When at last he spied her, she stole his breath away. Dressed in green and gold, the gown outlined her curves, while her black hair was crowned with a wreath. Her cheeks were rosy from the warmth of the room, and a smile played upon her mouth as she looked around at the decorated chamber.
The queen passed through the crowd to greet her, and she tucked a sprig of white berries into Brianna’s wreath. The young woman laughed and embraced Isabel, giving Arturo the chance to approach them.
‘I have gifts for both of you,’ he said, bowing before the queen. Isabel drew back and merriment glimmered in her eyes.
‘Something from Navarre?’
He nodded. ‘There is a special wine I’ve brought with me. As well as these.’ Opening the small bag he carried, he showed them the oranges.
Isabel reached for one, fascinated by the fruit. ‘I’ve never tasted one before.’
‘Remove the peel with a knife,’ he advised. ‘You’ll find the fruit sweet and filled with juice.’ The queen thanked him for the gift, and he took one orange back, before handing the remainder to Isabel.
When they were alone, he gave the last orange to Brianna. She held the sphere in her palm, studying it with interest. ‘Am I meant to try this now?’
Arturo took it back. ‘Later, I’ll share it with you.’ He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. ‘When we’re alone.’
A slight moue of worry creased her lips. ‘Perhaps.’
With their hands joined, she led him through the Great Chamber, introducing him to her extended family. He came to understand that she had five uncles, and all of them were married with sons and daughters of their own. The MacEgan tribe spread throughout southeast Ireland, and three of the five men were married to Norman brides.
As the night continued, they feasted upon beef that had been freshly slaughtered the day before. There were platters of roasted geese and boiled goose eggs, as well as fish, eels, and tart apples. He chose food for Brianna, offering her the best portions. As they ate and drank, he saw her beginning to relax and enjoy herself.
‘Is it always like this?’ he asked.
‘Usually. Last year I didn’t celebrate with them,’ she admitted. ‘I couldn’t bear it.’
‘And now?’
‘It still hurts to be here without Murtagh,’ she said. ‘But it’s easier to bear it with a friend.’
Arturo squeezed her hand, though he didn’t want to be her friend this night. The kiss she’d given him had haunted him all last night and this day. He didn’t know where it would lead, and already he was letting his mind spin off with ideas of bringing her back to Navarre. But he didn’t know if she would want to leave her home and family.
The music ceased after a time, and several couples had left the Great Chamber. From the over-bright faces of the men and women, many had enjoyed the wine he’d sent. The king moved to the centre of the dais and lifted his hand. Several men raised a knee as a gesture of respect, and the crowd drew back, forming a small space in the front of the Chamber.
‘It is time for the competitions,’ Patrick declared. ‘All men wishing to join in, should come forward.’
Arturo sent Brianna a questioning look, and she nodded in encouragement. While he wasn’t certain whether the competitions involved fighting, he felt confident in his abilities. The other MacEgan men joined him, as well as Liam. Turning to the man beside him, he asked, ‘What must we do?’
‘You’ll see,’ Ewan replied.
One by one, the women approached. He saw Brianna and Adriana, as well as Honora and the other wives. Several women began adjusting their skirts, using ribbons to tie them to their ankles. It wasn’t until the first contest began that he realised what was happening. The women were competing for the right to choose a man.
‘What happens if the wrong woman chooses you?’ he asked Ewan, who stood beside him.
‘My wife is the strongest fighter among them,’ Ewan countered. ‘She’d bring down any woman who dared to ask for me.’ Sending him a teasing look, he added, ‘And would you really complain if a beautiful woman asked you to be hers for the night?’
Arturo shrugged in answer, but he wasn’t so certain. Brianna wasn’t nearly as strong as her opponents, and he didn’t know if she was willing to fight for him. Though the MacEgan wives chose their husbands, he saw several unmarried women eyeing him. One winked as she faced off against Adriana. His sister struggled against the woman, trying to fight in a more womanly manner. But when the maiden rolled Adriana to the ground and sat upon her, his sister grasped the woman’s hair and yanked hard, jerking her away. A smile crossed Liam’s face as his bride began fighting with more aggression, until she held the woman pinned to the dirt.
After the fight ended, Adriana moved to Liam, who claimed her in a fierce kiss. The cheers resounding in the Hall showed their approval of his choice of a bride.
Arturo paid little heed to the next fight, for he didn’t know either of the women. But to his startled surprise, the winner of the match came forward and took his hand. A roar of laughter resounded from the men.
The woman was quite young, possibly seventeen, with braided red hair. If she knew that his choice was Brianna, she didn’t seem to care. With mischief in her eyes, she started to lead him away.
‘Choose another man, cariño,’ he told her.
‘You don’t have a choice.’ She wrapped her arms around his neck and said, ‘I claim a kiss as my reward.’
Baffled, Arturo looked back at the other men. They were laughing at him, offering no help at all. Brianna had disappeared from the crowd, and he didn’t know where she’d gone.
The others were waiting for him, and the maiden had her lips puckered, waiting for the kiss. Arturo cupped her face, lifting it up. All were watching him, and when he pressed a kiss upon the maiden’s forehead, she challenged, ‘Is that how the men kiss in your country?’
‘You didn’t say where the kiss was supposed to be,’ he pointed out, and she sent him a furious glare. He hadn’t really intended to embarrass her, but she’d taken away Brianna’s opportunity.
A young girl cleared her throat, interrupting them. ‘My sister Brianna went home,’ the girl informed him, ‘but do not fear. I put a charm in her wreath that will make her love you.’
There was seriousness in her face, and Arturo bent down. ‘I thank you for your assistance.’ At the girl’s warm smile, he found himself amused by her belief in magic.
‘You are the one for her,’ the girl promised. ‘I know it, for it was in the bones I cast.’
In answer, Arturo lifted her hand to kiss it. ‘Then I should go after her, shouldn’t I?’
The young girl’s eyes widened, and she hurried back to her parents. Arturo moved through the crowd and after searching the inner bailey and the castle grounds, he found her walking amid the snow.
‘Brianna,’ he called out.
She stopped,
