Involuntary King

We'll be including a chapter from Nan Hawthorne's novel Involuntary King in the upcoming issue of Wilde Oats.   Here's an excerpt from the chapter:

Rory McGuinness sat on the straw on the floor of the shed he was tossed into the night of his arrival at Hucknall with O’Donnell. He piled some of the mildewing straw up to create some insulation against the increasingly chilly nights. He knew he must smell of the mildew and worse.

O'Donnell had not sought satisfaction from him while on the journey. Perhaps he might have to be discreet while in camp. It was three days since their arrival where O'Donnell had only his trusted men with him. He wondered why O’Donnell did not send the guards to drag him to his chamber. Had Rory mistaken his purpose after all? If so, what was the reason he was here?

The shed was built of vertical pieces of local wood lashed onto a wood frame and thatched with what was now damp straw. Being a storage place, no effort was made to stop up the gaps with moss or mud. Rory pressed wet straw in the worst offenders. There was no window, of course, for which he was grateful, but he could see enough of the fortress through the places where the wood slats did not come together. A bucket served for his waste, and he was fed daily what looked like the soldiers’ same supper. Most of the time, he sat in his warm corner trying to hold in his body heat.

Several times Rory noticed O'Donnell among the figures that moved about outside his prison. He saw him glance with an unreadable expression over towards him, but avert his face and hurry on his way. Rory wondered when O'Donnell would finally press his desire, wondered what he himself would do. Would he submit in order to survive? Alternatively, would he refuse and no doubt die? Would he have any warning and be able to prepare himself?