‘There were only the two lads. They were from Osraige and cousins of Father Mel. That I know.’
‘Why do you tell us this?’ demanded Cass suspiciously. ‘Your Father Superior did not trust us with the truth.’
‘Because I recognise the emblem of the king of Cashel’s bodyguard and because I overheard that you, sister, are an advocate of the courts. I do not think that you seek to harm the boys. Above all, I tell you because I fear great danger may come to them and hope that you will help them.’
‘What makes you think that danger threatens?’ Fidelma asked.
‘Just over two weeks ago a ship arrived here with a religieux who took the two boys away with him. I heard Father Mel address the man as “honourable cousin”. Yet within daysanother ship arrived here on the same mission as yourself. There was a man who demanded the same information as yourself.’
‘Can you describe him?’
‘A large, red-faced man, clad in a steel helmet and woollen cloak edged in fur. He claimed he was a chieftain and wore a gold chain of office.’
Fidelma swallowed in amazement.
‘Intat!’ cried Cass triumphantly.
Brother Febal blinked anxiously.
‘Do you know the man?’
‘We know that he is evil,’ affirmed Fidelma. ‘What did he learn about these boys?’
‘Father Mel told him the same story as he told you. But one of the brothers, just as this man was departing, unintentionally mentioned the two lads and the fact that they had been taken away a short time before by a religieux.’
‘And Intat went away?’
‘He did. Mel was outraged. He demanded that each of us forget the boys. But I have faith that you act in the children’s best interests. But not the man who came searching for them. If he finds the children …’ The monk ended with an expressive shrug.
‘We do seek to protect them, brother,’ Fidelma assured him. ‘It is true that they are in grave danger from that man, Intat. Do you know who the boys were, what their names were and where they have gone?’
‘Alas, even Father Mel would not pronounce their names but called them by the Latin forms of Primus and Victor. See on the doll, that piece of rag is marked with the words “Hic est meum. Victor”. It means, “this is mine, Victor” in Latin.’
‘Can you describe them?’ Fidelma did not point out that she knew well what the words meant.
‘Not really. They both had burnished copper-coloured hair.’
‘Copper-coloured?’ Fidelma felt frustrated, hoping to hear something which she might have recognised.
‘Did you learn where they were sent when they left here?’
‘Only that the religieux who took them was from an abbey somewhere in the south. The young one, Victor, was a nice child. Return this doll to him and I shall pray to Michael the Archangel, guardian of our little monastery, for their safety.’
‘Can you tell us about the religieux … what did he look like?’
‘That I cannot. He kept his robes wrapped around his body and head for the weather was inclement. I did not observe his features well. He was not young but neither was he old. That is all I can say.’
‘Thank you, brother. You have been most helpful.’
‘I will lead you down the path and signal your ship. My conscience is easy now that I have made confession to you of this burden.’
Cass laid a restraining hand on Fidelma’s arm.
‘Why don’t we go and confront that old goat again?’ he demanded. ‘Let’s tell him what we know and demand to know where this cousin has taken the two boys?’
Fidelma shook her head.
‘We will get nothing further from a man such as Father Mel,’ she replied. ‘Our path is back at Ros Ailithir.’
Once on board Ross’s barc again, the ship close-hauled along the thin, poking figures of the southern peninsulas of the kingdom, heading swiftly southward.
‘A long trip for so little,’ mused Cass, as he stood watching Fidelma turning the worn doll over and over in her hands.
‘Sometimes even a word or sentence might resolve the greatest puzzle and put it all into shape,’ countered Fidelma.
‘What did we learn from this arduous trip to Sceilig Mhichil that we did not suspect before? Had we questioned that old religieux further …’
‘Sometimes confirmation of knowledge is as important asthe knowledge itself,’ interrupted Fidelma. ‘And we have linked Intat into this mystery of Dacán’s killing. Dacán was looking for the son of Illan whom he thought was at the age of choice. Now we know there were two young sons, not at the age of choice at all. Intat arrives here looking for the offspring of Illan. Dacán was working for Laigin but Intat was a man of the Corco Loígde. There is a picture beginning to form here.’
‘Apart from Intat’s involvement in this conundrum, what else have we learnt?’ demanded Cass.
‘We have learnt that the monastery on Sceilig Mhichil has, as its patron, Michael the Archangel. That its very name means “rock of Michael”. And we have learnt that Mel called the man who collected the boys “honourable cousin”.’
Cass was not sure if Fidelma was joking.
‘But what practical information have we learnt?’ he demanded.
Fidelma smiled blandly.
‘We have learnt several other points. There are two heirs to Illan. They left Sceilig Mhichil two weeks ago about the same time that Dacán was murdered and they are now being hunted by Intat. I believe that Intat was looking for them when he burnt Rae na Scríne. I do not think he found them and I will lay a wager that they may be found at Ros Ailithir or nearby.’
‘If they are still alive.’ Cass suddenly became interested. ‘We don’t even know who they are. Two copper-haired lads. I have encountered no copper-haired boys. We don’t even know their true names. We know that Primus and Victor were not their real names. That presents no clue that we can follow.’
‘Perhaps not,’ Fidelma admitted thoughtfully. ‘Then, again …’ She shrugged abruptly and was silent.
Chapter Fourteen
Abbot Brocc’s thin features relaxed with relief when Fidelma entered his chamber.
‘I had just heard that you had landed. Was your trip fruitful, cousin?’ he asked eagerly, rising to greet her.
‘It has added to my knowledge,’ Fidelma replied evasively.
The abbot hesitated, apparently wondering whether to press his cousin further on the point but then decided against it.
‘I have news.’ He indicated that she should be seated. ‘However, I think it is bad news.’
Fidelma seated herself as Brocc held up a wax tablet.
‘Yesterday I received this message — the High King means to arrive here within the next few days.’
Fidelma’s surprise obviously gratified him. She sat up straight. Her eyes were wide.
‘Sechnassach, the High King? Is he coming here?’
Brocc nodded emphatically.
‘He has ruled that the court should hear Laigin’s claims against Muman, in the matter of the death of Dacán, in the abbey where Dacán was killed. His words are that it was …’ Brocc hesitated and squinted at the tablet, ‘ … appropriate that the hearing should be in this place.’
‘So?’ Fidelma lingered over the word, like a long sigh. ‘And the entire court is coming with him?’
‘Of course. The Chief Brehon Barrán will sit in judgment with the High King and Archbishop Ultan of Armagh iscoming to represent the ecclesiastical orders of the five kingdoms. Your brother Colgú and his advisors will also be arriving any day now.’
‘And I suppose young Fianamail, the king of Laigin, and his advocates will be here soon?’
‘Fianamail is bringing the Abbot Noé and his Brehon Forbassach.’
‘Forbassach! So Forbassach will plead the case for Laigin?’
As much as she disliked the hawk-faced advocate of Laigin, Fidelma knew that he was possessed of a quick wit and was a capable counsel, one who certainly should not be underestimated. He would undoubtedly be at his sharpest for he would want to repay Fidelma for having had him ejected from Cashel.