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Authors: Juliet Marillier
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as king and present it to us as a final decision in springtime.”
“Exactly,” said Aniel. “They may conveniently overlook the fact that the chieftains of Fortriu are entitled to a vote. You know Bargoit and his fellow councillors. They’ll be all too ready to bypass correct procedures if it happens to suit them.”
Carnach whistled under his breath. “Drust the Boar dead, eh? I wonder whichof his weaselly advisers slipped a little something in his stew.”
“We should say prayers for his passing,” said Fola with a reproving glance at the red-haired chieftain. “We may not have had a high opinion of the man, but that should not prevent us from doing what is right.”
“It’s Christian prayers he’d be wanting,” put in Aniel with a twist of the lip. “Are you able to turn your hand to those,Fola?”
“Drust may have been baptized in the Christian faith,” the wise woman retorted, “but I’ve no doubt the deity he called on at the last extreme was Bone Mother. There’s no wrong in wishing a man a safe journey. I don’t supposeDrust was bad, just weak. Too weak to be a king.” As an epitaph, it had a sorry ring to it.
“A quandary,” said Aniel. “Who would the chieftains of Circinn see asthe strongest contender? What candidates do they have to offer?”
“None, surely, who could hold a candle to Bridei, fresh from his stunning defeat of the Gaels,” said Carnach bluntly. “We need to ensure they hold the election fairly, as we did ours on the death of Drust the Bull. If Bridei could be elected king of Fortriu on the vote of representatives from all the Priteni realms, then the sameprocess should apply now the kingship of Circinn is in question. It’s the opportunity we’ve been waiting for: Broichan’s dream. Within a season, we could see Fortriu and Circinn united under a single leader. You must stand, Bridei. You can do it.” Carnach’s features were flushed with zeal, his eyes bright. He was a generous man. He himself had been eligible for the kingship of Fortriu, nearly sixyears ago, and had stepped down to lend his support to Bridei’s claim.
“Broichan will be of the same mind, I know,” Bridei said. “But this is not so simple. There’s the question of faith; the will of the folk of Circinn and the chieftains who represent them. It may lie just across our border, but whether it pleases us or no, Circinn is a Christian kingdom now.”
“Besides,” said Talorgen, frowning,“there’s the west to consider. Dalriada may be won, but a newly conquered territory needs careful handling. I have no doubt at all the Gaels will be back, in three years, five, ten, however long it takes them to regroup. We will have continuing dissent in the region, for there will be those who want the old rule returned. We’ve done our best to weed out the likely troublemakers, but a strongGaelic presence remains. You don’t just ride in and occupy a place, then expect the conquered residents to get on with their lives as if nothing has happened. I hate to say it, but this may not be the best time for Bridei to take onthe leadership of Circinn alongside that of Fortriu. He’d be pulled two ways. We all would.”
“How often does an election come along?” asked Carnach. “What if a youngman gets up, one even younger than Bridei? This could be the only opportunity we get in a lifetime, Talorgen. It would be madness to let it pass by!”
“Fola,” said Bridei quietly, “what is your opinion?”
“You consult me, and you have not yet passed the news to Broichan, your lifelong mentor?”
Bridei had expected this from the wise woman. To shut Broichan out of such an important decision wasunprecedented; even now, he wondered if he had acted correctly. “You know him. You know why. It is his passion to see Fortriu and Circinn reunited in the old faith. Do not doubt, any of you, that I share that dream. If you had asked me, in the first days of my kingship, whether I would seek to add Circinn to
“Exactly,” said Aniel. “They may conveniently overlook the fact that the chieftains of Fortriu are entitled to a vote. You know Bargoit and his fellow councillors. They’ll be all too ready to bypass correct procedures if it happens to suit them.”
Carnach whistled under his breath. “Drust the Boar dead, eh? I wonder whichof his weaselly advisers slipped a little something in his stew.”
“We should say prayers for his passing,” said Fola with a reproving glance at the red-haired chieftain. “We may not have had a high opinion of the man, but that should not prevent us from doing what is right.”
“It’s Christian prayers he’d be wanting,” put in Aniel with a twist of the lip. “Are you able to turn your hand to those,Fola?”
“Drust may have been baptized in the Christian faith,” the wise woman retorted, “but I’ve no doubt the deity he called on at the last extreme was Bone Mother. There’s no wrong in wishing a man a safe journey. I don’t supposeDrust was bad, just weak. Too weak to be a king.” As an epitaph, it had a sorry ring to it.
“A quandary,” said Aniel. “Who would the chieftains of Circinn see asthe strongest contender? What candidates do they have to offer?”
“None, surely, who could hold a candle to Bridei, fresh from his stunning defeat of the Gaels,” said Carnach bluntly. “We need to ensure they hold the election fairly, as we did ours on the death of Drust the Bull. If Bridei could be elected king of Fortriu on the vote of representatives from all the Priteni realms, then the sameprocess should apply now the kingship of Circinn is in question. It’s the opportunity we’ve been waiting for: Broichan’s dream. Within a season, we could see Fortriu and Circinn united under a single leader. You must stand, Bridei. You can do it.” Carnach’s features were flushed with zeal, his eyes bright. He was a generous man. He himself had been eligible for the kingship of Fortriu, nearly sixyears ago, and had stepped down to lend his support to Bridei’s claim.
“Broichan will be of the same mind, I know,” Bridei said. “But this is not so simple. There’s the question of faith; the will of the folk of Circinn and the chieftains who represent them. It may lie just across our border, but whether it pleases us or no, Circinn is a Christian kingdom now.”
“Besides,” said Talorgen, frowning,“there’s the west to consider. Dalriada may be won, but a newly conquered territory needs careful handling. I have no doubt at all the Gaels will be back, in three years, five, ten, however long it takes them to regroup. We will have continuing dissent in the region, for there will be those who want the old rule returned. We’ve done our best to weed out the likely troublemakers, but a strongGaelic presence remains. You don’t just ride in and occupy a place, then expect the conquered residents to get on with their lives as if nothing has happened. I hate to say it, but this may not be the best time for Bridei to take onthe leadership of Circinn alongside that of Fortriu. He’d be pulled two ways. We all would.”
“How often does an election come along?” asked Carnach. “What if a youngman gets up, one even younger than Bridei? This could be the only opportunity we get in a lifetime, Talorgen. It would be madness to let it pass by!”
“Fola,” said Bridei quietly, “what is your opinion?”
“You consult me, and you have not yet passed the news to Broichan, your lifelong mentor?”
Bridei had expected this from the wise woman. To shut Broichan out of such an important decision wasunprecedented; even now, he wondered if he had acted correctly. “You know him. You know why. It is his passion to see Fortriu and Circinn reunited in the old faith. Do not doubt, any of you, that I share that dream. If you had asked me, in the first days of my kingship, whether I would seek to add Circinn to
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