‘Did you come here to punish me, druid?’
‘Punish you? I sometimes wish I had killed you,” said Taliesen sadly. ‘Damn you, mortal! Why did I ever show you the Gate?’
Oracle turned away from him then, leaning forward to add fuel to the fire. When he looked back the druid had gone.
And he had taken the sword .. .
‘You are a little unfair on Caswallon,’ Maeg told her father as he sat in the wide leather chair, chuckling as the infant Donal tugged at his beard. Maggrig was well into middle age, but he was still powerful and his thick red beard showed no grey. Donal yawned, and the Pallides Hunt Lord brought the babe to his chest, resting him in the crook of his arm.
‘Unfair to him?’ he said, keeping his voice low. ‘He married my only daughter, and still he raids my herds.’
‘He does not.’
‘I’ll grant you he’s stayed out of Pallides lands recently – but only because the Aenir have cut off his market.’
‘It is tradition, Father,’ argued Maeg. ‘Other clans have always been fair game; and Caswallon is Farlain.’
‘Don’t give me that, girl. That tradition died out years ago. By God, he doesn’t need to raid my cattle. Or Laric’s. And sooner or later someone will catch him. Do you think I want to hang my own son-in-law?’
Maeg lifted the sleeping child from Maggrig’s arms, laying him in his crib and covering him.
‘He needs excitement, he does it because he enjoys it.’ The words sounded lame, even to Maeg. For all his intelligence and quick wit, Caswallon refused to grow up.
‘He used to enjoy taking other men’s wives, I hear,’ said Maggrig.
Maeg turned on him, eyes flashing. ‘Enough of that!’ she snapped. ‘He’s not looked at another woman since we wed . . . well, he’s looked, but that’s all.’
‘I can’t think why you married him. Did you know he’s got my prize bull in the meadow behind the house? Now there’s a sight to greet a visitor, his own stolen bull!’
Take it with you when you go,’ said Maeg, smiling.
‘And be seen by all the men of the Farlain? I’d sooner they thought
it was a present.’ He shook his head. ‘I thought you’d change him, Maeg. I thought marriage would settle him.’
‘It has. He’s a wonderful husband, he cares for me.”
‘I don’t want to kill him,’ admitted Maggrig. ‘Damn it all, I like the boy. There must be other ways to get excitement.’
‘I’ll talk to him again. Are you sure that’s your bull?’
‘Sure? Of course I’m sure. The night he took it, Intosh and seven others chased him for hours – only he and that damn crofter Arcis had split up. Caswallon led Intosh a merry run.’
‘He must have been furious,’ said Maeg, keeping the smile from her face.
‘He’s promised to have Caswallon’s ears for a necklace.’
‘That wasn’t because of the bull,’ said his daughter. ‘It is said that when Intosh came back to his house he found his bed had been slept in and his best sword stolen.’
‘The man is unreasonable,’ said Maggrig, unable to suppress a grin. ‘I gave Intosh that sword after he won the Games.’
‘Shall I get it for you, Father? I’m sure Intosh would like it back.’
‘He’d bury it in pig’s droppings rather than use it now.’
‘Caswallon plans to wear it at the Games.’
‘Ye gods, woman! Has he no shame?’
‘None that I’ve noticed.’
From the hearth room below they heard a door open and close, and the sound of whistling floated up the stairs.
‘Well, I suppose I’d better see him,’ said Maggrig, pushing himself to his feet.
‘Be nice,’ said Maeg, linking her arm with his.
‘Be nice, she says. What should I say? “Been on any good raids lately?” ‘
Maeg chuckled, looped her arm round his neck and kissed his bearded cheek. ‘I love you,’ she told him.
He grinned at her. ‘I was too soft in the raising of you, child. You always had what you wanted.’
The two of them walked downstairs where Caswallon was standing before the hearth, hands stretched out to the flames. He turned and smiled, green eyes twinkling. ‘How are you Father?’ he asked.