Lee Edgar - King Arthur 02 by The Revenge Of King Arthur's Brood

Author:The Revenge Of King Arthur's Brood [Brood, The Revenge Of King Arthur's]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-06-03T21:31:35+00:00

SEVEN

Mæve instinctively knew that something was terribly wrong. She did not know what it was nor why, but she saw Ædra safely into the large bed and then stayed with her instead of going to her own room. Princess Toreal had explained the terms of the wedding to her and she had felt unhappy about personally having to undergo the traditional ritual with the bridegroom before the marriage itself could be consummated. However, if the other Maids of Honour, Toreal and Roxana, who were both younger than she was, were willing to endure the pain and humiliation, so was she. After all the kindness Ædra had shown to her, she would die for her mistress, if need be.

Looking out of the open window, she saw the roofs of the capital city of Caledonia which seemed so peaceful as the last lights winked out and the moon slowly rose over the Sidlaw Hills. It was still very close as she pulled back the sheets from Ædra’s sleeping form and walked around the room in the semi-darkness, swishing the loose nightdress about her body in a vain attempt to try to keep cool. It was then that she heard the sound of voices in the passageway outside.

She remembered what Toreal had also told her about the first law of marriage of a Cruithni Ruler. The bride-to-be must be used by the other Princes prior to the wedding ceremony to ensure that she was suitable as a queen. She shuddered at the disgusting thought and was thankful that Ædra would not have to go through that ordeal. What she could not understand was, if the law had genuinely been overruled by Borin, then why was this group of men approaching the Princess’s room now?

MÆve tiptoed to the door and pressed her ear tightly to the panel. She did not understand the words which were being spoken but the tone of the voices told her that they meant her Princess no good. She glanced towards Ædra and a sudden dread overcame her.

Like a flash of lightning, she flew to the bed and shook Ædra but she would not wake. The situation suddenly dawned on her. Borin had gone back on his word and had drugged her, and the other Princes were now coming to claim their traditional right and to take her and use her while she slept. With the kind of strength that only comes from sheer desperation, she dragged Ædra’s limp form off the bed and onto the floor. As quietly as she could, she rolled her under the bed and jumped into bed herself. It was going to be horrible. She would suffer great pain but she would gladly bear it to save the Princess having to suffer such a degrading humiliation.

There was not a second that passed before there was a faint creak as the door began to open slowly and she heard the sound of footsteps creeping towards the bed. Through her half-closed eyelids, she counted six men and

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