Braedan tries to persuade his father to let them go insearch of the fragment being mindful of the the other needs of the kingdom.
"The Spear of Lugh is nothing more than an old legend," the king discourages his son. "War is coming, and we had best focus on the battles ahead. Soon, we will be marching the circuit with Connaught..."
Father Ó'Máille finds his son still praying. It has been hours since his return, and he has still not said a word.
The old priest crosses himself, and kneels next to the young man.
"What is wrong, my son?" he asks. Brother Ó'Máille cannot but wonder if it is his father who addresses him thus, or the parish priest. The question is at the very heart of the reforms that have been demanded by the pope.
He explains his vision to his father, who then reflects upon it. "You drank from a sacred spring and had the vision during mass. This is a message from God, which cannot be ignored. The arch of white marble must be the Marble Arch Caves, which are south East of here. And the High Cross could be the one at Boho. But the woman, the swans, and the wolves... I do not know."
"You must answer the call of our Lord," he concludes before also committing himself to silent prayer.
That night, the young priest's dreams are haunted by the wailing woman. She beckons, and her pain stays with him. He knows that he will have no peace until her spirit is put to rest.
She refilled the bowl with water and grabbed up another few rags and returned to Fintan's room. "I see they brought you something to eat, I was going to ask if you'd want me to cook something up but I guess that won't be needed now." she said as she dipped the rag into the water before twisting it to get excess out before laying it over Fintan's back to cool the wounds. "Is that helping any?" She asked.
Fintan sits in silence as Aoife speaks, a bowl of soup on his lap, a spoon in his hand. He seems rather distraught and tired.
"It's okay. I'm okay." Fintan mutters those words like a sad refrain, and he shakes his head a little, and he clenches his fist.
"You are a good friend," he mutters. "Mother says..." Fintan chews on that thought - almost literally, for he makes a sort of chewing motion, as if trying to grind his ideas and words into something he can actually speak - before adding in another vague string: "Mother is... No, she- she is confused. I'm confused. I am..."
Fintan's hand is balled into a fist about his wooden spoon, and he stops when he hears a 'snap.' He opens his hand and sees the spoon has been broken in two by his grip.
"I am angry," he says as he sets the broken spoon aside. He goes quiet again and grips his bowl with both hands, gulping down mouthfuls of the soup.
Aoife looked down as Fintan tried to speak of his mother. She wasn't sure if she should tell him... Would it make things worse? Would he even understand?
She picked up the broken spoon, placing the pieces back together. She knew how it felt... To be broken. Slave to a King who was kind enough but never told her why left her confused. Then at the mercy of a woman who despised her very existence for no reason give or shown, left her angry and frustrated. Finally, it was all wrapped up in guilt and pain... For Fintan. He had always been kind to her, even with how his mother treated her, and seemed to actually care about what happened to her. Everything just left her feeling exhausted and... Broken. She set the spoon aside and placed her hand on Fintan's as he set the bowl down once he finished it.
"Your mother just doesn't like me..." She told him softly. "She never has, I do not know why but... That's just how it has always been." She tried to explain. "Fintan, thank you for what you did today." Aoife said softly as she squeezed his hand. "I won't ever forget it." She tried to keep her voice steady and soft, to ensure her own angry didn't take over. She had already shouted at the King, which she regreted, but she had gotten of free from that. While she didn't think Fintan would hurt her, she didn't want to upset him with how much she despised his mother.
Fintan nods a little bit. He gently pulls away his hand and wipes a few tears from his face, then mutters, "I need to sleep. We should practice with swords tomorrow, Aoife. You like fighting with swords."
"Of couse." Aoife said with a smile as she gathered up everything on the tray his food had been brought in on, and left him to rest. She tossed the spoon away and went about cleaning everything else. Once done with that she finished her chores before she went to turn in for the evening.
The sun rises on a beautiful day. The promise of spring is in the air.
As the day goes by, warriors from all across the kingdom arrive. Tomorrow, the king will lead them to join with the army of Breifne, to march the circuit along with the King of Connaught. They will call upon all kings to either submit and swear allegiance, or face them on the field and die.
After that, a new High King will be crowned at Tara.
"Fintan, you and your brother will stay here, to advise and protect the queen, your mother," the king commands.
"Do not fail me again," he warns.
With the dawn of a new day, the young priest goes silently about his duties at the church. The vision and events of the past few days still weigh heavy on his mind. The first time he speaks is late morning to Padraic. "I talked with father. He suggested the arch in my vision represents the Marble Arch Caves south east of here. I need to go there." His gaze drifts and he sighs heavily. "I'm worried about Aoife as well. I know she is strong, but-" Ó Máille cuts the sentence short, shaking his head as if tossing the thoughts from his mind. "I don't know if I can make the journey to the caves by myself. I would greatly appreciate your company, Padraic."
Aoife set out doing her morning chores. Setting the table for the family before bringing out the food and drink for their breakfast. She could do this blindfolded with how many times she'd done this.
With that finished she returned to the kitchen to prepare what needed to be prepped now before cooking. Though she tried to keep her mind on what she was doing, it wondered. While her time outside of this place was short and not too pleasant... she did enjoy it. She had gotten a taste of something dangerous, freedom. Yet as she pushed that though to the back of her mind she felt a sharp pain in her hand, which snapped her back. She had cut her hand open a bit while daydreaming, and she quickly set the knife down and grabbed a rag to wrap around the small but bloody wound. "Fool..." She hissed at herself as she waited for the bleeding to stop.
"We will honor you," Fintan says, keeping his head bowed. A thought comes to him - he imagines the King stuck through the chest by a sword - and he pauses.
"Good luck, Father," he tells him after a pause, "and God bless." He hopes that well-wishing works.
Padraic looks up from where he had been working, oiling his armor and weapons, preparing to go and petition the King to join the army marching to meet Breifne. He takes a moment to think, before nodding and standing slowly, beginning to prepare for the trip ahead.
"I'll lead you on this trip Brother, no fear of that. And as for Aoife, well, we can request she joins us on our trip, if you like? The King will listen to you, you are a Holy man. He has no warriors to spare in protecting you on your Pilgrimage and these are uncertain times. Aoife proved herself to be stout of heart and also level headed. You admire her and wish to have her accompany you. Easy enough to convince him I'd wager!"
'Maybe I will catch the army up, later.'
Brother Ó Máille thinks upon Padraic's words, and crosses himself.
"Christ be with me," he prays. And then he has a waking dream: Five wolves howling under a full moon.
Padraic catches him as he staggers, and looks upon him with concern. They grew up together, and never has Padraic seen his old friend so preoccupied.
"It's the vision again. The Lord showed me the wolves once more. I don't - wait. There are five of them. There were five in our group to Belcoo. I think you're right, Padraic. I must got to the king.
Upon hearing of his intent, Father Ó Máille offers to accompany his son to the king's court.
"However, perhaps it would be best to speak to your friends before addressing the king?" the priest advises. "The King rides tomorrow, and he may not be inclined to command his sons away from Largay, on what could be construed as a fool's errand."
Ó Máille agrees with his father. Though recent events within the church have made it difficult to know his true intentions, the brother cannot doubt the wisdom in his words. The young priest knows his destination, but on the way there spend time deciding who he should speak to first, eventually settling on Braedan. Aoife would likely scoff at his motivations and Fintan would need convincing to defy his father's orders.
As the Brother goes to speak to Braedan, Padraic himself seeks out the older brother and Aoife, hoping to speak to them warrior to warrior.
"The vision I had a few days ago still haunts me, but I think I know more of what it means. The Lord is telling me to go to the Marble Arch Caves. Padraic has agreed to join me, but the number five plays a large role in this vision. I believe I'll need that many people to make the journey. I'm not sure what we'll find there, but I'd like to ask you, your brother, and Aoife to accompany us as well."
Aoife and pointed out Padraic as he walked up to the two, a bit of a worried look on her face. She knew it wasn't "proper" for her to be praticing along side Fintan, but they had been able to play it off as nothing before.
"Padraic." She said with a nod of acknowledgement before she moved and set the practice weapons aside. She had a practice sword in her right and a practice dagger in her left.
Braedan is in the main room of the house, scarcely to be called a castle in these times, when Brother O'Maille arrives. The bard puts down his horn pipe though the sweet music lingers in the air a few moments while the two embrace and find comfortable seating.
"You look like you did the other night my brother. Aye visited by ghosts of the past or is it future this time?"
When the Brother explains his request Braedan nods his head...
"Yes, from the first time I heard about your vision I have thought many the same things however I didn't recall the caves at the time. I can't speak for the rest of us but I for one am behind you...heart of my heart. I only ask one thing in return, that after this excursion to the caves is over, you will help me discover the truth about this fragment. If nothing else it is a piece of history and part of my lineage. For that I'll be forever behold'n to ya."
The priest smiles for the fist time in days. "You have my word, Braedan, thank you. Pardaic went to speak with Fintan and Aoife. Mayhap we can catch up with him."
Padraic smiled and saluted the two warriors. "Aye keeping sharp? Good for yeh, good for all of us!" He gestured at the practice weapons in their hands. "I'm here asking for yer help, both of yeh. The Brother has had more visions. He saw five wolves again and knows where they must go. Wolves are only strong in a pack and you two are part of that pack it seems . Come with me, watch his back, be my right and left flank and we will find the Fragment of the spear. Freedom for you maybe," He gestured at Aoife before looking at Fintan, "And recognition for you. You both deserve it. Come, bold men and women prosper, the meek get nothing!"
Braedan says...
"Right behind you brother...just need to gather a few things. Let the others know I'm coming but don't leave until father rides out tomorrow with the army. We don't want them coming after us, aye?"
He packs his normal items for the trip and stores them under his bed. Before he leaves, to join the others, he decides to check in with the steward of the house and look in on his mother to 'reassure' her on the eve of the army leaving.
Aoife was quiet for a moment before sighing. "I can't..." She stated. "No matter how much I'd want to help, unless you get the King to agree to let me go, I cannot leave."
"No, you are confusing yer words there lass, ye won't, not ya can't. You can do anything your body will physically let you to do!"
"You have a duty to serve the King and to protect his family. Fintan has yet to answer but we both know Braedan will be going to join the Brother."
"Padraic, Fintan took my punishment for me after the trip we just took." Aoife pointed out as she crossed her arms. "And Braedan was the one who told me to go!" She added.
"Think what would happen if I left and wasn't told to leave? The Queen would have my head while the King's away." Aoife said. "I won't let Fintan take anymore punishment because of me!"
"I guess five become four then. I'm sure the mysterious visions from what can only be God will understand. They rarely mean whatever they show us, right?" He looked at her meaningfully before turning to Fintan.
"You at least will come will you not Fintan?"
At the mention of God Aoife gave a small laugh. "Oh I doubt he would care. Trust me, I stopped walking that path four years ago." She told him.
Ó Máille approaches the three as Aoife laughs. "Independent of your belief in God or His love for us, I believe. To that end, I will do everything in my power to bring what I see as God's will to fruition. This includes ensuring you join us, and taking responsibility for any negative outcomes that may arise as a result of my, or your, actions. Should the Queen have you punished, I give my word that I will stand by you." The priest looks to Fintan and notices the fresh wounds peeking from underneath his clothing. "You as well, Fintan. This journey is my responsibility and I will allow no one, save myself, take blame for it." His gaze shifts back to Aoife, his green eyes filled with emotion. "Please, trust me, Aoife."
Aoife clinch her jaw as she looked from Padraic to the Brother, then back, finally over to Fintan. After a few moments from looking between the three she took a long deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before slowly letting it out through her nose. "If both Fintan and Braeden are going, I shall... accompany you to this, place you've seen in these visions." She said as calmly as she could.
Fintan of course agrees to go. He knows it is right, and true, and just. And these are his friends.
"Tomorrow night," he decides. And so it came to be that the five wolves of Largay embraced their destinies.
Morning comes with gray skies and a light drizzle.
Aoife remains in the kitchen while the others assist their kin in the final preparations for the journey to come. They will not return until after the crowning ceremony at Tara. And many will not return at all.
The King embraces Braedan, shakes Fintan's hand, and kisses the queen with cold lips. He then leads one hundred warriors of Largay South to join with the King of Breifne.
And suddenly, all is quiet in the village. Only ten warriors remain now, to guard the queen and the cattle that will likely soon be driven back into the fields.
You wait until nightfall before departing. When all are asleep, you sneak out quietly, and head down to the river. The moon is full, and the night is fresh. It feels good to be on your way. It feels right. Guided by Padraig, you all head SE along the Southern shore of Lower Lough MacNean until you reach the River Gladagh. Then, you head upstream.
"The mouth of the caves is at the end of the glen from which the river flows," Padraic explains.
You make your way up into the rolling hills at the foot of the Cuilcagh mountains. And then you hear them: wolves howling at the moon.
Aoife stopped and stiffened slightly as she heard the wolves howling. "Oh great." She muttered to herself. "You any good with wolves Padraic?" She asked as she looked from her place at the back of the line up to Padraic.
"There's the wolves you needed you gits. I'll bet there's five of them too. I could be home in my warm bed" Braedan hisses but with a bit of excitement in his voice.
Fintan is quiet during the night ride, his hand clenched tightly about his lance. He lets the others talk on the trip to the caves, keeping his hand about his spear, and his spear resting upon his shoulder. When he hears the howling of the wolves, he slows Brave down and urges the good horse a few feet off to the side, the better to make himself some room to ride in.
"We'll get home, Braedan," he tells his brother encouragingly. "It's just wolves."
Braedan snickers at his brother while drawing his bow...
"I'm not worried about the wolves you dolt. All this whining from Aoife, trying to convince her to come is getting on my nerves. Just because Brother O'Maille thought we were all needed and she's afraid of a few more scars. Here's his five Wolves howling at the moon.
After a brief pause, he continues...
Hmmm...I might be able to get a few hours of sleep even before dawn..."
"Not my fault you weren't bright enough to turn the question into a order." Aoife told him with a shrug. "And I am sorry that my will to live is so problematic for you." She said sarcastically with a cross of her arms. "Scars do not scare me fool, my head being removed by your mother, is my fear. And given her normal reaction to anything I do, I'd say that's a solid fear to have." She stated bluntly.
"So wolves are related to the Canine family, so their sense of smell is their strongest sense, but, they still have ears. So can you all kindly shut the f!%* up while we try not to get eaten?"
Passaic sighs and crouched low as he begins to move through slowly out in front, scouting as he goes.
Braedan is shocked at the absurity of the girl.
"Call me a fool again slave and I shall remove your head for you. You are about as thick as Fintan. You insult me and the Church and say you fear death. Either of us could have you killed with no one to object. Bite your tongue and let's hear no more of it. You came here as did I we shall see what becomes of it."
To Padraic he scoffs...
"Yes my brother and their sense of smell told them we were coming miles before their sense of hearing or sight told them anything. You would do well to watch your words and pay attention to your work. I shall to mine."
Aoife just sighed as she shook her head. "As you say then." She said with a simple shrug. This was the worst thing to do...
Aoife drew her dagger as looked around the area, waiting. "I think maybe we should keep moving..." She whispered softly.
You make your careful way up the hill.
"Wolves are clever hunters," Padraic warns. "They will be keeping to higher ground."
You hear another howl, and seconds later, Braeden alone sees a single beast sneaking through the undergrowth towards you in the night, 50' uphill from Padraic who is in the lead .
Ó Máille rushes forward in the line to lay a hand on Padraic's shoulder. He immediately feels any traces of emotion pass, giving way to a studied focus.
Braedan looks after the retreating form of Aoife and with a sorrowful look upon his face is about to say something when he see's the Wolf sneaking toward Padraic...
Free Action: "Let's lighten things up a bit shall we with this little experiment I've been working on. Look...Padraic the Wolf in front of you...there. "
Move Action: Draw "Fiery Pellets" (See Below)
Standard Action:
Cast: Dancing Lights
4 burning fires on the ground roughly 10 feet apart in a square centered on the Wolf
The fiery pellets cast light and long shadows on the rolling hills, revealing another wolf on the prowl.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Upon seeing one of the wolves, Fintan lets out a whoop and urges his horse onward. He lowers his lance at the beast and tries to impale it on the end of his lance!
"Of course..." Aoife hissed as she drew her short sword along with her dagger. "Brother I would suggest you keep your wits about you, because I'm fairly sure you cannot fight." She told Ó Máille as she stepped to his side to ensure he wasn't open to the forest. "Padraic, suggestions?" She asked as she readied herself for combat.
"Try not to die. Don't let them separate you and don't let them flank you!"
Having said his piece, Padraic, keeping his spear in one hand, draws a javelin in the other as he moves forward (F11), before throwing it as hard as he can at the Wolf that Fintan had engaged.
Padraic casts his javelin and strikes true. The cornered beast whimpers and snarls...
To Padraic's right, the wolf that had been spotted rushes forth, along with another. With sharp fangs, they attack.
Padraic expertly avoids the attacks, keeping the second wolf at bay with his shield.
Two more wolves come to the aid of their cornered kin, and pounce on Fintan.
The wolves gnaw at his legs, ripping into his skin and trying to pull him down, off his horse.
Fintan kicks two of the wolves away. But the third holds on...
