The Fifth Beast (ManxMan Chinese/Celtic Fantasy Story)

Chapter 53

Emain Maсha was the only place with a cromlech inside it, next to the living quarters, in a small inner courtyard, one of many. There was no roof, alas — it somehow interfered with magic. Ragged gray clouds swirled over Emain Macha, and it was drizzling lightly, as the rainy season was not over yet. In the courtyard, among the standing stones, it was as gray and depressing as Niall felt.

He hurried to take cover in the gallery that ran along the perimeter of the courtyard. There was only one gate in the gallery, and it was not guarded by some mortals as in Sliabh Mis or Ath Luain — no, only the Tuatha Dé lords stood guard in front of them. Niall, too, used to stand here at one time, clad in heavy armor, with a shield and a spear. Not a very fun pastime, but nothing better to learn the full titles of everyone who came to pay their respects to the Queen.

Yes, there was no Steward of Emain Macha then, Queen Morrigan herself received petitioners. Roigh Mac Rowan was still Keeper of the East. Only ten years had passed since he had risen to be the second person of the realm. The Steward of Emain Macha was usually the third one, after the King and Queen. But since Her Majesty had no official husband, Roigh was considered an unofficial one. And second only to her.

"Welcome, Niall Mac Nechtan, Lord of Lightning, Steward of the North of the blessed kingdom of Mag Tuired, owner of Sliabh Mis Castle," the guards said in unison and parted.

The enchanted gates swung open on their own, as they always did before those who entered Emain Macha without ill intention and with the Queen's permission. The permission was usually issued for life, there was no need to ask for it every time. But if the Queen got angry and withdrew the permission, the gates wouldn't open.

In Emain Macha, unlike other Tuatha Dé castles, it was allowed to come through the portal without announcing one's visit beforehand. The capital was huge, many courtiers spent almost as much time here as in their own castles, and many didn't have a castle of their own, only apartments in Emain Macha.

Nechtan Mac Ethliu also had his own apartments. Niall, thank Danu, inherited at least them, if not his father's castle Ath Luain. He remembered from the songs that the great Nechtan had been the Steward of Emain Macha for some time, back in the early days of the blessed realm of Mag Tuired. The future capital must have been then only a bunch of hastily put together huts. It was Nechtan who erected endless suites of rooms and corridors, huge halls for feasting and dancing, gardens, fountains, terraces and galleries. Well, not with his own hands, of course, he only supervised the construction. Lords of Stone, of Forest, of Metal, of Water and many others were actual builders.

Surely the Lord of Stone Roigh Mac Rowan was among them. He must have been very young then. Funny that Roigh didn't mention Niall's father often and didn't particularly like to talk about the early days of Mag Tuired. About the time when he was not yet the Keeper of the East. When he was young, not too experienced, not too powerful. Perhaps just as impulsive and hasty in judgment and action as Niall Mac Nechtan, whom Roigh used to reproach for those qualities.

Niall narrowed his eyes and grinned wryly. Maybe the great Nechtan was also Roigh's first lover, like Roigh' was Niall's first much later? That would have been very ironic. He winced and shook his head. Nechtan Mac Ethliu was never known for his love affairs, even before his marriage. Malicious tongues said the reason for that was his unrequited love for Ruadh Rofessa, who had a thousand love affairs, but for some reason exclusively with women. Niall did not doubt for a second that the great heroes had slept together at least once out of sheer curiosity. They were childhood friends, grew up together in Erin, studied martial arts together under Morrigan, who was not yet their queen, but the greatest warrior of the Tuatha Dé.

Niall had heard gossips about Nechtan Mac Ethliu and Ailill Mac Rossa, even before Elatha mentioned it. Ailill himself never confirmed the gossips, but did not deny them either. They were, after all, very flattering.

For the first time Niall wondered if the gossips were really true. Let's imagine that his own childhood friend, the fiery-haired Cumal Mac Ruadh, wouldn't sleep with him. In that highly improbable case, Niall would certainly seek comfort in some other Lord of Fire's bed. The Lords of the same element often had a similar aura, a similar temperament, and even some outward resemblance in face and body.

For example, Emer, one of Ailill's wives (Ailill himself carefully avoided the words "first" and "second", because that could lead to a grandiose quarrel between them, and during the last such quarrel they destroyed one of Aed Slane towers), was the Lady of Water, like Elatha Mac Lir, and looked like his sister: petite, indescribably, almost painfully beautiful, and also surprisingly powerful, although one couldn't tell it from her looks alone. They were, most likely, distant relatives, because the magical element was usually inherited. Water was not as flashy as Fire or Lightning, but one shouldn't forget that water could gnaw away stone, erode earth, extinguish fire and drown any air-breathing creature.

The story of how Ailill Mac Rossa got his two wives was absolutely enchanting, and it was even made into a song. Of course, the song was never sung in the presence of its characters — it could've lead to the similar grandiose quarrel.

So, that's how the story went. Medb, Lady of Metal, was a warrior from the Queen's personal guard. Ailill was already married, but this, of course, did not prevent her from having a stormy and long-lasting affair with him. Moreover, Emer lived in Aed Slane, and Medb in Emain Macha. But then the formidable female warrior wished that Ailill belonged to her alone. She demanded of him to divorce Emer and become her husband. Ailill ruefully spread his hands and confessed that he would never dare to ask for a divorce from the pretty and fragile Emer with hair as blue-green as sea waves, because her anger was terrible, and she could easily kill him for such an insult. Medb laughed and said that she would challenge Emer to a duel, in which Ailill would be the prize. Queen Morrigan graciously allowed the use of magic in the duel, because the only cold steel Emer knew how to use was her embroidery needle.

The duel was, of course, epic and worthy of a song. It lasted from dawn to dusk and right before sunset they wrecked the huge ballroom of Emain Macha and partially collapsed its dome. By morning, when the rubble was cleared at last (the enraged queen ordered not to hurry too much), it turned out that the ladies were lying in each other's arms, not a scratch on either of them, although some essential items of clothing were missing, and metal cage erected by Medb protected them from the debris.

After that, the Queen forbade magical duels under the roof of Emain Macha, and Medb, as if nothing had happened, married Ailill. The law-keeper that conducted the ceremony, mentioned that Ailill should divorce his first wife. He was rightly corrected that there was no law against having more than one wife or husband. The thing was, no lord or lady of the Tuatha Dé wanted to share a spouse before. But, since the duel between Medb and Emer ended in a draw, Ailill now belonged to both of them. The law-keeper shut up and declared Medb daughter of Macha and Ailill son of Rossa husband and wife. Carefully avoiding the word "second".

Passions in this strange marriage, however, did not subside all the several hundred years that have passed since its conclusion. The ladies had fits of jealousy, quarrels and scandals. Niall suspected that all this only made their union stronger. When he himself lived in Aed Slane, Emer and Medb almost had a fight over him. In the end they decided to share Niall too and took him to bed together. It was a magical night that couldn't be described or compared with others, but when Niall staggered out of their bed in the morning and went to refresh himself, spent and exhausted, the ladies continued without him, still fresh and full of vigor. Niall even felt a little sorry for Ailill, although the pity was greatly diluted with envy.

Generally, Ailill Mac Rossa spent quite a lot of time in Emain Macha, because Medb still served in the Queen's Guard and had no desire to leave it. So there was a chance to catch him here and talk. None of the Tuatha Dé lords owned as many thralls as Ailill, so it was logical to ask him for advice on the matter. He firmly decided to visit Ailill after Roigh.

He stopped a maid and ordered to prepare his apartments and dinner, and also to find out where the Keeper of the South was now and whether he was ready to receive the Steward of the North.