Fate/Curadh Beag

Chapter 7: Changing Landscape

FATE/CURADH BEAG

"Little Champion"

Chapter 7: Changing Landscape

In Galway, the capital city of both Connacht and all of Ireland as per Medb's decree, the streets were bustling with activity as townsfolk cooperated with each other to set up some sort of festival or celebration. Enthralled children tied colorful ribbons around the various lamps dotting the roads, women arranged local flowers in large potting plants, and men climbed on ladders to hang up streamers and pennants everywhere. It was a lively scene within the residential neighborhoods, but things were not so jovial in the merchant district. It was practically a daily routine for a customer to shout at a merchant over how expensive their wares were, especially when it came to food. Luckily, it rarely got violent due to the constant presence of the queen's soldiers, who stood guard with such stony expressions that some folks wondered if they were human.

At the castle, the queen and king of Connacht stood upon a balcony looking over the town and the Corrib river. Medb smiled to herself proudly as she brushed some locks of hair aside and said, "Look, Fergus. Everyone must be so busy getting things ready. I can practically hear them scurrying about from way up here."

"Hmm," Fergus murmured. "I must say, a lot of folks must be feeling ruffled after hearing such a sudden announcement yesterday."

"Ruffled? Why do you say that? You make it sound like my decrees are an inconvenience."

"Of course not. It's just that expecting everyone to drop what they're doing and set up their homes for a new Queen's Champion Tournament the following day is going to spark some ire among the populace. Couldn't you have at least given them a week's notice or something so they would have time to prepare?"

"Oh, don't be silly, my love," Medb crooned as she approached him and brushed her hand against his chest. "No matter what my commandments may be, they will do anything in their power to make my wishes a reality. That is how much faith I have in my citizens to be undyingly loyal to me."

"Well sure, but there is a limit to how far a person is willing to bend themselves backward for their ruler. I mean, let's be real here. It's because of the threat your soldiers pose that they're working so hard on such short notice."

"You make it sound like my Red Branch Braves are intimidating the townsfolk. They're doing no such thing. They are simply the queen's eyes and ears, as well as her swords in case anyone tries to challenge Connacht's stability."

Fergus quietly sighed to himself. He knew it was a lie. The soldiers weren't really an offshoot of Ulster's Red Branch Army – they were just being given that name as Medb's way of mocking the otherwise disbanded troop. Furthermore, he was aware of how the Braves actually extorted goods from farmers to pay as 'tribute' to the queen for her 'protection'. During his journeys into the countryside, he would lend his ear to the grievances of local farmers and shepherds who had to give up a portion of their crops and livestock to keep the Braves away from them. That was the reason why food prices were so expensive in the town – the farmers had no choice but to drive up the costs so they could keep working. It had gotten so bad that city folk were forced to steal and barter just to put food on the table. The most impoverished parents were desperate enough to sell their children off as farmhands in exchange for food, or perhaps even worse.

Fergus wondered if Medb even understood how severe the crime rate was becoming in Galway, which was why he kept gently prodding her for any responses she could give him to these growing concerns. Of course, he couldn't take it too far either, lest he experience the same fate that Ailill did 15 years ago. He knew she did it just to inherit his assets, despite the propaganda she fed to the masses about how Ailill attempted to assassinate her.