“Her name was Jehanne. She was a year younger than you are now when we pledged our love.”
Stunned by the admission, she said the name in her thoughts.Jehanne. Her mother’s name was Jehanne.
“Our families opposed the match, and she was sent away. I was told later she died of a wasting disease,” he said, his voice catching as he spoke. “I did not know you were hers—ours—until I saw the birthmark on your back. She . . .” He turned away and cleared his throat then. “She had the same one in the same place.”
Brienne could not breathe. The truth of her past came rushing at her in a blur. Her parents loved. A forbidden love, stopped by their families. He had not known their connection and now did. Now she did.
Jehanne.
“We firebloods pass our power through our descendants, and my family was part of a plan to protect and preserve our line from ancient days, Brienne. I do not think my father realized your mother carried it as well. Now it is time for you to join our legacy and carry out the next step.”
“I do not understand,” she said. “Legacy? What about Adelaide? She is your legitimate heir and . . .”
“She cannot be part of this, for she has nothing in her blood but her humanity. Not like you,” he said, walking to her and gazing at her with something she never thought she’d see—pride. “Be at my side; claim your rightful place as our plan moves forward.” He held out his hand to her, and she stared at it.
Her heart beat so fast and hard, Brienne thought it would tear out of her chest. The pain of the past, being forgotten and shamed disappeared then. Everything she’d wanted was being offered to her. A small voice whispered in the back of her mind to have a care, but it mattered not.
“What is this plan, my lord? How can I be part of it?” He led her to a chair and poured some wine into a cup. Much richer than the ale she usually drank, it was sweet and potent and reminded her of the wine William had offered her. She drank another mouthful and waited on her father’s words.
“We are part of an ancient people, Brienne, descended from the gods whom the Celts worshipped before coming to these islands. We were blessed with their powers so that we could remain faithful to them. But over the centuries the old beliefs have fallen away, and now this other religion seeks to control all. In the north, my grandfather discovered the sacred place where the old gods could be called forth and hid it from those who would destroy it.”
Old gods? Powers? Sacred place? Her head spun from hearing all of this. She was a simple girl, brought up to believe in one God, though now she realized that in her village, no one ever said so publicly. No priest saw to their souls, but she remembered hearing one mentioned from long ago. “Old gods?” she asked.
“Aye, the ancient seven,” he said. A shadow crossed his face as he mentioned them, quickly gone. “Worry not over that now. I can teach you all about them as we travel north. We must gather our friends to us and go there, to protect it once more from destruction.”
“North?” she asked. She knew Lord Hugh held properties in places all over Scotland even if Yester and Gifford were the only two she’d ever seen. She thought on the rest of his words. “But who knows of this and seeks to destroy such a place?” She knew the answer even as she uttered the question. “The king?” she whispered.
“Aye. I have been his closest adviser since his boyhood and knew he sought the place, and I have tried to prevent that. He knows that the legends were true and seeks to destroy what could threaten his control and his kingdom.”
So many questions flooded her mind that she could not sort through them. And then she realized the part she’d missed. The king knew. The king sent . . .
Sir William de Brus, the king’s knight.
“William is part of this, too?” At his nod, her heart fell.
“He is here to spy for the king, who suspects my part in this.” She closed her eyes. “But I plan to explain this and ask for his help.”
“You do?” She stood and walked to where he was. “Do you think he will? Mayhap if he understands?”
“He would be a huge advantage to have on our side. You have seen him fight,” he said. “A warrior like him could help us.”
“He is . . . ?” That little voice whispered not to give too much away. With what she’d witnessed, Brienne suspected he was involved in this more than her father let on.
“He is?”
“Very experienced? In war and fighting?” She shrugged then. “I have not met many men outside the village, my lord. I have nothing to compare him to.”
He nodded, watching her now. Did he suspect what she did about William, or did he know?
“Ah, I forget you have not seen more of the country or the world outside these walls and lands. Aye, he has fought before, in France and here, too, I think. And he is skilled.”
They remained silent for a few minutes, and she thought on everything he’d said. She wanted to be part of her father’s family. She’d longed for such a thing, and now he was offering it to her, asking her to join him in this strange endeavor.
“Is there anything I can do, my lord? To help you?” she asked, making her decision. There was much yet unknown in this, she knew, but she took this step now. He smiled at her, and once more pride was there in his eyes.
“I think if he sees that you are at ease here and part of the larger plan, he might see reason. I will speak to him about specific things, but if you are welcoming to him, it could ease the tension between us.”
“But, my lord,” she began. “It is not my place to do that. Lady Margaret or Lady Adelaide . . .”
