| Situation | Involving or Against |
|---|---|
Abuse |
A child |
Uallach has a seizure in public, and her mother insists on a “treatment” that might as easily be a cruel punishment.
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Sadb and Uallach meet the men coming up the path and heading into the hall. A furious Comgeall tells her that Congal and forty of Young Aed’s horsemen have moved into Three Winds, her former home with Diarmait.
After Comgeall has moved on, Uallach falls onto the path and has a seizure before all the men, but no one stops to help. Sadb calls for Comgeall, but when he comes he only yells at Uallach. Donnchad’s son Aed offers to stay to watch her, but he does not seem to offer much assistance either, and Sadb runs to fetch Orlaith.
Orlaith comes after a detour to warn the doctor. By then Uallach is only beginning to regain consciousness. Furious, Orlaith berates her for having a fit on purpose in order to gain attention. When Sadb insists that it was a real fit, Orlaith says that if she is ill, she must be treated. She orders Sadb to go home and tells Aed to carry Uallach to the doctor’s.
Sadb does not go home, but hides and watches. She sees Orlaith and Aibinn holding a desperately pleading Uallach down while the doctor applies leeches behind her ear. Orlaith slaps her to make her lie still.
Finally Sadb breaks down outside and starts to sob. She understands why Diarmait was never nostalgic about his time in prison with her: it would have meant revealing the terrible conditions at home.
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