Pendragon

'I leave also, Conaire,' Gwenhwyvar said. 'My only regret is that I may not deal with you as you deserve. But hear me now: the day will come when you rue your shameful behaviour, and on that day may your stone gods save you.'

She turned, leaving him gaping after her. Gwenhwyvar swung into the saddle, wheeled her mount and galloped away.

Conaire turned to me and put out a hand, as if he would explain. 'You have had your say, O king,' I told him. 'May your hasty words be a comfort to you as you sit in your friendless hall.' I paused, allowing him to think about this. 'But it does not have to end that way. Put conceit behind you; join Arthur and help him now as he helped you.'

His handsome face tightened like a fist. 'That I will not do.'

'So be it.' I turned my mount and rode after the others.

When Fergus reached Muirbolc a short time later, he was less happy with his decision. He sat downcast on a stool while around him the clan prepared to leave their home for ever.

Gwenhwyvar did her best to console him, but she was anxious to be away once more.

'I am sorry,' Fergus sighed. 'I lost the land – land our fathers have held since the dew of creation was still fresh on the earth.'

'You did well,' Gwenhwyvar assured him. 'Better an empty bowl with a true friend than a feast with an enemy.'

'I lost the land.' He sighed, shaking his head sadly. 'I gave it to him.'

'Arthur has a surfeit of land,' she told him. 'I am certain he will reward your loyalty most generously.' That was all she said, but it remained with me for some time after.

Leaving Fergus to oversee the work, we three continued on. Llenlleawg led as he had recently come this way on an identical task. We rode first to Aedd – perhaps the most ardent supporter of Arthur among the southern Irish, and also the nearest – and, two days later, received a hearty reception.

'Hail and welcome!' Aedd called as we dismounted before his hall. The sun was well down, stretching our shadows long; we were travel-weary, and glad to quit the saddle. 'I give you good greeting, my friends.' The Irish king spread his arms wide in welcome. 'I have been hoping to see you again, but I did not think it would be so soon.'

We greeted and embraced him, and Gwenhwyvar said, 'It is no happy chance that brings us.'

'There is trouble,' Aedd said, glancing from one to the other of us. 'I see that it is so.'

'We have come to -' Gwenhwyvar began.

But Aedd would not allow her to demean herself by asking his aid. 'You have come to share the welcome cup with one who would be numbered among your many friends,' he said quickly. 'Come, take your ease.'

Gwenhwyvar, agitated at her inability to make herself understood, tried again. 'Would that I could,' she said, 'but, I fear we must -'

'You must not worry about anything while you are here,' Aedd said. He took her hand and drew her away with him towards the hall.

'Perhaps you should explain, Lord Emrys,' Llenlleawg suggested, watching his queen disappear into the hall.

'Let us trust Aedd in this,' I said. 'In any event it is late and we can go no farther this day.'

'I could ride to Laigin on my own,' the stalwart champion proposed.

'Stay,' I advised. 'Let us eat and rest and see what tomorrow brings.'

Aedd could not do enough for us. He commanded servants to wait upon us while we were with him – a man each for Llenlleawg and myself, and a maiden for Gwenhwyvar. He summoned forth the best of food and drink, and directed his chief bard and harpers to sing soothing music. When we finished eating, he engaged us in amiable conversation, but would not allow any talk of the trouble that had brought us to him. Thus we rose and went to our beds well satisfied with all, save the most important part of our task.

'I will speak to that man in the morning,' Gwenhwyvar vowed. 'I will not be put off again. It is well for him to sit before the hearth spinning his nets of fine words, but I am not a salmon so easily caught. I will speak to him at first light, and he will listen.'

'Then let it rest until the morning,' I remarked. 'It is a fine gift he has given us. We have enjoyed a night's peace, and the friendship of a generous lord – far from the battle clash and the carping of small-minded men.'

The queen bit her lip uncertainly. 'I hope you are right. I keep thinking of Arthur, and how he needs the aid we must bring.'

'That is a worry for tomorrow, Bright One.'

She smiled at the epithet and did indeed brighten. 'Then I will leave it there.' She leaned close, raised her lips to my cheek and kissed me. 'God be good to you, Myrddin. Sleep well.'

Gwenhwyvar's maid appeared with a rushlight to lead the queen to her sleeping-place. I watched them go, thinking how fortunate was Arthur to have a wife with such intelligence and courage. And so thinking, I asked forgiveness of the Great Light. 'More fool the man who regards her lightly,' I whispered. 'There beats the heart of a lioness beneath that breast of beauty. Yes, and an iron-clawed will sheathed in a lithe and supple form.'

THREE

I wakened the next morning to an ill-hushed commotion outside my sleeping-hut. I sat up. The sun had risen, but only just; the light was thin, the air still, yet ringing with the sound that had roused me: the jingle of a horse's tack.

In a moment the sound came again, but it was not that of a single horse. Meanwhile, the slap of bare feet gave way to the whisper of excited voices. I threw aside the lambskin covering and rose from the pallet, quickly pulling on my clothes. Seizing my staff, I went outside.

Upon emerging from the hut I saw the first horses arriving and knew at once what Aedd had done. Without word or hint to us, the canny king had dispatched messengers to each of the other southern lords and these had instantly assembled their warbands, riding through the night to arrive at dawn. This he had done to delight his guests.

'God love him,' Llenlleawg said when he saw the warriors standing in the yard. 'Here breathes a noble Celt indeed.'

Like a sovereign of an elder time, Aedd had seen to the needs of his guests with a graceful, self-effacing generosity. It was a virtue still lauded in song, but now rarely encountered. One could be forgiven for believing that it had passed out of this worlds-realm altogether. But here was a man, king in more than name only, holding to the old way. This nobility lifted him up and exalted him in our eyes, and in the esteem of all who would hear of it in the days to come.

The three southern lords had come: Laigin, Diarmait, and Ulan; with their massed warbands – numbering in excess of two hundred, and all on horseback. Aedd's stronghold could not contain them all, and most waited beyond the bank and ditch. Gwenhwyvar, likewise roused by the noise, appeared and hurried to where Llenlleawg and I stood watching Aedd as he gave orders to the warriors.

Seeing that we had discovered his surprise, Aedd joined us. 'Have you told them of Arthur's need?' Gwenhwyvar asked.

'And demean that great king?' Aedd replied, chiding her gently. 'I would never say such a thing.'

Gwenhwyvar watched the teeming yard and wondered, 'But you must have revealed something of the urgency of our distress to bring them at such speed.'

'Lady' – Aedd smiled expansively – 'I have simply told them that Arthur is desirous of increasing his joy with the pleasure of their company in his various adventures. I may have mentioned the merest possibility of a battle. They fought among themselves to be the first to respond to the summons.'

'My lord and I thank you,' the queen said. 'I pray your kindness will be rewarded many times over.'

Aedd inclined his head, then with a sudden sweep of motion, caught up her hand and kissed it. Gwenhwyvar blushed prettily. 'This is my reward,' he told her. 'I desire nothing more. As for these – ' he lifted a hand to the assembled lords and warriors – 'the chance to fight alongside Arthur and encourage him with Irish valour is all they ask.'

One of the lords, approaching us just then – Ulan, I believe – overheard this remark. 'Arthur has rightly shown his virtue,' he said. 'Now we must demonstrate ours, or for ever hold ourselves men of small regard.'