Chapter 47: Chapter Six

ADA

Toren wished for me to learn to read and write in the language of England while he was gone. Every morning, Sable helped dress me for the day.

I often shared breakfast with her and Myrna, a habit the other servants looked down upon. After our meal, a tutor would come and collect me for lessons, which brought me a great deal of embarrassment.

My education was very simple and mainly applied to farm life. The tutor was a no-nonsense but patient man, having taught many others in his past.

It seemed all royals were educated to a certain caliber, even the women. Lucky me, I only had nineteen years to catch up on, but I was determined to learn as much as I could, as fast as I could.

When I was able to escape, I thought about how valuable it would be for me to know English. My role in Dundalk could change.

I would be able to communicate with the traders and maybe even voyage along with them.

After my lessons, I ate lunch in my chambers and often rested for a short time. The months trailed on, and as I was nearing the end of my pregnancy, my stamina decreased with each passing day.

Although I found myself slowing down physically, I mentally kept myself focused on leaving. I accepted the fact that I would have to wait until the baby was born, as it was too risky to leave now.

There was no way to out-ride the soldiers or properly hide myself in the forest. I could hear Cayden’s voice telling me to be smart and prepare myself ~this~ time.

I welcomed the daily demands of my new role as it kept my mind occupied for most of the day. It was at night that I would think of Cayden, missing him next to me in bed.

I remembered us lying together each night, speaking of trivial things from the town or dreaming about wants for our child.

I missed his smell, the way he would softly kiss me before falling asleep, and the sound of him breathing. With the impending delivery of our child, I cried myself to sleep more often.

I had hoped he would have come for me by now, which only led me to fear something horrible had happened.

Myrna warned me during my first week in Oranmore that speaking of my Danish husband would only bring us both harm. So I kept him a secret from everyone with the hope that my silence would keep him safe.

Sable woke me up early in the morning. She was already dressed for the day in a very elegant gown, pouring water into the basin for me. I freshened myself up and cleaned my teeth.

“Is something the matter?” I asked her while drying off my face. Sable seemed distracted this morning.

“Did I not say already? Pardon me, my lady, I must have thought it in my head or said it to you while you were still asleep. The lord king and his son have returned from their journey.”

“The king? From England?”

“Yes, last night. You will join him for breakfast this morning. He is very anxious to meet you and did not wish to wait until this afternoon.”

She helped me out of my nightdress and into one of my new gowns. There were three different oils that had been gifted to me from one of the court’s nobles.

I took a little bit of the one made from roses and rubbed it around my neck. Sable tied up the back of my dress, which only tightened around my chest, allowing my stomach space.

The dressmaker had constructed the dress so it would grow along with the baby. My breasts were now almost pushed up to my neck.

I was not entirely comfortable with that look and asked her to loosen the ties a bit.

Sable brushed my hair out and braided it from one ear toward the other, then all the way to the end, placing little flowers throughout. It was a simple and beautiful style.

“You look lovely, milady.”

I smiled softly. “Will you join us for breakfast?”

“I will not.”

“I will surely be nervous without you there.”

“You will be fine, my lady. This is the first time you’ll be meeting your father. You must be excited,” she said directly. I couldn’t tell if that was an exclamation or a warning.

I most likely didn’t act happy. How could I be? I was being held here against my will. I didn’t know whether my husband was alive.

And now, with the return of Toren and Silas, I had to worry about the safety of my child.

Steward Oisín stood outside my door waiting for me. He was dressed handsomely in his full uniform. His beard was trimmed very neatly, still filling up most of his face.

He smiled at me and dismissed Sable from my side.

“What a joyous occasion this will be. Father and daughter reunited at last,” he said very pleasantly. Myrna and her husband had become my only source of comfort in this drafty castle.

We walked in the opposite direction from the dining hall, which made me wary.

“Where are we going?”

“The king wishes to dine with you in his private hall. You should feel very honored. Only the priviest of counsel have been invited to do so.”

I half-smiled at him as we drew closer to the king’s chamber. I noticed how heavily guarded this part of the castle was. The men took their fair share of glances as I passed.

I did my best to look forward and ignore the mumbling I heard behind me.

“Here we are.” Oisín knocked on the door. We entered a room about the size of my bedroom. There was a table already set for the two of us.

The fireplace was lit and next to it stood a tall man, his expression inviting and amiable.

“Steward, thank you for safely delivering my daughter.”

Oisín bowed very deeply and closed the door behind me. My maternal instincts made me place my hands on my stomach, a gesture King Toren followed with his eyes.

“You are with child?” He appeared confused. I was at a loss for words but nodded.

“My dear girl, there is no need to be afraid. Come closer so I may look at you.”

My legs carried me toward him. He was only a few inches taller than me, with a typical middle-aged physique.

It was obvious by the slight bulge of his stomach that he enjoyed the drink just a little bit too much.

His face was very distinguished, but I could see some remnants of what he must have looked like as a young man. His beard, like Oisín’s, covered up most of his face.

His hair was combed back in a very short manner. This was a fashion I believed most of the men in Oranmore followed: the style of the king.

It was very different from the way Cayden and his friends wore their hair, that was for sure. King Toren reached his hand out and picked up a strand of my hair.

“You look exactly like your mother, yet you have been cursed with the family’s hair.”

“It is not a curse. It is much envied where I come from.”

“Well then, one day we shall visit your home and be the most coveted of people,” he suggested with a jovial expression. This joke helped alleviate the awkwardness between us.

It seemed we both had many questions to ask each other. I was thankful Myrna had filled me in on my past so I would not look entirely like a fool in front of the king.

“How far along are you?” he asked, noticing my hand on my stomach again.

“The baby should arrive in about a month or less, the midwife says.”

“And the father?”

“My husband... is most likely searching for me,” I said boldly. “Do not worry though, I have not spoken about him to anyone here at the castle.”

“I would expect nothing less, but let us leave unpleasant things at rest for the day. This morning, I wish to get to know my daughter.”

I nodded, and he guided me to the table. We spent much of the morning together speaking about my mother, my childhood, and about Lugh.

He did not enjoy hearing about my stepfather, and I purposely left out that I was the one responsible for his untimely death. When the questions turned to my marriage, I was cautious.

It seemed so risky to speak about Cayden, but I figured it was a test.

Toren would find it suspicious if I did not speak of him, seeing as his guards had most likely reported everything that happened in Kilcoran.

If he had gone to England and Frankia seeking an alliance to defeat the Vikings, how would he feel knowing his own daughter was married to one?