Chapter 17
Sentanta hadn’t known how it would feel to see Aife again. He almost didn’t enter the fort—almost took the escape Scáthach had offered him. He could have called for a horse. Ridden to camp. Waited there for the Shadow Guard.
He would have done those things had she not been carrying his child. His son. But she was carrying his child, so he could not leave without seeing her . . . without doing something.
He’d been shocked by her size. The night before, his addled mind had made it seem as if she filled the room.
And then she was Scáthach, who naturally filled any room she entered.
But where Scáthach carried strength and compassion and honor with her like a cloak, Aife was wrapped in vitriol and self-involvement.
He’d known that, even through the wounds and the drugs.
She would never be worthy of forgiveness.
For his son, Sentanta gave Aife the signet ring his mother had made for him before the world began calling him Cuchulainn.
It was a simple gold thing stamped with a large S.
He’d taken it off only to move it to his little finger when his hand grew, and he hadn’t taken it off since.
But for his son—for his son he would part with it.
And perhaps someday he would have the opportunity to be the father to his son that Lugh had never been to him.
* * *
Scáthach was glad of the breeze from the loch.
It mostly blew away the stench of two hundred burning bodies, though she would be very glad to leave the fort and return to the clean salt air of Dunscáith.
She stood on the raised stone steps in front of the keep.
The Shadow Guard had assembled before her, along with the residents of the fort.
Tabiti was beside her. Uathach waited for her signal to bring out Aife.
Behind Scáthach the door to the keep opened and Kintail’s three daughters joined her.
Aife had kept them locked away for the ten days she’d held the fort, barely granting them food and water, and definitely not emptying their chamber pots.
They’d bathed and changed from their filthy clothes.
They were fair-haired like their mother, with their father’s long, strong nose and intelligent blue eyes.
The eldest of the three, Aillis, was almost Uathach’s age.
The two younger girls were twins, Lili and Leitis, and had just known their tenth birthday.
The twins’ eyes were red and swollen, though they held their heads high.
Their older sister went to Scáthach and bowed.
“Aillis,” Scáthach said. “I wish I could have saved you, your parents, and this fort the misery Aife brought.”
“We tried to get word to you, great queen,” said Aillis. Shadows bruised her eyes and her cheeks were sunken, making her appear willow thin. Like her young sisters, her chin was high and her voice steady. “But her men killed anyone who attempted to leave our fort.”
“They killed Mama and Papa and our brothers!” one of the twins said through eyes filled with tears as the other little girl nodded in agreement.
Scáthach touched their blonde heads. “I know and I am sorry.” Then her gaze went to Aillis. “I have a proposal for you that will ensure this fort is never taken again.”
“If it involves marrying me to a warlord with an army, I respectfully decline. I’ve been prepared by my mother and father to lead, and I prefer not to abdicate control of my life to anyone,” Aillis said firmly.
“Ha!” Tabiti said. “I appreciate a woman who knows her own mind.”
“As do I,” said Scáthach. “No, Aillis, I will not advise you marry. That is your business, not mine. I advise you make use of the excellent herd of horseflesh that is now in your possession. Many warriors would be happy to relocate to your islet and protect it in return for a Lethra-bred broodmare or young stallion and a tidy roundhouse. Spread word that you will pay with horses and homes for warriors to relocate here. You should only need—” She paused and turned to Tabiti.
“How many warriors would you advise Aillis hire?”
“Fifty warriors permanently living here should be more than enough to protect the fort,” said Tabiti.
“I agree,” said Scáthach. “You have a herd of a little more than two hundred. Plenty to entice warriors here and keep some of the breeding stock so you may continue to produce exceptional horseflesh. Dùn Dòbhrain will be known as the fort to come to for the fleetest horses in all of Alba.”
Looking dazed, Aillis blinked several times. “But I assumed you would take the herd with you to Dunscáith as payment for returning our fort to us.”
“There is no payment required. Aife was only here because she wanted to destroy me. I do not ask payment to clean up my mess.”
Aillis took Scáthach’s hand and kissed it. “Thank you, great queen!”
Scáthach patted her cheek, thinking how very young she looked. Then she raised and lowered her hand. At the signal, Uathach brought Aife forward. Scáthach had allowed her a bath and fresh clothes. Not as a kindness to Aife, but so that the evidence of what she’d done to Cuchulainn was washed away.
As Uathach brought her from the great hall to the front of the keep, there was movement in the crowd and the people parted to allow Cuchulainn to take a place in the front.
His hair was wet. When he met Scáthach’s gaze, she saw that his eyes were completely his own—amber fire that blazed when Aife came into view.
Scáthach turned to her half sister. “With the authority granted me by our father, Ardgeimm, Jarl of Lethra, I sentence you for your crimes, which are: leading a traitorous revolt against Lethra; ordering your men to ambush my students and me; putting a price on my head in exchange for my castle; and finally, we come to the atrocities you committed here at this fort, which are too many to name.”
“You have no authority over me.” Aife’s words were petulant and held no fire.
“You know that is a lie. Our father named me his heir, which grants me the right to mete out justice in his name.”
Aife spoke bitterly. “The only thing I’ve ever wanted is to have Father’s approval—to be his heir—but I couldn’t compete with the daughter of a goddess.”
“You lived your entire life with Father, yet you seem not to have known him at all. He wouldn’t have chosen me because of my mother.
He wanted the best for Lethra. He believed that is me.
” Scáthach saw the despair in her half sister’s eyes.
It saddened her. She looked away and her gaze went to Cuchulainn.
His face had again lost all color. Dark circles shadowed his amber eyes.
His hands were fisted at his side as he stared at Aife, disgust curling his lip.
Scáthach’s heart hardened, and her gaze returned to her sister.
“And your actions since Father’s death have proven him wise.
Lethra refused you as their queen. Did you stay and work to show them you would be a thoughtful, just ruler? ”
“I did not because—”
“You are correct,” Scáthach interrupted. “You did not. Instead you seduced weak-willed, selfish warriors from him and thought to take what you did not deserve. You are the kind of woman who makes life more difficult for the rest of us.
“I stand against a rising tide of men who believe women are too weak and too emotional to think for ourselves. They call those of us who show undeniable strength seductive manipulators instead of leaders. You prove them right. You, who were born a privileged princess, who only had to observe our father to learn the path to being a great queen, chose manipulation and lies and senseless violence instead. You disgust me.” She turned to Tabiti.
“Which members of the Shadow Guard have experience with longboats?”
“Astrid and Bjorn are from the Northlands,” Tabiti said. “They came to Dunscáith in a longboat. I believe there are several more, mostly from éire, who are also experienced sailors.”
“Have Astrid choose a team. They will take one of Aife’s dragon longboats and return her to Lethra to face whatever justice her country chooses for her.
Leave the rest of her longboats for the Dùn Dòbhrain merchants, but destroy the dragon figureheads first. I never want to see that vile sigil again. ”
“No! Don’t send me back!” Aife cried. “Just give me one horse and some supplies. I’ll leave here and go south, never to return.”
“South? You mean the territory of Tribe Catuvellauni? The very tribe you bribed to bring you my head in exchange for my castle? Aife, I realize your mother poisoned your mind to believe untruths about me, but something a daughter of Ardgeimm should have been smart enough to understand is that I am not easily duped.” Scáthach shook her head.
“You will return to Lethra. The people you wanted so desperately to rule will decide your fate.” The Queen of Shadow looked from her sister to Aillis. “Do you have anything to add?”
“Will your guard tell Lethra of her atrocities here? That she killed the lord and lady of the fort and all of their sons, imprisoned us, and abused our people?” As Aillis spoke, she glared at Aife.
“My guard will report all of her crimes,” said Scáthach.
Aillis nodded. “Then I am satisfied. Queen Scáthach, please know that you and your guard are welcome to rest here for as long as you’d like. My home is yours.”
“Thank you, but except for the warriors who will escort Aife back to Lethra, we will return now if you have no more need of us.”
Aillis smiled and bowed her head. “I will always have need of the council of a great queen.”
Scáthach returned her smile. “Then know I am but a day’s ride away and you are always welcome in Dunscáith.”
“People of the fort!” Aillis called. “Help the Shadow Guard load one of the longboats with supplies. I’m sure they are eager to rid themselves of Aife and return to their home at Dunscáith.” Tabiti began collecting the members of the Shadow Guard who were sailors as the crowd dispersed.