Arthur

From the wild hills of the north they came – from Sci, from Druim and Gododdin, Athfotla and Cait. They came by the hundreds, gathering together in a mighty host, separate tribes united only by their quick-kindled hatred of Arthur, and the promise of enormous wealth through plunder.

At the riotous Lugnasadh celebration the hostages were once again dragged out to parade before the assembled battlechiefs. The sight of them nearly stole the breath from my lungs. Gathered in Arthur's hall was an immense host of blue-painted Picti lords, each and every one a chieftain with many hundreds of warriors in his keep. Never had such a host been assembled in Britain, I thought; surely the Pendragon cannot match such a force.

To our disgrace, we were made to serve our captors meat and drink and endure their crude sport as they viciously shoved us and choked us with our chains. When the riot reached its height, Medraut rose up and with much demonstration spoke to the assembled chieftains. I do not know what he said, but that night we were not returned to the hostage pits. We slept in our chains in a storeroom and the next morning were taken out into the yard.

The hostages were herded together and, to my joy and relief, I saw that the Emrys and the queen remained unharmed. I had not seen them since the fall of Caer Lial and had feared for their safety. Although the queen was held a little apart from the rest of us, I was encouraged to see that she appeared defiant and unbowed, full of fire. By stealth I managed to creep near to the Emrys.

'Emrys, are you well?' I asked.

'Well enough, Aneirin,' he answered, his voice low and raw. 'And you?'

'I have not been harmed – nor have the others,' I replied. 'Do you know what is happening?'

'Arthur is returning,' the Emrys told me. 'Word came to Medraut a few days ago that the High King's fleet had been sighted. Today the battle will be joined.'

These words heartened me, but I noticed they brought no cheer to the Wise Emrys. 'But surely this is good news,' I said. 'What is wrong?'

'We have endured so much and laboured so long to be undone like this,' he said, 'and you ask what is wrong?'

'Arthur will not fail.'

The Emrys regarded me long, his golden eyes deep-shadowed with sadness. 'Trust God, Aneirin. And pray that the sky does not fall upon us.'

I crept away, confused and dismayed. All I had suffered till now was nothing compared to the despair I felt in the Emrys' few words. For the first time I began to sense something of the magnitude of Medraut's treason. My heart broke, and my soul cried for leaving. I was that unhappy.

After a time, we were marched through the city to the harbour, where some ships were arriving from Orcady. I little guessed that Lot was in league with Medraut but, to his everlasting shame, Lot did nothing to aid the queen. Instead, in the full view of all, he waded to shore with his chieftains and embraced the tyrant like a kinsman.

'How can he do this?' I wondered aloud to the Emrys as we squatted on the shingle. 'I thought Lot was Arthur's ally.'

'Do you not see it yet?'

Once again I was forced to admit that I did not. I had no idea what Myrddin was hinting at. 'You mean Lot has joined the treason?'

'Do you not know Medraut even now?'

'He said he was the son of a Picti lord – Urien of Monoth. That is what he said when he came before Arthur,' I answered.

'He is no Pict,' snapped the Emrys. 'Think! Did you not see how they treated with him, and how he wheedled and schemed with them?'

'I was in the hostage pit!' I reminded him. 'I saw nothing.'

'Medraut is Mdrgian's son!' The Emrys answered my disbelief with a further revelation. 'And the man greeting him on the shore is not Lot, it is his half-brother, Urien.'

'But Medraut said Urien was his father,' I remarked. 'Why should he lie about that?'

The Emrys shook his head slowly. 'That,' he said, 'is the one truth Medraut told – the same that killed Lot hi the end.'

Slowly the grim meaning of the Emrys' strange words came to me. My stomach tightened with revulsion. 'Morgian married Urien, her own son,' I said, taking it in at last. The incest produced a child and that child was Medraut.

'My years of blindness were nothing to this,' the Emrys muttered bitterly. 'Alone among men, I should have known what we were fighting against. More than my sight was shattered, I think. But it comes to this: Morgian placed her devil spawn in Arthur's court, knowing that one way or another she would have her revenge.'

Revenge. The word stank of death. I heard in it the cry of ravens flocking to blood-spattered battlefields. Oh, the Enemy is tireless in hate and endlessly resourceful. I suddenly felt very small and ignorant. I knew nothing of the world's true nature. I knew nothing of the forces arrayed against us. I knew nothing…

'What is to be done?' I asked, hoping for some word of hope from the Ever Wise Emrys.

'That which is given to us to do we will do,' he said, and turned his face away. 'We are men and not angels after all.'

I drew neither hope nor comfort from these words, and once again was thrown back into the misery of despair as into the loathsome hostage pit. I beat my fists impotendy against my leg. If I could have killed the traitor there and then I would have done it, even at the cost of my own soul! But I could do nothing – only stand aside and look on.

Urien's ships were drawn up and arranged to form a blockade of the harbour. When Arthur entered he would not be able to land directly, but would have to fight his way ashore. Shrewd Medraut gave himself every advantage.

But here I was mistaken, for after effecting the blockade, Medraut ordered the Picti host to withdraw into the hills. Gwenhwyvar, the Emrys and the other hostages were put onto horses and led away with Keldrych's warband.

Then did Medraut turn to me. 'Your Wonderful Pendragon is coming. When he arrives, tell him this: I am waiting for him in the hills. The Emrys and Gwenhwyvar are with me. He will come to me alone and I will receive him.'

That he will never do!' I declared.

Medraut slapped me hard across the mouth. Tell him! If he brings his war host, I will kill the queen before he has set foot in the crooked glen. This is between us two alone. When we have settled the blood-debt for my mother, I will give up my hostages – not before.'

I glared at the tyrant with narrowed eyes. 'Say whatever you like, and know that I will tell him. But you are insane if you believe the Pendragon of Britain will meet you alone in a place of your choosing.'

Medraut stiffened. His hands began to shake, as if he were warring within himself to control his movements. His face twisted in a savage leer. 'Then let him bring his closest advisers. Yes, bring his best! But if I see so much as a single blade among them, the queen will die and the Emrys with her.'

My chain was then fastened to an iron ring used to tie up ships and I was left there alone on the shore. I watched and waited through the day, and endured a cold night on the strand without food or water.

As dawn faded the night to the colour of grey steel in the east, I awakened to the sight of thirty ships sailing into the harbour. The foremost ships bore the red dragon on their sails. Close behind followed fifteen sister ships, with twenty more just clearing the harbour mouth.

The Pendragon made his landing after threading his way through the blocked harbour. I stood in sea-wster up to my shins, waiting for the landing party to make its way to me. Arthur himself was among the first to come ashore, and greeted me anxiously. 'Where are they? What is happening here?' Bedwyr, Cai, Cador and Gwalcmai quickly gathered around.

'We are hostages, lord,' I replied, indicating my chain – whereupon the High King drew Cut Steel and, with one mighty chop, freed me from the iron ring in the stone. Thank you, Pendragon. I knew you would come. I knew you would not leave us to suffer Medraut's treachery.'