Child of the Kindred, page 14
part #2 of The Rienfield Chronicles Series
“Take Tulla upstairs Owain, to see Laurel for a few moments, then bring her to one of the guest rooms. Stay with her, until she is ready to return to see her grandmother,” Caleb instructed quietly, placing his hand on Tulla’s head. “I do not wish for you to leave the castle until you are feeling well enough dearest. We will have word sent to your grandmother. Laurel will not want for you to rush yourself. She and the children will be fine, we are all here to care for them, my mother will be here very soon to offer her support as well. Allow Owain to care for you,” Caleb spoke in a soft voice, leaning over and gently kissing Tulla’s bruised cheek.
“I will Sire,” Tulla replied, in a weak voice.
“No, it is just Caleb. You are family now dearest,” Caleb responded back with a warm smile.
Owain smiled down at her, as Tulla met his eyes for a moment.
“Yes, Caleb. I will,” she said, her eyes glistening with heartfelt gratefulness.
Owain then turned and walked quietly out of the room, Tulla wrapping her arms around his neck resting her head against his shoulder.
“So are you ready to go and deal with the mac olc de soith in the throne room?” Aiden asked in an angry low voice when Owain and Tulla had left.
“I am quite ready,” Caleb answered his voice quiet and dangerous, as they headed into the corridor.
A few moments later they were entering the throne room, where a weary and dishevelled looking Phineas was talking quietly to King Fergus, as Tramaine sat in a chair drinking a glass of water and eating from a small plate of meat and cheese. Tramaine looked over at Caleb and Aiden as they entered the room, and stood up to address them.
“Sire! I am most grateful for your val...,” was all Tramaine was able to say, as Caleb walked right up to him, and hit him in the face with his fist, knocking him to the floor.
The enraged Prince got down on one knee, grabbing Tramaine by his shirt front, Tramaine’s eyes wide with terror as Caleb leant in closer, speaking through clenched teeth.
“Bheidh me do deireadh shaol worthless,” Caleb growled at him, as he released Tramaine roughly. “Hold him!” Caleb commanded, as two Sentinels rushed forward to do as he said.
The Sentinels then dragged Tramaine to his knees, as Caleb stood up and unsheathed his bloodstained broadsword.
“No! Please, Sire! I have done nothing! Have mercy,” Tramaine begged pitifully, as he struggled in the Sentinels’ grasp.
Caleb looked down at him with cold disdain as he raised his sword.
“Caleb fanacht!” King Fergus called out, as he hurried forward.
“Cen fath?” Caleb asked back in an angry voice, that echoed through the room.
“For the simple reason he could still prove useful,” King Fergus replied, continuing in old speak.
Deaglan and Phineas watched this interchange with morbid fascination, Deaglan wearing a humourless grin on his lips.
“I will find him much more useful as food for the buzzards,” Caleb replied angrily, his arm still raised, as Aiden grinned wickedly at Caleb.
King Fergus sighed heavily then glanced over at Phineas, who found it more than amusing as they continued speaking in old speak, at Tramaine’s expense, leaving the terrified man unaware of what they were saying.
“Phineas, I feel your input would be of great benefit,” King Fergus said to him, with a grim expression.
“With all due respect Sire. By all means allow Prince Caleb to kill him,” Phineas stated with a voice filled with contempt, as he looked over at Tramaine trembling with fear.
“Wait!” King Fergus called out again, much to Caleb’s obvious frustration and anger, as he raised his arm again to deal out the death blow to Tramaine.
“Father, I am at the end of my patience! Give me a valid reason to keep this worm alive,” Caleb confronted his father, lowering his arm.
“There is no valid reason, I say just kill him and be done with it,” Cahir remarked, as he walked into the room suddenly.
“Good. I will cut off his arms and leave the head for you,” Aiden replied, as he unsheathed his sword, causing Tramaine to yell out in fear again.
“My sons, I will ask you this. Do you wish to kill the one rat? Or the entire mob?” King Fergus asked, in a steady calm voice.
The three of them looked at each other, then back at King Fergus, with Aiden and Cahir both sheathing their swords.
“Do you truthfully feel, that shaking wretch on the floor was capable of doing this without some kind of backing? Did not Warrick himself, boast about having some new ally?” King Fergus reasoned, trying to calm Caleb’s rage.
“So then, you do feel he was part of this? Not just a victim as he would have us believe?” Phineas asked as Tramaine looked over at him, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
“I most certainly do. Though we have no real way of proving this, however, there is absolutely no way, that I will ever be convinced Warrick was doing this alone. You need to say something to Caleb, Phineas, and use a tone as if you are trying to convince him of something,” King Fergus directed, as he looked over at Tramaine’s anxious face.
“What exactly would you like me to say, Sire?” Phineas asked, with an exaggerated tone, gesturing over to Caleb, while Aiden and Cahir grinned, realising what their father was doing.
“I know exactly how we could prove his guilt. Leave me alone with him for an hour. That is all I would need,” Caleb grinned cunningly at Tramaine, pointing his sword at him, causing Tramaine to swallow hard and looking at the other men nervously.
“I feel that is an excellent suggestion Sire,” Phineas replied, in a voice sounding as if he were trying to talk him out of what he had suggested.
“You know as well as I, my son, it will not give us any real answers, he will only say what he feels you want to hear. I will not have you resort to your grandfather’s preferred method of gaining information. Tramaine will drop his guard if he feels he has won. He will misstep at some point, as all cowards and liars do. Let him feel he has an ally in Phineas and then we will have him watched, he will reveal to us own who is aiding him,” King Fergus added purposely, gesturing to Phineas.
Pausing, what seemed to Tramaine, an agonising time without end, Caleb finally spoke.
“So be it,” Caleb replied with resignation, as he walked over to Tramaine, sword still in hand.
Caleb gestured for the Sentinels to raise Tramaine to his feet. Caleb then grabbed Tramaine by the throat, his face only inches from his.
“If you wish to live, you will stay out of my sight,” Caleb hissed in a low voice, as he shoved him roughly away, then turned, sheathed his sword and walked out of the room, followed by Aiden and Cahir.
“Release him, gentlemen,” King Fergus said to the two Sentinels, who then let go of Tramaine’s arms and stepped back. “You may leave now. Go back to the Lodge and relax a bit. Your work was exceptional, you served Her Highness and Heathwin well this day,” King Fergus stated, with a smile.
“Thank you, Sire,” both men said together, inclining their heads as they turned and left the room.
“Sit down Tramaine,” King Fergus told him in a cold tone, his piercing blue eyes flashing with his resentment.
“Yes, thank you. Thank you, Sire, for saving my life,” Tramaine responded in a blubbering manner, as he grasped King Fergus’s hand.
“I am not the one to thank here. You owe your life to Phineas,” King Fergus retorted back, as he pulled his hand out of Tramaine’s grasp.
Tramaine sat down looking over at Phineas with surprise.
“Thank you, my old friend. I knew you would believe me, once you had time to think about it,” Tramaine remarked, looking over at Phineas’ emotionless expression.
“Yes, well, obviously, Prince Caleb was still overwrought, and rightfully so. I do feel though at this time, certain changes to the order of things, need to be established,” Phineas replied, as he looked meaningfully at Deaglan and King Fergus.
“I could not agree more Master Phineas. With that being said, this is how the order of things shall be. Tramaine you were the King’s counsellor, and as now, sadly the King is no longer with us, your services are no longer required. You will return to your private home immediately. Especially after recent events, it would most definitely be in your best interest. Captain Deaglan, could you arrange for this please?” King Fergus directed, as a shocked and flustered Tramaine stood from his chair.
“Of course Sire. Come with me Tramaine, I will escort you to your home myself,” Deaglan answered, with a mocking grin as he led Tramaine away, closely followed by two Guards.
“But…but my things. I need to retrieve some things from my study in my quarters,” Tramaine began to protest, as he was now being hurried out.
“They will be sent to you in the next few days. Come along,” Deaglan said aloofly, as he and the Guards took him away.
King Fergus looked over at Phineas’ exhausted demeanour, watching him slump in the chair Tramaine had occupied.
“Come my friend. Let us go and get settled in ourselves. After you have cleaned and changed, I shall meet you in the sitting room for a bit of supper, then retire early. I suggest you do the same,” King Fergus mentioned in a sympathetic tone, placing his hand on Phineas’ shoulder as he stood up.
“There will be no hesitation on my part. I have not slept the entire time. I would very much like to see Her Highness, but under the circumstances, I shall just wait until tomorrow. I do not wish to add to Prince Caleb’s irritation,” Phineas laughed ruefully, as he and King Fergus walked out of the room.
“In all honesty my dear Phineas, I did indeed expect to have to inform poor Milo about a very unsightly mess here in the throne room,” King Fergus replied, as both men laughed out loud.
“So, as you see Caleb, everything has been secured and looked after. The night watches on the walls will begin at sunset, and the House of Healing is now secure as well. I will be heading back to the Lodge as I am quite certain that between McCullan and his group, Gavin and his crazy hooligans, quite a bit of drinking and celebrating will be occurring. So I hope to be able to keep things from getting too out of hand, as Mother will be arriving sometime tomorrow. You know how she will be if the Lodge is in complete disarray,” Cahir mentioned with a knowing smile, watching Caleb read over the list of security measures that were put in place.
“I will be leaving with Rian, and Seamus for the Kedesh camp, within the hour, so we may arrive just as it becomes dark. There is nothing more left for you to see to Caleb, except for Laurel,” Aiden remarked pointedly.
Caleb placed the list on the desk in King Garron’s study, leaning back in the chair and looking at his brothers thoughtfully for a moment.
“Yes, I suppose you are right. I have to admit, I am more than a bit disappointed in not having finished Tramaine off, but Father did make some excellent points. We stopped them for now, but they will not be thwarted for long. There is more going on here than we know. Something else will be tried, we just need to be ready for them,” Caleb said thoughtfully, his eyes looking far away for a moment.
“Whoever ‘they’ happen to be, we will find out in time I have no doubt. Come on old man, go and tend to your Princess. Tell her Aiden, and I will come by to see her tomorrow,” Cahir mentioned, as he hit Caleb’s arm lightly.
They all then left the study, saying goodnight and going their own ways. Caleb walked up the stairs and entered Laurel’s room, to find Muirgen arranging bowls of soup and a small loaf of bread on the table.
“Good evening Sire. Her Highness is now relaxing in a nice warm bath, and dear Tulla is doing the same, as I had the girls go and tend to her. Milo has had Master Phineas’ room prepared as well. I had the cook arrange for Tulla and young Master Owain, to also have a light supper served for them. Shall I turn down the bed?” Muirgen asked, with a warm and caring voice.
“No, that is fine Muirgen. I very much appreciate your kind attentions to both Her Highness and Tulla,” Caleb said, with a thoughtful tone and smile.
“You are most welcome Sire,” Muirgen answered, her eyes filling with tears as she paused awkwardly for a moment, and then suddenly walked over and embraced Caleb, much to his surprise.
Caleb smiled and embraced the older woman back, releasing his embrace as he felt her pull away.
“Forgive me, Sire, I...I just became a bit emotional. I must tell you, when it was said you and King Fergus took back the city, well we knew then the madness was over,” Muirgen stated, sniffing back tears and wiping her hands on her apron.
“Rest well this evening Muirgen,” Caleb answered back, with a charming smile.
“Thank you, Sire. I hope that you and Princess Laurel will have a peaceful night also,” Muirgen rejoined, smiling slightly flustered, as she turned and left the room.
Caleb walked into the bath slowly, smiling as he saw Laurel, her eyes closed, her head resting on a rolled towel under her neck. She was submerged up to her shoulders in the warm, fragrant water, smiling as Caleb leant down and kissed her forehead. Opening her eyes, she reached up and took Caleb’s hand and brought it to her lips, kissing it tenderly. Caleb kneeled down next to her, caressing her face.
“You look most comfortable, my love. I am very happy to see you so content,” Caleb stated softly in a loving voice, kissing her once again.
“It does indeed feel wonderful, though there is one thing that is missing,” Laurel said in a soft dreamy voice.
“And what would that be mo stor? What can I get for you?” Caleb asked, as he gently traced her face with his finger.
“You,” Laurel replied, smiling at him lovingly.
Caleb laughed lightly, kissing her lips several times. He stood up, then after undressing, got into the tub carefully in back of Laurel, having her lean against him, holding her closely as he kissed her temple smiling at hearing her sigh contently.
After bathing they both dressed quickly, going back into the room and sitting at the table. The soup, still appetisingly warm, as the bowls were covered by saucers. Caleb smiling with satisfaction and amusement to see Laurel hungrily eat her meal, eating extra slices of bread that Caleb covered in butter and berry jam for her. After they had finished eating, Caleb insisted they lie in bed. He held her in his arms, as closely as he could, sharing a short time of tender affections, kissing her deeply and caressing her lovingly but not overwhelmingly, murmuring sweet words of endearment in old speak. Caleb smiled at hearing her whimper softly in response to his affections, feeling her small hands glide softly across his hair or shoulders. When he noticed Laurel’s trembling increasing, he slowed his attentions, still concerned with overwhelming her.
“It is alright mo chailin milis. Here now, just relax, and I will hold you. Rest now mo stor. Go to sleep my love. I will be with you all night. Shh, do not cry my Laurel, it is over. Your Prince is here,” Caleb whispered, kissing her forehead.
“I am just so happy we are finally together. I knew you would come for me. I never doubted it, even when Warrick told me you would not return, I knew you would,” Laurel said in a broken whisper, her hands grasping onto his tunic sleeve.
“Yes, mo stor. Your love gave me the strength I needed, to fight and return to you. Also, our Rabkin friends were there to help us as well,” Caleb explained, as he felt her body begin to relax.
“The Rabkins helped you to fight?” Laurel asked, her voice now sounding curious and intrigued.
“Yes, they did, but I shall tell you more in the morning. Go to sleep now mo ghra, you need your rest, and in all honesty, I do as well. Sleep well my darling,” Caleb whispered as he kissed her forehead once more, holding her close in his embrace. Her soft breathing, lulling him to sleep.
Aiden, Rian and Seamus made their way carefully through the ever darkening forest, as the sun was now setting. It had taken them well over an hour to reach the Kedesh camp, using a simple map that Caleb had sketched out for them. Aiden did not have many dealings with the Kedesh, as he found them irritating and did not completely trust them. Caleb however, over the seasons had developed a relationship first built on the Kedesh fearing him, as he was sometimes called “the ear hacker”, for cutting off an ear of any male Kedesh he found to be working with slavers. Later on, when they found Caleb would handsomely reward, whoever would give him valuable and useful information, the relationship with the travelling merchants took on a more cordial and friendlier manner. Soon, the group became aware of the sounds of voices and light fiddle playing, as well as the smell of a campfire and skillet bread. The forest seemed to thin out and open up in front of them. Riding into the camp slowly, the three of them were pleasantly surprised to see Oriel and Jamison holding hands and dancing in a circle with two young Kedesh, while others clapped their hands and laughed in amusement. The camp noticed Aiden and his companions immediately, turning in their direction, Fraoch approached them as they dismounted.
“Good evening to you Sire. I am Fraoch. I am most pleased to see you, as this must mean you have Gwenlais, once again, under your control. Her Highness, tell me, is she well? My family and I consider her a very dear friend,” the Kedesh enquired, with a concerned tone.
“Thank you Fraoch. Yes, the city is now secure, and Her Highness is now safe and resting in her room. We all, very much appreciate your help with keeping the children from harm,” Aiden replied, holding his hand out to the little Kedesh, who took it with both his hands and shook it vigorously.
Just then, Aiden smiled, hearing the children call out his name, as he saw them running up to him, leading Marina by the hand. He opened his arms, laughing as the younger children ran into his embrace, wrapping their small arms around him.
“Have you come to take us home Aiden?” Oriel asked, her eyes bright and smiling as she looked up into his eyes, Jamison hugging him tightly, pressing his face into Aiden’s side.
Aiden crouched down still holding them before he answered, pulling them closer.
“It is much too dark to ride back home at this time and look at all the fun we would be missing if we left now. Our Kedesh friends seem to still be having a good time,” Aiden answered, looking over at Fraoch meaningfully for a moment.
