"We should probably head to Tuaim," Sean Quinn suggests when Old Biddy and Kassidy return to rejoin with the others. "It was really good to see you," Sean admits to Old Biddy. She smiles and holds him close just like when he was a child.
"I wish you all safe travels," she addresses them all.
"I think Sean is right... Lets go home." Aoife said with a sigh as she moved to ensure the horses where ready to go.
Tuaim is not far from Holywell, just down the hill to Belcoo and then across the river. Scarred by the Battle of Boho in more ways than one, they arrive home...
"As I am not allowed in the Main Hall any longer I'm just going to return to the kitchens after checking on the boys." Aoife told them as she went about taking care of the horses first. "Thus I'll leave explaining everything that happened to you all."
When she was done taking care of the horses she did as she had said, and headed to find the boys to see if they where okay.
"Thank God you've returned," the old man speaks worriedly, rushing to greet her. "Conchobar ran away. Nial says that his brother has gone North to reclaim their birthright. Fintan sent Padraic to find him, and there is no better man to do so, but..." Father O'Maille hesitates to say what could happen to the poor boy should he be lost or captured.
"Aoife?" he asks, worried. In their looks, he understands that she is alive. He nods and smiles.
"Do you have the shard?" he asks plainly.
Kass nods and smiles, "Indeed, we've retrieved tha' shard. We've also some news tha' p'rhaps ye've heard err not".
On returning to Tuaim and after Aoife's comments, Ruadhán turns to Aoife, "Tell the boys I will be round later, and that I wish to see they have been keeping up their spear practice."
Aoife gave a small laugh and nod. "I shall ensure they report to you."
Thorun hangs back for a bit, letting the others walk on. Then he lumbers up to Old Biddy. "When you say only once...well I've learned that these future readings can be tricky. Maybe can that mean I'll meet her and we'll never be separate again?"
Old Biddy shakes her head, sadly. "I saw one night in the leaves. She is fated to rule. You are fated to fight. I am sorry."
"Unless morning never comes..." she muses.
But he isn’t sure.
When Aoife proposes to rush after Conchobar, Father O’Maille offers council. ”There is no better man to find the boy than Padraic. If you must go North, wait for your companions. There is safety in numbers.”
”In any case, you do not have leave to go,” he continues with a sad look in his eyes. ”You should speak to Fintan.”
”My brother would be happy,” Fintan speaks. By all means, this should be a great victory, and yet he seems sad and nostalgic. ”All this began with your vision,” he continues, addressing Brother O’Maille and crossing himself.
”I am not sure that our good work is done,” Brother O’Maille answers. He is tired, and while his faith remains strong, his resolve has been tested. ”I saw something in Boho,” he explains. ”The High Cross wasn’t the same. I asked the priest and he said it has always been as it is, but I am certain that it was different in my vision. Where there was nothing, there are now ancient carvings of five wolves facing an arch.”
”Five wolves,” Fintan muses. ”Aoife, Padraic, you, my brother, and myself?”
”I think so,” Brother O’Maille responds.
”Facing the Marble Arch?”
Brother O’Maille simply nods.
”I will send Padraic to investigate the caves when he returns,” Fintan decides before turning to Kassidy once more. ”You say that you have other news?”
[b]"Father O'Maille please, they're my responsibility..." Aoife said as she placed her hand protectively upon Mael's head. "I'm no longer allowed in the Hall, please can you help me?"
Thorun nods dumbly and walks away, mumbling a half-hearted thanks.
"I am certain that Fintan will come find you here in due time," he reassures her. "In the meantime, let us pray." He kneels in the church and invites the MacLochlain boys and Aoife to join him...
Now, patience had never been a trait Aoife used often. In fact the only time she displayed it was during her cooking or hunting. So even while praying she felt restless. But this was the second time she was told to have patience, when she didn't listen the first time it got her thrown from the Hall so... What would it cost her this time if she didn't listen? There was more on the line than before. Conchobar's life was in Padriac's hands and she had trusted those hands with her own life before So, she would do so now as well.
Kassidy tells Fintan the story of the Battle of Boho, and for a short while they discuss the implications of peace with Boho, as well as the politics of Armagh.
"The King will be pleased both by your having recovered the shard, and by the peace that you have brokered between our people," Fintan applauds their heroism. "You may not be kin," he continues, addressing Ruadhan and Thorun in particular, "but I consider you true friends of Largay. You will always be welcome in Tuaim."
"Now, there is a matter of some importance, which I must bring to your attention: last night, the eldest of the MacLochlain boys left the safety of Tuaim. Supposedly, he intends to return to his father's lands and claim the crown. I have sent Padraic, along with a small party, to find the boy and bring him back."
"There is no better tracker than Padraic," Fintan reassures Ruadhan, seeing the sudden worry in his eyes. "I understand how important their safety is to you – to all of you. If Padraic does not return shortly, I will, of course, give you leave to travel North."
"In the meantime, rest. Tomorrow, we prepare to celebrate Beltane." They are dismissed.
"Brother O'Maille," he stops the priest before they retire, inviting him to approach the throne. The old friends exchange a few whispers and O'Maille nods. Fintan places his hand on O'Maille's arm, as a mark of affection and to underline the importance of what has been discussed.
Rushing to find Aoife, Ruadhán bursts out the news of Conchobar's naive actions. "The silly young fool, has gone off after his father's lands and the crown. I hope this Padraic is as good as they say, but I wish we were there too. I plan on readying myself to leave as soon as they return, if needed."
Aoife stood as Ruadhán burst in. She gently pat Mael's head and gave a glance to the young Nial before she walked over, placing a hand upon her friend's shoulder. "I know." Aoife admitted with a sigh. "Father Ó'Máille told me the moment I entered. I've spoken with Nial about it and he knows his mistake now." She explained as she let Ruadhán go. "Before you joined us I fought along side Padraic and have known him for years, I would put my life in his hands. He's good, trust me." She tried to smile, though worry was still settling into her gut. "I will help you make ready to horses so that should we be allow we will have no delay."
Brother O'Maille arrives not soon after, along with Amergin. The wizened old man moves slowly, but his eyes shine brightly.
"My father still has not returned and Fintan has asked me to stay in Tuaim to perform the mass for Beltane. But my vision haunts me," he explains, clearly torn.
"Amergin also thinks that this is important, and Fintan has told me that he will give you leave if you so wish," he addresses Aoife. "I need you to return to the Marble Arch cave. I am sorry. The memory of the Banshee still haunts my dreams, but I will not know peace until I understand..."
"I have no right to ask this of you," he continues, turning to Ruadhan, "but would you go with her? Kassidy is accompanying Sean Quinn to Kilmore to discuss his ordination, and I do not think that she should go alone."
"For what it's worth, I believe that the curse has been lifted," he specifies.
"I will also go. After all, I too am one of the wolves of Largay," Amergin declares with a knowing smile. "If all goes well, we will be back in time for the festivities."
Aoife gave a small sighing smirk as she shrugged. "We have to wait a day for Padriac to return one way or the other..." She said with a shrug. "The place is not far and I know the way. We can saddle up and be there and back." Aoife said before she walked over to Nial and Mael, bringing to to Brother Ó'Máille. "Watch after them will you?" She asked, obviously worried for the children's well-being.
"You sure about this Amergin? I know since coming here thing have been, difficult for you."
"Difficult?" Amergin retorts with a smile. "Not at all! This new age of God and man is quite extraordinary! The magic of old may have been lost to the past, but our people have nonetheless accomplished great and wonderful things!"
"I look forward to traveling a bit. I am not as limber as I was, but I can still follow..."
"How well ca you ride a horse?" Aoife asked with a small smirk.
"Well I could certainly do with something to keep my mind busy, of course I will go. After all, seeing what you did after the battle, how could I say no to a man so touched by the holy spirit. Plus Aoife needs keeping out of trouble!"
Grabbing up his shield and darts, "Come on then, and of I give you a boost up on to your horse old-timer, will you tell me what and how you know about the old magic, I always thought it was just old stories."
"Old stories always come from some version of the truth," Amergin responds with a knowing smile before heading out of the church. Along with Aoife and Ruadhan, Brother O'Maille follows. He is relieved that they all have agreed to go, but he is nevertheless concerned. Clearly, he was scarred by the horror that they encounter in the cave when last they ventured into its depths.
Outside, they find Thorun who has been of late more silent than usual. Since speaking to Old Biddy, he has scarcely said a word.
"Amergin, Aoife, and Ruadhan are heading out," Brother O'Maille says suggestively to the giant of a man. "It may prove dangerous, but I would feel better if you went along with them..."
"Kept out of trouble?!" Aoife huffed as they walked. "I would like to point out that more often than not I'm the one keeping us out of trouble." She pointed out as she crossed her arms. "If you dart off like that he'll never keep up!" Aoife joked as she followed the two older men.
"What?..Oh yeah, sure. Course." Thorun gets up and follows O'Maille to the others absentmindedly.
In the late afternoon, they head southeast along the Lower Lough Maclean, then south following the stream of the Cladagh River. They hike up a steady hill, climbing over boulders through a picturesque forest that is a beautiful ode to spring. It is here that Fintan, his brother Braeden, Brother O’Maille, Padraic and Aoife were ambushed by hungry dire wolves not long ago. It was colder then, and the spring leaves had not yet come.
Moving slowly and climbing the more strenuous sections with their assistance, old Amergin expertly guides them uphill until they finally reach the mouth of the cave. ”I will wait here for your return,” Amergin states, clearly too frail to venture into the depths of the cave. ”Before you go…” He motions to the large bag that Aoife has been carrying since they left Tuaim.
In the bag, there is a three-foot-long wooden ship of sorts, wrapped in blankets for protection. Amergin has Thorun place the heavy clay jar, which was put in his care. It turns out to be a large oil lamp, which fits perfectly. Amergin threads a tightly woven linen wick through the nozzle of the lamp and removes the top, which is sealed with beeswax. He easily strikes flint and steel to set fire to charcoal cloth strips and lights the lamp.
Then, he does something surprising. He dips his finger first into the lamp, and then into his mouth. He smiles. ”So tasty. Perfectly nutty,” he relishes. Clarified butter.
”Light in the darkness. You’ll need this to cross the lake. God be with you,” he bids them.
Aoife looked upon the new source of light with almost childishly awe. "Thank you Amergin." Aoife said with a nod before she lead the others into the cave as she was the only one of them who knew where to go. "This was the cave in which... Fintan, Braeden, Padraic, Brother O'Maille, and myself met the Banshee of Queen Aoife." She explained to the two men who followed her. "I will see if she is where she once was, so neither of you will have to see or hear her..."
Carrying the large lamp between two javelins like a palanquin, the trio makes their way carefully down a steep slope, through the large arch. The sun is setting as they enter the limestone tunnels of the cave. With only the light of the lamp to guide them, they follow a narrow and treacherous path along a stream. The cavern opens up into a vast underground lake...
Aoife began to removed her armor, setting it to the side, "It shouldn't take me long." Aoife told them. "I'm a strong swimmer and I've done this once before." She explained as she made it to the water's edge. She tested the temperature as before it was almost freezing. She waded into the water to get her baring before diving under.
"Oh don't be silly, not only do we only have one light which Amergin has in some wonderous way rigged to float, we are sticking together, so no-one gets in trouble over something silly. Come on Thorun, ditch your mail and let's go."
Helping lift the lamp onto the boat and the boat onto the water, Ruadhán stows his shield on his back and slowly steps into the water, flinching as the chilly water covers his genitalia. Once on the water he sets off strongly pushing the boat ahead of him.
"Yeah, right..." Thorun takes off his armor and stows it in his pack, then moves into the water.
Aoife wants to guard her companions from the potential dangers ahead, but again they prove their loyalty and their commitment. She wades into the cold water and almost seizes, and suddenly she is relieved not to be alone...
Amergin's lamp throws ominous shadows on the cavern walls. As the flame flickers, the shadows seem to dance and for a moment they fear that they will be lost in darkness. But the light continues to burn, guiding them deeper into the cave. They can hear a waterfall ahead and fear the worse, but Aoife swims towards a smaller stream, which leads to a beach at the foot of a short cliff.
Aoife got up upon the beach, shivering uncontrollably once more as her clothes clung to her body. "Cold... It's always cold..." She said as she breathed upon her hands. "You know I was offering to go along because... I didn't want anything bad to happen to you two right?" She asked.
Scrabbling up out of the water and shaking water of his equipment, Ruadhán tries to calm his shivering.
"Yeah, we get that, but if we didn't come, then there is more chance of something bad happening to you on your own! Anyway so far it is just a bracing swim. Come on, let's get the lamp out, I guess we can probably leave the boat here for now, if we pull it up the beach a bit."
The trio pulls the small boat onto the beach and looks up at the cliff. Better to be careful. As always, Aoife proposes to go first, but Thorun and Ruadhan are decidedly better climbers. Taking their time, they carefully climb up using ropes and anchors. Reaching the top, they come upon a balcony of sorts, which sees over the underground lake below. This is where they once encountered the tormented spirit of Queen Aoife, the mother of the Children of Lyr.
On the balcony, there are two intricately decorated stone coffins and an equally beautiful chest, all of which are in remarkable condition given the humidity and the thick coat of dust that tells of a distant origin.
Aoife stepped up and gently ran her hand over the coffin on the left, cleaning the dust and looking for any form of writing one of the others could read for her.
As Aoife runs her hand over the stone, the dust and moisture together create a thick, muddy paste. Her fingers feel the ridges of intricate sculpted designs. While Thorun holds high the lamp, Ruadhan and Aoife dig into the expertly carved lines and reveal on the first coffin the sculpture of a beautiful woman lying in a bed of leaves. Swans and fairies dance around her, seeming to almost come alive.
The sculpture is exquisite, truly beautiful.
On the second coffin, they find the sculpture of a man wearing a wolf-headed cloak. Above him, there is a light and words in Latin: Requiescat in pace.
Aoife ran her hands over the carved image her eyes widened before she swiftly pushed her way over to the other coffin and cleaned away the paste to see the sculpture upon it. Upon seeing the wolf-headed cloak Aoife's eyes began to water. She ran her hand down the length of the coffin as she let a small amount of her tears roll down her cheek. "It's.. good to know where your bones lie brother..." Aoife said as she tried to smile. "You kept her safe till the end didn't you..."
Having inspected the coffins, they turn their attention to the small chest. It is wooden, but remarkably it has endured the passage of time unscathed despite the moisture. It is adorned with remarkably detail sculptures, again of plants and fairies. On the lid, there is the image of a spear.
Carefully, they open the chest and find a strange apparatus. It is an intricately decorated six-inch-wide, square, thick and flat plate of pure gold set in a wooden box. In the middle of the plate, there is a sort of slim, golden spoon that seems made to hold... something.
Aoife looked at the objects with a raised eyebrow. "Does anyone happen to know what this is?" She asked as she went about taking the wooden box out of the chest so that they could better look at the items within.
Thorun looks over and shrugs. "A box with a spoon?"
"Yes, thank you Thorun." Aoife sighed. "I mean it is obviously something special. He wouldn't have had it left here for us if it wasn't." She said as she closed the box and picked it up. "Let us see if Amergin knows more." She said as she handed it off to Thorun. "You two go on ahead.... I need a bit longer please."
"Sorry, I am obviously missing something, who do we think is buried here? If we thought it was left for you specifically, was it something to do with the shard of spear we found?