by Simon Lister
Merdynn came back to the present when the others left the table, led away by Terrill and the reluctant Seren. Arthur watched her go.
‘What happened between you?’ Merdynn asked. Arthur turned to look at Merdynn and he hurriedly continued, ‘Between you and the king at the council?’
Lord Venning leant forward, waiting for the reply. Kane watched Arthur as he pushed his chair back and absently rubbed the back of his thigh where the arrow had penetrated.
‘He wants me dead. That’s why he agreed to the war bands going east in winter. He doesn’t think we’ll be coming back.’
‘But why? What purpose would that serve? Despite his obvious animosity towards you, to lose you and Cei and your warriors would be a disaster for Britain at this time,’ Merdynn said, clearly puzzled.
‘I don’t know his purpose yet, only that this much is true. For some reason he wants the Wessex and Anglian warriors far from home,’ Arthur replied.
‘I don’t believe he intends to take the journey west,’ Lord Venning suggested.
‘That would surprise me, he usually takes a care with his own safety,’ Arthur replied.
‘He believes we have formed an alliance, one designed to overthrow him.’
Arthur and Merdynn stared at Lord Venning.
‘Good God, the man’s finally gone mad,’ Merdynn muttered.
‘He’s my king, how can he think I’d betray that?’ Arthur said.
‘He’s not mad but he could be a danger to the land if you are abroad Arthur. I don’t know what he plots, his heart is secretive and his will is strong but his designs have been prepared over the years and he feels now is the time to bring them into the open,’ Lord Venning said staring at the table. He brought his black eyes up to Arthur’s and added, ‘Is going east wise?’
‘I see no choice. Do we wait for the Adren attack, not knowing where it will fall, or how many will be coming at us or even when? Do we abandon the Belgae as lost? I see no choice. We will have to face King Maldred and his designs when we return.’
‘And? There’s something else, what is it?’ Merdynn said, sensing that Arthur had held something back.
‘We need to know if the Adren are intent on invading Britain – and why. Is it just the land they want? Do they intend to enslave the peoples of Britain? Or is their true design to take the Veiled City and what it hides?’
Merdynn looked uncomfortable and shot a glance towards the two Cithol.
‘What?’ Arthur asked.
‘You remember what we were saying in the council?’
‘Yes,’ Arthur replied impatiently.
‘Well, I believe Lazure was sent to the Shadow Land City many, many years ago. It seems likely that the Khan in the East sent him. At that time his Adren armies probably would not have been strong enough to take that city by force so Lazure took it by guile. He positioned himself to council the Shadow Land City’s rulers and over the centuries gradually took control himself. Once he had control over the ancient power of the city he was able to use it to effectively feed the Adren armies of the East. And their number grew until Lazure felt confident enough that nothing in the West could withstand them,’ Merdynn paused and looked again to Lord Venning.
Arthur stared at him impatiently, ‘This is more or less what was said at the council.’
‘Yes, yes it is. But we felt that the next bit perhaps ought not to have been mentioned at that stage. The Shadow Land City is very much like this city. The source of its power, while different, is still a legacy from the same past. And, well, that’s not the only similarity – it’s a Cithol City too,’ Merdynn concluded, nodding to himself.
‘Lazure runs a Cithol City? The city that supplies his Adren armies?’
‘Hmmm, yes, it would seem so,’ Merdynn replied.
Arthur stared at the two Cithol.
‘We don’t know anything for certain yet. It may be that once he took control of the city the Cithol there were either killed or sent east to the Khan. We just don’t know,’ Lord Venning said, adding his shrug to Merdynn’s.
‘It may be that the Adren captains are Cithol,’ Merdynn said brightly.
‘That’s just speculation – there’s nothing to support that,’ Venning added angrily.
Commander Kane spoke for the first time since the others had left, ‘This city must not fall. To the best of our extensive knowledge there are only two cities that still have the ancient knowledge, the legacy power. Whoever controls the two cities controls everything from the far east to the western oceans – and no one would ever be able to challenge their control.’
Arthur held his eyes and said, ‘I would rather this land from the Causeway to the Haven and everything in-between be burnt to ash and utterly destroyed than to see it in the hands of the Adren and their Master.’
His words chilled both Merdynn and the Cithol.
Chapter Six
Arthur took his leave of Fin Seren in the Winter Garden. He had gone ahead of Merdynn and the others to prepare the horses for the next stage of their journey to the Causeway. Seren had left her guests to say their farewells to the Lord of the Cithol and hurried to the Winter Garden hoping to meet Arthur there.
Arthur had saddled the horses and was just saddling Merdynn’s pony when he heard Seren behind him.
‘Going so soon, Arthur?’
Arthur turned to look at her. She was smiling in the same playful way as when they first met but her eyes betrayed an uncertainty. Again he felt an overwhelming urge to embrace her but turned back to secure the last strap on the horse’s saddle.
‘I must go east, Seren.’
‘To the Shadow Lands?’
‘Yes.’
He had heard the fear in her voice and was loath to turn around and see it in her face.
‘They say it is dangerous to go east in winter.’
‘There’s danger at every turn now. Both here and there.’
Seren stepped closer to Arthur and rested a hand on his shoulder. He turned to face her.
‘Then we will both have to be careful.’
Her voice was stronger again and they embraced, holding each other tightly. She stepped back and bowing her head, lifted off the clear stone that hung on a leather cord around her neck.
‘Take this.’ She offered him the jewel.
Arthur took it and looked at her enquiringly.
‘We call it Elk Stone, it brings the wearer good fortune, or so they say,’ Seren said. ‘And be sure not to leave it another ten years before you deign to visit us once more,’ she added, lightly mocking him. He laughed and holding her face in both hands, kissed her.
‘I’ll be back before Imbolc.’
‘And when, pray, is that particular strange festival of yours?’
‘Before the sun rises.’
They heard the others leaving the dome and making their way across to them. Their short time alone was slipping quickly away. Seren moved as if to embrace Arthur one more time but she stopped herself. Arthur smiled at her and her dark green eyes said everything they no longer had the time to voice.
As the others neared she said, ‘You’ll miss the Gardens in the starlight.’
‘It’s not the Gardens that I will miss, Seren.’
‘Look for the winter moon Arthur and when you see its cold face remember I too will be looking on it, remembering this moment.’
The atmosphere changed as the others arrived talking excitedly as they started to untether their horses. Arthur shrugged almost indiscernibly to Seren and then led his horse out of the shelter. Terrill suggested they walk their horses out of the woods and the group moved to the archway, Terrill and Merdynn leading, the others next and Arthur and Seren last.
They filed through the gateway with Seren bidding them farewell and when the others were through Seren leaned up and kissed Arthur saying, ‘I’ll look for you when the snows melt and the streams run once more.’
She turned and was gone. Arthur was through the archway and following the others. He fought the d
esire to turn back. All he wanted in that moment was to stay in the Veiled City with Fin Seren, to be at peace, a peace he had not known all his life. As the distance increased between them he feared with a cold certainty that it would never happen. If they were fortunate they might yet steal moments together but they would be desperate moments in a time of despair.
Minute by minute he became more aware of his surroundings. Ahead, Ceinwen had just asked Terrill about the ruins they could see to either side in the woods.
‘Our tales say that a great city once stood here. Thousands upon thousands lived here in gleaming towers amid treasured gardens with walls higher than the eye can see.’
‘What happened to them?’ Ceinwen asked trying to imagine the scene and the downfall that Merdynn had talked of at the council.
‘All I know is that they are long gone. The city died in ages past, I don’t know how and I don’t know why. The lore keepers know more of these things. If you come back this way perhaps you can ask Lord Venning if you can talk to them.’
Ceinwen was unsatisfied with the answer but realised that Terrill would say no more and she lapsed into silence. Arthur’s thoughts returned to the Veiled City. He remembered seeing the Summer Lake on his previous visit. The lake was situated in a cavern the size of a valley with houses strewn around its shore. The cavern roof was hundreds of feet high and lined with crystals that lit the whole valley like miniature bright stars. The lake itself was black, unfathomable and utterly still except where the occasional long canoe cut rippling arrows across its inky surface. Fresh, chilled air blew gently from regularly spaced large fissures in the walls. It was a setting that could not possibly exist in the imagination of someone from outside and even seeing it did not seem to make it any more possible or real.
Equally amazing to Arthur were the caverns where the crops were grown. Endless lines of earthed-plants were suspended above equally endless troughs of water for their roots to trail in. This had been the brightest place in the whole of the Veiled City; strings of lights lit the cavern as if it were high summer. Ethain had attributed it to dark magic when he had seen it and the other two had been inclined to agree with him. Arthur felt the City now held a different type of treasure and once again he felt drawn to turn and go back but he continued on down the winding path.
The trees were becoming more spaced out and the path became wide enough for them not to have to keep to single file.
Terrill turned to them, ‘The path goes on and will take you to the hill where we met. If you return this way, find this path and we will meet you along it.’
He raised an arm in farewell as they mounted their horses, ‘Journey well in the Shadow Lands, may your way be lit by the stars.’ He turned and headed back down the path. The others looked at Arthur who was watching Terrill take the path he so keenly wanted to take himself. He brought his horse round, turning his back on the Veiled City and the peace it offered. He looked at the others and said, ‘We tarried here too long.’
*
They reached the Causeway only a few hours before Mar’h and Cei arrived leading the Wessex and Anglian warriors. Arthur was on the eastern wall looking out to the Causeway with Ruadan and Hengest when Cael ran up the ladder behind them with the news.
Cael had been with the Wessex war band in North Anglia helping to gather the villages there. He and his detachment had come straight to the Gates to help with the defences once they had safely seen their villages onto the Westway as Arthur had requested. Cael was too stout to be running up ladders and he had to pause to catch his breath before he could tell them the news. Arthur and the others watched him, shaking their heads sadly at his condition. Their levity vanished when he finally got out the news that the Wessex war band had been raided.
They went to meet the warriors that were still milling around the gate on the far side of the fort. Cei was still marshalling the wains down the steep cliff path. Trevenna was off to one side with Mar’h.
‘Hengest, sort this rabble out,’ Arthur said abruptly and strode towards Mar’h who was sitting at a table with Ceinwen bent over his arm.
‘What happened?’
Mar’h flinched inwardly at Arthur’s tone.
‘Please, Arthur, his arm needs setting,’ Ceinwen said attempting to mollify his anger.
Arthur brought his fist crashing down on the table, ‘How in the name of all the gods did my war band get raided?’ Those around the table instinctively took a step backward.
All except Trevenna, his sister. She stood slowly and walked around the table towards Arthur, hands held up before her and said, ‘He’s in enough pain Arthur. We joined up on the Westway an hour after the raid. I know all that happened. The column had become strung out. Llud did not set any flanking riders. A rain storm blew in, visibility dropped and they were ambushed by probably thirty Uathach.’
‘Where’s Llud?’ Arthur asked, keeping his voice level.
‘He’s dead Arthur. They buried him at the edge of the Westway with Talan and five wain drivers.’
Arthur closed his eyes briefly.
‘Mar’h, Talan and Tamsyn disabled most of the wains during the attack, that’s when Talan died, but the Uathach took four wains. Llud and the drivers were killed in the initial hail of arrows. That’s when Mar’h’s arm got smashed and his horse was killed under him. Morveren managed to outpace the Uathach riders and she brought back the rest of the company. We arrived a short while later and together we went after the Uathach raiding party. We slew ten of them before they abandoned the wains.’
‘You recovered the wains?’
‘Yes.’
‘And pursued the Uathach?’
‘No. We had the wains. Any more would have cost us further. In the light of recent events across the Causeway Cei decided we could not afford to lose more warriors hunting down a raiding party that can do no more damage now the villagers are at Caer Sulis.’
Arthur nodded.
‘It was the right choice Arthur. The Wessex and Anglians have fought side by side now. They fought well.’
Arthur replied quietly, ‘They’ll need to, Trevenna. We have the Adren to the East, the Uathach to the North and the king’s men to the West.’
‘Any chance of heading south for the winter?’ Mar’h asked grimacing as Ceinwen manipulated his forearm.
Arthur sat down opposite Mar’h, refilled his mug of beer and passed it across to his good hand.
‘How’s his arm?’ he asked Ceinwen.
‘It’s not good at all. The bone is smashed – the arrow must have been fired from close range.’
Mar’h winced and nodded, ‘Twenty, thirty-feet.’
‘I can clean it and splint it. There won’t be any infection but...’
‘But what?’ Arthur asked.
Ceinwen looked at Mar’h, ‘You may lose the movement in your left hand.’
‘As long as I can strap on my shield with my right hand,’ Mar’h said and screwed his face up as Ceinwen poured liquid from a vial over his forearm.
Arthur rubbed a hand over his eyes and let out a deep breath and said, ‘Llud was a good man. We’ll miss him. Why didn’t he set the flankers? It’s been too long since we’ve been at war – everyone’s too casual. We’ll have to change that.’
Mar’h nodded, his long, straight black hair hanging around his face and hiding his pained expression.
‘You did well, Mar’h. I should have left Morgund with the column or I should have stayed with them myself - or made them wait for you. It was a mistake, knowing the enemy was in the East, I felt too safe in our own land. No longer can anywhere be seen as a haven. And there will be no more mistakes.’
Hengest, Cei’s second in command, had sorted out the new influx and their horses were being stabled as Cei rode in ahead of the wains. He jumped down and Arthur went to meet him.
‘You heard?’ Cei asked.
‘Yes and thanks for getting our supplies back, we’ll need it all before summer comes.’
‘That’s what I t
hought. I was tempted to go after the rest of the bastards.’
‘No, you did the right thing – they’re the king’s problem now. Come, see what you make of the defences,’ Arthur said and as they made their way to the East wall he called out for Ruadan and Hengest to join them.
As Ruadan strode towards them Arthur asked, ‘Is there a watch posted at the far end of the Causeway?’
‘Yes, Arthur, any sight of the enemy and we’ll see the beacon warning.’ He pointed to a guard on the wall watching through the twilight to the East.
‘Good,’ Arthur replied and started to climb the ladder up to the wall. His leg was still too stiff to bend comfortably and he hauled himself up using his arms and hopping with one leg from one rung to the next.
‘The only way up to the wall are these ladders now – if the walls get breached we bring them down stranding the attackers on the wall,’ Ruadan said, half-apologising for Arthur’s discomfort and half-explaining why it was necessary.
Arthur looked back at the twenty-foot drop, ‘They could jump that.’
‘We are going to stake the ground,’ Hengest replied, ‘and we’ve added a second inner wall as you can see.’
The second wall was five-feet high and paralleled the three outer walls before funnelling back towards the West Gate. There was at least thirty yards between it and the outer walls.
‘You plan to stake all the ground between the walls?’ Cei asked.
‘Yes. If it gets to that stage then clearly we’ll have to abandon the Gates and we’ll have to buy as much time as possible to get out – anything to slow them down and allow us to pour arrows into them,’ Hengest answered.
Arthur turned his attention forward again. The East wall ran across the Causeway and down either side into the marshes before joining with the two lower walls running west. He could clearly see that the East Gate had been heavily reinforced. Five-feet from the East wall the Causeway had been removed, leaving a gap of over fifty-feet, which the marsh water had quickly reclaimed. Across the gap stretched a log bridge laid out on bushels and floating on the water and mud.
