"Sister, considering our difficulties in crossing a river, I would not fancy our chances in the bogs! But seriously, you are right in that we need a better story. Perhaps we should give less distinct names as Aoife suggests.."
"The river crossing was a disorganized mess, for certain. Is there not a better way to do that? And are we sure that there are no more rivers to cross between us and our goal?
"If there are, we need to devise a better method."
Cobhlaith looks around at everyone.
"When I introduced you, I gave only your personal names. I deliberately withheld your family names and affiliations.
"That strategy did not work, because something gave us away to the O'Clery warriors. We were lucky they were friendly and did not cause us harm.
"So, what would be a better strategy?"
"Hmmm. Disguises are one option, false names another. Though outright masquerading as agents of another lord is risky."
"Indeed. And while I am willing to withhold parts of the truth to protect the lives of others, I fear I would be a spectacular failure if I deliberately tried to lie. It is not in my nature to say things that I know are not true."
Her face wrinkles in concern.
"I wonder what gave us away?"
Aoife was quiet for a long time before she made a clicking sound with her tongue. "Brother Ó'Máille." She said as she shook her head. "You gave our names Sister... And the first question he asked after that was of Brother Ó'Máille. If we knew him." She pointed out.
She gave them a moment to think it over before continuing. "Three of five names matched the names they had heard but could be seen as common names... but all three of us also knowing the Brother and carrying weapons well... that narrows the odds doesn't it?"
"I have something of a silver tongue, so I could speak on your behalf. But a believable mistruth is much easier to persuade someone of."
Sister Cobhlaith looks at Aoife with delight.
"That's it! It was only when we said we knew him that we confirmed his suspicion." although challenging him about what he'd heard was probably not wise.
She turns to Daire.
"yes, I think we are always better served to tell as much of the truth as is safe. But if the conversation moves beyond the truth, your silver tongue may be what we need. I can offer silence, but nothing more."
Thorun shrugs. "I'm not particularly well known, just a low freeman. Shouldn't raise too many eyebrows being honest."
"Thorun, may we examine your map? I'm wondering how many rivers we have to cross to get to Doire by this road."
Well we could use the fact that I am an Ó'Brolacháin, but I hardly look like the leader and my name may just as likely cause us a problem. Does anyone know the clans of the far south, perhaps we could give relate ourselves to there and hope nobody knows the area too well."
Daire pauses a moment, looks out for creeping rain clouds, and then seems to come to a decision.
"Sister, if you recall I mentioned a book of my own some days back. It may prove useful if ye have a look. We need every head working we have!"
From tightly packed into his bag, he pulls out a magnificent leather-bound tome. Opening it, it is clearly a book of genealogy of the noble houses, and in great detail indeed.
"This, I've found quite handy in working out the wherefores and the whos of the great houses. Some of the linkages are very obscure you see!"
Ruadhan finds the perfect spot to set camp. Flavourful ceps and chanterelles, along with tart spring berries, make a welcome addition to their dried rations, and a warm fire keeps the chill of night at bay.
They discuss their plans. Thorun's map shows that they are still at least a couple of days away from Inishowen. Crossing into the peninsula will require them to pass dangerously close to Derry, which stands at the mouth of the River Foyle, and to the ancient ring fort at Aileach, which is nearer the shore of Drongawn Lough; but – thank God for small favours – there are no rivers to cross between the Croaghgorms and their destination.
Daire’s remarkable book of genealogy, which shows the complex ancestry of many of the great clans of Ireland, names any number of clans from the south. Some are allies to the MacLochlain. Other are enemies. Some have distant ties to the O’Neil. Some would be entirely unknown in this region and would have little reason to be so far from home. There are nobles of Leinster, of Osraige, of Thomond, of Desmond… There are the O’Kennedy who are friends of Breifne and who once were rulers of the short-lived Kingdom of Ormond.
"Distant ties are vague enough to be useful without being too obvious. I'd say we tailor the story if we can work out who we're speaking to first."
Cobhlaith spends some time gathering the mushrooms and berries. "Aoife, can you do something tasty with these chanterelles?"
She adds a handful of berries to her oat porridge, and sits down next to Daire.
"Alright, story time.
"My uncle Dermot's reputation is useful in some places, but a burden in others. My religious name and my affiliation with Kildare is the only information I should use when meeting strangers."
She continues, "Aoife can probably be introduced using only her personal name, and her status as my slave-guard. Or, even better, not introduced at all, seeing that she's a slave."
She eyes Thorun. "It will be hard to deny your activities at Boho should anyone make the connection. And you, Ruadhan, what's your story going to be? Is there something that connects the two of you that doesn't lead back to Boho?"
Shaking her head, she grins at Daire."Our bard is swift at telling believable tales on the spur of the moment. He, of all of us, is least in need of a "Life" of his own."
"I need to be careful, as an Ó'Brolacháin we are related to the O'Neils so I would be fine further East. This far west, well by connection we wouldn't be looked on so favourably. I can pretend to be someone else, but I have fought alongside enough to be recognisable here, particularly my shield, it tends to stand out. So I think my best bet is this story. I don't hide who I am, when people potentially get annoyed at my connections, I come clean. I was unhappy with the way the O'Neils and my Re Tuaithe acted with the High King and have now left his service and sought a path elsewhere. Now I find myself acting as a guard and scout for parties rich enough to pay for it, it could be used for Thorun too, using his prowess at the battle of Boho, to make him a sought after guard. It is at least partly true, but it does have its risks, firstly they may not let me have as much access if they believe I could be a spy, secondly if it gets back to my Re Tuaithe it may require some explanation later, but I think I can cover that." What do you think?
"That sounds truthful enough for most situations. And if we are forced to be even more truthful, then we will trust God's will.
"As far as spying, I think Aoife's kitchen skills will bring us all kinds of gossip, no matter where we are."
She eyes Thorun and Ruadhan.
"As long as you aren't actively trying to kill them, won't most other warriors will be willing to share a beer or two with you?"
"What do you want me to do? Sneak into people's kitchen and act like a cook to hear local gossip?" Aoife asked as she crossed her arms. "I mean I can cook but I don't know if it is that good."
"No, the less you try to impress them with your cooking, the better off you are. You want them to ignore you, not get into a contest.
"I think if you could offer to chop vegetables, or turn the roast at the fire, they'll forget you are there and start gossiping.
"As a child, I learned the most amazing things helping in the kitchen."
Cobhlaith smiles a knowing smile. "No one pays any attention to a slave. And because you are a warrior, no one will expect you to be good at cooking. But a willing pair of hands? Every kitchen needs those.
"And we will only need you to do that if it's better than staying at my side.
"A slave coming or going to bring me something warm to drink will attract little attention. And if you linger, who is to say you're taking too long? Not me!"
She laughs. "I think we are ready to face any 'hospitality' that we are offered. Which is much better than trying to avoid invitations."
After the crossing of the river and a long’s days march, the warm fire is a rare luxury. They discuss their plans and then lay themselves to sleep. The night is fresh and the sky is covered, but they are blessed with a dry night.
The night is uneventful and they awaken on the following day well-rested and ready to face the fourth day of their journey north. The sky is grey as they ascend the steep hill of the Croaghgorms. The clouds are low and the fog is thick when they reach the top. Still, they make their way unerringly down into the lands of the MacLochlain.
They avoid the fishing village of Cloghan and by nightfall reach the vicinity of the rich farms of Raphoe. On the morrow, they will need to pass near Derry to reach Inishowen...
"Ah Derry, it has been a while. There used to be a little place that sold a beautiful nut brown ale, I went there with my Aine a few times..." Ruadhán voice peters out as his eyes stare off into the distance, absorbed in his memories, the glint of moisture makes his melancholy obvious. After a moment he snaps back to the present. " Still, I doubt I will be welcome there now."
Aoife shifted a bit in her saddle as the looked the area over. "I believe you're right though I think I could be said for anywhere now days." The young woman pointed out. "We seem to bring trouble with us." She half grinned at Ruadhán.
Cobhlaith is clueless
"That may well be true, but here we are likely to find King Nial MacLochlain and Bishop Amlaim Ua Muirethaig. King Nial may be Conchobar's uncle, but I doubt he will be pleased to see him and that makes our job harder."
"I've fought one King, I will fight another." Aoife stated bluntly. "They're just men in the end, and if they are foolish enough to step between us and Conchobar they will be asked to move aside nicely, once."
***
***
Daire's mind is elsewhere, thinking of many good times in Derry.
"What if Conchobar refuses to return with us?
"After all, he's the one who left to come here. He may not want to be taken back.
"Young men are not known for their willingness to be seen as wrong."
Snapping out of his reverie, Daire replies:
"That is true, good Sister, very true. But the very bullishness and strong heads of young men can be used to lead them on, if you find how. We tell him something that makes him *want* to rush back south, and our task will be to keep up to him!"
As they gather for warm drinks and food, Sister Cobhlaith seems to have something on her mind.
She motions everyone closer to the fire and quietly says, "We should not forget that we also have another quest. It might do us well to take a reading from the compass and see what direction the other goal lies from here.
"Until now, both goals have been generally to the north of where we were. But it would be useful to know if we are passing by the other destination and need to take different path on our return.
"It might also be useful to know a different path if we have Conchobar with us.
"Shall we take out the parting gift from Brother O'Maille and see where it would direct us from here?
"That sounds wise, Sister."
"Conchobar is still a child, he may be close to manhood but he is not a man." Aoife stated. "He had been placed in our guardianship and thus I shall be as a guardian should. I will talk nicely first but if he is too stubborn to understand I shall pull him back by his ear." She said. "He did not act like a man, he acted like a child and thus needs to be treated as such. He foolishly took only his younger brother's advice and left without a thought. He must see that he cannot do that!"
Sister Cobhlaith looks puzzled.
"I thought Fintan said you could not speak for Largay, and that Daire would be going north in that capacity" she said.
She turns to the rest of the group. "I don't think a slave will be allowed to make demands of anyone, much less an unwilling son of a king.
"It might cost her her life if she did."
"I cannot speak for Largay, and it is not Largay I speak for." Aoife made a point of saying. "I speak as one of those here who have become the guardian of three boys whose one crime in the eyes of many right now was being sired by the wrong father!" She explained.
"Conchobar is sadly, no longer the son of a King. His father is gone, murdered, and many around him would rather see him dead than upon the throne." She reminded the group. "I also said I would drag him home, I never stated that I would say anything to anyone." Aoife said with a slight grin pulling on her lips. "Also this is mostly to inform you all on things you might not know. Like the fact that two of the other guardians are Thorun and Ruadhán."
"No matter who his guardians, the young man is a political pawn whose life is easily forfeit at little cost to those who might murder him.
"If he is currently more useful alive than dead, then those who hold him will not have any reason to hand him over to a delegation from Largay. Even if our silver-tongued bard asks nicely.
"If he has already reached the end of his usefulness, then we may have an even more delicate problem on our hands. He would not be the first child brutally murdered during a feast just to make a point and send a message to potential opponents."
Cobhlaith retrieves the compass from her satchel and carefully places the shard in the spoon. It points northeast – towards the coast but away from Inishowen.
The fifth day of their journey to Inishowen... The day is grey but dry as they begin the most dangerous leg of the trip. These are more densely populated lands and it is near impossible to know who is friend or foe. They navigate their way north near Derry, and – God be praised – are left alone by the few who notice them in the distance.
By nightfall, they are in Inishowen peninsula. They are about a day away from Culdaff – the ancestral home of the MacLochlain. They must now decide between detouring along the more populous coast or heading straight through wetlands and bogs.
"Aoife may have the right idea in that case - seize him without asking them or him! Though a silver tongue can help even with that, with befuddled guards and distracted sentries. And sadly true, that his fate may otherwise to die as a message."
"Ah glory be. More bogs waiting to suck us in. I say not."
"Aye, seize him is probably our best chance, but we will see, he may yet be convinced and it depends who he might have fallen in with."
As he trudges on, Ruadhán ponders over what he will say to the lad when they meet again.
It seems we have been blessed lucky not to have met anyone so far. I say we risk it a little longer, avoid the bogs and try out our silver tongues before they are really tested."
"I wonder if Padraic has managed to make contact with Conchobar. Surely he will have knowledge of the best way to remove the young man from this wolf-trap.
"Can anyone think of a way to get a message to Padraic?"
"You'd need to know where Padraic is Sister, and none of us do. That is the problem." Aoife told her. "The whole reason we're doing this to begin with is Padraic didn't return with Conchobar."
Sister Cobhlaith looks worried.
"I wonder if Padraic has chosen the bog route?"
She is also puzzled by the direction the compass is pointing.
I though Amergin said he would meet us at Gortnavern, but the compass is pointing the opposite direction.
She looks around. "Should we find a place to sleep for the night?"
Daire thinks about if he has heard of any particularly good friends of Padraic that he may have taken up with.
"Well, if we stay in the villages we're going to be asked questions. If we stay out here there is wildlife and weather... I like our options out here." Aoife said.
Daire pipes up.
"To the best of my recollection, Padraic wasn't this far north before and doesn't have any open friends in Inishowen. So we can rule out that avenue."
St-Mura's monastery at Fahan, which was founded by St. Colmcille in the 6th century, is in the region.
Faran is on the shore of Drongawn Lough, to the West.
"There's a monastery nearby at Fahan, which would offer hospitality to travelers such as ourselves. Warm, dry, safe, and might even offer a chance to find out what's been happening around here in the past few weeks.
"We could certainly use current information about the situation and what shifting allegiances we're facing.
"And if we go along the coast, we can avoid the bogs"
"Be nice to avoid the mud if we can. Little water never hurt nobody, but a lot of water for a lot of days can rot yer feet."
"A stroll by the sea is appealing indeed."
" The other benefit in addition to a dry place to sleep and some fresh food, is that although they can ask questions, so can we. Maybe we can start to find out where Padraic and Conchobar have gone. We need to start asking at some point, it may as well be now."
'Tis St. Mura's church, and there is a beautiful carving there with a Greek inscription. The monks are very learned."
"And I'm sure they will be most hospitable. There's a guesthouse, and the hostller will know all the current gossip from travelers."