John Lenahan - Sons of Macha

‘I wonder where he got that idea.’

‘Ona’s book.’

That stopped Dad in his tracks. ‘What book?’

‘Cialtie showed me a book that he found in Ona’s bedroom the day he killed her.’

‘He told you that?’

‘Yeah, but he wasn’t bragging. He really believes that he can do nothing except what she wrote in that book.’

Dad started walking again. ‘And she wrote that he would be safe if he was king?’ When he spoke it was more like it was to himself than me. ‘If he had just told me that, maybe I would have renounced the throne … but I did renounce the throne. He had the throne. Why did he insist on trying to blow things up?’

‘He told me that he wanted to free The Land of Ona’s prophetic chains.’

Dad snorted with derision. ‘Freeing The Land by destroying it – typical Cialtie.’

We rounded a corner and entered the north wing’s portrait gallery. Pictures lined the walls stretching into what seemed like infinity. That’s the funky thing about living in a huge castle. You think you have explored every nook and cranny and then you come across an amazing place you have never seen before.

‘Wow,’ I said, ‘Who are all these people?’

‘These are portraits of all of the major and minor rune holders in The Land, and all holders of a yew wand.’ Dad pointed far into the distance. ‘Your grandmother is over here with the House of Nuin.’

As we walked I asked, ‘Can I get one of these?’

‘I’d love to have a picture of you if you would ever hold still long enough to sit for one, but I can’t hang it in the north hall until you have taken your choosing. I don’t have a portrait yet either. Tell you what, after your choosing we should get our pictures painted together.’

‘OK,’ I said, but didn’t relish the idea of having to have to sit still for hours while Dad bestowed his pearls of wisdom.

I spotted the portrait of Macha before Dad pointed it out to me. She had amber hair like Nieve and Dad’s long face but her eyes weren’t dark like her children’s. Her eyes were clear blue – like mine. She was portrayed sitting astride a black horse holding the reins with one hand and her yew wand in the other. Behind her was a hawthorn in full bloom.

‘She’s definitely your mother,’ I said.

‘Yes,’ he said dreamily like he was lost in the picture.

‘You once told me she went on a sorceress’s quest and never returned.’

‘That is what my father told me but I had a talk with Dahy recently and he says one day – she just vanished.’

‘You talked to Dahy about her?’

‘How could I not? That’s all he wants to speak about since you came back from Mount Cas with that knife.’

I smiled at the memory of the helpful message that had been hidden inside the gold-tipped knife and thrown at us on that mountain pass. ‘He thinks Macha is up there with the Oracle?’

‘He does,’ Dad said.

‘But you don’t?’

‘Actually I’m starting to think that Dahy and Spideog are right. Well, maybe not right but that knife of yours and the message you found with it raises enough doubts in my head to make me think we should find out for sure.’

‘Wait,’ I said, ‘we’re gonna storm the Oracle’s Yew House?’

He didn’t answer at first. He just kept looking at the picture of his mother and then, as if he was making the decision right there on the spot, he said, ‘Yes.’

‘How? That guy is seriously bad ass. He took out Spideog with a flick of the wrist. And I have no doubt he could drop half of that mountain on your head if he wanted to.’

‘Dahy thinks it can be done. There is planning to do. I’ll keep you posted.’

Dad ruffled my hair in a way that he knew really annoyed me and rushed off for a meeting with some runelord who I’m sure had a good reason why he needed more gold in his stipend. I was left alone under the dark stare of yet another grandparent I never knew. As much as I didn’t want to face the Oracle guy on Mount Cas again – I sure wanted to meet my grandmother. Well, if anybody could come up with a working plan of attack, it was Dahy.

I arrived back in my chamber to find Ruby waiting for me. She sat almost swallowed by an overstuffed chair, her feet sticking straight out, her stick folded across her lap. I don’t know if it’s the huge sunglasses or just her general demeanour but every time I saw this kid I got the distinct feeling that I was in trouble.

‘Where have you been?’

I was a bit shocked by the abruptness of the question and when I didn’t answer right away, Ruby said, ‘You were probably smooching with your mermaid girlfriend.’

‘I was not,’ I said and sounded to myself like I was ten years old. ‘I was in a meeting with the king.’ I thought that sounded better than ‘I was with my daddy.’

She seemed to find that acceptable.

‘How do you know about Graysea?’

‘My father brought her to me to have a look at my eyes. She cooed and ooed and cried and kissed me. She’s not very clever, is she?’

‘Graysea has other talents,’ I said.

‘Yeah right. Well, she said she couldn’t fix my eyes. That I had waited too long.’

‘Oh, I’m … I’m sorry.’

‘It’s nothing I haven’t heard before,’ Ruby said dismissively as she stood. ‘Now, I would like my pony.’

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘My pony. Father said I would have a pony when I came to Tir na Nog. When I asked him about it he said he had to talk to you. Since he hasn’t yet, I am. I’d like my pony please.’

‘I … I don’t know where I’d get a pony at this time of day.’

‘I would assume,’ Ruby said as she opened the door for me, ‘that we will find one in the stables.’ She motioned me out of my room like it was hers. I started to protest but then just decided that getting her a pony was probably the path of least resistance.

‘I feel sorry for your future husband,’ I said.

‘Funny, that’s what Father says.’

Ruby grabbed my arm and then swung her stick back and forth as she walked so fast I thought we were going to break into a jog.

‘You know, Ruby,’ I said, ‘I’m not sure if I can get you a pony.’

‘Why not?’ she asked without slowing down in the slightest.

‘I don’t think they’re just going to give me one.’

‘Your father is the king – right?

‘Yes but …’

‘And you are a prince?’

‘Well, yeah.’

‘So just ask for a pony. What is your problem?’

The stable master saw us coming and greeted me at the entrance. He was an old one. It had gotten to the point where I could spot one from a mile away. ‘I am Pilib,’ he said without bowing or even offering to shake my hand.

‘Hi, I’m Conor.’

‘I know,’ he said. ‘You have your grandmother’s eyes.’

‘Oh, did you know Macha?’

‘Of course, she held the Capall yew wand. She had the supremacy over horses. When she lived in Duir she was only ever truly happy when she was here.’

As he spoke Pilib’s eyes glossed over lost in the memory. I remembered Spideog telling me that my grandmother loved him and Dahy at the same time. I wondered if I should add the stable master to that list.

Ruby hit me in the shin with her stick. ‘Ask him.’

‘Ah … Master Pilib, I was wondering if I could have a pony.’

‘Certainly. Am I safe to assume that it is for this little lady?’

‘I’m not a lady, I’m a young girl.’

I looked down at Ruby, astonished. ‘You speak Ancient Gaelic?’

‘Grandma taught me some words.’

‘OK,’ I said turning back to Pilib. ‘Can we get this young girl a young-girl-sized pony?’

‘Right this way, Prince Conor.’

The stables were quite an operation here at Castle Duir. He led us past what must have been a hundred stalls and then outside to a paddock that contained four ponies.