Page 48 of Bound By Honor
“I met Dermot O’Cahan once with Father when we were at Dunluce on our way back from installing Turlough as King of Tirconnell. He struck me as a most reasonable young man.”
“Well, then, you will be at home there. You had best be sailing if you want to dine with Lord Cumee tonight.”
“And you, Brother? How is it with you? Are you and Juliana content?”
“We are. Our second child, John, born while you were at Kintyre, has a head of hair so black we call him John Dubh, ‘Black John’.” Then with a smile, he added, “Juliana is expecting another child.”
“Well done, Cousin Alex!” said Duncan with his characteristic grin.
“Aye,” agreed Angus. “A man could not ask for more than two sons and mayhap another soon to follow.” It was obvious Alex was well pleased with his growing brood. Then, glancing at the parchment before his brother, he asked, “Do you have enough men for the tasks Edward has given you? Enough ships to defend the Isles?”
“I do. As long as the English king continues to send funds, we will have ships and men to rein in the MacDougalls and MacRuaris.”
“Then I bid you good day,” Angus said to his brother. To Duncan, he said, “We had best collect John and be off.”
John was waiting for them just outside the castle door dressed for battle, in a padded coat, tunic and mail. Like Angus, he wore a sword at his side and a dagger secured at his waist. In one hand, John carried his helmet and in the other a long-handled axe. Though years younger than Angus, he had already achieved his height of six feet, a wee bit shorter than Angus.
“I am glad you are coming with us,” said Angus with an approving smile, “and that you are prepared. It is well you trained with Father’s galloglass as I expect this fitz Thomas will have many in his army.”
Retracing his steps to the bay and his ships, Angus sailed due south to Ulster. Remembering the treacherous waters below Dunluce Castle, he was relieved his destination was a long stretch of sand to the north.
It was afternoon and the sun still hours from setting when Angus spotted the castle looming before him set high above the blue sea on a promontory green with summer’s grass. As he stared at the stone edifice, he wondered what he might find there.
Dunseverick Castle, northern coast of Ulster, Ireland, June 1294
IN THE AFTERNOON, Áine went to the nursery to see her young son. Brian was sleeping peacefully, watched over by his nurse. Assured he was in good hands, Áine turned to the tasks before her.
Ever since the feud between John fitz Thomas and the Earl of Ulster had flared, her father’s chiefs had been coming to the castle on a near daily basis so that she rarely knew how many would be joining them for dinner. Rory Maguire of Fermanagh was also a frequent visitor and brought with him his personal guard.
As a result, she instructed the cook to prepare more food than she would have had it been just her family and members of the household. The harp player, bard and minstrels had been warned so often of arriving guests they now expected to perform every evening so she need not pay them a visit. But she still had to speak to her father’s seneschal about supplies and fresh rushes for the great hall.
When she had finished these tasks, she stepped into the afternoon sun, intending a brief walk around the promontory. Days without rain were rare and she wanted to take advantage of this one to visit her birds.
Finn followed at her heels though more slowly these days as he was old for a wolfhound and most often stayed by the fire. Sometimes she glimpsed a sadness in his eyes when he looked at her as if he knew his remaining days on earth would be few. Her heart broke to think of losing him but, she reminded herself, it was the way of all living things. She only hoped his passing would be peaceful.
Outside the stone walls, the sun was warm on her face. It was summer, that glorious time when the birds returned to nest on the cliffs. “Finn, we must see how our fulmars are doing. As well, the puffins arrived more than a fortnight ago.”
At the end of the promontory, she let her gaze drift from the cliffs to the sea. To the east lay Rathlin Island, less than ten miles offshore, where a colony of puffins nested. Shifting her gaze from Rathlin to the north, she was amazed to see a fleet of galleys in full sail emerging out of the mist and moving swiftly toward Dunseverick.
From the lead ship, which was larger than the others, a gold pennon flapped in the wind, making it impossible for her to discern its design. As she watched, the ships veered east across her line of sight.They must be making for the beach at White Fields Bay.
She counted fifteen galleys, each with thirty oars except for the lead ship, which had thirty-four. Hastening to the castle, Finn at her heels, she sought out her father and found him speaking to one of his chiefs. When they were finished and the chief bid her a good day, she turned to her father. “I have just seen a fleet of galleys nearing the coast.”
“Ah. That may be Angus Og Macdonald and his Islesmen. They are expected but I did not know their timing.”
“The largest of the ships carries thirty-four oars and a golden yellow banner though I could not see clearly its device.”
“If it is Angus Og Macdonald’s fleet, the largest ship is his and the golden pennon bears the black Galley of the Isles, the symbol of the lordship.”
Áine had never met the men of the Lordship of the Isles but Dermot had and spoke of their prowess in battle. “Are these the Macdonalds that Dermot spoke of, the ones you and he met at Dunluce?”
“We met The Macdonald, the chief, Angus Mor, and his middle son. Earl Richard has advised me Angus Mor has since died and is widely mourned. The eldest son, Alexander, has taken his place as Lord of the Isles. According to Earl Richard, Angus Og, the middle son whom we met, is bringing his warriors to join the earl’s fight against fitz Thomas. He will have many galloglass with him. I told de Burgh we could see to their needs while they are here.”
“Oh.” She took a step back. “But Father, he brings a small army—fifteen galleys and, judging by the oars, five hundred men! I planned to feed many mouths but not an army. They will be hungry and need a place to sleep.”
“They are too many to house in the castle. They may camp on the beach or Angus Og may prefer to keep them close, mayhap in the heather nearby the castle. But he and his guard will have chambers in the castle. Will you arrange it?”
“Of course. How long will they be with us?” Áine was still thinking of feeding the Macdonald army. Men carried meager rations when on campaign but their expectations would be higher when camped so close to the castle.
