“I’d rather have you with me than the whole of the band. What were they anyway? Cabbage-heads!” Mogue winked with his protruding eye. “Wait till you see me again,” said he. “I’ve the grandest things in my pack.” He went on leading the little horse. Then Flann set out to look for the King’s Son.
He found him at the door of the Brufir’s, and they drank bowls of milk and ate oaten bread together, and then went to the gate of the town to watch the notable people who were coming in.
And with the bards and harpers and Kings’ envoys who came in, the King’s Son saw his two half-brothers, Dermott and Downal. He hailed them and they knew him and came up to him gladly. The King’s Son made Flann known to them, saying that he too was the son of a King.
They looked fine youths, Downal and Dermott, in their red cloaks, with their heads held high, and a brag in their walk and their words. They left their horses with the grooms and walked with Flann and the King’s Son. They were tall and ruddy; the King’s Son was more brown in the hair and more hawk-like in the face: the three were different from the dark-haired, dark-eyed, red-lipped lad to whom the Old Woman of Beare had given the name of Flann.
No one had seen the King who lived in the Red Castle, Dermott and Downal told the other two. He was called the Wry-faced King, and, on account of his disfigurement, he let no one but his Councilors see him.
“We are to go to his Castle to-day,” said Dermott and Downal. “You come too, brother,” said he to the King’s Son.
“And you too, comrade,” said Downal to Flann. “Why should we not all go? By Ogma! Are we not all sons of Kings?”
Flann wondered if he would see the King’s daughter, Flame-of-Wine. He would surely go to the Castle.
They drank ale, played chess and talked until it was afternoon. Then the grooms who were with Downal and Dermott brought the four youths new red cloaks. They put them on and went towards the King’s Castle.
“Brother,” said Dermott to the King’s Son, “I want to tell you that we are not going back to our father’s Castle nor to his Kingdom. We have taken the world for our pillow. We are going to leave the grooms asleep one fine morning, and go as the salmon goes down the river.”