Chapter Twenty-one: Thievery
Angus made it to Kells in record time. It was growing dark, and King Conchobar and his court were taking their supper in the dinning hall. The guards paid him little mind as he strode through the passageways and into the throne room. He stopped in front of a table by the throne and rummaged through the papers scattered across its surface. He frantically threw unwanted items behind him, until he found a scroll. Pocketing it, he stepped over the mess on the floor and looked toward Cathbad's chambers. Good, he was still in the dinning hall. He ran up the stairs and pulled on the door handle. It was locked.
Damn it, he thought. Of all the times to lock your door, old man! Good thing he knew which window to climb through.
Cathbad returned from his meal to hear clanks and crashes from inside his chambers.
"Angus..." he growled. Teeth grinding together, he unlocked his door and slammed it closed behind him.
Everything was trashed. Scrolls littered the floor, boxes of powders knocked over, and one thief was still rummaging around as if he had a demon chasing him.
"Angus!" yelled Cathbad. "How many times have I told you to not break into my quarters! Look what you've done!"
Angus wasn't even listening.
"Have you gone completely mad?" Cathbad asked. With no response, Cathbad tried to grab Angus's shoulders to spin him around to face him. He didn't budge.
"Not now, Cathbad!" he roared, pushing him off.
"Stop it! Stop destroying my work!"
Angus spun to give Cathbad a petrifying stare. "Where is it? Where is the potion?" he demanded.
"What are you talking about?"
Cathbad jumped at the glass shattering against the wall. "THE POTION!" he shrieked. "I know Lynette and Garrett brought more of it back from their trip, I know they bottled it up, and I KNOW that they gave it to YOU! Now WHERE IS IT?"
Cathbad backed up against the door, his hand to his heart. Who was this? Was it some sort of doppelganger impersonating Angus? He was afraid.
Angus saw his expression and softened marginally. "I need that potion, I need it for Rohan, and you will give it to me...now!"
"Rohan has been gone for over three years, Angus. He is most likely dead, you need to get past..."
"He is not dead, I saw him with my own eyes! Don't tell me what I do and do not know! I am not a child anymore! But if you do not tell me where that restorative potion is, he will die, and his death will be on your hands!"
He's mad, Cathbad thought. Absolutely, barking mad! He knew there would be a mental breakdown with this boy, especially with his best friend's disappearance, but he had no idea that it could escalate to this! Well, he had more than one bottle. Wasting one or two on this rage was preferable to getting hurt for not complying. He pulled out a stone from the wall by his bed and pulled out a few bottles, setting them on the wrecked counter. Angus grabbed one and pocketed it before sweeping out the door.
"Sorry. I'll clean it up when I get back..." he muttered.
Cathbad was floored. If Angus was offering to clean up after himself, then he still had his mental capacities. What the hell was going on? He yelled after him, "You have a lot to explain when you return, Angus!"
Cathbad went to find King Conchobar, thinking about what Angus was yelling about. He paused in the throne room. It looked like Angus had stolen one of the king's documents as well, papers were scattered everywhere. Cathbad re-stacked them neatly on the table, setting the Ancient Scroll on top. He looked at the familiar parchment, finally complete. His brow furrowed. Why did Angus think Rohan was alive? Could Draganta really have returned? He grabbed a sheet of blank parchment, scribbling down a note. He strode to the hallway and called out, "Guard! Take this note to King Conchobar, immediately!" He hastened to his chambers without waiting for the guard's reply. Gathering a bag of potions and powders, he left his chambers in shambles, and headed toward the stables.
The black-haired knight ran out through the front gate ignoring the friendly greetings from the castle guards. Pyre was there waiting for him, not making a sound. As soon as Angus mounted him, Pyre started to fly in the direction of old Temra. Pyre must feel my need, thought Angus. It would explain his cooperation. He nervously felt his pockets for his stolen loot. Hold on, Rohan. I'm coming. Just hold on!
Rohan drew a large grateful breath as Deirdre dropped his mask. Torc was correct, it had been difficult to breathe with the blood collecting in his mask. He was actually choking on his own blood.
Deirdre was in shock.
What did this mean? She loved Rohan, and was slightly uncomfortable when she started to have feelings for Donovan. But now, it all made sense.
Donovan was Rohan. Rohan was Donovan.
Rohan was gulping down air at an alarming rate, coughing out the blood that had congregated in his lungs. He was a terrible sight. His face was pale and clammy, blood trickling out of his mouth and down his chin. He was starring intently at Deirdre, trying to gage her reaction. She was just starring at him. Was she not going to say anything? Even yelling at him would be preferable to this silence, it was unnerving.
Ivar was running around the room with Gavin, tearing down curtains and gathering as much cloth as he could find for bandages. There were so many aspects of this situation that were confusing, but the prince could guess why he thought he had to do this alone. He didn't know if anyone else had put it together yet, but he figured that this meant that Rohan was Maeve's son. He could only imagine Rohan's shock when he found out. Something clicked for Ivar. He looked over at his dying friend.
So that's why! He was afraid that we would abandon him!
Ivar walked to Garrett, who was still gape-mouthed. He tried to get his attention to tell him what he discovered, but Garrett suddenly began looking around the room.
"Where's my wife?" he asked.
Ivar looked around. "Last I saw her, she was with the women outside, tending to the wounded. Why?"
"I have to get the Kells! Immediately!"
Ivar put a hand on his arm, stopping him. "Why? What good will that do us now?"
Looking at Deirdre, he said, "Do you remember when Rohan was almost killed in battle that one time? I had a potion with me that was given to me by one of the healers in Lynette's kingdom. It miraculously saved his life. We brought more back with us last time and gave it to Cathbad for safekeeping."
"We need to get him stable first." said Gavin, joining them. He knew it was no use. With the peace treaty signed, Rohan could not be healed. But he played along to keep them all here. He needed his friends here with him. At least this way, he wouldn't have to die alone.
Deirdre finally broke out of her reverie. She was furious. So she did the first thing that came to her mind.
She slapped Rohan. Hard.
He grimaced in pain. "I deserve that." he groaned.
Ivar saw the exchange and went to intervene. The last thing that would help Rohan would be for Deirdre to beat on him. He was stopped by Gavin and Garrett.
"You have to let them work it out." whispered Garrett. "Trust me on this one."
Rohan turned his face back to Deirdre. He would be brave and face her. The least he could do was explain himself. "Deirdre...I only wanted to..."
He was interrupted by soft lips coming in contact with his. He closed his eyes, savoring the kiss.
Deirdre cradled his head, kissing him fiercely, demanding his attention. The kiss was frantic, a sense of desperation flowing through her. She finally had him back. He had a lot to answer to, much to explain. But right now, she needed to know that he was real. She felt his hands come to her shoulders, gently pushing her away.
Rohan reluctantly pushed her back. "As enjoyable as that is, Deirdre, there are more important things to do just now." He ran his hands up and down her arms, trying to calm her as the tears flowed anew.
"Not now, Rohan. Wait a second." said Ivar.
He and Garrett tenderly pulled Rohan up by the shoulders and let him to the banquet table.
Gavin used his arm to sweep all the food and platters out of the way, most of it clattering to the floor. Garrett and Ivar gently settled him back on the table, using a waded curtain to support his head.
Garrett patted Ivar on the shoulder, signaling his departure. He ran out toward the courtyard to look for Lynette.
Deirdre was at his side, holding his hand as Ivar and Gavin did their best to clean up his wound. "It's not very deep," said Gavin. He picked up a knife from the table and used it to cut away at Rohan's shirt. As he peeled it back, Deirdre gasped. His toned chest was discolored, yellow and black with deep bruising. She gently slid her hand down his chest. He hissed, and she pulled back her hand.
"Oh, Rohan..." she cried. She leaned over to look directly in his eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me? Was it because you thought I'd love you less? Or...did you think...you do love me, don't you?" she asked. What if he didn't? What if he did all this because he didn't want to marry her?
He saw the fear of rejection in her eyes and brought his hand to her cheek.
"I have always loved you, and I always will. I've wanted to marry you for ages! But not like this. I...I am her son. Don't you see? Maeve is my mother. I couldn't take the shame...and I wanted you to marry me because you cared for me, not because you were forced to. Forgive me..."
"Sorry to interrupt, Rohan." intercepted Gavin. He placed a comforting hand on his brow. "But you need to know...you don't...you don't have much time left. Just say what you need to say."
"I know, Gavin," he whispered, "I know..."
"What do you mean he doesn't have much time left?" asked Ivar. He said the wound wasn't that deep, surely they could heal him!
Gavin explained about the scroll, and what it meant.
"Damn it, Rohan!" fumed Deirdre. "Why did you have to be such an idiot!"
Rohan chuckled painfully. "Love makes us do crazy things." he said.
He closed his eyes. She patted his cheek with her hand. "No you don't! Stay awake!"
"I'm sorry." he breathed. "I'm going to have to disappoint you again, Princess."
"You have never disappointed me. And it's Deirdre remember? Now stay with us, stay with me...please."
His eyes drifted shut, content. "Deirdre..."
"Rohan? Rohan! Wake up! Please!"
Gavin gazed in sorrow at the princess, a lone tear drifting down his cheek. "He is unconscious, Princess. I don't think he will wake up again."
"Gavin?" called Angus.
"In here, Angus!" yelled Ivar.
Angus strode into the room. He looked down at the table. "Am I too late?" he asked.
"He's unconscious." hiccuped Deirdre.
Angus let his eyes drift shut. "Thank the gods." he mumbled.
Deirdre stared incredulously. "What do you mean?" she demanded.
His eyes snapped open. "No time to explain. Trust me on this Deirdre." He pulled out the potion bottle and scroll from his pockets.
Ivar picked up the bottle and examined it. "This is the potion Garrett was talking about. I'd recognize it's hue anywhere! But it will do him no good, he can't be healed!"
"That's why I brought the scroll."
Deirdre opened the seal. "The peace treaty." she breathed. "How did you get all this?"
"Sometimes being a thief has it's advantages."
Gavin was at the fireplace, desperately trying to light a fire. "We have to destroy it!" He said. "But I cannot get a fire going!" He threw the flint down in defeat. He felt helpless, he couldn't even light a fire to save the man's life!
Garrett strode in with Lynette at his heals. She picked up Rohan's discarded sword. She pointed it at the fireplace. "Move!" she yelled at Gavin.
He barely dove out of the way as a great fireball shot into the chimney and brought the fire to life, crackling merrily in the somber room.
Garrett looked at his wife. "Very nice! You would have made a great knight."
"There's no time for jokes!" yelled Deirdre. She grabbed the scroll and tossed it into the flame, watching it shrivel slowly.
Garrett answered Ivar's unasked question. "We were saddling our horses to head to Kells when Angus came back. We were about to try and mount Pyre instead, but Angus told us to forget it and follow him. It wouldn't have mattered anyway. As soon as Angus jumped off, Pyre was in the air again, flying back toward Kells. We put away the horses and came to see what was going on."
"He must have returned for a reason." said Angus, gazing intently at the shrinking parchment. "That dragon is too smart for its own good."
The peace treaty finally disappeared in a stream of smoke, and Deirdre rushed back to Rohan's side.
"He's still breathing," said Lynette, "but how do we know if it worked or not?"
A age-wizened voice replied behind them. "You let me attend to him with my potions."
"Cathbad!"
Note: Ironic that it has been raining this whole week, right when I start writing this sad section. Please review!