Chapter 8

Eoric's run back to Ballymena was without incident and he made his way through the town in search of Gemma and Eochaid. Gemma spied him and rushed forward to give him a welcoming hug, relieved to have him back with her and safe.

Eochaid raised an eyebrow in question at the show of affection, but didn't press for an explanation. Instead he asked Eoric where he had been hiding himself for the past few days as he had missed seeing him around.

"Ahem, well Sire, I have been spying on the Ui Neill for you. I went to Derry to see whether I could find out anything to our advantage," Eoric said.

"What! Alone? Eoric, that was foolhardy in the extreme and if you had asked me, I would have forbidden you to undertake such a rash and risky venture," the King said.

"I know, Sire. That's why I didn't ask and it wasn't all that risky at all, honestly. In any event, I think you will judge the results of my trip worth the effort," Eoric responded.

"Why so, master blacksmith?" Eochaid asked, his interest quickening.

"It would seem that Donachd needs to improve his own intelligence gathering, Sire. In a few short hours I was able to determine that the Ui Neill losses have been significant over the past few years and their strength is badly depleted. They are also disheartened by the fact that Antrim is continually re-inforced from Dalriada.

"There was already talk about them suing for peace to gain respite and to try and recover their strength. When news arrived that you had landed in Antrim in person, they took that as a sign that a major offensive is planned against them and that tipped the balance of their thinking. I believe they will agree to meet and hold talks and that they will offer you a treaty rather than the other way round.

"If you display strength, they will offer a truce and, to try to persuade you to accept it, they will relinquish all claims to Antrim," Eoric advised.

"Sweet Jesu! Are you sure, Eoric? They to offer me a treaty? Give up their claims to Antrim when I was on the verge of offering to pay tribute to them? Here is a wonder. You're right, I need to speak to Donachd about his intelligence. If their morale is as low as you suggest, he should have been aware of it. But this is a major turn of events, it may be that I can gain everything I wanted and more. As to showing strength, I have already ordered Donachd to muster a large force here at Ballymena in the hope that we can set off for Dalriada soon," Eochaid replied.

Gemma was beaming at Eoric. Her hero had if anything risen even higher in her estimation with this latest achievement. The King patted him on the back and put a fatherly arm around his shoulder.

"I am much in your debt for this Eoric, your information is likely to save me Antrim and free the troops I need to cleanse Dalriada. I will not forget this latest service my friend, said the King.

Below the loch, Nimue skulked in her cave, brooding over the exchange with Merlin. She was angry that she had been discovered when she had been so close to gaining everything she desired. There was also a tinge of fear, as she knew Merlin would seek her out now to deal with her.

"Curse that interfering brat whoever he is. I was so close to getting everything I wanted and now instead I will have Merlin after me," she thought.

She was in danger she knew. Although she had managed to leech the vast majority of Merlin's spells and magic from him, she realised her inexperience would limit how effective she was in using them. She had planned some years of practice to build up her strength and understanding, but that was not going to be possible now.

She also had a sense that she had failed to uncover Merlin's juiciest lore, that his most powerful spells had eluded her. There had been a final layer of knowledge in Merlin's head that she had been unable to penetrate before being discovered. Now she had to come up with a plan to save herself from the wizard's wrath.

"Perhaps there is more to this boy than meets the eye," she thought, "perhaps he might even be a weakness for Merlin, something I can use against him?"

Nimue realised she had no other ideas to explore and decided she would indeed go after the boy. She had little to go on, only a vague sense that he belonged to Dalriada. That was where her search would have to begin.

Merlin was also thinking about Eoric. He realised the boy had a lot of potential, having sensed the energy and power within him. He was also excited by Eoric's developing sense of politics and his desire for unity amongst the Celtic people. To have such insight at a very young age was unheard of and Merlin began to wonder if he had been wrong about never seeing the likes of Arthur again.

"I believe it is time that I met this young man in the flesh," he thought to himself, "matters this important call for me to look into his eyes and take his full measure."

He decided that Nimue's fate could be put on hold meantime. Eoric was the more important issue for him and also likely to be more pleasant to deal with.

"Yes, the witch can wait and stew over my plans for her," he thought.

The meeting with the Ui Neill had gone much as Eoric had predicted. There had been some initial bluster, which Eochaid listened to and then dismissed out of hand. The fact that there were several thousand Antrim troops mustered within sight of the meeting place added weight to Eochaid's position, but it took a lot of wrangling and words had to be chosen carefully before he eventually gained the concessions he wanted. It was clear the Ui Neill needed to go through a number of phases of discussion and negotiation to allow them to come to what they intended to propose without losing face. In the end it took four days of delicate talks before they reached a conclusion.

After initially making a series of dire threats the Ui Neill gradually began to temper their language and even hint that their might be an accommodation possible between the two sides. Throughout this, Eochaid remained resolute and gave nothing away.

The Ui Neill moved on to begin to explore whether there was any mutual advantage to simply calling off the fighting between them for a specified period. Eochaid showed willingness to talk about that, but again maintained the appearance that he needed no such accommodation as he was in the position of strength.

Eventually the Irish realised they needed to offer their 'sweetener' if they were going to stave off what they thought would be a crushing offensive from Eochaid and his Antrim levies. They gradually began to introduce the possibility that they might be willing to relinquish their claims to Antrim in return for a peace treaty.

Eochaid was tempted to reject the offer, to respond by saying that he felt the time was right to settle things between them once and for all, settle them on the field of battle. He thought that might wring even further concessions from the Ui Neill.

In the end he decided that that might be pushing his enemies a little too far and there was little more to gain. He began to soften his stance, appearing to warm to the idea of the Ui Neill relinquishing their claim to his lands in return for a lasting agreement between them and an end to hostilities. It was a demoralised, but relieved Ui Neill leadership that clasped arms with Eochaid to confirm the treaty.

When they were alone once more Eochaid ordered a feast to be prepared to celebrate what was in fact a significant victory, a victory achieved without having had to strike a blow. Over meat and ale he discussed plans with Donachd for shipping the Antrim men over to Dalriada proper. The crossing would require many boats, but if they landed at Ceann Tìre (modern day Kintyre) it would only take a matter of hours sailing.

Once he had agreed the details with Donachd he went in search of Eoric. He found the young man eating and drinking with Gemma in a corner of the Ballymena hall.

"Gemma, I have need of your young man for a few minutes if you please," he said.

"Of course father, I was thinking of retiring for the night in any event. Good night, Eoric," she said.

Once Gemma had left, Eochaid took her seat at the table and leaned in to speak to Eoric.

"Now then young man. I have not failed to see that you and Gemma have grown increasingly close over the last few weeks, very close I would say."

The blood drained from Eoric's face and a look of panic appeared in his eyes. He had been waiting for the King to take action to put an end to his relationship with his daughter, waiting for it and dreading the moment. He knew there was little he could do and was resigned to losing her.

"Sire, I am very fond of Gemma, but I know the boundaries of such a relationship given my station in life. Believe me I have not exceeded those boundaries," Eoric almost croaked out.

"You have already proved your worth to me personally and to Dalriada, Eoric. Many times over in fact. I just wanted to tell you that you both have my blessing. Do something about it soon or the girl will do it for you, I know how headstrong she can be when she has set her mind on something," the King said with a smile on his face.

It was almost as if the panic had robbed Eoric of his power of hearing for he carried on as if the King's message had not sunk in.

"I would never dream of doing anything to besmirch the Princesses' good name and standing, Sire. If it is your wish, I will keep away from her entirely. Perhaps it would be better that way anyway, as I have to admit it almost breaks my heart being so close to her and knowing that she can never be mine."

"Eoric! I said you both have my blessing, now go and do something about it before I decide I don't want a simpleton for a good-son," said Eochaid, trying to stop himself from laughing outright at the young man's panic.

Eoric stopped his rambling and his eyes grew wider than a deer's as the King's words at last managed to penetrate into his head. His mouth gaped open as the enormity of what Eochaid had said sank in. He was stunned that the King would accept a lowly blacksmith to wed his daughter and couldn't find any words to say.