The Dark Age

by Traci Harding

  ‘Calm, Sir Cedric, we art implying naught,’ Maelgwn said, detecting the spite in his knight’s voice. ‘We are merely examining all the possibilities.’

  ‘Please excuse me for saying so, Majesty, but I know Cadogan better than anyone,’ Cedric persisted. ‘True, he may have been a friend to Caradoc once, many of us were. Yet I would stake my life that he be still loyal to the House of Gwynedd.’ The large, red-headed knight turned towards Rhys. ‘And treachery be not a possibility worth wasting our Majesty’s time on.’

  Rhys was not intimidated by Cedric’s harsh tone. ‘I am as confident of his allegiance as thou art, Cedric, and if it be the truth then Sir Cadogan hast nothing to fear. However, with circumstances unfolding as they art, only a fool would not consider —’

  Cedric stood ready to draw his sword in challenge. ‘Thou art the fool, boy!’ he growled, spurring Rhys to his feet.

  ‘Enough!’ Maelgwn thundered, spared from lecturing the pair by a knock on the door. ‘Come in.’ He sat back preparing for more bad news, but to his surprise it was Tory and Brockwell who entered. ‘Tory.’ Maelgwn rose to meet them, delighted by the interruption.

  All the knights and advisers seated at the table sprang from their chairs to kneel before her, aware of her status as a Goddess. Brockwell fell on one knee ashamed, for he’d not considered the Otherworld proclamation when he’d propositioned her earlier.

  ‘Gentlemen please!’ Tory insisted, quite embarrassed. ‘We have all fought hard this day, so please rise.’

  They all did as she asked, except Brockwell. ‘I owe thee an apology, great lady.’

  ‘Brockwell?’ Tory was alarmed that he sounded so distant. She knew to what he referred, and wanted him to drop the subject immediately. ‘Stop being so ridiculous.’

  ‘Nay,’ he resisted, making his remorse felt. ‘I have near shamed the House of Gwynedd with my own selfish desires and damned love of drink. I do swear, I shall never touch another drop if thou can forgive my ignorance.’

  ‘Calin, thy roguish ways be a growing concern,’ Maelgwn said, most displeased.

  ‘Your Majesty, please,’ Tory spoke up. ‘Thou hast been quick to jump to conclusions before. Brockwell’s offence was neither his fault nor as grievous as he claims.’

  ‘Aye Majesty, it was,’ Brockwell said, making matters worse for himself. ‘The lady doth not understand the all of it.’

  Sir Tiernan had turned white at Calin’s confession; this was Sorcha and himself all over again. ‘Time to join the festivities downstairs.’ He motioned the other men to leave.

  ‘Tory, I bid thee leave us also,’ Maelgwn instructed her softly, his dark eyes fixed on Brockwell.

  ‘Nay, Maelgwn, please listen to me —’

  ‘Why must thee defend him so?’

  Those leaving the room froze at the sound of the Dragon’s roar.

  ‘Majesty.’ Tory was deeply hurt by his inference. She was radiating a mystical quality, much like the Dragon in Maelgwn’s nature, only she projected a sense of love and calm. ‘As I wanted to tell thee, and Taliesin will confirm this, Calin be my brother.’

  ‘Not till four and ten hundred years from now,’ Brockwell added in an attempt to clarify things.

  ‘What?’ Maelgwn was a little confused; Tory had never mentioned that she had a brother.

  ‘That be why I was so shocked in thy bath that first night at Degannwy,’ she reminded him, pretending to be unaware that she’d said anything even mildly humorous, while those around them suppressed their chuckles. ‘Dost thou not remember?’

  ‘Aye, I do.’ Maelgwn was forced to better spirits and continued before she could embarrass him further. ‘Perhaps thou had best send Taliesin up to join us.’

  Tory approached the Prince, of the mind to charm him. ‘But it was Taliesin who sent me to thee. King Catulus hast arrived, and the High Merlin suggests that thee join thy people. After all, the celebration be in our honour, surely this can wait.’

  Maelgwn found it very hard to resist her, but he also realised that, as an outsider, this was beyond her understanding. ‘My request be still the same. I trust thee can entertain our guest, King Catulus, until I can join thee.’

  Tory propped herself up onto her toes to whisper in his ear.

  ‘But King Catulus be an old man! Be there no one in whose company thou art safe?’ Maelgwn said, in a playful manner.

  ‘Thy lady shall be safe with me, Majesty.’ Rhys stepped forward and offered Tory his arm.

  ‘Of course, Sir Rhys will accompany thee. This shall not take long, I promise.’

  Tory looked back at Brockwell. She knew Calin was not very good at explaining himself, and he was liable to land himself in more strife.

  ‘No harm shall befall him, I promise,’ Maelgwn assured her as Rhys escorted her out the door.

  In amongst the merrymaking in the courtyard, Tory awaited the outcome of the Prince’s meeting with Brockwell. She was gradually going insane with worry, so she decided to seek out Lady Gladys to confide in her.

  As mistress of the house and Brockwell’s mother, Lady Gladys was most interested to discover what had been taking place with Brockwell.

  ‘If I do not see my son wed soon, I know he shall be the death of me,’ she told Tory in confidence. ‘Do not get me wrong child, I am overjoyed that thou hast found in Calin thy lost kin, yet I fear thy pure intentions art easily misread by him. I think it fortunate that this hast all come to light now, as Taliesin can deal with it accordingly.’

  ‘But thy son did naught to offend,’ Tory stressed.

  Lady Gladys was rather surprised by her words, believing it to be quite the contrary. ‘Tory dear, thou hast been hailed a Goddess. Only a king by way of initiation be worthy to lay claim to thy privileges and not insult the powers that brought thee to us.’

  ‘What?’ Tory was suddenly alarmed. ‘Art thou telling me I have to wait until Maelgwn and I are wed before we …’

  ‘Spirits preserve us!’ Lady Gladys grabbed hold of Tory’s hands, quickly guiding her to a quiet corner. ‘Doth thou know much of our beliefs, child?’

  ‘Some, I’m not too sure I understand them all,’ she admitted, eager to learn.

  Lady Gladys took a deep breath. ‘A Queen, to us, personifies the land and its prosperity henceforth, so if thou art virtuous, happy, and appear to flourish with the King …’

  ‘So will the land,’ Tory stated to acknowledge that she was following.

  ‘The new monarch, in this case Maelgwn, gains his right to rule over the land by way of union with the Goddess in wedlock, thus linking him with the Otherworld. Only this shall bring the sanction and glory of the Great Houses upon his reign, Tory. And thou hast already witnessed the great might of their wrath when angered.’

  Tory became a mite confused as she pondered, the Gods, or Taliesin? Is there any difference between the two?

  ‘And surely thee would not want to risk an illegitimate heir with Caradoc still breathing,’ Lady Gladys said.

  ‘We have not even considered children yet.’ Tory sounded none too thrilled by the suggestion, she liked her body just the shape it was.

  Lady Gladys shook her head, astounded. ‘But thy wedding will only be deemed legitimate upon the birth of a male heir to the throne.’

  ‘I did not realise.’ Tory was mortified, and she became a little nauseous at the idea of childbirth in the sixth century. No happy gas!

  ‘My dear child.’ Lady Gladys embraced her. ‘I can see we shall have to sit down and have a long chat about a great many things. But for now, thee must swear to me that thee will withhold thy pleasures from Maelgwn until the appointed time, which be only twelve days hence.’

  ‘Aye.’ Tory tried to smile. ‘I swear to thee.’

  Lady Gladys, nevertheless, feared this was not enough to prevent Tory and Maelgwn’s overwhelming attraction for each other from getting the better of them too soon. Thus she made the pending Queen repeat an oath after her, then said, ‘Thou hast sworn by the elements and art boun
d by life itself to comply.’

  This request was obviously very important to the stately woman and Tory felt bound to do her will. ‘I would not bring shame upon thy home, Lady Gladys. In my time sexual attitudes art very lax, so I hope thou will not look too poorly on my eagerness to bed the Prince.’

  Tory realised she should be more careful with what she said from now on, at least until she got a grip on the customs and beliefs of the people in this era.

  ‘I hardly think so, I was young and in love once.’ Lady Gladys smiled.

  When at last Taliesin, Maelgwn, and Tiernan entered the courtyard, Tory panicked as Brockwell was not with them. She decided it best not to approach the Prince at once, he was surrounded by his colleagues and she didn’t have any desire to get caught up in formalities again. It would be better to wait for him to seek her out, or else he would surely become jealous of her concern for Calin. Tory opted to take a wander amongst the real folk of Gwynedd and so made her way towards the outer bailey.

  ‘My lady Tory.’

  Tory turned to find Katren bounding towards her.

  ‘Or should I say, my Queen,’ Katren giggled, bowing deeply, before overwhelming Tory with a hug. ‘Congratulations! I am so happy for thee — and me, to be maid to the Queen, a Goddess, what an honour!’

  ‘Please, don’t remind me.’ This marriage was shaping up to be much more complicated than she’d first imagined. ‘Dost thou know if I am allowed a bridesmaid?’

  ‘Thou art,’ Katren grinned from ear to ear.

  ‘Well then, for the next two weeks, as I know naught of what preparations art appropriate, thee, as my bridesmaid …’

  Katren began to squeal softly, the excitement getting too much for her.

  ‘…will have to advise and educate me. I am in great need of a friend right now, Katren.’

  Tory’s lack of sleep was beginning to catch up on her, and Katren sensed this. ‘Then as thy friend, I must recommend that thee take a long hot bath then go straight to bed.’

  Tory nodded in agreement, but she caught sight of a disturbance that had erupted outside the courtyard walls.

  ‘Nay, Lady thee should not …’ Katren tried to stop her, but Tory was already halfway there.

  A crowd had gathered to watch a very drunk soldier teasing one of the village women with a dead fowl. Tory thought it a game until he punched the woman hard in the stomach for biting him. ‘Come and get it, wanton witch. What be wrong, hast thou changed thy mind?’ he sneered.

  ‘Enough!’ Tory stepped into the circle. ‘Tell me the name of thy superior, soldier?’

  The soldier just laughed at Tory. ‘Who wants to know?’

  ‘Look sharp, thou art addressing the future Queen of Gwynedd.’ Tiernan came to stand beside her.

  ‘The War Goddess,’ the soldier said, falling to his knees.

  Upon hearing this the whole crowd went to kneel, however Tory demanded very loudly, ‘All rise!’

  Tory looked to his game, recognising the woman involved from her first day in Aberffraw. As their party had passed through the village, this woman had been viewing Cadogan with some resentment, if memory served her. ‘Who doth that belong to?’ Tory asked, pointing to the fowl.

  Before the distraught soldier could answer the woman in question sprang to her feet. She tore the bird’s carcass from the man’s hand, punching him straight between the eyes. The crazed woman then took off through the crowd with her prize, howling and chattering like a lunatic.

  ‘Wait!’ Tory leapt over the soldier to go after her.

  Tiernan sprang into action, grabbing hold of Tory’s arm. ‘Thee will not catch her now.’

  ‘Did thou see that? Incredible!’ Tory could hardly believe it. ‘Who be this woman, I have need to speak with her.’

  ‘Nay, great lady, thee could have nothing to say to this woman. For she be mute, mad and nothing more than a whore.’

  Tory resented the distaste reflected in the knight’s tone. ‘Gee, Tiernan, I wonder why?’ she said sarcastically, as she turned and headed back to the castle in a huff.

  ‘She hast got a lot on her mind. I am sure she meant thee no offence, sir,’ Katren curtsied to Tiernan, before turning to go after her mistress.

  Tory, meanwhile, had done an about-face and walked back down to them. ‘I apologise to thee, Sir Tiernan, it hast been one hell of a day. Tell me, what hast become of Calin?’

  Katren’s eyes opened wide with the mention of her beloved, and she listened intently.

  ‘I believe the Prince will wish to discuss that with thee. Understand, it be not my place.’

  ‘Come on, Tiernan. There art so many seeking Maelgwn’s council at present that I should be lucky to speak with him this side of a week from now.’

  But still Tiernan refrained.

  As she was clearly getting nowhere, Tory changed her line of questioning. ‘Where be Calin then, I shall ask him myself?’

  ‘Nay, thee cannot. He hast been forbidden to look upon or speak to thee until such time as thou art wed to thy King.’

  What hast happened? Katren wondered, dying to ask.

  ‘What! I don’t believe it!’ Tory cried. ‘This be too much! Who decreed it?’

  ‘Fate.’

  Tory swung round to confront Taliesin.

  ‘Calm thyself.’

  ‘I am not a child, and I do not require cautioning from you,’ she said, then controlled her emotions at once. ‘What else hast thou decreed about my life that I should know, High Merlin?’

  Taliesin stepped forward to touch her, but Tory backed up to avoid his contact. ‘Oh no. Nobody controls me, but me.’

  ‘I think we should talk,’ Taliesin suggested, sensing her confusion and frustration.

  ‘I think we should. And I should like to see the Prince, if that not be too much to ask.’ Tory left them and made for her tower.

  Maelgwn and the High Merlin later found Tory on the open walkway.

  ‘I want in on this conspiracy,’ she demanded. ‘Thou art both making decisions concerning me without my knowledge!’

  Taliesin stepped forward, ever so meekly. ‘Tory, thou art hysterical.’

  ‘Do not think for a second that I do not know thy game, Taliesin,’ Tory said. ‘If thee wishes to see the native faith strengthened throughout this land, then so be it, but surely thee must realise that setting me up as an idol in the eyes of these people can only be detrimental to my mission here. Dost thou want it to seem humanly impossible to master my fighting skills?’

  ‘Thee needs to be more of an ideal, to which others can aspire,’ Taliesin replied, seeing her point.

  ‘Aye. People have to believe they can achieve all that I have and more, through their own desire and willpower. Not by worshipping me! That be where the human race keeps failing. People keep turning to all these religions, when all they really need, be to love, know and believe in themselves.’

  Taliesin raised his eyebrows. ‘I agree, in principle. But these art a simple people, Tory. Myths and legends be how they learn the ethics and beliefs that thou dost hold so dear. I shall give thee some material to read on the subject, thou shalt be surprised at how much of it thee will agree with,’ the Merlin told her.

  ‘That be not my only beef with thee, High Merlin. I have a list.’

  ‘Thou art already beginning to sound like a Queen.’ He folded his arms and leant against the sea-wall.

  ‘Thee must know I have the situation with Calin under control.’

  Taliesin nodded to confirm this.

  ‘So why art thou punishing him when thee said thyself that he could not help but feel as he dost?’

  Taliesin rubbed his forehead, frustrated at having to explain his actions, which were in the best interest of all involved. ‘I know it doth not appear so at present, but I assure thee that this will be for the best. Can thou not trust me as thou hast so many times before?’

  ‘Look, Taliesin, thee could be the devil himself for all I know. Why should I believe one word of what thou hast to
ld me?’

  Taliesin found Tory attractive when she was riled up. ‘My dear lady, Brockwell nominated his own punishment.’

  ‘No!’

  ‘Yes,’ Maelgwn finally spoke up. ‘He declined to be my champion and my first man at the inauguration and the wedding.’

  ‘This be all my fault.’ Tory was unnerved by the revelation. ‘Maelgwn, please, let me talk to him, this be so ludicrous, he did not do anything.’

  ‘Tory, thou art exhausted, could we not discuss this on the morrow? Thee will surely have more patience by then.’ Saying this, Maelgwn dared to sweep her up into his arms and take her to the bed himself.

  Tory hated herself for not being able to resist his bidding. ‘Thee should talk. When was the last time thee slept?’

  ‘If my brain was still working, I could tell thee.’ He carried her into the caphouse and collapsed onto the bed with her.

  As they lay there a moment, their minds awhirl in the silence, another question that had been plaguing Tory suddenly sprang to mind. ‘What be this inauguration all about?’

  Maelgwn kissed her to avoid another inquiry. ‘Tomorrow,’ he vowed as he rose to leave. ‘I shall see thee at sunrise as usual.’ He closed the door and joined Taliesin outside.

  Tory gazed around the caphouse, realising that all her belongings that Taliesin had acquired for her had been placed in her room.

  ‘Excellent.’ Tory picked up a few history books to do a little research. She turned to a chapter on the inauguration of kings, in the hope of gaining some enlightenment.

  Come sunrise, Maelgwn hasten to the rooftop to join Tory for kata, but he didn’t find her on the sea-wall as usual. After an extensive search, the Prince leant on the wall, his gaze falling to the beach below. There, along with a few early morning fishermen, he spied Tory seated on the sand in the lotus position.

  Tory noticed that the Prince was approaching, but did not break from her meditation until he’d sat down beside her. ‘I did some reading last night and I have to tell thee, this inauguration ritual hast got me worried.’ She turned her large green eyes towards him. ‘I did not go through all I did for Gwynedd, Maelgwn. I did it for thee. And now I discover that thy men will probably kill thee on some male bonding weekend before we art even wed.’