We spend several hours in silence, the Brehon Ruis and myself, as cloudy day turns to clear evening. I sink into position and idly row the Dragonsilver toward Tara. Ruis sits near the prow and gazes thoughtfully into the water.

There is plenty for us to talk about, yet the moment still seems too solemn for spoken word. The closure that Cormar's Lugh ushered in by defeating the cancer of Eire has left the two of us in quiet contemplation.

"We can stay the night on a crannog nearby," I finally speak aloud. "I've built a hut there with suitable bedding and a firepit. And there is a chase nearby, rich with game, for our supper."