“Conall, my friend, these three have treated me shamefully.”
“The only way to forgive a thing is to forget it. You have forgiven, Conachúr—and forgotten.”
“If they returned with you, Conall, and if evil happened to them while under your surety, what would you do?”
Conall rose from his chair, and in rising displaced the king’s hand. He looked at the king with his steady, pale regard.
“If evil came to a person placed under my protection I would kill the person by whom that evil came.”
Conachúr laughed merrily.
“Even the king himself?” he quizzed.
“I would kill any person that dishonoured me,” said Conall sternly.
“You would be quite right to do so,” said Conachúr heartily.
He seated himself in the chair that Conall had vacated.