âBut Dacán was bound before he was killed,' pointed out the Chief Brehon. âHow did this boy accomplish that?'
âHe was bound after he was killed to further implicate Grella. It was obvious that he was not bound before because the strips of cloth from Grella's dress were so fragile that even an ailing child could have burst those bonds asunder. I noticed this at an early point in my investigation and knew then that I was looking for some carefully worked out plot.'
Fidelma spoke directly to Nechtan.
âYou must have lain awake for the rest of the night thinking about your deed. You decided that you must not only lay a path of suspicion away from yourself but, as you have admitted, you had a brilliant idea to visit some poetic justice on the person whom you believed to be one of your enemies.'
Nechtan stood silently.
âYou waited until the bell sounded for matins and you watched as Sister Grella made her way to that service. Hoping that no one had yet discovered Dacán's body, you entered Grella's chamber and found an old dress from which you tore strips of linen. It was the only distinctive piece of clothing you could find. You probably hoped that it was something she wore often so that the strips could immediately be identified. You did not realise that no religieuse would wear such a dress and that it was simply an old dress which she never wore any more.
âYou took the strips to Dacán's chamber. You went in to find it in darkness. The oil in the lamp had run out. So you refilled it and lit it. It was obvious that no one had been there. You then tied Dacán's ankles and his hands. In order to tie the hands behind him you had to turn his body over chest down on the bed, leaving the bloodstains on the blanket. I found these
curious because he was laying on his back on the bed with chest wounds and the blood was on the blanket under the body. The body had to have been moved for a purpose. Then you left, forgetting to extinguish the lamp. Half-an-hour later Brother Conghus arrived. Your false clue meant nothing at the time. There was no one trained to deduce its significance. It meant nothing until I arrived over a week later to pick up the trail.
âWhen I came back from Sceilig Mhichil and discovered that certain items had been removed from the bag which I had left with Abbot Brocc, I began to suspect what had happened. The items which had been stolen were the ones which gave information and clues to the identification of the sons of Illan. Those which were left behind were part of the evidence which implicated Sister Grella in the murder.'
Fidelma paused, waiting for the boy to respond. After a while Barran addressed him.
âYou say nothing. Do you admit to this?'
The boy shrugged.
âI have nothing to say. I acted in self defence.'
âThat seems as good as a confession,' warned the Chief Brehon.
âIf you say so,' replied the boy without emotion.
Midach moved forward, his face troubled as he embraced the boy.
âMy son, I am your
anamchara
and your foster-father. I have guarded you in all things. I will procure the best advocate to defend you.'
Midach's face dissolved in anguish as he gazed towards Fidelma.
âIt is my fault. It is my grievous fault! I put the fear of Dacán in him.' He swung round to face the Chief Brehon. âCan you accept my guilt in place of this boy?'
Barrán shook his head.
âThe boy is now beyond the age of consent. He has an adult's responsibility. As for putting the fear of Dacan in him, you
merely gave it some tangible form, for apparently the boy already hated Dacán and, through hate, feared him.'
âYes, he acted out of fear. Even Fidelma of Kildare admits that much.'
âThat may be so. But to deliberately implicate an innocent person brings a worse crime.'
âA further word, Barrán,' Fidelma interrupted. âThis court will have done its duty in absolving the abbot of Ros Ailithir and the king of Muman from any culpability in the death of Dacán of Fearna. This assembly must confine itself to considering the claim by Laigin for compensation. It is now up to the court to rule on that matter. It has no further function.
âNechtan will have to come before a further court to answer for his actions as, indeed, will Salbach, whose crimes greatly outweigh all others. Let that further court decide the degree of guilt that is on Nechtan's shoulders. And I will, if Nechtan so wishes, stand with him as his advocate, for I believe no boy, whether he has just reached the age of choice or not, should live in such fear of his life as the three sons of Illan have had to live this last year. I think that fear goes in some way to ameliorating his guilt if not absolving it.'
Midach was staring at Fidelma in astonishment, as were many others in the court.
Barrán cleared his throat impatiently.
âI thank you, Fidelma of Kildare,' he said dryly, âfor reminding me of the issues at stake here. Yet I do not think I or the assembly would have forgotten them.'
Fidelma hung her head at the Chief Brehon's gentle irony.
Barrán turned from Fidelma to Forbassach.
âAdvocates of Cashel and Fearna, have you completed your pleas and counter-pleas?'
Fidelma hesitated before adding: âI would just remind the court of what I said in my opening. Dacán, as has now been admitted by his own brother, Noé of Fearna, came to this kingdom in stealth to discover the whereabouts of the sons of
Illan to use them for the political purposes of the kingdom of Laigin. I contend this subterfuge caused Dacán to forfeit any claim he or his relations have under the laws of hospitality. Responsibility does not lay with the abbot of Ros Ailithir nor ultimately with Cashel.
âSecondly, I have revealed the real culprit to be Nechtan, son of Illan of Osraige, who killed Dacan because he believed that his life, and the lives of his younger brothers, were in danger. It is not the jurisdiction of the court to rule on his culpability but I would add that there are extenuating circumstances to Nechtan's act.'
Fidelma returned to her seat and sat down for the first time since she had risen to plead.
Barrán motioned to Forbassach to sum up his case and to rebut that which he did not agree with.
The advocate of the king of Laigin had been bent in discussion with his unhappy-looking young king and the stony-faced abbot of Fearna. He turned round and rose, speaking hesitantly,
âLaigin now accepts that Cashel is not responsible for Dacán's death. But a death has taken place and the law must find responsibility.'
Barran turned and held a whispered conversation with the High King and then Ultan of Armagh. After a moment he turned back to address the assembly.
âThe case before this court was simple. Sister Fidelma has reminded us of it. It was to adjudicate whether the responsibility for the death of Dacán lay at the door of Cashel. If so, the demand of Laigin was specific. Laigin demanded the kingdom of Osraige as the sum of the honour price of Dacán. The evidence that we have heard results in the adjudication that responsibility does not rest with Cashel. Therefore it follows that the demand for the honour price is dismissed. Osraige continues, as it has these last six centuries, to owe its allegiance to Cashel, its kings paying tribute to Cashel and not to Fearna.'
There was a ripple almost of verbal applause as the judgment was given.
Barrán held up his hand for silence.
âNevertheless, with the agreement of the High King, there are other matters which I feel this court should consider in passing this judgment. We have heard why such a tragic path of death and destruction has been followed here. It has its roots in the fact that the people of Osraige do not find the kingship imposed by the family of Ciarán of Saighir, a kingship from the family of the chieftains of the Corco LoÃgde, to be a just kingship. The Blessed Ciarán had, misguidedly we feel, established the Corco LoÃgde in Osraige. It is now time for the descendants of the native kings of Osraige to return to their rightful role. We would admonish the king of Cashel to take steps to ensure that the people of his petty kingdom of Osraige choose freely whomsoever they wish to govern in accordance with the laws of rightful succession.'
Colgú rose, his face solemn.
âNothing grieves me more than to hear what has transpired in my kingdom. This bloodshed of the innocent shall not go unpunished. No longer can the family of the chieftains of the Corco LoÃgde have any moral right to rule Osraige. The people of Osraige shall choose. It shall be so. My oath of honour, it shall. I pledge it before this court.'
The Chief Brehon acknowledged Colgú with a smile.
âYour words have gladdened your High King. Then there is one more admonishment that we feel it is in our judgment to make. It will be left to a court of Cashel to fix the degree of guilt and the amount of fine and compensation which must lay at the door of the unfortunate Nechtan. However, we have heard enough at this court to say that Dacán's honour price is tarnished by his deceptive undertaking on behalf of Laigin. The fine for the death of a scholar of Dacán's standing is fixed in law at seven
cumals,
that is the value of twenty-one milch cows. The true honour price for a man of his ecclesiastic standing is twenty
séd,
the value of twenty milch-cows. A total of forty-one
séd
would be the sum payable by whoever is found guilty of his death. However â¦'
Barrán looked towards the king of Laigin.
âIt will be seen that there are other culprits in this matter. This court will direct that those who asked Dacán to proceed with his task disrupted the peace of these kingdoms and threatened a bloody war. They must share responsibility. The honour price for a king of a province is sixteen
cumals
and because that king has besmirched his honour, sixteen
cumals
has to be made payable from the king of Laigin to the High King.'
Fianamail was pale and sullen but silent.
âA further seven
cumals
shall be payable by Fianamail to the king of Cashel for the casting of a shadow on his honour. That is the judgment of the court. Does Fianamail of Laigin have anything to say?'
The young king rose hesitantly, seemed about to speak and then shook his head and sat down. He whispered to his
dálaigh.
Forbassach, as advocate, rose.
âLaigin accepts the admonition of the court,' he said quietly.
âCedant arma togae
⦠let arms yield to the gown of the law.'
âThat is as it must be,' agreed the Chief Brehon, solemnly. âThe business of this assembly is now ended.'
Fidelma was sitting with her brother on the bastion of the walkway of the abbey's high walls overlooking the inlet. The small bay was quiet and deserted now, apart from a few local coastal
barca
and fishermen's boats. The great assembly of ships bearing the High King and his entourage, the Archbishop of Armagh and Fianamail of Laigin and his retinue, had all departed. Even the threatening warship of Mugrón, which had seemed an immovable part of the scenery of the inlet, had weighed anchor and followed the Laigin fleet away from the coasts of Muman. What was left was a quiet, tranquil scene.
âTruly, Fidelma,' Colgú was more boisterous and no longer looking tense or weary, âyou have shown that your reputation is well founded.'
Fidelma gave an indifferent shrug.
âThere is nothing to be satisfied about,' she replied. âIf I were not the instrument of the downfall of these evil people, then it would have been someone else. Didn't Euripides say that evil people by their own nature can never prosper?'
Colgú looked suddenly solemn.
âI believe that you are thinking more of Salbach than of young Nechtan, aren't you? If you had not brought about Salbach's downfall at this stage then I think that many people would have lost their lives in the resolution of that evil. At least the Corco Loigde can appoint a new chieftain and one, I trust, with more honour and humanity in him. And, perhaps, Osraige will be more content with the freedom to choose their
native rulers again. So far as I am concerned, Salbach's dishonour is equally shared by Scandlán.'
Fidelma look at him approvingly.
âThat is good. Although I cannot prove it, I believe that Scandlan of Osraige was involved in this plot to destroy all opposition to his dynasty. As for young Nechtan, if he accepts me as his advocate, I shall defend him,' Fidelma said firmly. âHe was the prisoner of his circumstance and his fear was great.'
âBut his hand did strike those blows into Dacán's chest,' Colgú pointed out.
âAnd terror guided his thoughts and lent him the strength. There are degrees of culpability in all things.'
âWell, the spectre of war has diminished thanks to you, Fidelma.'
âFor this time, at least,' Fidelma smiled wryly. âMy mentor, the Brehon Morann of Tara, used to say that the path of mankind through history was preceded by forests and followed by deserts and wastelands.'
âHe was no optimist,' grinned Colgú.
Fidelma grimaced.
âIf you can divorce yourself from people then you are bound to make the observation that mankind has very little to commend it,' she said. âGreat art and philosophy does not come out of the human condition. It arrives in spite of the human condition.'
The chimes of the vesper bell caused them to glance up simultaneously at the abbey's bell tower. Colgú grinned at his younger sister and placed a brotherly arm around her shoulders.
âCome, let us go and eat heartily. There is time to be gloomy later. I think it ill behoves you to be the pessimist, little sister.'
Fidelma allowed herself to be led towards the refectory by her brother.
âWell, the reverse is in pretending that everything is well in
life when we are so wretched. No,' she held up her hand to stop her brother's disgruntled protest. âI will say no more. Let us go to eat. It was Euripides who said that when one's stomach is full, contention ceases.'
Brother and sister, arm in arm, turned towards the grey granite buildings of the abbey.