The Realm of the Sun

The Declaration

          Eirainna's restless night ended with the sun glaring in through her window. The hour had come. She would have to face the conference again. She would have to face him again. A knock at her door astounded her, but when Una entered she remembered that Una had come to dress her every day at this time for the last three years. And yet today this came as a surprise, just as the rising of the morning sun had shocked her, and the way the sheets felt against her skin. She even felt that she looked different in the mirror at her vanity the night before. The moor looked wider and Tara, greener. Everything about the way Eirainna saw the world had transformed in a matter of hours.

          "Did not you hear me approaching?" Una asked, who was suddenly in the doorway, smiling curiously at Eirainna, "I did knock."

          "No, yes..." Eirainna tried not to seem too startled, "I mean of course you did...good morning, Una." Una smiled and went about her duties, humming to herself.

          "I thought you might want to wear the red gown today, your highness."

          "No, no not that one." Eirainna became immediately nauseous at the thought of wearing so sharp, so vivid a colour. She wished she could just slip into oblivion. So often it pained her to be royal solely because of the absurd amount of attention they received, while everyone else could walk through life unnoticed.

          "Oh, but you look so lovely in it, if you don't mind my saying so."

          "Don't we have anything grey? Or brown, perhaps?" Eirainna sat up in her bed, rubbing her tired, sleepless eyes.

          "Not unless you want to borrow one of my frocks," Una laughed in spite of herself as she drew Eirainna's stunning scarlet gown from the grand wardrobe, "Come now, don't you want to look your best?"

          "Admittedly, Una, I'm having a great deal of difficulty trying to decide whether I want to look my best or my worst."

          The crimson dress elegantly swept the floor of the Great Hall as she walked to her seat. Employing the queen's approach, Eirainna made an effort to look no one in the eye. Still, she could feel theirs. She did not realize the extent of the dress's immodesty until entering a crowd of men. It was not its cut, but its colour that made her feel guilty. It was an audacious, incriminating red. As she took her chair, she kept her eyes low, but she could see the shape of him.

          Queen Maeve raised her hand slightly and everyone fell silent, waiting for her word. Eirainna watched her sister curiously, noticing a strange glint in her shiny eyes as she took a full breath.

          "Women and Men of the realm," Maeve spoke carefully and slowly, "these conferences have been a display of where each province and their citizens stand. We have set our respective goals and through much debate and compromise, have only seemed to further expose our differences."

          "What can she mean?" Eirainna whispered hoarsely to Cillian, whose expression was quickly shifting to one of grave concern. Maeve pressed on, her face hardening with every word.

          "The dependent province cannot cooperate and now I have no other choice but to stand by my principles and my people. If Ulster expects to receive independence without a fair fight, then Ulster leaves me no other option..."

          "No..." Eirainna murmured, shaking her head. The rest of Maeve's words blurred in her mind, all noise and movement slowing down around her as she began to process the words one at a time, each one a lament that echoed and gained strength and volume as they rung in her ears. I hereby declare war on the realm of Ulster.