Chapter 46: Chapter Five

ADA

“Yes, please tell me everything. My mother never spoke about her life before Kilcoran.”

“That sounds about right. Otherwise, I suspect you would have traveled here a long time ago… It was no secret that your mother was of Danish blood.”

“She was tall and slender, much like you. Well, I’m sure she was before the baby. Her hair was unlike anyone’s in Oranmore or Ireland.”

“For most of her childhood, I kept it wrapped up and concealed. She worked in the kitchen, a place men rarely frequented.”

“As she grew older, it became increasingly difficult to hide her beauty. She wished to wear her hair down, to dress the same as the other women in the castle.”

“Every man lusted after her, and I knew it would only be a matter of time until one of the royals noticed her as well.”

“King Toren, who was only a young man at the time, began requesting her to wait on him. Of course, we all knew what he ~really~ wished from her.”

“I truly believe he may have loved her and would have married her under different circumstances.”

“Around the same time your mother found out she was pregnant, Toren’s father arranged his marriage to the late queen, Silas’s mother.”

“The queen insisted your mother be sent away, and that is when she came to me. She asked for my help to escape.”

“Your mother believed harm would come to you both if she simply found another placement in town. She wished to get as far away from Oranmore as she could.”

“So, I arranged for her to be delivered to my father’s cousin’s home. She was an elderly lady in Kilcoran who was happy to have the company.”

“Mona was your distant cousin? She was like a grandmother to me. I loved her very much,” I said, remembering the little room the three of us lived in.

“Yes, and your mother was right. Many times, I overheard the queen wondering where your mother was living. She knew that without the two of you dead, her son’s crown would always be jeopardized.”

“And I guess the old bat was right.”

“What do you mean? I do not wish to be queen. All I want is to be reunited with my husband and live far away from here.”

“My dear girl. Whatever you do, don’t say those words in front of Silas. He will do whatever he can to discredit you.”

“I don’t care if he discredits me. He can say whatever he wants if that means I can leave here.”

“I’m afraid it will not be that simple. Now that you are here, the king will not let you go. And, much like your mother, leaving here will certainly put you and your child in danger.”

“I can assure you that you will not make it out of Oranmore alive without your father’s permission.”

I looked down at my stomach. I was in the same situation my mother had been in so many years ago. There were so many things I had misunderstood or even blamed my mother for.

Now I understood—everything she had done was to protect me from being discovered. Myrna was right. Even if I tried to escape, I would not get far, being so close to giving birth.

“Am I in danger now? Will Silas try to kill me here?”

“No. He is much too clever for that. He will want to know your position before making any decisions. I assume he will make you look like a fool so your father banishes you or has you killed.”

“Is my father easily persuaded?”

“King Toren? No one can predict his motives. For so long, he was such a stable and steadfast ruler until these past few years.

“Word came to our town that a man was willing to sell his stepdaughter’s hand for a great price.

“The peddler who brought this news stated that he had seen this woman, and her beauty was easily the greatest in all of Ireland.

“King Toren became fixated on this woman, believing that it must be you. I think he hoped your mother was still alive as well.” Myrna sighed.

“All I know for certain is the Northmen have been moving closer and closer to this region, and King Toren is desperate. Somehow, you are a part of his solution.”

“What does the queen think about all of this?”

“The queen is dead. She was caught with one of the guards years ago and hanged for treason. That whole ordeal changed King Toren.

“He became obsessed with the idea that your mother was his one true love and should have been queen. I loved your mother, but the notion was insane,” she said bluntly.

“Willow was not the first mistress to bear the child of a royal… Anyways, when word reached him that you had been found, he legitimized your birth.

“There is a reason he wants you here, and he is too clever to share it with anyone.”

“I think I need to lie down,” I said, holding on to the wall for support. My head was spinning. I began pulling my dress away from my chest, finding it increasingly hard to breathe.

“Yes, dear. You look pale. Take slow, deep breaths. Guard, come here and help Lady Ada down the stairs to her room,” she ordered.

I followed her instructions and felt my body start to calm down, as long as I did not think about what she had told me.

***

The next day, Myrna suggested to the steward that I get to know the town. The steward agreed that it was important for the king’s daughter to acquaint herself with the people.

This would be the best opportunity to map out my exit from Oranmore. In learning about Dundalk’s defenses, I knew exactly what to search for during my tour.

Knowing the number of guards, when they rotated, and whether they were stationed around the entire town was essential. Gathering this information would allow me to figure out the weaknesses.

“I will get the carriage ready,” Oisín said, excusing himself. We had just finished breakfast—I insisted on having company—and Sable helped me out of my chair.

“Myrna, will you accompany us?”

“I should really attend to some of my morning work,” she said, but I would not take no for an answer. A part of me had attached myself to this woman, the part of me that longed for my mother.

We walked out into the courtyard and moments later were in the carriage with a great deal of soldiers in front, to the side, and behind us.

I happily took in our view, feeling freer now that I was outside of the castle. The sun was bright above us as spring settled in for its stay.

The town reminded me a great deal of Kilcoran, though much larger and much more developed. Where Kilcoran had little huts, Oranmore had houses.

Men and women dressed in elegant attire strolled in the roads closest to the castle. As we came up to the market square, I asked to walk about. It was a treat to be a part of such a bustling bazaar.

“Make way for the Lady Ada!” shouted the guard in front of me whenever there were people blocking my path. They would stop and stare while others cheered or waved.

I assumed my recent legitimization was probably not well received, for I was the older sibling. I am sure the people wondered if I would be their next queen. I asked myself the same question.

After the bazaar, we rode farther into town, where many of the guildsmen resided. I noticed that the living conditions were less than favorable in this part of town.

It broke my heart to see barely-clothed children lying in the road. Families were displaced, waiting for any noble to take pity on them.

“Where do these people sleep?” I asked.

“Wherever they see fit.”

“Even through the winter, they slept here on the roads?”

“You do not need to concern yourself with these people, my lady,” Oisín said, directing the carriage to return to the castle. I looked at the fortress as we turned around.

It encompassed the entire town: a stone wall with a soldier positioned every forty feet. My plan to escape through town was futile. I would need to find another way.