Read Valley of the Shadow Online
Authors: Peter Tremayne
Tags: #_rt_yes, #Church History, #Fiction, #tpl, #_NB_Fixed, #Mystery, #Historical, #Clerical Sleuth, #Medieval Ireland
Valley of the Shadow (28 page)
‘Why not? If Mael Dúin of Ailech thinks he can, so can Ultan. If Mael Dúin can create a powerful High Kingship at Tara which favours Roman rite and organisation, then Armagh will also prosper being within the
puruchia
of the High King. Ultan plans to become the head of the Faith in Ireland just as Mael Dúin plans to become a High King with real central power.’
puruchia
of the High King. Ultan plans to become the head of the Faith in Ireland just as Mael Dúin plans to become a High King with real central power.’
Fidelma was troubled as she contemplated the enormity of Ibor’s revelation.
‘This explains much of what Brother Solin was boasting about. So then Ultan will use the powerful centralised authority of Mael Dúin to exert the authority of Armagh over all other Churches of the five kingdoms?’
‘Just so.’
Eadulf intervened for the first time.
‘One thing you forget,’ he said quietly. ‘Even if this king of Ailech overcomes the southern Uí Néill, he could not be in power in Tara for long. Cashel, supported by Imleach, would be among the first to challenge such preposterous claims.’
Ibor glanced at him almost sadly.
‘So therefore Imleach and Cashel would have to be made weak,’ he pointed out.
Fidelma jerked her head up quickly; her flashing eyes sought those of Ibor.
‘You have news of such a plot?’
‘The plot has already begun here in Gleann Geis,’ he replied. ‘It is Mael Dúin and Ultan who are behind it. If the northern Uí Néill move in force then the southern Uí Néill might not long delay them. There are too many ties of kinship and blood for a serious contention between Mael Dúin and Sechnassuch. Once that happens …’ Ibor threw out his arms in a gesture of resignation.
‘But Cashel would not allow it to happen,’ Fidelma vowed. ‘Wishing Cashel to be weak does not make it so.’
‘True. It has to be made so. Cashel represents the biggest barrier to the northern Uí Néill’s ambition to take over the High Kingship. Mael Dúin has been probing for Cashel’s weakness for a while now. And where is Cashel’s greatest weakness?’
Fidelma paused for a moment’s reflection.
‘Why, among the Uí Fidgente in north-west Muman,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘And among the clans west of the Shannon. They have been the most restless clans of Muman. The Uí Fidgente have tried many times to overthrow the kings of Cashel and split the kingdom.’
‘There is the weakness of Muman – the Uí Fidgente,’ Ibor declared like a schoolmaster summing up his lesson.
‘So Brother Solin was sent here to create new dissensions between the Uí Fidgente and the Eóghanacht of Cashel? Is that what you are saying?’ Eadulf asked.
‘He was sent as Ultan’s agent and through Ultan as an emissary of Mael Dúin.’
‘And why were you sent here? To kill Brother Solin?’
‘No. I told you that I had no hand in his death. I did not kill him. But I was sent to discover the details of Mael Dúin’s plot.’
Fidelma was finding difficulty encompassing the fiendishness of what the lord of Muirthemne was revealing. She looked at Ibor directly.
‘What of the slaughter of the young men? The ritual killing?’
‘You have a reputation for working out puzzles. You came as an emissary from Cashel and Imleach and stumbled across what you thought to be a ritual killing. Who would stand to gain had you reacted as you were supposed to react?’
She stared at him in incomprehension for a moment.
‘How was I supposed to react?’ she asked uncertainly.
‘Those responsible for the slaughter simply knew that a religieuse was due to arrive at Gleann Geis. The ritual slaughter was arranged by them in the belief that such a religieuse would understand the pagan symbolism in it and then see nothing further.’
Fidelma began to understand.
‘They thought that the religieuse would panic and go riding back to Cashel and call for a religious war to exterminate the barbarians of Gleann Geis for having perpetrated such a crime?’
‘Exactly so,’ Ibor agreed. ‘Cashel would come down with all its might and fury on Gleann Geis to seek retribution. Gleann Geis would be protesting its innocence and indeed some evidence would be placed in the hands of the friends of Gleann Geis to indicate that it was Cashel’s own hand in the slaughter. The surrounding clans would be told that Cashel was the evil doer and had used the slaughter as a justification to annihilate Gleann Geis. Indignant, the clans would also rise up in support of Gleann Geis. The Uí Fidgente would be persuaded, and not with difficulty,
to also rise once more against Cashel. Civil war would split the land.’
to also rise once more against Cashel. Civil war would split the land.’
‘But most clans in this kingdom would support Cashel,’ Eadulf pointed out.
‘Possibly. But the northern Uí Néill, expressing themselves appalled by such acts,’ went on Ibor, ‘would then encourage and supply its allies to march on Cashel. Once Cashel had been destroyed, Mael Dúin would begin the process of obtaining the High Kingship and exert its will over all the kingdoms. With the Eóghanacht of Cashel destroyed, there would be no one to challenge the Uí Néill.’
Fidelma was incredulous. But she realised the grim logic of what Ibor was saying.
‘And all this might well have happened,’ she murmured.
She did not have to glance at Eadulf to make the Saxon feel uncomfortable. The Saxon lowered his head when he remembered his advice to her on the finding of the bodies and the realisation of what they symbolised. He had a feeling of growing horror.
‘Do I understand you correctly?’ he asked Ibor. ‘The slaughter of those thirty-three young men was carried out for no more reason than for our benefit? That it was a grotesque charade the purpose of which was to make us return in panic to Cashel and call for a holy war against the pagans of Gleann Geis?’
Ibor regarded the Saxon with some solemn amusement.
‘That is precisely what I have explained.’
‘And these sons of Satan were watching us all the time,’ Eadulf muttered reflectively. ‘Do you remember,’ he turned to Fidelma, ‘that we saw the sun flash on metal as we climbed to that valley? We were being watched. They must have watched our approach and knowing the path by which we were entering Gleann Geis they then arranged their terrible show along the course which we were taking, assured that we would see the bodies.’
Ibor of Muirthemne smiled grimly at Fidelma.
‘A war such as they planned might have happened had you reacted in the manner that was expected of you. But, God be praised, you did not. You kept your head and went on into Gleann Geis in search of the truth.’
There was a silence as they reflected on the quirk of fate which had prevented this carefully laid plot from coming to its hoped for fruition.
‘Sechnassuch once told me that you were an individualist, Fidelma,’ Ibor continued appreciatively. ‘Sechnassuch claimed that you were a rebel against the conservative ways of doing things.’
‘It was a plot that was well thought out,’ she admitted. ‘But, Ibor, you have not told us who was responsible for that slaughter?’
Ibor replied without hesitation.
‘Warriors from Ailech itself. Chosen men from Mael Dúin’s own bodyguard, with sworn allegiance to him and no one else.’
‘Did you witness this slaughter?’ demanded Eadulf.
‘No; we did not witness it otherwise we would have done our best to prevent it,’ Ibor replied quietly.
‘How then do you know that it was men of Ailech who did the deed?’ pressed Eadulf.
‘Easy enough. Our small band, there are twenty warriors and myself, were following Brother Solin and Brother Dianach. We knew that they would lead us to the substance of Mael Dúin’s plot. We followed them from Armagh on their journey south for many days. Then Brother Solin met up with a strange cavalcade. There was a band of warriors from Ailech. They were escorting the column of prisoners. Each man of them was …’
‘Shackled in leg-irons?’ interrupted Fidelma.
‘How did you know?’ Ibor asked. ‘I saw the bodies after the slaughter and the men of Ailech had removed all signs of identification; leg-irons, clothes, anything which might have identified the perpetrators of the deed.’
‘I saw the chaffing and scars left by the irons on the ankles of the slaughtered. I also saw the soles of their feet. They were covered with blisters and abrasions. That told me that the men had been forced to walk a long distance.’
The lord of Muirthemne did not seem astonished by her deductions.
‘They had, indeed, marched all the way from Ailech. May the place now be cursed. They must have been special hostages rounded up by the tyrant, Mael Dúin, and marched south specifically for the purpose of this appalling crime. With the warriors were men on foot controlling several large hounds, presumably as a precaution against escape. An interesting thing, which puzzled me at the time, was that this strange procession was followed by two empty carts, large farm carts used for transporting hay.’
‘Ah yes.’ Fidelma nodded. ‘The carts. I would have expected them to be there. What exactly happened at this rendezvous which you witnessed?’
‘Brother Solin and the commander of warriors from Ailech greeted each other in friendly fashion and they camped together for a day before Solin continued on with Brother Dianach …’
‘Did you identify the commander of these warriors?’ interrupted Eadulf.
‘Not by name, although I do not doubt that we will find him in Mael Dúin’s shadow. One person with these warriors I can tell you more about …’
He paused, obviously to make a better impact but when he saw Fidelma’s irritation he hurried on.
‘There was a woman who rode into their camp. She was obviously expected and greeted with courtesy. I have seen such a woman in Gleann Geis. A slender woman of commanding appearance.’
Fidelma raised her head with a satisfied smile.
‘Was it Orla, sister of Laisre?’
‘I can think of no other woman in Gleann Geis who bears resemblance to the person I saw meeting with the men of Ailech and with Brother Solin,’ replied Ibor gravely.
‘Orla!’ breathed Fidelma in satisfaction. ‘I was sure that it was her who I saw outside the stable.’
‘Let me be absolutely correct,’ Ibor hastened to add. ‘I could not swear to the fact that it was Orla meeting with Solin and the men of Ailech. We were spying on this scene from a distance, don’t forget. I did not know Orla at that time. But I saw no one else at Gleann Geis who had the same style of dress and authority of command as the woman I saw. One interesting fact I should point out. There was a disturbance during this meeting. It seemed that one of the hostages had managed to escape. The men with the dogs made ready to hunt him down and the woman spoke with their leader. It appeared that she requested to lead the hunt herself, for the next moment she set off on horseback with three huntsmen and their hounds.’
‘Did you try to rescue the escaped prisoner?’ Eadulf asked.
Ibor shrugged resignedly.
‘It was impossible without betraying our presence. It was only a matter of an hour before he was caught and brought back again. It was then that we noticed that he was a priest because he wore a tonsure. The possible fate of the shackled men did not cross my mind at that time otherwise we would have attempted to rescue them all. I was more concerned with following Solin and, to my shame, I left them to their fate not realising what horror would later be perpetrated against them.’
‘Indeed, no one would have guessed the terrible slaughter that was about to take place,’ Fidelma reassured him. ‘There is no blame on you. What did you do then?’
‘It had hardly taken her any time to track the poor hostage down. After the woman returned to the encampment, she spoke a while and then left with Brother Solin and Brother Dianach and two warriors of Ailech. They rode for Gleann Geis.
‘Brother Solin and Brother Dianach went directly through the gorge but the woman did not do so. With the two warriors from Ailech she went across the valley to the point where the bodies were later placed. It could be that the woman showed the warriors
the place. These warriors rejoined the rest of their company while the woman vanished into the hills.’
the place. These warriors rejoined the rest of their company while the woman vanished into the hills.’
‘That is a pity,’ Fidelma sighed.
‘What?’
‘That is a pity,’ repeated Fidelma. ‘A pity the woman did not enter Gleann Geis with Solin and Dianach.’
‘Why so?’
‘Because we could have easily confirmed that this was Orla by finding out, from the sentinels, who it was that escorted Solin and Dianach into the glen.’
‘I was wondering why Brother Solin had gone on into Gleann Geis,’ went on Ibor, ‘not yet having worked out all the permutations of the plot. Pondering this, my men and I found this hiding place and decided to make it our base until we could discover more details. Then two things happened.’
‘What?’
‘Firstly, while we were hiding in the hills, my scouts reported that the warriors of Ailech had slaughtered the hostages. The slaughter had been done in the shallows of a stream back in the hills, presumably to hide the deed for the water would have dispersed the blood. By the time my scouts alerted me, the bodies had been stripped, placed on carts and taken across the glen – as I say, to the spot where the woman had previously accompanied the two others. We were about to follow them when we observed the empty carts returning with the warriors of Ailech. There were no bodies. We saw that one cart was piled with the bloodied clothes of the victims. Then both carts proceeded northward with their escort.’
He passed his hand over his mouth distastefully as he remembered the scene.
‘Go on,’ urged Eadulf, intrigued by the horror.
‘Then my scouts reported your arrival on the plain and that you had halted where the bodies had, as my scouts reported, been dumped. After a while, from our vantage point in the hills, we saw you and Brother Eadulf crossing the plain and then being greeted by a band of warriors with a woman at their head. By her appearance, it was the same woman who had met Mael Dúin’s warriors earlier.’
When he paused again it was Fidelma who urged: ‘Then what happened?’
‘I was considering what plan I should adopt when my men saw the warrior I now know to be Artgal ride to the spot where the bodies were and examine them. You two and the woman had disappeared into the gorge. I was not sure, at that time, who you were or what
Artgal was looking for. I did not know even then what exactly had happened. Only after Artgal and his men had left did we venture to the spot.’
Artgal was looking for. I did not know even then what exactly had happened. Only after Artgal and his men had left did we venture to the spot.’
He shuddered involuntarily.
‘I have seen many vicious acts in war, all made while the battle fever gripped men’s minds, but there are none that I recall which approached this horror. I went with my scouts and saw that the hostages had been mutilated – the old Threefold Death of which storytellers used to frighten us as children. Only when I saw how the bodies had been arranged did I realise the significance.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me what you knew when you came to Gleann Geis instead of pretending you were a dealer in horses?’ demanded Fidelma. ‘That was a poor disguise, easily seen through.’
Ibor grinned lopsidedly.
‘It was the only disguise I could think of at the time which gave me a chance of entering the glen. But as for telling you – I did not know who you were. When Laisre introduced us, I knew you only by reputation. But I was told that you were in the company of a Roman monk.’ He glanced at Eadulf. ‘He might have been one of Mael Dúin’s men or one of Ultan’s followers. I could not trust you. I could not know whether you were part of the plot or not.
‘I suspected, however, that Orla was involved because she was the one who met with Brother Solin and the butchers of Ailech. The more I thought about it, it was obvious that Mael Dúin could not conceive or work this plot on his own or just with Solin’s backing. To work accurately, such a plan would have to have at least one supporter in Gleann Geis.’
Eadulf nodded slowly.
‘What happened when Colla came later to investigate? Did you observe what he did?’ he queried.
‘We hid from Colla and his men. I had sent two of my men to track the warriors of Ailech. They did so as far as the borders of the Uí Fidgente and then returned to report that those scions of evil were well on their way back to their master at Ailech. We watched Colla search the valley for a while. He rode as far as the foothills in which we were hiding. Then he returned to Gleann Geis.’
Fidelma sat back.
‘And it was then that you decided to come into Gleann Geis posing as a horse trader to see what was going on there?’
Ibor made an affirmative gesture.
‘Then it all fell into place, or so I thought. Some great charade had been enacted to prompt a terrible war. Only your refusal to panic and cry “wolf!” at the first opportunity stopped the immediate outbreak
of hostilities. The problem was, Brother Solin recognised me as a warrior of Ulaidh in the service of Sechnassuch.’
of hostilities. The problem was, Brother Solin recognised me as a warrior of Ulaidh in the service of Sechnassuch.’
‘I overheard your conversation at the stable. Why didn’t he betray you?’
‘He might well have had not I called his bluff and said I would also denounce him. It appears that there are many in Gleann Geis who are not in this plot. I was trying to find out who was on which side when Solin was murdered and you were placed on trial.’
‘And you fled!’ sneered Eadulf. ‘Thus bringing suspicion down on yourself.’
‘What else could I do in the circumstances?’ demanded Ibor. ‘Someone had to be free to inform Sechnassuch.’
‘And Brother Solin’s death was not at your hands?’
‘That much is obvious.’
Fidelma was frowning as she thought over the details of Ibor’s story.
‘There are many questions to be resolved,’ she brooded.
‘Such as how Mael Dúin in his northern kingdom at Ailech knew that Laisre was going to send to Cashel for a religious to negotiate on matters of Faith? How could he know that this religious was to arrive on a particular day so that his men knew where and when to place the bodies?’ Eadulf interposed.
‘Mael Dúin must have been closely informed as to what was going on,’ agreed Ibor. ‘Orla showed his men to the place where the bodies were found by you. Was she acting on her own? It seems unlikely. But who was in the plot with her?’
Fidelma nodded.
‘She is certainly part of this conspiracy. But … and this is the question we really need to answer … if Orla was thus an ally of Brother Solin, why did she kill him?’
Ibor started forward in surprise.
‘That had not occurred to me. Are you sure that you saw her at the stable? If so that also implicates Colla as her accomplice?’
Fidelma was quiet for a moment.
‘Yes. But we are still left with a mystery – why, if this matter emanates from such a terrible plot to create civil war here, does one ally turn on another? Why kill Brother Solin and then kill Dianach? It simply does not make sense.’
Ibor spread his arms helplessly.
‘I was hoping that you would be able to unravel this knot.’
‘Even I cannot perform miracles, Ibor,’ replied Fidelma grimly.
‘I have never known of such an instance where all paths lead into nowhere; where there is much suspicion but no tangible
line of facts. I am afraid that the answers still lie in the ráth of Gleann Geis.’
line of facts. I am afraid that the answers still lie in the ráth of Gleann Geis.’
Eadulf shuddered slightly.
‘Better to ride for Cashel and report what we know already to your brother.’
Ibor was immediately in agreement.
Fidelma shook her head firmly.
‘I presume that we are now free to travel where we wish?’ she asked Ibor with a touch of irony.
The lord of Muirthemne was contrite.
‘Of course. My men detained you only because I told them to be suspicious of everyone coming from Gleann Geis. I was going to try to contact you and offer to work with you to solve this matter.’
‘In that case Brother Eadulf will remain with you but I shall return to Laisre’s ráth,’ Fidelma announced. ‘It is only there that the final threads of the mystery will link together. However, if you can spare one of your most trusted men to ride to my brother at Cashel … ? We need to inform him of Mael Dúin of Ailech’s plans and Ultan’s involvement.’
‘Your brother will be suspicious of a warrior from Ulaidh arriving with this wild tale,’ protested Ibor.
‘Have no fear. Can one of your men cut me some wands of hazel?’
Ibor frowned in bewilderment but relayed the order to one of his warriors. The man hurried off.
‘What do you mean to do?’ he asked. ‘There might be great danger in Gleann Geis now. If Orla and Colla suspect that you know anything about their plot, about what is really going on, then they will not hesitate to kill you. A person who can willingly accept the murder of thirty-three young hostages merely in order to create disunity and strife will not think twice about further deaths to hide their criminality.’
‘This I know,’ Fidelma accepted. ‘How many men did you say you have with you?’
‘Twenty warriors of the Craobh Rígh, the royal branch of Ulaidh,’ Ibor replied proudly. The Craobh Rígh were the elite bodyguard of the kings of Ulaidh. Then he hesitated. ‘Why do you ask?’
‘I think that I am beginning to see a pattern in this muddy picture,’ she mused. ‘Let me think things through for a moment or so.’
After some moments the warrior returned with a bunch of half-a-dozen pliant hazel rods. Fidelma took them and asked Ibor for his sharp knife. They watched in bemusement as Fidelma deftly began to cut a series of notches along the rods. Then she bound
them together with a thong of leather taken from her
marsupium
and handed them to Ibor.
them together with a thong of leather taken from her
marsupium
and handed them to Ibor.
‘All your man has to do is to hand these to my brother at Cashel. They are to be placed into his hand and no other. Is that understood?’
Ibor turned to the warrior who had brought the rods to him.
‘Do you understand what you must do, Mer?’
The warrior nodded and took the bundle of rods.
‘It shall be done as you say, Sister,’ the man said.
Fidelma looked up at him.
‘I have recorded a message to my brother in Ogham, the old script of our tongue. He will understand.’
‘It is vital that this message get through,’ added Ibor quietly. ‘The safety of the five kingdoms is at stake.’
The warrior named Mer raised his hand in a formal salute and hurried away.
‘It will be a few days before my brother receives that message,’ reflected Fidelma.
‘Have you asked him to march here with an army?’ asked Eadulf eagerly.
‘And do the very thing that Mael Dúin and his allies want him to do?’ Fidelma mocked. ‘No. I have merely informed him of the situation and told him to beware of Ailech and Ultan of Armagh.’
‘Then what do you propose to do?’ Eadulf asked, perplexed.
‘As I have said, I shall go back to Gleann Geis and investigate further. But I believe that I will not have far to search now. Ibor is right. We might yet find friends in Gleann Geis who will be as horrified as we are about this plot to destroy Muman. Once I know for sure who is responsible then I can place the facts before them and seek their aid.’
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