The woman warrior Liath Luachra (The Grey One) has never been the easiest person to talk to which means that her interactions with someone as bullish as Crimall (a Clann Baoisnce warrior) often provides some good opportunity for writing dialogue.
In ‘Liath Luachra: The Seeking’, this opportunity is heightened further when Crimall has suspicions around her motives and the woman warrior has secrets of her own she’d rather not talk about.
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‘When we first crossed paths,’ said Crimall. ‘You spoke of your encounter with the díbhearg, of your attempts to release the Clann Baoiscne girls and of the raiders untimely return.’
Liath Luachra eyed him coldly.
‘Yes.’
‘And of killing one raider during your escape.’
Deciding there was nothing worthwhile to say, Liath Luachra said nothing.
‘I have a wrinkle in my head, Grey One. A crease of curiosity that allows me no ease. Perhaps you could smoothen that wrinkle out by satisfying my curiosity.’
‘What is it you wish to know?’
Crimall cleared his throat, briefly adjusting the sword belt around his waist. ‘During your flight from the díbhearg, did any of the raiders speak or shout?’
Liath Luachra felt the hairs rise on the back of her neck. ‘What do you mean?’
‘It’s a simple enough question. Did the raiders say anything of relevance: a name, a destination, some indication of their origin?’
She shook her head.
‘You have no doubts?’ he persisted, regarding her with an expression of mild disbelief. ‘Amid all that bustle and violent activity, the raiders didn’t utter the merest whisper!’
This time, the woman warrior responded with a sour expression. ‘I’ve already told you what I know. The díbhearg warriors barely spoke.’
‘Aaah!’ Crimall exclaimed, grasping onto her words like a drowning man to flotsam. ‘You say they “barely” spoke, which suggests they must have said something, no matter how trivial. What exactly did they say?’
Liath Luachra lips compressed in anger. ‘The only one who spoke was the man I killed, and in truth I heard but a single word. One that, given the events, was difficult to decipher.’
‘Yes, yes. But what was it?’
The woman warrior regarded him coolly then abruptly dropped her head to one-side and opened her mouth, her tongue lolling out.
‘Aaarrgh.’
Straightening her head again, she regarded the Clann Baoiscne man with stony dispassion.
Crimall considered her in frosty silence for the space of several heartbeats. ‘We’ll depart when you give the word,’ he said at last and stiffly walked away.
