Page 34 of A Celtic Memory
Chapter Nine
AS IT TURNED, Cianhad to see to business, so he was okay with Madison touring the castle without him as long as Deirdre and his guards stayed with her.
Surprisingly, the inside felt as familiar as the outside. From its endless tapestries to the medieval furnishings. It all had a déjà vu quality about it. As though she had already walked these halls. Explored its numerous chambers. Felt its chill warmed by firelight. Passed by its numerous wall torches as she went from room to room. As she felt rather than saw all the souls who had called these walls their own over the centuries.
Now she was dressed for the evening and waiting for Cian to join her.
“It’s so beautiful.” She stared out over the sparkling sea. “More beautiful than I could have imagined.”
“’Tis.” Deirdre smiled as they stood on the balcony outside Madison’s chamber, admiring the nearly set sun that minutes before had washed the ocean in vibrant shades of melon. “As are ye, me’Lady.” She looked Madison over once more and nodded with approval. “Ye’re fit for a king, ye are.”
“I feel a bit done up.” Though the dress was beautiful, she wasn’t sure it was quite right for such a somber occasion. Deep green like the last one, it was more flattering in all the right areas. “Aren’t your people in mourning? Didn’t you just lose loved ones?”
“Ta, me’Lady but....” Deirdre struggled to find the right words, which was unusual for her. “Sometimes, when grief and fear is all one can feel, some light in the darkness is welcome?”
While a lovely sentiment, she wondered. Worried. Mostly about Cian. “If you say so.” No, that wasn’t right at all, and she said as much. “I can’t be their light, Deirdre.” She shook her head. “They barely know me. And trust me, once they do, I’ll only disappoint them.”
“Ye could not disappoint anyone if ye tried me’Lady.” Deirdre jutted her chin out in that stubborn way Madison had become used to in such a short time. “’Tis impossible.”
“So you say.”
“So I know.”
“You love Cian very much, don’t you?” Madison had put off the question for as long as she could. Surprised, really, that she hadn’t said something sooner, considering her errant gift. But she was curious. Though Deirdre was a cousin, she was considerably older than Cian.
“Ta, I do love him,” Deirdre replied without hesitation. She handed Madison a cup of what tasted like very strong red wine. “I was his,” she tapped her foot thinking about it, “overseer of sorts?”
“Why?” She took another sip. “Where were his parents?”
“Around as much as they could be.” Deirdre sighed. “Sadly, their mother, the poor lassie, could only be around them so much when they were children because of their magic. Who they are.” She shook her head ruefully. “’Twas taxing on a mere mortal. One of the brothers at a time? Sure. But all four at once? ‘Twas too much.”
“Because Cian and his brothers are gods?” she wondered, seeing if she might get more of a straight answer from Deirdre than she had Cian.
“Nay.” Deirdre looked at her as though she were already drunk. “Because they are powerful wizards in their own right and well, ‘tis a thing ye know...loving and giving birth to wee ones who are no’ yers.” She sighed and shook her head again. “Not really.”
“So she what? Abandoned them?”
“Nay, however difficult, she would have kept them with her if she could.” Deidre seemed affronted before she patted Madison’s arm like she didn’t know any better. “But alas, once they were old enough to be looked after by a family member or friend of the family, Cian and his brothers were sent to their kingdoms so the prophecy could run its course.” She sighed again. “’Twould have been bad luck to do otherwise.”
She wondered about the known kings from this day and age who had been recorded in history books but imagined it was only a matter of time before that was explained. Maybe it was simply a matter of them not existing until the prophecy was fulfilled and Ireland saved.
“So, were Cian's parents okay with their sons being sent off to various kingdoms?”
“As okay as they could be.” Deirdre must have seen the growing concern in her eyes because she patted her arm again and urged Madison to drink. “Nowadays, until the enemy is defeated, they live safely cushioned between Cian and his brothers’ kingdoms. Or at least they did until Liam moved them onto his land until ‘tis discovered just how traitorous Declán might be.”
“Wise.” She considered Deirdre. “Do you think he’d betray his brothers willingly? Because I got the sense he and Cian were really close.”
“Then ye sensed right because they are...were.” Deirdre frowned. “Honestly? I find it impossible to believe that our Declán would do such a thing. He’s a good man. A smart man.” She shook her head. “So this makes little sense.”
“Unless there’s a method to his madness.” She wondered at what Cian had said earlier. “Cian mentioned there were some discrepancies in Declán’s betrayal.”
“There were, and I think they are worth paying attention to.” Deirdre nodded firmly. “He did not warn the enemy that Cian was sending away half of his troops at King's Heart to give the impression me’Lord saw no threat.” She squeezed Madison’s shoulder. “Something he would never have done had you not forewarned him of the encroaching battle.”
