Sweating, I ask, "What is it?"
With a smile on his face, Bricriu says, "Let's not start off with such a heavy topic. Right now, what interests me the most is that new brooch of yours, It looks nice."
This man truly is a pest, who I wish I could rid myself of, but right now he has quite a bit of power over me, so I might as well play along. "Yes. I got me and my wife new gemstones from our 2nd eldest during his wedding, so I make it into ornaments for us."
"They look quite pretty. Your son has a great eye."
"I agree."
"He has come an awfully long way before Brían used to struggle to keep up with other people socially, but he has grown enough to even get married. It brings tears to my old eyes.
"No one is prouder than me and my wife."
"Though it would be a shame if all of it came crashing down."
I tense up, and say, "I doubt anything could bring me down from this position in my life, especially since I have the untouchable snake at my side."
"Well, even I have my limits when faced with the wrath of the high king."
"The high king?" I say alarmed. "Did he find out what happened all those years ago to C-."
Bricriu wraps his tail around my neck and says, "You should watch what you say out loud Ciarán, you are getting complacent."
Calming down, I say, "I am sorry please go on."
"There have been eyewitness reports that Culainn has befriended Setanta Ó Faoláin, the son of Lugh."
"Isn't he the one that is being said to be the next high king of the empire?"
"Exactly, and for some time, Culainn has been getting increasingly closer, and closer to Setanta. It reached a point where he would start ignoring all of his duties to spend time with him."
"You don't think?"
"I don't think anything Ciarán, I am merely relaying information I have seen."
My nerves start to run rampant, and I ask, "So what are we going to do Bricriu."
"We, aren't going to do anything since this isn't my problem."
Bricriu gets up, and as he does, I say, "What do you mean? Ever since that day, I have made great efforts to support you in whatever you wish to do, I have even offered my children to yours."
Bricriu spins the cane he always carries in his hand, and then in the moment I blink he presses up against my neck pushing me into the chair.
Struggling to breathe, I say, "Please stop."
"The young talent of Culainn who was poised to surpass him, but never did. You were once entertaining to me, as someone who had the resolve to even attempt such a plan.
But since then, you have been so pathetic I don't even know what to say to you. Even now you have people out there looking for dirt on me so you can break off our bond like a coward.
I thought a man of great will and strength was born on that day, but all I got is a coward is too cowardly to walk a path of forgiveness or domination. You are a man without will."
He pulls the cane off my neck, and I take the next few moments to regain my breath.
"You should have brought the blade to the neck of your enemies long ago, but instead your complacency has allowed a noose to tighten around your neck. Truly sad to see you go out like this. Take this as my final goodbye to our bond."
Bricriu moves to the door and leaves and as he does, I stare into the drool that has puddled on the floor as I tried to regain my breath. I stare into it and see the face of a powerless man.
-Break-
As I walk down the hallway of my castle, my mind goes crazy trying to process all of the information it has just been given.
I knew Culainn moved to Gorias, but I thought he simply did it since it was the easiest place to live. But to think he has been sneakily using this time to get close to the next high king.
I have seriously underestimated him, and now everything in my life is at stake. What am I to do!?
From behind me, I hear, "Dear?"
Turning around, I see my two adult sons and their wives, my teenage daughter, my little boy, and my wife holding our newest baby daughter.
My little boy Brandon comes up to me and says, "I saw sister flirting with a man!"
My daughter Clara runs up and grabs my son and says, "I wasn't he is a liar!"
My oldest Éamonn says, "No need to be embarrassed, it is about time for you to start looking into a partner."
My Brían says, "Me and Éamonn have worked hard to be the heirs, so you can marry whoever you want Clara."
Clara blushes a bit, and says, "I will take that to heart."
As the kids talk amongst themselves, my wife comes up to me and asks, "Ciarán, is anything wrong?"
Composing myself, I say, "Nothing, I am just happy to see you."
I hug her and my children start to make mocking noises, and Brandon says, "It's been a while since I have seen you two all in love like this."
"He is right dear, how about we all go out on a trip soon?"
"Why?"
"I just think I would be fun, how about to the springs of the west? I have heard the volcanos have made the water heavenly."
"Ok then, I will get to planning."
"I also have some things to take care so I will see you all soon."
My wife grabs my hand and says, "Please think before you act, so don't do anything stupid. I have only one man I can rely on in this life, so don't hurt him."
"I won't."
As I walk away, I grin to myself.
Under Culainn's rule, the House of Serlasracht was taking in abuse not only for their aversion to war, but also their love of humans, and I managed to not only pull them out of that but establish them as a family which cares for the longevity of the beastkin.
His daughter's life will never face danger, and his grandkids have all asserted themselves into the world and are poised for great futures. I have done nothing wrong and have only bettered the lives of all those within the house of Serlasracht.
As I move, I feel a rustling in my chest and then reach my hand down my shirt to feel what is going on inside my clothes.
Feeling something, I grab and pull it out, and in front of my eyes lays a note. Turning to its back, I see it has the Sealbhóir family crest, and I say, "Did Bricriu sneak this into my clothes?"
It was probably when he had his cane to my neck.
I open the note and quickly read it, then I smile and say, "This truly is an amazing farewell gift, and I will make the most of it."
-Two weeks later-
Location: Near the border of the providences of Findias and Murias
Φ With all of the strength in his arm, Aurelius takes a little ball made of cloth and throws it into the distance, and running as fast as I can I grab it out of the air with my mouth.
I then run over to him and drop it on the ground in front of him, and he rubs my head, whilst saying, "Good boy Setanta, you caught that ball like a nice doggy."
I almost bark, but I quickly regain myself and put him in a headlock. "You evil bastard! Using my instincts against me!"
Laughing through the pain, Aurelius says, "What did you expect me to do? When you said that you couldn't help but chase balls today, I had to try it."
I grip him tighter and say, "This is like forcing a lame man to walk. Don't you dare try and use my biology against me!"
I continue to tighten my grip then, I say, "DIE!"
As Culainn comes back towards us, Aurelius says, "Help me!"
Culainn wonderbeast runs into me, and he says, "Can't they both you ever behave."
"It was his fault," I say barely holding back my rage.
Smiling Aurelius says, "You beastkin would be so adorable if you weren't so bloodthirsty."
"I assure you that I will make a great effort to drink your blood after you pass away."
Angry Aurelius says, "What a waste! At the very least use it as the broth to cook a lovely meal."
Culainn claps his hands and says, "There will be no cannibalism you fools. And besides I have figured out where we are."
I quickly turn my head to our carriage which is broken by the bottom of a cliff, and I say, "You should really learn how to ride better Culainn."
He grabs my face, and says, "The only reason we fell off the cliff is because you wanted to chase one of the crows that shat on your face!"
"THEY DESERVE IT!"
Culainn smashes my face into the ground, and says, "I feel for Ferdiad."
Φ On the face of Setanta beside me a desolate, despair-filled expression appears, and I say, "You said the forbidden words Culainn."
With a tough exterior Culainn says, "He should stop acting like his wife just died every time we bring up Ferdiad."
With tears forming in his eyes, Setanta says, "My future wife wants nothing to do with me. Minagrain."
Culainn with a worried expression starts to sweet, and I say, "Don't worry everything will be fine. Just remember all of the happy faces of the people we have helped, just try and be like them."
Setanta despair becomes so intense that I swear he looks like a corpse.
Culainn says, "Grab Setanta."
"Why?"
"I think I might have found something that could cheer him up."
I pick up Setanta and fling him across my shoulder, then as Culainn moves forward I walk behind him, and eventually we close to another cliff.
And over that clift, I see a beautiful natural landscape, but in the middle of that landscape is what seems to be a colossal wonderbeast, that looks like it is also a building.
I ask, "What in god's name is that?"
"It is the Behemoth of Tir na n-iontas, Ellén Trechend. We use its body to serve as our store for all of the knowledge within Tir Na n-iontas."
Turning to Setanta, he says, "Shouldn't this look familiar to you?"
"It is the wonderbeast defeat by Amergin Mac Faoláin, the founder of our house. Ever since their battle Ellén decided to stay in the border of Murias and Findias and serve as the store for the great warriors who had bested her."
With his eyes transfixed on the beauty Setanta, says, "I never got to see it before now. But to think it would be so amazing."
Turning to Setanta Culainn says, "We only have a few deliveries left, and they should be in around this area, why don't you use this time to go visit this place? I am sure it will serve great use to you in understanding your bond with your house more."
With a much more cherry expression, Setanta says, "Thank you. But both of you should be safe."
"We have been fine up till now, and at this point, your role as a bodyguard was essentially pointless. Everything will be fine so go enjoy yourself."
"On it."
Setanta jumps off my back and races towards the wonderbeast, and I turn to Culainn and say, "Let us get this over with."
"Yeah."