Blade of Fortriu Book Two of the Bridei Chronicles

Chapter One In a drafty passageway below the Dalriadan fortress of Dunadd, two men met in shadow. The place was well away from the eyes and ears of the Gaelic court there, and thus suited to covert exchange. The information to be passed was dangerous; in the wrong hands it could be deadly. The future of kingdoms depended on it. 'What do you have for me?' There was a pattern to such exchanges; the younger man, a lean, dark individual with a shuttered expression, fell into it with the ease of long practice. 'A name,' said the other, a tall fellow clad in the russet tunic of King Gabhran's household retainers. 'Bridei must move quickly and cleverly if he is not to be hemmed in from north and south.' 'Spare me the analysis,' the dark man said. 'What name?' 'And in return?' The dark man's lips tightened. 'You'll get your information.' In the little silence that followed, the tall man glanced to left and to right along the shadowy way. All was quiet; moonlight, slanting in from the distant entry, allowed the two to read each other's features dimly. Under such a light it can be difficult to know if a man lies or tells the truth; it is hard to tell how far to trust. Both of these men were expert in such judgments, for a spy's existence is all calculated risk. 'One of the Caitt chieftains,' whispered the tall man. 'Alpin of Briar Wood. He commands an extensive personal army. The alliance could be sealed before next spring unless your people act to forestall it.' The dark man nodded. 'Which of the other northern chieftains would support him? Umbrig?' 'In my judgment, no. But they are kinsmen. Alpin has a natural son fostered in Umbrig's household. As for the others, I can't say. The chieftain of Briar Wood has both allies and enemies among his own.' 'I see.' 'Your king would be well advised to make a speedy approach to Alpin,' said the tall man. 'You'd best have a quiet word in Bridei's ear.' The dark man's expression did not change. 'I'm hardly in a position to do that,' he said levelly. 'I'm only a bearer of information. I'm not the king's confidant.' 'That's not what I've heard.' 'Then you've been misinformed,' the dark man said. 'Now give me what you have.' The dark man's eyes had grown colder. 'Gabhran should look to his eastern defenses,' he said. 'Should this matter of the Caitt not impede him, Bridei could be ready to make his major push against the Gaels next spring. There's a council planned for Gathering, with high hopes Drust the Boar will fall in behind Bridei at last.' The tall man grunted acceptance. The exchange of information was fair. What each man did with it was his own business. The two parted without farewells. The dark man had a long way to go; the tall man was closer to home, and he walked back along the dark passageway and out under cover of trees with his mind on supper and a warm night in the bed of a certain accommodating woman. A boy out fishing found him a few days later, his body swollen and distorted from immersion in a stream and bruised by the rocks under which it lay partly wedged. It was just possible to ascertain that he had not died from drowning, but had been expertly strangled by something strong and thin, such as a harp string. As for the darMarillier, Juliet is the author of 'Blade of Fortriu Book Two of the Bridei Chronicles', published 2007 under ISBN 9780765348760 and ISBN 0765348764.