The pair made their way to the place where they were going to eat. There were about a dozen men there, and a few women as well, all dressed in expensive clothes and furs. A man about her age with brown hair and matching eyes caught her attention. He was holding hands with a smaller, petite woman with auburn hair and emerald eyes that sparkled with laughter. They walked over to her.
Not knowing how important they might be, Rowen bowed her head respectfully. "Greetings, me friends! I be the Lady Orlaith."
The man stared at her. "Lady Orlaith? But we all thought you died! I be begging your pardon if I be rude, but we were told that it be so. I canna believe this. Surely you willna hold me to the old agreement between us."
"Agreement? I be afraid that I dona know what you be talking about."
He nodded. "That be making sense when you think about it. You didna hear the stories about your clan and mine as you grew up. But I be getting too far ahead without saying things that need to be said. I be Lord Trian, Trian mac Tuathal, of the Munster Clan that be south of the Mavericks. Now it happened that the ladies of these two people groups were carrying children at the same time. It was arranged before their birth that if they both be boys or girls they would swear an oath and become as if they be brothers or sisters. If one be a girl and the other be a boy they would be betrothed. Me mum, for it was me mum who was the Lady Munster, gave birth to me first. Two months later, Orlaith of the Mavericks entered the world. As they had arranged the babes were betrothed until they reached the proper time and then they would be wed. But then you disappeared. The years passed and we were sure you had died, in fact, rumors had come to us that you were killed in the battle with Limerick. If we had known the truth we would have waited and kept our promise, but ignorance was our companion. So I married someone else, Betha nic Bécc, here."
"Nic? What does that mean? Oh, right, daughter of. I guess I be used to being introduced to men."
Trian bit his lower lip. "I beg you, me lady, forgive me for breaking that old agreement. But under the circumstances..."
"Under the circumstances, you did what you thought was best. It all comes as a surprise to me and I be neither hurt or offended. I be relieved in a way, for if you had waited I would be bound to marry you, but I love another."
"But you dona have the mark."
"Mark?"
"The mark of marriage. If you love someone why havena been wed to him? And if you be married why do you not bear the sign of it?"
"Begging your pardon, sir, but I dona know of this mark. If you will, explain it to me, please."
He held out his right hand. On his first finger was a scar. It was two lines that formed something that looked like an arrow tip, pointing away from his thumb. "When one performs the marriage ceremony this sign be put on his right hand."
Betha showed Rowen her left hand. It had a similar mark also pointing away from his thumb. "In the same way, the woman has it done to her as well."
"You see, it be a reminder. Separated, we be incomplete. But together..." He paused and the couple put their hands together so the points formed a diamond.
"What a beautiful idea. I havena married yet because it was only recently that I found out that the man I love returns me affections."
"But surely you were betrothed again where you were raised. I be two and twenty years old and you be only two months younger than me. You should have been married seven or eight years ago."
"I know but what I was trained to do didna need me to be married. In all reality, it almost be better if I wasna wed to anyone."
"But whatever do you do?"
"It be a long story and I be thinking it be time to eat." A glance around confirmed that most of the guests were already seated so the pair found their spots around the table. Rowen made her way to the place of honor where it was fitting for Lady Maverick to be seated.
During the meal, not much was said. The food was delicious and Rowen wondered at what expense it had been prepared. After the servants cleared the table, Donngal introduced Rowen to the guests. Surprisingly they didn't seem to care. For awhile, Rowen puzzled over their response. Then, as she saw the way they began to interact with each other and Donngal, she realized what was happening. In their eyes, she was a mere pawn, there only to be manipulated to their wishes. She clenched her fist under the table. They had broken the chief rule of sword-fighting. Never underestimate your opponent. Her suspicions were confirmed when a merchant avoided her and asked Donngal, "How much lead do you think can be produced in a year?" She rose to her feet, the movement drawing all eyes to her.
She addressed the man who had spoken. "Sir, I believe there had been a lil' misunderstanding. You act as if it be already decided that the Mavericks will be lead miners. Perhaps, me cousin, Donngal told you that it was so. But it be false. Until I be able to examine the situation closer I canna say me opinion. I be aware that many of you have traveled a great distance to talk about how you will be a part of the Maverick Clan's future. Dona be afraid, I desire information you can give me so your journeys havena been in vain." She watched as shock swept over their faces. Donngal's reaction interested her the most so she looked at him. There was a hint of surprise, but his eyes had hardened to pieces of flint. He wasn't giving up not just because she showed a little more courage than he had expected.
Ailen shot her a glance. "Me lady, what would you have us to do?"
"I need a map, something that shows all the places where you have come from. Also, I need to be able to write on it."
A maid, who was passing by, heard her request and said, "I know where one be. Master Donngal, may I fetch the map from your library?" For a moment, Rowen thought he would refuse, but then he moved his head a fraction of an inch and the maid rushed to retrieve the item. Soon, she returned carrying the map along with a feather in an ink well. After unrolling the sketch of the lands, she put four smooth stones on the corners to keep it in place.
Rowen smiled at the servant. "Me thanks to you."
She curtsied. "It was me pleasure, me lady."
Rowen dipped her quill into the ink and watched two drops fall back into the ink pot. "I be begging your pardon if somehow I be affronting your pride if I ask you your names. I only just stepped onto Ireland's soil a few days ago so dona be expecting me to know everything. Now, it would please me if you would tell me by what name you be called, what you do, and from where you have come." She looked at the man closest to her. "Would you go first?"
The man nodded, making the long, purple feather on his hat bounce. "Me name be Corcc mac Colcu and I be from the clan called Oriel. Me trade be lead mining. I be what they call a lead-merchant. But perhaps a pretty face like yours, dona know what that be." Rowen wrote his name and trade on the map near his clan.
She didn't even look at him but blew on the wet ink. "I know what a lead-merchant be." The man turned a shade red at her indifference but held his tongue. From the moment Rowen saw the man beside him, she liked him. He was older, with white hair and a beard. Faded blue eyes were placed between laughter lines. There was a friendly atmosphere around him that drew people to him.
"And what be your name?" she asked.
"Well, me lady, people call me Artt. I be a trader. What ever you be needing I be sure to have it. I call no place me home or rather I suppose every place be me home."
And so it went. There were people called Conall mac Cathal, Rónán mac Ruaidrí, and Amalgaid mac Ailill, from places like Munster and Breifne. There were merchants of lead, horses, wool and anything else you might think of. There was also lords and ladies from close Clans.
Rowen studied her map, a plan beginning to form. "Today, you came to discuss the possibility of trading lead with the Mavericks. But many of you dona just work with lead but with other things as well. The more I think on it, the more the mines seem to be the wrong thing to do. I wish I had more time to plan this better but I dona, so I be asking that you be trying to remain patient with me. Here be me plan or what I be thinking rather: Many people in this Clan can make magnificent wooden or clay items. Now, I be proposing that you, merchants, can take what they make in exchange for things they need. You then can trade those things with other Clans."
"Be that as it may, me lady, that still doesna help us who deal only with lead."
Rowen looked at the speaker – Corcc. "And for that, me good sir, I offer me apologies. You have indeed made this journey in vain. I have no use for you. You may go."
He jumped to his feet, red flooding his face. "You be making an error, me lady." It was a threat.
"Be truthful. Would you enjoy having to obey me? Let your answer be either an aye or a nay, nothing more."
The man shifted his weight. "Nay."
"And another question if you will. Even if I had offered some deal to you, would you of refused me?"
"Aye."
"Then I dona see why you protest." The man glared at her and then exited the room, muttering under his breath. The remainder of the lead-merchants stood up and left as well. Rowen held her breath. The rest of them could all walk away too. With their departure, her plans would be nothing more than a pile of sand that disappears with the blowing of the wind. A few of the remaining men exchanged looks. Before they could do anything, Artt said, "Well, me lady, I think your plan be a wise one. I be with you."
"And I too," Trian said. The whole assembly soon voiced the same thought.
She turned to Artt. "Sir, would you be so kind as to mark, on me map, the roads that you use that lead out of the land of the Mavericks."
"Certainly, me lady." He studied the map for a moment, then began drawing lines going out from Maverick land. When he had finished, he labeled them. Rowen looked at what he had done. She picked up the quill and crossed off all the people who had left. She glanced around the table. There was still much to be decided.
The talking went well into the night before everyone was happy with the final plan. She knew that the next day her work would continue. She would have to talk to Trian and the Lord Oriel about the men they had promised for her army. Then, there were the people as well. But all that could wait for the next day.
After being shown to her room, Rowen fell asleep easily, worn out from the day's thinking.