- Ravenna had three daughters. I doubt very much that they're infertile. - he smiled. - Besides, they're witches, aren't they?
I looked down on him, but my father kept smiling.
- Anyway, the news of the wedding will already leave Roy destabilized. He can still architect so that Alistair doesn't have an heir. - Bruce said in a thoughtful tone.
- You're not helping, Bruce! - my father said disapprovingly.
I closed my eyes and fists hard.
- It's okay! It's okay! I agree to let Alec go into battle, so he puts into practice everything he has learned. But getting married? With a MacBride? Not that! - I fired furiously. - It's insane! Like Alec said, they're witches!
My father rolled his eyes.
- I told you there's no such thing as a witch!
I snorted angrily. That conversation was already going too far and I no longer had any arguments. Although I agree that the idea of uniting Loch MacBride's despicable clan with ours was perfect... The problem was, I didn't want to marry any of them. I just didn't want to get married!
- It's okay! It's okay! - ...I hit it in a furious voice. - Make me king then! When the time is right, I will choose my queen and marry her. Simple as that!
- When the time comes, maybe you're dead! - my father returned it. - I want to make sure you have heirs and preferably by uniting those two houses.
- Dad, please!
- It's already decided! - my father's voice resounded loudly. - Tonight you will be engaged to the chosen one and at sunset tomorrow you will be married in the village chapel.
- Wait! Tonight? You said the MacBride weren't coming to the banquet. - I retracted. - What happened to "in a few days"?
- I lied! - he said smiling with disdain.
With a roar I left the hall for my quarters, slamming the door as soon as I entered the room. I loved my father, but I didn't want to commit myself to anyone before the end of this war. So far, I've managed to delay this fateful day as much as possible, and I knew that an hour would come.
- If there was anything I could do to stop it. - I whispered leaning on the chair where I sat with my hands joined in a prayer. - Sir, give me a light!
The door opened softly and I looked up to face my mother. I laughed inside, because she looked very much like an angel, but I doubted she would help me.
- May I come in? - she asked in a soft voice.
- Yes. - I answered. - Of course you can! You're always welcome in my quarters!
- Does that indicate that your father didn't?
I sighed, leaning back on the chair and closing my eyes.
- You've never been fated to pray.
- Yeah, but this time I really need a miracle. - I ran my hand over my face. - Why didn't you tell me before?
- Anything in advance?
- No. - I confessed without enthusiasm. - I certainly wouldn't have come back if I knew I had to get married.
She smiled at me and touched my face.
- Alistair, I didn't raise my children to be cowards. - she said taking my hands. - You're not a coward and being married is not the end of the world.
- Have you come to cheer me up or tell me you're standing next to my father?
- I came to tell you to take a long hot bath and try to digest the information. Then come down to the banquet. I'll be by your side, whatever your choice.
My mother winked with a smile and walked away towards the door. I kept looking at the door for a few moments trying to understand his words. I knew that there was an enigma behind his words that would help me solve the problem. I just had to decipher it.
- Give me strength, sir! - I whispered. - Give me strength!
Chapter 02
Aideen
The rain was falling low on the horizon. From my bedroom window I contemplated the green vastness of the hill around Inverness Castle. My father was one of the lords who served King Brice of the MacCalister clan. His ancestors fought tirelessly against the invasions of the peoples of the north and then against the advance of the English dominion, which once made us a colony.
I never quite understood why my mother prevented my father from collaborating with the campaigns, which I heard from the servants were going very well. Fearless prince Alistair won battles after battles and kept Lord MacGregor's legions away from the Highlands. Although he was very brave and had a huge success, he still depended on a miracle to put an end to the siege of my uncle, who had a great advantage in his hands. As a descendant of an English bloodline, he was always trying to start a negotiation to get support from the English crown. Although he tried hard, I heard that his efforts were always compelled by Alistair's men. Nothing went in or out of that fortress. Anyone who tried, was either killed or captured. Roy wanted Brice's crown and didn't care about our people. His intention was to gain power. Just like my mother, who dreamed of returning to the English court with her title of nobility, whose identity I did not know.
I took a deep, frustrated breath when the cold wind blew my hair away. He hated to arrest them, because it was a lot
