Destined

"Not So Brave Anymore, Huh?"

Kane and the guards that were standing at the doors of the great hall exchanged a strange look,  nodding at each other. I instinctively knew, what that meant: The guards weren't loyal to their bailiff and would support us. They were ready and waiting for a signal.

Bowing, they opened the big double doors for us to enter. What I saw next, made everything, I saw in Gordan, fade away. 

I instantly felt the impact of the hypnotic fumes, aetheric oils, incase and hanbane in the air. The cloud of haze in combination with the alcoholic beverages served, had obviously an disinhibiting effect on the guests. They were laughing, joking and heavily grinding on each other in the corners of the hall. Theos...no, not only grinding, they did the real deed...

My attention was caught by a young, dark-heard woman on a little stage, who sang a balad in a language I couldn't understand. She was accompanied by several musicans who played unfamiliar instruments. Half-nacked women were dancing, moving their round hips in a sultry way to the rhythm of the tune, obviously copying the act of love making.

My eyes bulged, as an old man grabbed a female dancer. He pressed his face in the valley between her breasts, spreading sloppy kisses, bevor he started to suckle on one of her nipples. Nobody was offended or repusled by such an intrusive behaviour. The dancer herself laughed...watching her "admirer" fondling her breast. Simply disgusting! Nauseated I turned away, trying to hide my real emotions. I knew, we were being watched.

"I saw a lot of shit in my life...", Yrina's gaze flickered to mine, "but this makes me want to vomit. Look at that old bastard sucking the girl ..."

Gaisgeil took a deep breath. "This is normal for Nefaria. Nothing out of the ordinary", he said in a calm voice, observing the events in front of us.

I snorted. "I can imagine, how you must have suffered when you visited. Poor Gaisgeil, what a torture you had to endure", I mocked.

He send me a burning smirk. "I was young and foolish, Callida, that's in the past. I am a changed man now." 

I rolled my eyes on him. "Hm...whatever", was my only answer. My destined had the audacity to snicker. Yrina, that traitor, laughed too. With a little smile I turned my attention back to the center of the hall.

Two gigantic tables stood in the middle of the hall. At each table sat about 100 people. It was dined for the finest food there was in Desa: pheasants, boars, guinea fowl, shellfish, oysters, vegetable and fruits, that were difficult to cultivate in the cold weather of Desa.

We Daonnachd had constructed greenhouses for plantings to grow the vegetables and fruits. But we weren't able to buy what we harvested. Only the rich and elites could afford to eat vegetables and fruits. I pressed my lips in a grim line of anger.

(This is the song Callida hears. It's Gaelic spoken in Brittany /France. It's a pity, it's a dying language)

Keallach sat at the head of one table, his children were seated next to him: Ceallach on his right and Ainmire on his left. By positioning  his daughter on his right side, he showed the world that Ceallach was his successor, not his son.

I saw the concerned looks Ainmire send in his sister's direction. Although still beautiful, she looked miserable with dark shadows under her eyes. The words of her brother seemed to have an impact on her. For a brief moment our eyes met ...and...she let me in, opening her soul to me. No hiding, no pretending.

What I recognized, was a deception. Ceallach was an "imposter"! She was pretending to be somebody she wasn't. She wasn't a female version of her father. It was all an act!!! And now she was tired of pretending. Ceallach wasn't  cruel and cold-hearted! Now I understood, why Gaisgeil protected her from Yrina's wrath, who longed to kill the "wolf-girl".