Behold a Pale Horse

‘Then, Grasulfson of Gisulf, know that I am Fidelma of Cashel, in the land of Hibernia, daughter of King Failbe Flann of Muman.’

Kakko stared at her for a moment and then smiled grimly. ‘I thought she was more than a mere religieuse by her manners,’ he said with some self-satisfaction.

‘Is a daughter of a king prohibited from being a member of the religious?’ she snapped. Then she tried to translate her title of dálaigh. ‘I am also a procurator in my own land.’

Grasulf leaned forward, his brows drawn together as he examined her with interest. ‘A princess, a religieuse and a lawyer, all these in one? Is that possible?’ His voice was filled with irony.

‘Indeed, all these in one,’ she responded coldly.

‘Bring a chair for Fidelma of Hibernia,’ the Lord of Vars addressed his steward. ‘Then fetch wine.’

Kakko hurried to one side of the hall to fetch the chair.

‘My steward was right to suspect you were of noble rank,’ Grasulf said. ‘Why did you not tell him?’

‘I told him only what he needed to know: that I am a visitor in your land, spending a few days here to see an old mentor of mine at the Abbey of Bobium.’

‘You mean the man whom you travel with, the scriptor of Bobium?’

‘Not Brother Eolann, who was simply showing me the sanctuary of Colm Bán on the top of Mount Pénas when we were kidnapped by your men.’

Kakko had placed the chair by her and Fidelma sat down at her ease. The big steward then went to a side table and took up two earthenware goblets and a large glazed pitcher which appeared to be full of red wine.

‘Colm Bán?’ Grasulf was asking, puzzled.

‘You call him Columbanus. He that founded the Abbey at Bobium.’

‘Ah, so,’ sighed the Lord of Vars. ‘I have heard of him and he is long dead. So who were you visiting at Bobium if not this scriptor?’

‘Brother Ruadán, who died recently.’

Kakko stirred slightly. ‘I met this Brother Ruadán once, my lord,’ he said. ‘He was very elderly. He used to wander the territory up to Placentia preaching against the Christian belief of the Arians.’

Lord Grasulf took a goblet of wine from Kakko and swallowed eagerly before speaking.

‘You say that he is now dead?’

‘He is,’ confirmed Fidelma. ‘Now I demand to be released with my comrade, Brother Eolann, and to be allowed to return to Bobium so that I may continue my journey back to my own land.’

‘Released?’ Grasulf sat back in his chair and stared moodily at her for a moment. ‘Life is not as simple as that, lady. These are troubled times and people do not always tell the truth. Who knows why you and your companion were really on the summit of the Pénas overlooking this valley. Perhaps you were spying?’

Fidelma thrust out her chin. ‘The truth is as I have told you. There is nothing else.’

‘We will see.’

‘I protest-’

‘To whom, lady? I am Lord of Vars and any authority you have does not exist here either by birth, by law or by your religion.’

‘Not by religion? Then I perceive you are all followers of Arius here?’

For the first time Grasulf’s features broadened into a smile while Kakko gave one of his great guffaws of laughter. Grasulf took another large swallow of his wine before responding. Fidelma deduced that he was a man fond of his drink.

‘Lady, we are true Longobards,’ replied Grasulf. ‘We hold to our own beliefs. We worship only Godan, Father of the Gods, King of Asgard, ruler of the Aesir. Lord of War, Death and Knowledge. He is our true god and protector.’

Fidelma gasped involuntarily. ‘Then you are pagans?’

‘We are only those who follow a different god to you.’

‘How long do you propose to keep us prisoner?’ she demanded, having absorbed this information. ‘And where is Brother Eolann? Has he been harmed?’

‘Do not distress yourself, lady,’ boomed Kakko humorously. ‘My lord has a small scriptorium to which your companion has been taken. My lord’s scriptor died several moons ago, since when the books have been abandoned.’

Grasulf added: ‘I have decided that while you and Brother Eolann are here you may make yourselves useful in sorting out my books.’

‘So,’ she said finally, ‘you propose to keep us here indefinitely? ’

‘Until I ascertain that you are no threat.’

‘Threat to whom?’

‘Threat to the peace and well-being of my people.’

‘Who do you fear, Grasulf, apart from a wandering woman of Hibernia and a scriptor?’ she sneered. ‘Maybe it is this Perctarit or maybe Grimoald, who are fighting over this kingdom.’

‘Why should I fear either?’ replied the Lord of Vars indifferently. ‘Who pays me well, has my allegiance.’ He was helping himself to more wine when he realised that Fidelma hadscarcely touched her goblet. ‘You do not drink your wine, lady. Can it be that you have no love for the juice of the grape?’

‘I love freedom even more,’ she replied. ‘If my companion and I are to be kept as prisoners here, I would make a plea to your chivalry that we are not continually confined to the same stuffy cell.’

Grasulf almost chuckled. ‘What do you suggest? That I let you wander freely outside the walls of my fortress?’

‘We will respect the confines of your fortress. But there must be a place where we may rest our minds and bodies — an herbarium, a place of greenery, a place where we could relax yet keep our minds active. Let us have some freedom from the confines of cells and libraries. I ask this as the daughter of a king in my own land, for does not the saying exist in your land that a king may grant respect to others if he is strong and secure in his own kingdom? You tell me that you are strong and secure in your territory: you may now prove it to me.’

‘The saying is that an excess of caution does no harm for it is better to have eggs today than only the promise of chickens tomorrow,’ replied Grasulf. Then he turned to Kakko and spoke rapidly in the language of the Longobards, before he gestured a dismissal with his hand and turned to refill his goblet from the pitcher.

Fidelma wondered if it would be politic to ask whether his men had killed Lady Gunora and if the young prince was a prisoner in the fortress. Then she decided she must find out more first. If the Lord of Vars had killed Lady Gunora and kidnapped the boy, then he would have no compunction in killing her and Brother Eolann. And the thought also struck her that if the two men she had seen the previous day with the flaming sword and laurel wreath emblem, were the sameones who had attacked Magister Ado — what were they doing in a fortress of pagans? Many thoughts ran through her mind.

Kakko did not lead her back to the chamber where she had been a prisoner but took her on a different route. As they crossed the smaller courtyard he was still chuckling.

‘You have impressed my lord Grasulf, little sister. You will be released from your chamber in the mornings and returned to it at night. During daylight you will be taken to the library. Next to that you will also find a small open area where you may take exercise. There is a door on the far side which gives access to the necessarium.’ He glanced at her and added, ‘Do not have any false hopes, little sister. The area is enclosed on three sides by the fortress walls and on the fourth … well, if you had wings to fly, like Huginn and Muninn, you might fly away.’

‘Like who?’

‘You saw the ravens carved on my lord’s chair? They are Huginn and Muninn, the ravens who guard our great god, Godan.’

Fidelma did not bother to reply. Her mind was busy thinking that if they were not confined to the claustrophobic chamber in which they had been held, there might be a better chance of escape. They were crossing the main courtyard again, though not in the same direction. A thought suddenly struck her.

‘You promised to return our travelling bags. There are personal items in them that we might use to make