This was said with such certainty that Aelle accepted it without question. He turned his face and gazed out at the rain for a moment, then rose and went out.

'We will have our answer soon,' Arthur said. Cai and I looked uncertainly at one another, neither one knowing what to say. The rain pattered down outside, filling the footprints in the mud with water. Our horses stood sodden and forlorn, heads down, manes streaming water.

'Patience, Brother,' Arthur said. I turned and found him looking at me. 'Have faith. It is God's work we are doing here; he will not see us fail.'

I nodded, tried to smile, and gave up with a shrug.

'I wonder if it will rain all day?' muttered Cai.

'Why should this day be any different from the others?" I said.

'Take heart,' Arthur told us, 'the rain aids our purpose most excellently. No man likes to fight in the rain, least of all a Saecsen.'

'That is true,' allowed Cai doubtfully.

We sat for some time in the tent, and I began to believe that Aelle had forgotten about us. But just as I was about to get up and stretch my legs, there came a commotion from outside the tent. Someone shouted and a crowd gathered. The shout was answered by a low, spitting threat in the barbarian tongue. The clash of steel rang sharp and quick.

I made to rise, but Arthur pulled me back down. 'Stay. It is not for us to intrude.'

No, but we craned our necks and peered out through the tent slit. I saw nothing but the backs of the throng gathered round the fire ring. But from the grunts of the combatants and the shattering chime of steel on steel, it was clear to us that a fight was in progress.

It ended as quickly as it began. And, with much murmuring and muttering – although of approval or disdain, I could not tell – the throng dispersed.

A moment later Aelle entered the tent once more. He was wet and muddy, and breathing hard. Blood trickled from a vicious-looking scrape on his chest, but he smiled as he settled himself once more on his ox-hide. He gazed at Arthur, and the faintest trace of emotion flickered across his broad features. What it was, I could not tell. Pride? Remorse? Gratitude?

'It will be as you say,' Aelle said at last.

'You will not regret this, Aelle,' said Arthur. 'Hold faith with me and I will see that your people suffer no wrong.'

Just then the tent flap opened and a Saecsen entered with a round shield in his hands. Balanced on the shield were two long horn cups of the kind the barbarians prize. The shield was placed between Arthur and Aelle, and the servant left – only to return a moment later with a haunch of roast meat which he placed beside the cups.

Aelle lifted a cup and handed it to Arthur. 'Was Hael!' he said. And, taking up his own cup, he dashed down its contents in a single gulp. Arthur drank and then handed the cup to me. I sipped the sour brew and passed the cup to Cai, who forced down the rest.

Aelle watched this, and grunted. Then he took up his knife and attacked the haunch with vigour, ripping off a great chunk of meat which he gave to Arthur. He carved a second hunk for himself and began to eat, tearing at the meat with his teeth.

Arthur ate a few bites and passed the meat to me. I did as Arthur had done and then passed the meat to Cai.

As before, Aelle watched us closely and grunted his approval when we had finished. This was, I understood, some son of ritual. And, now that it was completed, Aelle seemed to soften towards us. He motioned to the cups on the shield, and the servant gathered them and left the tent.

'We have snared meat and drink together,' Aelle said. 'I will speak the oath you ask.'

Arthur shook his head. 'I ask no oath of you – only say me this: that you will hold to the peace we have spoken between us.'

'I will hold to it,' replied Aelle, 'and all my people who are with me.'

'Good,' said Arthur with a smile. The peace is begun. Let him be damned who breaks it.'

The Saecsen battlechief appeared puzzled at this. He shook his head slowly. 'What gage will you have?'

'I ask no gage or pledge. But I give you my trust that you will do all to keep the peace we have made this day.'

Aelle considered this for a moment, then shook his head. He rose and beckoned us to follow. We stepped outside and saw a young woman standing in the rain, a sodden pelt wrapped around her slender shoulders. This, we were given to know, was the daughter of Aelle's sister; his nearest kin, and, by Saecsen reckoning, the person he was most beholden to for care and protection.

'She is Behrta,' said Aelle, summoning the maid to him. 'I give her to you. If I break the peace I have made this day, you will kill her."

Arthur shook his head slowly. 'By this I know that you value your pledge. There is no need to give me a hostage.'

But the Saecsen leader remained adamant. 'It is not for me, Wealas; it is for my people.' He indicated the host looking on expectantly. TAey must know the value I have placed on this peace.'

I understood then what he was saying. The maid was of noble Saecsen blood; she would likely be a queen among her kind one day. By giving her to Arthur, the canny chief was doing what he could to seal the pledge he had made to Arthur.

Arthur turned to Cai, 'Bring her with us. Put her on my horse.' Cai stepped forward and took the maid by the arm, but gently, and led her to Arthur's mount.

'Will you come with me to Octa?' said Arthur, turning back to Aelle. 'I seek peace with him as well, under the same terms as I have granted you.'

Aelle gave his assent. 'I will come to you tomorrow.'

We climbed onto our horses and turned back upon the path to the river. As we passed from the camp, I saw the naked body of the man Aelle had killed in the short dispute outside the tent. The arm-ring on his right arm marked him for a chieftain. Blood still oozed from the ragged gape in his chest.

Myrddin stood on the far side of the river, watching for our return. When he saw us crest the hill, he dashed forward into the water and ran to meet us as we came to the ford.

Arthur threw himself from the saddle with a whoop and caught Myrddin up in a great hug.

'I have prayed for you every moment until now,' Myrddin told him. Glancing at the maid, he said, 'I need not ask how it went with you – I can see you did well.'

'She was Aelle's idea,' Arthur said. 'I did not want a hostage, but he would have it no other way. He said it was for his people to know the value of the peace.'

Myrddin pursed his lips. 'Very shrewd. Yes, I see. And if anything happens to her in your care, he will have cause to break faith with you. His sword cuts both ways.'

They turned and made to cross the ford. Half-way across, they began to laugh, and the echoes of their laughter set the valley ringing. Oh, they had planned this very carefully, the two of them.

I watched Arthur and Myrddin, their arms round each other's shoulders, splashing their way across the river and I felt the same giddy relief wash over me. I laughed out loud. Cai stared at me and then he began laughing, too!

We had done it! We had walked into the lion's den and returned with his beard in our hands. Had anything like this ever happened before?

More, could it happen again?