Killian stood and glared at his uncle. “You lay a hand on Alainn or order the so doing by any other and I will see you dead, uncle. And you needn’t threaten me with treason for it would be worth ending my life to see you sent to hell!”
“Killian, you must calm yourself, for I have located something that may be of assistance.” It was Rory who placed his hand on his cousin’s shoulder and attempted to diffuse the escalating unpleasant situation. He pulled a worn creased paper from within the pocket of his tunic. “I recently found this in the records in the village church. It is not entirely recognizable and it has clearly been hampered with, but it leaves little suspicion that a marriage took place on the date Mara spoke of. See for yourself, Father!”
The displeased expression on the chieftain’s face grew more noticeable as he examined the document. “This surely proves nothing, Rory!”
“I beg to differ, Father! It leaves many questions unanswered. If your priest tried to conceal this, then he should be called to clarify what names once were inked upon this page.” Rory insisted.
Killian asked to be allowed to view the document and Alainn studied it, as well. Niall O’Rorke beheld the decree and fairly tried to magically will the words to become more legible to all of them. It was to no avail!”
“Fetch my priest to me!” Hugh O’Brien finally ordered a guardsman who remained at the door. “Make haste!” He hollered as the man hurried to carry out his orders.
The short, round man was escorted in to the room wearing an expression of displeasure and annoyance as he hastened to the side of the chieftain as fast as his plump, stubby legs and newly acquired walking stick would allow.
“What matter demands such urgency, milord? I was in the confessional and do not take kindly to having such tasks interrupted.” The chieftain passed the worn paper toward the man and he took it, but barely glanced at it. “What am I to make of this?” he asked, further irritated by being ordered to the earl’s table with such disregard for his station or his duties.
“Did you deface this document to hide what was once written upon it, to conceal the names and annul the union of a couple joined some years back?”
“Years back; how am I to recall such details? I have wed surely hundreds of couples in the time I have served you and your father before you, and on a few occasions have had cause to annul such unions.”
“Did you perform a marriage between Teige O’Rorke and the glade witch, the woman once known by the name of Mara?” Hugh barked, losing patience with the holy man who clearly evaded his questions.
“Do not become fretful, milord. Take a drink of the wine I have provided you with. It will calm your nerves and your temper!”
“Answer me, Father!”
“I can recall no such union, but I must confess to you, my memory fades in my advancing years.”
Alainn found herself growing as increasingly impatient as the chieftain himself. She called upon her powers and summoned the paper from the priest’s hands and it gently floated to rest in her own. The man’s eyes bulged and he was about to begin a lengthy speech of how her powers could only be a product of evil when she waved her hand over the paper and began to speak.
“As it once was, once more shall it be! Reveal the words in clarity,
Remove the doubt that time has caused, Prove that two once wed before God,
Lawfully, willfully joined in sanctity, As it was then, once more shall it be!”
Killian looked down and saw the words truly magically appear. The names and the date were revealed in bold, dark handwriting as it would have appeared nearly twenty years earlier.
Killian smiled triumphantly and handed the paper to his uncle. He in turn passed it to the priest. “Does this jog your memory, perhaps, Father?”
“What trickery is this? This evil female has conjured the words and falsified this decree to suit her own means. Surely this only further proves to implicate her wickedness and unnatural powers!”
Niall O’Rorke took the paper from the stammering man and his eyes filled with tears as he looked upon his son’s signature. If any doubt had remained in his mind that his son had been wedded to the woman known as Mara, it had been resolved. He glanced at Alainn and grinned, a pleased smile. He passed the paper to Riley, to Rory and then to his daughter.
“She is a legitimate child! As much a descendant of mine as your own sons, Hugh, and a child of my son, so perhaps first heir to my land, my castle, my wealth and position.”
“This surely proves they were married, I’ll give you that!” Hugh admitted.
“But, it was annulled soon thereafter!” The priest declared.
“Your memory has miraculously returned!” Killian directed the comment to the man. “Only moments ago you could not recall a wedding taking place and now you seem certain it was annulled. You are not to be trusted. And in truth, it should have been you lashed and sent to the dungeon for your unmerciful beating of the two small lads and my wife!”
The priest glanced at the chieftain to see what impression his nephew’s words had on the earl, but it was the young healer that spoke.
“My mother admitted the marriage was annulled, but after nearly a month and a fortnight of union, after it had been consummated, and on grounds only falsified by you and the previous chieftain. So, in truth, it was the annulment that was entirely void!”
“I am of a mind to believe that they were wed, but this does nothing to prove that your new wife is a product of that union. The witch could have been with any number of men besides Teige O’Rorke, and even if the family crest is found it will not prove she is his daughter only that he gave his wife the crest. The fact that she may have hidden it away speaks nothing toward proving this woman is his child!”
“So in truth, uncle, you are admitting no manner of evidence will ever sway your way of thinking or make you believe Alainn is an O’Rorke, and therefore if you do not accept her as nobility, the curse will never be ended? The O’Briens shall never produce a child that will be allowed to live!” Killian accused.
“Don’t allow it to weigh so heavily upon you, Killian! It is not even certain the child she carries within her is yours; surely she’s as free with giving herself to many men as her mother was!”
Killian’s face turned ashen and he looked at his uncle with an abhorrence he’d never felt until this moment. He’d despised what his uncle tried to do to Alainn, he’d disagreed with much of what the man had done lately, but never before had his feelings toward him crossed the brink of violent hatred. They now did and with a mighty vengeance. He noticed the room had gone completely quiet as each person digested the information that had been divulged by the chieftain.
“How long have you known Alainn carries our child?”
The chieftain stuttered and stammered, apparently realizing he had misspoken while attempting to convince Killian.
“How long?” Killian asked yet again, his voice growing ominously quieter and not louder in his obvious rage.
“A week or so... perhaps a fortnight!” he finally admitted.
“Aye, so when you arranged for Alainn to be wed to the farmer you knew she carried my child, and last night when you ordered my wife lashed, you knew full well she was with child, yet you issued the order, just the same?”
The chieftain’s eyes narrowed to match those of his nephew’s.
“And by what means did you come by this information?” He continued with the interrogation as he glanced around at those in the room trying to interpret who might have known the secret and who would have told his uncle.
“It was me who confirmed his suspicions!” Alainn quietly spoke up.
“So he knew the truth of it even before you thought to tell me?” His voice had grown lower as he rebuked her, but she only nodded sadly when their eyes met. Killian’s eyes were filled with such unquestionable ire and torment every person present wondered what he would do to either calm or avenge his temper. He chose the latter.
“I have proposed the challenge between you and I, uncle, and you have drawn up the conditions, but I will make an amendment to the conditions. Our bout will not simply be to first blood, but to the death!”
The room, already quiet, went deathly silent. Alainn attempted to take her husband’s arm, but he pulled away from her. “Don’t you even attempt to dissuade me on this count, Alainn! You’ll keep your opinions to yourself regardin’ this matter, and I’ll thank the entire lot of you to do the same!”
“Killian, this is completely preposterous! I will not kill kin over a woman.”
“No, indeed you will not, uncle, for ’tis you who will be dead at the end of our challenge. Mark my words, for it will be so!” He then directed his anger to the priest. “And you’d best keep away from me and my wife in the next days for I admit full well I’d take great pleasure in ending your life, as well!”
“Killian!” He heard both Rory and his aunt call after him as he marched angrily from the room. He turned, not to address them, but his wife.
“You will meet me in my, in our bedchamber, for we’ve a matter to discuss!”
The expression on his face and the look in his eyes clearly indicated she would be wise not to oppose him on this, and she watched as he turned and left without another word.
Alainn slowly lowered herself once more to the chair where she’d been sitting. Riley wore an expression of dread as did his mother. Niall O’Rorke was staring at Alainn and his smile told her he was well pleased to learn of the child she carried, but his serious eyes revealed his concern regarding Killian’s words. Hugh O’Brien or his priest had not said another word and the silence was deafening to Alainn. Her knees trembled precariously as she attempted to stand, but she knew she must obey Killian and go to his bedchamber. Rory stood as well and went to her.
He gently put his arms around her and held her close as he spoke. “I did not know of the babe, Alainn. Sure, the curse will be ended and you’ll bear a fine healthy child!”
“I wish I could be so certain, Rory, for I think your father will never accept me. If he should die without accepting me I am uncertain what the outcome will be, and if Killian dies, I doubt anything will truly matter to me ever again!”
“I’m certain it won’t actually come to that, Alainn!”
She appreciated him attempting to console her, but she recognized the doubt and the fear in his voice and in his eyes as well.
“I must go to him now!”
“Aye, I think it would be advisable!” Rory agreed.