In front of the hearth were many chairs organized in rows for some future entertainment of which she was not aware. William had promised her a surprise this evening. Was this part of it?
Agnes embraced her mother and walked with her to the food tables. She was surprisingly ravenous considering she’d accomplished little all day. Well, save for the passion she’d shared with her husband. She supposed that was one thing she could trust in.
Once everyone had eaten, her father stood by the hearth, raised his hands, and said, “Welcome all once again to celebrate my sweet wee lassie and her new husband, a man I have lately come to know and for whom I’ve grown a deep respect. I know my daughter will be in safe hands with him in every way.”
Her father’s endorsement meant everything to her. If he trusted William’s judgment, she would too.
“Come find yourselves a seat and we will begin the evening’s entertainment. We invite any and all to take the floor, share a story, sing a tune, or play your pipes. All except Ewen who cannae hold a note to save his life.”
Her father tilted his head back and a roar of laughter erupted from him. Poor Ewen loved to sing, but it was more pleasant to listen to the gulls fight each other over the fish guts tossed off the wharf near the town.
One by one, folks presented their talents. Pipes bleated out initial notes until rhythm and melody took over, wee lads tried their hands at singing old tunes, and an elderly lady from Wick told stories of faeries that would steal ye away in the night if ye put yer washing out on the wrong day of the week.
She watched William take it all in and could not help but feel so proud at that moment. These were her people. Her clansmen and women and they were all honorable and good. She would not believe for a minute there was a malicious bone in any of their bodies.
William turned to her and kissed her forehead. “Now it’s my turn,” he said. “Surprise.”
Her jaw opened a little as he stood and made his way to the front of the group. He smiled and winked at her and then raised his hands in the air. Was he about to tell another falsehood? Did he actually have story to tell this time, or was he about to sing? Her full focus and attention was on him as she waited to see what he would do.
*
William took notethere were no small children left in the hall, and he was grateful for he didn’t want to censor himself.
“My lord Sinclair. I thank you for the honor of this feast and for your hospitality. I have come to house a deep respect for you and your family as well. And especially for my enchanting and spirited new wife, my countess.” He placed his hand on his heart and bowed to her.
“This evening, I have planned a special treat for you as I have not done this since I was a young lad. I will tell a story that is so harrowing, and so ghastly, you will not sleep this night, I promise you.”
Around the hall, he heard some soft gasps. It was quite a statement to make considering he was aware of the pleasure these people placed on their stories. He’d learned that from Agnes and it was easy to see why.
“This eve I will tell you about Cailleach and how she tried to kill the first kings of Scotland. She is said to be an old woman appearing frail and feeble until you speak to her and then her true nature comes forth.”
William walked slowly about the hall rather than staying put in one place. He looked directly at people for emphasis as he began his tale.
“An elder in the village near my castle saw her one night. ’Twas late in the harvest and the nights had gotten close to frost. He’d just shut the horse in the barn for the night and was making his way back to his house when he spied a person up the laneway leaning heavily on a cane.
“‘Och, do ye need any help?’ he called to her.
“The woman didn’t reply, but shuffled toward him slowly. He called to her again and still no reply. When she was almost upon him and he caught the stench of her he gagged. It was as if all the rotting meat for an eon was put into the one place and left to further rot in the hot sun. At that moment, she stood tall and flung away her cape. Her cane grew into a long staff with pointy star shaped ice at the tip. Her skin was full on blue, and her eyes were like the brightest stars in the sky. Her hair was white as snow and hung stringy to the ground and beyond. This was no old lady and no enchantress.”
As he spoke, he placed his hand on a man’s shoulder from behind him who promptly yelped.
“She touched the ground with the icy part of her staff and frost spread from it. The old man jumped back and tried to escape from its path, but it was too late. When she touched the ground again the frost spread faster. It caught up with him then and moved over his feet, climbed up his legs and chest, his arms, and up to his neck. The only parts of him that were not covered in ice were his heart and his head.”
He touched two people’s heads also from behind them. Both jumped, then nervously laughed. Those gathered now looked around the hall to follow his movements. Only Agnes kept her gaze forward as if lost in his tale. William made his way to the front of the group and honed in on her.
“She approached him with a sickening smile revealing black teeth. ‘You are fortunate you are a good man. For you offered to help me. Otherwise, you would be dead right now.’
“The man was unable to move his limbs or even speak. He stayed there like that while she touched her staff to the ground many more times and in different areas where he could still see her. Many hours passed and as the first streaks of gray crossed the sky, she donned her cloak, the staff returned to a cane, and she once again became a feeble looking old woman. She gave him one last look and disappeared off into the morning mist.”
He was now mere inches from her face and practically whispering his tale to her, loving the way she hung on every word.
He stood abruptly, addressing the whole crowd and changing his tone from dark and dramatic to matter of fact.
“How much longer he stood there, he could not say, but it was not until the sun’s rays touched him that the frost melted and he was free from her curse. When he managed to stumble into his house, his feet were black from frostbite, and he eventually lost four toes and two fingers. Thankfully his wife was an accomplished healer. But he never forgot the sight of her orher stench. And he was never caught outside at night in late fall ever again.”
William stood back as the crowd took in his story. Many were on the edge of their seat, including Agnes, whose eyes were wide and her mouth slightly open. She stood and slowly clapped. Moments later others joined in, and the hall erupted with cheers and men coming to shake his hand.
Pushing past them all was Agnes. She looked up at him with a beaming smile. “Thank you. That was the best gift you’ve ever given me. You have a natural talent. True, I thought Mother was going to faint dead away.”
