by Griff Hosker
“It is good land your majesty. We used some of the stones to improve the stronghold and I believe it could be farmed and protected easily.”
“I will consider it and speak with my sons. Welcome Myrddyn of Mona.”
I took my acolyte to meet with Brother Osric. As usual he was in his office with inky fingers. He never seemed to age and looked to be the same now as when I had first met him. “This is Myrddyn. Brother Oswald has been training him as a healer. When we war again we will be better prepared.”
He looked up at the young man with appraising eyes. “You are young to be a healer.” It was a bald statement which asked for an explanation.
Myrddyn looked him in the eye. “Yes I am young; I will have a long time to perfect my skills so that when I am as old as you I will be the greatest healer in the land.”
Brother Osric laughed; a cackling laugh and he slapped his desk. “I like that. Not intimidated by an old man. Your lord here was young too but age does not necessarily bring with it wisdom. I was young once and there were many who dismissed me because of that. I will not make that mistake with you young man.”
“I would like him to pick your brain Brother Osric and see if he can pick up some of your skills.”
“A magpie too. Well the magpie is a clever bird and survives well in these parts. Leave him with me Lord Lann and we will talk. A healer from the Holy Island intrigues me.”
“Will you take him to the barracks where he is to stay? “ The priest nodded. “I will see you later Myrddyn.”
I walked towards the quarters I used when staying at the fortress. I was in a good mood and meeting with Brother Osric had given me hope that Myrddyn would pick up even more skills. My mood was soured when I saw Bladud and two other warriors approaching me. I did not recognise the other two but they were wearing the same as Bladud and I assumed that they were bodyguards. Bladud said something to them and they all laughed. I assumed it was some joke at my expense. I did not give Bladud the pleasure of seeing a reaction and I just stared at him. I noticed that he had the swagger back he used to have before I bested him in combat. That was always a dangerous sign. I resolved to watch him just as carefully in the future. I knew he still had something to hide and I was determined to discover it.
Raibeart arrived along with his wife and child. He was a little closer than Aelle and myself to the fortress but the wagons he had been forced to use slowed him down more than u. I felt much better now that he was here for I felt I had protection. I knew that I should not have needed protection at Civitas Carvetiorum but Bladud had that effect on me. Prince Ywain arrived at the same time. It was some time since I had seen him and I was surprised at the change a year had wrought. He looked far heavier and his face looked flabby. I wondered if he had been working as hard as my brother and I. Combat and training kept a man slim.
They both greeted me warmly and effusively. We all made the right comments about the wives. “Where is Aideen brother?”
“She has only recently given birth and we thought it wiser to leave her in the castle. She is happy enough but she is sad that she could not see your ladies.”
When the ladies had left us we could talk. “I hear you two had a fine and well earned victory in Elmet?”
“It was costly but we did win. I think Raibeart’s father in law was more than happy with us. And you Prince Ywain, how is life treating you.”
“We only have the Hibernians to worry about and I have fortified the towns on the coast. It is very peaceful now .” I now knew why he had grown so fat. He had given up the patrols. I suppose I couldn’t blame him for his northern borders were protected by his wi fe’s father but it made me wonder if he would be prepared for battle the following year.
“Like my brother I have had to improve my fortifications for if the Saxons come then we will be the first to know.”
Ywain laughed, “Raibeart we have cowed the Saxons. When we fight them again it will be the battle which seals our victory.”
I looked at my brother. It was as though we were thinking the same thoughts. “Have you not heard that Aella has more warriors coming from the east? He will outnumber us again.”
Ywain seem e d unconcerned . “We defeated him before when he outnumbered us and now we are better armed and have more men.” I was not convinced but he was the heir to the kingdom and perhaps he was right. “Come I have an amphora of wine from Italy. Let us try it.”
As we headed for the great hall I wondered if this was another reason for the change in the prince. It was early to be drinking. It was a good wine but Ywain drank three beakers to the one Raibeart and I enjoyed. When Aelle arrived Prince Ywain was florid and slightly drunk. Aelle looked at me and I gave a slight shake of the head. We could talk later. As the allied kings were only arriving the following day that evening was almost a family feast with the king’s sons and my brothers and me sharing the huge table with the king and queen.
The queen had aged more than the king and I think she still grieved over her dead son. The three she had left were even more precious to her and I saw her pride in the boys. It was even sweeter for me because Bladud was not there and the food and ale were appreciated all the more. Maiwen and Freja retired early after the meal and we left the king and his family to enjoy some privacy. I wanted to speak privately with my brothers in any case. I wanted to let them know of my spy and discover if they had a similar problem. We headed for the gatehouse. It was quiet and the guards who were there would give us the privacy we sought. They all knew us and would ensure we were not overheard.
When I had told them they both looked shocked. “I have seen no signs near my castle but then I did not stumble upon marked trees.”
“Me neither. Perhaps I will take my men out on a patrol as you did.”
“It cannot hurt, Raibeart, but I wondered what the spy would be reporting. My defence improvements are there for all to see. My escape tunnel is known only to a handful of my men so why would the spy need a couple of meetings?”
Aelle stroked his beard with his stump. “It is perhaps more worrying than the passing of information. If he is in your castle then he could be there to bring harm to you, or your family.”
An icy chill grabbed my heart. I had left my family at the castle and the suspects were all there. Raibeart saw the look of horror on my face. “I think brother that they would try to hurt you, rather than your family.”
“Sorry Lann. I should have thought before I spoke.” Aelle looked appalled at his lack of discretion and thought.
“No Aelle you were right to voice your thoughts but I think Raibeart is correct in his judgement. It is more likely to be me who will be the target but I had not thought of it before. This is a hard thing to bear. The next time I fight will I be watching those behind me for a knife in the back?”
Chapter 7
The three allied kings arrived the next day. For two of them it was also a family reunion with their respective daughters and both kings looked as happy as each other as they played the grandfather. King Morcant Bulc looked decidedly unhappy as he was ignored by everyone. He liked to be the centre of attention. He had dressed in a highly polished mail shirt with a helmet inlaid with gold and silver. No-one noticed apart from me. I just thought that it would be impractical on a battlefield; although the Bernician king was too careful to be found where there was danger. King Urien looked on as though he, too, was part of the family. There was just me, along with Brother Osric who could see the resentment on Morcant Bulc’s face. The priest leaned over and said, quietly, “Our friend from Bernicia does not look pleased.”
“When does he ever look pleased, unless, of course, someone has fought a battle for him?”
“You need to watch him Lord Lann. King Urien is too trusting for his own good. The kings of Elmet and Strathclyde are honourable men, as we know, but the Bernician…” I nodded. I had learned not to trust him but the priest was a wise man and I heeded his comments.
When King Urien finally greeted him he was all smiles
but the smile was not in his eyes. I saw Riderch and strode over to him. He gave a slight bow. “How is my brother, Lord Lann?”
I shook my head. “We have fought together, it is Lann. Your brother is a fine warrior, however. “I saw the shocked look on his face. “No, Riderch, it is nothing to worry about but he has taken up with a girl in the village and he fell foul of Garth and me. It is all forgotten now.”
He looked relieved. “I had hoped that serving on the frontier would give him some sense.”
Brother Osric smiled. “Young men often think that their brains are located between their legs… they are of course wrong!”
The evening feast was a more formal occasion than the previous night and, once it had ended then the women left. There were just the four kings, the king’s sons along with my brothers and me. Brother Osric joined us after the women and children had departed. He sat next to the king with parchment and quill at the ready. I could see Morcant Bulc looking around the table and I could almost sense that he felt like an outsider. We were all joined by ties other than a military alliance and it gnawed at him. Had I not been watching him then it might not have been obvious but he was the focus of my attention.
“This year has been a good one for us. Elmet is now a safer place for its people and the Saxons have been dealt a blow to their ambitions.”
King Gwalliog slapped the table. “Thanks to these fine warriors of yours King Urien!”
Brother Osric shook his head, disturbed by the interruption but the king did not seem discomfited.”True and we are grateful to them for their efforts.” King Urien’s voice showed his concern. “However we now face a new and more dangerous threat from the east. King Aella is gathering a huge army and I have no doubt that he will attack us again next year. I fear, from what King Morcant Bulc tells me, that we will be outnumbered.”
Morcant Bulc stood. He had the centre stage and he would milk the attention for all it was worth. “They are gathered all along the Dunum. I have had to fortify the old Roman fort at the bridge on the river to give us some protection but they can cross the river in their ships. It is not a case of if but when they choose to attack.”
He paused and I said quietly, “Have you engaged them yet, your majesty?” He flashed me an angry look and I affected an innocent look and spread my arms wide. “I merely asked to find out if you had gauged the mettle of their warriors. If these are new troops, fresh from their homeland we do not know how they fight. The Saxons we know fight in a predictable way, as the King of Elmet discovered and we can counter that.”
The King of Bernicia appeared mollified. “A good point Lord Lann but I have been loath to cross the river and risk losing a battle.” I saw Brother Osric catch my eye and give the slightest shake of his head. I gave a slight bow to Morcant Bulc as though I agreed with him. “What we will do however is to try to gather some prisoners to find out the enemy plans.”
“I am not sure that will provide useful information as we already know how cunning King Aella is. The last time he fought us he even used his brother king as bait. Unless we capture him then we will not know what his plans are.” King Urien’s brow was furrowed as he spoke. I knew from my conversations with him that he could not understand the lassitude of the Bernicians. “I am going to suggest that we meet at the Dunum at Easter and we will march to meet and defeat Aella.”
There was much nodding. I coughed and they all looked at me. Once again it was left to me to be the dissenting voice. “We raided and defeated Aella’s son Wach before Easter while his men were still sowing crops. What if he does the same? He can strike in any direction and he will outnumber whichever king he meets, if he chooses the time and the place for the battle.”
“Are you suggesting that we attack early and risk starvation later in the year?” I smiled; King Gwalliog had learned his lesson.
“No, King Gwalliog, I am suggesting that we each provide some warriors to watch the Saxons so that we can delay an attack if he makes it early; much as we did last year when Raibeart and I aided you. It does not need to be a large force but it should be both mobile and well armed. We need to know when and where they will move. Although the land to the south is surrounded by our three kingdoms the Saxons can bring many more warriors across the sea and they can choose when and where to attack.”
That began a debate amongst the assembled leaders. Eventually the noise became so loud that Brother Osric was forced to bang on the table. “Let us talk in an organised manner.” He turned to Rhydderch Hael, “Your majesty, give us your views.”
“I like the idea but I could only spare fifty of my men.”
“King Gwalliog?”
“I know it would work and I owe much to Rheged. I could give fifty horsemen and fifty warriors.” I nodded my thanks.
“The King of Bernicia.”
“I am not against the idea but I would be the first to be attacked and I am not sure I could provide any men.” There was just the hint of a smile playing around his lips.
My eyes narrowed. Once again he was allowing others to fight his battles for him. “What of the troops at the Roman fort?”
The smile which had been on his face was replaced by a scowl, “What?”
Brother Osric caught my eye and winked. “Well your majesty, you said you had garrisoned the Roman fort. As that would be the place this force would be mustering could they not be used? After all the force would, as you just said yourself, be fighting to save your land.”
I saw the nods and smiles from all the others as King Morcant Bulc realised that he had been pushed into a corner and he had no escape route. “Well, I suppose some of them could be used…”
Brother Osric’s face brightened. “How many men did you send to the garrison?”
“A hundred and fifty warriors and fifty horsemen.”
“Perfect. The horsemen would be better employed outside the walls of the fort and a hundred men could easily defend the river crossing.”
Morcant Bulc’s face fell, “You know the place?”
“I know it well. I visited all of the Roman forts to gain ideas for improving the defence of this castle. The one over the Dunum is perfect for it controls the bridge. Why, even I could probably hold it with fifty men. So we can add fifty horsemen and fifty warriors to this force. King Urien?” The old priest had outwitted the king. He could not argue against his suggestion.
“As this kingdom is somewhat safer than the others, Strathclyde apart, I can provide a hundred mounted men and a hundred warriors as well as forty archers.”
“Lord Aelle?”
“We are well protected in the south; fifty archers and fifty warriors.” He spread his hands apologetically. “We have few horses.”
“Prince Ywain?”
“It is quiet in my domain; fifty horsemen and fifty warriors.”
“Prince Pasgen?”
The youngest son of King Urien and the least experienced leader looked embarrassed. “We have few regular soldiers in my domain. I could spare but forty warriors.”
“Forty would be more than enough Prince Pasgen. Prince Rhun?”
“I have some fine slingers and archers. I could provide forty archers and slingers and twenty warriors.”
“Lord Gildas?”
“I have forty horsemen but I am afraid that I only have ten warriors to spare.”
Brother Osric raised an eyebrow as he looked at the three kings. “Fifty from a small domain such as yours is as many as many others, with much larger armies, are contributing.” Having insulted the three kings he turned to my brother, “Lord Raibeart?”
“Like Prince Pasgen we do not have a large force but I have the best archers in the kingdom. I have fifty archers and twenty horsemen.”
“Which just leaves Lord Lann.”
“My fort is now well protected. I could bring all my horse, all thirty five of them, forty archers and fifty warriors.”
King Urien look concerned. “Would you not be stripping your castle of its garrison?”
“No I will be leaving some archers, slingers and fifty warriors.” I looked pointedly at King Morcant Bulc. “Fifty warriors are more than adequate to defend my fort for the despatch riders could reach you your majesty if it was threatened.”
“Good. So Brother Osric how does that force add up?”
“I will list them alphabetically. Bernicia would be providing one hundred men. Elmet would provide a further hundred, Rheged, six hundred and forty five men and Strathclyde fifty warriors.”
The other three kings looked suitably shamefaced while King Urien nodded proudly to each of us. “As the majority of the force will be Rheged I will appoint the commander.” He looked at each of us in turn. Prince Ywain, my son, and Lord Lann will jointly command. They have commanded together before and I believe they will work well together.” He saw the looks on the faces of his sons and Raibeart. “The ones who are not chosen will be needed to organise the muster of the remaining forces but I think that almost nine hundred such warriors could give a good account of themselves. Aella would not easily roll over them eh?”
There was an outbreak of cheering and slapping the table from all apart from the isolated Morcant Bulc who sat stony faced. I could feel the animosity from his eyes and I could not work out why. We would be defending his lands, once again, what did he want? I decided to ask Brother Osric later on. I knew that he would have some idea for he was the cleverest man I knew although I suspected that Myrddyn would run him a close second.
As the others all had families I took a turn around the castle walls. It was an icily cold night but the cold air helped to refresh my tired eyes and clear my head. I had much to think about. How would we protect our thousand warriors so close to the enemy? How would we ensure that we had good intelligence? How would we hold up the enemy and yet not risk losing what were the best warriors we possess? None of the problems was insurmountable and I knew that I would have the advice of Brother Osric as well as the mind of Myrddyn but there was another problem, Prince Ywain. He had not looked to be overjoyed at the command. There were two possible reasons: either he did not want to share command or he did not want the command at all. The former was not a problem as I knew I could work with him but the latter was. Warriors want a leader who is keen and eager. They want someone who wants to fight as much as they do. I would have to speak with him the following day.