Dancing With Demons

‘Dubh Duin did not dream up the plot himself. Who persuaded himthat the way forward lay in the assassination of Sechnussach? Someone in the royal household? There was one fanatic already who served in the royal enclosure … ’

‘Cuan!’ declared Lugna loudly. ‘Because he acted as the decoy that took me from my post at the doorway of the royal house that night.’

Surprisingly, Fidelma shook her head.

‘Not Cuan. He did not have the intelligence to think out this complicated plot. He was subverted later, and was ambivalent about religious beliefs anyway.’

‘So how was he subverted? By what means?’ demanded Brehon Sedna.

‘By means of sexual favours,’ Fidelma said. ‘His recruitment to the scheme was later on in the advancement of the plot after it had been thought out.’

Gormflaith suddenly stood up. ‘I wish to make a statement to the Great Assembly,’ she said.

Faces turned expectantly towards her.

Brehon Sedna glanced at Fidelma.

‘I have no objection,’ she said.

‘You will doubtless hear from Fidelma that Dubh Duin was my lover,’ declared Gormflaith. ‘I shall not deny it … ’

Once more they had to wait until the tumult died down.

‘ … But I deny that I was part of this so-called plot. I am a Christian. Dubh Duin never ever spoke to me, either of his faith or his lack of it. We did not discuss religion. Nor did Dubh Duin kill my husband to gain favour with me. I can present evidence that Sechnussach and I were estranged for three years from the royal servants, but I also can present a witness that I had agreed a divorce with Sechnussach and it was to be sealed on the day after I was due to return from Cluain Ioraird. But by then … ’She shrugged. ‘That witness is Brehon Barrán.

Fidelma saw that Brehon Barrán was shaking his head, and she turned back to Gormflaith with a sad smile.

‘I am afraid that the Chief Brehon will not be your witness to this matter of the divorce agreement,’ she said softly.

‘Dubh Duin had no reason to kill Sechnussach on my account,’ Gormflaith repeated stubbornly. ‘We were going to be married and leave Tara.’

In the shocked silence that followed, as Gormflaith reseated herself, Fidelma spoke clearly.

‘Regretfully, lady, Dubh Duin had no intention of marrying you. You were merely a means by which he could reach Sechnussach. As your lover, he could gain access to the royal enclosure almost at will, as the warrior Erc will state. Dubh Duin’s purpose was always the slaughter of Sechnussach. You were misled, lady, an innocent victim of the conspiracy.’

Abbot Colmán cleared his throat. ‘But it has been pointed out that even with Sechnussach dead, Cenn Faelad would have succeeded. Cenn Faelad is known for his Christian piety and largesse to the Church. As he has already stated, he would not tolerate a return to idolatry and he has said so before this Assembly.’

‘And as I have said, he would not have lasted long in office even had he made it to his inauguration,’ replied Fidelma. ‘It was not Cenn Faelad who conspired with Dubh Duin. Indeed, as I have also said, it was the chief conspirator who suggested this plot to Dubh Duin. After Sechnussach was assassinated, Cenn Faelad would also be eliminated. That would lead to this chief conspirator taking control and returning the country to the Old Faith.’

Brehon Sedna frowned. ‘So Dubh Duin was guided by another?’

‘Exactly. One person introduced Dubh Duin to Gormflaith, knowing Gormflaith’s emotional situation,’ Fidelma explained. ‘Sechnussach and she had already parted. The reasons why are not pertinent but they are known to me. Gormflaith was alone, unhappy and vulnerable. At the time of the birth of her last daughter, probably during her confinement, Sechnussach had taken a mistress. Dubh Duin was handsome and personable. He was told that he could make himself even more personable to Gormflaith and did so with inevitable results.

‘But the chief conspirator was not concerned with Gormflaith’s emotional happiness. While he had told Dubh Duin that such a relationship was a means of reaching Sechnussach, this chief conspirator had another reason. He wanted to deflect suspicion from himself and another conspirator so that no blame would fall on them … ’

‘Another conspirator?’ repeated Brehon Sedna with a helpless sigh. ‘How many conspirators were there in this plot?’

‘It is a very complicated plot,’ admitted Fidelma. ‘I apologise to the Great Assembly. It is like peeling away the skins of an onion. The person who involved Dubh Duin had a motive, which was purely power. His ambition was to be High King. But he was, in turn, motivated by a woman who also wanted power. She would share power with him if he weresuccessful. Together, they worked on Dubh Duin, knowing his fanaticism for the old religion. He would, therefore, be the means of clearing the way to their taking power.

‘Dubh Duin knew that there were some in Tara who would help him — people who still worshipped the old gods and goddesses. People so placed that they could even steal the key of the High King’s chambers and make a copy in readiness for the attack.’

‘We have heard many assertions so far, Fidelma,’ Abbot Colman said, becoming impatient. ‘Perhaps you had better start stating facts and naming names of these conspirators.’

Fidelma pouted in annoyance. ‘The assertions I have made, Abbot Colmán, are facts. The trouble is, as I have said repeatedly, this is a many-layered plot. I will try to make it all simple.

‘Knowing of Dubh Duin’s fanaticism, the chief conspirator and his lover introduced him into a plot where he was to assassinate the High King but in such a way that if he were caught, it would bring suspicion only on Dubh Duin and his lover, Gormflaith. What the chief conspirator and his lover had not realised was that Dubh Duin had his own band of followers in Tara, and when he struck it was, I think, at the wrong moment — and this has led to a loose skein with which this tangled ball can be unravelled. I will start this process of unravelling.

‘Why did Dubh Duin strike when he did? It has long been a legend among those of the Old Faith that when the “wheel of destiny”, crafted by the sun god of our forefathers, was found, it would be the instrument that would destroy the New Faith. It was thought that it would point the way to where the great Cauldron of Murias, the secret of all life, was hidden and with this sacred object in their hands, those of the Old Faith would be triumphant and drive out Christianity.

‘There was at Tara an old woman called Mer the Demented. Many of you treated her as a joke. But she boasted about the finding of the wheel of destiny even before I reached Tara.

‘Then I heard of Bishop Luachan’s visit to Sechnussach on the night before his death. Bishop Luachan sits before you. He will tell you that he and Brother Diomsach discovered a circular object in a hidden manmade cave dedicated to the Old Faith. Bishop Luachan is learned in such things, and he believes the circular object he found to be an integral part of the wheel of destiny. Knowing the legend, Bishop Luachan posted Brother Diomsach to Tara to tell Sechnussach. Irél was sent from Tara to escortBishop Luachan and the object here. The object was handed to Sechnussach the night before his death. Bishop Luachan then returned to Delbna Mór.’

She paused and Abbot Colmán, who was leaning forward, trying to follow her story, cleared his throat.

‘What has happened to this wheel of destiny?’ he asked.

Fidelma smiled briefly. ‘As soon as Bishop Luachan left, Sechnussach realised the weight of responsibility upon him and knew that he should not hide it in his chambers, but somewhere safer. In the early hours, he went down to the kitchen of the royal residence and hid it in the uaimh or souterrain where foodstuffs are kept. He was seen taking it from his chamber by Brother Rogallach, who thought little about it. Torpach the cook came upon Sechnussach in the kitchens early in the morning and the High King explained that he could not sleep and so had come to make a meal. That was a lie. Sechnussach had taken the object to the souterrain to hide it.

‘I think it was Mer who discovered where it was hidden and she went to the souterrain to find it. Cuan followed and, for whatever reason, he killed her and took the precious object. Before he could escape, Brother Rogallach entered and Cuan knocked him unconscious from behind. Rogallach did not see him. Cuan then fled to the territory to join those at Hag’s Mountain. He realised that there was little future with them and so escaped as