I should have sent him back, but I was anxious to be away and in no humour to argue with him in front of the men.

'Arthur will deal with you,' I told him darkly, and let the matter rest there for the moment.

I gave Barinthus the order, and we pushed off from the bank. We hastened away, reaching Mor Hafren with the tideflow. Whereupon we turned west into the setting sun, hoisted sail, and made for the open sea.

THIRTEEN

The Picti had swarmed Caer Alclyd and seized the old fortress, intending to establish a stronghold against us. Like the Angli, they had abandoned open-field battle. They thought to secure themselves in the rock dun and make us root them out from behind stout walls.

By the time I reached the plain below the rock, the battle lines were drawn and Arthur had laid siege to the fortress. He had not attacked the caer, but was inclined to let the siege run its course. This plan enjoyed a double benefit – the Duke would not risk warriors unnecessarily, and he could wait until the British kings joined him and his forces reached full strength.

Ships rode in the Clyd and warbands ringed the great grey rock as we sailed into the estuary. Arthur had camped to the north of the dun, where he could oversee both the water and the rock, and I sought him out the moment my feet touched dry land. It was nearing dusk and the clear northern light shone all honeyed and golden as I rode up the rise to his tent.

He sat in his camp chair outside his tent talking to Cador, who had arrived earlier in the day with a warband of five hundred. Arthur rose as I slipped from the saddle. 'Hail, Bedwyr, my brother! I give you good greeting!'

'Hail, Bear of Britain! What do you here, my Duke? You take your ease while the vile Picti thumb the nose at you?'

'Better their noses than their arrows.' He wrapped me in a rough embrace and clapped me on the back. He broke off abruptly and said, 'I thought to commend you, Bedwyr, but it appears praise might prove overhasty.'

I glanced back over my shoulder and followed Arthur's gaze, to see lanky Llenlleawg trotting up the hill. He had followed me from the ship. 'Oh, him,' I said. 'I can explain.'

There is no need,' Arthur said. 'I can see what has happened.' He stepped away from me and squared off to meet the headstrong Irishman, his face and manner becoming siern.

But, upon reaching the Duke, Llenlleawg threw himself from his horse and quickly drew his short sword, which he placed at Arthur's feet, then stretched himself face down upon the ground. Arthur turned to me, a curious smile on his lips. I spread my hands helplessly.

Arthur observed the prostrate form before him. 'Get you up, Irishman,' he said. 'I will not demand your head – this time, at least.'

Llenlleawg rose slowly, retrieved his sword and replaced it beneath his cloak, keeping his dark eyes downcast all the while.

'What have you to say?' demanded Arthur, not altogether severely.

'On pain of death I am commanded to serve you, Lord Duke.'

'Who has so commanded you?'

Llenlleawg cocked his long head to one side, as if this should have been self-evident. 'Queen Gwenhwyvar has commanded me.'

'You are my hostage,' Arthur reminded him.

The Duke holds my freedom, but the queen holds my life,' the Irishman replied. 'I am here to serve you, lord.'

'What good is a servant that I cannot command?'

'If I have displeased you, Lord Duke, I offer my life.' Llenlleawg made to withdraw his sword again.

Arthur stopped him. 'Put up your sword, Irish Fool. You dull the edge dragging it out like that all the time.'

Llenlleawg removed his hand and knelt on both knees before the Duke. 'I am your man, Duke Arthur. I will swear fealty to you by whatever oaths your people hold most honourable. I will serve you faithfully in all things save one only: I will not harm nor see harm done to the queen.'

Then arise and serve me with a whole heart, Irishman. For no harm will come to your queen through me as long as she remains in my care.'

Cador stared at Arthur as if he had lost his sense. 'You cannot think to take him at his word!' I charged. 'They could be plotting against you, for all you know.'

'So could you, Bedwyr,' Arthur replied. 'So could Cador. Idris and Maglos and others already have!' He stretched forth a hand to Llenlleawg. 'If you would pledge to me, swear by this: your faith on the life of your queen.'

Still kneeling, the Irishman said, 'I, Llenlleawg mac Dermaidh, pledge fealty to you on my life and the life of my queen, Gwenhwyvar ui Fergus. May both be forfeit if I prove false.'

'There,' said Arthur. 'Are you satisfied?' To Llenlleawg, he said, 'Take the horses to the picket, and then find yourself something to eat. You may return to me here when you have finished.'

Arthur and Cador returned to discussing the siege, and I dragged up a camp stool and listened. Cador had come by nearly the identical route that I had travelled, and gave the same report. 'We saw no ships at all, Duke Arthur,' Cador said. 'Though the enemy can ply between the western islands with impunity and we would never see them.'

'What word from the ships on the east coast?'

'No word yet. But I have sent messengers to Ectorius at Caer Edyn, informing him of my plans. They will return in a day or so with any news from that quarter.' Arthur paused, watching the stewards who had set about kindling his fire for the night. 'But one thing troubles me in this… '

'Which is?' I asked. The Duke gazed long at the dusky sky. Lark song spilled down from the blue heights. But for the smoke rising ominously from the great rock, I would have thought the world composed and perfectly at peace.

'What do the Picti want with this fortress?' Arthur said at last. 'It is nothing to them.'

'Control Caer Alclyd,' Cador suggested, 'and they can control the whole valley to the Fiorthe.'

'Not without Caer Edyn,' Arthur pointed out.

'Perhaps they hope to win here and go on to take Caer Edyn as well.'

That is very ambitious of the Picti, is it not?'

It was true. Though fierce, the Painted People were not known for cunning. A savage growl and a club to the skull – that was their way. Overpowering the guard and seizing a fortress was not like the Picti; they preferred slicing throats and slinking away into the forests and heathered moors.

'What does it mean, Bear?' I asked.

'It means, I think, that someone is directing them.'

'Who?'

Arthur lifted his shoulders. 'That we shall have to discover.'

Over the next few days the British battlelords began assembling on the Clyd: Owain, Idris, Ceredig, Ennion, Maelgwn and Maglos. British ships filled the estuary and British warbands encircled Dun Rock on every side. The Picti did not seem discouraged or upset by this show of force. They kept themselves well hidden behind the walls and waited. When the first of Arthur's messengers returned, we began to understand their unusual behaviour.

'Caer Edyn is besieged, Duke Arthur,' the messenger reported. The British chieftains gathered in council in Arthur's tent fell silent. 'I could not reach Lord Ectorius.'

Cai, sitting next to me, leapt to his feet. 'Ector besieged! Damn the heathen! Who has done this?'

The messenger's eyes shifted to Cai's. 'They were Angli, for all I could see. And some Picti.'

'How did things appear at the caer?' asked Arthur. 'Was there fighting?'

'No fighting that I could see, lord. The stronghold appeared secure. I turned and rode straight back, but was twice delayed by warbands coming up from the south. I followed to see where they would go.'

'What did you see?'

'They were making for the old fortress at Trath Gwryd.'

'Indeed!' exclaimed Arthur. 'Then they have learned real warfare at last. Who has taught them this, I wonder?'