Athenry, Connacht
Mael Sechnaill mac Cathal sat in his royal chamber, a modest but well-fortified hall of timber and stone, warmed by the crackling hearth as the rains of autumn lashed the emerald hills beyond.
Shadows danced along the walls, cast by the firelight and the candleflames that flickered in iron sconces. The chamber was filled with the scent of damp wool, oak smoke, and old vellum.
His wife, his sons, and a handful of trusted courtiers stood around him, hushed and wary. In the hands of Brother Ciarán, the court scribe, lay a scroll of vellum; its wax seal already broken, its contents read and reread.
The silence was broken only by the soft murmur of the storm outside.
Brother Ciarán cleared his throat, reading aloud once more, his voice thin but steady:
"It would appear that old goat Conchobar has begun looking into the genealogy of the Uí Briúin girl. I fear it is only a matter of time before he discovers the truth..."
