“I’m glad to see my love life holds such interest for you all that you keep a running record.”
“Who did he bed last night?” Dallan asked everyone except Diarmid.
“Tuala,” Diarmid supplied quietly, smiling to himself as he recalled the lively evening.
“I’m impressed that you recall her name,” Cormac said. Though neither of Diarmid’s brothers lived with the same vivacity as he did, Cormac openly disapproved of it as often as possible.
“I remember the names of every woman who’s company I’ve enjoyed,” Diarmid defended.
Illadan scoffed from his watchpost outside their camp. “You do not.”
Conan shot Illadan a warning look. “He does, and no one here wants to listen to him recitethatmany names.”
Diarmid nodded appreciatively at his brother. Since they were young, he and Conan had always been close. They had fun with Cormac every now and again, and they’d defend him with their lives, but he had no notion of what life was really about. He was so caught up in the politics and wars and grand schemes of petty kings, that he forgot that life was lived by the moment.
“I wager that you can’t go a fortnight without bedding a woman,” Dallan declared, earning a giggle of agreement from the lovely Niamh.
“I’m afraid you’re going to have to be more specific.” Diarmid wasn’t certain whether such a wager would be worthwhile, particularly if he couldn’t even touch a woman.
Finn responded without hesitation. “You can’t do anything that could make you a father.”
Tolerable. It would be far less fun, but at least he could still do something. “And the stakes?”
“Dallan and I will buy all your ale for the next moon, if you can manage it,” Finn offered.
“And if I can’t?” Diarmid honestly wasn’t certain whether he’d make it or not, but for free ale, he’d give his best effort. Not to mention the joy of holding his victory over their heads forevermore.
“Then you buy ours,” Dallan said simply.
Though Diarmid didn’t relish the thought of losing that much coin, he knew it would be a powerful motivator. “I believe we have a wager.” Perhaps he could find a lady tonight and…
“It starts tonight,” Finn told him, interrupting his plotting.
Illadan, the leader of the Fianna, strode into camp, abandoning his watch. “It’s time.” He looked to Ardál and Dallan. “You cover us with your bows. Broccan claims there are fewer than twenty men at their encampment, and most will be sleeping. I will remind you that Brian has ordered Aodh be spared so that he has leverage for negotiations later on.”Illadan’s piercing hazel gaze landed on Diarmid. “You find the princess, since you’re apparently so good with women. The rest of us will take care of Aodh’s men.”
The one downside—if he chose to see it as such—was that Diarmidalwaysended up minding the women. Normally, it would be a pleasure to spend time entertaining a lady. Even outside of his bed, Diarmid had always loved women. He found them to be clever and witty, without any of the posturing that so often accompanied his interactions with other men.
However, his last female ward had proved to be a tedious chore. Before following Aodh and the princess, the Fianna stayed in Thurles, believing that Aodh and his men had razed the village and overtaken the keep in an act of open hostility against Brian. During that time, Diarmid had, unsurprisingly, been charged with the ‘management’ of Brona, Queen of Thurles. ’Twas a long and convoluted tale, but in the end the Fianna learned that Aodh had been acting in self-defense. Thus, in spite of his capture of Princess Cara, Brian sought to spare the king and hopefully bargain with him in the future.
The men stood, securing their weapons. Diarmid’s heart pounded, but his mind grew sharper, clearer. Though Diarmid made a point of enjoying his free time, these were the moments he truly lived for: the ones where his actions made a true difference in the lives of others.
He joined the Fianna to help Brian unify the disparate kingdoms of Éire, to defend the people from further incursion by the Fin Gall, the foreigners who continued to ravage their shores and lay claim to his people’s lands. To fight for the folk who couldn’t fight for themselves. Though he was born the son of one of Brian’s rivals, Diarmid’s commitment to Brian and the Fianna was absolute.
When they needed him, he would be there. Always.
Only moments after Illadan’s call to arms, the Fianna disappeared from the small clearing of fallen logs, the graveyard of a massive oak. Roots and moss and lichen passed silently underfoot as the Fianna crept between the shadowed trees.
Darkness descended upon Aodh’s camp.
And with it, the Fianna.
Chapter Two
For the twenty-thirdnight in a row, Cara couldn’t sleep. Aye, even before she found herself the captive of a northern king, riding to what seemed the edge of the world. She knew her parents were up to something when they invited Aodh, her now-captor, to visit Thurles. From the moment he arrived in Thurles, sleepless nights had plagued her. Even with her suspicions, Cara hadn’t come close to guessing their nefarious plot.
She sat up from her woolen blanket, spotting Aodh keeping watch near the remnants of their small fire. He was young for a king, especially a king of one of the largest kingdoms in Éire. Only a few years her elder, he had inherited the throne when he was nineteen—a year younger than Cara. She couldn’t imagine the weight of that responsibility. Watching her parents manage one small village felt overwhelming at times. Aodh’s kingdom held hundreds of them, and larger settlements, too. With his gentle manner and handsome face, Cara could have quite enjoyed his company in a different setting.
“Come,” he called softly. “Sit with me.”
