FATE/CURADH BEAG
"Little Champion"
Chapter 15: A Mysterious Delivery
AUTHOR'S NOTE: All right, I enjoyed my summer break and am getting back into the regular swing of things. I had a couple of other projects to work on as well, which caused this to be delayed a bit. They're all done now, so I can dedicate more time to writing, at least throughout September. Don't be surprised if I slow down a tad again in October, since I want to save the content for NaNoWriMo 2023. Either way, let's keep this thing going, shall we?
The following morning, Cathbad made his return trip to Galway on his own. He promised Fergus and Conall that he would rendezvous with them in Leinster to sort through the details of how to organize their upcoming coup against Medb. Worrying about Cuchulainn was not a luxury they could afford when their own queen could do something reckless now that she was going to be deceived into believing Fergus was dead. The king's presence acted as something like a safeguard for the last 15 years, keeping the queen's impulses under control. That was going to be an additional source of great stress for Cathbad, but alas, he suspected that things would come to a head like this at one point or another.
The truth was that Ireland could not survive like this, regardless if the ruler was wicked or just. The planet was completely covered in seawater teeming with aquatic Phantasmals, the Celtic Isles were eroding with each passing year, all usable water was drying up quickly, two god-like beings were glaring at each other from their respective islands, and the people were losing hope. Cathbad wasn't sure if leading a coup during this time would serve much good in the long run, but if humanity was going to die out like this, it would be better to do so in solidarity under a king who cared for his people, rather than a selfish queen who squashed everyone beneath her heel like mere bugs.
Cathbad's mind weighed heavily with these thoughts as he eventually made it back to Galway in one and a half days' time. It was approaching night of the second day, so his report would have to wait until the third. Once the castle was open the next morning, Cathbad was immediately ushered into the throne room to meet with Medb and her three remaining Champions. One man was the charioteer Laeg, who eagerly wanted to find out what happened with Fergus and Cu Roi after they left Galway.
The second fellow standing off to the side was a rather unapproachable-looking man with sharp blue eyes and slightly spiked chestnut brown hair. He wore a pitch-black Celtic bodysuit with a small red mantle wrapped around his left arm, and his demeanor was so crude that those who looked him in the eye felt insulted even when he didn't say a word.
The third man appeared significantly friendlier than his fellow Champion, but that didn't make him any less dangerous. He had long, vibrant orange hair slicked back and tied at the base to resemble a dolphin's tail, a softer facial expression framed with green eyes, and several Runic tattoos etched on his face and torso. His armaments were light, consisting of little more than a weighted kilt, a buckle around his shoulder, and a pair of leather boots. Unlike many soldiers though, this man didn't need to wear armor. The reason he became a Champion was due to his notorious 'horn skin', meaning his flesh was almost impossible to pierce with ordinary weapons. How such a man's physiology operated was anyone's guess, but he ate and breathed just as much as any normal person did, so not many paid much attention to it. Even Cathbad wasn't aware of the particulars behind this man's inhumanly tough skin.
Seated in the throne at the center was, of course, Medb. She daintily crossed her legs and said, "Welcome back, Cathbad. I take it your assignment was a success."
"Indeed, it was," he nodded. "Sgaradh has been destroyed, and the two nations float apart from each other as we speak."
"Excellent. That should keep Cu at bay until we can figure out a plan."
"Ach… Quite the ballsy move ye go be pullin' there," Laeg grunted and rubbed his head in distress. "The people been all in a tizzy 'bout what 'appened in Ulster o'er them few days. I swear, panic's been sweepin' in faster than ye can sweep a chimney clean o'soot. 'Ow we s'pposed t'keep the peace when we got nonsense like this 'appenin'?"
"Oh, I'm sure I can think of some publicity stunt to quell the masses," Medb assured. "More importantly, I need to know what happened with Fergus' group."
"Aye, that be my question too! 'Ow they be doin'!? They 'ad t'be in Scotland when ye did yer thing! They made it back in one piece, no!?"
Cathbad inhaled deeply and pushed his glasses up his nose. After a dramatic pause, he murmured, "… I'm sorry."
Laeg's eyes widened in horror. "What be the meanin' o'that?"
"When I arrived at Sgaradh, I found the young spear-wielding girl bleeding to death."
"The lassie? Ye mean the one that Liath Macha took a likin' to?"
"Yes. She barely managed to tell me that they encountered Cuchulainn during their excursion. It was a fierce battle – one which they had no hope of winning. It took everything Fergus, Cu Roi and Conall had just to keep Cuchulainn away from Sgaradh, while Connla desperately tried to make it back here. Once she managed to utter that much, she breathed her last. I committed her to the earth before making my return, which explains the slight delay."
"Cor blimey…"
Just then, the sharp-eyed man smacked his fist against the wall and blurted, "That has to be a lie!"
Cathbad's heart nearly leapt out of his throat. Had he caught on to his bluff? He was sure he delivered his story with the most convincing expression possible. He kept calm and asked in a terse tone, "What makes you say that?"
"There's no conceivable way my father would lose to that bastard! There's no way! I refuse to believe it!"
The druid closed his eyes and lightly exhaled as he thought, The boy was just upset over his father's defeat. I was expecting this sort of reaction from him, but to think such an impulsive upstart nearly got the better of me… Damn, these old nerves are getting to me.
The orange-haired man maintained his sense of rationality as he asked Cathbad, "So four of our peers lost our lives out there to buy you time to part the Isles?"
"That is the unfortunate truth, yes," the High Druid replied.
"That certainly is troubling. Lords Fergus and Cu Roi were two of Ireland's best warriors. I never got to meet the other two Champions, but I hear their performances during the tournament were exemplary. I've been hearing rumors that one of them was Cuchulainn's foster brother, who possessed a magical sword that grazed Cu Roi."
"Hmph. Magical sword, my ass," the dark-haired Champion scoffed. "If he really did win against Father in that match, it was only because of that, not on any merits of his own. Not that I give a shit about any of that anyway. If Father really is dead, that means I have to take over as Munster's king. Truth be told, I'd rather go hunt that asshole Cuchulainn down and make him pay for everything he's done. Not just as some crazy-ass god of destruction, but even from the nasty shit he pulled before the Cattle Raid ever happened!"
Suddenly, Medb declared, "Lugaid. Your anger towards Cuchulainn is perfectly understandable, but there are times when you need to think with a cool mind. Your vengeance should be a low priority compared to succeeding Cu Roi as Munster's next king. Laeg has a point that the people are in a state of mild panic, and both Fergus and Cu Roi's deaths are only going to add to the problem. If it escalates, it could mean a potential uprising, and who better to go against than a queen they believe isn't doing anything to solve all of their problems? The people have a right to be worried, but that doesn't mean they should take it out on me. I mean, there's fear, and then there's plain ignorance, am I right?"
Lugaid mac Con Roi, son of Cu Roi mac Daire and formerly the Prince of Munster, exhaled a gruff sigh and muttered, "Yeah, I know. Once I wrap my business up here, I'm gonna head straight back to Cork and deliver the news to my citizens. I just know they're not gonna like it though, considering that their next king just turned 20, but that ain't my fault. Far as I care, they can shove their hare-brained opinions back up their asses."
Laeg scrunched his face a bit when he heard those bitter words, so he turned to the remaining Champion and said, "I be worryin' that Lugaid's attitude gonna sour negotiations 'fore they can git off ground, if ye know what I mean. That be askin' fer trouble, an' trouble be the last thing we need right now."
"I know," the man with the bright-colored hair shrugged. "I'll accompany him to help the transition go more smoothly."
"Do so, Ferdiad," Medb said. "I need Munster to renew its loyalty to Connacht under its new king as soon as possible, considering that Cuchulainn may figure out a way to steer Scotland back towards us in due time."
"Talk about a nightmare scenario…" Ferdiad scratched his head. "With Fergus and Cu Roi gone, that means I'm next in line for fighting Cuchulainn in direct combat. Considering I trained with him in the Land of Shadows all those years ago, it's reasonable to believe I would know how he fights the most out of anyone left alive."
"Hah! You may have the skills, but I have that and much more!" Lugaid boasted. "I have way too many reasons why I want that sick motherfucker skewered on my spear! That's why I have first dibs on his life! If I can't have that, then at least let me cut his head off his worthless neck!"
"Not going to promise anything, mate."
"All right, all right," Medb interrupted them. "You have your assignments now. Get to Munster on the double and sort the situation out there."
"Yes, ma'am," Ferdiad replied, and both he and Lugaid left the throne room.
All this time, Cathbad was preoccupied with smoking his pipe. Once the two warriors departed, he exhaled a long plume of scented smoke before grumbling, "There's intense, and then there's Lugaid… I scarcely can believe someone of such short temper is the son of the great Cu Roi."
"Ye cannae blame 'im, though," Laeg said. "After them shenanigans involvin' 'is ma Blathnat's affair wit' Cu, Lugaid got ev'ry reason t'be cross wit' 'im."
"Hmph. Even today, Cuchulainn's womanizing ways are still haunting us… But I digress. Since they're taking care of Munster, that means I'll have to inform Leinster's royalty about the current state of things."
"Ye need a 'elpin' 'and? I know we be short-'anded an' all, but I be sure 'Er Majesty's got Connacht under control, meanin' we jus' gotta clean up the dust that be shakin' up in Leinster, an' that ain't no easy task fer a fellow o'yer age."
"If Medb approves of it, then I don't mind. I could do with less ribbing about my age though. Despite my appearance, I still have plenty of beans in me."
"Heh, heh! Aye, sorry 'bout that! Bad 'abit, bein' too forthcomin' an' such. Cu always did tell me t'keep a lid on that ol' brutal 'onesty o'mine."
"Hmm…" Medb pondered as she listened to their discussion. "All right, I will permit it. I wouldn't be surprised if you wanted to check out Ulster after your business in Leinster is done, just to keep tabs on how the land around former Sgaradh is doing. The Celtic Isles' separation may cause more of Ulster's territory to fall to the ocean, and I will need an accurate report for my cartographers down the line."
"Sounds like a plan," Cathbad agreed. "I do have plenty of other errands to run, but they're of no consequence to you."
"Do as you will. I will expect all of you Champions to return to me in two weeks' time, understood?"
"As you wish."
Twenty-four hours following the battle in Glasgow, the weather turned bleak and grey. Heavy rainstorms drowned all of Ireland, which was certainly welcome for farmers trying to keep their crops irrigated. Unfortunately, the additional grey skies and distant thunder did not provide solace for those who learned the news of Scotland's sudden separation from Ireland.
Far in the Ulster county of Londonderry – well removed from all of the doom and despair looming over the country - a modest log cabin had been built deep in the woods that looked over Lough Neagh (at least, what remained as a viable lakebed, anyway). Only someone who could afford Connacht's absurd property taxes could live in such a sought-after location. The cabin had all the amenities that 1st century Ireland could offer; a fireplace, kitchen, living space with shelves full of books, nice beds, a small stable for livestock and a horse, a plot of land for basic gardening, and a pathway leading down to the shallow lake.
The woman who lived here by herself gazed out the window at the rain pelting the lakebed. She was a lady with fair complexion, yet her viridian irises belied both gentleness and firmness. Normally she would keep her long red hair down, but today she wore it back with a bonnet so she could focus on cleaning her study. The earthquake that rocked through northeastern Ireland caused her quite the fright, but she was more irritated by the mess she needed to clean up. Shelves, books, tables, chairs, cooking utensils, and even the stone cooking cauldron had been knocked over. While she didn't mind housework in general, having to upturn heavy objects by herself proved to be quite the chore.
She stood in the kitchen, uncertain of how to restore her cauldron to its former position. She remembered how it took three strong men to lift it inside, so she was highly doubtful she could do the same. She sighed to herself and shook her head in dismay – she would probably have to go to Emain Macha and request assistance, and that meant going there on horseback through this atrocious weather.
Her thoughts were interrupted when someone knocked on her front door. She called out, "Coming!"
She opened the door and discovered two figures on the other side. She immediately recognized the tall man as Fergus mac Roich, remaining ever so amicable even when completely drenched. He was accompanied by three shorter figures; obviously young children, from their short height and gait. While the grey-haired twins stared up at her with smiles on their faces, she couldn't get a good look at the final figure since she was fully enrobed in a thick rain poncho and hood that obscured most of her face.
"Pardon the intrusion, Emer," Fergus greeted the lady.
"Fergus? What might you be doing here at this time?"
"Not much. I just wanted to ask a favor from you."
"A favor, hm? Come inside then. No point in standing out in the rain like that."
Emer welcomed her guests inside. She loaned Fergus some towels, then took the rain coats off of the children's shoulders. She finally got to saw how despondent and exhausted the third child appeared, and she blurted, "Good gracious, look at you! You must not have slept a wink in days!"
"…"
As Fergus dried his hair off, he explained, "She got a little rest on the way here, but sleeping against a guy's back while on horseback doesn't really count as a good way to get some shut-eye. The twins are also pretty beat."
"I can certainly tell," Emer replied, then took Connla's hand and implored, "Come this way, kids. I have a spare bed you can sleep in."
She helped them get dressed in loose nightgowns, then put them down for the night. The lavender-haired girl never said a word during this time, and Emer had a feeling she had no interest in talking anyway. She rejoined Fergus in the kitchen as he gazed at the toppled cauldron. He remarked to her, "Looks like you've been having some problems of your own."
"Indeed. I was planning on leaving for Emain Macha tomorrow and hiring some boys to help me sort this mess out."
"Ah. Then no need to worry. Allow me to handle this."
"Are you sure? It took three men to-"
Fergus squatted, scooped his hands beneath the cauldron's brim, and grunted as he struggled to lift it upright. After a few seconds of using all of his strength, he gradually won against the cauldron's weight and got it back in its proper place. Once he finished, he flexed his arms and exclaimed, "Phew! There we go!"
"Good grief. You're always trying to brag, aren't you?" Emer huffed.
"Nah, it's nothing like that. When I see a pretty lady in trouble, I do everything I can to make things right. It's part of my nature, both as a man and as a member of the Red Branch Knights."
"Right, right. I'm sure you're trying to extort some sort of 'physical labor' out of me as well."
"Come now, don't jest like that. Even though it's been 15 years, I know you still consider yourself to be Cuchulainn's wife. Not even I am that crass."
Emer brushed some of her thick bangs around her ear as she scoffed, "That's right. I know he's still out there. Even if it takes me the rest of my life, I will wait for his return."
"Is that so?"
"But I'm sure that's not what you came out all this way to discuss with me. You said you had a favor to ask of me?"
"Right," Fergus' friendly disposition quickly vanished. "A couple, actually. One of them is to obviously look after the kids for a bit. That should be pretty easy for you."
"Of course. The twins looked lively enough, but it was so unsettling to see the third girl being so dispirited. Who is she, and what in the world happened to her?"
"Yeah, well… There's so much to talk about that it'll take the whole night to cover everything."
"I don't mind. Now that I have my cauldron back, I can make us some soup."
As Emer prepared a hearty broth of beef and vegetables, Fergus sat down at the table and detailed everything that happened over the last few days. Once she finished listening to his tale, the lady somberly closed her eyes and murmured, "Connla… Cuchulainn's offspring that he had with another woman…"
"I'm sorry," Fergus whispered. "I know you wouldn't have liked hearing that, considering how devoted you are to waiting for his return."
"He he he, what are you apologizing about? I'm hardly surprised at all. It always was in his character to go after strong women. I told him before - so long as his heart and soul belonged to me, then he could do whatever he wanted with his body. It was the only way to keep someone as dangerous as him satisfied."
Fergus coughed and blurted, "Anyway! That's the situation we're at right now. Connla needs to take some time off from her role as one of Medb's Champions. Barely surviving against Cuchulainn only to find out he's her father has devastated her. Cathbad, Conall and I are keeping this knowledge secret from everyone else, including Medb."
"A wise move. Knowing that woman's sheer hatred towards Cuchulainn, she probably would try to use Connla to get back at him somehow. The girl hardly needs that kind of petty drama in her life right now."
"Precisely. But I figured you had a right to know since you've decided to remain independent from Connacht. It would make your job of looking after her much easier, since she doesn't seem eager to talk to anyone."
"I don't blame her. Discovering that her father is Taoide Olc might make her believe she is just as responsible for his actions. If this knowledge were to be misused by others, she might wind up being lynched by a panicked mob. Who knows what kind of effect that would have on Cuchulainn's already warped state of mind? They may have fought as opponents, but given what I know of his behavior, I don't think he truly sees her as an enemy."
"Probably. The fact remains that the kid's in a precarious emotional state. You think you could snap her out of it somehow? We're going to need all of the warriors we can get for when Cuchulainn makes his inevitable return, and Connla's connection to him is the best advantage we have."
Emer nodded. "I'll do what I can. If a relaxing environment and some encouragement from me doesn't help, I always have some medicine she can bring with her."
"Medicine?"
"Just some concoctions to ease mental fatigue and calm the nerves. Given how weary she looks, I may have to use them anyway."
"Yeah… Well, do whatever works. I've got some important work to take care of in Leinster, so I have to make myself scarce for a while."
"All right. Once I'm sure that Connla has recovered enough, I'll send a carrier pigeon for you."
"Actually, I want you to have Cathbad pick her up."
"Lord Cathbad? What for?"
Fergus muttered, "He was insistent on having a word with her once she got better. I tried to ask him for details, but he said he just had some important tasks for her to complete."
Emer stroked her chin and mumbled, "I wonder what that could mean…"
"Official business between Champions, I guess. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Anyway, as much as I'd love to stay and chat some more, I really should be on my way."
"All right. Godspeed, Fergus. Make sure you knock that witch Medb down a peg for me."
"Will do."
With that, Fergus departed on Dubh Sainglend, leaving Liath Macha behind in the stable since he apparently refused to leave Connla's side. Emer watched him leave, then dusted herself off and murmured, "Phew… It was good to see him again, but he certainly left a lot of baggage for me to deal with."
The following 24 hours would see more grey skies and heavy rain. Despite the dreary atmosphere, everyone in Ireland welcomed the rainfall, as they would be able to fill buckets and barrels full of drinkable water to help them survive for the next while. Emer swapped a filled bucket with an empty one so she could dump the water into a small reservoir in her kitchen. As she did this, she heard two pairs of energetic footsteps clamoring down the stairs, and she turned around to find Fir and Fial reaching the bottom of the steps.
"G-Good morning…" Fir stammered, unsure if he was being polite enough.
"Good morning, children. Did you have a good night's sleep?" Emer asked.
"Yeah! The bed were nice and cozy. Beats camping out awl the time!" Fial exclaimed elatedly.
"Excellent. I was just about to make breakfast. Would you two like to help?"
"Hmm… I'd wike to… but I'm wowwied about Connwa…"
Fir nodded in agreement. "I know what you mean. She didn't eat a thing whatsoever yesterday. She must be a lot more upset than I realized."
Emer frowned and asked, "Is she awake?"
"She is, but she didn't feel like getting out of bed."
Just as Fir said this however, the door to the spare room creaked open. Connla stepped through, rubbing her weary eyes with a distant expression on her face. She held on tightly to the guardrail as she took one step at a time down the stairs. She had so little energy that something so simple wound up taking a lot out of her.
"Good morning, dear," Emer spoke in a soft tone. "Did you sleep well?"
A silent nod was the only response. They huddled around the bonfire to warm up while Emer made some porridge topped with berries. Fir and Fial ate their meal properly, but Connla just sat there staring into her bowl for an awkwardly long time. Emer placed a hand on her shoulder and gently implored, "I know things have been difficult for you, but you need to eat if you want to get your strength back."
"Mm…" the girl mumbled, then reluctantly started scooping portions of soupy food into her mouth. After eating for a bit, she then asked the woman, "Um… so, why did Uncle Fergus leave us here? Who are you supposed to be, anyway?"
"I guess we had no time to introduce ourselves last night. Don't worry, Fergus told me everything about you."
"… Everything?"
"Everything."
"Including… that?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, that… Well… I'm connected with… Cuchulainn…"
Emer closed her eyes and rubbed Connla's shoulder to calm her. "Yes. I know you're Cuchulainn's daughter."
"…"
"It's all right. There's nothing to worry about anymore. If it makes you feel better, I have my own connection with Cuchulainn as well."
"You do?"
"Sure, I do. I'm his wife, Emer."
Connla's eyes widened slightly when she heard this. "His… wife? As in… the woman he married?"
"The very same. You and I both have a connection with him. There no reason for you to be so upset now, is there? His actions have hit me just as hard as they have for you. That's why you can talk with me about anything you want."
"Hmm… I wish I could… but I just have so much on my mind…"
"I'm sure you do. Just take it easy. You're free to stay here as long as you'd like."
"Sorry for the trouble…"
Emer wagged her finger in a dismissive gesture. "That's not what we say to a host. You're supposed to thank them for their hospitality."
"Oh… um… thank you… for the hospitality…"
"That's better. Now eat your breakfast before it gets cold."
Later that afternoon, Emer sat the children in the living room and taught them some basic embroidery to pass the time. Fial didn't seem particularly talented at it due to her hyperactive nature, but Fir caught on to it and was already designing some charming patterns like flowers, trees and basic animal faces. Emer was worried that Connla would keep poking her fingers with the needles due to her lack of concentration, so she taught her how to do some knitting instead. She had every reason to be concerned, since Connla's knitted project turned out to have an unsettling number of holes from missing too many stitches. She didn't seem to care though, as her body went through the monotonous rhythm while her mind drifted off elsewhere.
"I'm bowed!" Fial complained. "Do you have anything to dwaw with?"
"You want to do some drawing? Let me see what I've got here…" Emer murmured as she shuffled through her desk.
Just then, a peculiar red glow tickled their vision. Everyone glanced at Connla's shimmering thumb ring in silence. Emer became perplexed, but Connla's skin immediately turned pale. She dropped her knitting needles, visibly trembled, and gasped two words under her breath:
"He's here…"
She looked like she was about to have a severe panic attack. She shook even harder and gasped for air uncontrollably. Fir and Fial knew what this meant and hugged each other while whimpering under their breaths. Emer held Connla steady while glaring at the front door. After a minute, the lady stood up and calmly approached the entrance. Connla reached out and uttered, "W-Where are you-?"
"Stay inside. I'll talk to him."
"You can't! He's much too dangerous!"
"I know him better than anyone. He won't do anything to me."
"Uh…"
Emer gracefully threw her rain hood over her shoulders and stepped outside. Connla tried to follow her, but was so scared that she just stood at the entrance. She watched Emer stand boldly in the middle of her muddy potato field and gaze toward the nearby forest.
"Are you there, Cuchulainn? I know you can hear me," Emer called out. "Stop hiding from me and come out."
The sound of rain splashing against deep puddles continued for the most tense minute of their lives. None of them wanted to make any unnecessary sounds. Soon though, another person's feet hit the mud with a loud splash after they leapt from one of the trees. He stood tall and faced Emer with a tired and apathetic expression. She narrowed her eyes, but said nothing. Connla held onto the side of the entrance door, practically forgetting to breathe as she fixed her eyes on the newcomer. The twins were so scared of the man's presence that they refused to even look outside.
He glanced over at the red glow emanating from Connla's ring, then remarked, "Looks like my theory is right. That ring is going to warn others of when I'm nearby. That might wind up being used to Connacht's tactical advantage."
"Oh, just look at you," Emer rebuked and shook her head forlornly. "I don't recall marrying a monster."
"Yet you still came out to meet me."
"What were you thinking? You may have lost the war 15 years ago, but that is no excuse to join forces with a Phantasmal and drown the rest of the world beneath the ocean. Are you that determined to punish Medb for her conquering Ulster? That you would take away any and all other territories on this planet so she can't overthrow anyone else?"
Cuchulainn raised an eyebrow and frowned harder. "You're not entirely wrong with my motivation for sinking every other country out there. How else do you stifle a dictator than by forcing them to isolate from the very world they want to conquer?"
"That's just your black-hearted spite talking. Medb might be strong, but she doesn't possess the ability to dominate the entire planet."
"Hmph," he smirked at her. "That's where you're wrong, Emer."
"Why is that?"
"Medb can conquer the world. She could have as well, had I not intervened."
"What nonsense is this? One woman should not be capable of something so outlandish."
"You just have to trust me on this one."
"Why should I believe you when you're being deliberately vague with the facts?"
"You're my wife. That's more than reason enough."
Emer grew frustrated, and she demanded, "What would you do if I annulled our union here and now?"
Cuchulainn's lip twisted into a curt grin. "You'd never do that in the first place. You told Fergus that you've been waiting for me this whole time. Annulling our marriage would go against your desire to see me again, wouldn't it?"
Her throat went dry once she realized that he had somehow listened to her conversation with Fergus last night. She swallowed hard to get her voice back, then retorted, "If you're not stuck on Scotland, then how come you're lurking around on my property like some kind of shady character? If you want to waste my time gloating about how powerful you are, then take it somewhere else. In case you haven't noticed, there are children here, and you are scaring them. If you have no proper business with me, then I must ask you to leave at once."
Cuchulainn raised an eyebrow, then sighed. "Funny how the unarmed woman is putting up a better fight than most trained warriors I know. No wonder I wanted your hand in marriage… Fine, then. If that's how it's going to be, then I'll cut our happy little reunion short."
Before Emer could say anything, Cuchulainn suddenly tossed a small burlap satchel in her direction. She fumbled it in her hands, but managed to grab the sack before it could fall into the mud. He turned around as he said, "Give that to Connla."
She tried to ask a bunch of questions, but the King of Shadows immediately leapt into the thick forest and vanished into the approaching night just as quickly as he appeared. Emer stood there in the rain for what felt like an unnaturally long time, staring at the satchel with a forlorn gaze in her eyes. The adrenaline rushing through her head subsided in an instant, and she suddenly felt like being sick as she toppled onto her knees. She had forced herself to maintain a stoic façade, but in all honesty, she had been terrified beyond comprehension while speaking to her mutated husband. She never, ever expected him to have such a demonic appearance now, which clashed with her memories of him when he was younger and much friendlier.
That's the Cuchulainn that Connla had to fight against? My word… no wonder she was so traumatized…
"Ms. Emer!" Connla shouted and ran outside. "Are you okay!?"
"Yes… I'm unhurt…" the woman moaned.
"Let's go back inside. You'll catch a cold if you stay out here like this."
"You're right…"
Connla helped Emer stumble back into the cottage, and prepared a small fire with her magic so they could dry their clothes. Fir and Fial were still huddled together on the bench, and the latter trembled, "I-Is the scawy guy gone, Connwa?"
"I think so. I have a good nose for bloodlust, and I'm not sensing any right now."
"Weally?"
"Really. I'll put up some basic barrier Runes later that will warn me if anyone tries to get too close during the night. I probably should've done that before, but… well…"
"Well, okay… If you say so…" Fial murmured as she and Fir started to calm down.
Whatever depression Connla had seemed to have been scared out of her system, now that she seemed more alert and prepared than usual. Her thoughts turned to how she could keep the property safe from any further attempts Cuchulainn could make at sneaking up on them like that. She recalled that while he didn't seem to want to kill her during the battle in Glasgow, he certainly wanted to capture her alive. She couldn't let that happen, no matter what. But then, a peculiar thought crossed her mind:
Wait a minute… He could've snatched me away anytime he wanted just now. Why didn't he do so? Is it because he didn't want to fight me in front of Ms. Emer? Or was there some other reason he wanted to come here? More worryingly, how did he get all the way over here when Scotland is floating so far away from Ireland? Can he teleport between the islands somehow?
"Say," Fir murmured and pointed at the bag Connla had taken from Emer, "what's in there?"
"Huh?"
"Did the scary guy give that to you?"
"Oh, um… I guess so."
"What's inside?"
"I don't know. It feels really light though. I don't think it's any kind of currency."
"Should you open it? I mean, it was from the scary guy. Who knows if it could be a trap?"
"But the scawy guy is Connwa's daddy, wight?" Fial wondered. "A daddy wouldn't be so mean that he'd give his dawtah a bad pwesent."
"Maybe…"
Emer nodded and said, "I think Fial's right. No matter how corrupted Cuchulainn may be, I sensed that he still has his kinder side intact, even if it's reserved only for a select few anymore."
Connla swallowed as she stared at the satchel with an intense glare. Finally, she declared, "Okay. I'm going to open it."
With that, she untied the small rope and proceeded to open the bag.