To Be a Spy

Chapter 20

The next morning, she rose with the sun and went to find Lord Oriel and Lord Munster. They were seated around a table with their wives breaking their fast. When she joined them, they both bowed their head and she did the same. For several minutes, they ate in silence.

Then, Trian turned to his wife." Well, me love, do you think we should return to Munster?" She nodded her head and looked at Rowen. "Lady Orlaith, it be a great privilege to meet you. I hope that you be the ruler the Mavericks need."

"Before you go, Lord Munster, I be wondering about this army. Me cousin told me that you pledged to supply men, be that true?"

"Yes. I will be sending the men within the next month, me lady."

"And I too, Lady Orlaith," said Lord Oriel.

"But the more I consider the situation the more I have come to realize that it would be foolish to go to war with England. I came to tell you that I willna be needing your men, but I be grateful for this show of support to the Maverick Clan, me lords."

Trian shrugged. "If that be what you wish. I see no reason to disagree. Many a night I have wondered if perhaps it wasna the right thing to do. You make me mind rest easy, me lady."

"Lord Oriel?"

"I agree with me friend, Lord Munster, we Irish be fighters but this time it seemed like we be picking a fight a bit too big for us."

"Then, it be settled, for which I be glad. But now, I wish you safety on your travels, me lords." They both bowed their heads as she rose and left. That piece of work had gone smoother than she had hoped. If only the people were so easy to convince.

She soon found out that the time she had spent talking to them the day she had arrived proved to be worth it. With that small act that showed she cared, she had won most of the people's favor. There were a few who still looked at her from behind closed doors and refused to welcome her. But she hadn't expected everyone to rush to welcome her arms spread wide. When she talked to them, there were a few who didn't think it would work. But after explaining with more detail, many of them grew excited about it.

Rowen glanced around her. In the outskirts of the village, she saw the merchants loading their horses. Since neither the traders or the people were prepared to barter, Rowen's plan would be done next time the merchants returned. She scanned the group looking for Artt. She caught sight of his long beard and hurried over to him.

"Artt?"

"Aye, me lady?"

"I have a question for you. It be about your necklace."

He put his hand to his neck as if to make sure it was still there. "Me lady, me necklace? What about it?"

"Well, I noticed there be a name on it; Matilda. Now, that be no Irish name, it be English."

"You have sharp eyes, me lady. Matilda be me wife."

"She be English, though?"

He nodded. "Aye, me lady. When I was just a boy, sixteen years old, me family was starving. I had five younger siblings and me mum. I couldna find any work so I went to England. Once I got there I earned enough money to keep me family alive. But while I was there I met Matilda. We fell in love and, against her parent's wishes, were wed."

"So, she lives in Ireland now?"

"Quite right, me lady."

"And her family, did they break all ties with her?"

"All save one, me lady. Her brother still stays in contact with her."

"So, do they visit each other?"

"Very rarely, me lady. They mostly write letters."

"But you said you live on the western side of Ireland. Who do you trust to send letters across all that land?"

"Well, me lady, that would be me. Since I be traveling so much it be no trouble to find a port and send a letter."

"How do you know that it reaches him, though?"

He shrugged. "I dona." He paused." Me lady, if I may ask, why do you question me so thoroughly?"

She sighed. "I was just hoping that I could somehow get a message to England by a safe and secure way."

"An important message? Well, me wife has been longing to see her brother again, so we plan to go across to England. So, I can deliver it, if you like, me lady."

"Oh! I would be ever so grateful to you, Artt!"

"I assure you, me lady, it would be no trouble at all. Do you have the letter with you, now?"

"I be afraid I dona. It willna take me long to get it, though. Can you wait?"

"For a Lady of a Clan? Course, I can wait." Rowen rushed back to her room. Soon, she had found a quill, ink and a scrap of paper. But what to write? She stared at the blank paper, trying to think of what to say and how to say it. It needed to be written so that if it was read by the wrong eyes it wouldn't put her in danger. A code. But which one? The easiest to do were the ones where the receiver knew the key to solve the code and you could just right anything to hide the real message. They were also the simplest to solve if they fell into the wrong hands, though. How important was it anyway? If the Irish figured out that she was a spy all her work could be undone. She began to write:

Dear Father,

All is going well here. I made it safely to the Emerald Isle. The people welcomed me as if I as one of their own. I believe I must stay here for a long time, if not always. But I have done what I said I would do. You no longer have fear of a threat from my new home. Yours, Rowen.

She rolled it up, tied it with a ribbon, and pressed her seal into the wax. She would miss Edward so much. Elizabeth too. William. Will I ever see them again? She shook her head to clear it. Artt. He was waiting for her. She hurried back and found Artt seated on his horse.

She handed him the paper. "Here."

"I thank you, me lady. Now, who exactly be I supposed to give this to?" Her mind blanked. If he took it to Edward then he would go to Great Hall and find out that it was where spies were trained. Artt didn't appear slow enough that he wouldn't be able to figure out that she had been trained there. But who else could she trust to get it to him? Elizabeth. She would share the letter with Edward without even being asked. Carefully, Rowen described Elizabeth, her home, and how to find her. Artt repeated her words back to her to make sure they were right. She breathed a sigh of relief as he recited all the information correctly.

He swept off his hat and bowed as best as he could on top of his horse. "Farewell, me lady."

"Farewell." He pressed his heels against his mount's side. Soon, both horse and rider were out of sight."