but in times of old, the goddess had been known to show herself as an old woman at Lough Gur or Cnoc Áine. He hoped the crone was not the deity he would have to bed in order to become Munster’s legitimate high king.
“Teague’s men are gathering beyond the lake,” said Geileis, and Rohrke forgot about the old lady.
“How do you know?”
“Peadar saw them when he went out to hunt.”
Then war was truly imminent. His men must commence sharpening their spears and arrows right away, and he needed to order everyone to stay inside Bal ygur’s wal s. Áine would just have to understand the unusual circumstances this year.
He considered the terrain near the lake as they walked, and thought about battle plans. He wondered what Teague’s strategy would be. How many men on horseback would he muster? How many swords and spears? His anger grew with every step, and he hoped for nothing more than to spit Teague on his own spear. He was so preoccupied with his fury that he barely heard Geileis’
low chatter beside him.
When they reached the wal s of Bal ygur, it was almost ful dark, and Rohrke could smel the hearth fires that burned in every house. Sedric drew him away from Geileis, and the anger that had burned inside him during the walk home seemed to recede gradual y, as did his hazy thoughts.
Something was very odd, but Rohrke could not quite place what it was. He narrowed his eyes as Geileis’ henchman came, took her arm and strode away with her, glancing back at him with a vacant grin. He knew little of the woman and her servant – but when they were together, he never had the wherewithal to question her.
She was beautiful, with hair and eyes as black as the bottom of a wel . Her lashes were as dark as soot, and her skin shimmered like alabaster. But she did not stir him, which was just as wel , for Sláine Mac Murchada was meant to be his wife.
“My lord, we must talk,” said the Druid.
“Not now, Sedric,” Rohrke walked towards his stone fortress. “There is much to be done.”
“Aye, but we must try to understand what has happened and what Teague hopes to accomplish.”
“He wants our lands. Our cattle.”
“How do you know what he wants?” Sedric demanded, his frustration bleeding through his words. “Neither side has attempted to talk. We’ve always been on reasonably friendly terms with Teague. What’s happened to change that?”
Rohrke blew out a deep breath. He wasn’t sure. Except that his blood boiled every time he thought of Teague’s grin. He wanted to bash the man’s teeth in.
“Something evil works among us, my king,” the Druid continued. “Something dark and terrible.”
“Do not speak to me of elusive evils, Sedric,” Rohrke said.
“What we face is real. ’Tis solid and wel armed. We must prepare ourselves – see to our weapons and our horses.”
“Aye.” Sedric dipped his head in a slight bow.
“I don’t know what’s happened to destroy our relations with Teague. I wil wed Sláine Mac Murchada tonight, and then we’l have the forces we need to defeat him.”
“But, my lord,” Sedric said gravely, “you must first bed the goddess.” Rohrke clenched his teeth. There were many myths and legends surrounding the Scannláin kings, and he knew some of them to be true. But there was far too much at stake now to be thinking about goddesses and solstice celebrations.
“Then I wil wait. If my bedding Áine is meant to be, then it wil occur upon the morrow, when the goddess comes to Cnoc Áine to partake of our celebrations.” He only hoped Teague would not attack before then. Rohrke kept moving towards his stone fortress as Sedric talked. “My lord, would you consider sending an emissary to Ó Fionn? There might be a way to end these hostilities peaceful y.”
“Why would you think—” Rohrke stopped short at the sight of a young woman approaching from the east end of the vil age. She looked vaguely familiar, and yet he knew he’d never seen her before. A
“Teague’s men are gathering beyond the lake,” said Geileis, and Rohrke forgot about the old lady.
“How do you know?”
“Peadar saw them when he went out to hunt.”
Then war was truly imminent. His men must commence sharpening their spears and arrows right away, and he needed to order everyone to stay inside Bal ygur’s wal s. Áine would just have to understand the unusual circumstances this year.
He considered the terrain near the lake as they walked, and thought about battle plans. He wondered what Teague’s strategy would be. How many men on horseback would he muster? How many swords and spears? His anger grew with every step, and he hoped for nothing more than to spit Teague on his own spear. He was so preoccupied with his fury that he barely heard Geileis’
low chatter beside him.
When they reached the wal s of Bal ygur, it was almost ful dark, and Rohrke could smel the hearth fires that burned in every house. Sedric drew him away from Geileis, and the anger that had burned inside him during the walk home seemed to recede gradual y, as did his hazy thoughts.
Something was very odd, but Rohrke could not quite place what it was. He narrowed his eyes as Geileis’ henchman came, took her arm and strode away with her, glancing back at him with a vacant grin. He knew little of the woman and her servant – but when they were together, he never had the wherewithal to question her.
She was beautiful, with hair and eyes as black as the bottom of a wel . Her lashes were as dark as soot, and her skin shimmered like alabaster. But she did not stir him, which was just as wel , for Sláine Mac Murchada was meant to be his wife.
“My lord, we must talk,” said the Druid.
“Not now, Sedric,” Rohrke walked towards his stone fortress. “There is much to be done.”
“Aye, but we must try to understand what has happened and what Teague hopes to accomplish.”
“He wants our lands. Our cattle.”
“How do you know what he wants?” Sedric demanded, his frustration bleeding through his words. “Neither side has attempted to talk. We’ve always been on reasonably friendly terms with Teague. What’s happened to change that?”
Rohrke blew out a deep breath. He wasn’t sure. Except that his blood boiled every time he thought of Teague’s grin. He wanted to bash the man’s teeth in.
“Something evil works among us, my king,” the Druid continued. “Something dark and terrible.”
“Do not speak to me of elusive evils, Sedric,” Rohrke said.
“What we face is real. ’Tis solid and wel armed. We must prepare ourselves – see to our weapons and our horses.”
“Aye.” Sedric dipped his head in a slight bow.
“I don’t know what’s happened to destroy our relations with Teague. I wil wed Sláine Mac Murchada tonight, and then we’l have the forces we need to defeat him.”
“But, my lord,” Sedric said gravely, “you must first bed the goddess.” Rohrke clenched his teeth. There were many myths and legends surrounding the Scannláin kings, and he knew some of them to be true. But there was far too much at stake now to be thinking about goddesses and solstice celebrations.
“Then I wil wait. If my bedding Áine is meant to be, then it wil occur upon the morrow, when the goddess comes to Cnoc Áine to partake of our celebrations.” He only hoped Teague would not attack before then. Rohrke kept moving towards his stone fortress as Sedric talked. “My lord, would you consider sending an emissary to Ó Fionn? There might be a way to end these hostilities peaceful y.”
“Why would you think—” Rohrke stopped short at the sight of a young woman approaching from the east end of the vil age. She looked vaguely familiar, and yet he knew he’d never seen her before. A
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