Battle with the Blood-maid
Come the next story time me grandkids were anxious to hear the remainder of the tale of Beanaithe's encounter with Naruhel the Blood-maid. I did not disappoint 'em...
'Beannaithe were able to silently slip past many of the gúla (wights) and saighdiúirí (soldiers) within the Blood-fortress. Those she could not evade she quickly dispatched.
Finally Beannaithe approached the keep's great oaken doors that stood between her and the once sacred spring of Naruhel the Red-maid. The rusted iron hinges squeaked and groaned when the lass thrust open the doors but they gave way nonetheless. The moment had come to enter. Did the lass have the courage? Aye, she did.
Standin' between Beannaithe and the sacred well were the hideous form of Naruhel in her corrupted state. How horrifyin' she looked with haggard face, stringy hair, and her stained and torn gown. It were clear to Beannaithe that the Blood-maid would not let her pass easily.
"Who dares to trespass into my domain? You will pay dearly for your impudence!" Naruhel howled. The battle between Hobad lass and cursed river-maid had begun.
Beannaithe knew that it would be difficult to subdue Naruhel without harmin' her, but try she must. It would not do to cure the Blood-maid after havin' slain her.
Naruhel charged Beannaithe who quickly moved aside. Beannaithe sped away from Naruhel, attemptin' to keep some distance between her and the Blood-maid, but graspin' roots sprang from the ground to hold her in place. When Beannaithe at last wriggled free of the roots Naruhel summoned a wave of fetid water that sent the lass hurlin' across the courtyard. The lass were soaked to the skin but otherwise unharmed.
When Beannaithe regained her footin' she ran as fast as she could toward the corrupted well, but Naruhel once more stood in the way. The lass removed from a pouch hangin' on her belt the flask filled with Silverwell's healin' waters, but the Blood-maid struck it from Beannaithe's hand. The flask skittered across the courtyard, clatterin' along the pavin' stones before settlin' into a shallow pool. Naruhel cackled with malicious delight.
Beannaithe realised that greater force would be necessary if she were to be successful in subduin' Naruhel. The lass firmly struck the Blood-maid with the pommel end of Claíomh Solais, but Naruhel merely laughed.
The Blood-maid then pounced upon the wee lass, clawin' and scratchin', but were thwarted by Beannaithe's armour. Enraged, Naruhel pulled at the edges of the armour tryin' to tear it from the lass's body. Naruhel were successful in exposin' Beannaithe's neck and shoulder.
Beannaithe's armour had protected her up to this point, but now it were irreparably damaged. This upset the lass very much. She and her friends had laboured greatly to make her beautiful armour, but now it were ruined. What would she wear for the remainder of her adventures? First, however, she must survive this battle.
In retaliation Beannaithe struck Naruhel across her backside with the flat of the sword blade. The lass followed that with blows of her fist and elbow to Naruhel's body. Naruhel, shriekin' in anger, attempted to bite Beannaithe's now exposed neck and shoulder.
Beannaithe took a few steps back then, in desperation, threw the force of her entire body at Naruhel, knockin' the Blood-maid to the ground. While Naruhel lay stunned on the courtyard stones, Beannaithe used what little strength she had remainin' to retrieve the flask from the pool where it lay then rushed to pour its contents into the well's corrupted waters. Beannaithe were successful at last, but would the cure work?
Beannaithe almost immediately sensed a change. The sky brightened and she heard Naruhel begin to sob. The sob soon became a laugh. It weren't the cacklin' laugh of the wretched hag that Beannaithe had fought. Nay, it were the musical laughter of the river-maid that Naruhel had once been. Beannaithe herself nearly wept with joy.
"I feel as if I am waking from a nightmare," said Naruhel, "but this was no dream. I had been consumed with anger and hatred, but am now only filled with regret." (1)
Naruhel paused to wipe away a tear.
"This was the work of ancient evil," she said as she looked about her. "Order must be restored to this land. It will take time, but I will see it done."
Beannaithe smiled at Naruhel the Red-maid, who were herself once more.
"Thank you, little one, for saving me from my wretched state," Naruhel said.
Beannaithe curtsied, whistled for Mac Énbarr her pony friend, mounted, gave Naruhel a small wave good-bye, then rode away.'
'That were some story, Granda!' said Dooli.
'Aye, it were!' his cousins and siblin's agreed.
'And now it is time for bed, me wee darlin's,' I said to them.
On this occasion there were no groans or complaints. Me grandkids simply took their mothers' hands and compliantly marched off to their bedrooms.
Before me grandkids were quite out of earshot I heard one wee voice say, 'I did not understand half of what he said, did ye?' It were Diolun.
'Aye,' I heard Darowva reply. 'I'll explain it to ye in the mornin'.'
(1) Dialogue adapted from the quest "Challenge Naruhel".
