Pendragon

'Because,' I explained, 'I promised it to Mercia. I gave this in pledge for my life.'

Before Arthur could make further objection, Bedwyr came to the tent and called for the king. 'I am here, brother,' Arthur answered. 'I will join you in a moment.'

'Well?' I demanded. 'What is it to be?'

Arthur hesitated; he frowned at me and rubbed his hands over his face. 'Oh, very well,' he said at last. 'I will not make a liar of you. There are many among us who would welcome a day's rest in any event.'

We stepped from the tent to greet Bedwyr. 'The war host is ready,' he said. 'The chieftains await your command.’

‘There will be no battle today,' Arthur told him bluntly. Bedwyr glanced at me in surprise. 'Why, Bear? What has happened?'

'I have changed my mind. I have decided to give the men a day's rest.'

'But everyone is ready! We have full assembly of the greatest warband since -'

'Tell them, Bedwyr. Tell them all we will not fight today.’

‘I will tell them,' he growled. Turning on his heel, he hastened away.

No sooner had Bedwyr departed than we heard shouts from the far perimeter of the camp where a commotion had broken out. 'Now what?' Arthur muttered, glaring at me as if it were my doing. Bedwyr, hearing the uproar, came running back to the king.

Rhys appeared on the run. 'Vandali!' he shouted. 'So much for your day of rest, Bear,' Bedwyr grumbled. 'Will you give the order?’

‘Wait!' I said. 'Not yet.'

Rhys ran to where we stood. 'Vandali,' he said breathlessly. 'Five of them. They advance with willow branches. The slave is with them. I think they want to parley.'

Bedwyr and Rhys looked to Arthur, awaiting what he would say. Arthur looked to me. 'I know nothing of this,' I told him. 'Very well,' said Arthur, 'let them come to me and we will hear what they have to say.'

We waited before the tent while Rhys conducted the enemy envoy to us. As he said, there were five: the four warlords we had met before, including Mercia, and the captured priest, Hergest. All the British lords came running to see what was to take place, so the emissaries arrived amidst a great crowd of onlookers. Gwenhwyvar, Cai, and Cador pushed through to stand beside Arthur and me.

'Greetings, Lord Arthur,' Hergest began. 'We beg to speak with you and to return to our camp unharmed.'

'Speak freely, priest,' Arthur said. 'I give you my word that no hurt shall come to you while you are under my protection. Why have you come?'

Before the priest could reply, one of the barbarian chieftains – the one called Ida, I think – pointed to all the men pressing close, and uttered a long complaint in their rough tongue. 'He says that your word is worthless,' Hergest informed us. 'Merlin vowed you would not ride today and yet we see that you ready yourselves for battle.'

Bedwyr threw me a questioning glance, which I ignored. Arthur replied, 'I was not informed of Myrddin's pledge until a moment ago, and have only just given the order to stand down. Even so, we are ready to fight if pressed to it.'

While the slave repeated Arthur's words, I sought Mercia's eye. He saw me watching him and, with a slight but deliberate downward jerk of his chin, gave me to know that he accepted this explanation.

'We, too, are ready to fight,' Hergest said, resuming his communication. 'However, it is in Amilcar's mind that the War Leader Arthur has remained shielded behind his warriors long enough. The Black Boar is minded that the two kings meet and prove before both nations which of them is the greater battlechief.'

'Indeed,' remarked Arthur. 'And does Amilcar say how he proposes to make this proof?'

The slave relayed Arthur's reply to Ida, who responded with a sneer and another long utterance. 'Ida says that Amilcar will meet Arthur alone on the plain beside the river which lies between our two camps, bringing whatever weapons the British warrior favors. When the sun passes midday, the two will fight. The combat will continue until one or the other is killed.' Hergest paused, and Ida spoke again. 'Amilcar makes this challenge, though he does not expect Arthur to accept it,' the slave added.

'Tell Amilcar that I will consider his challenge,' Arthur replied evenly. 'I will bring my answer to the plain at midday.' Hergest repeated Arthur's words, whereupon the enemy battlechiefs, satisfied that they had delivered their message, turned to go. 'Owain! Vrandub!' Arthur called, choosing two from among the assembled noblemen. 'See that they leave the camp the way they came, unmolested.' To the others he said, 'Go back to your men and explain the challenge. We will assemble at midday and ride to the plain.'

As the lords hurried away, Arthur bade his advisors attend him in the council tent. Gwenhwyvar, Cai, Bedwyr, Cador, Llenlleawg and I joined the High King to decide what to do. 'It is a very good sign,' Bedwyr said as we seated ourselves at the board. 'It means the Black Boar knows we have increased the strength of the war host, and he is afraid.'

'What of this pledge not to fight today?' asked Gwenhwyvar sharply; the question was for me.

I quickly explained how I had been surprised and taken by Mercia. Cador professed himself amazed by this and said, 'He let you go if you promised not to fight today?'

'No,' I said, 'it was not like that. We talked first. He gave me to know that there is dissension in the Vandali camp. Amilcar has lost the confidence of some of his lords, and – '

'See!' cried Bedwyr. 'I am right! The Black Boar is running scared. The Vandali cannot withstand the might of Britain any longer.'

'Single combat is the only fight he can win,' Cai put in. 'Attack with all our might, I say. This is the chance we have been waiting for.'

'Perhaps,' replied Arthur, 'it is a chance to end the war without further bloodshed.'

'Perhaps it is a trap!' pointed out Gwenhwyvar sharply. 'The barbarians cannot be trusted,' said Cador quickly. 'Even if Amilcar was defeated, what makes you think they would honour any vow of peace they made?'

It was a good question – one that would be uppermost in every British warrior's mind. I was ready with the answer. 'It makes no difference,' I answered.

Their silence contradicted me. 'Truly, it makes no difference,' I persisted, 'for without Amilcar, the war will simply collapse. Can you not see that now?' The disbelieving stares of Cador and the others told me that they could not.

'See here!' I said. 'Whether it is a trap' – I inclined my head towards Gwenhwyvar as I said this – 'or whether Amilcar proves false, or anything else – makes not the slightest difference to us. For the selfsame moment he dies on the battlefield before his watching host, the invasion ceases and the war ends.'

'How do you know this?' demanded Cador.

'Mercia told me,' I answered.

'And you believed him?'

'I did indeed,' I replied. 'He held my life in his hands. Let there be no doubt: a word from him and my death was assured. But he let me live that I might know he spoke the truth.'

'He is a barbarian!' Cador charged. 'He would tell you anything to make you believe this lie. But I am not so easily persuaded.'

'It may be a lie,' I answered, 'or it may not. I say we put it to the test and find out. If I am right, the war will end.'

'But what if you are wrong?' Cai asked. 'What then, eh?'

'Then the war will continue,' I replied solemnly, 'and Britain will become the grave of champions.'

They grew silent, thinking this over. Before they could renew their objections, Rhys ducked into the tent just then to say that the priest Paulinus had returned to camp. 'Let him come in,' Arthur said.

The monk, gaunt and frayed about the edges like a bone gnawed to gristle, entered and all but collapsed at Arthur's feet. Without a thought, the king raised him and sat him in his chair. 'A drink, Rhys,' called Arthur. 'Hurry!'

'Forgive me, lord,' Paulinus said. He saw the others looking on and struggled to his feet.

Arthur pressed him back into the chair with his hand. 'Sit, man. Rest yourself. You have ridden hard, as we can see. Gather your strength and tell us what word you have brought.'