Midach's shoulders slumped in resignation.
âIt is even as she has said,' he mumbled. âShe seems to know everything.'
A couple of the High King's guards moved at a gesture from Sechnassach and followed Fidelma's instructions. A few moments later the two young black-haired lads were brought blinking from the underground tomb to stare in fear at the mighty assembly.
The Chief Brehon immediately sought to reassure them of their safety.
Forbassach was on his feet.
âI must point out that we, of Laigin, have no wish to harm these boys ⦠if they, indeed, are the sons of Illan.'
âThey are the sons of Illan,' confirmed Fidelma. âAnd if their hair is washed clean of that black dye you will find two thatches of copper-coloured hair. Midach dyed their hair as an extra precaution when he took them to Sister Eisten. Isn't that so?'
Midach seemed too dispirited to answer.
Forbassach was on his feet repeating himself.
âWe sought the heirs of Illan simply to identify them. To discover their whereabouts. The purpose of this was to offer our support for their claims and restore them to the kingship of Osraige. There is only one power here that would oppose that purpose â Cashel. As we have claimed all along, Cashel's interest would be to destroy them. It was in Cashel's interests to kill Dacán. We repeat our original claim, that Osraige be forfeit for the honour price of Dacán.' He smiled towards the two young boys. âBut as neither boy is anywhere near the age of choice, whereby he might be affirm as king, then the right of the kingship must devolve in the gift of Fearna.'
At once Colgú, ignoring the protocol of the court, was on his feet in anger.
âCashel is not at the centre of this claimed conspiracy to harm
these boys. Salbach admits that he is the culprit. For that Cashel shall punish him. The evil of the chieftain of the Corco LoÃgde is not to be put on the shoulders of Cashel!'
âYet Corco LoÃgde owes allegiance to Cashel,' sneered Forbassach in reply. âWhat other shoulders but Cashel can the guilt rest on?'
Barrán held up both hands. His face showed dismay and there was irritation in his eyes.
âThat you both forget the protocol of this court is a matter of sadness. That you both persist in a squabble before me is a matter of penalty. Colgú, you are find one
séd,
the value of one milch cow, for not allowing your
dálaigh
to present your arguments. Forbassach, you are more guilty of an offence being not only trained in law but the advocate of your king. You shall be find one
cumal,
the value of three milch cows. If this occurs again the penalties shall not be so light.'
Barran gave everyone a moment to settle down again and instructed the two young boys be brought before the
cos-na-dála.
âAm I to understand that these boys are both under the age of choice?' he asked, turning to Midach.
âThey are,' agreed the physician, accepting his role as their foster-father.
âThen we cannot give any weight to their evidence,' sighed the Chief Brehon. âNevertheless, we may call upon them but what they say, if contradicted by other evidence, may be discounted. This is the law.'
âI am aware of this, Barrán,' agreed Fidelma. âAnd, unless Forbassach insists, I have no wish to call them.'
âI would prefer Sister Fidelma to deal with the specific matter of the murder of Dacán,' replied Forbassach.
âThen I shall do so,' replied Fidelma. âIt should be obvious now that Dacán's death was essentially connected with the task that he had come to Ros Ailithir to perform. He was killed because it was thought he presented a threat. But let me point
this out, that it is true that Dacán alive was worth more to Salbach than Dacán dead. So who, then, was Dacán a threat to? He was clearly a threat to the children of Illan, as I have said before.'
Forbassach was on his feet yet again.
âAnd I have said, Laigin was no threat to these children. It sought to help them.'
âBut did the children know that?'
Fidelma's question was sharp and left an uneasy silence.
She turned to Midach. The once-jocular physician looked tired and exhausted before her.
âDacán had been two months at the abbey researching before you learnt that he was looking for your foster children. When you discovered that you immediately set off to remove them from Sceilig Mhichil. You left here on the very night Dacán was killed, the night he wrote to inform his Brother Noé that he was leaving for Sceilig Mhichil.'
Barrán intervened, thinking to preempt Fidelma.
âAnd did you kill Dacán, Brother Midach?'
âDacán was alive when I left the abbey,' Midach replied quietly but firmly.
âThat is true,' Fidelma affirmed quickly. The Chief Brehon raised his hands in protest.
âHow can you know that?'
âSimple enough. We know that Dacan was killed around midnight. Certainly not before. Midach had to be on board his ship just after vespers in order to sail with the evening tide for Sceilig Mhichil. I checked the tides with the local sailors. If he had delayed then he could not have been able to sail until the following morning.'
âThen who did kill Dacán?' Barrán was totally perplexed.
âSomeone who, like Midach, believed that Dacán meant harm to the children of Illan.'
There was a silence as everyone realised, after all the proceedings, they were now on the verge of the final revelation.
Fidelma was surprised at the fact that no one had leapt to the same conclusion that she had been drawn to some time before. When no one spoke, when no one moved, Fidelma shook her head.
âWhy â who else but the children of Illan would feel threatened by Dacan?' she asked. âWho else but the eldest son of Illan, who was more threatened than his brothers?'
Everyone was looking at the young boy Cétach.
âBut you have just stated that these two boys were still on Sceilig Mhichil at this time. They were at least two or three days sailing away from Ros Ailithir,' Barrán pointed out.
âI did not say it was either of these two boys,' Fidelma said loudly above the hubbub.
Again the effect of her words was like water on a fire. There was stunned silence.
âBut, you said â¦' began the Chief Brehon wearily.
âI said that the eldest of Illan's sons killed Dacan.'
âThen ⦠?'
âIllan had three sons. Isn't that right, Midach? Dacán, in his letter to his brother, wrote that Illan's eldest son had just reached the age of choice. That rules out these two lads, who are a long way from the age of seventeen. That also means that Illan had a third son.'
âYou seem to know everything, Fidelma,' Midach said grimly. âYes. My cousin Illan had three sons. They were all placed in my charge to foster when Illan was killed. The two youngest had already been sent to Sceilig Mhichil to our cousin, Mel. Indeed, everything happened just as you have explained.'
âSo where did you send the eldest son?' demanded Barran.
Midach set his jaw firmly.
âI cannot betray the trust of my family.'
âThe eldest son was brought to Ros Ailithir under a false identity,' Fidelma intervened.
She turned and scanned the rows of the religious who had
crowded into the abbey church and found the white mask that was the face of Sister Necht.
âCome forward, Sister Necht, or should that be Nechtan?' Fidelma added, making the feminine name into its masculine form.
The ungainly âsister' rose, the eyes darted from side to side as if seeking a method of escape, and then the shoulders slumped in resignation.
A tall member of the High King's guard moved across and tapped the âsister' on the shoulder, motioning âher' to go to the well of the court before the judges. Slowly, reluctantly, âSister Necht' obeyed.
Not a sound could be heard as all eyes watched the figure walk slowly to where Fidelma was waiting. There seemed no attempt now to disguise the masculine posture of the ânovice'.
âAllow me to present Nechtan, son of Illan of the Osraige. Nechtan is the eldest brother of Cétach and Cosrach.'
âSister Necht' squared âher' shoulders and thrust out âher' chin in defiance as âshe' stood before Fidelma.
âWould you mind moving your head-dress?' asked Barrán.
âSister Necht' threw back the head-dress.
âThe hair is coppery, almost red,' Forbassach admitted in querulous tones. âBut this ⦠this person ⦠still looks like a girl.'
âDo we have to go further with this charade, Nechtan?' asked Fidelma. âSpeak the truth.'
âIt is all over, my boy,' cried Midach in doleful resignation. âLet us admit to the truth.'
The copper-haired youth stared at Fidelma almost with hatred in his eyes.
âYes: I am Nechtan, son of Illan,' he said with an air of pride.
âIt was all my idea,' Midach explained hastily. âI did not know what else to do. I knew that Scandlán and his family were looking for Illan's heir. I had already seen Illan's will and knew the boys were left in my care and that the younger were
supposed to go to Sceilig Mhichil. I thought that they would be safe on Sceilig Mhichil. But I did not know where else to hide Nechtan, but then the idea came into my mind that he could hide himself at the abbey as a novice and so I could keep a close eye on him. Those searching for the heirs of Illan were searching for his sons, not for a girl.'
âAlthough just seventeen, Nechtan, with his husky voice and slight figure, became a young woman,' Fidelma agreed. âWith the sprigs and berries of the elder to use as dye and create a redness to the lips and cheeks, Nechtan became Sister Necht.'
âI initially thought that Dacán was an agent for Scandlán,' went on Midach. âWhen I discovered that he had deciphered Illan's will, I left the abbey immediately to bring them away before they were discovered. I brought the two boys back and arranged for Sister Eisten to take them at Rae na ScrÃne. It was only after I returned to the abbey that I discovered that Dacán had been killed.'
âAnd when did Nechtan confess that he had killed him?' demanded Fidelma.
âThe next â¦' Midach bit his lip and hung his head. Nechtan stared in front of him without speaking, showing no emotion.
The Chief Brehon leant forward.
âWhy did the boy kill Dacán?' demanded Barrán. âLet us finally get this point cleared.'
Fidelma grimaced sorrowfully.
âSister Necht, or rather Nechtan, killed Dacán out of fear. Midach, before leaving for Sceilig Mhichil, had told him that he believed Dacán was working for his enemies. Necht already hated Dacan as an autocratic, uncaring personality. It needed but a spark. A few hours after Midach left to rescue his brothers, Nechtan slew Dacan. I do not think that the act was cold-blooded. It was only after the deed was done that Nechtan sought to portray it as something premeditated.'
âWhat do you mean?' demanded Barrán.
âNechtan killed Dacan and later attempted to lay a path
hich would lead to another person in an effort to have that person blamed.'
âHow?'
âAfter Midach had left the abbey, Nechtan was summoned to Dacán's chamber to fetch water. Perhaps words were exchanged. Nechtan took out a knife and, in hot temper, rained a series of blows at the old man.'
âHe suspected who I was, I know it!' Nechtan protested, speaking for the first time. The previously husky voice was now slightly sharpened and more masculine. There was no emotion in it. âIt was my life or his. He would have killed me if he had known who I was.'
Forbassach was sitting shaking his head in bewilderment. Fidelma gestured towards him.
âYou may believe the honourable advocate for Laigin when he argues that Dacán and Laigin meant no harm to the children of Illan,' Fidelma said. âSo you, Nechtan, killed Dacán from an unjustified fear. Dacán was seeking you in order to get Laigin to support your claim to the Osraige kingship. It can be argued that you had an understandable fear. But what made this more heinous, Nechtan, was that you then went to great pains to lay a path to Sister Grella.'
âI knew that Sister Grella was working with Dacán. I also knew that Grella was Salbach's lover,' Nechtan replied defensively. âWhen Midach went to save my brothers, I decided to save us all. If Grella was accused of Dacán's murder then it would be a just retribution.'
âYou tried to destroy all the material that Dacan collected which would have identified you and your brothers. You did not realise that Grella had taken a draft of the letter Dacán was sending to his brother so that she could inform Salbach. Also you neglected to retrieve an Ogham wand which had rolled under the bed in Dacán's chamber. You showed great dismay when I found it. You had to follow me when I took it to Grella in the library to check it was not incriminating. Grella recognised
it and pretended that it was something else to lead me from the scent. I left it at the library and, later that night, you returned to the library and burnt it with the other Ogham sticks in order to cover your tracks.'