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Authors: Peter Tremayne
Tags: Fiction, Historical
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language. Then he looked towards Fidelma and seemed to ask a question. Eadulf turned with an apology.
‘This is my younger brother, Egric.’ The introduction was almost unnecessary. With the two of them, side by side, the likeness was obvious.
‘He said as much,’ Gormán told them. ‘But I had to make sure. Now we shall leave you to your family reunion.’ He motioned to Enda to follow him from the room.
After Eadulf had introduced Fidelma, Muirgen was summoned to bring drinks and refreshment as they seated themselves before the fire.
‘There is obviously much to catch up on,’ Eadulf said, first in his own tongue and then he lapsed into Latin, knowing that Fidelma was fluent in that. ‘Do you know enough of the tongue to follow?’ he asked his brother.
Egric chuckled. ‘I spent some time among the followers of the New Faith, but I also speak a dialect of the tongue of this country. I was converted to the Faith by teachers from this land, just as you were. Not only that, I spent some years among the Cruthin of the north as a missionary after Oswy defeated them in battle. There were many from Dál Riada who had settled among them and speaking a similar tongue, so I was able to extend my knowledge.’
‘You and Eadulf will have much to talk about.’ Fidelma reverted to her own language, deciding to test Egric’s knowledge. The thought had struck her that he must have had a sufficient command of the language to have communicated to Gormán and the others. ‘But first things first: what purpose brought you here?’
‘It is a long story but I shall make it short,’ replied Egric. ‘I don’t know whether Eadulf has told you of my past?’
Fidelma frowned for a moment and then decided that she could only speak the truth. ‘I am afraid that he has never mentioned his brother.’
Eadulf appeared uncomfortable for a moment. ‘It was because I thought him dead. As young men we were converted to the New Faith by Fursa and his brothers. They were missionaries from this land who came to preach in the Kingdom of the East Angles. Fursa inspired me to study at Tuam Brecain and so I left Seaxmund’s Ham. I had thought young Egric had gone to join Athelwold’s warriors at Rendel’s Ham. Egric was always dreaming about becoming a warrior. At the time, our land was threatened by Wulfhere of Mercia and an army was being raised. When I returned to Seaxmund’s Ham, no one had news of Egric. I never heard from him again until this moment. I truly thought he had perished in a battle.’
‘A boy may grow to maturity,’ shrugged Egric. ‘I decided to follow the Faith and not the army.’
‘But it is amazing to meet up after all these years – and to meet here, of all places in the world!’ Eadulf exclaimed.
‘Our paths never seemed to cross after you left Seaxmund’s Ham, brother. I found myself among a band of brethren at the court of Oswy at Streonshalh. It was there I heard your name spoken of in connection with the Great Debate that had been held there. But it was said that you had gone on to Rome.’
‘True enough,’ agreed Eadulf. ‘That was my second journey to Rome.’
‘Oswy had accepted the Rule of Rome, even though there were still some among his priests and bishops who favoured the ways of the missionaries of Aidan of Iona, who brought the Faith to Northumbria,’ explained Fidelma. ‘Eadulf and I made the journey to Rome together. So what abbey did you join when you were in Streonshalh?’
‘I did not,’ Egric replied. ‘Oswy wanted new missionaries to preach the Faith among the Cruthin over whose kingdom he ruled as lord. Thus I went to that land and spent some years preaching among them as well as learning their language.’ He paused and then went on: ‘Last year, before spring was on us, Oswy died. The Cruthin were then ruled by Drust, son of Donal, who had been a client king under Oswy. The Cruthin had long chafed under what they saw as rule by foreigners, and now they rose up in
‘This is my younger brother, Egric.’ The introduction was almost unnecessary. With the two of them, side by side, the likeness was obvious.
‘He said as much,’ Gormán told them. ‘But I had to make sure. Now we shall leave you to your family reunion.’ He motioned to Enda to follow him from the room.
After Eadulf had introduced Fidelma, Muirgen was summoned to bring drinks and refreshment as they seated themselves before the fire.
‘There is obviously much to catch up on,’ Eadulf said, first in his own tongue and then he lapsed into Latin, knowing that Fidelma was fluent in that. ‘Do you know enough of the tongue to follow?’ he asked his brother.
Egric chuckled. ‘I spent some time among the followers of the New Faith, but I also speak a dialect of the tongue of this country. I was converted to the Faith by teachers from this land, just as you were. Not only that, I spent some years among the Cruthin of the north as a missionary after Oswy defeated them in battle. There were many from Dál Riada who had settled among them and speaking a similar tongue, so I was able to extend my knowledge.’
‘You and Eadulf will have much to talk about.’ Fidelma reverted to her own language, deciding to test Egric’s knowledge. The thought had struck her that he must have had a sufficient command of the language to have communicated to Gormán and the others. ‘But first things first: what purpose brought you here?’
‘It is a long story but I shall make it short,’ replied Egric. ‘I don’t know whether Eadulf has told you of my past?’
Fidelma frowned for a moment and then decided that she could only speak the truth. ‘I am afraid that he has never mentioned his brother.’
Eadulf appeared uncomfortable for a moment. ‘It was because I thought him dead. As young men we were converted to the New Faith by Fursa and his brothers. They were missionaries from this land who came to preach in the Kingdom of the East Angles. Fursa inspired me to study at Tuam Brecain and so I left Seaxmund’s Ham. I had thought young Egric had gone to join Athelwold’s warriors at Rendel’s Ham. Egric was always dreaming about becoming a warrior. At the time, our land was threatened by Wulfhere of Mercia and an army was being raised. When I returned to Seaxmund’s Ham, no one had news of Egric. I never heard from him again until this moment. I truly thought he had perished in a battle.’
‘A boy may grow to maturity,’ shrugged Egric. ‘I decided to follow the Faith and not the army.’
‘But it is amazing to meet up after all these years – and to meet here, of all places in the world!’ Eadulf exclaimed.
‘Our paths never seemed to cross after you left Seaxmund’s Ham, brother. I found myself among a band of brethren at the court of Oswy at Streonshalh. It was there I heard your name spoken of in connection with the Great Debate that had been held there. But it was said that you had gone on to Rome.’
‘True enough,’ agreed Eadulf. ‘That was my second journey to Rome.’
‘Oswy had accepted the Rule of Rome, even though there were still some among his priests and bishops who favoured the ways of the missionaries of Aidan of Iona, who brought the Faith to Northumbria,’ explained Fidelma. ‘Eadulf and I made the journey to Rome together. So what abbey did you join when you were in Streonshalh?’
‘I did not,’ Egric replied. ‘Oswy wanted new missionaries to preach the Faith among the Cruthin over whose kingdom he ruled as lord. Thus I went to that land and spent some years preaching among them as well as learning their language.’ He paused and then went on: ‘Last year, before spring was on us, Oswy died. The Cruthin were then ruled by Drust, son of Donal, who had been a client king under Oswy. The Cruthin had long chafed under what they saw as rule by foreigners, and now they rose up in
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