The sky was turning golden in the west, as the men of Dún-Lethglaise began to return. Their small curragh's gliding in silhouette across the molten glass of the lough. Lugh stood with Mael and Oran looking down from the palisade, watching for the return of theirs fathers and friends. From all directions men were coming, from the north came boats telling of traffic on the lough and the straights of Brena. From the southeast came the men through the woods with news from the high vantage points. Men on horseback came from further, from the edge of the great bay of Ruira, where the mournful mountains floated in and out of the mists. All brought news.
Lugh spotted his friends, as they pulled their small craft out of the water and carried it a short distance up the slope before dropping it among the springy reeds and the other upturned curraghs laid out all-round them.

"Ferdi!, Kian! What is the news! Have any more raiders been spotted. Did you seen my Da? "
He ran down the short slope to meet them, reaching them as they set their burden on the ground at their feet.
Ferdi had caught Lugh by the shoulder and was slapping him as he exclaimed. "Where have you been, we were going to search the islands looking for you, we feared the worst. Where is the boys, are they all right".
"I'm glad to see you. We did not see any sign of more raiders but that does not mean that they are not there. There are many people here; many scouts have come in from all over. I'm starving; let's get to the hall before the throng begins".
Kian, coming quickly up behind Lugh as they ascended the hill, said, "Lugh I think your Da was not far behind us, he was with Findlas at the Brena straits. There are many boats coming in, so there will be many here to night with news, So what about your adventures, Eh Lugh where did you boys spend the night? Did you have to hide in the woods or where you stuck on one of the Islands"?

The throng of men in the hall was buzzing as they exchanged greetings and news .Merry laughter flowed from the long hall, Oran’s excitement grew as he heard the mellow twang of harp strings, he was in luck tonight Cruthain would tell tales and weave spells just for him. He followed his father into the glowing hall, flaming bulrushes stood in brackets around the walls, and tallow candles cast their golden light tables piled with food. They found a place, clambering over a bench, Oran looking wide eyed around the hall, the fire light glittered on the crossed swords and shields that hung on the walls.He waved to Lugh who was telling of his adventures as they found themselves a bench in a corner near where the food.
"The attack came just before dawn," Lugh had a bowl of broth, which he was mopping up with a hunk of barley bread.
"Laogh woke us up and sent us into the woods, we could hear shouting going on for a long time, but I don't know what happened there? We left the curragh hidden in the woods, hope it there all right, we will have to go back for it as soon as we can, I would hate to lose it".
Men where still coming into the hall and he had just caught sight of his Father entering the hall. "Look there is my Da, I better go and speak to him, I'll be back, in a minute.”
Lugh crossed the throng, to where his father stood deep in conversation with a tall man wearing a forest green cloak covered in mud stains. "Father" he waited until Connal turned to him.

"Lugh there you ate son, your Mother told me of your adventure, I'm glad to see you safe, we can tell me all about it in a little while. Domhnall here has just come from the bay at Ruiri Mourne and has seen many ships out to sea, so we might have to fight yet", saying this he slapped his son on his shoulder and turned to the man at his side.
Kian and Ferdi, were tucking into some more mutton broth when Lugh sat Dun beside them, Mael had joined them. Oran was sitting a short distance away beside his father.
"That's Domhnall over there talking with my Da, has come in from Mourne, has seen many ships, so there might be an attack planned". This caused a stir around them, Ferdi and Kian paused, mid sup,
"When, where! ", cried Kian, a trickle of stew running Dun his chin, all around the hall a hum of laughter rippled as men sated their hunger and thirst.

Just then, a great clamor of dogs and voices heralded the entrance of Báetáin and his attendants into the hall, a flurry of attendants jostled for attention, as he moved to a huge carved chair, he wore a robe of blood red; a golden torch gleamed under his black bushy beard, flashing a wide smile around the room, he raised his hands and the men fell silent. “Well my friends we have all worked hard to day, the ships are growing quickly and tonight we eat our fill, and thankful for it. To night we eat drink and enjoy”, he raised his cup and saluted his men. This raised as throaty cheer from the room, taking his place at the high table he quickly swallowed down a horn of mead. A servant brought him a bowl of water and a cloth and stood as he washed his face and hands of the mud that had stained them.

Standing up and raising his hands for silence. "Glad I 'am to see you all here, whole and hearty, with no blood shed, but news has come in of many ships sighted in the bay of Benna Boirche in the south east, perhaps there will soon be an attack, but for now, we eat, drink, and gather our strength. Tonight we take our ease, many scouts are out, on their return, we will hear all the reports and plan our defence. So eat, drink and rest, for now", Baetain raised his glass and drank, saluting the men in he hall, before he sat down .

There was silence for a few moments as this news sank in, then the drone of voices grew into a growl as each warrior planned the battle to come.
Ferdi said, "Looks like this is going to be a big raid, wonder how many ships they have. If we could get all the Ulaid fleet together we might be able to defeat them once and for all".
He was holding out a horn for a passing servant to fill, as he turned to Lugh.
"Did you see any emblems to identify the ship you saw, could you tell from where it was from? Was it XXXXXXXnot need a Viking? They say he is real fierce".

Lugh looked at him,.” We were on Dunn na guill, and saw the boat coming out of the Narrows, but it was too far away to identify any sails".
Donal passed Oran slices of venison and barley bread, giving him sips of the strong mead. “Enjoying your self Oran” his father, grinned down at him “Soon Cruthain will play, once the food is cleared away, and then you will hear some tall tales”.
Oran seated near the high table, was close enough to see all that was happening in the hall; the arrival of roast meats; breads and cheeses; nuts and fruits, mead for the men and foreign wine for the Báetáin and his Chieftains. Oran’s eyes were wide glinting , as he soaked up all the sounds, smells and sights of this feast. He was in his element, in his own hero tale. He was close enough to watch, fascinated as the harpers fingers struck the harp, with a sound like gold, gliding up and down, faster and faster, music pouring from the fingertips.
Then with a hard cord Cruthain struck the harp and began to chant of Connor Mac Nessa, who struck his shield and the great waves of Ireland rose to aid him, rising on the Ninth wave. Oran listened to the Bards voice and he was in the water rising to great the king; he could see the Red Branches on King Connors shield aglow with liquid fire. Then the voice changed, and sang of the long wooing of Etain and her many transformations, until reunited with Midair. Oran was enchanted, as the harps strong and rhythmic rose and fell as Cruthain, with his bardic voice took them back to an older time.
EDDit Then the soft gentle strumming lulled him with the sad tale of the ‘children of Lir; how the poor children, had been cursed by their stepmother, having to spend three hundred years as swans,; this was a story his mother had told him since he was little but to night with the harp it took on a sadder and sad.He took at long drink from his horn. All around him, voices rose and fell with dread, stoking every throat.

After the hungry bellies were satisfied, and the food cleared away, the serious business began, of hearing news, from the returned scouts, that had scoured the district since the alarm of the last evening.
Lugh told the assembly of what had happened to him and the boys, both on the lough and at Dun Mor.
No new sightings of the raiders in the lough or in the outlying places north of the Brena straights on the Irish Sea side.
No word had come of sightings from the long thin arm of the north east of Lough Cuan and the Lough at Fersi, beyond the Ard Mor.
The news that Domhnill had seen many ships in the great bay Beanna Boirche filled them all with trepidation. The ships had been too far out to make out the numbers. Domhnall had left sentries keeping watch on the ships, news, of their direction, would be, relayed quickly, across the country.
The decision to spend the next few days getting all the ships and weapons prepared, to make ready provisions in case of attack.
All through the feast, men arrived dusty and thirsty from far a field, some with news some with none, all came for orders from their captains.
The orders were, to rest and sleep in their own beds, while they awaited news of the ships. The preparations to depart at first light or sooner if need be, were ready. The women and children were ready, to take shelter in the huts hidden deep in the marshes. To move as much food and life stock as possible, and hide it, in the short time they had, but if no attack happened then they would all have much work to do over he next few days to organise all their battles plans.

*****

Lugh took his leave of Ferdi and Kian who where bedding down in a corner of the hall for a few hours, and left with Oran and Mael who were going their homes to spend this last night with their families. "I’m really fed up that my da has ordered me to go with my mother and all the women and children if there is a raid tomorrow " Oran was complaining, "He said it was because I was too young to fight but I bet he fought when he was my age." Mael who was just behind him, said, " What are you yapping about , I have to escort the women and children just like you, and if there is any fighting we will be the ones who have to defend them. So we have our work cut out for us, just as Lugh and everyone here have. We will have far to much to do tomorrow, with out having to listen to you complaining, so stop yakking about it, it is going to be a long enough day to morrow, so I will bid you both good night" and he left them abruptly and headed for his hut.

"That was you told off and no mistake Oran," Lugh laughed as he said this to a scowling Oran who did not look to happy about the younger boy having spoken to him like his mother would have." I know he is right but I would rather be staying here to see all the action, it will be realty exciting," he sighed as he wished Lugh good night before he went into his home.

Lugh entered his hut to find his mother and father seated side-by-side round the fire Connal was holding a drowsy Ffion, singing a lullaby to make her sleep. His mother smiled up at him but she looked pale and tired. "You don't know how glad I was to see you to day Lugh, it was dreadful not know what had happened to you boys, and who knows what the morrow will bring ". She began to cry silently and Connal put his big arm around her shoulders. “Hush Bo, you will wake the little ones, it will be fine, and your just over tired you. We all need to get some sleep, it is an early start for us all tomorrow", he said as he stood up and laid the sleeping child in its bed, before turning to help his wife up. “Now off to bed, come on I'll help you," he helped her to her feet before turning to Lugh "Where are you going to sleep Lugh, are you going to stay with us or find a place in the hall?
"I will bed down in the hall with the others, Oran and Mael are with heir families, they have been ordered to escort the women into the marshes tomorrow. Oran was not very happy about that, I can tell you, he has not stopped going on about it after his father told him out side the hall. Ferdi and Kian are in the hall, so I thought I would stay there too. I will be back early to help you", Lugh said as he kissed his mother and hugged his father and left to find a place in the hall beside his friends.

All too soon it was over, and Oran scampered after his father down the hill to the hut he shared with his Aoife his mother, Eochy his four year old brother, six year old sister Grainne and the baby Bronagh. It was dark in the hut as they entered, the embers of the fire letting out a small rosy glow just enough to light them to their beds. ” Shush, Oran, be quiet, don’t wake the baby, lets us get some sleep, the dawn comes far to soon” said Donal as he ruffled Oran’s hair “ Good night son, bet you will be dreaming of the Red Branch. Get some sleep “.
Oran lay in the dark, his head filled with the music of the harp and the pipes played in the hall, one tune rang through his mind over and over again, its lilting twirled in his ears as he fell asleep.