by H A CULLEY
I hope that you will be able to help in this way, much as I regret having to ask you.
Your friend always,
Eochaid
‘What will you do?’
‘I’ll do better than threaten Dòmhnall, I shall send Oswiu to go and speak to him. It sounds as if my brother will need to go back to Dalriada to see what is happening there too. If the weakness of Dalriada means that Owain is more powerful by comparison, then both of Strathclyde’s neighbours are threatened. He will need to see to the defence of Rheged.’
‘If you’re sending Oswiu to the west, what will you be doing?’ his wife asked, knowing that he would go himself if there wasn’t something more important.
‘I need to forestall Penda by moving into Lindsey before he does.’
~~~
It was the middle of September before Oswiu reached Larne. He had decided to travel in peace but to prepare for war and so he took three birlinns from Bernicia and linked up with two more from Caer Luel in addition to the three pontos Eochaid had captured from Strathclyde the previous year. In all he had just over three hundred warriors and, although they might not be enough to attack the army besieging Larne on their own, they would be a serious threat when combined to the Ulaidh.
Before he arrived he had sent a fishing boat to reconnoitre Larne from the sea, so he knew that the high king had no more than five hundred men in the besieging force. This wasn’t too surprising as many of those who had fought at Moira would have gone home to get the harvest in, or had sufficient plunder not to want to stay for the sack of Larne.
The arrival of his fleet at the entrance to Larne Lough had caused a certain amount of consternation amongst the besiegers. They had a birlinn and four small currachs trying to blockade the port – rather ineffectually if Eochaid’s ability to send a message to Oswald was anything to go by – but they disappeared further into the lough as soon as Oswiu’s ships appeared. Oswiu sailed into the harbour without any problems and disembarked his men. An hour later he and Eochaid rode out of the main gate accompanied by Oswiu’s gesith and three of Eochaid’s chieftains. They halted a hundred yards from the gate and waited for someone to come and talk to them. When no-one appeared after a reasonable amount of time, Oswiu rode nearer to the enemy camp and bellowed loud enough for his words to carry at least as far as the high king’s tent.
‘Dòmhnall mac Áedo, this is Oswiu, Prince of Rheged and Hereræswa of Northumbria. Stop skulking in your tent and come and talk to me and my friend King Eochaid of the Ulaidh. If you are too cowardly to come and face us I and my hundreds of doughty Northumbrian warriors will come and drag you out. Now act like a man instead of a shy girl and come out and face me.’
Oswiu was well aware that calling a man a coward and a girl was a great insult and, as all his men had heard it, not something that the high king could ignore and keep his throne. He appeared a few minutes later leading a glittering array of petty kings, their banner bearers and about thirty horsemen as escort.
‘What are you doing sticking your nose in where it doesn’t belong, Oswiu. Go back to Rheged or whatever rock you crawled from under or I will send your head back to your brother in a box.’
‘Brave talk for a man too scared to come to a parley unless it’s with twice as many men to protect him as we have. Send half of them back now; you know the rules for negotiations. Each side must have the same numbers.’
‘But your men are heavily armoured and well-armed; mine aren’t.’
‘Well, hopefully we won’t need their services. Send everybody back two hundred paces except you and your closest advisers and I will do the same.’
Dòmhnall nodded and waited until everyone except five of his chieftains had reluctantly withdrawn. Oswiu and Eochaid did the same. Of course, as the opposing side were all mounted, they had a distinct advantage over Oswiu’s gesith, who were all on foot, but he decided it wasn’t worth making an issue of.
‘Now, happy?’ Dòmhnall asked. ‘Has your Ulaidh companion lost his voice or is he allowed to speak? After all, he is my vassal and you have no business being here.’
‘I’m here at Eochaid’s request, and that of my brother. Now that you have finally had the sense to negotiate properly I’ll hand over to King Eochaid.’
‘What is it you want, Dòmhnall? If you want me to agree that my nephew was a fool and should never have attacked you, I’ll agree. But he’s dead and his stupidity is a thing of the past. We need to move on. I’m sure you have more pressing matters that require your attention down south; I know I have a great deal to do here in Ulster.’
‘What? You expect me to forget and forgive just because Congal Claen is dead? I need a great deal more from you than an apology. This war has cost me a great deal of money for a start.’
‘And it’s likely to cost you a lot more, both in terms of money and men, if you prolong it further.’
‘My men will be happy with the plunder they’ll gain when they sack Larne; I won’t need to pay them as well,’ Dòmhnall sneered.
‘Don’t be stupid,’ Oswiu cut in. ‘You will never take Larne now. Eochaid and I won’t have to do anything. Now the town has been reinforced, your men will know there is no chance of you taking the place and will start to drift away. In two weeks you won’t have enough men left here to even withstand my gesith.’
Eochaid gave him an annoyed look for interrupting but waited for Dòmhnall’s answer, however the latter seemed lost in thought.
‘Very well. I’ll agree a treaty with you, Eochaid, but under several conditions. Your friend here takes his men and goes back where they came from, you do me homage as your high king, pay me one thousand pounds of silver now and two hundred every year from now on and give up the territory disputed between you and my clan in the west of Ulster.’
Eochaid was surprised at how easily Dòmhnall had acceded to his request for a truce, but he supposed that he needed to conclude business in the north and return to Tara before someone else decided to make a bid for the throne. He smiled and made his counter-bid.
‘Oswiu will withdraw when you do, I acknowledge you as high king, I’ll pay you two hundred pounds of silver now and fifty every year from next year but I won’t give up any territory.’
Dòmhnall was about to reply when one of his chieftains moved his horse alongside the high king’s and whispered in his ear. He nodded and turned back to Eochaid.
‘How old is your son Lethlobar now?’
Eochaid had been expecting Dòmhnall to demand hostages against his future good behaviour and, in truth, he was surprised that the man hadn’t mentioned his son before.
‘He’s nine, why?’
‘I’ll cut the tribute to five hundred pounds of silver now and one hundred from next year but you’ll surrender Lethlobar to me as a hostage. If you break faith with me he dies.’
‘If I’m to give up my only son I want to be sure that he is well treated. I also need to be sure you’ll keep faith with me. You have five sons, surrender Óengus, your eldest to me in return.’
The other man shook his head.
‘No, not Óengus. He’s already training to be a warrior. My second son, Fergus Fanát, is the same age as Lethlobar. I suggest that you bring him up for the next five years and I will do the same for your son. When they reach the age of fourteen they will be returned so that they can start their warrior training.’
It was a fair offer and it would be good experience for Lethlobar. However, his wife would probably never forgive him. Although they had three daughters, they had only had one son and she doted on him.
‘So be it, but five hundred pounds of silver is more than I can afford. Three hundred pounds now and seventy thereafter.’
‘Very well. Meet me here with your son and the silver at Noon tomorrow and I’ll have my scribe draw up the treaty now. You can kneel and pay me homage then.’
Eochaid watched him ride back to his camp before turning to Oswiu.
‘Thank you, my friend. That was easier than I was exp
ecting.’
‘There is one thing you seem to have forgotten though. If you acknowledge him as your overlord you’ll be breaking faith with Domnall Brecc as you are a sub-king of Dalriada.’
‘I know and I regret that, but the sea between us has grown ever wider. We and the Caledonian Dalriadans are all Scotii but that’s all in the past now. Ulster is geographically part of Ireland, not Caledonia, and it’s time we accepted the political reality of that fact.’
‘I see. It’s your decision, of course.’
‘I’m sorry you don’t approve, Oswiu, but I don’t have a choice. Domnall Brecc is in no position to support me if I fight on and, to be honest, I suspect he might welcome the break; then he can concentrate on the situation in Caledonia. I’ll write to him and explain if you’d be good enough to take my letter with you when you go.’
‘Of course. Will you also write to Oswald?’
‘Yes, my biggest regret is that he and I are unlike to meet again now. I need to consolidate my position here and I know Oswald faces continuing conflict with Mercia. It’s the penalty we pay for being kings I suppose; we are no longer our own masters.’
~~~
Domnall was at Dun Add when Oswiu arrived there. He greeted his former subject warmly and congratulated him on being the heir to Rheged. However his good mood didn’t last long and he read Eochaid’s letter with a growing scowl.
‘Thank you for bringing this, Oswiu. You obviously know the contents. Would you mind leaving me alone for a while? I need to think about this. Someone will show you to a guest hut.’
‘Thank you, Cyning, but I’ll sleep with my men in their camp down by the loch.’
Domnall nodded absently and then asked Oswiu to come and see him again in the morning.
When Oswiu awoke the next day he looked out of his tent to see a grey fog covering the land and the loch but, by the time that he had gone for a swim in the sea and then washed the salt from his body, the grey haze was starting to lift. He went and ate a bowl of gruel with some of his gesith and then made his way up to the fortress as the sun started to burn off the rest of the mist.
Domnall seemed to be in a better mood too. This time his two sons, Domangart and Cathasach, stood by his side and three of his nobles had joined him. One of them, Fergus, King of Islay and the Isles, Oswiu recognised and they nodded at one another. The two boys were twelve and eight respectively and initially Oswiu ignored them. Then he became aware that the older boy was glaring at him. He found it slightly unnerving but told himself that he was being stupid; why on earth would a young boy hate him and what did it matter anyway.
‘Ah, Oswiu, I’m glad you could join us.’ Domangart snorted in derision, earning himself a sharp look form his father.
‘I don’t know why you want to associate with a traitor, father,’ the boy stated, drawing gasps from the others in the hall at his impudence.
Oswiu was furious. ‘What do you mean ‘traitor’, boy. You’re lucky you’re so young; men have died for less.’
‘Domangart! Be quiet! You’re here as an observer to learn what happens in the small council, nothing more.’
‘No, Domnall, let the boy speak. He must have a reason to say what he did.’ Oswiu’s eyes narrowed as he scrutinised the lad. ‘But it had better be a good one because, if it isn’t, I expect your father to have you flogged.’
The threat didn’t seem to impress Domangart.
‘My father has never laid a hand on me, and isn’t going to on the say so of someone who deserted us when we needed him.’
‘It seems to me that, if he hasn’t yet beaten you, then he should have done so long before this.’
As the atmosphere deteriorated men started to finger the hilts of their swords. The fact that he was on his own didn’t seem to bother Oswiu in the slightest.
‘Stop this! At once!’ the king’s voice cut through the air and his men took a step back.
‘Domangart, leave us!’
‘A moment please, Cyning. I would be grateful if your son could explain what he is accusing me of first.’
His voice was calm and even but the way that the words were spoken managed to convey the anger that Oswiu was feeling more so than yelling would have done.
‘Well, my son? Answer the prince.’
‘If he and his brother had stayed here, as they were sworn to do, then we wouldn’t have been routed at Moira, we wouldn’t have lost three hundred of your best warriors and a quarter of the kingdom to boot. Now, because these two went off to seek glory elsewhere, instead of doing their duty here, we are threatened by the pagan Owain of Strathclyde and by the Picts. We have already lost Skye. It’s all his and his brother’s fault.’
‘You make it sound as if Oswald and Oswiu are better leaders in battle than your father,’ Domnall said with some bitterness.
‘It’s just what all your warriors are saying, father.’
‘Come here, Domangart,’ Oswiu told him, beckoning him with his finger.
The boy’s own anger had dissipated when he saw how badly his words had affected his father and he walked towards the Northumbrian with downcast eyes. Oswiu put one hand on his shoulder and lifted his chin with his other hand so they he and Domangart were looking each other in the eye.
‘Then your father’s warriors don’t know what they’re talking about. Yes, I know that the battle was lost but it wasn’t the first time that Congal Claen had caused his own side to be routed. Oswald and I were at a previous battle when Congal turned his coat and killed his own grandfather. We lost that day too and there was nothing that Oswald or I could have done about it. The defeat wasn’t our fault, no more than the debacle at Moira was your father’s. As for deserting him, we left with your father’s blessing and now, because Rheged threatens Strathclyde from the south and Bernicia from the east, your father can concentrate on defeating the Picts instead of having enemies all around him. Do you understand?’
Domangart nodded and mumbled ‘sorry.’
‘Good, now you’ve apologised perhaps we can forget about that flogging.’
The boy wasn’t entirely certain whether Oswiu was merely jesting.
‘I’m not so sure I’m as willing to forgive you as Prince Oswiu apparently is, Domangart,’ his father told him. ‘You need to acquire some manners and a little discretion, as well as learning not to listen to gossip.’
He turned back to Oswiu, inviting him to sit, along with his councillors. A chastened Domangart resumed his place behind his father and exchanged a sheepish look with Cathesach, mouthing sorry at him. The younger boy stared at him for a moment, then ignored him.
‘Your son mentioned the fact that Picts have recovered the Isle of Skye,’ Oswiu stated flatly.
‘Yes, it’s no great loss -’
‘Maybe not to you, Domnall, but it is to me,’ Fergus interrupted. ‘It was part of my kingdom after all.’
‘What I meant, as you well know, is that Skye provided us with very few good quality warriors, and that is what we need right now. Of more concern is the encroachment of the Picts into Glen Dochart. Of course, this threatens Strathclyde to the south as much as it does Dalriada to the west, but it is a concern. Whilst the Picts were a loose confederation of seven different kingdoms with no one overlord they weren’t much of a menace to us, but now they seem to have united under the rule of Bruide, the son of Uuid, things have changed. I don’t need to tell you that the western end of Glen Dochart is only fifteen miles from the head of Loch Fyne.’
Oswiu sucked his teeth. If the Picts reached that far they would threaten the whole of Eastern Dalriada. Of course, Domnall was right; they could just as easily move into northern Strathclyde instead.
‘What do you propose to do?’
‘I don’t think they’ll do anything further this year. They’ll want to consolidate the gains that they’ve made. I’m expecting them to make a move next spring; by then we’ll be ready for them. I want to muster as many warriors as I can in Glen Aray between the head of Loch Fyne and Loch
Awe. I’m hoping that you might be able to support me Oswiu?’
‘I will if I can but I’m my brother’s hereræswa. I have to go where he wants me and, at the moment, his priorities are to prevent the expansion of Mercia and to re-capture Dùn Èideann. This will bring the remainder of the Gododdin territory back under Northumbrian control.’
‘I see. Well, I’ll pray that he can spare you and your warriors.’
The council proceeded to discuss various plans for dealing with whatever the Picts decided to do and calculating who could supply how many warriors, in which Oswiu only had a passing interest and he began to wonder where Oswald was now. He was jolted back to the present when the council came to an end. He too got up to leave, but Domnall Brecc asked him to stay.
‘I’m grateful to you for the way that you handled my unruly son, Oswiu. He seems to respect you now.’ He hesitated before continuing. ‘I wondered whether you would consider taking him with you and training him as a warrior with your Northumbrian boys?’
To say that Oswiu was flabbergasted would be an understatement. The boy had been deriding him and accusing him of treachery not two hours ago and now Domnall wanted him to take the insolent puppy with him and train him. It beggared belief.
‘Why, Domnall? What’s wrong with training him here? After all, Dalriada didn’t too bad a job of teaching me and Oswald how to fight.’
The king shuffled his feet uncomfortably. Plainly he didn’t want to explain why. In the end he decided to be honest.
‘It’s his mother. She dotes on her first born and she indulges him. I’m afraid he’s growing up to be a spoilt brat. You saw an example of what he can be like earlier.’
‘Yes, indeed. That explains a lot. Very well, I’ll take him with me when I go. I don’t envy you having to tell his mother though.’