Darerca

CHAPTER 6

The man known as the Aedh Dubh was a man of few scruples, and relished in the blood thirsty reputation he had garnished. He had an Irish name that translated as Aedh the Black, or Aedh Black, and he was of the Cruthinian by race and a descendant of a Royal family. It was known that he would suffer a tripartate death, a curse that had originated with the Norse god Odin, and a death that was specifically reserved for kings, heroes and gods. In Celtic mythology the curse of the threefold death often followed on three sins committed by the perpetrator.
One of the strange things about Aedh was that he often dressed in the garb of a priest, but the wild look in his crazy green eyes would have told wiser counsels that this man was no priest. He possessed a mop of fiery, red hair that spoke volumes about his fiery temperament and unpredictable temper. He killed without mercy, an insatiable appetite in his eyes.
He liked to ally himself with the druids. He was bitterly opposed to whoever occupied the high seat of Tara, often refusing to recognise the kingship, and doing everything in his power to undermine the throne.
He was also allied with dubious characters like Jack White and Coroticus - yet another pirate making his fortune in the slavery trade.
Aedh also had no time for those who preached any kind of change, in particular, those who practised the relatively new faith of Christianity. To his mind, it was an alien faith introduced in some godforsaken country in the Middle East that he had never heard of. He couldn't understand how Rome had become corrupted by these strange new ideas. If Rome could be corrupted, then nowhere was safe. If such ideas manifested themselves in Ireland, Aedh was astute enough to recognise that the power of the druids could be broken, and that threatened his way of life.
He could never allow that. "Never," he said, slamming his fist down on the table and startling his men.
"Sir," one asked. "Are you al'right?"
Aedh nodded, not realising he'd spoken aloud. "Just thinking aloud," he explained.
The man nodded and turning to the others he rolled his eyes. They all knew Aedh was a bit mad and prone to sudden bouts of craziness. Some said it was those magic mushrooms that he ate.
It had been prophesied that his blood thirsty ways would follow him through the generations and that his grandson would kill a king of Ireland. It was also prophesied that he would suffer a tripartite death for such an outrage. However, that was down the road, a fate that awaited his grandson and one who would bear the same name.
He had many Druids who would report to him and Aedh soon learned of Patrick's existence soon after the man landed up north. He waited and watched.
Receiving word from Laoghaire's stronghold on the Hill of Tara, Aedh issued orders to move out.

*

The Hill of Tara lay in County Meath in Leinster. It was on the nearby Hill of Slane that Patrick had defied Laoghaire by lighting his fire first. Tradition had it that nobody could light their fire before the king.
"I'm worried about this Patrick," Laoghaire confided to Aedh Black who had arrived in the last hour and had been immediately summoned by Laoghaire.
"They tell me he's an escapee from slavery," Black said. "That gives us options."
"Death, you mean?"
"It's warranted if he's an escapee. It's the law of the land."
Laoghaire was worried. "He has quite a following even amongst my own people, my own daughters. And he claims to have the backing of Rome."
Black nodded. " It could be done on the QT. No fuss, no outcry."
Laoghaire gave Black the go-ahead.
When he turned, the man was gone. He hadn't even heard him. The man was like a ghost.
It gave Laoghaire confidence the job could be done. He almost clapped his hands in glee.

*

Black set up a team of people to keep an eye on Patrick so that he knew where the holy man was at all times. From the reports he received he was able to picture in his mind the movements of Patrick.
He quickly learned that Patrick was due to leave Tara by the end of the week and as today was Tuesday it didn't give him a lot of time to prepare.
Aedh scowled. He didn't like rush jobs.
So it was that about a week later he and his men waited in ambush for Patrick and his band of followers.
They could hear Patrick talking to the others. A savage grin twisted Black's features as he raised his hand and motioned his men forward.
They broke cover from the prow of the hill and stopped in confusion.
There was no sign of Patrick or any of his followers. Instead, they were greeted to a herd of deer grazing without a bother in the world.
Anger touched the face of Aedh Black. He ordered his forces to spread out. "Keep looking," he screeched. "They can't be gone far."
But they were gone, vanished into thin air.
Patrick had indeed pulled off a miracle escape.

*

Aedh Black didn't report back to King Laoghaire as instructed but continued to follow Patrick and his entourage. He sent a man back with a terse statement that Patrick had for the moment eluded his pursuers but that he, Black, would continue to follow the holy man and hopefully manage to kill off the threat that the missionary posed.
In turn, Laoghaire sent back his messenger with word that no trace could be leaked back to the kingdom. Aedh scowled when he heard that. Did they think he was a magician?
He suddenly had a brainwave. Word had reached him that Corticus had reached these shores and was looking for fresh slaves.
He had decided to make a deal with the devil.
A fiendish deal.