First things came first. At least for Cu getting himself cleaned up was way top on the list of priorities.

The cold water of a small river was displeasant to both of them, but they bore with it bravely, washing their bodies.

"Diarmuid. Come here." Cu said quietly, yet clearly.

Diarmuid look at the man and began to stumble his way over the rocks in the shallow water.

Cu realized it would be faster to just grab Diarmuid and so he did. He pulled the kid roughly to his side.

"Be quiet." He demanded and covered Diarmuid's mouth just to be sure, kneeling down deeper into the water, behind undergrowth, whilst holding Diarmuid tightly to his chest.

Diarmuid didn't appreciate the sudden confinement but dared not to move. Only a small moan of displeasure came from his throat.

It was quiet for a while, only the water was rustling, until Diarmuid could hear the sound of horses approaching.

As the voices came very near, Cu began muttering something under his breath, his voice sounding very eerie.

Cu could see a group of three men and horses through the holes in the greenery. The had stopped to water the horses and stretch out. But not later than 15 minutes they had departed.

Cu waited just for a while longer to be sure, then stood up, releasing Diarmuid.

The boy was shivering from being completely still in the freezing cold water and Cu wasn't doing much better himself.

"This place is no good." Cu said quietly. He had plans to wash their clothing as well and he meant to do so.

He led Diarmuid over to the other bank of the river and set a small camp in the forest near the shore, instructing Diarmuid to wash their things, while he returned to the other side to bring along their horse.

How lucky for Cu, the animal was very calm and tame and followed without as much as a tug on its' harness.

Diarmuid was scrubbing the clothes with shivering hands, but he wanted to do good.

Cu joined him and observed the kid in silence for a while. Diarmuid felt the other watching his back and turned around.

Cu walked up to Diarmuid and cupped up water in his hands and poured it down Diarmuid 's back.

"Yeep" Diarmuid yelped when the coldness came down and arched his back.

Cu took a hold of Diarmuid 's shoulder and continued pouring water down his back.

"You need to wash your back properly" he said and rubbed Diarmuid 's back to remove the large dark spot on the child's back.

Cu's large hands weren't rough at all, Diarmuid was feeling almost a bit dazed, being enveloped by Cu's warm aura.

Cu was done. "Go up there and get dry." He told Diarmuid.

Before Diarmuid could tell Cu that he wasn't done with the washing yet, Cu added "I'll finish", reading through the kid's body language and simple mind.

The next day around noon they continued their journey.

The rode for 5 days, with breaks in between in smaller settlements.

Cu would ask a few people with children if they were willing to take Diarmuid. An elderly couple was the last to reject his plea. Cu sighed and lifted up Diarmuid by his armpit, sitting him up on the horse and got on himself.

After riding for a while with a stern expression, he heard a quiet voice behind him. "Nobody wants me…"

Cu didn't reply. And after a long pause the voice said "I wanna stay with You."

'Oh, and actual Want.' Cu mazed, since it was rare to hear Diarmuid say he actually wanted something.

"Haven't I explained it to you, Diarmuid? First off, I'm busy. Second, it'll be much better for you to grow up with two parents and possibly siblings. Do you not understand how important it is to have a home?"

"Where do you live?" Diarmuid asked.

"Ulster." Cu said simply.

"Then I wanna live there too."

Cu sighed, though the kid's logic was somewhat refreshing.

"I don't have a home there. And it's a cursed Kingdom, regularly in war."

"I wanna go there."

"Listen good now. You can't. When the call comes I'm going into battle and I'm not about to do the same mistake as that woman. As for the city, houses get burned and people get killed. I'm telling you don't wanna be there."

"But, why are you going there?"

"Because I have made an oath to serve the King, and this I must uphold."

Diarmuid was loosing the argument badly.

"Why?" he persisted.

Cu didn't feel like answering anymore and rode the horse quietly.

"Why, Cu? Why?" Diarmuid was pushing Cu's back, getting upset.

Cu glanced back at Diarmuid sharply. "Because I was a stupid kid and didn't know better and decided to live this kind of life!"

Diarmuid pressed his lips together, feeling pressured by Cu's harsh reply.

"Stop." He then said. "Stop! I wanna get off!"

Cu brought the horse to a gentle stop and Diarmuid instantly slid down from the horse.

"I'm going!" he said, staring at the ground. He turned around and began to walk away from the path.

Cu reasoned that Diarmuid probably wasn't going to the toilet. But he watched him for a while. Diarmuid was just walking straight on, into the fields of grass.

"Where are you going now!?" Cu called after him.

"I'm going!" Diarmuid called back, not turning back.

Cu led the horse after Diarmuid and soon caught up.

"Where are you going?" Cu asked again, riding alongside Diarmuid.

"Away."

It was clear Diarmuid was sulking.

"Away from Me?" Cu asked diplomatically.

He could see Diarmuid 's pace became unsure, as the kid realized that if he went his own way he would end up completely alone. Just imagining standing in the middle of nowhere without Cu's strong presence was enough to make his little body feel completely empty and a wind of fear gusting through. He stopped still.

"You don't want me. You don't like me." Diarmuid said bravely, yet looking at the ground still, with his fist balled up.

Cu got off his horse and put his hand of Diarmuid 's shoulder. "I said I'd take care of you. That was my promise to you, Diarmuid."

"But you wanna get rid of me!" Diarmuid protested.

"I'm trying to find you a home. Were you listening to me at all?"

He could hear Diarmuid muffle a cry before the little on knelt down and hugged his knees.

"I don't want it!" he whined.

"Listen. Once you're grown up you'll be able to make your own decisions. But until then that's my job. And you will listen to me."

Diarmuid was kneeling and sniffing, holding his tears back.

The horse suddenly got upset and jumped up and ran off down the field.

Cu looked after the animal with wide eyes. He whistled a few times, but there was no bringing the horse back now.

"Well…there he goes… Now we're really stuck together." He commented.

Diarmuid was rubbing his eyes, then stood up and turned to Cu, yet looking only up to the man's waist.

"I'll listen to you." He paused a bit so he could gather a bit more courage to speak up.
"But only if you don't hate me and if I can stay with you."

Cu took Diarmuid 's words seriously. He couldn't really treat him as a complete child. Thought it was quite the dilemma.

He knelt down to meet Diarmuid 's eyes, but the other turned his face away.

"You have to look the person in the eyes if you're talking about making a commitment or making a promise" Cu told him.

Diarmuid did so with utmost difficulty, pain obvious in his golden eyes.

Cu opened his mouth to say something but Diarmuid extended his arms and clasped his small hands over Cu's mouth.

"I promise to listen to you." He said with all the determination he could gather.

He then removed his hands from Cu's mouth. "Now you."

Diarmuid took the words from Cu with his actions. Cu just stared for a long while.

Then put a fist upon his own chest and said: "This I give you my word. I do not hate you."

He paused, reconsidering if he really should allow Diarmuid to follow him down his not too bring path.

"You may stay by my side until you grow tired of it." He finished nonetheless.

Cu offered Diarmuid his hand. "Satisfied?"

Diarmuid's face was bitter. He grabbed Cu's hand collapsing to his knees. The pressure and the fear of what Cu's decision would be had exhausted his body with violent trembles from deep within.

He had to take a deep breath before he asked with a trembling voice. "You're not lying?"

Cu raised Diarmuid's face up and said with steady eyes. "I am not."

He then sat down upon the tall grass and pulled Diarmuid up to him, sitting him in his laps.

Diarmuid was stiff, still processing what was just said and convincing himself that what Cu said was the truth.

The sky was turning slightly orange, the sun was making its way to the horizon.

"It's warm today. I guess we can sleep here." Cu shared his thoughts.

'I don't think I can sleep' Diarmuid thought to himself, still tense.

Cu noticed a tree in the clearing to his right.

"By that tree should be good." He set Diarmuid down and walked over to the tree. He sat down, leaning his back against the trunk and rested his arms upon his knees.

Diarmuid looked at Cu settling down at the tree and approached him after a while. He was deciding whether he should take the same positing on the other side, since he was still a bit cross with Cu, laying in his lap was out of the question. But not wanting to be on the other side of the tree he decided to lay down next to Cu. Before the sun had set Diarmuid had already fallen asleep.

Cu had intended to wait until he could catch the sight of the moon, but his heavy eyes closed shut before he could.