The story so far! Part one Part two Part three Part four Part five Part six Part seven Part eight
Cinaed and Graunt were both struck dumb at this comment, although Cinaed tried to find some words to protest, realising he could think of nothing worse than losing his little brother. Any punishment would be preferable.
Two tears rolled down Domnall’s cheeks. “I didn’t want to hurt Cinaed. I swear it, Father.”
“Silence, Boy.” Alpin looked sternly at Graunt and Cinaed. “Is this true? Was it Domnall’s fault?”
Cinaed found his voice at last. He stepped forward, putting his arm around Domnall. “No, Father, it was my fault. Domnall simply made an idle comment about how much fun it would be. He did not expect us to take him seriously. I was the one who pushed the idea. And I do not blame Domnall for dropping the stick. If I had done the same, I would have been in no danger.”
Cinaed had barely finished his speech when he felt Grant’s arm go around him.
“I needed no persuasion, Uncle. And it was I who stole the fat and the bowl from the abbey. You should blame me.”
Gaining courage from the presence of the other two, Cinaed’s grey eyes clashed with Alpin’s. “We all thought it would be fun and it was.”
As the others nodded, Alpin’s face went scarlet with rage at this defiance. He picked up a stick.
“Turn around,” he snapped, ignoring Unuis’s protests.
Blow after blow rained down on their backs and shoulders, the stinging even more severe than they expected. Cinaed bit his lip till it bled in his determination not to cry out. Never had he experienced his father in such a rage and he prayed he never would again. When it was over, Cinaed could see the tears in Domnall’s eyes, which was hardly surprising given the lad was only six. His own were smarting and Graunt was blinking furiously, but all three were able to stop the tears from spilling over.
“Your behaviour has been appalling. All three of you,” Alpin roared. “You ruined Yule night for the Islanders. You could easily have been killed or very seriously injured. You could have injured someone else. You gave poor Unuis the scare of her life. You stole from an abbey of all places. This is completely unacceptable. And even now I do not hear one word of regret from any of you.”
The three boys had clung together. “We’re sorry,” they said, in small voices.
“I should hope you are,” Alpin said, looking calmer as he folded his arms. “You will be on bread and water for the next two days. At prayers this afternoon, you will publicly apologise to the abbot and the Islanders.”
He surveyed the three boys and to Cinaed’s shock, there was a definite hint of pride on his face. Cinaed realised that if he and Graunt had allowed Domnall to take the blame, they would probably have escaped punishment, but Alpin would have despised them both. Undoubtedly it would have been Domnall who he took to Dunadd.
“Father, have you decided who is going to Dunadd with you?” he asked.
Alpin raised his eyebrows. “After last night, why do you think I am taking any of you?”
The tense silence was broken by Unuis. “Alpin, you promised we would take Cinaed. He is your oldest son. It is only right. I am keeping my end of the bargain by being kinder to your bastard and I will raise him as my own.”
Alpin looked irritated. “Very well. We will take Cinaed. Let us hope he has learnt to conduct himself a little better by then.”
Cinaed’s burst of excitement dampened as he caught the expressions of the other two. “What of my brothers?”
“What of them?” Alpin asked.
“I think it would be fun if they came too,” he said.
“Do not be foolish, Cinaed,” Unuis muttered. “It is right that this honour goes to you alone.”
“Fun?” exclaimed Alpin. “I can only imagine what trouble you three could get into at Dunadd. There is no way I am taking all three of you.”
Cinaed swallowed, longing to go to Dunadd more than almost anything. “Then I think I would prefer not to go.”
“Don’t be a fool, Cinaed,” Graunt whispered.
Cinaed shrugged and looked down, hardly able to bear the disappointment.
“You must come with us,” Unuis begged. “Think how fine it will be, just you, your father and me.”
“Come here, Cinaed,” Alpin said.
Cinaed edged forwards, wondering if he was to get another beating. Domnall and Graunt came with him, even though they had not been summoned. Alpin narrowed his grey eyes to glare down at Cinaed.
“So you are refusing this honour?”
“Yes, Father, unless my brothers can come too.”
“Fine. Stay here on Iona, if you have no more sense than that.” Alpin’s eyes moved speculatively from Graunt to Domnall.
“Don’t choose me, Uncle,” Graunt said quickly. “I would prefer to stay with Cinaed.”
“Not the heathen boy,” Unuis moaned. “What sort of sign does it give, if you have him beside you that day and not your true son?”
Alpin scowled. “Domnall is my son. I shall take him.”
“Thank you, Father,” Domnall said politely, unable to resist smirking at Unuis. “But I would rather stay with Cinaed and Graunt.”
Alpin sat back in his chair, astonished at the honour refused by all three. Rage twisted his face into ugly lines. But just as Cinaed was thinking they should run as fast as they could and find somewhere to hide, it broke into a huge grin and he ruffled their heads.
“These three will stick together forever,” he said proudly.
He pulled Domnall onto his lap and put one arm around Cinaed, placing the other round Graunt. “I think you have learnt a valuable lesson today, Cinaed. You are my eldest son and will likely lead many men one day.” He looked up at Unuis with a pleading expression, Cinaed had never before seen on his father’s face. “Cinaed is to be my heir. Nothing can change that and nor do I wish to change it.” He sent a mischievous look at Cinaed and his voice wobbled slightly for his next words. “Truly I revere the lad.”
Cinaed choked and buried his face in his father’s shoulder to stifle his giggles. Unuis had no idea what afforded the pair such amusement, but her face lit up at the affection so evident between father and son. Still smiling, she came over, putting her own arms around them.
Alpin forced his expression to become serious once again. “Perhaps one day, Cinaed, you will even be a king like your grandfather. But it is the support of those closest to you that is always the most valuable. Stand together and you will defeat any foe, just as you have defeated me this day.”
“What do you mean, Father?” Cinaed asked.
“The determination of all three of you to stand together, rather than accompany me to Dunadd means that I am now forced to consider your suggestion.”
Graunt stared at him, excitement lighting up his eyes. “You mean you will take us all?”
“Really, Father?” Domnall cried, flinging his arms around Alpin’s neck.
Alpin laughed, looking at Unuis. “May God help us, my dear lady. I can’t begin to imagine the mischief these three are going to get into at Dunadd, but it is fitting that all three of my lads stand with me on the day my father is crowned.”
Cinaed smiled, leaning his head against his father’s shoulder. “Thank you, Father.”
Alpin raised his eyes in mock despair, as he kissed the top of Cinaed’s head. “You are right, Cinaed. It will be fun.”
Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas and every happiness for 2019!
To see what happens when these three naughty boys grow up, Kenneth’s Queen is available on Amazon in ebook and paperback.
Dark Age Voices 