Beannaithe Rides to War
Come story time me grandkids were anxious to hear of Beannaithe's next adventure...
'In the mornin' after a hearty breakfast which, as usual, included rathers,' I said lookin' at Diolun, 'Beannaithe packed her things and gathered provisions in preparation for her leavin'. Her mam, her aunties and granda, who had seen this play out before, made no effort to keep the lass from departin'. They merely said their goodbyes and well-wishes. With a hug and a kiss and a wave goodbye, the lass mounted her pony and were gone.
Beannaithe rode through the village of Lyndelby with little fanfare. Most folks were goin' about their daily routines. They were too busy to observe Beannaithe's passin'. A few farmers in their fields paused to mop the perspiration from their brow and give the lass a gentle wave of their hand. The strange lass in her gleamin' armour sittin' atop her snow-white pony were no longer anythin' to get too exited about. If only they'd known what she were about!
Beannaithe and Mac lightly galloped down the path out of the village towards the Great River when they met a shinin' white figure. Much to their surprise there stood Áine in the middle of the path. Her right hand were raised signalin' for Beannaithe and Mac to stop. Rememberin' her courtesies, the lass dismounted and curtsied.
"Where are you going, child?" Áine asked her. The lass answered without speakin', "The haunted forest on the other side of the Great River." Áine smiled. "You cannot prevail against Balor Birugderc singlehandedly, at least not yet."
"You must first travel to the Red Halls, a fortress in the realm of Iron-land to the north. A powerful captain of Balor, a gúla named Black-watch, dwells there. He and his chief minions must be defeated first."
"I do not know the way," Beanaithe replied. The lass had never travelled there, and Fikta had no maps of the Iron-land, the former realm of the so-called Witch-king.
Áine laid her had upon the pony's snowy forehead.
"Mac Énbarr knows the way," Áine.
Beannaithe curtsied before climbin' again upon Mac's back.
"Be wise, child. You cannot defeat our enemy alone. Allies will come to your aid, but be wary for our foe will attempt to hinder you with trickery and deceit. Do you understand?"
The lass nodded solemnly. Then, with a wave of her hand, Áine were gone.'
'The Witch-king? Who's he?' Darowva asked.
'He were the Captain General of the forces of the Fomóraigh. Terrible he were. Few could come into his presence without either cowerin' or fleein' in fear,' I answered her.
'Will Beannaithe face him in battle?' Diolun asked.
'We shall see, but not yet at least,' I told him. "Did you miss the part where I said "former realm"? The Witch-king does not live, that is, he resides no longer in the Iron-land.'
'Oh, I see,' the lad replied. "Who then commands the Red Halls?'
'A wraith called "Black-watch". Did you miss that also?' I asked him.
'I may have dozed off a wee bit durin' that part of the story,' Diolun said while blushin'.
'Sisters, it seems we have come just in time,' said me daughter Ériu who'd just finished with her chores in the kitchen.
'Aye, our wee ones must be away to their beds,' said her sister Banba.
'I'll carry wee Beacha if ye can manage the rest,' said Fódla.
'Agreed," her sisters answered.
'Oíche mhaith!' I said to me grandkids as they were led away by their mams.
'Good night, Granda!' they called out in return.
