Ardgal scratched his beard tugging at its ends, his modest breakfast of eggs and brown bread lay before him half eaten and fully cold. For later.
Food would soon be another on the ever growing list of worries if the men’s morning’s movements meant anything. Each camp had begun the digging of trenches and construction of their own palisades, with few resources it would take time but even now the sounds of their labour carried out over the broken land and filled the crisp morning air. The Men would not be surprised again it seemed, either they had decided on a siege or their experience with the Giants had made them more cautious by far. Either way it was not good for Druaidíi.
Michaél appeared at the door of the tower house claíomh in hand, behind him stood Conor and Maire.
“It’s the men. They have ridden forward under a peace banner to request an audience with you. They call on your and two of your chosen companions to meet with three of theirs. How should we respond?”
Ardgal shook the restless night from his rigid body, he looked at Michaél carefully, “A trap?”
Michaél pursed his lips and shrugged, “I think not, they have suggested the meeting take place up on a rare patch of flat right in the middle of both our lines. From there we can see that only three of their men move forward, any funny business and we’ll have the Scytheta and our best bows ready. Keen eyes will be kept on their camps and we will have Dagda's and some of the others birds acting as our eyes in the sky. If you want to we can do it, no problem, if not well then let’s shoot up their emissary and get on with a proper breakfast.”
Ardgal stretched, “Let’s do both, inform this ambassador that we will meet with their leaders but tell them we shall do so only after breakfast. If they are going to bring about our destruction then the least they can do is allow us a full stomach first.”
Michaél nodded and headed back out with the rest, as he was shutting the door Ardgal sat up. “Oh and inform the men that there will be 4 of us attending, not 3.”
Quickly finishing off what was left in front of him Ardgal strapped his belts and headed out. Already the Druaidíi were all about busy tending to the dead and wounded and repairing what they could from walls and Gate.
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Ardgal was both surprised and glad to see the Giants too as they offered their considerable strength and skill to the defence efforts.
As word spread of the impending meeting with the men Ardgal was inundated with offerings of advice, ideas and strategies that he might use or make use of. He listened to them all with equal care and attentiveness.
Well meaning but irrelevant. Ardgal knew from experience that when two sides met in a situation such as this none could predict its outcome or nature.
After doing a sweep of the city and its walls Michaél, who had been doing likewise, fell in alongside him and together they made their way to the Courtyard. There they found Aachfheall already waiting for them with a beam of stout oak draped across his shoulder, heavy enough for four Druaidíi he carried it effortlessly, a mere accessory on his vast shoulders.
It was only right and proper after all that had occurred that the Giants would be represented at the meeting and if the men did harbour ambitions of any deceit or treachery they would find a 14ft Giants made for a worthy deterrent.
Dagda was up at the battlements with Tadhg and Cormac, as ever...seeing them approach he made his way down hopping from ledge to ledge before landing nimbly to the front of their group.
“Ready?” Dagda had a hard determined look to his face, one full of conviction. Ardgal had decided to include him in the discussions, Dagda had been present for most of the discussions in the build up, he might as well be there for this one too.
Aachfheall led the way through the hastily patched, cobbled Great Doors and Ardgal followed with Michaél and Dagda at the rear, mounted on their great Elks they almost sat at the Giants eye level.
As the door creaked open the results of yesterday’s events were spread out before them. The men’s Battering Ram lay upturned and abandoned, manned now only by the spirits of yesterday’s dead, everywhere were the bodies of the fallen to be seen as the fruits of the Druaidíi’s labour was made bare. By the Gate the bodies were broken, charred and some smouldered still like the many embers of a great fire. To the left and right by the walls many had been thrown down in their attempt to scales its heights and the multitude of ladders, hide archer defences and impressive arsenal of weapons and armour left discarded served as stark reminder to the reality of war. It would have all been a satisfying sight to see their enemies suffer so were it not for the similar scenes of ruin to be seen within the city walls. Neither of us can celebrate the other’s losses when our own are felt so dearly… This meeting is a welcome respite. Whatever about what will come next.