‘Are you blaming Dúnliath for these deaths? Come now.’ Colgú’s voice was tense. ‘I am beginning to think that your dislike of the girl has led you astray in this matter, Fidelma. You surely can’t believe that because she was the daughter of Étain she—’
‘You have never done me an injustice before, brother,’ Fidelma interrupted. ‘Nor me, you. Last night I promised that today I would reveal everything before your Chief Brehon. I trust that you will allow him to judge what I say before you condemn me?’
Colgú’s face coloured a little as he said, ‘True. You have never let me down before, sister. Very well – you must do what you must.’ He then left the chamber with Caol. It was clear that he was angry, but was making a conscious effort to control himself. Enda and Tormeid appeared discomfited, but Fidelma did not bother to enlighten them. Instead, she turned to Gelgéis, who also appeared uncomfortable at the King’s departure.
‘Last night I sought your permission to use your Great Hall, lady. Can we call all the relevant parties together there at the time of the midday bell?’
Gelgéis inclined her head. ‘I have already made the arrangement.’
‘Then you will excuse us until then.’ Fidelma rose and went to the door, followed by Eadulf and Enda. Gelgéis and Tormeid watched them go with troubled expressions.
The Great Hall of Gelgéis of Durlus, Princess of the Éile, was abuzz with excitement. It had never been so crowded. There was, however, only a small proportion of the inhabitants of Durlus present, compared with the warriors of both the Éile and Cashel. At one end of the hall was a raised platform on which stood a central chair, occupied by Colgú. Next to him sat Gelgéis, while on the other side of the Princess of Éile sat her Brehon, Brocc. Bishop Daig of Durlus sat alongside him. By the King’s other side sat the Chief Brehon Áedo and Abbot Ségdae, as senior bishop of Muman. Spealáin, as steward of the fortress, stood ready behind Gelgéis. To one side of the platform, Tormeid was stationed with half-a-dozen warriors of Éile; at the other side were Caol, Gormán and Enda, with several Cashel warriors.
Fidelma and Eadulf had already taken their places facing the King, having made sure that Dúnliath was present in the hall. Ailill, commander of what was now her bodyguard, stood close by. Fidelma noticed that even their erstwhile host, the smith Gobán, had deserted his forge to become an interested spectator at the back of the hall. It was apparent that Colgú’s mood was restless, a sign of his irritability. The Chief Brehon of Muman opened the proceedings by asking Fidelma to speak.
‘I do not wish to take up much of your time,’ she said. ‘Much of what has happened in these few days has already been explained. But I must reiterate some matters so that we may come to a better understanding of them.’
She paused and waited for a signal from her brother for permission to proceed in her own way.
‘Some days ago, the body of a noble was found not far from Cashel, and it was on that matter I was sent to investigate. At first it was thought that the dead man was a Laigin envoy. Eventually, he was revealed to be Bran Finn of the Déisi Muman. The discovery of his body began to unravel a conspiracy against this kingdom. To make it simple, there were four leading conspirators. These were Étain of An Dún, Cronán of Gleann an Ghuail, and the King of Laigin, although we can only infer his participation by his actions rather than be able to prove it with the evidence which was destroyed by the murderer of Bran Finn. That murderer was the fourth conspirator.’
Colgú heaved a tired sigh. ‘And you will of course name that conspirator?’
‘Of course.’
‘And you will prove to us beyond doubt that person’s participation in this conspiracy?’
Fidelma was aware of a suppressed sob from Dúnliath.
‘That I shall,’ she answered determinedly. ‘Everyone knows that Étain was declared a dásachach, having been found guilty of murdering her own son as well as others. She was removed to the Glen of Lunatics. It was there that her cousin Cronán manipulated her religious madness to his own ends and was able to persuade her that she should embark on a religious crusade. In his pretence to be Abbot of Liath Mór, he told her that she had been summoned by “the seventh angel” to drive the “impure of faith” from the land. He provided her with money to gather a small band of mercenaries to attack clergy and churches in the west. She did so with relish.
‘As I said, Brother Ailgesach, who was from Durlus, was one of those who attended the unfortunates of the Glen of Lunatics, and his work among the insane had driven him to alcohol as a means of compensating for the traumatic effect of that experience. He had discovered what Étain was planning, but was unable to get information about the extent of the conspiracy. He knew she was being visited by emissaries from Cronán dressed as religious, so he contacted Bran Finn of the Déisi Muman. As you know, Étain was of the Déisi and had been married to a member of Bran Finn’s family, and so it was his family that were responsible for her. Therefore, according to law, it was up to Bran Finn to ensure that she was cared for, after having her property confiscated when she was declared insane. Bran Finn agreed that he would visit her in the Glen of Lunatics, ostensibly to see that she was lacking nothing in her care, but also to try to find out more about the conspiracy and bring the facts to Brother Ailgesach.
‘Brother Ailgesach told Gelgéis about the arrangement. Gelgéis, knowing that Cronán had recently built a fortress less than a day away across the Suir, was worried. She also knew that Brother Ailgesach in his condition would scarcely be a credible witness if anything developed, so she arranged that she and Tormeid would go to see him. He failed to turn up. He had been murdered before he could bring the evidence to Ailgesach’s cabin. When Eadulf and I searched the place, we found a note signed by the initial B. The writer said he had evidence of the conspiracy and would arrive with it to show Ailgesach about the time of the third quarter of the moon.
‘As I say, he was the young noble whose body had been found in the stream near Cashel. Bran Finn had said in his note that the best place to hide something was in full sight. The connection was therefore simple.
‘A brooch bearing the emblem of the Uí Máil of Laigin was pinned on his cloak. This had a hollow niche inside it where a message could have been hidden. I do not doubt it contained the proof of the conspiracy. The killer removed the incriminating message but left the brooch, probably not realising it could be identified as belonging to the Royal House of Laigin. That was also evidence that Bran Finn carried in full sight. However, the killer did know that the wand of office that Bran Finn carried had the emblem of the Déisi on it, which would identify Bran Finn. That evidence was snapped off at the top and the telltale emblem discarded.’
She took up her marsupium and from it she removed the brooch with the emblem of the Uí Máil on it, then the piece of paper with Bran Finn’s note and, finally, the broken bottom half of the wand of office and gave them to Brehon Áedo.
‘Sometimes in these matters, not all details can be discovered. We know that warnings about Brother Ailgesach were sent to Cronán. Who sent them, whether Étain or the person I shall call “the chief conspirator”, we will probably never know. We do know that Cronán sent Biasta to kill Ailgesach. And we know that Cronán’s own son Sillán was sent to Durlus disguised as a religieux. Perhaps some word of Ailgesach having visited there had reached Cronán.
‘This was the complicated part. Still worried about why Bran Finn had not appeared, Tormeid went to meet Ailgesach and Bran Finn. When Bran Finn still failed to appear, they decided to return to Durlus. Tormeid later chose to go to Imleach to try to find him. Gelgéis took their horses back to Durlus while Tormeid attempted to get a boat on the River Suir. Sillán found this out and sent some of his men to abduct Tormeid and Gelgéis, not knowing that Gelgéis had already reached the safety of Durlus. Unfortunately for me, the abductors thought I was Tormeid’s companion. I have already explained that part. I do not want to confuse things by going into that matter again …’
�
�But I am confused,’ Tormeid said, stepping forward. ‘May I speak?’
Colgú glanced at Fidelma and she signalled her assent.
‘You said Biasta was on the road south to Fraigh Dubh in order to kill Brother Ailgesach. How could he be, when he had already killed Bran Finn to prevent him meeting with us at Ailgesach’s chapel?’
‘I did not say it was Biasta who killed Bran Finn,’ Fidelma replied. ‘The killer was our fourth conspirator. In fact, he was the man who orchestrated the entire conspiracy.’
For the first time Colgú became alert. Craning forward, he stared at his sister.
‘Did you say – man?’
‘I did,’ she confirmed. ‘Everyone would be led to believe there was some religious turmoil in this kingdom. Then, Colgú, you would be assassinated. That would be the point when Fianamail would seize the opportunity to march his warriors through Osraige and against Cashel on the pretext of securing peace. He would then place a new ruler – who would be his puppet – on the throne of Cashel.’
‘We have spoken of this before,’ Colgú said with a frown. ‘And I told you that such a successor had to be of the Eóghanacht bloodline to gain approval. Finguine, our cousin, is my tánaiste. He is the one who would succeed me.’
‘That was not the idea.’ Fidelma was grim. ‘Finguine would be disposed of; probably he would be made to seem responsible for the plot to overthrow you, so that the real conspirator could grasp power. Finguine would be declared unworthy by him. So Fianamail would place a new person in Cashel as legitimate ruler, someone the Eóghanacht derbhine, the electoral college of the family, would deem suitable. That person would have to be another Eóghanacht.’
Gelgéis was nodding in agreement. ‘That was why Tormeid and I were not forthcoming with you, Fidelma. You could easily have been in a conspiracy against your brother. Such things have been known.’
Colgú was trying to follow the logic. ‘The succession is clear … If Finguine were to be ousted as my heir apparent, then who would have any legitimate claim?’
Fidelma paused for a moment and then spoke slowly. ‘Our father’s nephew, Máenach, succeeded to the Throne of Cashel and ruled wisely and well for over twenty years. He died eight years ago. But he had a son.’
There was a sudden and complete silence in the hall as many eyes turned on the figure standing behind Dúnliath.
It happened very abruptly. With a cry of rage Ailill sprang forward, drawing his sword and swinging it around his head to clear a path. Using this method, he fought his way towards the doors. With the hall crowded, however, he did not stand a chance. Many voices were calling on him to surrender and he was forced to halt. His sword in one hand, no one noticed that he had also drawn a dagger in the other. Giving one more desperate glance around for an avenue of escape, he drew himself up, uttered a harsh laugh and drove the dagger straight up under his chin. Blood spouted and sprayed from the wound and he fell backwards without a sound.
The profound silence of shock was broken by a shriek of grief as Dúnliath half-rose from her chair and then collapsed senseless on to the floor.
It was a while before those crowded around were brought to order. The body of Ailill mac Máenach was carried away and Dúnliath escorted to her chamber. There was a quiet in the hall.
‘Ailill by his action seems to have confirmed your accusation, Fidelma,’ Brehon Áedo said gruffly. ‘However, it would be best if you explained how you came to your conclusions.’
Fidelma sighed as she spoke. ‘I never thought that he would kill himself,’ she confessed. ‘However, potius mori quam foedari – better to die than to be dishonoured. But the death of any member of our family is a matter of sadness. In this instance, the sadness is intermingled with shame as we of the Eóghanacht claim our true descent from Eibhear Foinn, son of the incomparable Míle Éaspain who brought the Children of the Gael to this land at the dawn of time. We are proud of our lineage and our honour. The fact that our cousin could be party to such a conspiracy against his own family is a grievous blemish on our honour.’
She turned to her brother and those gathered with him.
‘Having discovered the conspiracy, and realising that the death of Bran Finn played a central role in the matter, I come back to that very point. Bran Finn had travelled from the land of the Déisi Muman to visit Étain in the Glen of Lunatics, to ensure that she was adequately provided for and to get information for Brother Ailgesach. Being a noble who believed in protocol, he first came to Cashel, to pay his respects to you. While there, he saw Drón and Ailill – or, rather, they saw him. He must have said something which alerted Ailill to the risk that knowledge of the conspiracy might be obtained by the Prince of the Déisi. Bran Finn went on to see Abbot Ségdae at Imleach and then on to the Glen of Lunatics. By what means I cannot know, he discovered that Étain possessed a Laigin locket containing a message which was evidence of the complicity of Fianamail, King of Laigin. Finn was making his way to keep that rendezvous with Ailgesach at Fraigh Dubh when Ailill came upon him or, indeed, was lying in wait for him.’
‘How was that possible?’ demanded Colgú. ‘Ailill was a guest at Cashel.’
‘You will remember that on the day before Bran Finn’s body was discovered, our cousin Ailill went hunting? He was late back with nothing to show for his pains, but boasted of a near-miss with a red deer. It is possible that a warrior of Ailill’s ability could have a bad day at the hunt, but I doubt that he was hunting for deer. He was hunting for Bran Finn and found and slew him. He took the contents of the locket but, stupidly, he left the locket itself which bore the emblem of the Laigin King.’
‘What was inside the locket?’
‘As I said, we shall never know exactly. I should suspect either an assurance from Fianamail or a message to him. Whatever it was, it would be evidence to implicate Fianamail which we now, alas, lack. With Bran Finn dead, Ailill returned to Cashel. We saw tracks of a horse further along the stream.’
‘But surely Bran Finn was riding a horse?’
‘He was, but Ailill led it away after he had done the deed and turned it loose upon the heath at Fraigh Dubh. The carpenter, Saer, told us that he had seen a horse running wild on the Black Heath that morning.’
‘Are you saying that Ailill killed Drón as well?’ demanded Gelgéis.
‘Dego had requested reinforcement because he was suspicious that the raiders might be laying a trap. Once Colgú had left Cashel with his warriors, it was Ailill who persuaded Drón to bring his daughter to Durlus for safety. I presume the purpose was to meet up with Cronán and await the arrival of Fianamail. This was where Ailill made a mistake. He tried to throw the blame for the decision to come here on Drón. This would have made Drón look guilty. At that stage no one outside the conspiracy knew the raiders were led by Étain or of her religious fanaticism. But Ailill knew. When we spoke at the stables here, he said, “What need we fear of a band of religious fanatics, raiders out of the Glen of Lunatics led by a crazed old woman?”’
‘Why kill Drón?’ asked Brehon Áedo.
‘To keep him quiet before he could speak to me. Drón had become suspicious; he had asked to see me. When Eadulf and I went to his chamber we passed Ailill coming from that direction. We arrived in Drón’s chamber to find him dying. His last word misled us. He simply said “Étain”. Maybe he had heard that she was leading the raiders – she, who had been his wife and the mother of his precious daughter. I am not sure if there was anything else. Anyway, Drón was dead.’
‘And what of the murder of Étain? Was that Ailill again?’
‘Now that was a great mistake on Ailill’s part. He thought he could release the old woman and guide her to Colgú’s chamber where she could be persuaded to attack him in her frenzy. Then his plot could proceed as before. Colgú would be assassinated and Cronán and the King of Laigin would enter Durlus. Ailill would be declared the rightful heir to the throne of Muman. The problem was that Étain had her moments of sanity as well as insanity. She refused to
cooperate. Her enemies were the religious, whom she saw as betraying the True Faith, or her own conception of the Faith. It was not with Colgú. She resisted Ailill and he killed her.’
‘But Eadulf swears that her last words as she was dying were “my daughter”. That implied her attacker was Dúnliath,’ pointed out Colgú.
‘That was my misinterpretation,’ Eadulf admitted. ‘In fact, she was expressing her fear for her daughter not of her daughter.’
Colgú’s features lightened. ‘A fear because Étain knew that by marrying me, her daughter, Dúnliath, would be in danger from Ailill?’
There was a moment’s silence and then Fidelma raised troubled eyes to her brother. She wondered whether he knew the truth. Then she said, ‘In her last moment of sanity, I think Étain feared for her daughter’s safety if Ailill’s ambition was fulfilled.’
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
It was several days later when Fidelma and Eadulf were seated in Gelgéis’s reception chamber alongside Colgú and Tormeid. There was a lighter atmosphere in the room than there had been on previous occasions. Dúnliath had been allowed to depart from Durlus with the body of her father for burial at Gabrán. Ailill had been buried without the ceremony which, in other circumstances, would have been his due as an Eóghanacht prince. His grave would remain unmarked for he had forfeited those rights. All the Uí Duach hostages at Liath Mór had been released and Sillán and the survivors of Cronán’s men had been taken under escort to the fortress of Tuaim Snámha, the Prince of Osraige, for him to mete out justice. It was accepted that he had not been involved with Cronán in his conspiracy with Fianamail of Laigin.
Colgú, however, was looking tired and careworn as he told them that he had just received a message from the Chief Brehon of the Five Kingdoms, Brehon Sedna.
‘Brehon Sedna is now in the Laigin capital of Ferna,’ he told them. ‘The threat of warfare between Laigin and Muman has entirely receded. He sends us news that Fianamail of Laigin has withdrawn his army from the borders of Osraige and disbanded it.’
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