Pendragon

Against incantations of false druids,

Against black arts of barbarians,

Against wiles of idol-keepers,

Against enchantments great and small,

Against every foul thing that corrupts body and soul.

Jesu with him, before him, behind him;

Jesu in him, beneath him, above him;

Jesu on his right, Jesu on his left;

Jesu when he sleeps, Jesu when he wakes;

Jesu in the heart of everyone who thinks of him;

Jesu in the mouth of everyone who speaks of him;

Jesu in the eye of everyone who sees him.

We uphold him today, through a mighty strength,

the invocation of the Three in One,

Through belief in God,

Through confession of the Holy Spirit,

Through trust in the Christ,

Creator of all creation.

Then, coming once more before Arthur, I said, 'Bow before the Lord of All, and swear your fealty to the High King you will serve.'

Arthur prostrated himself face down before the altar, stretching out his hands to either side in the manner of a vanquished battlechief before his conqueror. Teilo and Dubricius stood at either hand, with Illtyd at Arthur's head.

Dubricius, at Arthur's right hand, said, 'With this hand you will wield the Sword of Britain. What is your vow?'

Arthur answered, 'With this hand I will wield the Sword of Britain in righteousness and fair judgment. By the power of God's might, I will use it to conquer injustice and punish those who practise harm. I will hold this hand obedient to my Lord God, used of him to do his work in this worlds-realm.'

Teilo, standing at Arthur's left hand, said, 'With this hand you will hold the Shield of Britain. What is your vow?'

'With this hand I will hold tight to the Shield of Britain in hope and compassion. Through God's will, I will protect the people who keep faith with me. I will hold this hand obedient to my Lord Jesu, used of him to do his work in this worlds-realm.'

And then Illtyd, standing at Arthur's head, said, 'Upon your brow you will wear the Crown of Britain. What is your vow?'

'Upon my brow I will wear the Crown of Britain in all honour and meekness. By the power of God's might and through his will, I will lead the kingdom through all things whatever shall befall me, with courage, with dignity, and with faith in the Christ who shall guide me while my body holds breath.'

At this, the good priests replied, 'Rise in faith, Arthur ap Aurelius, taking the Christ to be your lord and saviour, honouring him above all earthly lords.'

Arthur rose and Illtyd placed the slender golden circlet upon his head. Dubricius turned to the altar and took up Caliburnus – that is Caledvwlch, or Cut Steel, Arthur's great battle sword – and placed it in the king's right hand. Teilo took up Arthur's great battle shield, Prydwen, washed white and painted anew with the Cross of Jesu, and placed it in his left hand.

I stepped close and, finding the brooch by touch, unfastened the cloak from Arthur's shoulders. Teilo and Dubricius brought forth a fine new cloak of imperial purple with gold edging – an emperor's cloak, and its significance would not be lost on men like Paulus and Urbanus. This cloak the blessed priests fastened at Arthur's shoulder with the silver stag-head brooch of Aurelius.

Raising my staff once more, I cried, 'Go forth, Arthur Pendragon, to all righteousness and good works; rule justly and live honourably; be to your people a ready light and sure guide through all things, whatever may befall this worlds-realm.'

Gripping the sword and shield, the new purple cloak around his shoulders, Arthur turned to gaze upon his subject lords.

'People of Britain,' I called, 'here is your High King! I charge you to love him, honour him, serve him, follow him, and pledge your lives to him even as he has pledged his life to the High King of Heaven.'

As if awaiting these words, the great doors of the church burst open with a tremendous crash. Cai and Cador, somewhere below the altar, shouted to the Cymbrogi. The crowd roiled with alarm and confusion. I heard steel sing out as weapons were drawn.

'Do not move, Myrddin!' Arthur shouted, dashing away.

'What is it, Arthur?' I demanded. 'What is happening?'

Just then Dubricius cried, 'Hold, men! There will be no bloodshed on this holy day. Put up your weapons.'

I heard the sound of their footfall on stone as the intruders advanced. I gripped my rowan staff tightly. 'Bedwyr!' called Arthur. 'Stay with Myrddin!'

In the next heartbeat, I felt Bedwyr's hand tight on my arm, pulling me aside. 'Stay back, Myrddin,' Bedwyr said. 'I will protect you.'

'Who are they, Bedwyr? Do you know them?'

'I have never seen them before!,' answered Bedwyr, his voice tight. 'There are twelve. They carry spears and -' he paused, wonderingly – 'these strangers – they all look like Llenlleawg! And there are – ' He halted again.

'What? Tell me, Bedwyr. What do you see?'

'I do not believe what I am seeing.'

'Nor will I, unless you tell me. I cannot see, Bedwyr,' I reminded him hopelessly.

'Maidens, Emrys,' he replied. 'Twelve – no, sixteen of them, I think – all wear mantles of white and… what is this? Each maiden holds a white dove between her hands. They enter the church behind the warriors and advance to the altar. They are coming towards us, Myrddin.'

He halted again and I heard the sharp crack of the butts of spears upon the stones. There was silence for a moment, and then the crowd gasped. I could tell someone had entered the church.

'Bedwyr!' I demanded harshly. 'What is happening? Tell me, man!'

'Why, it is Gwenhwyvar,' he answered, mystified. 'I think she has come to honour Arthur.'

Stupid man! I thought, divining at last the significance of the maidens and doves. 'Honour him!' I snapped. 'Bedwyr, she has come to claim him!'

THREE

Ah, Gwenhwyvar! White Goddess of DeDannan's enigmatic tribe, deeply did I resent you on that day, and deeply, deeply did I fear you. Perhaps I may be forgiven my rancour and alarm. Dearest of hearts, I did not know you.

Let it be said that you never repaid my resentment with spite, nor held my fear against me, less yet gave either of them justification. In those next years you proved your nobility a thousand times over. Gwenhwyvar, you were never less than a queen.

I saw Arthur as the Lord of the Summer Realm, and that vision cast all else in unreckoning shadow. But you saw Arthur as a man; he needed that, and you knew it. Gwenhwyvar, in the wisdom of your sex, you were a very druid. And more! It made my heart soar to see how you and Arthur grew to one in honour and courage. I do not wonder that God himself formed you for Arthur.

Let it also be known that never did you deserve the slanders that gathered thick about your name. It is ever the way of small-souled creatures to pull down the giants in their midst. Strangers to virtue, they cannot abide such nobility; lacking it in themselves, they will not tolerate it in others. So they gnaw away at it, as the insect gnaws at the root of the oak, until the mighty forest lord falls. Christ knows, they have their reward. Still, on your marriage day, I was no friend to you. For, as Arthur was king of all Britons, it was in my mind to get for him a British wife. Most canny of your kind, you knew better. Arthur, like the Summer Kingdom, was larger than Britain only. You taught me that, Gwenhwyvar-though I was long in the learning.

Bending low before Arthur, as Bedwyr described it, the Irish queen placed her white spear crosswise on the floor. Gwenhwyvar then stood and pressed the white dove she held into Arthur's hands. Seizing Caledvwlch from Arthur's side, she raised the naked blade to her lips, kissed the crosspiece of the hilt and cradled the Sword of Britain to her breast.