A recap – The Children of Gods and Fighting Men

Hi everyone! A few people have been asking for a recap of The Children of Gods and Fighting Men before the next book in the series is released.

Your wish is my command!

The recap is below. Hopefully it will refresh your memory on all the key events from my first novel before you start into The Words of Kings and Prophets.

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The summary

The Children of Gods and Fighting Men

Time period – 981AD-999AD

Gormflaith, the widow of Amlav the Red, King of Dublin, is trying to ensure her son, Sitric, becomes the next King of Dublin. Dublin is a dangerous city for the youngest son of the famous Amlav, with his numerous older brothers all vying to be king.

Gormflaith also has a secret. She is a Fomorian, with the gift of fire magic and a life span of hundreds of years. Gormflaith does not age the way mortals do and so must leave Ireland before the mortals notice she doesn’t age, and therefore wishes to see Sitric crowned King of Dublin before she goes. Her brother, Máelmórda, a prince of Leinster, is also Fomorian. He wants Gormflaith to help him with his quest to become King of Leinster rather than help Sitric.

There is also another problem. Gormflaith and Máelmórda are the last two Fomorians. Their kind have been wiped out by their rivals, the Descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann. The Descendants, however, believe all the Fomorians are dead and Gormflaith and Máelmórda have onlysurvived so far by concealing their fire-magic. Máelmórda believes to survive in the world, they must kill the Descendants. Gormflaith does not like her brother, nor does she like how he plans to use Sitric in his schemes, and sides with her son.

To assist Sitric, Gormflaith kills her stepson, Gluniairnwho is the current King of Dublin and marries off her stepdaughter, Gytha, to Olaf Tryggvasson, a Viking jarl. Sitric becomes King of Dublin. However, the King of Meath(Sechnall) demands Sitric pay a fine for the death of Gluniairn as he believes Gluniairn has been murdered, though doesn’t know by who. Sitric refuses to pay and Gormflaith persuades Olaf and Gytha to come to Dublin for a time so Olaf’s men can provide military support for Sitric until the walls around Dublin are improved. Once the walls are finished, Gormflaith believes Dublin will be impregnable.Sitric enjoys being king. His half-brother, Harald, who is strong but unambitious, supports Sitric, and for a time all is well in the city.

 

Meanwhile, Fódla, a healer Descendant of the Tuatha Dé Danann, is grieving the loss of her daughter, Aoife, and living alone. It is only hearing the voice of her sister, Rónnat, on the wind and asking for help, that drives Fódla to leave her isolated ráth in the Wicklow mountains. 

Fódla rides toward her sister, who is a witch, and discovers that Sitric and his men have raided and set fire to a nunnery that her sister was spying in. She rescues Rónnatusing her healing magic, and Rónnat tells her that she ispregnant by a mortal man – which is forbidden by the Descendant council.

Fódla and Rónnat return to the Descendant fortress on Fennit Island and Rónnat is banished for her crime of layingwith a mortal. Another punishment that is considered is removing Rónnat’s gift, using the knife of immortality, which will make Rónnat mortal. However, Fódla’s cousin, Colmon, a warrior who sits on the council, speaks out against this punishment and banishment is agreed upon instead.

Fódla begs the Descendant council for leniency, especially Tomas, who is her former lover and was the father of her daughter, Aoife. He refuses to give leniency to Rónnatbut agrees that Fódla can bring up Rónnat’s child. In exchange, Fódla must go to Killaloe to spy on King Brian Boru, King of Munster, who is causing trouble in the mortal kingdoms. Tomas also tells her that as Rónnat’s child will be mortal (due to the fact he has a mortal father), Fódla must find a family to place the child with while she is in Killaloe. This is so when Fódla is summoned back to Fennit Island, the childwill a have a place to belong to.

Fódla agrees to this, even though she is afraid of mortals.

Rónnat does not like the council and asks Fódla to stay with her child until they are grown, not wishing to trust his upbringing to a family she doesn’t know. Fódla, who loves her sister, and who has become increasingly distrustful of Tomas, promises Rónnat she will stay with her child no matter what.Fódla believes she will make a poor spy, but this promise drives her to commit to this role so she will be useful to the council and be allowed to stay in Killaloe for many years.

Once Rónnat’s son, Broccan, is four years old, Fódla takes Broccan into her care, and journeys to Killaloe in Munster. Killaloe is the home of King Brian Boru. Tomas tells her to be careful amongst the mortals, to understand they are wicked, and that they cannot be trusted. He has a witch called Gobnat use her magic on Fódla to make the left side of her body appear scarred and disfigured, which he says is to protect her from the lustful eyes of men. This spell will only work while she is in Ireland and so she is warned not to sail to any of the islands surrounding the mainland – otherwise the scarring will disappear. Tomas also sends his crow, Senna, to follow Fódla. He says it is for protection, but Fódla believes that Senna reports on her actions to Tomas.

The council has forbidden Fódla from using her healing magic on the mortals, save on one occasion, which is to impress King Brian. However, as Fódla journeys south to Munster, she comes across a young woman, called Sadb, who is dying in childbirth. Fódla uses this one opportunity to use her magic to save Sadb, even though she knows this will not ingratiate her with King Brian. Sadb’s husband, Lonán, however, is grateful that Fódla delivered the baby and savedhis wife, and he asks her and Broccan to stay with them for the night. He is very kind to them both.

A visitor calls that evening. A man called Murchad, who is a warrior. He asks Lonán about the best place to build a bridge over the nearby river. Fódla believes that this will only bring war close to the family she has just helped and chastises Murchad for building a bridge so close by. Murchad leaves and then she discovers that Murchad is the eldest son of King Brian Boru, the very person she was supposed to impress.

The next day, as she and Broccan are travelling south, she meets Murchad again, who is examining the land around the river, much further downstream. He tells her this is where he plans to build the bridge, which is far away from Lonan’s home. Fódla is happy that he has done this, but she is still distrustful of Murchad. Regardless, she continues onto Killaloe. Her plan is to ask Brian Boru if he needs a healer and thus become a member of his household where she will be able to spy for the Descendant council. Senna continues to follow Fódla. 

Once Fódla reaches Killaloe, she finds that King Brian Boru is about to march north to meet with King Sechnall, King of Meath, to take part in a peace treaty, whereby they will split the High Kingship of Ireland between them – with King Sechnall the king of the north (Leth Cuinn) and King Brian the king of the south (Leth Moga). He invites Fódla to join his army as they march north, as he needs a healer for his men. She accepts. Broccan makes friends with Murchad’s son, Tairdelbach, and is allowed to remain in King Brian’s home while she is away.

 

In Dublin, Olaf and Gytha have remained in the city for two winters, but once Gytha falls pregnant, Olaf wants to leave Dublin and go to Norway. He has ambitions to be King of Norway and, one day, to be King of England. Gormflaith is furious that he is leaving before the Dublin walls are finished and tries to explain to Sitric that he must force Olaf to stay, to no avail. Sitric is also in love with a slave girl, called Onguen, and will not listen to Gormflaith that he must make a strategic marriage alliance. Instead, he marries Onguen, and they have a baby together called Edysis.Gormflaith attempts to seduce Olaf to make him stay to no avail, even though there is a growing attraction between the two of them.

When Olaf leaves, Dublin is invaded by King Sechnall of Meath. King Sechnall offers Sitric a deal. He can remain King of Dublin if he kills King Brian Boru and Murchad for him – as Sechnall cannot do this himself as he has agreed to swearoaths at the peace treaty. Sitric agrees to kill King Brian and Murchad in exchange for remaining king.

Gormflaith’s brother, Máelmórda, comes to Dublin. He tells Sitric to kidnap the current King of Leinster (Donnchad) to antagonise Brian after the peace treaty, thus luring Briantowards Dublin. Máelmórda also asks for this because if Donnchad dies, he will be next in line for the kingship of Leinster. Gormflaith knows her brother is using Sitric to further his own ambitions, but when Máelmórda agrees to aid Sitric in fighting King Brian, she sees that it is mutually beneficial to them all.

While Sitric and Máelmórda ride out to capture King Donnchad, Gormflaith rules over a trial and tries to befriend Onguen. However, Onguen doesn’t respond and later that evening, Gormflaith sees her rowing out to a ship. Gormflaith believes that Onguen never loved Sitric and is trying to escape to her homeland. Enraged at this betrayal and worried that Onguen might be selling Sitric’s secrets for passage on the ship, she loses control of her fire magic and sets the ship Onguen is rowing out to on fire. Onguen sees Gormflaith’s fire magic and throws herself into the sea, drowning rather than return to Dublin.

 

Fódla, now King Brian’s healer, accompanies King Brian and his army north to the peace treaty. Her distrust of mortals begins to wane as she sees how alike Descendants and mortals are. Lonán joins the Munster forces, which are to accompany the king to the peace treaty, and he helps her make friends. Fódla also befriends King Brian’s two daughters, Sláine and Bébinn. Senna, however, still follows her, and she finds it hard to be herself.

At the ceremony, all appears to be well between King Sechnall and King Brian, and the other kings of Ireland, including King Donnchad of Leinster, come to witness the treaty. 

Sitric and Máelmórda capture King Donnchad after the ceremony and bring him to Dublin. Sitric is upset when he learns that Onguen is missing. Gormflaith tells him that she ran away and was undeserving of him. Máelmórda feasts in the hall that night and brings in Donnchad of Leinster, who is in chains, and he takes out Donnchad’s eyes. This means Donnchad, according to the Irish laws, can no longer be king, and Máelmórda claims that he is the new King of Leinster.

Once the treaty is over, King Brian rides south, and news comes that Sitric has captured Donnchad, King of Leinster,who swore oaths to King Brian at the peace ceremony. King Brian and King Sechnall agree that this is an insult and that they must join forces to rescue King Donnchad.

King Brian rides on ahead to Dublin while Sechnall returns to Meath to gather his men. Brian is wary of Sechnall and believes this may be a set up. This wariness causes him to split up his army in case of attack.

Sitric receives a message from King Sechnall telling him that King Brian is riding towards Dublin. King Sechnall tells him he will ‘be late’ to the battle and tells him to ambush Brian at a place called Glenmama, a valley close to Dublin.

 

The battle is fierce. Fódla is at the battle because she is the healer. As she is trying to ride to safety, an arrow takes her horse down. She crawls to the river, hoping to flee into the forest, where she finds Lonán, who has come to help her.

Harald of Dublin sees them hiding and fights with Lonán and hits him with a fatal blow. As Harald moves away to fight others, Fódla hurries to Lonán. She can save him if she uses her healing magic, but she is afraid to break the rules. Senna flies overhead, and as she hesitates, Lonán dies.

Murchad kills Harald just before a retreat is sounded out by the Vikings, as the second half of King Brian’s army gains a strategic advantage. Sitric and Máelmórda flee from the battle and ride toward Dublin. Murchad catches up with Máelmórda, who hides from Murchad. Máelmórda is fearful and cowardly but manages to strike Murchad in the leg using a blade laced with poison. Murchad takes Máelmórda as a hostage.

The Munster army marches into Dublin victorious. 

Sechnall comes to the battle late, as he promised, and Brian knows that he has betrayed him but keeps this to himself. Instead, Sechnall must watch on as Brian takes the spoils of war by raiding Dublin. Sitric flees Dublin before Brian arrives. Gormflaith stays to negotiate a peace on his behalf. 

At the negotiations, Brian agrees that Sitric can return as king if Sláine marries Sitric and if Gormflaith marriesMurchad. Gormflaith says no.

That night, Murchad falls seriously unwell. He had gone to pray on Dalkey Island, a small island off the coast of Dublin. Murchad’s brother, Tadc, comes to find Fódla and rows her to the island. Fódla feels the spell on her disappear, and she covers her face with her scarf so that Tadc will not see her as she really is.

When Fódla reaches the island, she touches Murchad. Her gift tells her that he has been poisoned and there is no cure for it. To save him, she must use her gift. At first, she is afraid to break the rules, but she realises that if Murchad dies, there will be a great war between Dublin and Munster, and so wanting Broccan and the other people of Ireland to be safe, she uses her magic to save Murchad. 

Once Fódla has saved Murchad, King Brian comes to see his son and is relieved he is not dying. Fódla tells them she burned away the poison with fire, which they believe. Murchad refuses to marry Gormflaith as part of the negotiations and so King Brian decides to marry her himself. This is not a love match, nor does he desire her, but rather fears her connections to Olaf Tryggvasson and wishes to keep Sitric in line. When they get ready to leave the island, Fódla is relieved that none of them have noticed the magic causing her disfigurement has faded. However, just as she moves to the boat, she sees that Senna has been watching her, and she is fearful that Tomas will discover her use of magic to heal a mortal, which is against their laws.

 

The next day, Máelmórda and Gormflaith are surprised to hear that Murchad has survived, and they believe the poison that Máelmórda bought was weak. Gormflaith refuses to marry Brian, but Máelmórda tricks her into going to church. Once there, Máelmórda pleads with her to marry Brian, as Brian has agreed he can be the King of Leinster if the marriage goes ahead. He has also discovered that the fortress of the Descendants is in Munster and hopes if Gormflaith is living there, she will help discover where it is. His plan is to kill the Descendants, revenge for what they have done to the Fomorian tribe. Gormflaith still stays no, but she is shocked when she discovers that Sitric has already agreed to her marriage to Brian. Máelmórda tells her that siding with her mortal son all these years has been a waste and that the two of them should put their remaining years in Ireland into discovering where the Descendants live so that one day,Fomorians can rule Ireland instead of the mortals. Gormflaith, bitter and dejected, agrees.

 

Fódla travels back to Munster with the army, with Gormflaith now part of the Munster royal family. She decides to ride to Lonán’s ráth so she can tell Sadb what happened and give over his belongings to her. Fódla tells Murchad she will return to Killaloe once this is done. Murchad thanks her for saving his life. She remains fearful that Tomas knows she healed Murchad and believes that when she returns to Munster, Tomas might be waiting for her to take her away.

Rónnat, who is living alone in a crannog in the north of Ireland, summons Colmon to her by talking to him on the wind. Rónnat tells him that a great war is coming and that Fódla is in danger – and that he will be the one to hurt her or to save her.

Colmon says he would never hurt Fódla, and Rónnat makes him promise to keep his word.