Hunter of The Red Plains

An Old Friend: Chapter VII

As the silence kept its presence, Archer moved his gaze to a face one after another, hoping to get a response. "What is it," he began to talk. "for me to know the man who is the mightiest hero of Ulster that surprising?" After another couple of seconds of silence, his response came off.

"The epic of that warrior has spread among countless lands, it would not be of a surprise for you to know him. Yet, the part that is of a surprise is the fact that you know he is lost." A knight said. If Archer was right about identifying him, he was one of the Fergus' knights.

"If he was to fight against someone, I think Fergus would not be here. Also, there is no preparation for a battle in The City of Ulster, as it shows. So, The Hound of Chulainn is gone, without a reason to go into a battle nor something else possible. It surely is not a situation that shines brightly, I daresay." Archer told the crowd, as he crossed his arms.

"You surely talk like you know him." A familiar voice came up. It was Fergus, who just got up and joined the talk. Archer turned his gaze to him, before answering.

"I happened to clash weapons against him once. Unfortunately, we were not able to result our battle since we got interrupted, but I doubt there is even five spearmen at his skill." Here it was, another shock from this mysterious man. He who just did not defeat Fergus, the wielder of The Magic Blade Caladborg, but also managed to clash against The Hound of Chulainn, resulting his battle with a tie. This man surely was full of surprises.

"I see. It surely was fate to meet you then, Archer." Fergus told him as he offered his hand, which resulted as a handshake. "Oh, but you mentioned castle, didn't you?" Fergus added as the shake was over. "What was the reason of it?"

"Could it be that... The King?!" A civillian started to panic.

"Keep calm. I unfortunately am not able to say something for sure, but I definitely have felt something wrong of it. Something happened or is about to happen to the castle, unless we interfere. Don't you think so as well, my lady?" Archer said as he turned back, to see Scathach crossed her arms with her gaze following his eyes. With a mask fitting colours with her skin-tight dress on her face, Scathach nodded as response.

"Fergus, I shall be paying a visit to the castle with the company of him." She said as she pointed Archer with a finger.

"Then, big sis," he corrected himself as she saw the death glare of hers, "I mean, I shall come as well."

"You should not." Archer mentioned. "I can understand that you are willing to help them," he pointed out the crowd. "or rather, serve them, but there should be a trump card in city for possible situations, which makes that you and your men. Find every single person and warn them for a possible threat. Unite them under one command and prepare them for a possible fight. If something does happen, Ulster shall be able to bear it." He put his hand on Fergus' shoulder while saying so. Then, he closed The distance between them and Archer whispered in his ear. "In addition, a mighty knight is needed to protect his queen, don't you think?" He added, as he made sure that Fergus got his reference, by pointing Queen Medb by his eyes, who had a worried look on her face. He nodded in agreement and called out for his men, retelling everything Archer told.

Archer turned to Scathach and asked "Shall we go then, milady?", which had a response as a nod. They both vanished from the crowd before they could ever realise due to Fergus, thanks to Fergus, and got on their way to castle.

While walking in the path of forest to the castle, Scathach took off her mask. Archer remembered the ever first thing this woman told him; "I hate my face to be seen."

"Archer." Scathach called put as he got lost in his own thoughts. He quickly shaked his head to come back to reality, and replied with a "Yes?"

"You told that you have met Setanta." Scathach said, while still looking forward. Archer, at first, did not understand who that was, then remembered that it was the true name of Cu Chulainn, before he killed the hound of Chulainn.