by Griff Hosker
I jumped down and saw that Bedivere, Pol’s squire, had a cut across his left arm. Gawan was already fetching his leather satchel to heal him. All the rest had survived. The crew cheered for they knew how close we had come to disaster and death.
Gwyneth and her ladies came forth. They saw the flaming ship. She came up to me, “We watched through the slats in the cabin. We could have died. The Lord saved us.”
I shook my head, “Your husband saved us with his pots of fire. Those men who attacked us were followers of the White Christ.” I held the wolf clasp from my cloak in my hand. “If any saved us other than Gawan then it was the Allfather and the spirits.”
She turned, tight lipped and returned to her ladies. I had not said the right thing.
We sailed all night and, as dawn broke, saw Wyddfa ahead of us and the mouth of the Clwyd. We had to wait for high tide. The river was wide enough all the way to Rhuddlan but we dared not risk grounding her. The fight with the pirates might have weakened her hull already. The wait gave us the opportunity to clean the blood from her decks. We had been lucky and I had made a mistake. I had not brought archers. I could take nothing for granted. With enemies all around us then I had to be prepared for any and all dangers.
We had been seen bobbing in the estuary and the King himself was at the wooden quay to greet us. There was a pair of priests with him. From their attire they were the Abbot of the monastery at St. Asaph and the Bishop. I found myself clutching the hilt of Saxon Slayer. My father and Asaph had been friends. Gwyneth and her ladies left the ship first followed by Arturus and Gawan. Normally it would have been me who would land first but now I was the least important of the guests. I busied myself with Daffydd. “We will be here for a day or two at least. Do you wish to have the ship hauled from the water?”
He smiled, “You read my mind, lord. We smacked that ship hard and ‘Gwynfor’ is no longer a young lady.”
By the time we left the quay was empty. My equites and I left together. The crew and the squires carried our chests. We were coming to a wedding but we had our war gear.
The hall had been well prepared for the wedding and we all had accommodation. I did not have a chamber to myself but shared a small hall with my men. It suited me. I wished to return to my home as soon as possible and the less I had to do with this ceremony the better. The wedding would be held in the wooden cathedral of St Cyndeyrn in St Asaph. It was not far to travel but I was always uncomfortable in these Christians edifices with the ceremonies conducted in a language few understood.
The King had laid on a feast the night before the wedding. His lords and chiefs were in attendance. He had invited King Cadafael but he had said that he was not ready to travel at such short notice. Patently an untruth the alliance had clear cracks! I was the guest of honour but all the attention was on the young couple and their parents. It suited me for I was able to observe the men alongside whom I would be fighting should war come again. They did not inspire me with confidence.
Beli ap Llewellyn looked to be the most promising of them. He was younger than the King and he wore good mail. More importantly he looked like a lean warrior. The others like Gruffyd ap Cyndeyrn, Owain ap Owain and Daffydd ap Mordaf looked like overweight chiefs with a greater opinion of themselves than I had. Those men we had trained for Cadwallon had died with their King at Hagustaldes-ham. They had not been replaced with warriors of the same mettle and the warriors who surrounded Gwynedd had a lesser threat facing them. Potentially the whole of the land to the south of us could easily fall to an aggressive enemy. I could hold on to Rheged but not the rest of the land.
Gwenhwyfar and Arturus, however, appeared to be genuinely in love with each other. Myrddyn had known more than we had. I was not sure it would be an easy marriage for they appeared to be too similar to each other. Time would tell but time was not something I had in abundance. My equites apart, everyone was very drunk. Gwyneth appeared to be happy and that was something to be applauded.
As Gawan and I helped to put some of the squires and a deliriously happy Arturus to bed I asked him, “Will this all end well, brother? I see little in this alliance to benefit us. Cynddylan’s lords are weak. We might end up having to support him rather than him coming to our aid.”
He nodded, “I agree but I can see little that we can do about it. Myrddyn and the spirits are happy. The couple are patently well suited. This is all planned, brother and we will just have to live with it. I am no Myrddyn and I cannot see far into the future. Like you I do not think this bodes well but we trusted Myrddyn as did our father. We can trust him a little longer, eh?”
With that depressing thought in my head I retired but I slept little. I did not dream but my mind was filled with pictures of the land being ravaged by war. The peace created by my father might well become a distant memory.
The wedding went well in that no one in the church objected. Even Queen Heledd seemed happy although Princess Heledd looked unhappy and sulked and the sun shone. The couple were married with a Christian ceremony which I did not understand. I am not sure that many did. My nephew understood Latin but his bride did not. He had to constantly prompt her. As was the tradition in this part of the land the couple retired to a specially made bedchamber after the ceremony and all waited outside while the couple entered. The guests then left for a further feast but I decided to head down to my ship and speak with Daffydd. I wanted to leave as soon as I could.
He and his men were busy working on the hull when I arrived. They were coating the repaired strakes with pine tar. There were many pine forests around us and they had made a great quantity. It never went amiss.
“We can leave tomorrow?”
“On the afternoon tide, aye lord.”
I was disappointed. It meant we would have to travel at night. I did not wish to risk pirates again. “We will have extra guests. You had better rig up a shelter for the servants. They will not all fit into the cabin.”
“I have done so already.” Daffydd was wise. “Something troubles you, lord?”
I waved a hand, “This land. When our fathers lived on the island of Mona we had a time of peace and a place of plenty. I fear that this will become a debatable land.”
“The people will survive. My family still lives on the island. They are raided and they lose both property and people but they endure. What they all have is a memory of a good time when the Warlord ruled and they believe that those days will return. Civitas Carvetiorum is hailed throughout this island as the palace of safety.”
“But not with me as Warlord.”
“Do not be hard upon yourself. The wars and the plague took many. Our people are not as numerous as they were. We need time to build.”
“You think that this marriage will help?”
“It cannot do other. We know that Lady Gwenhwyfar can be wild.” He laughed, “My family on the island spoke at great length about her but she looks like a queen and she is fey. She has powers. They will grow together.” He smiled and lowered his voice, “Warlord on the voyage out to Constantinopolis and back I spoke at length to your nephew. He has a good heart and he would be as you are. Fathers always worry that their sons will not be what they wish them to be and the simple fact is that they will not. They become new men, different men. They change and adapt. You are not his father but he is as a son to you. He will be a good leader.”
I would have to be content with that. I felt as though I had let down my father by losing what he had won. I determined that I would make, Carvetitas as my stronghold was known amongst my equites, as a place of strength to which any could come. The rest of the island might suffer but not my home!
Chapter 9
The voyage home was, mercifully, incident free. Arturus and his bride giggled and laughed the whole time. There was nowhere for them to be alone and so they huddled and cuddled on the deck. We left in the late afternoon and they stood watching the sun setting in the west. When darkness came they went towards the prow and watched the flickering lights to the east where tin
y communities eked out a living by the sea. With the women occupying the cabin the rest of the deck was littered with bodies of those asleep or trying to sleep. As Warlord I felt duty bound to walk the deck and ensure that all were comfortable. I could do little even if they were not but it was the least I could do. I had just checked that Gwyneth and her ladies were comfortable and stepped out on to the deck when Gwenhwyfar and Arturus appeared.
“Uncle, my wife would have a word with you.”
“Of course. We stepped into the lee of the cabin where the wind was not as strong and we could speak.
She began by stretching up and kissing me on the cheek, “This is to thank you for allowing this to take place. I know that you could have forbade it and I am grateful that you did not.”
“Arturus is the nearest that I will have to a son. It is natural that I wish the best for him.”
“And you have heard that I am a wild child who ran off with a witch. You fear that I will enchant Arturus.”
I smiled, “I believe that he is enchanted already.”
Arturus said, “And I know about the witch, Morgana. My father is a wizard; why should I fear a wife who may be a witch.”
She poked him playfully, “I am not a witch. If I were I might turn you into a toad. Morgana just told me of my past. She said that I had powers. She intimated that Myrddyn and my mother had lain together.”
I laughed, “I was with Myrddyn longer than you were alive child and I can attest to the fact that he never went near to your mother.”
“Even when he worked on his tomb?” Arturus’ mind was as sharp as ever.
For the first time doubt crept into my mind but then I dismissed it. “You do your mother a disservice talking about her thus.”
“It was she spoke to me about it first. She kept saying that she had made a mistake when I was conceived and my wilful nature was her punishment.” She shook her head, “I had nothing to do with my birth! How could I be a punishment?”
“And are you a Christian?” I held up my hand. “For myself I care not but Arturus is a Christian.”
“You can be a Christian and believe in the spirit world.”
I shook my head, “Do not try to argue that case with a priest. I agree with you for my brother is wise and has explained it to me but do you believe it Arturus?”
“I have to, Warlord, for I can read my wife’s thoughts as she reads mine. I am not the youth who came back from Constantinopolis so full of himself. I have changed.”
I suddenly spied hope. “Then Gwenhwyfar, I wish you and your husband well. You will be as safe in Civitas Carvetiorum as anywhere and my equites will protect you. When I am gone to the Otherworld it is Arturus who will lead them.”
She squeezed my arm, “Do not be in a hurry to get there, Warlord. I wish to get to know you.”
She was an enchantress. I felt myself falling under her spell. It was as though the wild child we had first met had suddenly become a woman and that she had powers now which she did not know of earlier. A wind came from the south and made me shiver. Was this good or was it ill?
When we arrived back we were greeted by the whole settlement. Arturus and Gawan were both popular. Gawan’s wife was taken with the young beauty her son had married. Denied daughters of her own the two got on well. That was a relief to Gawan for Arturus would be away for half a moon every three moons and he did not want conflict in our halls. It also helped that Gwenhwyfar was overwhelmed by the civilised stronghold that was Civitas Carvetiorum. It boded well.
Arturus’ bride also seemed to have an understanding of the ordinary folk of our town. She took pleasure in walking the streets with her two ladies and speaking with those that she met. She was kind and she was generous with both her coin and her time. Morgana had taught her skills and she was able to offer advice on illness which women had. Sometimes they did not feel they could speak with Gawan and Gwenhwyfar was a kind listener. This was not the wild child of whom we had been warned. Myrddyn was right, yet again. She became popular and when her skills as a healer were discovered then she was much sought after. The witch who had given her shelter had taught her and developed her natural skills. Perhaps that was another reason her mother and she had not got on. It was something she did not understand.
Now that we were back from the wars, our world could return to what passed for normal. Our quests resumed and we added, for we now had more equites, a second quest to the north and the borders of Alt Clut. We had an ally there who was closer to us than any. If we could stop Oswiu from encroaching there then so much the better. We also had to plan for Arturus’ elevation to the order of equites. I left that in the hands of Llenlleog. I had much to occupy my mind. We had more messengers from both Penda and Cynddylan in the months following the wedding. King Penda used the boar symbol and Cynddylan used men who were known to Gwenhwyfar. We learned that the Bernicians had fled north but now had a line of defences along the Hwmyr. It was in the land of Deira and that had been King Oswiu’s. He had now been proclaimed King of Northumbria. The fact that he had his strength in the south made our lives slightly easier.
After the last message from the King I sat with Gawan. Arturus was still enjoying the company of his wife. He was diligent when he performed his duties but he no longer spent every spare moment with the squires. He was closeted with his wife as often as possible.
“And King Penda is happy with the gathering of an army upon his borders?”
I nodded and sipped the wine. A ship had sailed from Constantinopolis. Our copper and iron were highly prized for their purity. Arturus and Gwyneth had made good contacts in the port as well as in the court. “He is for he wishes a final battle. When Oswiu is dead then King Penda can take the last two independent kingdoms. He will be High King.”
“And then we will have to watch out.”
“I think not, brother. I have never tried to gain a kingdom, merely save one. King Penda has no desire for our land. He wants flat farmland which yields him rich crops. He told me so and I believe him. I looked into his eyes and saw no deceit.”
“That is what he says now but when he takes Northumbria he will look at Rheged with greedy eyes.”
“Then we will fight him!”
Gawan laughed, “Of course you will.”
Daffydd ap Gwynfor had also been back to the Clwyd. He had been to collect more of Gwenhwyfar’s chests. While there he had sailed to his former home and spoken with his family. What he had told me had been disturbing.
“There is something else. Daffydd heard of the Clan of the Snake.” I had Gawan’s attention. Having killed our last living relatives both of us sought vengeance. “They have resurfaced in Wessex. They have acquired ships. They have four of them and they are using the land of Wessex to raid the seaways. Cenwalh, who was King, has fled. Some say he is hiding with the Jutes on their island but it cannot be confirmed. With King Penda now ruling Wessex the Clan of the Snake have managed to create their own domain. When Penda has dealt with Northumbria then I can see him ridding his land of these barbaric men but for now we have a danger to the south and west. It is said that he also uses some of the rivers in the heart of Gwynedd to raid ships bound for the northern waters. That is too close to home. I would not like to see those savages let loose in my land again.”
“Then I will have to use my powers.” He hesitated and then, sighing said, “Gwenhwyfar has powers. I feel stronger with her here in this stronghold. If she aided me then we might be able to detect the Saxons.”
“That is a risk and I am not certain your son would approve.”
“I can ask him. It will take all of my powers to see into their dark hearts. They have powers themselves. If they have ships then they can avoid your equites. I cannot see how we would defeat Saxons in ships.”
I drank down the wine and smacked my lips. It came to me. “Constantinopolis has towers along its walls. Do you remember brother?”
“Aye but how does that help us? We have towers here on our walls.”
“Think
bigger; think the land of Rheged. We need towers on the coast and along the Eden valley. The wall already has them.”
“And who will man them, brother?”
“That is the good part. We ask those who live close by to build the towers and to keep watch. We tell them what to look for. This way we could spot an enemy coming up the coast and be ready to meet them in battle. It also gives them a refuge should they be attacked. Our land is rich in stone. Let us use the stone as a weapon.” Gawan did not appear convinced. “Gawan, we know from my father’s time that it is very easy to lose a land. We have fewer men now to protect more people. The people must help themselves. We have made a start for all the men who live in Rheged can use weapons. This would be good training for the boys and youths.”
He smiled, “Perhaps you are right. How would we tell them what we need?”
“That is simple. The equites and squires who do not go on a quest this moon can ride and visit with those who live in the coasts and the High Divide. It will be good for the men of Rheged to see equites.”
Surprisingly my equites were all in favour of the idea. They also saw the benefits of riding among those they protected. Kay summed it up succinctly, “One day, Warlord, we will have to fight alongside these men. If you know a man before you are his shield brother then you will fight better together. Our equites can advise them how to build the towers and to man them.”
I took Arturus with me and we rode to the wall. We had re fortified Banna. There were ten of our archers there. The two of us rode east. We had the easiest task of all for the Roman Wall stood and there were fragments of towers all along it. We chose the best of those that remained and sought out the men who lived closest. The fact that the Warlord asked them seem to imbue them with a greater sense of responsibility. We stopped when we reached the site of the battle where King Cadwallon had perished, Hagustaldes-ham. We saw no sign of enemies. We had been away from home for ten days. Our horses were tired and I needed a bath. We headed to be home.
