[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
'Your ignorance is exceeded only by your arrogance, Conaire,' he said. 'This night you must decide
whether you will live or die.'
The Irish lord glared lethally at Llenlleawg. 'It seems,' he said, his voice tight with loathing, 'that I will not
be alone in making that decision.'
'It will not be Llenlleawg's spear that steals the breath from your body,' Gwenhwyvar said. 'While we
stand here bartering insults, the enemy invader claims our land. We have one night to make good our
defence, or our realm is surely lost.'
Conaire's eyes swung slowly from Llenlleawg to Gwenhwyvar. 'What invader?' he demanded dully.
'They are of a tribe called Vandali,' Gwenhwyvar told him. 'And they have come in force to plunder
Ierne.'
The Irish king drew himself full height. 'This danger can be but small, or I would have heard of it. Still, I
am not surprised that Fergus has sent you to plead for him the least sign of trouble and he comes
begging my protection. Tell him I will consider the matter, and reply when it suits me.'
He made to dismiss us and turn away.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
'Stay!' I roared. Holding him with the bardic voice of command, I said: 'Hear me, Lord Conaire. I have
known many kings: some have been fools, and others haughty. But few have been both and outlived their
imprudence.'
The proud king bristled at this. His eyes flashed quick anger. But I did not give him opportunity to
speak.
'Know this: We have come here to warn you and seek your aid. You know nothing of the force arrayed
against us. I tell you the truth, unless we stand together when the battle begins, not one of us will survive
the onslaught.'
Conaire frowned. He fairly squirmed under my authority, but I held him with my voice. 'Thisis the way of
it. If you doubt me, why not ride with us to the coast and see for yourself that what you have heard is no
mere fancy of the fainthearted?'
The Irish lord glared murderously at me, but kept his mouth firmly shut.
'Well?' asked Gwenhwyvar. 'What say you, Conaire?'
He turned to one of those who stood looking on. 'Bring my horse,' he barked angrily. To Gwenhwyvar
he said, 'I will ride with you, and see for myself. If it is as you say, I will protect you.' He allowed himself
a sly, sneering smile. 'But if it is otherwise, you must deliver to me the thing that I shall demand of you.'
Conaire stared at Gwenhwyvar as he said this, and it was not difficult to guess what was in his mind as
he spoke. Arthur's face darkened at the mindless provocation. Nor did I fault him. Had I been Arthur, I
would have split him crown to crotch at a single stroke. But Gwenhwyvar intervened. 'Make no demands
you would not wish yourself to fulfil, Conaire.'
Without a word, Conaire turned on his heel and disappeared into the hall. Gwenhwyvar allowed herself
a self-satisfied smile. 'Well,' she said, 'that was better than I hoped.'
'Is this Red Hand always so agreeable?' Arthur asked.
Gwenhwyvar answered, 'It was ever in his mind to have me for his wife. He has a wife, of course, and
two cumal-wives also. But he contrives to make himself a king after the manner of Rory and Conor mac
Nessa. That is why he has ever sought me to agree to marry him.'
'If his courage is half as great as his vanity,' Arthur remarked, 'then the black-sailed Vandali will soon be
fleeing back over the waves as fast as the wind can carry them.'
'When the time comes for spear-play, you will not be disappointed,' Llenlleawg suggested. 'A bard with
a harp does not make sweeter music.'
'This I want to see,' replied Arthur.
Conaire reappeared and, his horse having been brought, he mounted at once and led us out from the
caer and along a well-worn trail through a wood. We came eventually to a low, treeless rise giving way
to a series of downward-sloping ridges which ended in sharp cliffs overlooking the northwestern coast.
Even before reaching the cliffside we could see the thick-sown black sails close-clustered on the sea.
Many ships had already made landfall, and more were coming in with every wave; but we saw no one on
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
shore, and no sign of horses aboard any of the boats.
'Forty ships,' observed Bedwyr. 'No more have joined them. That means they have all arrived.'
'Unless this is merely the advance force sent to spy out the land,' Cai pointed out. Both men lapsed into
silence at that unsettling thought.
The Irish king stared at the spectacle before him for a long time. 'Never have I seen such an audacious
invader,' he said at last. 'Such insolence incurs a heavy debt, and I mean to collect my share.'
'Well said, Conaire,' Arthur told him. 'Together, we will drive these barbarians into the sea.'
Conaire, the westering light in his eyes, turned to Arthur and looked him full in the face. 'Lord, I am a
man of impulse and quick temper, as you have seen,' he said. 'I spoke without due consideration and my
words were not worthy. And now I am sorry. For I think you are a very king among your kind, and it is
not meet for two such noble allies to enter battle with malice between them.'
'I agree,' replied Arthur nicely. 'I think it will be toil enough to fight the Vandal horde without also bearing
a heavy dislike for one another.'
So saying, the High King of Britain held out his arm to the Irish king. Conaire clasped his arm and the
two embraced like kinsmen, animosity forgotten.
But Conaire was not finished. He turned next to Gwenhwyvar and said, 'Lady, you know I have always
held you in highest esteem. That is why I deeply regretted your leaving Eirinn to take a husband of British
blood. And though I bear the loss, I understand your choice and even find it in my heart to approve. You
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]