Conall: The Place Of Blood—Rinn-Iru: Conall, #1

1

390 B.C—THE BANKS OF THE ALIA NEAR ROME

The black battle horse snickered and pawed at the dirt. Instinctively, the warrior leaned forward to stroke and pat its black velvet neck. Patience, Toirneach, soon… very soon. From his vantage point on the high ground where the tents of the kings and nobles were pitched, Conall Mac Gabhann contemplated the barbarian army assembled on the banks of the Allia .

Over twenty thousand warriors had gathered; many having crossed the Alpes and then Northern Latium from their homeland in Gaul. Now they were camped within sight of the gates of Rome. They were tall, powerful and proud warriors distinguished by tribal paint, hairstyle and colour, and weaponry. Apart from their nobles, most wore little by way of clothes. Many chose not to wear armour. They congregated in families and clans but fought fiercely as individuals for glory, survival, plunder and women.

Conall looked to the centre and smiled as he studied his own army. The Warriors of the Wall as they had become known. Battle-hardened over the past thirty years. With the exception of a cohort of Cinn Péinteáilte—the painted ones, most wore leather body armour inlaid with iron scales. A few had chainmail. Their helmets, although functional, had grown more ornate and fantastically decorated over time. He had permitted this; it had proved one way for him to identify particular warriors in battle.

Familiar, oblong, curved scíatha—shields emblazoned with a black raven on a field of red rested at their sides. Sheathed in beautifully designed and crafted leather scabbards were double-edged short swords sharpened to a vicious cutting edge. When in formation, each man or woman carried four javelins—three for throwing, one for stabbing. Most retained a preferred weapon—their favourite axe or longsword, for when they were allowed to fight with no constraints. Many had several daggers and knives of various shapes and sizes for throwing, stabbing—or just carving food.

Distinctive in their armour and weaponry, Conall’s warriors, many from the land of Ériu, contrasted starkly with their Gaul comrades. His army, while seemingly at ease, stood alert in comparison to their allies and retained their well-ordered formation. Behind the front two rows, each containing a thousand men, another three thousand formed up as two columns, each with two rows of seven hundred and fifty warriors.

Marked by the red and black foxtail crests of their helmets, a thousand cavalry guarded the flanks of his men. They carried smaller oval shields, javelins for throwing and longer swords or long-handled axes for slashing. All were safely secured on either side of their mounts—for now. Conall had conceded long ago to Mórrígan’s wisdom on archers, especially since his travels through Albu and Gaul. He now had two hundred with him, carrying composite bows of wood and bone slung across their backs and quivers full of the signature black-shafted arrows with their red and white fletching.

His men shared their good-natured craic, laughing at the constant flow of insults and at the bare arses and genitals flaunted by the main army of Gauls. Conall still considered them Gauls, not true Celts. For their part, the Gauls looked disdainfully at their heavily armoured allies, but both sides remembered the bitter battles fought between these former adversaries, now united against a common enemy—Rome. The insults masked a high level of respect for each other.

Brennus, the leader of the Gauls, or to be more accurate, the Senones, was a tall warrior with piercing green eyes. His shoulder-length red hair was crowned by a winged helmet. Tugging on a great red beard, he looked grim. His honour had been deeply offended by the behaviour of Rome and, in particular, by the Fabii brothers sent as envoys to him at Clusium. These Romans were foul-tempered and arrogant men. Not only did they negotiate in bad faith, but one, Quintus Fabius Ambustus, had speared and slain a chieftain of Brennus’ when confronted.

The tall Gaul nodded to Conall and then pointed at the Roman army. Maybe we can do without your men today. There aren’t that many Romans to fight. Conall nodded, somewhat in agreement. The Roman legions were understrength, numbering only around thirty thousand men. The Gauls and Celts had roughly the same numbers but were vastly superior warriors. Conall wanted his men in the front, though. He needed to be first into Rome. After thirty years, he had business to bring to a close. And one final vow, one geis to complete.

Conall grinned wolfishly, Of course, you could, but how many do you want to lose against the Roman phalanx, Brennus? If my men are killed, then there will be more plunder for you. And if I’m killed, then you can rest easier at night. Brennus had witnessed many times what Conall’s army could do against his own elite warriors, even when well outnumbered. He had lost too many warriors to Conall and his commanders, the feared ceannairí na míle. Thus, while Brennus respected him, he did not trust him and had no love for either Conall or his men. He would be more than happy to see them culled and even more delighted to attend Conall’s funeral pyre.

He smiled, Would I really be rid of you even in death? Let’s see if the Romans can teach you some humility, Conall Mac Gabhann. Get your men ready to march.

Conall watched the campfires being doused as dawn approached, their light slowly replaced by the crimson sunrise. He reflected on the journey that had brought him to this point.

2

415 B.C.—AUTUMN

There were twenty in the hunting party. Apart from Fearghal Ó Maoilriain, who at thirty summers was the eldest and assigned by their community to make sure no one got lost, injured or drowned in the excitement of the hunt, the rest were aged from ten to eighteen summers.

The band looked to Conall as their leader. He was quiet, determined and embarrassed by the loyalty his friends tended to give him. At almost eighteen, he was the oldest, by a few cycles of the moon, over his friend, Brion Ó Cathasaigh. Conall wasn’t the tallest, the best muscled or perhaps even the most cunning of the group. Yet he had an aura of quiet confidence.

In contrast to his red-haired, pale-skinned friends, his face was framed with dark brown hair flecked with highlights of auburn—a gift from his mother. His swarthy skin was inherited from his father and meant he could take advantage of the summer sun without burning. His eyes were his most striking feature, varying from deep blue to steel grey. All who knew him were aware that when his eyes were grey, his jaw set, and his words few, there was no moving Conall from his chosen course of action.

Mórrígan, who was Brion’s sister, was the only girl. At fifteen summers, Mórrígan could hunt better than most and, taking her cue from the goddess she was named after, preferred male company to her sisters or other women in the community. She was also the only rider and, by far, the best archer.

Appointed as an unofficial scout, she cantered ahead of the group, keeping a watch for unfriendly strangers or animals. No one took her role quite that seriously. They had made this journey many times. Besides, Fearghal had brought his brace of wolfhounds to alert them to any wild boar, wolf or bear they might disturb.

Fearghal hurried them northeast along the meandering path from the coast. It was late in the afternoon, and he wanted everyone back before sunset. Fearghal Ó Maoilriain was somewhat of a mystery. No one really knew how he came to be with the little community. Standing a full head taller than all of them, he was built like a seasoned oak—hard, sure-footed when needed, and with arms that would reach out and box ears without warning. His limbs were those of a warrior—covered in scars.

Rumour had it that Fearghal came from the North—from beyond Gleann na Muice Duibhe—the Black Pig’s Dyke. The Dyke was the great earthworks that marked the boundaries of the Ulaid territory. He had a mysterious red branch entwined around a sword tattooed on his right upper arm. No one asked about this; everyone respected his privacy.

Fearghal was the only one with a real weapon. It was a longsword sheathed in a beautifully crafted leather scabbard and was always strapped to his back. The tang of the sword itself was enveloped with stag’s antler smoothed with age and use; it was finished off with a blood-red ruby. The blade was always oiled and honed sharp.

It would not have been a long walk back as the crow flies, but for the hunting party, there were sand dunes and the wildwood with its dense undergrowth to navigate before they reached home. About fifty people, from newborns to grandparents, lived in the three large shelters that formed the heart of their home.

Each house was a simple, round structure built from rocks found in the nearby fields and a mix of turf, sod and thatch for the roof. Yet the houses were more than able to withstand the cold, harsh winters or the odd bear scavenging for easy food. Everything was infused with the rich, aromatic fragrance of burning peat.

Sitting atop a natural hill, the settlement had a perfect view of the surrounding area. The site was ringed with a dirt bank crowned with a wooden palisade. The stockade was built not as a military fortification but to dissuade wolves and other wild animals from entering. A ditch ran along the outside of the bank and served as the sewer.

Most times, the cold air kept the smell down, and at least the waste nourished the blackthorn trees planted to discourage unwelcome visitors. Mountains to the west guarded the rear and sides of the settlement, and to the east was a large, almost level, area that had been cleared of trees. A few fields of crops had been planted; small groups of sheep and cattle grazed on the grasses and bushes.

While there were always skirmishes in the region, for the most part, the settlements and farms were ignored by the itinerant bands of warriors. When they were not required by their kings and nobles, the warbands fought each other, went on cattle raids or got drunk.

To a warrior, there was little point in fighting peasants. There was no honour in it, and it was no way to gain a reputation. Very few poems were sung about warriors beating up on the local workers. If they called, it was likely they needed weapons sharpened or mended, or they just wanted some food and beer.

The community to which the hunting party returned was different. It was protected under an agreement with the local Rí Túatha. These chieftains liked to be called kings but were really just the more successful rogues, warriors or politicians. The Rí Túatha, in turn, pledged their allegiance—for what it was worth, to the region’s Rí or king. In this region that was Eochaidh Ruad, who resided in Carn Tigherna, the hillfort a day’s ride to the west.

Eochaidh held real power in the south of the island. His own oath was given to the Rí Ruirech of the Connachta, Ailill Mac Máta and his Queen, Medb, who lived at Chrúachain.

Of course, all the kings were subject to the High King or Ard-Righ. Cimbáeth, the leader of the Ulaid, had reigned for almost twenty years as Ard-Righ and resided behind the defences of the Black Pig’s Dyke.

The value of the community was in their skills. There were many mines for copper in Ériu but none for tin. To make bronze, and hence bronze weapons and armour, tin had to be imported from the larger island to the east. Supplies of tin were not guaranteed, trade was often disrupted, and the cost was high.

The discovery of large iron deposits in the mountains behind the settlement had changed all this. In the hands of a skilled blacksmith, iron could be worked from being a hard but brittle metal to one that was tougher, more durable and able to hold a sharp edge. Bréanainn Mac Gabhann, Conall’s father, was famed across Ériu for his skills as a blacksmith and a weapon-maker.

Leather armour, much sought after by the local royalty, was crafted by Brion’s father in a second roundhouse. In the third, a woodworker built the box wagons that were drawn by mules or oxen and often laden with goods for sale. Bréanainn and the woodworker also made the spoked, iron-rimmed wheels for the battle and ceremonial war chariots favoured by the local kings and warlords. The village was considered neutral territory in the region because it was so valuable to everyone.

The hunters broke from the forest, crossing the grassland that led home. It had taken many years to clear the thick undergrowth, thorn bushes and trees from the land to make it suitable for cattle and crops. Being close to the coast, the climate was well-suited for farming, although even here, the chill never quite left the air.

It was almost harvest time, and the grass was long, ready for cutting to feed the livestock during the winter. A thousand paces distant, the settlement was clearly visible. Hunting horns blasted out a warning of their arrival. Oddly, today, there was no response and no familiar blue smoke rising from the peat fires.

Hauling the fruits of the hunt behind, they moved closer.

Then the hounds started growling, a low, full-throated rumble. Mórrígan’s horse stopped, snorted, tossed its head up and down and refused to go further. It was then they noticed the grass, flattened as if by a large band of people—and there were deep wheel ruts in the dirt. Fearghal dropped to his knee, his longsword sliding out of its scabbard in one fluid movement.

Down, all of you, and be quiet. Something’s wrong. Conall, go right, keep down and just watch for anything. Conall nodded and, gripping his hunting spear, moved a short distance away.

Brion, the same, but left. Mórrígan, quiet that horse and hobble it. The rest of you go back to the forest edge and stay under cover. They had never seen Fearghal this serious and were too stunned to make any objection or ask questions.

Calling his hounds to him, Fearghal knelt, and they watched as he whispered to them. The hounds belonged to Fearghal and were the only property, apart from his sword, that he had brought with him from the North. He sent them off towards the settlement and watched as they bounded swiftly forward until they got to within a few hundred paces of the community. Then they slowed to a cautious walk.

Fearghal observed, considering. He whistled instructions, and the dogs separated and circled the ditch before entering through the gateway and moving into the yard. Everyone waited. There was a pause, and then came the hounds’ howling—full of mourning, anger and sorrow. It was the sound of death.

The warrior looked at the young hunters, Conall and Brion, forward with me. Mórrígan keep the rest here. Brion Ó Cathasaigh was slimly built and taller than Conall, with auburn-red hair braided into several lengths that touched his shoulders. He looked at Conall, uncertain of what was happening but sensing that nothing good lay before him.

There is calmness in death. This, Conall’s first time, was not to be his last. As he walked through the open entrance into the main room of his home, he was at first filled with a sense of serenity and stillness. The evening sun shone through the open door, lighting up the dust particles that danced in the beams of light. Sword in hand, Fearghal followed close behind.

The tranquillity of the moment was brief, shattered by the potpourri of death. The smell of burnt flesh drew Conall’s eyes to the forge, and the body of his father shackled to the iron corner posts. Tendrils of smoke still rose from what remained of his clothes, his back burnt and, in some places, charred to the bone. The metallic smell of blood now enveloped Conall as he followed what remained of his father’s eyes to the oak table.

His mother, Brónach, was drawn across it, her hands still held in place by two iron nails hammered through flesh, her head turned towards her husband. A dark stream of blood from her slashed throat had spread across the table, flowed over the table’s edge and soaked into the dirt floor. Her skirt had been ripped apart, the bruising and blood telling its own story.

Conall turned away, embarrassed that he was looking upon his mother’s partially naked body, and was greeted by the sight of his twin sisters. They lay in the corner with their throats cut and their bodies tossed aside. At least they were very young and had been spared anything else.

Brion stumbled through the entrance, his eyes streaming with tears after having been to his own home. He started to speak, but his eyes took in the appalling tableau in front of him. The Goddess preserve us, he whispered hoarsely. The shock had him stumbling back out the door, where he threw up, his retching broken only by sobs.

Fearghal watched silently, taking in the awfulness of the scene before him and beginning to mourn the loss of his friends and those he considered his family. In his warrior’s soul, the stirrings of vengeance made their presence felt, but he watched, waiting to see how Conall reacted. A sigh of relief escaped him as he saw the young man fall to his knees, sobbing, a flood of salty tears joining the blood on the dirt floor.

He was saddened, if not surprised, when Conall arose, his grey-blue eyes taking on a dark and haunted look. I swear by the Hag, we will hunt them all down, kill them all—and their families, Fearghal. I don’t care how long, but they all die. No mercy. Fearghal lamented the change in his young ward but could not argue with him.

Keep my little brother away from this. He shouldn’t see our parents and sisters like this.

Putting his hand on Conall’s arm, Fearghal spoke quietly but with authority, "First, we give them a good parting to Tir inn n-Óc. Then we prepare for what’s to come."

At that moment, Fearghal knew that all of their lives were at risk. Whoever had carried out the butchery had planned on killing everyone. Without a doubt, they would be back to complete their mission.

It was a sombre supper. All were shocked at the sudden loss of their parents and families. Mórrígan had been tasked with keeping the younger ones away until the bodies were washed and dressed for burial. They knew from the tear-stained cheeks and grimly set jaws of their older friends that something terrible had taken place.

The flickering flames from the fire emphasised each one’s tormented thoughts. There was no priest to say words over the bodies, so Fearghal had stumbled over a few sentences. None dared to enter their homes, haunted as they were by the spirits of the dead.

Fearghal looked around the group. So, what do we know?

It was a question meant to divert conversation and thoughts. Not expecting an answer, he continued, Whoever did this was known. There’s no sign of force. The stockade is untouched. There’s no sign of a battle. Whoever it was, they were welcomed into the settlement as friends, and then they slaughtered everyone.

They’re coming back, aren’t they? Brion looked nervously at the faces of his friends as he voiced their thoughts. They can’t leave us alive. But why... why did they do it?

Conall looked to Fearghal and said, Likely, it has something to do with the weapons and armour stockpiled in the cave at the foot of the mountain. The swords and shields my father forged, and the armour Brion’s father made.

Yes. It can’t be the whole story, but my guess is that Eochaidh Ruad coveted the weapons and armour and didn’t want anyone else to know why or what use they were to be put to. And he didn’t want to pay for them. Few can fathom how that man thinks, but he almost certainly gave the order for the settlement to be destroyed.

Fearghal thought for a moment and snorted derisively. But they hadn’t bargained on your fathers storing them in a different place, not under the settlement along with the usual stores. Your fathers were wise.

Our fathers are dead, snapped Mórrígan.

How long do we have? asked Cathán Ó Bric, who, at ten summers, was one of the youngest. He looked at Fearghal and the older boys, hoping for a reassuring answer, but suspected it was not to come.

It’s a day’s ride back to Carn Tigherna along the lower route, but most will be walking. So, say one and a half days to get back. They’ll make their report to Eochaidh, get fed and get new orders. That probably gives us three days, maybe four if we are lucky, to prepare. If they take the high road, then maybe we’ll have an extra day.

Prepare? Once more, Mórrígan turned on Fearghal, spitting out each word with venom. Prepare for what, Fearghal? What can we do? Half of us are just children.

Fearghal’s patience with Mórrígan had worn thin, and he glared at her. Many of those that are coming will be no older than you. Looking around the frightened band, he held their attention, You were privileged. Were it not for your fathers, many of you would already be dead or in the warbands of the local chieftains. His tone was harsh as he finished, You will fight, or you will die.

Conall stood, his body bathed in the red-yellow colours of the roaring fire. His friends were changing. Bitterness burned in their bellies, and dark shadows were enclosing their souls. With a note of resignation and defiance, he spoke, Fearghal is right, we fight, or we run and are hunted down. Either way, their swords and spears are coming for us. I say we stand and fight.

He paused to let his words sink in, then continued. The settlement is on high ground and has a strong, if not very tall, fence. We have the weapons and armour made by our fathers. We’ve all played at being warriors and practised with the weapons and the new armour that our fathers made. We never thought we’d need them for real, but Fearghal is a warrior. He’ll tell us what needs to be done.

At that moment, Conall Mac Gabhann became the leader, and no one dissented.

At first light, they tramped to the cave behind the settlement to retrieve the weapons and armour. With no oxen or cattle to pull the wagons, it was hard work and would take several days, but no one complained. All were glad to have something to distract their minds from lost family and friends. Mórrígan was sent with the hounds to reconnoitre the land, just in case Fearghal had got it wrong and the raiders came back sooner.

Fearghal directed the younger ones to sow the ground to the left and right of the gateway with caltrops or iron thistles. Simple and very effective, caltrops were two iron nails bent and welded together—with one sharp end always pointing upwards. This was to force the attackers into a narrow corridor in front of the gate, where he reckoned the javelins could do maximum damage. They could not hope to stop the attack, but they might slow it down. That was the basic strategy—slow them down... survive... maybe kill a few.

The ditch around the settlement was populated with the sharpened stakes that had been stockpiled as replacements for the palisade and livestock fencing. Hay was forked into the ditch and covered with lamp oil and grease. Inside, logs and boulders were rolled against the fence to provide a platform for the defenders. By the fourth sunrise, the settlement was fortified as well as it could be with what was to hand.

Seems like good work, Conall commented, inspecting the results of their labours.

Fearghal grunted, With twenty men, I could hold this ground for as long as I wanted. It’s a perfect position for defence. But look around you. I see the sons of peaceable craftsmen—not warriors. We have eight who haven’t seen fifteen summers. Half of the others can’t even see over the fence without standing on something. We can slow the attackers down, but they will get through, and then it’s warriors against boys. Unless the goddess smiles on us, it will not be a good day.

They’ll fight, and fight well no matter their age. My friends know what was done to their parents and friends. They’ll give no quarter because they expect none to be given.

I hope so, Conall. Now, let’s go see how we can use the fancy armour and weapons that your fathers made. Fearghal shouted out to the others, Right, you lot! Get over here and get equipped.

Regular-sized armour looked ridiculous on the youngest. So they donned the leather play armour and helmets that their parents had made for them because they fitted well, and the iron plates, sown between layers of bonded leather, made good protection. The young ones were given hunting bows and quivers of arrows. Swords or spears were too heavy for them, so they were armed with daggers.

The craftsmen had been experimenting with several types of armour, their work inspired by stories of warriors in faraway lands told by infrequent travellers and crew members from Phoenician or Greek trading ships or the odd shipwrecked sailor. Brion, Mórrígan and Conall put on iron ring mail suits. Only three suits had been made, as they took much longer to forge than the other armour.

The mail was a tunic of iron rings alternating in rows of closed flat circles and riveted rings. The tunic covered the upper half of the body down to just below the crotch. It was worn over a soft leather shirt to help prevent the skin from chafing. The mail was reassuringly heavy and very flexible. Whereas Brion and Conall’s suits were a reasonable fit, Mórrígan’s needed cinched with a tight belt to make it practical.

Fearghal favoured the other armour, which was more straightforward to make and lighter, but he swore it would stop blows better than the mail. It was made of leather, reinforced with small iron pieces, like fish scales, sown between and over the leather layers. Preferring his longsword, he left the swords that Bréanainn had forged for the others.

These new swords were constructed from iron with a narrow tang that passed through a wooden handle. This had a long leather thong tightly wound around, ending with a pommel holding the handle to the blade. The blade itself was leaf-shaped and waisted, with a midrib for added strength.

Most swords were at least an arm and a half long, but these were smaller—more like an arm’s length. The swords were kept sharp from waist to tip. They were vicious blades made for close fighting—for slashing and thrusting. Fortunately, the design also meant that they were much lighter, which now proved a significant advantage.

The scíatha were made to complement the swords. They were about two-thirds the height of a warrior—from chin to knee. Oval-shaped and slightly curved, they were comprised of three layers of birch strips and covered front and back with wool felt, which was doubled over the rim and stitched on. The grip was reinforced with hand-forged iron.

Two cross-strips of iron with a decorative yet very functional boss at the centre finished off the front face. The group had practised being warriors sometimes with these shields and swords and knew that they were meant to work together. The shields formed a solid protective wall, and the short swords were used for killing and maiming.

Next were the helmets. These were simple iron bowls with leather flaps to protect ears and were fitted with chin straps to make sure they stayed in place. In truth, they were designed to prevent injuries when hunting or riding. Now it was hoped they could deflect a sword blow. As a finishing touch, layers of wool felt and leather were wrapped around calves to help prevent being disabled by a low sword slash.

Complaints and cries of how cumbersome and heavy the armour felt filled the air. Unmoved, Fearghal ignored them or growled, Get used to it. It may save your life. Before they settled down for the night, stacks of javelins were arranged behind the fence. These were for the older ones who had the strength and the height to throw them over the palisade.

The sixth sunrise came too swiftly. Everyone woke to hope that there would be no trouble, but the hounds’ barking soon put paid to that desire. Led by a chariot, a force of about fifty men advanced across the open grassland. A few were on horseback, but most were on foot. Their laughter could be heard a long way in the still, cold morning air, and even at a distance, their walk and positioning showed they were not expecting much resistance.

They were carrying mostly swords and spears. Some had small shields, but few had any level of body armour. A good number wore only pants, showing off battle-hardened and scarred upper bodies. Still, others displayed their tribal loyalties with faces painted in blue or red designs. Many were young, and more than a few were no more than thirteen summers.

Their leader, Olcán Ó Floinn, rode in a chariot drawn by four mangy-looking horses. The chariot was more of a status symbol than a practical offensive battle cart. There was no possibility that the heavy box, with its solid, iron-rimmed wheels, would make it up the slope of the hill without either rolling over or tipping out its driver and warrior occupants. Fearghal was confident that the few riders present would dismount before the battle since very few warriors chose to fight from horseback.

Halting about a hundred paces from the community gate, Olcán jumped off his chariot and paced forward, carrying his sword and shield. He was tall and impressively built. Amulets had been stitched onto his hardened leather tunic to ward off evil spirits, as well as the gold and silver chains that proclaimed numerous successes in battle. His arms were covered in bands of bronze, gold and silver, but otherwise, he bore no armour.

Red, waist-length hair was braided so that it wouldn’t be a hindrance. More than a few foolish warriors had perished when their hair was grabbed in a fight or trapped by low-hanging branches when travelling through the dense forests. Olcán had forgone the use of pants, and as he strode to within thirty paces of the gate, the massive, scarred muscles on his thighs and calves were plain to see.

He shouted in the direction of the gateway, I am Olcán Ó Floinn. I wish to speak with your leader. Let’s talk and settle this quickly and peacefully.

The gate swung open, and Fearghal walked down the path, his hounds close to his heel. As he got closer, Olcán sneered. Not you, Northerner. You have no rank here. You know the way of things. Send me whoever is the leader of the settlement now. If he is willing, I’ll fight him man to man. If he wins, you all go free. If not, well, he’ll not be worrying about what happens to the rest of you.

Livid but bound by protocol, Fearghal walked back and said, The Goddess go with you, Conall.

Conall took a deep breath and strode out of the entrance towards the warrior. A javelin rested in his right hand as if he intended to use it to stab. His sword hung in a leather scabbard from his belt; his scíath was carried on his left arm. To anyone watching, it appeared that Conall had no idea what he was going to do. It looked like a novice’s stance.

Olcán anchored his feet, tensed his muscles and observed Conall’s approach. He grinned widely as a young boy of eighteen summers and slightly above average height came towards him wearing a red-brown tunic and carrying a spear and an oddly-shaped shield.

The boy was muscular but soft, not hardened through battle, and his skin was unblemished by sword or spear. His hair was dark brown and short, barely touching his shoulders. The warrior laughed, taunting Conall, That spear will not save you from the reach of my sword, boy. Let’s you and I talk, and maybe we can find a good way out of this.

At fifteen paces, Olcán considered the unusual shape of Conall’s spear. Unlike the standard flattened head, this had an arm’s length of iron shaped into a sharp spike. It dawned on Olcán the weapon was designed for throwing. His assessment quickly changed, seeing not a boy, but a warrior, bearing down on him, perfectly balanced, his grey-blue eyes sharp and focused.

He watched, as if in a dream, as Conall’s grip on the javelin effortlessly changed from carrying to throwing, his arm rising up in one fluid movement as he released the weapon. Instinctively, Olcán began to turn and crouch, swinging his shield across his body, but he knew, as he watched the javelin’s spinning flight, he had left it too late. It was he who had made an elementary mistake and underestimated his enemy.

Cursing his stupidity, he growled, Shite, as the tip of the javelin carved a piece from the edge of his scíath before piercing his leather armour. Ribs cracked at the impact, and he felt a sharp pain as the weapon punched through his chest, emerging from his back in a spurt of blood, torn flesh and cloth. Impaled and in shock, Olcán slumped to his knees and waited. His dimming eyes strained to focus on the young man who stood before him, sword in hand.

This is for my mother, father and sisters, you bastard. Conall’s sword sliced the air, the sun glinting off the unused, polished surface. The edge met Olcán’s neck, and Conall’s arm jarred as the sword tried to carve a way through but was resisted by bone, sinew and muscle. Hot blood spurted from torn arteries, splattering over him. He tried to pull the sword out but found he needed to put his foot on the warrior’s chest to twist and pry away the blade.

The difficulty of removing a blade from a man’s torso was the first of many harsh lessons that Conall was to learn. The second was how difficult it was to cleanly remove a head from a body. Conall hacked at the neck until the head was freed. Then, holding it by Olcán’s long, red braids, he turned, spat on the lifeless corpse, and threw the head towards the band of attackers.

Cheering immediately broke out behind the stockade as he walked back through the gates. Stunned silence and uncertainty were the responses from the attackers.

Cassius Fabius Scaeva, mounted on what he considered to be a poor specimen of a horse, regarded the scene with some trepidation. This was supposed to be a simple mission. Slaughter the community, take the weapons and armour, pay off the barbarians and travel back to Rome with an army of mercenaries.

His orders had actually been to negotiate and pay the blacksmith for the armour and weapons. However, Cassius needed money and swiftly concluded that he could get it by killing what he deemed to be inferior, and mostly unarmed, barbarians. In Eochaidh Ruad, he had found a willing accomplice.

Cassius was neither well-liked nor loved in Rome. His exploits and debauched tastes had rapidly outgrown his inheritance and his ability to obtain credit. Being a member of the noble and influential Fabius family, he still had a last recourse in the person of Marcus Fabius Ambustus, Pontifex Maximus of Rome.

However, Marcus had ambitions for himself and his three sons and did not particularly want Cassius anywhere near Rome. So Cassius had been given a choice. A slave galley to Egypt or the mission to this land the barbarians called Ériu to secure a supply of weapons, armour and men. There was also the implied third option of finding himself in a warm bath with his wrists opened.

As he looked at the tall, lean warrior beside him, Cassius was well aware that Faolán Ó Floinn’s brother had just been beheaded. Of the two brothers, Olcán had been the warrior, but the red-haired Faolán had a natural ability to lead the pack and was commander of Eochaidh’s forces.

As he looked at the tightly drawn muscles of Faolán’s face, Cassius was unable to resist putting his Roman foot in his mouth as he remarked condescendingly, So this was your brother’s great plan. Barely had he finished when a fist wrapped in iron-studded leather strips broke his nose and several teeth. He found himself sprawled on the ground, struggling to stem the flow of blood from his face with his purple robe.

One more word, Roman, and I’ll spread your guts out on the ground and leave you for the wolves. I didn’t like the agreement my king made. Personally, I thought we should just slit your throat and take the gold. We had no quarrel with these people—until now.

Faolán turned to his second-in-command. Take charge of those bastards. Hit the settlement hard now. No prisoners. Kill them all. Burn the settlement to the ground. I’ll hold the rest in reserve. If I need to use them and you are still alive, I’ll put your head on a spear. Treasach gave Faolán a sour look but nodded, grabbed his spear and trotted across the open ground until he reached the warriors milling around in front of the settlement.

He was of stocky build and average height, his body hard and muscular. Treasach was memorable for his hair—dark brown at the roots going to blonde at the tips. Unfortunately, the constant use of lime washes to bleach his hair also made it stand up stiff as a board—although it did make him look a good hand taller.

There was no love lost between Treasach and his men. He chose to lead by brute force