Page 56 of Bound By Honor
Then turning to Angus, the earl said, “Join us and partake of some ale as I introduce those gathered here. We are sharing our thoughts as to where each of us will go to meet the threat we face.”
Angus and his companions found places at the table and, thirsty from the long ride, gratefully accepted the offered ale.
The earl gestured to two men, who, like Earl Richard, were in their third decade. “My brother, Theobald, and my cousin, William Liath, have proposed that they join me and my army in Connaught.”
Angus had never traveled to the ancient kingdom of Connaught southwest of Tirconnell but he was aware it had been under the control of the de Burghs for decades. That John fitz Thomas intended to wrest it from the Red Earl, a friend of King Edward, seemed an outrageous move, one not likely to succeed.
Earl Richard’s brother, Theobald, had the look of the earl and the same blue eyes, but his chin-length hair was brown.
“Do we know how many men fitz Thomas has?” asked Angus.
De Burgh’s cousin, William Liath, whose light eyes were assessing as he took in Angus and his companions, said, “The spies we have sent forward say he has a thousand marching with him for he has stirred the whole countryside against the Anglo-Normans.”
“And on our side?” asked Angus.
“Not quite that number,” said Earl Richard, “not counting your men. But our forces are better trained and better equipped. Both sides will have cavalry and, though most of the knights are ours, Sir Piers de Birmingham, Lord of Athenry, fights with fitz Thomas.”
Robert Bruce frowned, his auburn brows drawing together. “King Edward will have something to say about that.”
“Indeed,” said Earl Richard before shifting his attention to another man. In his middle years, the man the earl introduced as Aed O’Connor, by his dress was an Irish lord. His features were sharp, framed by long dark hair. His green tunic bore silver Celtic designs. “The O’Connor is King of Connaught by my choice,” said Earl Richard. “Once imprisoned by fitz Thomas, Aed has asked to lay siege to fitz Thomas’ castle at Sligo.”
“I do it most heartily,” said the Irish lord with a wry smile. “’Twould be gratifying to tear it down and deal fitz Thomas a blow at his seat of power. Connaught is not only my home but the place of my youth and I’d as soon see him gone from it.”
Heads nodded at the choice of Aed O’Connor to attack Sligo Castle.
“Last, and of great importance to me,” said Earl Richard, “I present Sir Thomas de Mandeville, Seneschal of Ulster, and Sir Hugh Bisset, Lord of the Glens of Antrim. Both have served me faithfully for many years.”
Sir Thomas, a man of fair countenance, looked very English to Angus with his high cheekbones, aquiline nose and pale skin, reddened from the sun.
Angus acknowledge Sir Hugh with a dip of his head. They were already acquainted, as Sir Hugh Bisset had married one of Angus’ older sisters when Angus was quite young. The older knight had graying brown hair and narrow eyes beneath bushy brows. The Bisset’s family was originally Norman and, once, were nobles in Scotland. Banished for their suspected involvement in the murder of some noble, they went to Ulster where they used their wealth to acquire lands in Antrim in the northeast of Ulster. It was the place where Angus’ ancestor, Somerled, had been born.
“Only a few years ago,” de Burgh went on, “these two helped me to install Brian O’Neill as King of Tirowen. The previous king was Niall Culanach O’Neill, Brian’s uncle. Niall, some of you will recall, was foully murdered by his cousin Domnall O’Neill.”
“Whose mother was a MacDougall,” put in Angus, remembering he had learned that the first time he’d visited the Red Earl.
“Ah, yes. I would expect you, a Macdonald, to recall that,” said Earl Richard.
“’Twas a grave sin to murder his kin,” muttered Sir Thomas, running his hand through his hair that was the color of flax.
“But not beneath Domnall O’Neill,” added Sir Hugh. “The sooner he is dealt with the better.”
“I am familiar with that history,” said Angus, recognizing the name Niall O’Neill. Once King of Tirowen, he had been the husband of the lovely Áine O’Cahan and the father of her son. He could regret the man’s death at the hands of kin, especially a MacDougall, but not that it left Lady Áine free to wed.
“If these go with me and the main army to Connaught,” said Earl Richard, “that leaves the north to defend. For now, Brian O’Neill is safe in Tirowen but Turlough O’Donnell’s kingdom of Tirconnell is hanging by a thread.”
Angus leaned forward to hear the earl’s thoughts.
“What do you think, Lord Angus, if I send you and your five hundred men to Tirconnell to aid your nephew who must fend off his half-brother, Aodh O’Donnell? As I remember, you accompanied your father to rescue Turlough once before.”
“Aye,” said Angus. “My father and I helped secure the promised kingship for Turlough. I would do so again.”
“Good. Turlough needs reinforcements,” replied the earl. “If Tirconnell does not hold, then Tirowen to the east will be threatened, for the enemies of Brian O’Neill are also the allies of fitz Thomas. I cannot risk the north falling to them.”
Earl Richard was about to move on when Angus said, “If he is willing, my lord, I would have the Earl of Carrick accompany me.”
Earl Richard glanced at Rob, who nodded his assent. “King Edward told me to lend you my sword,” he said to de Burgh, “he did not say where that was to be.”
“That being the case, since you agree, you shall join Lord Angus and his Islesmen in Tirconnell.” Facing Angus, the earl said, “With the number of warriors you have, you will not need O’Cahan’s men he sent to me earlier. I can use them to bolster our defenses in the east of Connaught.”
