Savage Marriage

Chapter Nineteen

After that night Kincaid had disappeared. Joanna never saw him during the day for near a week. She knew what he was up to. He was trying to rid his tribe of his father. He would return at night stressed and in need of an escape. He was not in the mood for intimacy Joanna could tell. She saw how much anger and worry Daven put on Kincaid. Joanna was riddled with worry knowing there was nothing she could do to help. Daven was beginning to drive Kincaid mad.

One day she could not take it. Daven had driven Kincaid into a fury. Joanna watched her husband pace in front of the fire clenching his fists. She had finally coaxed him to sleep after sometime of pacing. As soon as Kincaid was long into sleep Joanna grabbed her cloak. She quickly left their home and mounted up. She rode into the village and to the hall. Just as she expected Daven was there with his men drinking and laughing. She approached him. She cleared her, and he looked to Joanna.

"My lady," he said bowing his head. "A pleasure to be in your presence."

"May I speak to you privately, Chief Daven?" she asked.

"Of course. Anything for a lady as beautiful as you," he said standing.

Joanna didn't react to his flattery. They both walked to a secluded area of the hall. "Please do not find me rude when I ask this," Joanna said.

"How could I find someone as beautiful as you rude?" he asked.

"I must know why you decided to come to this village? My husband is awfully worried as to your business here," Joanna said.

"My lady, I am here on behalf of myself. I have not seen my son in many years, and once I heard of his marriage I decided to pay a visit," he replied.

"But why come after several months? Surely you had heard of our marriage sooner than several months after our union," she pushed.

"Oh I did, my lady, but I had decided to give Kincaid and you sometime to yourself before you met the rest of the family," he grinned.

He had an answer for everything so far. "But I must know something. No games and no flattery," Joanna said.

"I will do my best, but a woman such as you should be showered with truthful flattery," he said.

"Why are you truly here?" Joanna asked.

Daven stared at her a moment. He suddenly grinned. "You are a bright young woman. The reason of my coming here is to simply torture my son," he said. Joanna could figure that much. "Why is it you see fit to do that? He has done nothing to you," Joanna said calmly.

"Oh, but he has. He took from me my rightful place. He banished me from my own tribe. The boy would not even exist without me," Daven said.

"Kincaid only took what was his. Your time was up, and you decided to act a fool," Joanna said.

Daven laughed, "The only fool here is you, Lady Joanna."

"How so?" she asked concerned where this was going.

"You are a very attractive woman, Lady Joanna. You are in the presence of an attractive man," he said. Joanna mentally rolled her eyes.

"I don't follow your reasoning with this," Joanna said.

"My reasoning is if you ever get tired of that pig headed fool known as my son, I'm always free for you," he said rather suggestively.

Joanna thought she might vomit. The nerve of him. Then something happened that she was not expecting. Daven quickly leapt forward and kissed her. Joanna fought against him pushing him off. Finally, Daven released her. Joanna slapped him across the face. Instead of becoming angry Daven laughed. "A fierce temper for a fierce woman. A good quality for a wife," he smiled. She scowled him. "How dare you! You bastard!" she growled.

"Come now, love, don't act as if you didn't enjoy it," Daven grinned.

"I would rather be left for the wolves than have you kiss me once more," she scowled.

"Very harsh on your part, my lady," he said, "I'll have to get that out of you some how."

"You're so confident you will have me. I hate to inform you, but I carry Kincaid's child. Your grandchild," she said.

"That can be dealt with easily, my lady," he said.

Joanna felt a pit form in her stomach. "Listen here. If your child is born a son I shall kill it and claim you as my own. If it is a daughter....well I think Kincaid would take care of that for me," Daven said.

"Kincaid would never kill his own child," Joanna barked.

"No matter. If your child is a son you will see me again," he said, "For now I take my leave. I shall return to this place when the birth of your child is known. Good day."

Joanna thought she might faint. She carefully walked out to her waiting steed. She felt light headed and disoriented. She felt weak at the knees. Joanna didn't have the strength. The darkness consumed her. She fainted.

~

"Kincaid!" someone shouted.

Kincaid woke from his sleep. He heard someone shouting his name. He jumped up left his bed chambers. He saw Aílis there. She looked as white as snow. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"You must come quickly," Aílis said.

"Why? What has happened?" he asked.

"It's Joanna," Aílis said, "I have no time to explain you must hurry!"

Kincaid rushed out the door with Aílis. He feared the worst had happened to her. Aílis led him down the path until they came to her home. Kincaid burst in and found Joanna lying on a cot. Barclay stood over her. He appeared to be waiting for Kincaid. "What happened?" he asked.

"She fainted was all. The villagers came and found me when they couldn't find you," Barclay said.

"What caused her to faint?" Kincaid asked sitting on the edge of the cot.

"She might have been weak from her coming pregnancy," Barclay said.

Kincaid looked at him. They had told no one of this yet. Barclay glanced at Aílis. Kincaid smirked.