A Comforting Figure
21/3/1113
The sun lowered itself over the horizon, the last few rays of daylight highlighting the small church of St. Molag. Inside the church a group of well-dressed men and women congregated, all of whom knelt and payed homage to a sombre, young, red-haired man.
Nodding absently as another minor lordling prostrated himself on the floor, David overlooked the crowd that had filled the chapel. “
Bullshit.” David thought venomously “
These people didn’t know my father. They just want favours! Gifts! Attention! The bastards come to me today, on the day of my father’s funeral, and ask, no, plead for hand-outs! Well fuck them all! Leave me be you animals!” Keeping his face woodenly emotionless David sought out his close friend, and personal bodyguard, Edmund de St Molag.
As David looked around he heard a nasally voice approaching. “Get out of my way! Move it peasants! Don’t you know who I am?! MOVE!” Sighing David put on a small smile and turned around.
“Why hello Gudrød! I am deeply touched that you have taken the time to come and attend my father’s funeral.”
The short, fat man owlishly looked at David, a calculating expression entering his eyes. “Why David, I’m so sorry for your loss. Your father was a great man. Even though he owed me so much, I let him live a life of such ease! Surely, once this horrid business is settled, you and I can discuss your father’s promises to me.”
David choked back a snarl of rage, and just managed to keep his expression of gratitude in place. “Of course Lord.”
Grinning at him the pudgy little man pushed himself back through the crowd, his face already covered in sweat from the heat. Scowling at the Duke’s retreating back David turned around and walked outside, angrily pushing his way through the thick crowd. "
Promises?! He thinks I'm going to pay him for a debt that has never existed?! Fuck that small man. God, I wish there was some decent pretender to the throne of the Isles. That threat would shut him up!
“David!” a shrill voice called, snappong him out of his dark thoughts.
Groaning inwardly, David once again swallowed his true feelings and put a small smile on his face. “Yes my love?” he called, without turning.
“Where do you think you are off to?! Look at me when I speak to you!” the voice screamed in his ear.
Taking a deep breath David slowly turned around and saw his wife’s petite figure. Ada truly was pretty, he mused, but underneath her exterior there only was a cold-hearted, lazy bitch. “Yes?” David asked politely, strangling the thought of shouting at his wife.
“Do you have rocks in your ears you fool? You are not to go anywhere! One of us must stay here, and since the dead man is YOUR father I believe I am entitled to go back to the castle.”
Nodding, David said “As you wish darling. Take care!”
Scowling at him, Ada turned on her heel and stormed back through the crowd, which had mostly come outside the chapel. “
Father was right.” David mused glumly “
Never trust a Dunkeld.” Ada had promised to stay for the whole service, yet once again she had broken her word so she could do as she pleased.
David walked back into the chapel, passing through the crowd and ignoring all calls of his name. “
God please give me some better company!” he thought tiredly. A hand suddenly grabbed David by the shoulder and twirled him around. Startled David looked into the grinning, freckled face of Edmund de St Molag. “David! ‘Bought time I found you! I've been lookin’ everywhere for ya!”
Grinning David shook his head. “Oh have you Ed? I suppose then that you and your young lady friend just went for an innocent chaste walk around your old home eh?”
“Me? Do that? Perish the thought David, perish the thought! In any case, that was me sister, not some whore from the harbour!”
“Oh was it now? Then where is she?”
“Here!” came a slurred sing-song voice from behind Edmund. Shaking his head, Edmund turned aside letting his sister walk forward. David gave her a quick look-over and liked what he saw. Chestnut hair, milky skin, short stature and definitely not-lacking both at the front and the back. David gave the short woman a charming smile, and said “I am David Mac Gregor! Count of Argyll, Ulster, Galloway and Clydesdale! Marshal of the Isles and Master of the Hunt! Who do I have the pleasure of meeting milady?”
The woman focused a pair of glazed eyes on him and smiled coyly “Coo, that’s impressive. I’m Agnes. Edmund here’s my brother and was nice enough to get me sometin’ ta drink!”
Look up over Agnes head, David raised an eyebrow at Edmund who shrugged and muttered “What? We all enjoy a drink. Agnes just enjoys one more than most!”
Staring at Edmund, amusement in his eyes, David suddenly jolted backwards, surprise suffusing his features, as Agnes’ hand suddenly went into his breeches.
“Agnes! What ar-” David began.
“What?” the pretty woman slurred “Your good lookin’, even with that hand of yours being all messed up, and you want me! Don’t lie!” She said as David opened his mouth to protest, “That’s okay though cause I want you to.”
“But. I’m a. You shouldn’t. Well not here! Everyone’s just outside! Plus your brother’s right there!”
Edmund raised his hands as laughter fought its way out of his throat. “Relax. Use the confessional booth to entertain yourselves. Hell, even I've used it before! I’ll make sure no-one comes back inside.” A pained expression crossed Edmund's face and he began to scratch at his groin, “And don’t worry about catchin’ nothin’. From what I know she’s fine, unlike your’s truly.” Turning around Edmund swaggered over to the chapel’s entrance and loudly announced that the priest should continue the service outside.
“Come on then!” Agnes exclaimed dragging the excited, yet reluctant, David towards the booth. “Sorry Dad.” David thought, “You’d do the same in my shoes!” With that David allowed himself to be pulled into the small, concealed confessional booth from which giggles and groans shortly began to emerge.