“Seigine?” Darragh attempted a cordial tone. Much better to approach them as friends. He saw no reason to reveal he knew they had been following them, as such suspicion would be met with a less than amicable response. That the man had reinforcements was disconcerting at the very least.
“Darragh.” The large man bowed his head in a show of respect. His lips turning up at the corners in a closed smile, he said, “My men have been discovered.”
An odd response, but Darragh checked his reaction, instead widening his own lips into a pleased expression. “And were ye hiding?”
Seigine laughed. A deep sound that rivaled the loudness of the wind high in the trees.
“Forgiveness, please.” The man paused and glanced at Terrence and Brighit, who were right behind Darragh. “I am merely hunting down a murderer.”
Darragh glanced around in a joking manner. “And ye believe he has come this way?”
“I am following the very trail taken.”
Darragh allowed his surprise to show on his face.
“I do not think we passed a single person on our travels here,” he said, casually looking at the others for confirmation. His men had taken up positions around the MacCochlain warriors. A protective outer circle.
They nodded, also appearing relaxed. He knew they would be ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice should a threat present itself.
“But please, join us.” He motioned for Iain to see to sharing their ale and food. “We have more than enough ale and food for yer men. We will continue our celebrating.”
Seigine motioned for his men to partake of what was being offered before grabbing a horn of ale and settling on the ground. Darragh caught Terrence’s gaze and tipped his head the slightest bit. The signal was received. The men would be welcoming, but they would remain watchful.
“I am surprised ye did not approach earlier rather than setting up so far from us. We are a greater force joined together.” Darragh took a mug of ale, no longer of a mind to drink the honeyed wine, and returned to where he’d spread hisbraitto settle himself. “If the murderer and the men that attacked ye show themselves, we will easily defeat them and bring him to justice.”
Seigine stopped, his horn halfway to his mouth and his face darkening. “D'ye believe I wish to see to my own justice still, Darragh? Ha!” He drank from the horn, emptying it one gulp. “Ye do not realize how persuasive yer father is. We signed the treaty. We will see this done according to what has been written down.”
Darragh shook his head and smiled, an easy smile meant to reassure. “I know ye understand the importance of the agreement. To disregard it would cause nothing less than chaos.”
“Agreed!” Seigine smiled, accepting more ale from Iain. “We had hoped only to give ye and yer bride some distance.”
The man’s eyes were on Brighit. She averted her gaze from where she sat slightly behind Darragh, away from the others.
“That is very thoughtful of ye, my friend.” Darragh took a long draw on his mug, glancing back at Brighit, who looked uncomfortable with the attention. “As ye can see, we travel with many men already. Not exactly alone, but we will have time alone.”
The men chuckled around them.
“The son of theri túathgoes nowhere unprotected.” Terrence remained standing a few feet from Brighit, his arms about his chest. He did not glance at Darragh, which was unusual. “Just asyego nowhere unprotected.”
Terrence gazed over the well-armed men, who made a show of relaxing around the fire even though none of them had yet touched their drinks.
“Our group isintendedto be seen as a show of force.” Seigine’s eyes, twinkled but there was no smile. “Intimidating… but only to our enemies… never to our friends.” He raised his full horn to the men around them. “Let us relax and drink with our friends. Tomorrow will be soon enough to worry again.”
Darragh raised his drink higher, and the warriors from both sides did the same before emptying their horns. The ale and mead flowed, and the different clansmen relaxed around each other, allowing the repast to end without incident.
Brighit kept to herself—Terrence annoyingly at her side. Darragh had little choice but to entertain his guests rather than fight for the opportunity to engage his own wife. Besides, he was no longer in a fighting mood.
“Have ye thought of any reason for the attack?” he asked Seigine.
“On us? Or on my brother?”
“Are they not the same men?”
Seigine belched and put his food aside. “I believe they intentionally sought him out to kill him.”
A gasp drew Darragh’s attention, but he couldn’t be certain who it had come from. A glance around the fire revealed little. “How so?”
“A particularly vile death. Would ye not agree?”
