McTire Son of the Earth

Part 31 - An Ending

Cormac was sobbing too, his head resting on Dom's shoulder. "Brother! Brother!" he whispered. "The gods have been kind. After all this time alone, I have someone of my own."

Dom sniffed loudly and pulled himself together. After all, there were people present, and he was their king. But when he looked up, Cass was ushering the last person out through the door, and as he closed it, the captain leant against it with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Truly, as Lij said, good can come from great evil." They all looked at the man lying in the bed, then Cass bowed to the five people remaining in the room, and left.

Gronya had removed the extra pillows and was settling Lij down to rest. She moved away from the bed and spoke in a low voice to Dom and Cormac. "He needs you, Dom. He is very weak at the moment, but he has asked that Cormac stay, too. He wishes to speak with you but please do not tire him further. I know you won't. I shall take Orla for some food...come, my dear!"

Orla came slowly up to her father, and looked at her new brother in wonder. "I am spoiled for family today, I am, so!" she said happily. Cormac swept her up in his arms and hugged her. "I shall find you shortly, and we will talk," he said quietly to the girl, who grinned at him, kissed him and then her father and left with the old woman.

The brothers approached the bed. Lij's eyes were shut, but neither man deluded himself that Lij was already asleep. His lips were compressed in a rictus of pain, and Dom indicated to Cormac that this interview must be kept short. Cormac nodded, gazing at the man in the bed with concerned eyes.

"Dom, my love, can you hear me?" Lij whispered on a thread of breath. Dom leaned over the bed and kissed Lij's brow. "I hear you, onam cora, and so can Cormac, so do not task yourself further. Can this not wait until you are stronger?"

Lij shook his head. "It cannot wait if I am to rest in peace today. Cormac..." Lij coughed on the name. Cormac standing next to Dom, took Lij's hand. "I am here, Lij, but there is no need for you to speak. I know what you are going to say, you see."

Lij opened the slit of his eyes and stared blearily at his former lover. "You do?" Dom moved out of the way so that his brother could stand next to Lij. The young man still held onto Lij's hand and Lij squeezed it and smiled."Go on," he murmured.

Cormac took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. "Well, Lij, light of my life - Dom is back, free, and yearning to love you. Your Dom. The only man...the only person... you have ever truly given yourself to completely - am I not right?" Lij nodded.

"So..." Cormac continued bravely, his hands trembling so much even Dom could see it. "...So you must regrettably in future absent yourself from my bed as you will be fully occupied in his Is this not so?"

Lij nodded again, but spoke as well. "I cannot offer you more than my friendship, Cormac. It is not fair of me to say our relationship will continue, for it cannot."

Cormac wiped a tear from his face. "I know," he whispered. "And I also know that even if you said you could share me with Dom...I know with all my heart Dom could not share you. Nor would I inflict such pain on a brother I have come to love. His love for you is stronger than death as we have seen, and is as all consuming. One love...one heart. That is you and he. There is no room in your relationship for another. I feel privileged to have been able to taste a little happiness with you, Lij. You know I will love you until the day I die..."

Cormac could not continue. He leant against his brother, now supporting him with a strong arm.

..."but I will be your brother, Lij, as I am his. Can this be so? For I would still see you, and be able to talk with you, sometimes..."

"Yes." The voice was hardly audible and Cormac, realising Lij was near collapse, kissed his cheek and left the room quickly. Dom undressed and got into bed beside Lij, relishing the warm comfort of their naked bodies touching.

He kissed Lij once more, put his finger over his lover's lips when he tried to speak to him, and murmured "sleep now, talk later," as Lij slid over the edge into oblivion.

***

Dom stayed there until he judged it was time for the evening meal to be served, then got up and dressed. He was just pulling on his boots when Cass peeped around the door. Dom beckoned him in.

"I will sit with him for an hour, Dom," Cass said quietly, pulling up a chair. "Gronya says you need food and fresh air, and is bringing Lij something light to eat in a moment or two. Go and eat and refresh yourself. Cormac has a meal placed for you both in the solar, and asks that you join him for a short while."

Dom fastened his belt, and smiled at Cass. "I will go. And thank you, friend, for the care and concern you have showed me and my beloved. It will not go unrewarded."

Cass blushed a deep red. "I need no reward, Ard-Ri, for doing my duty. But if you insist - Brian and I would like to be handfasted, and would like you to attend he ceremony. And Lij - we can wait until he is recovered."

Dom clapped his friend on the shoulder. "It will be a great pleasure, Cass. Take good care of him..." he nodded towards the bed.

"You can be sure of it," the man grinned as Dom opened the door. "Do not bolt your food, now - he will still be abed when you return, and will not begrudge you an hour's ease."

Cormac was sitting in the solar, nibbling at a wing of fowl when Dom arrived. He stood and bowed low and Dom waved him back to his seat with an impatient gesture, grinning as he did so.

"No need to stand on ceremony with me, Cormac. Get on with your meal."

Cormac's brow wrinkled. "But there are servants present, lord king!" he answered hesitantly.

A man rushed forward to hold the seat for his king. Dom stared at him in amazement. "What are you doing, man?" he asked the beaming lad, who smiled and said, proudly, "I am but serving my king, my lord, as is my duty." Dom gave up and sat down.

"You may leave us, if you please," he said to the two men standing against the wall. "I am sure the prince and I can help ourselves to some roast fowl without great mishap."

Cormac stared at him. "Prince?...what...?"

Dom smiled at his brother. "You are my heir, Cormac, my dear brother. Of course you are a prince!" Dom placed some vegetables upon his dish and cocked an enquiring eyebrow at the stunned young man. "The only question is...where would you like to be prince of?"

***

They settled on Prince of Monaghan, for, Cormac said shyly, it was bound to be a fair place that bred Dom, and Cormac had no idea where he had been born, his grandmother being uninstructed in the matter. Cormac was interested to discover who this grandmother was as Ede's mother lived with her in her keep by the Curragh of Kildare, and died there too, at her daughter's hand.

"We shall question Neeve and Morne in a few days when Lij is feeling better. It will be painful to have to listen to their excuses twice and he has a right to hear all. He suffered enough because they..."

Dom's mouth trembled at the thought of all that his Lij had endured. He shut his eyes, remembering that first sight as he rushed through the cell door; Lij weltering in his own blood. Ede holding....he shivered, pushing the thoughts out of his mind.

Cormac put his hand on his brother's resting on the table. "Come, Dom, let us get some fresh air. Neeve and Morne can await our pleasure...it will give them time to think on their cruel deeds - and their punishments."

***

It was, in fact, four days before Gronya gave grudging permission for Lij to listen to the two malefactors. Ultan had come in private the previous day, and after he had pronounced judgement on him Dom had to sit back in wonder and watch and listen to Lij as, after hearing Ultan's hesitant tale, he shredded and re-made the penitent lord before his eyes.

It was an exercise in statecraft Dom had seen many times before, but he always marvelled at Lij's almost supernatural grasp on the mind and motives of those with whom he came into contact. That he was willing to expend his fragile strength in defence of his lover, moved Dom to tears.

Ultan, penitent and eager to atone, left, as Dom had commanded, for the northern borders to inform troops gathering there to support Dom that he had triumphed and that Sowrawn was dead by his hand.

The interview with Neeve and Morne was one to which neither man was looking forward. It was Lij who asked if they could be questioned together. When Dom asked why, Lij replied "something Ede said ...or didn't say...something..."

Morne had lost some of his belligerent look, but hid his apprehension under a customary sneer. Neeve, her life having been granted her, was a little more confident when she came in, but one look at Dom's stony face as he glanced at Lij sitting in the chair, his legs covered by a fur was enough to drive the assurance out of her.

She made a low reverence to both men, but Morne stood straight and proud and offered neither man his courtesy. Dom gestured to them to sit in the two chairs placed before him and Lij, but Morne refused saying "Thank you, but I prefer to stand."

Dom's voice cut through the air like ice. "What you prefer is not under consideration here, Morne. If you stand, Egypt will have to strain his neck to look up at you, and I think he has suffered enough discomfort of late. Do you not agree?"

Morne blushed scarlet and sat beside Neeve without another word.

Dom brought his attention to the woman. "Neeve, I would like to hear why you remained with Ede all those years. Truly she did not treat you with any kindness or consideration. You could have left her when you discovered what she was. Why did you not?"

Neeve looked at her feet. "I prefer not to say, lord."

Lij looked sharply at her, remarking in level tones, "Both of you seem set on your preferences this day. But let me assure you that neither of you will leave this room until both the Ard-Ri and I are satisfied there is no more to tell."

Neeve pressed her lips together, and Lij turned his attention to Morne. He spoke in a kinder tone which surprised all those present. "I, above all, know what love can bring one to, Torna. Was she worth it? Was it love, or merely lust? Do you know the difference?"

Morne's head shot up. "I worshipped her, Egypt. I was her slave. I love Cormac. That is the difference." He twisted his hands in his lap, and spoke more quietly.

"My wife is a plain dab of a woman, but I am fond of her, in my own way. She has gone to her father's house and now I have no one.

Ede is buried the gods know where - I have nothing. Nothing! Cormac is enamoured of Egypt, even the lads in the stable know this..."

Lij stopped him short. "We will leave the Prince of Monaghan out of this discussion, if you please."

Morne was astonished at these words. Cormac of Monaghan? Cormac the Bastard now is a prince? He shrugged. "As you wish."

Lij nodded. "Continue." Morne stared at Dom. "That is all. I have no more to say. When she commanded me, I jumped. For this I was rewarded like the good lap-dog I was, with her sexual favours. She was very good..."

"Silence!" Lij's voice filled the room. "You have said enough. The Ard-Ri is here to pass judgement upon you, not to listen to your lascivious utterances. You will say no more."

"Very well," Morne shrugged again. "I cannot imagine why I was brought here in the first place in the presence of this servant. I deserve better treatment..."

Dom raised his hand. "Did you not hear Egypt, Morne? He enjoined you to silence. So you will listen in silence until I pronounce sentence."

As he spoke Cormac came into the room. "You sent for me, lord king?" Dom smiled at his brother. "I have also sent for two dawlee, who are to come in later. They wait in the next room until they are called. But first I wish to ask you something. Has Morne always lived with Ede do you know? I cannot rely on the testimony of these two..." he waved his hand in the direction of the seated pair, who stared coldly at the men in silence.

"I do not know, lord. As you know I was brought up by my grandmother..."

"Ah!" Dom interrupted him. "I knew there was something. Neeve, who was this woman? Obviously it was not my father's mother, she had been dead for many years when I was born. So who was she?"

Neeve shifted nervously in her seat. "It was Ede's mother's mother. She was a very old woman, but as fit as a flea. It was there Ede sent Cormac as a child. Morne was jealous even then, you see, and tried to harm him." Morne glanced at her with contempt, but said nothing.

"Why did Ede keep Morne if he was such an objectionable child? Surely he could have been farmed out as Cormac was?" Dom was puzzled by this point, and did not hesitate to show his concern.

The woman glared at Morne. "You were such an unpleasant child. And grew up to be an even more unpleasant man. You never treated me with even common courtesy - but Ede knew I would not stay with her if she got rid of you. There'd be nothing to hold me, then, my son. No. You say you have no-one. But you have me, your mother..."

"No!" Morne rose swiftly, the chair tipping back onto the floor as he thrust himself from it. "It is not true. I am not your son...I am not a servant's get!"

Dom rose swiftly and grabbed Morne by his collar. "You will show more respect to the woman who bore you, Morne. Sit down!"

Morne reluctantly sat beside his mother, casting her a look of loathing as he did so. "I offer you no excuses, lord king," the old woman continued. "She was evil, your...Ede. I knew it, but still I stayed. It is true I tried to curb the worst of her excesses. I stopped her taking Cormac to her bed, anyway. She was minded to that at one time. There were no limits to her depravity."

Cormac, standing behind his brother's chair drew in a ragged breath at this announcement, but said nothing.

"She had many spells...she cast one on you, Dom of Monaghan, did you not know? When first she met you. But you soon saw beyond the glamour of the spell, and perceived the real woman. It is a pity she did not die sooner, much pain would have been avoided. But it was not for me to say anything, I was merely obeying her orders."

Dom remarked dryly, "That has ever been the plea of tyrant's servants over long centuries. It is no excuse. Not to me, not to Egypt and not to your confused son."

He remained silent for a moment, then said quietly, "I am ready to pronounce sentence. Monaghan, ask the dawlee to come in to record it, if you please."

When the two men had entered and bowed low to Lij and Dom, Dom rose and indicated that the two accused should also stand. "Neeve, you have been granted your life by me - but you are not at liberty to pursue your life as you will.

I am binding you to serve the Lady Gronya, my grandfather's lady, at the castle of Maivin, which I have restored to her. There you will serve her for the rest of your days, and perhaps absorb some of her goodness and charity, for by the gods, you need it.

And if the lady does not live for many more years in comfort and good health, it is you I shall look to - you may rely upon it. You may be seated.

Morne..."

He turned cool grey eyes on Morne, who stood stiff and pale before him. "You are stripped of your titles and the wealth granted you by Ede. You will not benefit from her evil doings. All the monies and wealth of which she died possessed shall be given to the poor.

I had a strong mind to order your death, as you caused, however indirectly, agonizing pain and suffering to my spouse, whom I love above all men. But he is not willing for this to be done. So you will receive ten lashes of the whip, which I consider a caress after what he suffered..."

Dom paused to compose himself before continuing, "He then wishes you to go with Gronya and Neeve to Maivin, and serve there. The lady Ayveen is going, too, as it is near the village where she has lived for many years, and she will continue as healer there. These two fine women will be of great assistance to you, as it is Egypt's wish that you become a healer, and repay that debt of pain you owe to him by helping others to overcome it."

Morne stared at Lij in astonishment. "Thank you for my life, Great Egypt. I will do as you command," he said, quietly, resignation and acceptance showing in his face. "Your mercy is incomprehensible to me - I admit I do not understand it. However I am grateful, and it may be that I will find happiness in the service of others.�

The dawlee wrote out the edicts and Dom sealed them with his signet. Then the four withdrew leaving Dom and Lij with Cormac, and the setting sun.

The three men were pleased when Orla arrived to wish them goodnight clad in a gown of rich dark blue as befitted the daughter of a king. On her feet were blue slippers, which, she said - proudly showing off the items to Lij by balancing precariously on one foot - Brian had stitched for her in his off duty hours.

The girl grew suddenly pensive, and her father asked why the sad face. She looked candidly up at Dom, who was standing behind Lij's chair his hand resting on his lover's neck, and said, "I heard the servants talking, Da. It seems some will never forget I was a slave before I was your daughter. They sneer down their noses at me, and whisper together that it is strange to see me without a piss-pot in my hand."

Dom's heart was moved for his child's distress, but he said nothing, except to comfort her and tell her how worthy and beloved she was of them all. When she had kissed them and gone to bed, Lij said thoughtfully, "Dom, we are taking her home with us are we not? In three months when Ninus returns from his collectings?"

Cormac's heart missed a beat. It had come sooner than he had hoped, but Dom was frowning. "Lij...I .."

Lij stared at Dom his heart in his throat. "You do not mean to come with me until later, my love? Must I go alone?"

Dom placed both arms around Lij's trembling shoulders. "No, a hashkeh, I have sworn you will go nowhere again without me, and I mean it. I just need to think over what I need to do for the welfare of my country."

Lij leaned his head against Dom's arm. "I know. But I must go when Ninus comes, Dom, or it will be another year. The children...my sacred charge...my people..."

Dom 's eyes rested upon his brother, sitting so quietly next to them, his eyes downcast. "Cormac, dear brother, you will be a strong king for our people. But I had not thought to leave you so soon to battle alone with the burden I must put on you. Will you accept it...the kingship?"

Cormac sighed. "Yes, I will take it; for love of you and Lij I will, so. But it will be a lonely life for me. Still..." his face lightened, ..."if I must marry, as marry kings must to beget heirs - there will be children to brighten the long hours. And maybe my wife will be fond. Love, I can never hope to find again."

He looked longingly at Lij as he spoke and Lij reached his arms out to him, and Cormac went to him gladly.

Lij held his former lover close. "You will have our love, my brother - even though miles and oceans separate us, they cannot sunder love. And it may be when your beard is long and wondrously braided you will leave your son in charge here, and come to us across the seas, for we are bound by friendship as well as love."

Dom smiled at his brother. "You will be most welcome. We shall ask Ninus to visit you every year, and when you are ready, you will come with him to us. We shall be waiting."

Cormac smiled through his tears. "I shall seek a lover - wives of kings understand these things, I believe - and in him I shall look for all those virtues I see in my most beloved brother and his one love. It may be I will find him, if the gods are kind."

With this he left them. After they had eaten, and were resting in bed together, Dom's head in its accustomed place on Lij's shoulder, Lij kissed the fair head gently, and they spoke for the first time of Lij's ordeal, and Dom's rescue. And when the tears came, it was their love for each other, healing and strong that brought them ever closer together.




Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1