At breakfast Nottingham showed up again. He was beginning to get on her nerves. Why did she have to have a damn shadow? She was only putting up with it . . . No, she wasn't just putting up with it. She seriously doubted she could lose him if she tried. At least not in a country that was strange to her. Hence her irritation. Well maybe she couldn't lose him but she could mess with his head.
"So, Nottingham, what should I do today?" She paused as if she were actually asking his advice.
"You may chose to shop. Ireland has some beautiful wool sweaters. Celtic designs are quite pleasing."
"OK, it's settled then. I'll go sightseeing. Which way should I go? North? South? East? West?" Sara though she saw flicker in his eye when she said west. "OK, I'll travel east. Thanks for breakfast!" Sara left, not sure who had played whom.
Sara drove the rental car west. Something pulled at her, drawing her, something familiar.
After a few hours of driving west, with occasional stops at landmarks, she got drowsy. Drowsy enough to fear she would fall asleep behind the wheel. "Must be those multiple time zones catching up with me". Also she didn't often drive for hours facing into the sun. So she looked for a place to pull over. Maybe a 20 minute nap would get her going again. She set the timer on her watch for one hour just in case she didn't wake up and reclined the driver side seat and put her jacket over her shoulders. Just a short nap . . .
............................
Cathain stood on a stool as Roisin, her maid worked on the hem of the silk brocade dress. Roisin had saved the brown and gold silk years ago, hoping the day would come when she could make something beautiful for Cathain, when Cathain would accept it.
Occasionally Cathain wore a dress, at family affairs. This was the first dress she had ever requested. A dress to wear to the State dinner where Conchobar's new retainers would declare their allegiance. Cathain planned to swear her allegiance in woman's garb to publicly acknowledge that there was one man that Cathain would be a woman for.
A messenger arrived and handed a message to Cathain. As she read it her expression went from casual amusement to an iron mask.
"Leave, Roisin. No, wait, get me out of this dress. Mel , get Fearghus!"
When Fearghus arrived the apartment smelled like burning silk. Just a few remnants of brown and gold brocade remained in the fireplace.
"Fearghus, prepare for an overnight falconry. Everyone will come, everyone. I want to leave in the hour."
"Cathain, we have one who is too ill to ride, Breccan. You're not wanting him, are you?"
"Everyone must come with us, one way or another. Get a cart ready. Roisin can take him to the apothecary in town. From there they can meet with us . . . Here." She pointed to a junction outside of town and west of Ulster.
"And Osan, the bitch that just whelped ?"
"Put her and the pups on the cart too. You've been worrying over her; the apothecary can look at her too"
A few instructions, a brief flurry of activity, and one hour later Cathain and her retinue left Conchobar's keep. To anyone watching they were heading out for an overnight hunting trip. If the watcher looked closely he would notice that all of Cathain's people were going.
The troop rode for two hours and stopped at the junction where they were to meet Roisin with the cart and ailing members of their group.
Now Cathain told Fearghus and Iona, her sister, why they left Ulster.
"He has gone too far. He has done me an injury that can not be tolerated." It was painful to speak, to admit to her kin and leigeman what had driven Cathain from Conchobar's keep. "He is betrothed to Deidre."
"Deidre is but a babe in arms!"
"There has been a prophecy that Deidre will bring down Conchobar's house. He thinks to protect himself by betrothing her." Cathain stood with her arms crossed and her back to Ulster.
Fearghus looked at his feet. He knew the blow to Cathain's pride was an unforgivable breach . Cathain had ever been discrete about her involvement with Conchobar, but everyone in her household knew that the two of them were intimate. It could not be hidden, hadn't been hidden, but it was quiet. Everyone expected that at the end of the wars Cathain and Conchobar would make public vows.
Iona knew, more than Fearghus, just how close Cathain and Conchobar were. A love that would last the ages had been kindled. But Conchobar's lust for power, his arrogance, temper, and blindness to the consequence of his actions allowed him to believe that he could marry one woman for political reasons and keep his true love as a mistress. Maybe another woman would have accepted it, but not Cathain.
"So we are returning home." Iona spoke the obvious. They had left with little more than the clothes on their back. "We don't have enough provisions for the 3 day trip. Are we to stop at the keeps of our friends?"
"No. I don't want to make up excuses or discuss politics with them. We'll get provisions in towns and make camp away from people."
"That seems an ignoble retreat."
"So be it. I have little pride left." Cathain's face was set.
Iona touched her sister's hand and drew her away from the others. They walked for a bit in the sunshine.
"What would you do?" Iona asked.
"I wish to retire from the role I find myself in. I care that our family and lands are well tended. I want peace on the land. But I don't want to be involved in it anymore."
"So what are you planning?"
"Donnchadh and the others have done well at governing while we were away. I will not have children to pass my inheritance to."
Iona looked at Cathain sharply. "How can you say you will have no children?"
"I have decided.' Cathain's words were final. Iona knew there was no hope of discussing it.
"So you are content to settle you rights and duties on Donnchadh?"
"Yes, I will withdraw from the world. I want to be lost from public view."
Iona: "How can you do that? Conchobar can't allow you to break from his alliance - he would lose a good part of what he - you and he - fought to bring together."
"I'm thinking about that. We should have at least a fortnight before he comes knocking on the door to reclaim my allegiance, either by charm or by force."
"So before then I must leave our home. If I were to stay within our walls, he would come with troops and bring destruction. I will be gone so he can't get at me by harming you."
"He won't harm me. I'll be with you" Iona said. "You are my sister. You are more dear to me than anything. "
"You would be unhappy by yourself, away from family".
"I won't be by myself, I'll be with family, you."
The cart came along a couple of hours later. "Good news. The apothecary had something to help both Breccan and the bitch!"
"I am glad something good has come of this day" said Cathain. With their troop complete, they set out to get a few hours closer to Connemara and further away from Conchobar.
"So, Nottingham, what should I do today?" She paused as if she were actually asking his advice.
"You may chose to shop. Ireland has some beautiful wool sweaters. Celtic designs are quite pleasing."
"OK, it's settled then. I'll go sightseeing. Which way should I go? North? South? East? West?" Sara though she saw flicker in his eye when she said west. "OK, I'll travel east. Thanks for breakfast!" Sara left, not sure who had played whom.
Sara drove the rental car west. Something pulled at her, drawing her, something familiar.
After a few hours of driving west, with occasional stops at landmarks, she got drowsy. Drowsy enough to fear she would fall asleep behind the wheel. "Must be those multiple time zones catching up with me". Also she didn't often drive for hours facing into the sun. So she looked for a place to pull over. Maybe a 20 minute nap would get her going again. She set the timer on her watch for one hour just in case she didn't wake up and reclined the driver side seat and put her jacket over her shoulders. Just a short nap . . .
............................
Cathain stood on a stool as Roisin, her maid worked on the hem of the silk brocade dress. Roisin had saved the brown and gold silk years ago, hoping the day would come when she could make something beautiful for Cathain, when Cathain would accept it.
Occasionally Cathain wore a dress, at family affairs. This was the first dress she had ever requested. A dress to wear to the State dinner where Conchobar's new retainers would declare their allegiance. Cathain planned to swear her allegiance in woman's garb to publicly acknowledge that there was one man that Cathain would be a woman for.
A messenger arrived and handed a message to Cathain. As she read it her expression went from casual amusement to an iron mask.
"Leave, Roisin. No, wait, get me out of this dress. Mel , get Fearghus!"
When Fearghus arrived the apartment smelled like burning silk. Just a few remnants of brown and gold brocade remained in the fireplace.
"Fearghus, prepare for an overnight falconry. Everyone will come, everyone. I want to leave in the hour."
"Cathain, we have one who is too ill to ride, Breccan. You're not wanting him, are you?"
"Everyone must come with us, one way or another. Get a cart ready. Roisin can take him to the apothecary in town. From there they can meet with us . . . Here." She pointed to a junction outside of town and west of Ulster.
"And Osan, the bitch that just whelped ?"
"Put her and the pups on the cart too. You've been worrying over her; the apothecary can look at her too"
A few instructions, a brief flurry of activity, and one hour later Cathain and her retinue left Conchobar's keep. To anyone watching they were heading out for an overnight hunting trip. If the watcher looked closely he would notice that all of Cathain's people were going.
The troop rode for two hours and stopped at the junction where they were to meet Roisin with the cart and ailing members of their group.
Now Cathain told Fearghus and Iona, her sister, why they left Ulster.
"He has gone too far. He has done me an injury that can not be tolerated." It was painful to speak, to admit to her kin and leigeman what had driven Cathain from Conchobar's keep. "He is betrothed to Deidre."
"Deidre is but a babe in arms!"
"There has been a prophecy that Deidre will bring down Conchobar's house. He thinks to protect himself by betrothing her." Cathain stood with her arms crossed and her back to Ulster.
Fearghus looked at his feet. He knew the blow to Cathain's pride was an unforgivable breach . Cathain had ever been discrete about her involvement with Conchobar, but everyone in her household knew that the two of them were intimate. It could not be hidden, hadn't been hidden, but it was quiet. Everyone expected that at the end of the wars Cathain and Conchobar would make public vows.
Iona knew, more than Fearghus, just how close Cathain and Conchobar were. A love that would last the ages had been kindled. But Conchobar's lust for power, his arrogance, temper, and blindness to the consequence of his actions allowed him to believe that he could marry one woman for political reasons and keep his true love as a mistress. Maybe another woman would have accepted it, but not Cathain.
"So we are returning home." Iona spoke the obvious. They had left with little more than the clothes on their back. "We don't have enough provisions for the 3 day trip. Are we to stop at the keeps of our friends?"
"No. I don't want to make up excuses or discuss politics with them. We'll get provisions in towns and make camp away from people."
"That seems an ignoble retreat."
"So be it. I have little pride left." Cathain's face was set.
Iona touched her sister's hand and drew her away from the others. They walked for a bit in the sunshine.
"What would you do?" Iona asked.
"I wish to retire from the role I find myself in. I care that our family and lands are well tended. I want peace on the land. But I don't want to be involved in it anymore."
"So what are you planning?"
"Donnchadh and the others have done well at governing while we were away. I will not have children to pass my inheritance to."
Iona looked at Cathain sharply. "How can you say you will have no children?"
"I have decided.' Cathain's words were final. Iona knew there was no hope of discussing it.
"So you are content to settle you rights and duties on Donnchadh?"
"Yes, I will withdraw from the world. I want to be lost from public view."
Iona: "How can you do that? Conchobar can't allow you to break from his alliance - he would lose a good part of what he - you and he - fought to bring together."
"I'm thinking about that. We should have at least a fortnight before he comes knocking on the door to reclaim my allegiance, either by charm or by force."
"So before then I must leave our home. If I were to stay within our walls, he would come with troops and bring destruction. I will be gone so he can't get at me by harming you."
"He won't harm me. I'll be with you" Iona said. "You are my sister. You are more dear to me than anything. "
"You would be unhappy by yourself, away from family".
"I won't be by myself, I'll be with family, you."
The cart came along a couple of hours later. "Good news. The apothecary had something to help both Breccan and the bitch!"
"I am glad something good has come of this day" said Cathain. With their troop complete, they set out to get a few hours closer to Connemara and further away from Conchobar.