Peter Tremayne - Penance of the Damned

Deogaire raised his hand. One of the horsemen guarding the prisoners leaped from his horse, drew his sword and went along the line, swiftly cutting their bonds before remounting. The former sentinels stood rubbing their sore wrists and looking around in confusion and shame.

‘Poor sentinels though they may be,’ Deogaire called, amusement in his voice, ‘I return them to you so that you may train them more thoroughly.’ Then he untied a smaller bag from his saddle bow and this he also threw to the ground as he had Glaed’s head.

‘This is for the community of this township. It is the gold and silver pieces paid for the person of Gorman by an unscrupulous cleric. It is returned to show that no longer will those who now serve me accept blood money. Had I reached the Hill of Truth earlier, it would not have been paid in the first place and Gorman of Cashel would simply have been freed. You may also rest assured that the men who supported Glaed and were responsible for the death and destruction visited by his raids have met the consequences of their actions. One of them was once a guard in your fortress. Your trust in him was wrongly placed. Truly, Prince of the Ui Fidgente, what with your useless sentinels and your treacherous guards, there is a lack of judgement in your fortress. I do not need the gift of prophecy, the imbas forasnai , to tell you that you should have a care of those you deem close to you.’

Prince Donennach was speechless. It took him a few moments before he called down to Deogaire: ‘The gold and silver is accepted and will be returned to those it belongs to.’

‘Then I will depart with my men, but before I do …’ Deogaire drew his sword from his sheath and held it aloft. ‘This is the sword of Deogaire of Sliabh Luahcra, by which I have claimed the chieftainship of all the people who dwell there.’

Still holding aloft the sword, Deogaire nudged his horse close to the Ogham-inscribed stone pillar and with a quick downwards sweep, he smashed the broad blade against it. The blade snapped in two. Deorgaire then dropped the half that remained in his hand.

‘Witness, Prince Donennach of the Ui Fidgente – witness that I have broken my war sword against the pillar of your fortress and declare the cairde chlaidib … the agreement of the sword. This is done in symbolic act to show that there is a pact of peace between us. Is it peace?’

Prince Donennach had understood the ancient ritual. ‘Let it be peace,’ he echoed gladly.

Deogaire lifted his hand in salute. He seemed about to turn away, then, as if in afterthought, he raised his head back to those looking down on him.

‘I see that the lady Fidelma is with you.’

Fidelma moved to the side of Prince Donennach and called down: ‘I am here, Deogaire.’

‘I heard that you were here to defend Gorman from the charge of which he is unjustly accused. I know it is unjust for I knew Gorman at Cashel and my imbas foronsai tells me that he is innocent.’

‘Unfortunately, prophecy is not a witness,’ Fidelma returned with a wan smile.

‘But it tells me that you will triumph in your defence. Word has reached me that he is safe from the unscrupulous cleric. Is Aibell also safe with you?’

‘She is safe.’

‘I heard that she had married Gorman. She deserves a good life after the anguish and ordeals suffered as a bond-servant in Sliabh Luachra. Gorman is a good man and they have chosen well of each other. Give them my good wishes and, when you have secured Gorman’s innocence, should their paths come to Sliabh Luachra they will find mention of my name will ensure hospitality.’

Fidelma hesitated, wondering whether to explain the situation, but then decided against it, for she felt that the situation would not be resolved.

‘I will do this,’ she promised him.

‘Then give my salutations also to my venerable uncle, Conchobhar. Tell him how things fare with his sister’s son, who will no longer be an embarrassment to him.’

With that, Deogaire turned, and with his trumpeter and standard-bearer at his sides, he trotted back down the slope to the township square. The three rode back over the bridge across the river. The waiting men of the Sliabh Luachra moved aside to let them through and then joined their horses in a column behind them. Inside the fortress, no one said anything until the band of men had finally disappeared along the track to the south-western hills.

Eadulf was shaking his head. ‘I hardly imagined young Deogaire as a noble and leader of men. I looked on him as just a mischief-making mystic.’

‘Stranger things have happened,’ Fidelma commented. ‘Although we should have had some fore-knowledge of his capabilities after Aibell told us how he had rescued her from the slavery of Fidaig’s house.’

‘Is what he said about souls and heads truly your ancient belief before the New Faith?’ Eadulf asked.

‘It was central to the belief of life in the Otherworld. Some in remote places still cling to the old beliefs. We are told that our great heroes in ancient times would ride into battle with the heads of their foes dangling from their war chariots. But those days are long distant.’

‘Not so long ago, it seems,’ observed Eadulf as Conri was ordering one of his men to go and collect Glaed’s head. ‘And is there truly meaning in that agreement of the sword business?’

Fidelma nodded. ‘Some of the ancient rituals of our past are still there to remind us of what we were. At least the threat from Sliabh Luachra is no longer a problem.’

Brehon Faolchair overheard her. ‘That is so,’ he said, ‘but there is still the matter of Gorman to be resolved. You might have diminished Abbot Nannid’s authority but you have not eliminated his influence. There is the question of Gorman’s guilt remaining and how he should be punished. As Abbot Nannid has said, he may no longer be the Abbot of Mungairit, but now he claims to be Abbot of Nechta. More importantly, he is still of the Ui Fidgente bloodline and influential in this territory.’

Fidelma glanced up at the summer sky.

‘When the sun reaches its zenith, call all those with an interest in this matter to assemble in the great hall. It should be declared that a Brehon court is convened. At that time and place I will argue the truth of what really happened in Abbot Segdae’s chamber, how he met his death and why.’

Brehon Faolchair stood in astonishment for a moment. ‘Are you ready to put forward such arguments?’

‘I knew how the killing was done almost immediately.’ Fidelma sounded positive, and Eadulf knew she would not sound so without good cause. ‘The real problem was also trying to show why, as well as identifying who else was involved, apart from the killer.’

‘Who else?’ The Brehon frowned.

‘Do not worry. I presume that Gorman can attend as the accused protected by the court and without fear of harm from Nannid?’

‘So you do know where Gorman is?’

‘Let us just say that I will pass the word that he should attend and I am sure he will.’

‘I understand,’ the Brehon acknowledged. ‘And yes, he will be protected.’

‘I’ll go to fetch him,’ Eadulf offered.

‘I will go also, lady,’ said Conri, who had been listening. ‘Don’t forget that Nannid still has two of Glaed’s men in the abbey complex. There were four of them and two were slain, so we must find the others. I’ll get some of my men to flush them out.’

‘I had forgotten that,’ Fidelma confessed.

‘What do you want done with them?’

‘Just strip them of their weapons, and send them along the track in the direction of Sliabh Luachra,’ Fidelma instructed. ‘You can inform them that they have a new chieftain in Deogaire.’