Savage Marriage

Chapter Twelve

"Marian?" Joanna asked tears brimming her eyes.

The little blonde girl looked up. Marian ran over and clung to her sister. Joanna hugged Marian's small body. She missed this little girl. Finally Joanna held the child at arms length. Marian had grown. She was coming up on eight summers and was beginning to get taller. "Why are you here?" Joanna asked. It took a moment for Marian to calm herself. "I came here to see you. So much has changed since you left," she said.

Marian suddenly looked over at Kincaid. She saw how his kilt clung loosely to his body. She then looked to Joanna who only wore her robe, and the redness in her face appeared. Joanna saw Marian's cheeks become red. She was a smart little girl. She looked at Kincaid who held his kilt up. She cleared her throat and glanced towards the bed chamber door. Kincaid understood and hid within their chambers to put on proper clothing.

"How is Cathleen? Rena? Father?" Joanna asked.

Joanna saw Marian's face become grave. "Father has passed," she said.

Joanna felt her heart drop. The last time she saw her father was poor circumstances. She remembers the anger she felt towards her father. How she wished she could apologize, but now it was too late. "When did he pass?" she asked.

"The end of winter. He was sick through the months before," Marian stated.

Joanna held the tears back. Mourning would have to wait. She needed to know what else has changed. "What of Cathleen and Rena?" Joanna asked.

"That is why I am here. Rena is queen," Marian said.

Joanna blinked in astonishment, "Rena is queen of Britannia?"

"Yes," Marian said.

"How did this happen?" Joanna asked.

At that moment Kincaid emerged from their bed chambers dressed in pants and a shirt. "What's wrong?" he asked. Joanna looked up at him. "My sister has become queen of Britannia," she said. Kincaid looked concerned. Joanna sat Marian down to talk. Both Joanna and Kincaid sat listening to the little girl's words.

"After you left Andrew was furious. He said he would do anything to return you to us," she explained.

"That's why he was attacking the border," Kincaid said.

Marian nodded and continued, "But when winter set in Rena began to act different. She started to spend less time with suitors and more time with Andrew. She was all over him at times. By the middle of winter they were married."

"That's why the raiding stopped," Kincaid said. "It would look bad if your soldiers were still fighting for another woman when you're married."

Marian nodded in agreement. Joanna couldn't imagine her selfish sister being queen of her homeland. Joanna couldn't imagine what hell her sister went through as Rena took power. She then remembered something. "What of Cathleen?" Joanna asked. Marian shifted uneasily.

Rena never did care for their younger sisters. Rena always hated how mature Marian was even though she was only seven. She hated how Cathleen was so innocent. Rena hated Joanna because she was older. Rena had said many times how she wished she were an only child. With this new power Rena could make her younger sisters disappear as if they never existed.

"What's happened to Cathleen?" Joanna pressed.

"Rena has kept her locked in her room since becoming queen," Marian said.

Joanna's fists clenched so tight her knuckles turned white. Kincaid felt Joanna tense. He laid his hand on the small of her back. "You are welcome to stay among our people Marian. Any sister of my wife is a sister of mine," Kincaid said.

"Thank you," Marian said.

Since there was no room for Marian Barclay had graciously offered his home to Marian. Joanna trusted Barclay and Aílis to watch over her small sister. Once Joanna bid her sister good night she sat on the bed thinking. Kincaid removed his shirt and climbed up next to her. Joanna held her knees to her chest full of sorrow on the inside. Kincaid lifted her up and set her on his lap. He held her tight and rested his chin on top of her head.

She began to cry. "How could I have let this happen?" she asked.

"I should have never left," she cried. "If I had stayed Marian and Cathleen would be safe."

Kincaid shushed her cries, "You had no control over this. You couldn't have done anything for you were here with me. This is not your fault as much as it is mine."

Joanna didn't like the sound of that. It wasn't his fault. Yes, he had taken her from her home, but that was his only doing. "You are not to blame," she said. Kincaid held her tighter. "And you are not to blame," he said. He wanted her to agree with him. He wanted her to see this wasn't her fault. No one was to blame, but Rena for her selfish ambition and jealousy. Joanna continued to cry. She cried for her father who had passed with the last memory of her being the anger she felt. She cried for Marian for enduring Rena's wrath. She cried for Cathleen who still suffered a terrible fate being locked away. Most of all she cried for her people. They suffered the most. She knew Rena would spend the wealth of the land on lavish clothes and precious jewels. Rena would dry up the entire village to get what she wanted.

Joanna never understood how Rena came to be this way. Rena started out such a sweet and kind girl, but as the years grew on and Marian and Cathleen appeared Rena soured and became spoiled. Some seed of hatred had planted its self in Rena and made her hate the world.

Finally the two lay and slept. Against Kincaid's need it wasn't the night for intimacy. Kincaid held her against his chest. He wrapped an arm around her small body. He loved this woman dearly and to see her become discontent makes his heart break. He held her tighter as he fell into slumber making sure she never leaves his grasp.