could come back at any time meant I was never truly at ease.

Lucrecia, Maria, Felicia and I had joined the slower group, and they rode beside me today. The two girls chatted, both eyeing Colgú as he rode on ahead with Murchad, Tairdelbach, Broccan and the other men. Colgú would glance backward every so often and grin, which made the two girls giggle, but Maria’s gaze lingered often on Colgú long after Felicia’s attention had turned elsewhere.

Lucrecia stared vacantly at the ground, quiet and solemn. She spoke to her girls or to me when asked a question, but that aside, she was lost in her own thoughts, and when they consumed her, her smile would falter, and tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. I thought she would be happy. She was away from Ulf. Maria and Felicia were with her. But if anything, her mood had deteriorated since we left Killaloe.

“Do you want some honey-bread, Lucrecia?” I patted the fresh bread I had baked that morning, which was now wrapped up in my saddlebag. “It’s delicious, even if I say so myself.”

My friend lifted her head and held out her hand. “Delicious, you say? I have high expectations.”

I broke the loaf, handed over a chunk, and watched as she took a bite. She grunted approvingly and gave me a smile as her delicate hands moved to wipe the crumbs from her lips. Her fingers shook.

I edged my horse closer to hers so that we could speak without her daughter’s hearing. “I wish you would tell me what is bothering you?”

She shook her head.

“Is it Sitric or Falk? Did they hurt you in Dublin?”

“No. Sitric was a boy when I lived there. I never spoke to Falk.” Her fingers tightened their grip around the reins.

“Then is it Maria and Colgú?”

She sighed, her shoulders slumping. “He asked for her hand before we left Killaloe and I agreed. He is a good man, and I am happy for them… and Maria has chosen her husband, which is what I’ve always wanted for her.” She gave me a watery smile. “His mother wants to meet her first, though. Before he can ask Maria himself.”

“Does she know about this meeting?” I glanced at Maria, who was once again talking with her sister, her smile wide and shoulders relaxed.

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