'Everyone is a beginner at another's trade. I am content with law and leave the profession of history to historians. Enlighten me if there is something I need to know of this matter.'
'Two hundred years ago there was a chieftain of the Osraige named Lugne. He visited this land of the Corco Loigde and met the chieftain's daughter named Liadan. For a while they dwelt together on an island off the coast here. A son was born to them whom they named
Ciaran and he became one of the great apostles of the Faith in Ireland.'
Fidelma had followed the recital with care.
'I have read the story of the birth of the Blessed Ciaran which tells how his mother Liadan was sleeping one night and a star fell from heaven into her mouth and after this she became pregnant.'
The librarian was sharply indignant.
'Storytellers like to embellish their tales with fantasy but the truth, as I tell you, was that Ciaran's father was Lugne of Osraige.'
'I do not mean to argue,' Fidelma mollified her, 'just that the stories of the great apostles of Ireland are manifold.'
'I am telling you of the connection between Osraige and the Corco Lofgde,' replied the librarian sourly. 'Do you want to know it or not?'
'Continue then.'
'When Ciaran grew to manhood, his father having died, he set off first to convert the people of his father's kingdom to the new Faith. At that time, two hundred years ago, the majority still had not heard the Word of Christ. He converted Osraige and he is known as its patron saint, even though he chose to site his community at Saighir, which is just north of its border. This is why he is known as Ciaran of Saighir.'
Fidelma knew this very well but this time held her tongue.
'I accept that Ciaran had a father from Osraige and a mother from Corco Loigde. Is this what Dacan was studying? A life of Ciaran?'
'The point is that when Ciaran went to bring the Faith to the Osraige he also took many followers from the Corco Loigde including his own widowed mother, Liadan, who founded a community of religieuse not far from Saighir. And with those followers he took his closest friend and relative, Cucraide mac Dui, who, after Ciaran had defeated the pagan king of the Osraige, was made king in his stead.'
Fidelma was now suddenly interested in the story.
'So this is how the kings of the Osraige were chosen from the same family as the chieftains of the Corco Loigde?'
'Exactly. For two hundred years the Osraige have been ruled by the family of the chieftains of the Corco Loigde. This rule has often been considered unjust. During the last hundred years several kings of the Osraige, from Corco Loigde, have met their death from their people, such as Feradach who was slain in his bed.'
'And Salbach's cousin Scandlan is also from the Corco Loigde?'
'Just so.'
'Is there still a conflict over the kingship?'
'There will always be conflict until Osraige is able to reestablish its own line of kings.'
There was a slight vehemence in Grella's voice which did not pass unnoticed.
'Was this why Dacan was interested in studying the connections between Osraige and Corco Loigde?'
Grella was immediately on her guard once more.
'He studied our texts on the history of Osraige and its petty kings, that is all I know.'
Fidelma sighed deeply in exasperation.
'Come; it is surely logical? Dacan was of Laigin. Laigin has long held claims over Osraige. Perhaps Laigin was interested in placing the native kings of Osraige back in power if those kings turned their allegiance from Cashel to Laigin? Perhaps that is why Dacan was interested in the history of the kingship?'
Grella flushed and her mouth tightened.
Fidelma realized that she had been right and that Grella knew precisely what the old scholar had been studying.
'Dacan was sent here by Fianamail the new king of Laigin, or by his own brother Abbot Noe of Fearna, who is the advisor to the new king, to gather the background on the kingship of Osraige so that a case might be presented against the Corco Loigde before the High King's assembly. Surely that is so?'
Grella remained silent, staring defiantly at Fidelma.
Fidelma abruptly smiled at the librarian.
'You are placed in an awkward position, Grella. As a woman of Osraige, knowing this, you seem to indicate a support for the dispossessed native kings. But I think it is now clear why the Venerable Dacan had come to Ros Ailithir. So why was he killed? To prevent that knowledge being taken back to Laigin?'
Sister Grella's expression did not alter.
'Come, speak, Grella,' insisted Fidelma. 'We are all entitled to our opinions. You are a woman of Osraige. You doubtless have an opinion. If you supported the return of the native kings then it would also mean that you had no motive to kill Dacan.'
Grella's eyes suddenly flashed angrily.
'I? I, kill Dacan? How dare you suggest…' She bit her lip and attempted to control her anger. Then she spoke quietly. 'Yes, of course I have an opinion. Ciaran's legacy hangs like a millstone around our necks. But I am no revolutionary to change things.'
Fidelma sat back. She found that she had taken a step forward but it had produced many new mysteries and puzzles.
'So you provided Dacan with all the ancient texts he needed to help him gather this information for the new king of Laigin to lay a fresh claim for the return of Osraige before the High King?'
Sister Grella did not bother to reply but another thought struck Fidelma.
'Dacan was studying the texts and making notes to prepare a report to take back to Laigin, wasn't he?'
'I have admitted as much.'
'Then where did he keep all the notes and writings that he made?'
Sister Grella grimaced.
'In his chamber at the hostel, I presume.'
'Would it surprise you to know there were only a few plain sheets of vellum, some writing materials, and nothing else except…'
Fidelma drew from her robe the short hazel wand she had found discarded in Dacan's chamber.
Grella took it, turning it over and examining the lettering.
'It is part of the 'Song of Mugain' who was daughter of Cucraide mac Dui, the first Corco Loigde king of Osraige. It lists part of the genealogy of the native kings of Osraige. I did not even know it was missing.'
She rose from her chair and went to a corner of the chamber and started to look through containers in which bunches of rods were held. She found one and peered through, making clucking sounds with her tongue.
'Yes; it is a wand from this collection.'
'It is in a curious style, more like a will than a genealogy,' Fidelma pointed out.
Grella's eyes narrowed.
'Do you understand Ogham?' she demanded sharply.
'I do.'
'Well, it is not a will.' Grella's voice was querulous. 'The symbolism is that of a poem.'
'It would seem that Dacan had taken these wands back to his own chamber to transcribe and when he returned them he forgot one of the rods which had fallen to the floor in his room. Would that be a usual thing, his taking material to his chamber?'
Grella shook her head.
'Unusual. Dacan did not work in that way. He did not want anyone to know what he was working on and so he did not usually remove any material from the Tech Screptra. Usually he worked in this very chamber we now sit in. This is my private study as librarian. Nothing was ever removed from this room.'
