11 - RIDERCH

They reached the timber buildings to where some informer had directed them. They were situated just outside the walls, not far from other outside abodes. A man was walking rapidly from one building to another and he didn't stop to talk to them. He looked like one of those Christian monks. That might mean they had come to the right place.

"They told us that we should meet someone here, but whom?", Riderch wondered. Caimir was silent. The Bear had insisted on bringing two more guards, but Riderch had refused: he didn't want to draw too much attention. The truth was, he was ashamed of staying in a foreign place as was Cair Ligualid, feeling that he was now almost an outcast, while in all likelihood he had the right to claim his authority on Alt Clut.

A man came out of the same building where the other person had just entered. The man walked towards them. He looked definitely dressed as a monk too, with a greyish plain raw tunic. He was limping. The closer he got, the more Riderch believed he knew that man. He had seen him before, yes, he was one of the few monks who lived around Alt Clut.

"Guletic Riderch", the monk greeted him in a sad voice, when he got close. He was balding and his shaved face looked emaciated and tired.

"Guletic? So is it true?", Riderch asked him. "My father and my brothers are no more?". He tried to look authoritative, but alas, his own voice sounded deeply sorrowful.

"I fear that it's true, m'lord", said the monk. Then he looked around and asked: "My prince Riderch, shall we sit inside? My legs are really aching. I walked from the Rock of Alt Clut to here".

Once they were inside the timber abode, Riderch noticed again that the space was divided in different rooms by partition walls, like in other buildings in Cair Ligualid. He still hadn't got used to that very peculiar house structure, which didn't exist in Alt Clut.

The monk led them to some stools placed in a corner. There, another monk asked them if they wanted to drink some water.

Riderch refused, having drunk already in Urbgen's residence and not knowing where the water of the monks was coming from. Caimir did the same.

"What is your name?", Riderch asked the limping monk, when the other one left.

"My name is Cuntigern, though the other monks call me Mungo".

"Mungo in the meaning of 'dear one'?".

"I suppose so", he replied.

"Mungo," said Riderch with a hint of impatience, "now that we are sitting tell me what happened".

Unfortunately the young skinny boy who had told them first about the attack on Alt Clut, had died of his injury caused by the false messenger, so he couldn't confirm anymore his version of the facts.

The monk shuddered: "It was in the middle of the night. I heard shouting and when I watched out of the hut where I was staying, I saw smoke and fire. I went out and I saw dead bodies on the ground, then some foreign soldiers seized me".

"Foreign soldiers from where?", interrupted the prince.

"Before leaving Alt Clut I spoke with some people: they told me that the soldiers were Cruthin and Áedán son of Gabrán was leading them".

"What?! My sister's Cruthin husband did that?!", moaned Riderch incredulously. "But that means they must have come by sea... How did it happen that the ships weren't stopped before they arrived at the Rock?!".

"That's not all...", said Mungo in a faint voice. "When the soldiers seized me, they brought me to... to meet a royal of Alt Clut... I think his name was Gwrast map Guipno".

"My father's cousin?", asked Riderch, at a loss.

"He told me", carried on Mungo, "that his brother Neiton is the new guletic of Alt Clut".

Riderch opened his eyes wide in amazement and for a moment there was just silence. That was too much to bear. Finally, he said: "Are you telling me that Neiton's clan is in cahoots with my Cruthin brother-in-law or is it a puppet in the hands of the Cruthin invaders?".

"I fear that both things are true, m'lord", answered the monk.

That hit Riderch like a punch to the stomach. His father had been right! Tutgual's cousins had conspired for real against him, and they had even joined forces with a foreign enemy... But it was even worse than that... If the leader of the enemy warband was for real his sister's husband, coming from Dál Riata to attack Alt Clut, this was clearly a well plotted dynastic overthrowing! And his father, his brothers, and even his own poor sister married to that Cruthin devil... Riderch had to choke back tears.

If that was the situation, a huge responsibility was falling on him, he couldn't just cry.

"All the Christians had to flee Alt Clut, we are banned. I came here, others to other places, like my companion brother Serf who went to Ioua, because he knows the abbot on that island, who had previously invited him to visit...". That stupid monk Mungo now was talking non-stop: "...And it looks like a twist of fate what the abbot on Ioua had written to Serf some time ago, that a son of Áedán of Dál Riata is studying at that same abbey...".

Riderch had to try not to listen to him, he must think what to do. How could be possible that people from related clans, as much as they hated each other, got to the point of joining forces with foreign enemies in order to exterminate their relatives?

He had to avenge his clan, but he needed help, allies. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to assault the Rock, if it was occupied by a Cruthin warband. And this Áedán of Dál Riata...

Suddenly Riderch got hit by a thought: "What did you say just a moment ago?", he asked Mungo, loudly.

The monk, who was still carrying on speaking alone, flinched: "What - what did I just say? That - that these dear brothers of Cair Ligualid have hosted me...".

"No, not that! About who is studying at the abbey!".

"Oh!... A son of Áedán of Dál Riata...".

"Did that monk say if there are Cruthin soldiers there? What else did he say?".

"No, m'lord Riderch, the abbot didn't - he didn't say anything else...".

Riderch thought for a moment, then he looked at Mungo: "Now, tell me everything you know about it, and I think you will leave to that place tomorrow, with some of my guards", he said, pointing at Caimir, who was sitting with a grumpy look.

Mungo's face became deathly pale, as he realised what was Riderch's plan.