DEIRDRE AND THE SONS OF USNA - PART SIX

Eve to his Adam—or so Naisi told himself—the young woman with hair black as his own, and skin as white, led him to the very thing he feared. They lay together all the long afternoon, embracing in the heart of love, telling each other of their dreams and hopes as young lovers do. So enamored of each other were they that they swore only death would part them. At last, when Naisi feared his brothers who had gone hunting would soon return, he and Deirdre tidied themselves. And sure enough, Ainle and Ardan came a-whistling through the deep woods, no longer silent since they had taken their share of game.
‘Twas far more they took from the king’s bounty that day after Deirdre had plied them with kisses and Naisi with pleas. Well they knew the king’s wrath would exceed all previous bounds, yet taking Deirdre with them, they returned to their father’s strong castle where Naisi made haste to marry her that very eve. Thus had he taken claim of her in all ways possible, but it would be no protection from King Conor. As soon as the sun had risen, the four young people took a retinue, hounds and servants and sought refuge with a king more friendly to themselves than to Conor.
Now Conor was wroth with black rage so profound some feared he would go mad, or perhaps had done. Though he had wives and sons in plenty, it was Deirdre he had always envisioned as the breath of life that would keep his old age at bay. Robbed of that hope, for months on end he pursued her and Naisi and Usna’s other sons the length and breadth of Ireland. Catha’s prediction that Deirdre would cause war was fulfilled. So great was the threat Conor posed to other kings that at long last Naisi found himself unwelcome in any court and was obliged to make his way by sea to Alba, the land of wild men. Yet he had been careful to take a retinue large enough to secure a place in that land and in time built a fortress called Glen Etive where he and Deirdre were happy. King Conor could not touch them, for not only did they have a mighty keep, but the same council which had rejected Fergus when he left the throne for a woman made much the same response to Conor. Did he bankrupt their country to fight for a mere woman, they told him, they would find another king. And it was no idle threat, for always men sought to depose him, circling like a waiting wolf pack.
Conor was therefore compelled to hold his tongue, but never did he restrain his cunning.