by Tony Hays
The voices faded then, as the speakers moved away from our tent.
Sulien spun and faced Arthur. “Rigotamos, if we do not return to Trevelgue by nightfall and Ysbail executes Mordred, you will discover Lord David’s duplicity firsthand. I was with Malgwyn two nights past at that tavern. He has been right all along about David’s loyalties.”
I did not have to see the expression on Arthur’s face to know that he was shocked.
“Malgwyn has told you of this?”
And Sulien laughed at his commander. “Rigotamos, do you imagine that your soldiers do not know everything going on? None of us doubted that Malgwyn was truthful in his judgment of David, at least not since the rebellion.
“Soldiers are much like servi,” Sulien continued. “You use us; you depend on us. But you rarely see us.”
I half-expected Arthur to mark him down for punishment, should we emerge from this. But I was not prepared for the smile on Arthur’s face.
“I stand corrected, Sulien.” He paused. This was an unusual situation for Arthur. He was not accustomed to having his wisdom questioned by common soldiers. “Once we emerge from this, I may find a place in my councils for a man such as you.”
“Please, Rigotamos,” I begged. “Do not ruin him by promoting him. Look what it has done to me.” And I waved my half arm at him. At first, Arthur jerked his head back as if struck—I had never before jested so openly about my wound—but then he too joined in the laughter, a nervous laughter, but welcome nonetheless.
The tent flap flew open, effectively killing our laughter. A guard, one in a gray tunic, entered, glanced about quickly, and grabbed me by my half arm.
My companions, Arthur included, leaped forward, but a second guard, spear held at the ready, prodded them back, except for Arthur, who stared them down and whispered in my ear, “Do not hesitate to bargain us away if it will leave you free to protect the consilium.”
I did not tell him what I was thinking: If I dealt him away, there would be no consilium to protect.
* * *
The first thing that I noticed was that no one was walking about the area of the camp in which we were held. I could only believe that this area had been cleared to keep us from finding out who was involved. But who would question us?
“Malgwyn. My dear friend.”
Lord David. Who else?
“In the enemies’ camp, of course I would find you here.” I smiled.
David returned my smile and cut his eyes meaningfully toward the flap. Someone was listening. “I am here only as an observer to protect the consilium’s interests.”
“Why would the consilium’s interests need protecting?”
“That’s right. You would not know. You have been running about the countryside on one of your useless quests. Arthur is missing.”
I searched David’s face for any hint that he knew otherwise, but he seemed convinced of his own words. “I would not know. I traveled to Tyntagel and met with his mother and then began my return to Trevelgue in the night. I have not seen or spoken to him since yesterday eve. But I doubt that he has wandered far.” The worst possible thing that I could do was admit that Arthur was with our little band.
David frowned, pursing his lips. “Although I would like nothing better than to slit your throat, I am compelled to seek your release. Who is with you?”
“My fellow, Sulien, the servus girl, and some common soldiers. ’Twas a terrible night to travel.” I paused for a moment. “What is this you say about Arthur?”
My enemy shrugged. “He was in Doged’s hall near the midnight last night, but this morning no one seemed to know where he had gone. When I heard you had been taken captive, I hurried here to see what you knew, and of course to secure your release.” This last was for the ears around us.
“And how did you hear of my capture? At your own table?” I had no reason to pretend to like him, regardless of who might be listening. But his sharp eyes grew sharper still and pointed.
“I heard from my host, Druce. He does not like you.”
“I am not compelled to like him either. I presume that these are his men besieging Castellum Dinas.”
David’s hand touched mine and squeezed slightly. “A general often has to take his armies where he can find them. The Saxons have declared their support for Druce’s claim to Doged’s seat. But their men are meant only as advisors.”
The well of nausea rising in my gullet threatened to overflow. For a long, long moment, I weighed the cost of ending his life against that of my own. Though he would never know it, David owed his life to my daughter, Mariam.
“And the mercenaries?”
David waved them off. “Everybody uses mercenaries.”
“Uniformed mercenaries?”
“Everyone has an agenda, Malgwyn. You do not need me to teach you that. Do not be distracted by side issues. Regardless of what I think of you personally, you have proved to have your uses in the past. We are in a precarious position here. Arthur is missing. Our primary body of troops has been trapped here at Castellum Dinas for some bizarre reason that only Arthur would know. The monk, Petrocus, is inclined to favor Ysbail’s claim. Arthur favored it. But Druce has the force of troops. The Saxons threaten to take to the field en masse if Druce is denied his proper place.”
“Mordred?”
“If Ysbail doesn’t behead him first, he has agreed to support Druce’s claim if Druce releases him. A wise position. Under these circumstances, as senior member of the consilium, I am inclined to side with Druce. We can ill afford a war this far to the west or to lose the goodwill of its leader.”
David desperately needed me to follow his lead as he played the proper, mature leader. We jabbed at one another, but show me two men of strength who do not. He needed me, though, to acknowledge that in Arthur’s absence he was his substitute, something that was not written in stone.
The one certainty in all of this was that were I to reveal that Arthur was in my little band, he would be dead as quickly as the dagger could be jabbed or the sword wielded. His body would be quickly disposed of and David would take over as Rigotamos simply by virtue of his presence.
It might be strange in this day to believe that people would not know Arthur when they saw him, but that was the way of it. The ordinary people recognized people by their clothes and their station. Images bearing the likenesses of people, a popular thing for the Romans, were still unknown by our people. Working and living and dying occupied our time well enough.
“Should we move so quickly? It could be that Arthur was called away on short notice and will return soon.”
The evil gleam in David’s eyes told me that that was exactly why we must needs move quickly. Arthur’s sudden arrival could rip David’s plans to shreds. David did not manipulate things to happen in this way, but he was a master at taking the strands of a situation and fashioning a rope best suited for his weight.
Someone, perhaps one or all of his co-conspirators, was not convinced of his ability to step in for the consilium in Arthur’s absence. And in reality, I believed that under the circumstances, David had acted in a nearly proper way.
“My lord, I think you are yet on proper grounds, but Arthur’s absence will need to be longer than just a night to convince Bedevere and Kay of your right. I’m assuming that that is your intent, to give me free passage to the fort. You know that Kay and Bedevere will listen to whatever I say.”
David nodded. “Exactly. This is a stalemate that does not need to be. Arthur created this. Let Druce claim his title and lands. We can easily persuade Druce that treating with the Saxons will not profit him.”
“And the mercenaries? Will they simply take their pay and leave our shores, as conveniently as the Saxons did?”
“These aren’t ordinary mercenaries, and Druce will deal with them appropriately.”
“So said Vortigern of the Saxons. What of my party?”
David flicked his tunic, ridding it of a bug. “They are of no consequence and you do not ne
ed the burden. We will handle them.”
“As you will handle me.”
And then something I never thought to see rose in David’s eyes—sincerity. “No, Malgwyn. As Rigotamos I will need you. You have learned much with Arthur, and you certainly have proved your worth. I would have you as my counselor.”
“And should Arthur appear?”
“That will be dealt with,” he answered, his voice as cold as our winters.
I pretended to think for a moment. “It is possible that this could work. But allow me an hour to consider it more. The story presented to Kay and Bedevere will have to be as strong as we can muster.”
“Good.” David nodded curtly. “We have arranged a tent for you over here.”
“No,” I said almost too forcefully, too quickly. “Sulien and the others might attempt an escape and cause a distraction we can ill afford at this time. Return me to them, and I’ll calm their fears.”
To this day, as I sit here among the ruins of old Celliwic, I believe that it was David’s sheer surprise that I would join him that bid him do as I asked. I never would have.
Within three minutes, I had been ushered back into the tent.
“Well?” urged Arthur.
“You are missing and with Bedevere and Kay besieged in the castle David has anointed himself Rigotamos.”
“They do not know I am with you?”
“How could they? We left separately. You opted to dress as a commoner, without badge of office. We are in lands far from our own. More important, neither David nor Druce nor the others have seen you.”
“And so?” Arthur pushed me.
“And so, we have very little time to try and leave this place. I have left David believing that I will support his claim as Rigotamos, and that I do not know where you are. I am to be given free passage to Castellum Dinas to apprise Bedevere and Kay of these happenings.”
“And us?”
“You are to be killed, the more quickly so if they find out that you are Arthur. Rigotamos, I know that I have long condemned David as a traitor. But in this case, I believe he is simply taking advantage of a convenient situation. I did not get the impression that he was conspiring with the Saxons. But if he finds you here, he will have you killed. The crown is too deeply between his teeth now.
“There is only one way for this to be sorted out properly. If David’s plan is to go forward, then Arthur’s reign is over, forever.”
“But can we succeed?” Arthur said quietly. “While I do not approve of David’s methods or approaches, perhaps he is the better man to bring peace here.” A wistful tone marked his voice.
For nearly half a minute, silence ruled our tent. Then, one of the other men, whose name has forever eluded me, leaped across the tent and snagged Arthur by his arm, yanking him to his feet. “I have warred with you longer than I ever dreamed possible. But you convinced me that you were worthy of my trust, of the sacrifice of my life if it be necessary. You’ll not quit now if I have to kick your bleeding butt.”
And the gleam that I knew was but hiding in Arthur’s eyes sprang forth again. “That’s what I was counting on. By nightfall many, perhaps all, of us will be dead, but it is worth the prize. The one thing that puzzles me is that I cannot believe that Tristan has broken his vow to me so quickly.”
“What vow?” Arthur inquired.
I realized then that I had never told him of my encounter with Tristan on the eve of the young lord’s release a year or so before. “Does it matter now? He is with our enemies.”
“What vow?” Arthur persisted.
“He promised to be worthy of our trust, of your trust.”
“And you believed him.”
My face warmed. “He seemed earnest; now, not so much.” I could not believe that I allowed the miscreant to convince me that he had changed. Seldom had I misjudged a man so completely. And the gnawing in the pit of my stomach made me hunger to thrust my dagger in his stomach and watch as his life drained away. That was how much I hated Tristan at that moment.
Arthur’s face hardened. “I will deal with him later. For now, we know only one thing—everything depends on our ability to escape from this affair. We thought the civil war would be horrible were it just between Doged’s lords, but now it seems that there is much more at stake.”
I slipped a look out the flap once more, but they had placed us near the center of their encampment, making escape all that much more difficult. In the distance, I caught a glimpse of David and Tristan, making for their horses, probably sending riders to Trevelgue to bring word of his “negotiations.”
Difficult, I mused. Escape suddenly seemed all but impossible.
“Come, Malgwyn.”
I turned to see Arthur drawing in the dirt, Sulien and the other two watching closely.
“This is Trevelgue.” Arthur indicated a rock. “This,” he pointed to another, “is Castellum Dinas. I believe we are here,” and he held a stick over a place between and north of the two rocks. “I will take these two men and head southwest to Trevelgue. Malgwyn, you and Sulien make for Castellum Dinas. Try with all your might to get through to Bedevere and alert him to the situation. If you can reach him, he will break out of this siege and take the field against this rabble.”
“What will you be doing?”
“Keeping the sword from Mordred’s neck, I hope. The affair is clearer now, at least in broad strokes. Druce hired these mercenaries to terrorize the people in order to boost his own claim to Doged’s throne. At the appropriate time, he will produce the heads of these thugs and claim that he captured them. Druce will be seen as capable of safeguarding these lands, never mind that it was he who provided the threat. That will but add to his growing reputation with the ‘new’ Rigotamos.”
I would not wager my purse on Arthur’s assessment, but it was logical. More than that, it made sense. I learned a long time before that logic and making sense were two very different things. Take our little band at that moment, calmly planning our next move while ignoring one simple fact—we were prisoners with no immediate opportunity for escape. But should that opportunity present itself, we needed to know what came next. Logic required acknowledging the first fact. But it made sense to have a plan should that fact change.
“Keep your hood up. As a common man you may find entrance to Trevelgue easy. As Arthur you are as good as dead.”
* * *
Over the next few minutes I kept my eyes focused out the tent flap, hoping for some sort of problem, distraction, that would aid our effort. Suddenly, I heard shouting and men began moving, not in a panic but at the quick step. And while there were still men milling around, it seemed they were fewer. I turned to Arthur.
“Rigotamos, if we are to turn this situation to victory, we cannot afford to wait longer. The right moment may not come. We must make this the right moment. Something has happened to draw some of their men away. Now is the time.”
Sulien and the others hung their heads. They knew that the chances of their returning to their families had just all but disappeared.
Arthur saw their distress and turned to them, clapping each on his back. At last, Arthur came to me. “I will see you at Trevelgue when this is finished.”
I could only nod my head; words were impossible to summon.
“You two, with me,” Arthur ordered. “We will strike west. Malgwyn, you and Sulien go east. At the very least, we will confuse them by separating. Perhaps it will buy one of us time to lose ourselves in the forest.”
I took a last chance to check the camp, turned swiftly and nodded to Arthur, and then plunged out of the tent.
And from the center of the camp an odd thing indeed happened.
An explosion shook the tents and filled the air with smoke.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
We stopped. Arthur and I exchanged looks and simply shrugged. The gods or the one god or providence had thrown us a scrap from their table.
Arthur and his companions bent over and disappeared in the haze to the west
. Sulien and I, true to our orders, struck out east, toward Castellum Dinas, as a second explosion shook the camp. Whatever caused the great blasts left a heavy fog in its wake. Men seemed to run haphazardly through the confusion, more frightened than not.
Within thirty seconds, we had left the camp behind us, a place of turmoil. Getting that far seemed almost like … magic.
Until I felt a hand grab my wrist.
A soft hand.
Daron.
Before I could shake my hand loose and wrap it about her slender neck, she pressed a dagger into it and whispered, “This way.”
I looked to Sulien and, like Arthur, he shrugged.
Ten minutes later and we had covered nearly a half a schoenus, half a Roman mile, from the camp, and I grabbed Daron by the shoulder.
“Why did you betray us? What price did they pay you?”
She laughed at me.
I could not believe it.
Was she mad?
“I did not betray you. I saw them before they saw me. There was not time to warn you. What purpose would it have served to have all of us taken prisoner? Free, I could at least try to help you.”
“The explosion?”
“I had nothing to do with that, but your friend did.”
“What friend?”
“The old man, Merlin. He found me.”
My heart beat harder and faster than I ever dreamed possible. “Merlin? Where?”
“Here, Malgwyn.”
I looked toward the voice and there was my dear friend Merlin climbing over the roots of a giant tree.
“But we sent Kay … and … others to find you.”
He brushed my words aside as if they had not been spoken. “The wound was more minor than it looked. I hid until our attackers passed. I considered returning to Trevelgue, but I had not trapped rabbit in some time and decided to do just that. Come, I have prepared some for you.”
“The explosion, Merlin.”
Again, he waved my protests off. “You have seen me use sulphur in such a manner before. ’Tis but a simple trick.”
“But what of Arthur and the others?”
“I made certain that they were safely on their journey.”
