Running to block their pursuer's avenues of escape, both Kassidy and Aoife witness the man's surprising appearance...
Thorun pounds after the man to try to close the distance. Damn, should have taken my armor off.
Kassidy closes in on the flank, while Aoife cuts his escape and Thorun rushes forth. The hunter has become the prey, and has nowhere to go. Finding himself cornered and outnumbered, he makes a run for it.
Aoife forgoes her blades for a chance to grab him. She wanted information this man likely had.
Aoife drops her blade and rushes to catch the man before he escapes. Like an animal in a trap, he attempts to free himself from her grip. But Aoife is too strong, and soon her companions come to her aid. The man struggles, to no avail. Soon, he is bound. Their pursuer is now their prisoner.
Wearing leather armour under a wool cloak, and equipped with a short sword and a javelin, the man would seem from afar a typical Irish warrior. But his black skin tells another story. Who is this strange man? Where does he come from? And why has he been following them since they left Tuaim?
Their questions are met with stubborn silence. Clearly, he will not easily reveal his secrets...
As much as Ó Máille wants to question the man, he goes to pray first .
After about an hour of meditative prayer, he approaches the stranger.
"Hello, friend. I am Brother Ó Máille. We will not hurt you, but we are understandably worried about someone following us and attacking us. Who are you and why are you hunting us?"
"Answer the man before they turn you over to me." Thorun says while barring his teeth.
With their prisoner refusing to answer their questions, the heroes drag him – bound – back to their camp and attempt to get some rest before morning, against all odds. After a short sleep and morning recitations, Brother O'Maille prays to God that the prisoner will see the light and cooperate. But the prisoner is hostile, and even Thorun's threats do little to convince the black man to reveal who he is and why he has been following them.
”You will not kill me,” he states plainly.
Thorun snorts. One of those hard believer types. Bah. He takes his great axe in his hands for a moment, then sets it aside and draws a dagger. He leans close to the man, so close that his breath washes over the man's face. "Death is not what you should fear. After enough time in my care you will be begging for death."
A crack in the man's stoic demeanour, a flash of fear in his eyes as he realizes that he may have misread the situation, but only for a moment...
"Then do it now. The Hood will avenge my death," he challenges the Dane, bracing himself for the worst.
Knowledge Local
"The Hood eh? So you were once a slave? To what King and why attack us?"
"I doubt he'll give us much but..." Aoife sat down before the bound man, legs crossed. "I am Aoife, but likely since you have been sent to follow and attack us you know that by now. Is there something I can call you?"
"I am a free man," the man speaks proudly. He stares at Kassidy for a moment, before deciding to answer: "The Hood was contracted to kill you – I don't know by who. It's nothing personal."
"You have no idea who you work for? Not at all?" Aoife asked some what surprise. Letting out a long sigh she crossed yer arms. "Very well... would you at least be kind enough to tell us what the details of the contract entails? After all if we're going to be kill we have the right to know don't you think?"
The man seems unswayed by Aoife's kindness. Still, Thorun's threat lingers...
"I don't know who you are. It doesn't matter. My orders were to follow you," he admits, before deciding that he's already said too much.
"Kill me, or don't," he says with finality.
"Perhaps we should have a meeting with the Green Man, Can you bring us to him?"
Against all odds, the fellow almost chuckles. "You want to meet the Green Man? If you free me, I can take you to him," he suggests.
"And just why do you think we'd trust you?" Aoife asked. "Not to mention the fact he will likely kill us since there is a contract upon us."
The priest eyes Kassidy, raising an eyebrow. "Who is this 'Green Man'?" The question is directed equally at Kassidy and their prisoner.
"He's the leader of these "Hoods" I'd not have thought to meet him.
I think it's easier ta' kill a man ya've not broken bread wit'. We spared his man's life, that ought to be at least worth a conversation afore we get ta' the killin' no? Tis bad luck to kill a Priest after all".
Ó Máille's brow furrows as he raises a hand to scratch his stubbly beard. "Well, we still have our mission to-" He pauses, looking at their attacker. "I'm not sure if we have time. Then again, I fear for our safety knowing someone wants us dead."
The black man looks at them all. Cowed by Thorun's menace and perhaps swayed by Kassidy's reason, he proposes: "I can lead you to him. But I can't promise that he won't kill you then and there... If you free me, I can tell you how to safely reach Armagh."
"Why would you want to help us safely reach Armagh? Aren't you trying to kill us?" Aoife asked as she crossed her arms.
"Is this 'Hood' a group of contract killers or does your organization have a personal vendetta against us?"
Kass sighs, "I say we trust him.
We free you. You tell us how to get to Armagh.
Once we arrive safely, have tha' Green Man contact us as we would like to meet with him. Not only te' discuss how we c'n settle tha' contract wit' no bloodshed but how we can help he an his ken the Hoods.
I am sure the rest of my companions here agree, slavery is the least noble thing about our people. There's threats from wit'out that'd enslave us all, if'n we're to resist 'em, how can we have slaves within?"
Sense Motive
Thorun sneers. "If you say so. Don't think he'll do much up close anyhow."
Trusting in Kassidy's instinct, they agree to free the man on condition that he see them safely to Armagh.
"I am Abiodun," he introduces himself, inviting them to do the same. They realize that while he knew enough to follow them out of Tuaim, he does not know their identities.
Tired from a sleepless night, they accompany him to find his horse, and they all together begin the last leg of the journey. Abiodun leads them East into rolling hills, warning that the crossing of the Blackwater River will be treacherous, but that it is the only way to assuredly avoid being ambushed by The Hood. He proves to be a very able guide, and rather pleasant company. While steadfastly refusing to reveal anything more about The Hood, he does agree to share his own story. He tells them all about how he was enslaved over ten years ago, at the beginning of the Third Cursade in Egypt. When his owner found himself in need of coin, he sold his slaves to a Danish trader, who transported them to Dublin. Abiodun was purchased by the Abbot of Armagh, and put to work in the fields. Eventually, the Green Man saved him from a life of servitude, and invited him to join The Hood.
”Here is where we must cross,” Abiodun points to a wider and shallower section of the Blackwater river. Approaching the river's edge, the horses are nervous... The stronger swimmers go first. They lead their horses straight across, while pulling along one end of a rope that will serve to facilitate the passage for the weaker swimmers, namely O'Maille. Aoife opts to go last, in order to secure the other side of the rope.
Aoife cried out as the brother went under. Wrapping the rope around her arm, Aoife lept from her mount into the river. Using the current to catch up Aoife made her way to brother Ó'Máille
Kass shouts out a prayer to God to spare his loyal servant!
Aoife quickly reaches O'Maille as he swims back up to the surface. She pulls him close to her, and keeps a tight grip on the rope as the others pull them back to shore.
In the meantime, Abiodun heads back into the river to secure O'Maille's horse, who simply stood there the whole time.
They catch their breath and take a moment to calm their nerves, and then they see Aoife's horse still across the Blackwater river. Someone will need to go back, in order to lead the horse across!
Aoife helps the brother onto the bank and sighs, looking back at her mount. "I'll be right back. I must get mine across. Now please Brother, don't go near the water." She give him a small smile before she heads back seeing Abiodun with Ó'Máille's horse. "Thank you Abiodun." She said with a nod before making her way back into the river.
Aoife made her way back across the river with ease before mounting her horse and leading it across.
She returned to her companions with ease, it seemed the young half-breed was a fish out of water.
The priest falls to his hands and knees on the shore, coughing violently and gasping for air. "Aoife." is all he manages to say before she effortlessly retrieves her mount from the river.
By the grace of God, they all make their way across the river. They get dressed quickly as the Spring sun does little to warm their chilled bones, and then they get on their way to Armagh.
A few hours later, they see the cross of Saint-Patrick's Cathedral in the distance, and monks working the land nearby. They have arrived. Finally.
Abiodun maneuvers his horse away from the group. Ready to bolt, he asks: "I am free, as promised?
Aoife returned to Brother Ó'Máille's side giving him a soft but sturdy pat on the back before getting him back on his horse.
When they arrived Aoife couldn't help but smile. They had made it. She looked to Abiodun then to the group before turning back to the foreign man. "We are people of our word. You've done as promised now so shall we. Go, you have my thanks for this Abiodun."
"God be with you, friend." Ó Máille adds.
As Abiodun rides away, he promises that they will meet again, which could mean many things in the light of what he revealed about The Green Man and The Hood...
They ride through the rich fields of the monastery where monks and countless slaves work hard to sow the seeds that will yield rich crops in the summer. Atop a hill to the West, there is a long abandoned ceremonial fort that reminds them of Ireland's rich past – and for some, of a recent trip into far away times.
Atop Cathedral hill, in the middle of Armagh, stands Saint-Patrick's Church – the heart of the Christian faith in Ireland, home to the Primate of the Church, the Archbishop Gelasius.
Countless priests, merchants, and pilgrims walk on dirt roads into the busy town. The King of Aighialla may not reside in Armagh, but the town remains vitally important to the kingdom's power and wealth. As they make their way along the road, they cannot but overhear the conversations of other travellers, and learn that the High King was recently buried in the crypts of the church, at the side of Brian Boru.
Masses are still held daily in his honour...
"This abbey is managed by the Bishop of Armagh, Amlaim Ua Muirethaig." the young priest muses.
"We should attend Mass ta' pay our respects and then seek tha' Bishop ta' accomplish what we came for, agreed?"
"The bishop has nothing to do with why we're here. We need to meet with King Mulroney, speak with him about the fact one of his didn't uphold his word." Aoife reminded him. "Hopefully it won't take too long... though didn't they say he was here keeping the peace?"
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