She laughed and I felt that her body was beginning to relax.
- I guess it must have been funny.
- You bet your ass I am. - she laughed again and I loosened the grip on her arms a little. - Ready to talk?
Aila sighed while settling down.
- Why are you hiding?
- Two and a half years ago, MacGregor, with the help of my mother, raped Aideen. Aileen tried to help her, but she was stopped by the guards who never even rescued Aideen.
- What's that? What's that? - I said stupefied. - Why would Ravenna do such a thing to his own daughter?
- Roy needed a son with English blood to try an alliance with King Phillipe and his wife had to be noble for that. My mother was able to offer one of her daughters for such a feat in exchange for having her duchess title back. - Aila paused by leaning her head against my chest. - Because we are daughters of a lord and have English blood from our maternal grandfather, this became viable for MacGregor. There was still a difference in personalities and, being the most submissive of the three, even because of age...
- Aideen was chosen.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I let go of Aila's arms and she shuddered as I passed my hands over her shoulders trying to release the tension.
- Every year, on her birthday, Aideen sneaks out for a walk in the woods. Aileen always helped her and followed her, but that day I did not know the reason, but she could not go. I always went to my grandparents' house because I hated seeing my mother organize any event.
Aila sighed when I touched her shoulders in a gentle massage. I knew that she was distressed by exposing that situation, so I tried to make her relax as much as possible.
- I came back at nightfall and I was surprised that there was no party. - she continued. - In the hall were only my mother, Roy and my father. They dined quietly and when I asked about the festivities, my mother claimed that Aideen did not feel well, so the party was cancelled.
- But that wasn't true! - I've completed.
- No. - She answered with her voice embargoed. - Aileen had told me, with despair, everything that had happened in my absence. Aideen was so hurt she could barely talk.
I heard Aila sniff and her hands closed tightly.
- I was caught in a blind rage and left to avenge my sister's honor. I took my sword and without warning, I attacked Roy in the hall. My mother screamed in desperation as I struck one blow after another. - she paused to get away from me and stopped at the edge of the lake. - My hatred was so much that I wanted to kill him and when I had disarmed Roy, ready to put the sword through his chest, my mother hit me in the head and I fainted.
- Jesus! - I exclaimed. - And then what happened?
- Because of the fight, my father learned of everything and expelled Roy from Inverness. Even with a serious injury, he sent it out and it angered Ravenna even more. - Aila took a deep breath and turned around to face me. She was crying and it was the first time I saw her vulnerable. - I was put in irons and trapped in the dungeon. Every day she was squandering her hatred against my skin, striking whips. It got even worse when it became clear that Aideen was not pregnant and her plan failed. She started doing psychological terror by saying it was all my fault...
- What a miserable woman! - grunhi. - Ravenna deserves the gallows!
- I know that and I intended to take the case to Brice, but I was caught during the escape and she threatened to kill Aideen if I told her anything. The next night, she put me in a carriage to Edinburgh for Roy to decide what to do with me. - she shook her head from side to side in tears. - The rest you already know. The accident was real.
- So everyone believes you're in a convent?
- Yeah, less Ravenna. - I nodded. - She believes I'm dead.
- How can you be sure?
- I had Keilan send a letter reporting the accident and stating that there were no survivors.
I stared at her in amazement. Aila had to hide to keep her sisters alive. Especially Aideen, who from what I understood, was nothing to the mother, except a piece of meat to be sold. Now I understood Aideen's gaze of fear when my brother chose her as his wife and then Ravenna tried to dissuade him from marrying her. She knew all along that my brother would find out and return Aideen. She still ran a serious risk of the alliance being broken and there being no marriage even with Aileen, as was right from the beginning. Now I understood all that confusion the morning after the wedding and knowing my brother as I know him, by wounded pride, he must have stayed with Aideen just to torment her. However, he needed to know that it was not her fault and wanted to write to her about it. I also needed to order Ravenna's arrest for treason. There was still one thing that didn't fit that situation.
- I just don't understand why they thought that plan would work? - I questioned. - Roy would never have the chance to ask Phillipe for an alliance using an English-blooded son as an argument. This was never a threat
