Disclaimer: "Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog" and its' characters are owned by Saban and whoever else was involved with the creation and production of this show. Any new characters and story lines that come into play are of my own creation. No copyright infringement is intended. This is a fanfiction intended for entertainment purposes only and no money is being made off of it.
Chapter 4: Quarrels
The spy had returned to Temra castle without any trouble from the soldiers of Kells or any of the Mystic Knights. He went promptly to the throne room but Nemain wasn't there so the spy headed toward his queen's library, knowing full well that she wanted his report as soon as he had returned. He entered the room and bowed before Nemain who sat at a desk covered with over a dozen scrolls. Torc was standing off to the side, watching his spy and stayed to listen to the man's report.
"What did you discover about the stranger?" Nemain asked urgently.
"The stranger who had saved the Mystic Knight of Air is a girl by the name of Macha. It appears that the King of Kells has invited the girl to stay within the castle. Even though she had been injured, not severely though. She sparred with each of the Mystic Knights, and bested all of them, except the Mystic Knight of Fire," the spy said with respect but he returned to a monotone voice once he saw the look that Nemain had sent to him. "She also taught the Knights a few fighting techniques, ones that I have never seen before."
"Interesting. You may go," Nemain said as she waved her hand absentmindedly toward the door. The spy bowed to Nemain again and quickly left the room. Nemain sat in silence for several minutes, deep in her own thoughts in which she had forgotten Torc was in the room until he stepped out of the shadows and stood before her but he remained silent.
"Torc, I have been searching through these scrolls and written on one of the scrolls is a vague reference to a power that resides on this island, but I have been unable to determine its location or its purpose. Mider has yet to return." Nemain was quiet for a few moments as she thought of something that had occurred to her earlier. "This, Macha, appears just around the time that this power has awakened. I find that quite odd and perhaps she is connected to it?"
"I cannot believe this little girl is connected to this power that you speak of, my Queen," Torc said with disdain.
"Ah, my dear General, it is true that it may be a mere coincidence, but hardly unlikely. I want you to bring this girl to me."
"Yes, my Queen," Torc said as he bowed to Nemain barely able to restrain himself from disagreeing with his Queen. He left to carry out her order while Nemain stood from her desk and retrieved a scroll from a shelf behind her. As Nemain unrolled the scroll, a fiendish smile came to her lips.
Once Macha had finished teaching the Mystic Knights a few fighting techniques, they had gone their separate ways. Rohan and Angus headed to their hut in the village. Ivar stayed with Macha to discuss the techniques that she had taught them. Garrett followed Deirdre into the castle and caught up to her in a corridor when he was certain they were alone.
"Deirdre, I need to speak with you, alone," Garrett said urgently.
Deirdre stopped and turned around to face him. "What is it, Garrett?" Deirdre asked looking suspiciously at him. She was worried that he would bring up their betrothal once again.
Garrett looked over Deirdre's head down the hall and then he looked over his left shoulder to see if anyone was behind him. He turned his head and saw a door to his right. "Let us go in here, where we will not be overheard."
Deirdre held in a sigh and followed Garrett into a room that held a few chests, a cracked mirror, and a pile of broken pots, several torn baskets, and a ripped tapestry.
"What is it, Garrett?" Deirdre asked warningly as Garrett quietly shut the door.
"This girl, Macha, may be dangerous. I do not want you to be alone with her," Garrett ordered.
Deirdre's eyes blazed in fury, as she stood straighter and glared into Garret's eyes. "How dare you. Macha saved my life and she is my friend."
"I am your betrothed, Deirdre, I believe…" Garret began to say but he was quickly interrupted by a furious Deirdre who had anticipated what he was about to say.
"How dare you!" Deirdre exclaimed again as she stepped closer to Garrett and jabbed her finger into his chest. "We may be betrothed Garrett, but that does not give you the right to tell me what I can and cannot do!"
"Deirdre, I do not wish for you to come to any harm. Even your father agrees that she may be hiding something," Garrett said sternly stepping back so Deirdre would stop poking him in the chest.
"That does not matter. Secrets are abundant as the leaves on the trees, but that does not mean that Macha will harm me or anyone else," Deirdre said fiercely as she rushed to the door and left the room slamming the door behind her.
Garrett sighed loudly as he rubbed the back of his neck.
.
Cathbad returned to the throne room. King Conchobar was standing before a window gazing out, but what Conchobar was seeing was a mystery to Cathbad.
"Your majesty?" Cathbad said to bring the king from his thoughts.
Conchobar turned to face the druid. "Ah. Yes, Cathbad, have you discovered anything about this power that you had sensed?" Conchobar asked hopefully that Cathbad would give him some good news.
"Alas, no, your majesty, I have not discovered even an indication of this power," Cathbad replied dejectedly.
Conchobar nodded his head. "It is quite all right Cathbad. We must send a couple of Mystic Knights to Tir Na Nog to seek answers. Duncan!"
A Kells soldier came into the room and bowed before King Conchobar. "Yes, your majesty?"
"Please find one of the Mystic Knights and bring him or her to me," King Conchobar ordered.
"As you command, my King." Duncan turned and left to find a Mystic Knight. It wasn't very long before Duncan had found Garrett coming out of a room with a scowl on his face.
"Your Highness, the King wishes to speak with you in the throne room," Duncan said.
Garrett just nodded his head and headed to the throne room. He arrived there promptly and saw not only Conchobar there, but Cathbad as well. "King Conchobar, you wish to see me?"
"I asked Duncan to search for a Mystic Knight and apparently you were first one he had found. Where are the other Mystic Knights?" King Conchobar asked Garrett.
"Deirdre is probably with Ivar and Macha. Angus and Rohan have gone to their village," Garrett replied.
"I wish for you to go to Tir Na Nog. Retrieve Rohan and Angus so they will take this journey with you. Ivar and Deirdre shall remain here to protect Kells if Temra decides to attack," Conchobar said to Garrett.
Garrett bowed to the king. "As you wish, King Conchobar." Garrett left the throne room and set off to find Rohan and Angus.
Angus and Rohan had headed to their village to rest. They had traveled from the castle in silence, each lost in their thoughts about the same subject.
"Angus, Macha is hiding something," Rohan said softly as he broke the silence.
Angus frowned and stopped in his tracks to face Rohan. "Rohan, Macha saved Deirdre's life." Angus' dark eyes stared intently into Rohan's blue eyes. "What gives ye the right to judge Macha? So, she may have a secret or two, but as I recall ye have one as well."
"Angus…" Rohan warned as he stopped and looked at his best friend.
"Perhaps we should tell the people of Kells about the parentage of their hero, Draganta. Ye see, everyone has secrets that he or she does not wish to share. Macha is a decent person and I don't remember ye refusing Macha when she taught us a few fighting techniques."
"By Dagda! This is completely different, Angus. You are becoming attached to this girl and I am worried that she may come to harm you," Rohan said firmly.
"This is madness, Rohan. You are the one who has placed your trust in a thief and a stranger from another land, but you cannot place a drop of trust in a girl who saved Deirdre's life! The girl you have cared for since you were ten years old!"
"Perhaps I shouldn't have placed my trust in a thief!" Rohan retorted angrily. Rohan instantly regretted the words he had spoken but Angus didn't reply as he turned away from him and the village as he headed back in the direction of the castle.
Garrett came up to Rohan. "What has caused Angus to be angry with you?" He asked as his gaze followed Angus' departure from the village.
"Macha," Rohan said the name with a hint of bitterness. He had become worried for his friend who had placed quite an interest in the strange girl.
"Indeed. I talked with Deirdre about her, but she defended Macha wholeheartedly and threatened that if I ever did so again that she would ensure that I would not be able to sit for quite some time," Garrett said as he turned his head to look at Rohan. "King Conchobar has ordered that we should go to Tir Na Nog and speak with King Fin Varra. He did ask for Angus to come with us, but it appears that he wishes to be alone."
Rohan nodded his head, turned and began to walk quickly in the direction of Tir Na Nog. Garrett took on more look at Angus before he went to walk alongside Rohan.
guardianM3: I know there wasn't much of the love triangle in this chapter, but I'm working on putting it in. Please review with thoughts, comments, constructive criticism, questions, etc.