Come.
Come.
Come and we shall devour him together.
I heard raven wings beating, coming from afar. My body shuddered when I felt the raven enter me, the dark spirit that was both me and not me, that was Cerridwen in her truest form, take control. I gazed around the chamber with my raven’s eyes. I grabbed a brush and combed my long, dark hair, letting it fall loose over me. I then grabbed the small vial of chicken’s blood I had gathered earlier that evening, slipping it into my robe pocket.
“Stay here,” I told Thora, but it was the raven who spoke.
Thora tilted her head, studying me carefully, then lay down beside the fire.
Letting the raven have her way, I detached from my mind and watched as I exited my chamber and headed down the hallway to meet with Gillacoemgain of Moray.
Outside Gillacoemgain’s door, one of the men from Gillacoemgain’s company dozed in a chair. The raven eyed him curiously and determined he wasn’t a threat. In fact, it was good if gossip spread about my midnight visit. As I drew near, the man woke.
“My Lady?” he asked.
“Is your Lord within?”
The man smiled knowingly. “Yes, My Lady.”
“And he has no company?” For all I knew, Gillacoemgain could have ten whores in his room.
“No, My Lady. The Mormaer isn’t that kind of man.”
This answer pleased the raven. “Let me in.”
“Of course, Lady Gruoch,” he said then opened the door.
When the light shone in from the hall, Gillacoemgain stirred and rolled over.
“I need nothing, Fergus,” he mumbled.
I walked quietly to the side of his bed and removed my robe. I then slipped into the bed with him.
Gillacoemgain woke instantly. “Gruoch?”
I moved my hands across his body and began to tug at his shirt while my mouth covered his, drowning any protests he may have made. He fell into my passionate kisses. The raven enjoyed his smell, the feel of his strong body, his taste, and his beauty. Gruoch, the part of me that still watched, saw the raven work with detachment.
When I finally gave his mouth a break, he said, ”I was tempted to find your room this evening, but I thought I dare not be so bold. Yet here you are.”
“I lay abed with my body burning for you. We are to be married. There is no reason to wait until Moray where you may only have a few chances to come to me before you must go. I hope you don’t think me too forward. I don’t act so with men. It is only knowing you will be my husband that allows me to act as my body wishes.”
“No, no, your logic falls true. I had wished to say the same to you.”
His hands found my breasts and touched them gently. I kissed his neck and chest, and my hands roved over his strong back.
I am deceiving him.
We are deceiving him.
We are right.
It must be done.
His touch was different from Banquo’s. Banquo had touched me tenderly, worshiping me. Banquo and I had shared the deepest core of ourselves. Soul magic. Gillacoemgain, on the other hand, played with my breasts, sucked my nipples, squeezed my ass, and stroked my hair. He enjoyed my body in the most physical of ways, and the raven returned the favor in kind. My mouth moved down his neck and across his shoulders. He was a powerful and skilled lover, as a man of his age would be. I was surprised when my body reacted with pleasure to his intimate caresses. And when he finally slipped inside me, the raven trembled with pleasure. Our bodies moved in tandem, and soon, we both found release. After, Gillacoemgain lay beside me, his head on my shoulder.
“Lovely woman,” he whispered in my ear. “I never thought I’d have such a beautiful wife. I will cherish you always.”
His soft and loving words quieted the raven. The dark wings retreated, and I felt myself, once more just Gruoch, lying in bed with the man who would be my husband.
“Are you thirsty? Would you like some wine?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Water?”
Gillacoemgain gently stroked my hair away from my face then rose and crossed the room to fetch his water pouch. I watched him as he walked. In truth, I was lucky. He was young and handsome. His body was sculpted from his days in battle, and his naked form was a sight to behold. Andraste was right. Malcolm could have married me to Duncan. Had he tried to do so I would have ended my own life. No one could suffer such a terrible fate.
“Here you are,” Gillacoemgain said, handing me the skin. He sat beside me on the bed sipping a glass of wine. “Are you all right? Are you…are you in pain?” he asked carefully.
“Sore,” I said, and it was the truth but not for the reasons he expected. “But I’ll be fine.”
Gillacoemgain smiled. “Gruoch, daughter of Boite. You look like your father. I saw him once when I was a teenager. I admired him greatly.”
My heart was moved by his words. “I loved him dearly.”
“Stay with me tonight? I…I don’t want you to go.”
I nodded.
Gillacoemgain smiled, kissed me on the forehead, then rolled into bed beside me. I took the last sip of water then set the skin aside. Gillacoemgain pulled me down beside him, wrapping his arms around me.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have a wife with a Pictish spark. I’m so pleased with you, Gruoch.”
“M’Lord,” I replied playfully.
Gillacoemgain laughed. “My bride,” he whispered into my hair, then moments later he fell asleep.
I waited until he was completely lost to the world of dreams then reached for my robe. Grabbing the small vial from my pocket, I poured enough blood on the bedding to convince the household I’d kept up my end of the bargain. I then went to the window and looked outside. The moon was a sliver of silver on the starry canvas. Banquo. Banquo, why did you give up on me?
Sighing, I tossed the vial out the window and crawled back into bed with Gillacoemgain of Moray, the man who would soon be my husband and father to the children I carried.
Chapter 7
I woke the next morning to the sound of servants. The women who’d attended me the previous day were stoking the fire and readying my clothes.
Disoriented, I sat up and looked around.
“Gillacoemgain?”
“He went to meet with the Thane of Fife,” one of the serving maids told me. “His man, Fergus, sent us here to look after you.”
“Ah,” I said. “I must have walked here in my sleep.”
“Common problem,” the eldest of them replied with a laugh as she shook out my chemise. “Happens to many a young lad and lass. Come now, Lady. Let’s get you dressed.”
With the women’s help, I dressed in a bright blue gown then headed downstairs to look for Thora. She was waiting for me at the bottom of the main stairwell.
“I see the maids let you out. Find anything to eat?”
She wagged her tail happily. Since she wasn’t dancing in circles and jumping all over me, I assumed that meant she’d had her meal.
There was no sign of Gillacoemgain, Fife, or Madelaine anywhere. I drifted through the kitchens. I saw many familiar faces as I grabbed bread, cheese, and a handful of dried meat then headed outside. Thora and I walked to the small creek that ran very close to the castle. I sat eating my breakfast, tossing the bits of dried meat to Thora as I watched fish dart through the water.