A Witch's Tale (24 page)

“Sir
Rohan, it gives me great pleasure to give you Madeline of Lunley, and the
barony of Rothford,” the king said and smiled at both knights. “We thank you
for a rousing fight this day.”

Rohan
stared at Madeline with a pleased smile as he wheeled his horse away, his dark
eyes gleaming in satisfaction, hardly acting like he’d lost at all. Gavin tore
his gaze from Madeline’s pale, sad features and returned to Alastair’s side,
dismounting and looking as though he’d lost instead of won all back. Losing
Madeline to Rohan took whatever satisfaction he felt.

“I
am sorry, my friend,” Alastair said as he joined him, his eyes filled with
sadness. “It could not be helped, my lord.”

“Nothing
makes me feel better to see Rohan take what is mine this day, Alastair,” Gavin
snapped, disgusted to know he could do nothing.

“Sir
Rohan will make her a fine husband, Gavin. You could not have known who the
king would choose. Lose or win, you might have married Lady Lucinda.”

“Do
not remind me I am now tied to Strathmore’s cow of a daughter,” Gavin snarled
and glared back at the pavilion. “Why do I feel as though I’ve lost here,
Alastair?”

“You
told me once you must take the good with the bad, my lord,” he offered and felt
miserable to know those words applied here.

“I
have won back my family’s honor, but lost my beautiful witch, Alastair,” he
fumed in despair. “Nothing consoles me, even knowing she is better off.”

“Do
you whine of it, my lord?” Alastair asked angrily, his dark eyes flashing. “You
have won the day, set matters to right for all of us. Madeline will marry Sir
Rohan and there is nothing you can do. You must face that and let her go. Be
happy of your time with her. Just the other day you claimed to not care at all.
What is this sudden turnabout?”

“What
are you talking about?” Gavin demanded, looking outraged. “I adore the woman. I
wanted to marry her had I lost.”

Alastair
looked suddenly suspicious but said nothing, taking the rest of his gear.

Gavin
knew he had little choice in this. He would wed Strathmore’s daughter before
the coronation. Dismay filled him to know with his victory came with such
profound loss.

****

Madeline
was sent back to her tent to pack, heartsick to know she would marry Sir Rohan
that very night. Thoughts of how those black eyes taunted her before he left
the field made her enraged, wishing for some spell to escape this.

Thoughts
of Gavin forced to wed his enemies daughter made her heart clench. The king
might have offered incentive for Gavin to win, but knew very well he’d not make
a common born girl a Countess. She should have known better.

She
was reminded of Lady Strathmore when she entered the tent and saw both the
white cat and Gerwin lying upon the rug, looking sated and content, both
purring loudly. She chose not to think how the two cats spent their time while
she was away. Gerwin looked delighted with his new companion.

Thoughts
of her newest pet reminded her she must find a way to reverse the spell. She
sighed depressively to realize how much better all would be if she left matters
alone. She needn’t worry Lady Strathmore would threaten her anymore. The baron
and Hugh would be unable to do away with Lord Strathmore, even if the man
hardly deserved her efforts.

Madeline
debated the merits of leaving well enough alone. She came up short as she saw
the cage lying upon the floor. With a cry of denial, she ran to pick up the
cage. The two rats were no longer inside. She looked about, finding bits of
grey fur and blood. It was obvious the two cats made a lunch of the two rats. She
covered her mouth in anguish to realize they’d been eaten, closing her eyes in
nausea. It was too much. She ran for the chamber pot, vomiting inside of it
until she had nothing left.

Madeline
was shaky and lightheaded as she sat upon the edge of the bed. She was
overwrought to know Lady Strathmore and Gerwin ate the baron and his son. She
found enough evidence of it on the tent floor to feel tears, despite what the
pair meant to do to her. Ultimately, she was responsible for three men dying
this day. Thoughts of the groom being trampled by Goldwyn made her cringe.

Tears
fell despite her best efforts to calm herself. She wiped at them but they
continued to come forth. It was then Alastair arrived to help her move her
belongings to the castle.

He
smiled to see the fluffy white cat lying with Gerwin. He saw her stricken
features and sighed sadly. “You have little say in this, Madeline. You are to
marry Rohan. Please assure me you resign yourself to it? I do not want to worry
over your fate when we leave for Rivenhahl.”

“It’s
not that! They ate the baron and his son,” she cried in desolate grief,
pointing to the fallen cage. “They’re dead and it’s my fault.”

Alastair
looked grim to see the blood and grey fur on the rug as he picked up the cage.
He regarded Madeline somberly. “You are not to blame for this, Madeline,” he
said softly and she cried harder. “They meant to do evil here. You’ve saved a
life here today as well. Two lives, if memory serves. Recall what Strathmore
intended for Rohan should he have wed his daughter?”

“Lord
Strathmore’s life is saved and that should please me?” she asked with a note of
hysteria in her voice. “Somehow I don’t think anyone would thank me for that!
You’re being too kind! I’ve killed three people this day with the use of my
botched spells!”

“Lady
Strathmore appears quite content,” Alastair offered and swallowed hard to see
the tomcat once more move to mount the female.

Madeline
cringed to see Gerwin mating furiously with the white cat, their enraptured
mewling making her cry harder. Alastair shooed the pair outside the tent. Soon
they were at it again outside, their growling growing louder.

“I’ll
never use magic again,” she replied tonelessly, her face filled with sadness.
“I have done this, and know not how to undo it.”

“Madeline,
you know what she planned for you; for her husband too. She can do no harm now.
You didn’t kill the baron and his son. It was an accident. You mustn’t blame
yourself,” Alastair told her and flinched from the sound of the animals mating.

“What
happens should Lady Strathmore have kittens?” she asked in renewed hysteria and
sobbed into her hands. “Good Goddess! This is just too horrible to believe! I
am the worst witch there ever was!”

“You
have no control over this, as I can see. You don’t know how to change her back.
My guess is it would be a mistake to do so. She would have saw you burn, if you
recall?”

Madeline
stopped crying then, knowing the lady would have made good her threats to
expose her. She felt relief to know reversing the spell was beyond her
knowledge. She would have felt obligated to change her back then, with dire
consequences to herself.

Alastair
encouraged her to gather her things. It took her mind off her troubles. She
wished Minerva had lived to see this day, thinking of how pleased she would
have been to see her granddaughter become a lady.

Feeling
she failed miserably as a witch, she vowed to never use magic again. Alastair
loaded her things into a wagon. He snatched up the white cat and grinned to see
Gerwin growl angrily, possessive of his new mate.

“Your
cat appears rather pleased with his new lady love,” he offered and chuckled,
finding amusement in the situation now. “She must be in heat. What think you of
that?”

Madeline
looked sick at the thought and picked up Gerwin and put him in the back of the
wagon. “I don’t wish to think of it at all.”

Alastair
chuckled as he petted Lady Strathmore and she scratched him. He put her in the
back of the wagon with the large orange tomcat. By the time they packed the
wagon, the pair was soon going at it once more to Alastair’s growing amusement.
Madeline looked sick to see her cat having his way with Lady Strathmore for the
third time in as many hours.

“We
can wait for them to finish,” he offered solicitously and chuckled at her
disgusted expression.

“This
isn’t funny, Alastair!” she cried and closed her eyes in dismay as the cats
grew louder in their mating. “Try to recall she was once a lady?”

Alastair
smiled as he watched the pair finish. “I can truthfully see no difference in
her now.”

“Let
us just go,” she replied sulkily and glared at Gerwin as he lounged in the back
of the wagon, sprawled out and panting. Lady Strathmore’s loud purring made her
red-faced as she climbed to the seat in the wagon next to Alastair. The man
chuckled all the way to the palace. Liveried servants arrived to take her
things to her room. Alastair carried a very contented Lady Strathmore as she
carried Gerwin.

Madeline
was wide-eyed as they were led through the palace. After following a servant
down endless corridors and stairs; they arrived at gilt-edged doors. She walked
inside the luxurious chamber and opened her mouth but no sound emerged. The
incomprehensible truth of where she was finally dawned on her.

The
room was obviously reserved for important royal guests. Everywhere Madeline
looked showed opulence and luxury. Everything was readied for her arrival. A
shy maid awaited her inside, introduced as Tillie.

Alastair
set down Lady Strathmore. The feline flounced upon a velvet chair before a
fire, lying down to nap. Gerwin loped to the huge platform bed and jumped upon
it, going in circles until he was comfortable on the rich silk comforter.

Seeing
her dazed expression made Alastair smile gently. “I think you should take a nap
for a time, Madeline. This day has taken much out of you.”

“Is
Gavin pleased? Please tell me he has no regret of this, Alastair?” she asked as
she met his sad expression.

“His
only regret is to lose you to the new baron of Rothford, my dear,” Alastair
replied grimly and saw her eyes fill with tears. “He does what his king
commands him to, but likes it not.”

She
nodded, grateful when he and the maid left her. She slipped off her shoes and
climbed into the huge, impossibly comfortable bed. She was asleep within
moments, the stress of the day forgotten.

****

Alastair
joined Gavin in the main hall of the palace, cringing slightly to hear royal
courtiers talking about Strathmore’s wife’s disappearance. Lady Blythe was now
feared the victim of foul play. Every royal guard within the palace was
dispatched to the festival grounds to search for her. The lady’s servants
believed she must have met a brigand on her way back from visiting the unknown
woman she was seen talking to. She was not seen since.

Alastair
was relieved the servants could not recall where they left the lady, confused
and turned around when they accompanied the guards back to the tent village.

He
breathed a sigh of relief to know the lady’s servants would not bring the royal
guard down upon their heads. Strathmore didn’t appear overly upset to know his
wife was missing. The man was more dismayed to know Gavin won the day,
glowering from his seat with the king.

The
king sent men into the city to continue the search. It was all that was talked
of besides the new Lord of Rivenhahl. Lady Lucinda held court with the queen’s
ladies as they planned her wedding.

“I
trust Madeline is resting while she can?” Gavin asked with a glum expression. A
buxom serving girl came with a tankard and a pitcher of ale.

Alastair
smiled as he lifted his tankard of ale, a dark brow quirked in humor. “Our
delightful witch has had quite a shock today, as you can imagine?”

“A
royal wedding is more than she ever realized.”

“The
king claimed to need to speak with you privately earlier,” Alastair said. “What
was that all about?” Gavin’s smile faded and he looked at his friend in pained
silence. Alastair saw his expression and chuckled. “Come now, only reinstated
to your former title half a day and you have complaints, my lord? What is it?”

“He
sought to pacify Sir Rohan further for his loss. He seeks to make sure the man
and I bear one another no ill-will.”

Alastair
looked confused. “How does he wish to make such up to the man? I would think a
barony and Madeline a fitting prize.”

Gavin
looked miserable and set his tankard down. “He has given Sir Rohan the barony
of Rothford nearest Rivenhahl, and also my former keep.”

Alastair
looked sick to hear such news. He had hopes of gaining the keep for himself and
Vivienne. Those were swiftly dashed now.

“I
pity the man when he seeks to collect his bride. This does not go over well
with Madeline, my lord.”

Gavin
seemed defeated despite his winning, drinking more than he was known. “Rohan
will marry Madeline and I must watch and do nothing? It isn’t fair, Alastair. I
have back all that was lost, and failed to win her.”

“What
could you offer her, Gavin?” Alastair asked in disgust and his dark eyes filled
with bitterness. “It’s not likely the king would have made her a Countess and
you know it as I do. Being your mistress is better than this? Is she not worth
more than that to you? She will be a baroness at least. That is more than you
could ever offer her.”