“Come on Dagga, do I scare you so? At least try and fight back.”

Tadhg's mocking tone was no surprise and Dagda expected no less, his attempts to goad him into a close quarter brawl, fun as that may be, would be in vain. Going full ‘you strike, I strike’ with a man of Tadhg's considerable size and strength was not a wise option, his power would allow him win that style of battle every time. But Dagda knew him and knew he craved quick, brutal attacks, the longer one dodged, weaved and poked at him the more frustrated and wilder he became. Dodging yet another savage roundhouse strike from Tadhg, he saw an opportunity and quickly sidestepped to his left and deftly cut a painful but shallow strike just below his knee.

Tadhg roared angrily, Dagda couldn’t help the laugh escaping from his lips and grinned stupidly at the Big Druaid which only worked to provoke him more, inciting yet another series of heavy strikes each one enough to sever a man in half. As his blows increased so too did his tiredness and on his final slightly wearied strike Dagda countered his blade to the left before quickly jabbing at his chest. Satisfied he swivelled back out of range and prepared himself for another barrage. Tadhg however had other ideas and had also surprisingly taken a step back. He began muttering to himself,

“HEY, we agreed no…”

Dagda was flung backwards, breathless from Tadhg's wind Omen attack. Now it was his turn to smile. “Oh shit yeah we said no Omen right? Sorry Dagga completely forgot.”

Dagda looked to Michaél, he was supposed to oversee training,

“WHat...the...fuck..was that. We agreed... no… fuckin Omens.”

Though Michaél looked on sternly at Tadhg there was a smile hidden somewhere behind his stony expression. As for Cormac, observing the action by the archery range he couldn’t even manage that and was openly laughing his head off at the look on Dagda's face.

“Very well then.”

He faced up to Tadhg once more, this time he initiated the attack at range but intentionally struck to distract and push away rather than to penetrate his defence. With a final flurry he pinned Tadhg back. Back just enough. Dagda that began to mouth the words,

“Oh Shit.” Tadhg rasped before desperately scrambling to get away, but though quick he still moved far too slow.

“Oighir”

The ice blast smashed into his lower body even as he jumped to avoid it, cementing him where he stood, a giant frozen statue.

“Enough, enough,” intervened Michaél stepping in between the two as Dagda readied himself again and Tadhg struggled with his upper half to break free.

“Bloody hell, everytime with you two. You do recall and remember the word training yes. As in practise, honing your skills and ability. Not seeking to infuriate and humiliate your brother,” he stared at Dagda, “Or”, he faced Tadhg “being petty and launching Omen attacks because you're not arsed working on your shitty defence.”

“Ah Michaél you know we"d never really hurt each other, it was all….all in good spirit. ” Dagda spluttered the words out still gulping in grateful breaths of air, “I’d say he barely cracked a rib.”

“Exactly”, agreed Tadhg struggling to free himself from the ice “and I’ll have movement back in my legs again in no time.”

“Gods save me.” Michaél exhaled deeply.

“Cormac, c’mere all of you. Look, I know you're young but it appears our course is directed firmly towards war. A war we can ill afford to engage in nor avoid. You are the new age of our people and warriors and each one of you will play key roles in the upcoming battles. But you will not do it lightly and each of you must prepare. War holds no place for youth.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Michaél paused momentarily and when he spoke again he did so in a softer tone. “Ardgal and me, we were much like you on the eve of the Battle of Rath Corria, that terrible battle that would mark the beginning of the final Land War. Like you we could not wait to prove ourselves, any words of caution from our elders was quickly dismissed as elderly worrying. We were Druaidíi, stronger, faster, more powerful than our enemies. What need had we for caution. Yet we learned, we learned soon enough. This war will be brutal, this war will be destructive and this war will change you. Completely.”

Michaél looked to each of them in turn and Dagda felt his eyes as they seemed by his mind to linger.

“BUT you won’t do damned all if you don’t train properly. A strike in training….”

As one Dagda, Tadhg and Cormac finished the quote they had heard from what seemed like since before their birth.

“ ...may hurt our pride, but a strike in training may save our lives.”

“Yes precisely.” He smiled contentedly. “Now Dagda, Ardgal has requested your presence I believe, and mine too as it goes, come it is time enough we were off. Tadhg, Cormac you have no such obligations, so switch. Tadhg work on your shooting and Cormac work with your claíomh.”

At his words both groaned, though they were each adept at the other, Tadhg avoided his shooting and Cormac the blade wherever possible. Although Dagda would have preferred to stay practising with his brothers Michaél had already begun making his way to the East Wing to where Ardgal waited. Bidding them a quick farewell he turned and followed, getting in step with Michaél he looked sideways as they strode,

“Well?”

“Well what?”

“Well what's this all about then? When does he ever request my presence for a meeting? Must be something important.”

Michaél frowned, “Hmmm yes he's not one to waste words our leader is he. But as to what you will or won’t discuss I neither know nor care. But be patient Dagda, whatever he does, he does for you, though maybe you don’t oft see it as such.”

“I don’t see it as such because it is not as such. You’re his closest friend I know, none know him better than you. But he is a leader first and a father second.” Dagda waved Michaél away before he could interrupt.

“I know, I know, don’t worry I don’t resent the fact. Not anymore. I understand now his role and what he must do. The Clann comes first. I’m fine with that. But he should understand that as a Druaidíi I am allowed stand on my own two feet, he does not need to monitor my every move.”

Michaél chuckled to himself. “He doesn’t monitor your every move Dagga, he monitors your every wrong move. Everytime you misbehave, and that is putting it lightly, he feels he must intervene. What about last night?”

“What of it? Are we not allowed a few drinks no?”

“A few drinks my arse don’t play stupid Dagda.”

“I’m not playing.”

They had just reached Ardgal's quarters when Michaél stopped up short grabbing Dagda roughly as he did so. “For Morrigan's sake Dagda,” he looked at him annoyed, “you know the rules same as I do, we can’t lay with any outside the clann. But a rule is one thing, to go out stupid drunk and cause a scene worthy of the finest theatres in Gorias is quite another.”

Dagda had no words, he knew that Michaél spoke true, I was careless.

“I’m sorry. It wasn’t planned or anything, the night just seemed to go that way. It won’t happen again.”

Michaél looked at him with suspicion before his expression relaxed, “Good. And if it does….if it does, then just keep it on the low yes, no one needs to know what you do in your private time, least of all the Royal Court.”

Michaél wiped clean Dagda's shoulders and straightened him out, “Now, look you wait here ok, Ardgal asked that I see him first and you second.”

“What why? Have you more secrets….”

Dagda shut his mouth realising he was in no position to be making such demands. “I’ll just be waiting here then.”

Michaél pointed him to a nearby bench and entered into the chamber leaving Dagda alone to his thoughts.

The West Wing was quiet. At either end stood posted a single guard, bored and distant looking. However as Dagda slumped down he was alerted by two pretty young handmaidens making their way down past him. As they came further on one stared intensely at her feet, vigorously avoiding eye contact. The other however with a cute, soft face and big brown eyes glanced boldly toward him as she passed a look of interest and curiosity upon her appealing face. Dagda flashed a quick, bright smile at her and she returned the favor giggling to her friend as she did so, no doubt delighted by herself for alluring the strange, mysterious Druaidíi. Brown eyes, cute round face, I'll have to remember that.