One plotline that Iâd hoped to return to in more detail with âThe Metal Menâ was Liath Luachra’s relationship with Bressal BinnbĂ©alach â Bressal of the Sweet Tongue â her old rĂgfĂ©nnid and sly ex-leader of Na CinĂ©altaĂ.
The interaction between Liath Luachra and Bressal was always one of my favourite elements from the first book in the series (Liath Luachra: The Grey One) and itâs a relationship Iâve always intended to go back and explore a little further. Unfortunately, the subsequent plotlines meant that wasnât really feasible.
Over the course of writing âThe Metal Menâ, I wrote about two chapters on this, but, in the end, as the story already had enough plotlines, I culled those sections from the text. Instead, I started writing a ‘long’ short story called Liath Luachra: The Consent, which focusses on Liath Luachraâs promise to obtain Bressalâs consent to undertake the Seeking (one of the conditions required by the UĂ Loinge, in Liath Luachra: The Seeking).
This is a separate story which takes place after the events in The Metal Men. Itâs not critical for anyone following the series. For that reason, Iâve intentionally kept it separate and, as a result, itâs only available at the Irish Imbas website.
The story is still unfinished (about 13,000 words) but the plan is to have it completed for around the 16th March so that anyone who wants it after theyâve read âThe Metal Menâ can get it. Work permitting, I’ll get this out to Patreon patrons before then.Â
The draft blurb is as follows:
Ireland: 1st century A.D. A land of tribal affiliations, secret alliances and treacherous rivalries.
Although âThe Seekingâ is complete, to fulfil her word to the UĂ Loinge Elders, Liath Luachra must reconnect with Bressal BinnbĂ©alach â the previous leader of Na CinĂ©altaĂ â and obtain his consent.
But Bressal hasnât forgotten her actions against him at DĂșn MĂłr.