Eadulf thought carefully. ‘There is something in that logic,’ he agreed.
‘You sound doubtful?’
‘It’s just that I am wondering why we have not found the bodies of the slain bodyguards of Riwanon and her maidservant Ceingar?’
‘Perhaps we missed them,’ Bleidbara replied.
‘Or they could have been made prisoners,’ suggested Boric.
‘The answer is to follow and find out for ourselves.’ Bleidbara’s tone was determined.
With a reluctant sigh, Eadulf conceded to the warrior. He still felt uneasy, however, and worse still, remained unsure what it was that Fidelma had expected him to see.
Chapter Sixteen
There was an air of nervous expectation in the fortress of Brilhag. A warrior had retrieved the carcass of Macliau’s little dog Albiorix from the pigpen at Barbatil’s farmstead. Macliau, clearly stricken with a grief that Fidelma found surprising, had insisted on personally digging a little grave in the gardens of the fortress, observed only by Trifina and Fidelma. He had said nothing to them or they to him. After Macliau had interred his dog, he had retired to his chamber with a flagon of wine, moody and uncommunicative.
‘Does Iuna know Budic?’ Fidelma asked, as Trifina accompanied her slowly back to the great hall.
The other woman glanced at her in surprise. ‘I don’t think so. What makes you ask?’
‘I just had a feeling,’ Fidelma replied. ‘Had Budic visited Brilhag before? I thought Riwanon said she had been to the Abbey of Gildas in the past. I thought they might have met then.’
Trifina shook her head. ‘That was a long time ago, before Riwanon married Alain. Budic has never been here. However…’
Fidelma raised an eyebrow. ‘However?’
‘Iuna has accompanied my father a few times to the court of Alain Hir in Brekilien.’
‘I thought Brekilien was a forest?’
‘So it is, but within it is the location of the royal court, near the Abbey Pempont, which King Judicael founded some years before his death. It is our great religious and royal centre.’
At this point, Trifina bade Fidelma farewell and retired to her own chamber. Fidelma herself went on to the great hall, but found only two occupants. At the far end of the hall, Riwanon and Budic were standing together before the fire locked in earnest conversation. What caused Fidelma to stop in surprise was the proximity of their bodies to one another; too close for the normal relationship between a Queen and the commander of her bodyguard. Budic was very close, staring down into the upturned face of Riwanon. Their voices were low and urgent.
Fidelma closed the door behind her, perhaps with a little more force than necessary, and the two sprang apart.
‘Fidelma.’ Riwanon forced a smile. ‘Any news?’
‘Bleidbara has not returned yet,’ Fidelma said, moving forward to the fire. Although it was summer, the great hall seemed cold. ‘And Macliau has just buried his dog.’
Budic sniffed disparagingly.
‘Do you still think him innocent?’ There was the familiar sneer in his voice.
‘It matters not what I think,’ replied Fidelma. ‘It is what the bretat will judge when he hears the evidence.’
‘It is no justice when one has to wait so long for it,’ replied Budic. ‘He should have been tried at once.’
‘I did not think it was your law to try someone without a qualified judge present? No one, surely, should be tried by an emotional mob.’
Budic was about to respond but then he merely shrugged and moved away to sink in a chair before the fire. Riwanon looked at her guard commander with irritation at his rudeness.
‘We are a little tense waiting for news…waiting for what might be an attack on this fortress by these brigands,’ she said, almost in apology.
‘Indeed,’ agreed Fidelma. ‘But we must all try to relax as best we can. From what I have seen of this fortress, we are well protected.’
‘I hope your Saxon friend and Bleidbara can say the same,’ muttered Budic from his chair.
Eadulf was seated on his horse, his heart pounding as Boric, the tracker and scout, came galloping back along the path to the clearing where he, Bleidbara and the others had halted.
‘A horseman is coming!’ He cried a warning in a low voice. ‘A single rider, coming at the gallop!’
With one motion of his arm, Bleidbara signalled his men to take cover on either side of the forest path, ensuring that Eadulf followed him into the cover of the thick undergrowth. Indeed, no time seemed to pass before they could hear the thudding of hooves along the muddy track. The rider was bent low over the straining neck of the beast. He was clearly in a hurry. Before he drew near, Eadulf saw that he was no ordinary warrior. He was well dressed with a multi-coloured cloak snapping in the air behind his shoulders. He had an ornate polished helmet, and a saffron-coloured tunic with designs that Eadulf could not clearly make out. The man wore a sword but carried neither shield nor spear.
As he drew near, Bleidbara urged his horse forward to block the rider’s path while his comrades came up behind him. For a second or two, the rider’s horse shied and kicked the air with its forehooves.
‘Out of the way!’ roared the rider angrily, his hand falling to his sword. ‘In the name of the King, out of the way!’
‘Who are you?’ Bleidbara demanded.
‘A messenger from King Alain on his business. Now move!’
‘I am commander of the guard at the fortress of Brilhag,’ replied Bleidbara. ‘You ride in dangerous country, my friend.’
‘Not if the mac’htiern of Brilhag is loyal to my King,’ the man declared haughtily.
‘Brilhag is loyal but there are enemies that lurk in these woods.’
‘You do not have to tell me that. I was nearly caught by a band of cut-throats not far back along this track. They loosed some arrows at me but my horse was faster than they were. Are you seeking them?’
‘You saw them?’
‘Three men were all I saw.’
‘We are in pursuit of them.’
‘Then follow this path. I came on them making camp in a small clearing near a stream.’
Bleidbara was puzzled at the news. ‘Camped already? But it is several hours until nightfall. Why, we could ride back to Brilhag from here and arrive before it grows dark.’
‘And it is there that I have to go, on King Alain’s business. Is the Queen Riwanon there?’
‘She is,’ asserted Bleidbara.
‘Good. I am to inform her that her husband, Alain, will be at Brilhag by dusk tomorrow. He rides together with the lord of Brilhag and an escort of his warriors.’
‘Then continue on your way, my friend,’ Bleidbara said, moving his horse aside.
A short time later, Boric, who was scouting ahead again, returned.
‘The messenger was right. There are three men camped in a small clearing ahead.’
‘But why so early?’ Bleidbara queried. ‘That I really cannot understand. They could make more time before nightfall.’
Boric grimaced. ‘I am afraid that they have their reasons,’ he replied. ‘The men have the female with them — the maid of Queen Riwanon.’
‘Then Ceingar is still alive?’ Eadulf’s question was unnecessary.
The stout tracker nodded.
‘It was my intention to just follow them until we find their lair,’ Bleidbara said reflectively. ‘Now I do not think we have a choice.’
‘Agreed,’ Eadulf said, ‘there is no choice. We must rescue the girl.’
‘How far ahead are they?’ Bleidbara asked and, when the position was outlined, he turned to his men. ‘We will leave the horses here and move quietly forward on foot. We will surround their camp and come on them suddenly. Hopefully, they will give up without a fight. But be careful — these men are ruthless and they kill.’
He glanced at Eadulf. ‘Do you want to stay here to look after the horses?’
Eadulf shook his head firmly. ‘I’ll come with you, of course.’