Suffer Little Children

royal palace of Tara. The punishment and compensation were confirmed as being just.

Fidelma brought her gaze back to the worried face of her brother.

'Surely even Fianamail, as young and inexperienced a king as he is, would not consider attempting to wrest Osraige back by force?'

Her brother gave an affirmative gesture.

'Not by force alone, Fidelma,' he agreed. 'Do you know something of the internal politics of Osraige?'

Fidelma knew little of the kingdom and admitted as much.

'For reasons too long and complicated to explain now, nearly two hundred years ago the native kings of Osraige were replaced by a family from the Corco Loigde in the south-west of the kingdom. There has been friction in Osraige ever since. The Corco Loigde are not popular. Now and then, the Osraige have risen up to displace them. Less than a year ago, Ulan, the last descendant of the native kings of Osraige with a legal claim to the kingship, was killed by the current king, Scandlan. Needless to say, Scandlan is of the Corco Loigde ruling family.'

Colgu paused a moment to gather his thoughts before proceeding.

'There is talk of an heir to Ulan. Rumor has it that this heir, if he exists, would be happy to court Laigin if Laigin promised to help him dislodge the Corco Loigde as kings.'

'It would still mean a war between Laigin and Muman with Laigin having to wrest Osraige back by force,' Fidelma pointed out.

Her brother leaned forward with an unhappy expression on his features.

'But what if some deed occurred, similar to the very deed that caused Osraige to be forfeited from Laigin in the first place?'

Fidelma sat straighter-backed now, her muscles suddenly tensed. Colgu's expression was grim.

'You have confirmed that you know how the Venerable Dacan of Laigin was held in the eyes of many people. He was a saintly and revered man. And you have confirmed that you know how his brother, Noe of Fearna, stands in similar regard within the sight of both his king, Fianamail, and the people of the five kingdoms.'

Fidelma caught the use of the past tense but made no reply. She had, indeed, admitted that both men were highly respected throughout the land.

'Two months ago,' went on Colgu in a troubled voice, 'the Venerable Dacan arrived at Cashel and sought the blessing of King Cathal to work within this kingdom. Dacan had heard of the work being done at the Blessed Fachtna's abbey at Ros Ailithir and wanted to join the community there. Of course, King Cathal welcomed such a learned and esteemed scholar as Dacan to the kingdom.'

'So Dacan set off to Ros Ailithir?' intervened Fidelma when Colgu paused.

'Eight days ago we heard news that the Venerable Dacan had been murdered in his cell at the abbey.'

Fidelma realized that, even when death had become so commonplace due to the ravages of the Yellow Plague, the death of the Venerable Dacan would have a resounding impact on all the five kingdoms, and more so especially due to the fact that the death was attributable to violence.

'Are you telling me that you think the new king of Laigin, Fianamail, will use this death to demand the territory of Osraige be returned to his jurisdiction as a compensation?'

Colgu's shoulders hunched momentarily.

'I not only think so, I know it to be so. It was only yesterday that Forbassach of Fearna arrived here as an envoy from Fianamail, the king of Laigin.'

Fearna was the seat of the kings of Laigin as well as the site of Noe's abbey.

'How can the news have reached them so quickly?' demanded Fidelma.

Colgu spread his hands.

'I suppose that someone rode from Ros Ailithir immediately to tell Dacan's brother, Noe, at Fearna.'

'Logical,' Fidelma agreed. 'And what does the arrogant Forbassach have to say on this matter?'

'The envoy from Fianamail was quite explicit in his demands. Not only must the eric fine be paid but an honor price which entails the handing of all suzerain rights over Osraige to Laigin. If this is not done then Fianamail of Laigin will claim it by blood. You know the law better than I do, Fidelma, Are they within their rights to make such claims? I think they are, for Forbassach is no fool.'

Fidelma pursed her lips thoughtfully.

'Our law system grants the right for a killer to atone for his or her crime by payment of compensation. There is a fixed penalty, the eric fine, as you rightly say. This amounts to seven cumals, the value of twenty-one milch cows. But, often, when the victim is a man or woman of rank and influence, then the victim's kinsmen are within their rights to claim an honor price, the log n-enech. That was, in fact, the law by which Conaire Mor claimed Osraige for Muman in the first instance. If the culprit is unable to pay this honor price then their kinsmen are expected to pay it. If this is not forthcoming then the victim's kinsmen are allowed to commence a blood feud, or digal, to obtain the honor price. But this does not mean that the Laigin king is entitled to do so. There are a couple of questions that need to be resolved.'

'Advise me, Fidelma,' invited Colgu, leaning forward eagerly.

'What right does Fianamail have in this matter? Only kinship allows a person to name and demand an honor price.'

'Fianamail is cousin to Dacan and speaks as kin. In this, of course, he is supported by Noe, the brother of Dacan.'

Fidelma allowed herself a deep sigh.

'That certainly allows Fianamail to press his claim. But does Abbot Noe actually support him in his demands? Such demands must surely lead to an effusion of blood. Noe is a leading advocate of the Faith and beloved and respected for his conciliatory teachings, for his acts of forgiveness. How can he demand such vengeance?'

Colgu grimaced dispassionately.

'Dacan was, above all things, Noe's brother,' he pointed out.

'Even so, I find it hard to believe Noe would act in such a manner.'

'Well, he has. But you implied that there might be other reasons why Laigin could not inflict an honor-price fine on Muman. What more?'

'The most obvious question devolves on the fact that the fines can only be inflicted on the family of the person who was responsible for Dacan's death. Who killed Dacan? Only if a member of our family, the Eoganachta, as representing the kingship of Muman, is responsible, can Laigin claim an honor price from Muman.'

Colgu gestured helplessly.

'We don't know who killed Dacan, but the abbey of Ros Ailithir is governed by our cousin, Brocc. He is charged, as abbot, as being responsible for Dacan's death.'

Fidelma blinked to conceal her surprise. She had vague memories of an elder cousin who had been a distant and unfriendly figure to her brother and herself.

'What makes the king of Laigin charge our cousin with accountability for the death of Dacan? Is it simply because he is responsible for the safety of all who reside at his abbey or is something more sinister implied?'

'I don't know,' confessed her brother. 'But I do not think that even Fianamail of Laigin would make so light an accusation.'

'Have there been any steps to find out?'

'The envoy from Fianamail has simply stated that all evidence and arguments will be placed before the High King and his Chief Brehon at the great assembly at Tara. The assembly will be asked to support Laigin and hand over Osraige to Fianamail.'

Fidelma bit her lip as she thought for a moment.

'How can Fianamail be so sure that he can prove that Dacan's death is the responsibility of Muman? Forbassach, his envoy, is a vain and arrogant man, but he is an ollamh of the court. Even his friendship with the Laigin king, his pride in being a man of Laigin, would not blind

him to the law. He must know that the evidence is strong enough to lay a claim before the High King's court.