To Be a Spy

Chapter 16

The men were right. After five minutes of riding, during which Donngal kept a sullen silence, they came to an immense square meadow. Clumped to one side were tents made of colors ranging from drab brown to deep green. In the center of the cluster, a huge green tent was stretched out.

"Donngal, what be that tent?"

He glanced at her. "Why, I thought everyone knew what a food tent be."

She pursed her lips and replied in a mild tone, "Me lady. Dona forget to say me lady." He kept his face emotionless except for a slight tightening of his mouth. Her attention turned from her cousin to the men in the field. There seemed to be about a thousand of them. She knew that the Maverick Clan wasn't the biggest Clan in Ireland, but it was by no means the smallest either. There was almost no chance that Munster or Oriel would provide more than a thousand each themselves. She bit back a laugh at the absurdity of it all. An army of barely three thousand attacking England! It was insane, an army doomed to be ripped to shreds. Yes, there would be death on both sides and for what? Someone's pride had been slighted? It was stupidity, and it had to stop.

Donngal's voice cut through her thoughts, bringing them to an end. "Me lady, when I visit the army I like to spar with them. Perhaps you would prefer archery, though?" The bow. He must have seen it. But she didn't have it anymore since it had been left back at the Hall. Her best skill was throwing knives since it didn't rely as much on strength as archery or sword-fighting did. But it was also the least practical which was why it wasn't commonly used in battle. So the choice was either a bow or a sword. Expert archers could shoot any bow the picked up well, a skill Rowen had never mastered.

"I be no great archer, cousin. I shall sword-fight, but first I will have to be telling them there will be no battle."

He shrugged. "If that be what you wish, so be it."

"How do I get their attention?"

"It be almost time for them to eat their evening meal, me lady. There be a bell outside the food tents that calls them to their food. Perhaps after eating you may fight some of them."

Why was he so eager? She scanned his face, searching for a clue to what he wanted. But she learned from his expression. "Very well, then. You shall ring this bell and when the men come you will tell them who I be. But remember, Donngal you be only me herald. You shall keep your own opinions to yourself."

A tiny bit of respect lurked in his hazel eyes. "Your wishes shall be carried out, me lady." They rode over to the tent and, after dismounting, the two scouts led their horses behind the food tent to tether them. Just as Donngal had said there was a large bell outside the tent. Rowed was surprised for a bit when she saw women bustling in and out, but realized that they needed every man fighting. A pretty maid, Rowen's age, walked over to them. Donngal smiled at her.

She blushed and curtsied. "Me lord, what brings you here?"

"Eileen, I wish to present to you, Lady Orlaith, the true ruler of the Mavericks."

A question caused her brows to draw together. "But I thought that..."

"Hush now, me dear, I will explain all soon enough."

Rowen's eyebrows rose at the gentle tone of his voice and his use of an endearment. "Donngal, the bell."

His focus returned to his cousin. "Aye, me lady, the bell." He stepped over and rang it. Soon after the men came in from the meadow, jostling on another, their shouts and laughter filling the air. Rowen looked at the crowd as they streamed past her. There were men crowned with gray hair and smooth-faced boys. Here there were grim battle-scarred men, timid scholars, and your men eager to participate in the glory of war. She saw hope, fear, excitement, doubt, confidence, and uncertainty. Before she could continue her study of the people a red-faced cook came out of the tent.

Hands on her hips, she demanded, "Who rang that bell?"

Donngal did a slight bow and offered her a smile. "I did."

"Oh. Lord Donngal!" She curtsied. "I be beggin your pardon, me lord. I didna realize it be you. But I hope you can entertain these men for twenty more minutes. The food willna be ready till then."

"Trouble your mind no longer, me fair lady. I shall see to it."

"I thank you, me lord." She curtsied again and hurried back to her cooking.

The last of the men entered the tent and Donngal turned to his cousin. "Your army awaits you, me lady."

She took a deep breath and stepped into the tent. Running the length of it were long tables flanked by benches. The men snapped to attention when they caught sight of Donngal's cloak. The conversations stopped and all eyes turned to look at the two newcomers. Rowen following, Donngal strode to the center of the tent.

He leaped onto the edge to the nearest bench. "Me clansmen, I present to you, your true ruler, Lady Orlaith." Whispers ran up and down the tent, but he ignored them and continued, "You may remember the stories about how the previous rulers had a daughter who went missing when she was only a babe. For many years, she was thought to be dead but now she has returned!" He offered his hand down to her.

She accepted it and he pulled her up beside him. "Good people, I be the Lady Maverick. O have noticed that the Irish appreciate haste and being honest; so I will be quick. I come to tell you that the army be no more." At first, her announcement was met with stunned silence. Then, like the sound of a river rising, sound began murmuring which soon turned into a roar.

Rowen let them talk for a bit before she stopped them with her voice. "I realize that many of you fight for your honor or pride!" There were a few scattered nods of agreement. "But if you fight many shall fall in battle. What of your wives and mother. Your families; can they survive without you?" Some of the soldiers shifted in their seats.

"But they held you captive! By kidnapping you we have every right to strike back!" The speaker was at one of the far ends of the tent and had to shout to be heard. For a moment, she didn't understand what he was talking about, then it dawned on her. She motioned for him to join her. When he reached her, he looked like he wished he had not spoken at all.

"Now, tell me, why do you say that?"

"Well, me lady, it all started when the man told us the Lady Maverick was still alive."

"Man? What man?"

"He shrugged. "I dona know, me lady, but he was as Irish as you and me. He was older, used a stick to walk. Could it be Will?

"Were his eyes hazel?"

The soldier stared at her. "They were! But how be you knowing that, me lady?"

"A dream. I saw it in a dream." She bit back a sigh of relief as they seemed to accept her absurd answer.

"Anyway, me lady, this man said he knew that Lady Orlaith was still alive. Of course, we asked him where she be and why she hadna returned sooner. He told us she was in England and that when the time be right she would appear. Now we all realized that no Irish person would ever willingly stay on English soil, so we all thought that she must be being held captive. We formed an army to rescue her or rather you." A question that had nagged Rowen finally was answered. She had wondered why the Irish had accepted without their usual skepticism. It had been William all along, preparing the people for her return. Then he had never had time to fix the problem he hadn't foreseen. An army to rescue one woman. The Irish were truly full of surprises. But here was her answer.

"So there really be no reason to fight after all!" she exclaimed.