~~~
Cree walked into the Great Hall annoyed. He would have much rather have stayed with Dawn. He was growing ever tired of being separated from her.
“That was rude of you not being here to greet cleric Mathias,” Gerwan said standing in front of his chair on the dais.
Cree stopped abruptly when he reached the dais. The cleric sat next to Gerwan. He was a man of medium height and slender form and garbed in costly garments.
Gerwan unwisely continued. “And to have blatantly insulted my daughter, your future wife, by leaving us to go to your mistress is inexcusable. She had to excuse herself and retreat to her chambers suffering from a headache you no doubt caused. You owe her and everyone else here an apology. But then I don’t know why I waste my time explaining this to you. How could a barbarian know anything about civility?”
Cree reached across the table so fast that Gerwan had no chance to react. Cree’s hand had him by the neck and slammed his head down on the table directly next to the cleric’s hand. “You’d be wise to remember that I am a barbarian and that I would think nothing of cutting out your tongue for daring to reprimand me.”
Gerwan tried to speak but Cree only tightened his grip and the man choked for a breath.
“If you dare speak to me in such an insulting manner again, I will see you put in the stocks for all to see, and then I will show you what true barbarians do to their captives.”
He released Gerwan who choked for a breath and when he finally got one, he continued to hungrily grasp for more. Ann stood to try and help her husband but he shoved her away with such force that she stumbled, though luckily fell to sit in her chair.
“My son,” the cleric Mathias said.
“I’m not your son,” Cree said curtly. “Do you have a message from the King for me?”
“I do and—”
“Not another word,” Cree ordered. “My solar now.” He then turned to Flanna who was standing to the side. “Go tell Sloan I want him in my solar and assign a servant to look after Lucerne.”
“Yes, my lord,” Flanna said and hurried off to do his bidding.
Cree didn’t wait for the cleric to stand and follow him, he proceeded to his solar. The cleric entered several minutes after Cree and took a seat by the hearth. Sloan entered a few moments later closing the door behind him and latching it.
Cree took a seat by the cleric while Sloan stood to the side of the hearth.
“Tell me,” Cree commanded.
The cleric didn’t keep him waiting or attempt to chastise him. “The King wishes your wedding to proceed with haste. He wants to make certain that you secure this land.”
Cree thought of telling him about the possibility that Lucerne wasn’t Gerwan’s daughter, but that would set things into motion that could prove more harmful than helpful. It was better that the cleric didn’t know anything until he had some proof to show him. Otherwise the man might think he was concocting a story to delay the wedding. How then did he actually delay the wedding?
“I will unite you and Lucerne on Sunday in five days’ time,” the cleric announced.
Sloan spoke up. “Lucerne will not be pleased. Her wedding dress is not yet done.”
“Then put more women on the task or she will be wed in a different gown,” the cleric said annoyed at such a petty excuse. “The King has spoken and so it shall be done.” He turned to Cree. “Now, my son, you must cleanse yourself of this wicked woman. Tell me of the sinful things she has made you do so that you may cleanse yourself of such evil.”
Cree was about to lurch out of the chair when he felt Sloan’s hand clamp down on his shoulder. He tempered his anger as best he could and said with a coldness that had even Sloan shivering, “What I have done to this woman is nothing compared to other evil I have committed. You do not have enough time or the stomach to hear all the wicked things I have done. Keep your distance from me cleric Mathias or you too will be touched by unspeakable evil.”
Though the cleric eased away from Cree, he said, “I can help save your soul, my son.”
“The devil got my soul a long time ago and there’s no getting it back.” Though Cree couldn’t help but wonder if, by some miracle, Dawn had latched onto his soul and was beginning to bring it out of the abyss.
Cleric Mathias stood and moved further away from Cree. “The King also requested that I stop at the abbey to see how your sister was doing.”
Cree didn’t care for this news. Why would the King concern himself with Wintra?