The Void of Muirwood (Covenant of Muirwood Book 3) (51 page)

EPILOGUE

M
aia was a little weary from their ride from Briec to Roc-Adamour, but they had arrived at the city carved into the mountain before sunset. She and Collier had taken a secret path up to the manor at the top of the hill rather than using the normal roads. The grooms were stabling their horses, brushing them down and feeding them. So long ago it seemed when the king’s collier had led her and her companions to this very manor and provided them with mounts and provisions.

Inside their bedchamber in the manor, she rubbed her sore arm and gazed out the window at the majestic view—the sunset over the ragged cliffs. Lights from the town below were already starting to dispel the encroaching darkness, and she imagined the pots of melted cheese and skewers of meat being served in the inns. There was a veranda outside the window decorated with ornate furniture and a sculpted garden full of Leerings. She did not want the light to ruin the view, so she kept them tamed for now.

Collier set aside his riding gloves and cloak, and she heard him approach behind her, then felt his stubble grazing the back of her neck, making her shiver.

“Does your arm still pain you?” he asked her, stroking her arms with his hands as he continued to nuzzle her.

“The wounds are mostly healed,” she said, tilting her head to one side to expose more of her neck to him.

“Have you enjoyed your tour of the realm, my lady?” he asked her, nipping at her earlobe playfully. “There are many wonderful sights in Dahomey, of course, but this one has always been a favorite.” He rested his chin in the nook of her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her. “You notice the difference when we are not at court. I prefer the anonymity. I think you actually prefer these simple gowns to the ornate confections at court. I have always fancied that about you.”

“Have you?” she said. “Why spend so much on a costly gown that cannot be worn except for at state functions? I would rather give it to the poor.”

“Yes. You have not despoiled all your treasures yet on the poor, though you try. It seems the faster you give it away, the faster new coins fill our coffers. Did you like staying at the Gables last night? The young folks who danced with us did not know who we were.”

“Some may have recognized us from before,” Maia said. She hugged his arms to her and swayed gently.

“I am going to fetch you a lute,” he said. “I have two here, I believe. You and I will play music to each other before our meal arrives and then we will discuss where to go next. You want to rebuild an abbey in Mon, and I want to see the
lost
abbey. There are soldiers to protect and guard it, and I would like to make sure they understand its significance. Shall we play?”

“I would like that very much,” Maia said. She turned, the window and view now behind her, and kissed his cheek and then took his hand, letting him lead her to the sumptuous couches nearby. The large four-post bed was crafted by master artisans and stained a dark umber color. She loved admiring the tapestries on the walls, the distinctly Dahomeyjan designs that she had always found appealing. She still could not get over the change in her life in the weeks since their marriage and her sudden coronation. Collier explored several chests on the other side of the bed until he found the hidden instruments. After picking one from the collection, he brought it over to her, and they tuned the strings together.

“Cruix or cursed?” he asked her, twisting the pegs.

“We are closer to the lands you wish to see,” Maia said, testing the strings for the sound and adjusting them.

“I know,” he said with a sly smile. “Why do you think I suggested Roc-Adamour? For the cheese and soup?”

“I forgot for a moment that you are extremely cunning, my lord husband,” Maia said, striking a chord that resonated richly. It was perfect. She shifted the chord and made it sound strained. “But when you
boast
of it, it ruins the effect.”

He smiled at the byplay and her choice of words. “Yes, I need your meekness to counteract my temperament. We are well suited for each other, truly.” He strummed his instrument and nodded with satisfaction. “Speaking of which, I think I have a suitor for Jayn Sexton that you would approve of. I know you have worried about her.”

“And who is that?” Maia asked, but they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

Collier frowned and stopped his little tune. “That was too quick for dinner. We only just arrived.”

The door opened and the steward of the manor entered.

“What is it, Fouchon?” Collier asked pleasantly enough, though the expression on the steward’s face showed he sensed his king’s subtle annoyance.

“I am sorry, my lord,” Fouchon said gravely, his voice perturbed. “I had no intention of interrupting you and my lady so soon, but there is a beggarly man just arrived who claims you owe him a great deal of money.”

Collier looked confused and set down the lute. “Oh really? And did he say how much?”

“I think he may be jesting, but he said the sum was twenty-five thousand marks—or a sheriffdom—and . . . even with that limp . . . he said he would chop down the door if I did not let him in and tell you both he was here.” He had an air of suffering. “Shall I have him thrown—?”

Maia shoved away the lute and sprang from the couch so she could rush to the door, hurrying to see
her
hunter once again.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

I was leery about writing a sequel to the Legends of Muirwood trilogy at first. But I like to challenge myself, and I loved the world and wanted to go back there again. I mentioned previously that the idea of this story came as a dream. But some of the details came as a result of being a history major in college.

As the main characters began walking around in my head and interacting, I wanted to ground them in a setting from our history, much like I did for Lia and the lost Welsh princess Gwenllian in the Legends of Muirwood trilogy. My first thought was to take the backstory of Elizabeth I of England as my inspiration. I once saw a great BBC miniseries
The Virgin Queen
and had studied her life during my college days. I liked the idea, but it did not work with the plot. As I snooped around Tudor history a bit more, I came across a figure with such a terrible reputation that they even named a drink after her . . . Bloody Mary.

Mary Tudor was the firstborn daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. As I researched her life, I was intrigued and fascinated, and she
became
Maia. Many of the scenes in the Covenant of Muirwood series came from Mary’s life and inspired this work. Yes, she climbed out of a window in the manor house where she was locked away to wave to her father and try to bend him with compassion. Yes, she was poisoned in the garret, and they needed to call the court physician. Yes, an earl threatened to smash her head against the wall if she continued to refuse to sign away her station and status. Yes, she was promised to marry the heir of France when they were both little children, and she was sent to the borders of Wales to learn her role as a ruler. Yes, a prince from another realm vied for Mary’s hand and impetuously kissed her. The coronation ceremony in this book came directly from the historical records. One place where I deviated from history is that Mary Tudor eventually capitulated to the threats and signed the act that disinherited her.

She regretted signing it all the rest of her life.

There are moments in history when it feels as if the Medium is controlling events. For example, after Mary became queen, there was a rebellion against her. The army marched on London, and there was no one to stop it. But when they reached the main gate of the city, the army seemed to lose its nerve, and it dissolved almost miraculously. For more on Mary’s fascinating life during the Tudor period, I recommend the biographies by Linda Porter (
The Myth of “Bloody Mary”
) and Anna Whitelock (
Mary Tudor: Princess, Bastard, Queen
)
.

Not only was Maia’s character influenced by the life of Mary Tudor, but I would also like to thank John Tomson, a reader, who pointed me toward the legend of Saint Aethelreda. She was the daughter of a king who wanted to live a celibate life, yet agreed to marry the king of another realm with the promise they would never consummate it. Part of the legend includes her fleeing to Ely Cathedral and a huge flood coming to surround the abbey to protect her. The story of Princess Aethelreda inspired the idea of having Maia and Collier marry early in the first book, then be kept apart throughout the series. I loved the tension that created in the story and how it led to many complications.

Sadly, the historical figure on whom Collier is based (Francis III, the Dauphin of France) was poisoned at age eighteen and never took the throne. I think the kishion was behind it. Francis was held hostage for many years as a young man and the imprisonment affected him deeply.

I will not get into all the other inspirations for this series. I will say that I started writing it shortly before being released as a bishop, and many of the experiences I had in that assignment added depth and feeling to the story. In many ways I felt like an Aldermaston trying to help people overcome the consequences of their mistakes or the devastating choices of others. And in so doing, I met some wonderful and memorable people who touched my heart and helped make the world of Muirwood even more real.

I hope this series helps people reconsider some of the “myths” they have grown up with and that public morality can impact society for generations. When I first began researching medieval history for
Wretched of Muirwood
, I learned that Glastonbury Abbey (the monastery on which Muirwood is based) was one of the abbeys that suffered from neglect after Henry VIII passed the Act of Supremacy in 1534. That is why only ruins of the abbey are left today.

Thankfully, Pasqua’s kitchen is
still
standing.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Many thanks to the wonderful people at 47North for bringing this series out so quickly. You should all send them a thank-you e-mail! Once again, I’d also like to express appreciation to my small cohort of readers for their continued feedback, input, and encouragement: Gina, Emily, Karen, Robin, Shannon, and Rachelle. And many thanks to the fabulous Angela Polidoro who proved her merit once again with this book!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR