Outside the stronghold of Raudh, in the northern providence of Ulster, near the valley of the Picts, the wild night stormed violently. A cold rain had continued to downpour for five days, and tonight was no exception; the rain came down in torrents of large cold droplets that cut straight to one’s bones. A northeastern wind whipped the rain into a fierce fury, causing everyone to find shelter.
Inside the massive structure of Raudh’s banquet hall, numerous fires blazed while young maidens scurry about the men and woman with food and drink. Music, festive laughter, and drunken curses, drown the din of the fierce storm as the northern providence of Ulster seem to drown in a flood of rain. On this night as on the previous four nights, Raudh entertained Conchobar mac Nessa and his famed Red Branch warriors.
Grainne with the aid of the fierce storm was able to slip past dozens of Raudh’s guards and servants, and the royal Ulster guard of Conchobar. No one seen or took notice of the rain-soaked girl, dressed in her lurid guise, her wet naked body glistening in the fire light, till she was standing in the center of the banquet hall with her three ravens flying about. Grainne scanned the hall till she located the Ulster chieftain who was seated with the young king of Ulster, and his Red Branch warriors. The ravens flew to Raudh and alighted upon his chair, raising a noisy clamor with their ear-piercing cries. A broad smile crossed Grainne’s dye-colored face as she stared at the wide-eyed, speechless chieftain.

In a loud voice, Grainne announced that she has come for the Ulster chieftain named Raudh the Dark, for the crime of plundering and forcibly deflowering a child of her young innocents.

Raudh finally found his voice and denied adamantly to the shocked crowd and to a wide-eyed king, that he had ever met the woman standing in front of them, and that she must have him confused with another Raudh. With a quick hand gesture, Raudh commanded his three Pictish bodyguards to take the naked girl into custody.

Responding to Raudh’s silent command, Grainne drew her sword forth from under her cloak of feathers, and what may have seemed as a blur, descended upon the three bodyguards with such ferocious savagery that she severed the heads of the three Picts as if they were one.

Red Branch warriors drew their weapons, scrambling over and around their tables to reach and get at the Red Girl. In a very calm manner, Grainne closed her eyes and held her hand over her head, as she recited a spell in a very old language, unknown to the men of Ulster. The hall’s wolf-hounds cowered and commenced to bay in long mournful tones. Men dropped to their knees as their strength was quickly sapped from their strong bodies. Fear replaced courage, as men and women cowered at the presence of the murderous Red Girl, as she made her way around prostrated warriors, who a second ago was charging the Red Girl with weapons bared. Standing in front of the pale-faced chieftain, Grainne made a salutation-gesture with her left-hand; a cursed sign of death.

Grainne killed the chieftain’s men quite quickly, never engaging them in conversation. Raudh was different; she wanted him to feel fear, hopelessness, and pain.

“Death hangs over there, O’mighty Chieftain of Ulster.” A wicked smile split Grainne’s pretty face. Her tone was calm and frank as if she was speaking to an old dear friend.

Raudh continued his pitiful plea that he was not the same man that had sexually violated the young girl in Leinster. Again no one attempted to move toward Grainne in any way to disarm her. There was one large warrior that was able to crawl on his belly like a new born child, and reach out to grasp Grainne by the ankle. With a smile, Grainne easily stepped out of his weak grasp. Squatting down next to the warrior she placed her hand upon his tangle mat of hair, and again in the strange language, recited her spell. The large warrior responded by crying out and immediately curling his massive body into the fetal position as a young child was wont to do.
Walking up to Raudh’s table, Grainne reaches under her cloak into a leather bag, removing the severed head of a blood-soaked boar.

“Do you know me now___ O’dark one?” Grainne’s voice remained calm; her tone was almost sing-song, as she shook the bloody head in front of a pale-faced Raudh. “Even the boar from the Leinster forest by the Shannon River could not escape my wrath.” With a flick of the hand, Grainne tossed the boar’s head onto Raudh’s lap, causing a spider’s web trail of blood to hit the king.

“That night when you plundered my innocents___ tore into my bleeding flower of womanhood for your drunken pleasure, you destroyed the gentle essence that made up Grainne of the Connacht Mountains.

That night, Grainne did die___ she died screaming for mercy. In her place was born a child of hate and vengeance, the Red Girl, a willing vassal of the Great Phantom Queen of the Dananns.”

Grainne leapt onto the table, her green eyes flashing with an unnatural light as she spoke of the Phantom Queen. “The Morrigan healed my injuries, nursing me back to health as I laid in her arms night after night, suckling on her bosom of sweet vengeance. She was my guide, told me where to find your men in Leinster and in Ulster.” Grainne paused for a second, tilting her head to one side as if listening to something in the far distance. “Can you hear it? Can you hear the hens crowing your doom up high on the roost? Can you hear your hounds in the yard, howling your death song? Raudh, chieftain of the Pictish Valley___ death has come for you on this day___ stand man and face your death!”

Raudh forced a feeble smile as his eyes darted around the hall, in a silent desperate plea for help. With all hope seeming beyond his grasp, a tearful Raudh grabs onto the king, in a desperate effort to have his life spared. Raudh’s body shook uncontrollably as incoherent words bubble forth from his trembling mouth. Large tears stream down his face as he frantically pleaded to the King of Ulster.

The sight of an Ulster chieftain pleading for his life, and crying like a child in the face of death, sickened the Ulster king and his Red Branch warriors. Anger rose in the belly of the Ulster king, with beads of sweat on his brow, and limbs shaking like a woman in the winter of her years, Conchobar found the inner strength to overcome and break the Red Girl’s spell.

Removing the distraught chieftain from his person, Conchobar attempted to stand on his two weaken legs and address the Red Girl.

“Stay your hand woman!” Conchobar had to force the words from his mouth, his strength and confidence was slowly returning to his body. “The Morrigan may not collect her bloody trophy on this night, for this man is under the protection of Conchobar and his Red Branch.”

A girlish laugh escaped from Grainne as she leapt off the table to stand next to the king, bowing her head in mock respect to the young Conchobar. “King of Ulster, Lords of Ulster’s famed Red Branch, I put thee all aside___ for I seek only one.” Grainne’s tone had a touch of playful mockery. “I seek only Raudh the Dark and no other.”

“You may not have him.” Conchobar answered in a strong and angrily voice. His strength flowing once more into his muscles, as it was for many of the warriors of the Red Branch. “If what you have said holds any truth, and I believe it dose___ Raudh will face a council of chieftains at Emain Macha for a fair judgment.”

Conchobar was feeling like his old self again, the weakness almost totally departed from his body. Numerous warriors from the Red Branch were now on their feet, slowly moving on weak shaky legs towards Grainne.

“May I remind you that no Connacht-born may enter a dwelling of an Ulster chieftain and expect to be allowed to pass a death sentence in the presence of an Ulster king___ now lay down your sword, Raudh will be dealt with, justice will prevail in this matter.”

“I see you have made your decision, O’Lord of the Ulstermen.” Grainne replied in a very low meek voice, almost compliant, giving no hint of what was to come. “Now let’s see if you can enforce it.”

With unbelievable speed and agility, Grainne once more alighted upon the table in front of Raudh only to pounce upon the seated chieftain. Her sword flashing past his feeble defense, descending with a sickening crunch and snapping of bones, rending Raudh’s shoulder wide open. The terrified chieftain emitted a howl of pain as he toppled his chair.

“MERCY, give me mercy___ please give me mercy!!” Cried a bloodied Raudh. The injured chieftain continued to plea for his fleeting life as he tried to crawl through his own blood, with his arm hanging dead at his side.

“Mercy you ask of me?” Grainne laugh back, her wicked laughter cut through all who could hear it. “I will show you the mercy you did not show me, you Ulster pig.” With a shrill-cry, Grainne was upon the injured chieftain. Like a vision of death her blade descended in a silvery arc, cleaving Raudh’s head clean-off from his shoulders.

“Is this mercy enough?” A fierce exultation swept over Grainne as she retrieved the severed head, holding it in front of her face. “You shall never know the pain I had to endure, for your pain is now ended.”

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