Behold a Pale Horse

‘Will it be safe to halt here?’ asked a nervous Brother Eolann.

‘Grasulf for all his pagan beliefs does not have wings like his ravens,’ replied Suidur with a smile. ‘I am sure he will have given up the chase a long time ago.’

Before long, a fire was lit and food distributed and they curled themselves up with their blankets. The shelter was notas convenient as the previous one and there was no gushing spring with shower or pool. But a small trickling spring provided water for drinking and enough to splash the face and hands.

That night Fidelma didn’t bother pursuing any conversation but was asleep almost immediately.

At first she thought it just part of a dream. She became aware of whispering. She lay for a moment trying to struggle into full consciousness without opening her eyes or moving. To her amazement the voices were speaking in Latin, and while one of them was Suidur, she could not identify the other one.

‘ … dripping moisture hollows out a stone,’ Suidur was saying. ‘Grimoald acts far too quickly and as a result makes rash decisions. He should have waited.’

‘Now the magister is alert and we will never find it.’

‘There is still a chance, my lord. Grasulf will not move before he has the gold in his hand, that is for sure. My men and I went to his fortress pretending to make a counter-offer. He has certainly not been paid yet.’

‘And the foreigner and the scriptor? How do they stand in this matter?’

‘They are not involved. They had to be rescued. A pity, I might have found out more if I had stayed, but you know what Grasulf is like. He has no morals and would have used the girl as he thought fit or sold her to slavers. No, she had to be rescued from Vars.’

‘And you are sure that Lady Gunora was not a prisoner there?’

‘If the boy is right, Lady Gunora must be dead.’

Fidelma felt herself go cold listening to the exchange. ‘If Perctarit and his main force are at Mailand, then hismen would have to move quickly now,’ said the strange voice. ‘Once Grasulf is paid for his services, he can turn on Radoald, and once Radoald is destroyed, then the routes to Genua are wide open. While Perctarit occupies the entire plain of the Padus, his Frankish allies can land by ship at Genua and march with their supplies and reinforcements all the way to him.’

‘I agree that if anything is to happen, it must happen during the next day or so. We are still no nearer to knowing where the gold is or who will supply it. It may be that we were entirely wrong about the magister.’

‘You will be in the mountains?’

‘I will go to see my son first and inform him.’

Hearing receding footsteps, Fidelma allowed her eyes to flick open, but from where she lay she could see nothing. She heard a rustle nearby and closed her eyes again. Her thoughts were confused but while she tried to sort them out, sleep overcame her once again.

She awoke to a glorious dawn. The sky held a brilliant light which spread across the mountain-tops all around them. The air was still and fresh. The men removed themselves a little distance so that she could carry out her toilette, and food was ready when she returned.

‘Well, it will not be long before we reach the Trebbia, just below us,’ Suidur greeted her. ‘It’s a steep descent on this side of the mountains but better than a steep ascent.’

‘And no sign of Grasulf pursuing us?’

‘No sign at all. Didn’t I say that he would give up?’

‘Let us hope you are right.’

‘Are you still worried then?’

‘The Lord of Vars told me that an excess of caution does no harm. In fact, would it not be foolish to refuse caution?I am thinking that Grasulf would reason that we would eventually be heading to Bobium. Surely he could cross the mountains to the north of here and lie in wait for us in the valley somewhere between Radoald’s fortress and Bobium?’

‘I see you have a mind attuned to strategy, lady.’

‘The daughter of a king in Hibernia is taught many things and can even lead her people in war.’

Suidur nodded as if this did not surprise him. ‘Well, if he did backtrack from where we spotted him and his men, he would have to go a considerable distance through the mountains to reach a suitable place to intersect our journey. I swear, lady, you need not worry. We will protect you.’

It was not long before they started down the mountain track on a zigzag path that seemed steeper than those they had ascended by. She could see the blue ribbon of the river she presumed was the Trebbia, snaking its way through the rocky valley below. Here and there were farmsteads and cultivated areas of trees, which she was told were olive trees, while others she knew to be vines. She wished that she could assimilate these new sights, sounds and smells, but her mind was filled with the curious mysteries that beset this valley, its abbey and its people.

The journey today was done more leisurely and as they came to the lower reaches, into the treeline and then through the great forests that edged the river — which they could now hear as a soft roar against the other noises such as the rustling of the leaves, the occasional bark of a fox and the cry of birds — Fidelma began to feel more relaxed than she had been for the last few days.

They emerged into a broad clearing by the river. There was a large farmstead and outbuildings, and beyond, a small group of olive trees and vines. A dog started barking, and aman appeared from the building. Fidelma recognised him at once. It was Radoald’s warrior, Wulfoald, who greeted Suidur with a friendly wave. A rapid-fire conversation was exchanged, in which the name of Grasulf was frequently mentioned. Finally, Wulfoald turned to Fidelma as she slid off the horse and stretched her limbs.

‘Well, lady, it seems that we have much to apologise for.’

‘Apologise?’

‘As I recall, some days back you had no sooner entered this valley than you and your companions were attacked. And now I hear that you were abducted by Grasulf, an evil man if ever there was one.’ He turned and greeted Brother Eolann before saying to Fidelma: ‘We must make up for our inhospitable neighbours.’

Wulfoald’s manner was warm and friendly. Fidelma, however, was thinking about his finding of young Wamba and Hawisa’s accusation against him and her own suspicions. She wished the questions did not continually buzz around in her head like swarming bees. She must stop thinking awhile.

‘I was just about to depart with my men for Bobium. We have spare horses so we could escort you to the gates of the abbey and make sure you reach there in safety. That is, unless you want to remain here and refresh yourselves? There is no need to break the journey at Radoald’s fortress. We could have you at Bobium by mid- afternoon.’

Fidelma considered. In fact, it suited her to return to Bobium as soon as possible, and when the matter was put to Brother Eolann, he agreed at once. Wulfoald gave instructions to his men who brought forward two spare horses.

Fidelma felt awkward when it came to taking a farewell of Suidur and his silent companions. It was true that he had rescued her and Brother Eolann but, once more, her mindwas awash with unanswered questions. Perhaps it was because she disliked mysteries that she had become a dálaigh. When she could not resolve a problem it gnawed at her like a toothache. Yet she realised that there was nothing else she could do but pretend that she felt all was well, hiding her suspicions and doubts. She therefore thanked Suidur as warmly as she could for his intervention, and told him to translate her thanks to his companions. Brother Eolann responded more emotionally and profusely with his thanks. Finally they mounted up and joined Wulfoald and two warriors as they moved off alongside the track by the river which would lead them back to Bobium.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The Abbey of Bobium was a-throng with excitement even before Fidelma and Brother Eolann reached the main gates. Brother Bladulf, the gatekeeper, stood by them almost hopping from one foot to another in his apparent exhilaration. Wulfoald and his companions had left them within sight of the gates. He and his men were apparently staying the night in the township. They agreed to collect the horses when they returned to