“Bid Fergus go, or Conall or Cuchulain,” the warriors cried; “let not a single night pass by until the message goes to bring the sons of Usna to our board again. Most sorely do we need them, deeply do we mourn their loss. Bring back the Lights of Valour of the Gael.”
“Now will I test,” thought Conor to himself, “which of these three prime warriors loves me best.” So supper being ended, the King took Conall to his ante-room apart and set himself to question cunningly: “Suppose, O royal soldier of the world, thou wert to go and fetch the sons of Usna back from Alba to their own land under thy safeguard and thy word of honour that they should not be harmed; but if, in spite of this, some ill should fall on them—not by my hand, of course—and they were slain, what then would happen? what wouldst thou do?”
“I swear, O King,” said Conall, “by my hand, that if the sons of Usna were brought here under my protection to their death, not he alone whose hand was stained by that foul deed, but every man of Ulster who had wrought them harm should feel my righteous vengeance and my wrath.”
“I thought as much,” said Conor, “not great the love and service thou dost give thy lord. Dearer to thee than I are Usna’s sons.”
Then sent he for Cuchulain and to him he made the same demand. But bolder yet Cuchulain made reply: “I pledge my word, O King, if evil were to fall upon the sons of Usna, brought back to Erin and their homes in confidence in my protection and my plighted word, not all the riches of the eastern world would bribe or hinder me from severing thine own head from thee in lieu of the dear heads of Usna’s sons, most foully slain when tempted home by their sure trust in me.”
“I see it now, Cuchulain,” said the king, “thou dost profess a love for me thou feelest not.”
Then Fergus came, and to him also he proposed the same request. Now Fergus was perplexed what answer he should give. Sore did it trouble him to think that evil might befall brave Usna’s sons when under his protection. Yet it was but a little while since he and Conor had made friends, and he come back to Ulster, and set high in place and power by the King, and well he knew that Conor doubted him; and such a deed as this, to bring the sons of Usna home again, would prove fidelity and win the King’s affection. Moreover, Conor spoke so guardedly that Fergus was not sure whether the King had ill intent or no towards the sons of Usna. For all he said was: “Supposing any harm or ill befall the sons of Usna by the hand of any here, what wouldst thou do?”
So after long debate within himself, Fergus replied: “If any Ulsterman should harm the noble youths, undoubtedly I should avenge the deed; but thee, O King, and thine own flesh and blood, I would not harm; for well I know, that if they came under protection of thy sovereign word, they would be safe with thee. Therefore, against thee and thy house, I would not raise my hand, whatever the conditions, but faithfully and with my life will serve thee.”
“’Tis well,” the wily king replied, “I see, O royal warrior, that thou lovest me well, and I will prove thy faithfulness and truth. The sons of Usna without doubt will come with thee. To-morrow set thou forward; bear the King’s message to brave Usna’s sons, say that he eagerly awaits their coming, that Ulster longs to welcome them. Urge them to hasten; bid them not to linger on the way, but with the utmost speed to press straight forward here to Emain Macha.”
Then Fergus went out from the King and told the nobles he had pledged his word to Conor to bring back the sons of Usna to their native land. And on the morrow’s morn Fergus set forth in his own boat, and with him his two sons, Illan the Fair and Buinne the Ruthless Red, and together they sailed to Loch Etive in Alba.