Eileanan - The Skull Of The World Part 16

Only one candle lit the room, its flame wavering in a draft. Isabeau brought light to life in her palm, cupping her hand about it so it did not shine too brightly. There was a tray on the table loaded with apple tarts, crumpets and jam, dried bellfruits, little sugared cakes and a jug of frothy goat's milk. It all smelled very delicious.

Chained to the bed were the two little boys. Donn-can was lying on his stomach, asleep, one chain secured to his wrist, the other to his ankle. Neil was crying miserably, his face buried in the pillow, his bottom sticking up in the air. He too was securely chained. Both boys were still dressed in their nightshirts, their feet bare.

Isabeau scrambled into her clothes and came quietly up to the side of the bed. "Cuckoo?" she whispered, sitting beside him. "Ssh, sweetie. Dinna cry. It's all right, my wee cuckoo, I'm here now."

Neil sat up abruptly. His face was very dirty. He stared at her blankly, then flung himself into her arms, wailing. She soothed him, stroking his hair as if he were some small animal. At last his sobs quieted and she bent her head, whispering into his ear. "Are ye all right, Cuckoo? Are ye hurt?"

He shook his head, hiccuping a little. "Donncan was. .h.i.t on the head, though, and he's been all funny since, sick and sleepy all the time."

Isabeau made him let her go so she could move around the other side of the bed. Quickly she examinedDonncan, frowning as she saw an ugly bruise discoloring one side of his face. "What did they hit him with, a brick?" she asked angrily.

Neil shook his head. "Hammerhead the Pirate just punched him."

"He should be called Hammerhand," Isabeau said, disgusted. "Have ye tried to wake Donncan?"

"He's woken a few times but he's been really sick and funny. She yelled at Hammerhead and said he'd hit him too hard and told him to get a leech. What good would a leech do, Beau?"

"She means a kind o' healer," Isabeau explained. "Has the leech come yet?"

Neil shook his head. "She said he'd be here soon, though. Donncan told her to do something rude with her leech, and so she yelled at us and then left. She had Stumpy put all that food there so we could see it and smell it but no' eat it. I call that mean!"

"So do I," Isabeau said. "Are ye hungry? Let's wake Donncan up and we'll all have something to eat and then think how we can get out o' here."

She shook Donncan awake and though he protested sleepily, at last he opened his eyes blearily and tried to roll over. The chains prevented him, however, and the jerk on his wrist and ankle made him try and sit up.

"Where are we? What happened?" His voice was weak and he had some trouble focusing. Isabeau gave him some mithuan to drink and some color returned to his cheeks. He tugged on his chain and said, "That's right. The horrible woman with the whip. She kidnapped us. But what are ye doing here, Aunty Beau? Have ye come to rescue us?"

"O' course," Isabeau said. "I havena quite figured out how yet, but I will. Ye'd better no' let anyone ken I be here though, until I do figure it out."

They nodded and she brought the tray floating over to the bed so they could all eat, Isabeau as ravenously as the two boys. When there was nothing left but crumbs, Isabeau sent the tray whizzing back to the table. "If they ask ye, Donncan, the two o' ye brought the tray over by yourselves, all right?"

He nodded and said, "I bet ye we could've too!"

Isabeau knew both the boys had a great deal of natural Talent and nodded. "I bet ye could too. I wonder when the leech is coming. I dinna want him to walk in on us halfway through cutting those chains. Happen I'd best wait till he has gone."

Neil whimpered. "Dinna leave us, Aunty Beau! Please?"

Donncan clung to her, the bruise dark against his white face.

"She canna mean to hurt ye though, she would've already if she meant to," Isabeau argued. The boys would not listen, pleading with her to free them now and take them home. She sighed heavily, unable to resist their terror. She rose, went to the door, listened for a long while, then came black and drew her dagger.

Although the blade was diamond-sharp and strengthened with her own magic, it made no impression on the chain at all. Indeed, it made her fingers sting so much that she dropped the blade with a little shriek.

Like the swans' necklaces, these chains were obviously forged with magic.She thought for a little while, nursing her hand, then thrust her fingers into the pouch and withdrew her staff of power. The boys showed no surprise at seeing the long stave with its large crystal k.n.o.b pulled out of such a little bag, seeing much stranger things every day of their life. She planted it on the floor, cupped her hands under the crystal and concentrated with all her will and desire, drawing power from deep inside herself and from all around her.

From the heart of the crystal came a thin, almost invisible ray of hissing blue light. It sliced down through the chain effortlessly, scorching a black line through the pillow, mattress and bedsprings until Isabeau switched it off hurriedly.

She had just released the last chain when the door crashed open. Isabeau swung around. In the doorway stood a tall woman dressed in a flowing gown of violet-colored silk, a large silver brooch in the shape of a thistle on her breast.

"Who dares work witchcraft in my domain?" she cried. "Ye fool, to seek to break my chains! I shall flay the skin from your body and hang ye from the battlements for the crows to gorge upon. Seize her!"

Honeyed Wine

Isabeau's first impulse was to transform herself and flee, but she gripped her staff tightly and turned to face the sorceress.

"I am Isabeau Nicf.a.ghan, Donncan's aunt," she replied courteously. "And ye must be Margrit NicFoghnan."

The sorceress was taken aback. She stepped into the room with a luxurious rustle of silk. Behind her were three men, all considerably shorter than she. One was a fussy old man in a velvet cap with a ta.s.sel, carrying a jar of leeches and a battered leather bag. Another, carrying a lantern, was a fat pirate with a wooden leg, a bristling gray beard and a very red face. The last was young and very beautiful, dressed in silks and laces. They all kept well to the rear of the sorceress and it was clear from their nervous demeanor that all three held her in very high respect.

"Isabeau Nicf.a.ghan . . ." the sorceress repeated, eyeing Isabeau up and down. "So, ye a banprionnsa then, unlikely though it seems at the look o' ye. And a witch as well." Her eyes flickered to the bed where the boys crouched in terror. "A powerful one too if ye could cut through my chains. I must say I am impressed."

Isabeau inclined her head. "Thank ye."

Margrit tapped her damson-colored mouth with one extremely long, damson-colored fingernail. "Ye interest me, Isabeau Nicf.a.ghan." She swept forward and stood by a chair at the table. After a moment she turned her head and snapped, "Are ye deliberately trying to insult me or are ye merely slow-witted?

Do ye expect me to pull out a chair for myself?"

The beautiful young pageboy rushed forward and pulled out a chair for her, and she caressed his cheek with her fingers. "Thank ye, sweet boy," she purred and sat down. With a graceful wave of her talons, the sorceress indicated Isabeau should also sit.Isabeau said, "Thank ye, but I prefer to stand."

The sorceress smiled, her eyes glittering. "It is a mark o' high favor to allow ye to sit in my presence, Isabeau Nicf.a.ghan. Do ye dare insult me by refusing such a favor?"

"Actually, I am rather weary," Isabeau replied. "A seat would be most welcome." She smiled at the pageboy as he clumsily pulled out a chair for her, then she sat down, her staff held between her knees.

Margrit observed her through narrowed eyelids. "Almost I find myself amused, my fledgling witch. It is no' an emotion I have experienced in recent years. I may well let ye live."

"In that case, I shall endeavor to amuse ye some more," Isabeau replied. "What tickles your fancy, my lady?"

The sorceress smiled and Isabeau's hands gripped the staff more tightly. Never had she seen such cold menace in a smile. "How do ye come here?" Margrit suddenly rapped out. "And do no' think to lie, witch, for I shall ken."

Isabeau's mind raced, though her face remained impa.s.sive. Coolly she replied, "I flew, my lady. Ye must remember my mother was Ishbel NicThanach, she that is called the Winged."

"How did ye ken where to find me?"

"I followed the swan-carriage," Isabeau replied. "I was minding the children the night ye came and stole the boys. I saw ye from the window."

"Aaah, I see. Ye were the scapegoat the young nursemaid wrote about. Ye were meant to be drugged."

"I did no' drink more than a mouthful o' my wine," Isabeau answered. "Inebriation and reading textbooks do no' mix well."

"So ye are still an apprentice," Margrit said with a small crease between her brows. "I thought ye were too young to carry a witch's staff and I see your hands are bare o' all rings. Have ye stolen someone's staff? It must be a staff o' some power to raise fire strong enough to break my chains."

Isabeau did not answer. Although her hands and body were very still, she was preternaturally alert, watching every flicker of the sorceress's hands and lashes, every nuance of her expression.

"So ye have come to rescue your wee nephew," the sorceress said, "and my grandson too, I suppose.

How were ye intending to do that?"

"I do no' ken," Isabeau admitted. "It was difficult enough getting here, I did no' have time or energy for making plans."

Margrit frowned. "Ye are dressed like a farm lad, ye have a crippled hand, ye look little more than a child yourself, yet somehow I suspect there is more to ye than appears on the surface. Ye carry a stolen witch's staff and must have some power yourself for ye used it and used it well. And ye sit there as calmly as if we were at an afternoon tea part}' instead o' caught like a cat with her paw in the cream jug. Are ye no' frightened?"

"Aye, terrified," Isabeau admitted truthfully.

Margrit's frown deepened. "It is a shame I shall have to kilJ ye. Ye intrigue me, indeed ye do. I would quite like to find out more about ye, examine ye myself, see just what your powers are. It is a shame Icanna take the risk."

Isabeau smiled. "Somehow all I feel is relief, even though I ken that means ye will kill me sooner rather than later."

The sorceress scowled with joy. "Ye are quick, quick as an elven cat."

"Thank ye," Isabeau replied modestly. She saw Margrit's fingers lift and said rather hastily, "Ye said before that a young nursemaid wrote to ye. Do ye mean Sukey, Donncan's nursemaid? She has been spying for ye?" As she spoke she slowly loosened the drawstring of the nyx hair pouch and surrept.i.tiously began to ease it down over the crystal head of her staff.

Margrit frowned in pleasure. "Aye, for years now. And here is the joke. She does no' ken she does it!"

"What do ye mean?"

"Sukey was Maya's spy, Maya the Once-Was-Blessed, Maya the Fairge's daughter." There was contempt in the silken voice. "Maya came to me for help once and in return we set up lines o'

communication for her spies. She was no' with me long and I have no' seen her since, but faithfully the little fool nursemaid has been sending me all the information I need and more, for years now! I sign my missives to her with Maya's name and much effusion o' grat.i.tude and she addresses them to me, 'my beloved Banrigh.' If it did no' make me nauseous I'd find it amusing."

"I dinna believe it!" Donncan suddenly cried, his voice trembling between tears and anger. "Sukey would never betray my mam and dadda!"

"Oh, but she has, my lad," Margrit replied, her voice as soft and cold as silk. "Many, many times. And when I have thought fit I have pa.s.sed on my information to the Tirsoilleirean, who have been my allies in the past. They pay well for news on the plans and strategies o' your father's armies. It has given me much pleasure to see the MacCuinn thwarted time and time again, all his clever tactics made hollow and useless, his men cut down in ambushes, his ships plundered and sunk, his ability to rule questioned over and over again. A few more defeats like the ones he has suffered recently and the people o' Eileanan will be looking around for a new righ."

"They will no'!" Donncan shouted.

"Yes, they will, and ye, my hot-blooded young fawn, shall be the one."

"Me?"

"Aye, are ye no' the heir to the throne? With a wise and loving regent like me to guide ye, ye shall be a righ that history shall never forget."

Isabeau forgot her need to listen to every nuance of Margrit's voice. "Is that your plan?" she blazed. "Ye stole Donncan so ye can make him a puppet righ while ye rule!"

Margrit smiled at her. "Aye, that's the plan. Though, mind ye, initially I just wanted to have a look at my grandson in the hope he may have inherited something o' me, but nay, it is as I feared, Neil is as weak and foolish as his father. Indeed, he is well named the gowk."

"And just how do ye plan to make Donncan righ when his father is alive and well? Do ye think Lach-lan will give up the throne to ye so easily, when he has fought so long to gain it?"

Margrit's smile deepened. "As we speak my fleet o' pirate ships are preparing to set forth to attack theMacCuinn's fleet. For I am sure once the winged uile-bheist hears his son has been stolen he will hurry to Dun Gorm to overlook the hunt for him. Am I wrong?"

Isabeau could not say a word.

Margrit's dimples flashed. "As I am sure ye ken, my pirates are renowned for their ruthlessness. They have been given orders to kill every man, woman and cabinboy on board the royal fleet, with all booty to be divided between them. For this one special occasion I shall no' demand my usual levy."

Donncan sobbed. "Nay, no' Mamma, no' Dadda!" He launched himself from the bed. Margrit threw up her hand and suddenly he dropped midflight, his face turning purple as he choked for breath. Vainly his hands pounded on his chest and throat, trying to clear his airways. Isabeau leapt up and ran to him, but as suddenly as it had begun, the choking fit was over. Wheezing for breath, Donncan lay on the floor, and Isabeau helped him sit up, soothing him as best she could, "Ye are a mean, nasty auld woman!" Neil said clearly, sitting up and pointing at Margrit. "I dinna believe ye're my granddam. I willna believe it!"

Margrit laughed. "Tie the brats to the bed," she ordered the one-legged pirate, "and ye, ye might as well make yourself useful and drain some o' the cho-ler from their bodies with your dear wee pets."

The doctor nodded, his hands trembling as he struggled to undo the top of the jar.

"And ye, carrot-top, ye have ceased to amuse me. It is time for ye to depart this hallowed earth and reunite with the universe." Margrit raised her hands, her dimples flashing in her cheeks.

Suddenly there was a loud bang and a flash of fire which left behind it a cloud of thick black smoke.

Margrit coughed and waved her hand to clear the air. All that was left of Isabeau was a little pile of discarded clothes on the floor. The sorceress cried angrily, "Where has she gone? What is she, a firework magician to disappear in a puff o' smoke? Find her!"

Isabeau crouched within the safety of the skirting board, the precious bag of nyx hair clutched in her trembling paws. All she could hear was the uneven stamp of boot and wooden peg-leg as the pirate searched all through the room, the low hiss of Mar-grit's voice, his bl.u.s.tering reply. After a very long time she heard the swish of Margrit's skirts and the rat-a-tat of the pirate as they left the room, followed by the nervous tread of the pageboy. Then there was only the nervous fussing of the doctor as he moaned and muttered over his task. At last the door shut behind him as well, and there was silence, broken only by the occasional sob of one of the boys.

Isabeau looked out from behind the skirting board, her whiskers quivering. When she was sure there was no one left in the room beside herself and the boys, she crept out and transformed back into her own shape. Her clothes had been flung to one side and she threw them on hurriedly, grateful she had been wearing nothing but a loose shirt, a pair of cotton drawers and her knee-breeches.

The boys were tied to the bed, fat black leeches hanging all over their bare torsos, their striped tails wriggling happily. Swiftly Isabeau rummaged through the pouch until she found the bag of salt which all witches kept by them for use in ritual. She sprinkled salt on the leeches until they fell off, writhing, leaving the boys with many small Y-shaped wounds that streamed blood.

"Do no' worry, they'll stop bleeding soon," she whispered to the boys, who were white-faced both from loss of blood and a squirming horror. It took only a few swift cuts of her knife to free them, and then Isabeau was lifting them off the bed and cuddling them close. "We have to get out o' here fast so we can warn your parents!" she said. "Besides, I do no' ever want to see that blaygird cursehag again."She put her ear to the door and could hear the tortured breathing of the one-legged pirate on the far side.

Very, very slowly Isabeau manipulated the lock with her powers until it clicked free, then in a flash she opened the door. The pirate's chair, which had been leaning against the door, crashed to the floor. The old pirate gave a stentorian grunt and struggled to rise, only to find Isabeau's knife pressed against his windpipe so hard he could scarcely draw breath. His face grew even redder and he wheezed and whuffed a little, but did not shout the alarm.

She had him tied to the bed in minutes, the boys enthusiastically helping her gag him with a torn pillowcase, then she locked the door behind them, setting Stumpy's chair back where it had been.

"Come, my laddiekins, let us pretend to be mice and creep through the castle as quietly as can be," she whispered.

"Aunty Beau, ye really were a mouse, wasna ye?" Neil said.

"Aye, my cuckoo, I was."

"Canna ye show us how to become mice too and then we willna have to pretend?"

"I wish I could, Cuckoo, but I'm no' quite sure how I do it myself. Come now, ssshhhh! Tiptoe and do no' say a word. I be sure there are many people in this place we do no' want to meet."

They crept along the dark corridor, Isabeau casting out her witch senses in all directions, her pulse galloping. Now she had the boys freed, she wanted to escape this filthy old fort just as fast as she could.

She felt the minds of many people about them, some so cruel and loathsome she recoiled from the contact. Frighteningly, she also felt the mind of Mar-grit, searching for her. She did her best to shield herself, grateful that she had been taught this skill so well by Latifa the Cook, one of her first teachers.

Isabeau knelt down so she could face the boys. "What I want ye to do, my lads, if we get separated, is to head up as far as ye can go, right up to the very top o' the fort, on to its roof. No one shall look for ye there, they shall expect us to head down toward the sea, to try and steal a boat or stow away on a ship.

Get into the cages with the swans, they will hide ye with their wings if anyone does come searching for ye. Do ye understand me?"

They nodded, looking very small and dirty in their crumpled, blood-stained nightclothes. "Ye will no'

leave us though, will ye, Aunty Beau?"

"No' if I can help it, dearling. They search for me though, all through the fort they search, and soon they will realize ye are gone too. We must be very, very careful."

Hearts hammering, they crept through the dark corridors till they came to the stairs. Light flickered up the stairwell and Isabeau held the boys back, looking cautiously over the rail. Men carrying lanterns were climbing up from a lower floor, the flickering orange light illuminating their cruel faces and sharp cutla.s.ses.

Some wore eyepatches, others had hooks for hands, or leaned on crutches, or limped along on wooden legs like Stumpy. It was clear they had lived a rough, bloodthirsty life. Isabeau could not help a shiver of dread. She drew back, chewing her nail indecisively. Then she crept forward once more, beckoning to Neil.