Chapter 13 Keep Your Friends Close…

Chapter 13 Keep Your Friends Close…

In which Cúan sets out to raise the Host of the Sidhe and Maedhbh plants her poison.


The doorbell sounded loudly and a bit, Gråinne thought, shrilly in her empty house. Gráinne opened up the phone app that scanned all entrants in the porch of their suburban home. The tiny screen revealed two things that reassured her. Firstly, the garda car was still parked in front of their gates where it had been stationed until the threat against her family was over and secondly, she recognised Dermot’s superior officer, Inspector Callan, accompanying a pretty young woman in a St.Catherine's uniform on their doorstep. Her heart gave a little leap until she realised that it wasn’t Aoibheann. This girl had blonde ringlets and seemed vaguely familiar. Gráinne immediately pressed the button on the app that unlocked the door and activated the screen next to the door. “Come in Inspector. I will be with you in a minute.”


Gráinne made her way to the entrance hall and offered her cheek to Inspector Carl Callan and the young woman. “ Welcome Carl. Hello I am Gráinne Cullen, Aoibheann Cullen’s mum.” “Hi,” replied the blonde girl who was holding some plate wrapped in clingfilm, “I am Maeve Naughten. I live in Connaught House on the Howth Road opposite the estate. I know Aoibheann from school and of course from eventing. I actually like... witnessed her being abducted with that other girl. I wanted to come around myself and tell you how totally sorry I feel for you and your family. Aoibheann has her father and a brother doesn’t she?”


Gráinne watched the young woman’s expression throughout her little speech and thought to herself that this was the young girl that had threatened her daughter and that had demanded Aoibheann sell Leah to her after her own stallion had been put down. Something of her maternal instinct was raising its head and she wasn’t really feeling much sympathy for or from this girl. For a moment she locked eyes with the girl and they stood there neither blinking trying to work each other out. Finally it was Maeve who blinked and said “I brought an apple pie that I thought you might like for the family. Are they here?”


Grainne took the cake from her while noting that it was obviously shop bought but no longer in its wrapping. Instead it was presented as if it were home made.


“Oh they’re not here at the moment,” said Gráinne lightly not liking the way this young woman seemed to be leading the conversation into an interrogation. She didn’t want to be drawn into talking about Dermot who was supposed to be at home on suspension or about Cúan who was a potential target for the kidnappers. Why was Inspector Callan hanging back and letting this girl do all the talking?


“Have you any news about Aoibheann or that new girl that was taken Inspector?” demanded Gráinne briskly. “ I could tell all of you together,” suggested Inspector Cullen searching around. Gráinne shook her head,” Sadly, Cúan and Dermot went out to do some shopping for new hurling boots or socks but please tell me if you have any leads to go on in the search.”


Inspector Callan studied the floor and spoke in a tired and reluctant tone. “Unfortunately I can’t tell you about the investigation except to say that we know the suspect Philly O’Leary very well. We have learned that his son Alex was attending the same school as Cúan. He and Cúan appear to have had some run in both at school and at the Fianna club during a challenge match just before Aoibheann was abducted.“


Here he shot her a glance as if to gauge whether she had heard this before.”I’d like to contact Cúan for questioning about the incident as soon as possible. If you could notify me when he gets back from the shops I could bring him down to headquarters to help us with our enquiries.” Now he lifted his gaze and looked her boldly full in the eyes. “I need to impress upon you how vital even the least significant detail can be to provide us with a break in the case and recover Aoibheann before any harm might occur to her.”


Now Gráinne was doubly troubled. Carl Callen was a family friend but here he was acting as if there were no love lost between them. His tone lacked warmth and was even vaguely threatening. Even if Cúan had been there she felt reluctant to trust the man before her. Was it possible he had somehow turned against her and her family? Instead of revealing what was going through her mind she recalled the old saying ‘keep your friends close and your enemies closer.’


She turned away putting the tart in the fridge saying “I’ll be sure to let the lads outside know whenever they get back.Thank you so much for dropping by. Oh and Maeve I know there’s no comparison between losing a daughter and losing your horse but I want you to know how sorry we all were for the fate your poor stallion.” There it was, a flash of unconcealed hate and anger, revealed in Maeve’s eyes. The girl just whirled around, sailed past Inspector Callan and marched angrily out the front door towing the poor Inspector behind her.










Manus Cullen stepped out of his front door only to find Cúan, the Cailleach and two young boys dressed in tunics and sandals marching across the yard towards him. He folded his arms and waited. The Cailleach drew level and said “Cúan, take Lochlann and Malachi inside and get them some of your spare clothes while I have a word with your grandfather.” Cúan looked up at his grandfather and getting an affirmative nod led the two young princes inside. Maunus thought the two lads must be a bit simple the way they stared at the car, the house, his clothes and even at the door handles and letterbox.


“Well now Manus I have a lot to tell you and even more above that to ask of you. You should know that the whole of your family is in grave danger not only from that murderer Philly O’Leary and his son Alex but more from the woman that hides behind him guiding his actions. Your family is the subject of an ancient curse laid on the Cullens for more than a thousand years.”


“Away with you woman, I am not some weak minded farmer to be frightened by your gypsy curse.” growled Manus. The Cailleach pointed her finger at him, “I know who has taken Aoibheann, I know where they have taken her and I know why she has been taken. Your foolish stubbornness and hardheaded ignorance is preventing you from seeing what is under your nose. Have you forgotten the great ancestor Cúchulainn that you and all your family is descended from?” Queried the Cailleach.


Manus just stared at her with his mouth open. “Do you mean to tell me that our family is descended from the Hound of Ulster?” The Cailleach nodded “Manus Cullen have you heard of the Cattle Raid of Cooley also known as the Táin. Well that is where your troubles all began, with a certain greedy and loveless queen from Cruachán called Maedhbh. Did you not see with your own two eyes your grandson Cúan retrieve a hurley from the famous bog of Allen? Did you not also see with your own eyes that same hurley transform into Cúchulainn’s legendary spear the Gaebolg?” Manus gave a brief nod of agreement.


“ Well then, man, what have you been thinking? Are you so blind as to miss that at the same time that Cúan finds this wondrous and magical weapon that dark forces are conspiring to take it off of him, to use it to get revenge on him and all his kin. Cúchulainn killed hundreds and thousands of Maedhbh’s kith, kin and liegemen. She burns with an evil green flame of desire to make you suffer for her humiliation and loss. Robbed of her chance to destroy Cúchulainn himself her vengeance falls on you and on your family, the last direct line of descent.”


Here the Cailleach paused, “The Gaebolg is an ancient sea creature whose magic has been lost in the mists of time. It is even older than me. Somehow it has sensed Cúan and bonded itself to him for his defence.


Now Cúan told me that you made a solemn promise to be there for him in his time of need. In my language we call that a geasa, a warrior’s oath that he will keep his word no matter what. Did you bind yourself like this?” Manus said “I did.” The Cailleach squinted at him and said will you swear it a second time before me?” Manus placed his hand on his heart and said. “I swear to be there for Cúan in whatever way he needs me even if I have to die for it !” The Cailleach gripped his hand in a talon as if made from hammered steel and said “Swear it a third time now by your God and on your wife's grave.” demanded the Cailleach. “I swear,” whispered Manus.


Then the Cailleach released his hand and patted it kindly. A beautiful smile lit up her face and penetrated from the depths of her sparkling eyes into Manus’s own heart. “A stout heart is like a light in a dark place, it cannot be withstood. Maedhbh has been busy. She has turned a very senior guard and the guards cannot now be trusted. Dermot has been suspended and even now their eyes are turned everywhere for Cúan. They will be watching you so Cúan will be in danger here.”


Manus looked crestfallen “I am of no use to him then, I’ll barricade the farm. I have a few comrades in arms who know how to hold off a siege. We’ll fight them on my turf!”

“Och seafóid,” scoffed the Cailleach, “the fact that they will be watching you means that we can lead them a merry dance while Cúan slips away. See this now, you have in your house two young lads dressing in Cúan’s own clothes either of which can be confused with Cúan himself. My own Lee Ward and Dove know every byway, boreen and backroad between here and Howth so it is with him that Cúan must travel to his destiny.You must convince Cúan to travel by the forgotten paths for they will not be expecting that.” Manus looked highly dubious.


“You have another task, Manus, Maedhbh has taken over the old Martello Tower on the island of Ireland’s Eye opposite Howth harbour. That is where the final fight will be fought when the spirits of the glens and the demons of the air will contend magic against magic, warrior against warrior and darkness against light.


Hidden there in a cave below is Aoibheann held for torment to please Maedhbh’s thirst for vengeance. Go you there straight away and take her from that place.” Manus shook his head. “I do not see that plan working, she could have us both.” Here the Cailleach cackled, “ Of course she could but if she doesn’t it will drive her out of her mind trying to find out how you knew she was there. Time is what we need, Manus and if Aoibheann can be spared, the De Dannan can gather and lay their plans to defeat Maedhbh. I have given Aoibheann a magic, druidical ring which tells me where she is and tells me that she is still alive.”


Here the Cailleach grinned,“Now start up the car you are going to head for Howth and on the way you will have the chance to introduce two young men from the iron age to the horseless carriage. They are called Lochlann and Malachi and they are only good for trouble. There is another I must save.”


And with that the Cailleach whirled around, threw her blessing on the three dogs and whistled. Her pony, already harnessed between the shafts of her caravan, heaved the caravan in a semicircle to face Dublin on the left lane of the road. The Cailleach sprang up sprightly onto the seat, called “hup” and away she went clattering with the rubber rimmed wooden wheels and an array of pots , griddles and pans, smoking her duidín merrily on her way.