Chronicle of Ages (53 page)

Rhun staggered back a few paces, stupefied, as this had been the very notion that had urged him to seek the Night Hunter.

'Tis not often that fate awards thee a second chance to get it right, so name the replacement.

The High King closed his eyes, not wanting to admit that fate had beaten him. All his efforts to defy
the prophecy had only brought him back to the same horrid circumstance. ‘I think we both know who I must fight —'

Nay … there will be no fight,
Gwyn advised.
He cannot defeat thee, so why risk escape? We want him dead, plain and simple. In him exists the greatest and only threat to the Goddess' alliance, her land and people.

Although Rhun shuddered he was not surprised by the terms of their agreement. ‘I shall not find my target alone until he returns to his home days from now, so what shall become of Bryce until then?'

We shall restore thy friend to life in good faith,
the Lord of the Night proffered.
But if thou doth fail to meet thy commitment before seven days lapse, then the good Protector of Dyfed shall have the misfortune of dying all over again.

‘I understand,' Rhun conceded, eager to have Bryce back. ‘So be it, Night Hunter.'

Then stand back, Rhun of Gwynedd.
Gwyn motioned him to safe place out of the way.
And witness thy wish granted.
The Night Hunter held his cupped hands over Bryce and said:

Ignite inferno, the spark of all existence.

A fiery orange mass began to seethe and manifest in the hands of the Lord of the Night, erupting and exploding like an active volcano harnessed inside the field of an invisible orb.

Assume the aura that grants the soul breath.

A golden mist burst forth from within the fiery ball, and consumed the orb with its glistening, ghostly lustre.

Emotive liquid fill the senses until they runneth over.

Blue ripples gushed forth through the glittering mist, and the illuminated ball turned entirely liquid — appearing not unlike the sun when viewed from under rippling water on a fine summer's day.

Matter solidify the being and bind it to this earth.

Glowing green matter grew up through the waves and engulfed the surface of the orb as moss might claim a damp rock. Once covered by the solid, bright, glowing substance, the throbbing spectre the Night Hunter held grew in size and as it did, a silvery-white light began to burst through the green. Once the orb entirely glistened like sunlight on a still lake, Gwyn ap Nudd parted his cupped hands and the spectral light floated down to alight upon Bryce's body. As the life source was absorbed back into the warrior's body, his injury faded and his limbs relaxed.

He began to draw breath.

B
ryce was going to be sleeping like a baby for some time and Bridgit was still unconscious, so Rhun thought he'd best get back to the battlefield outside the town of Arfderydd and find out the fate of Alban.

The huge field was deserted, bar one horse and one man, who was seated in the middle of the wide open space with his back to the approaching High King.

‘Bridei?' Rhun called to be sure it was he, whereupon the Pictish warrior jumped to his feet holding high the head of Talorg.

‘I have a trophy for thee,' Bridei announced with glee, tossing the severed head in the air. ‘I am King! A free man, such as may sit in the middle of an open field
in broad daylight.' He threw his arms wide to bask in his new-found liberty.

Rhun let loose a victory cry as he ran down to jump on the young King, hugging and beating him about in congratulations. ‘I had no doubt of it,' he assured Bridei sincerely, as they calmed to a standstill.

‘'Twas such a fight, thee should have seen it! All my men marched away from this field united, something I thought I would never see.' A tear escaped the young warrior's eye, as he was suddenly filled with emotion and pride. ‘'Twas a miracle, Rhun, and I thank thee for bringing it about.'

‘It wast thy own will and that of the Goddess, that hast united thy people, Bridei.' Rhun gave his view. ‘But for my small part, thou art most welcome.'

Bridei suddenly look mortified. ‘Here am I raving on about my victory and I have not even asked how thy kingdom and thy kin fare as a result?'

‘There was a battle, lives were lost.' Rhun found himself not wanting to speak of it, for fear his hurt and feelings of betrayal would surface before he found time alone to deal with them. ‘But Gwynedd shall recover swiftly,' he asserted, drifting off into a vision of what was to come. ‘There art a few loose ends I must see to. But,' Rhun snapped out of his daze and smiled to assure the young ruler, ‘at the next sitting of the Goddess' alliance, the kings present will enter an era of greater cooperation than ever before, that much I promise thee.'

‘I shall warrant thou art right there, Dragon.' Bridei had a laugh. ‘None of the rulers gathered here today will ever defy thee again, for fear of thy pet!' When the
warrior got over his amusement, he had to wonder at the odd look of delight on Rhun's face. ‘What did I say?'

Rhun shook his head. ‘Thou art the first person to ever call me Dragon, without putting
little
before it,' he explained, much preferring the nickname this way.

‘There be nothing little about thee, my friend,' Bridei emphasised, slapping a hand down on the King of Gwynedd's shoulder. ‘This single event, thy march of peace to save so many from a needless death, makes thee, in my mind, the most outstanding king of all the legends history hast to offer.'

Rhun shied from the praise as he considered his own parents and the miracles they'd achieved. ‘My father would have done exactly the same thing.'

‘But he did not.' Bridei became quite serious. ‘Thee did.'

 

At Caernarvon, Rhun lay beside Bridgit awaiting her return to consciousness, mulling over Bridei's praise of him. And despite all that he'd been through, he couldn't help but feel a little pleased with what he'd achieved. But how would he feel about himself after he had atoned for Sir Bryce's return to life?

He looked at Bridgit, realising that Blain would have permitted Elidyr to rape his wife in order to lure Bryce to his death, all with the sole intent of hurting the High King. ‘Could the position mean so much to him?' This attack was more than just political, it was personal. ‘What did I do?' Rhun just couldn't figure it and if he murdered Blain as instructed, he would never find out the motive or indeed if there was one.

‘Rhun?' Bridgit stirred and upon sighting her husband she rolled herself over to embrace him. ‘I knew thee would come …
whoa
.' As the bump on her head made her dizzy, Rhun assisted his wife back to a reclining position. ‘Elidyr …' Bridgit shuddered, as the events she'd been party to before her blackout came back to shock and distress her.

‘Wast dead before he got near thee,' Rhun assured her in a whisper, whereby his wife's weeping turned to tears of joy and relief. ‘Bryce?' Bridgit raised herself once more to look to the floor, scrubbed clean of the blood, but some staining still remained.

‘Bryce be fine and resting peacefully,' Rhun informed, to her great shock and delight. ‘And I suggest thee do the same.' He kissed her forehead, urging her to lay back and relax, but she would not.

Although Bryce had always been Rhun's dearest friend and advisor, and therefore dear to Bridgit's heart, his selfless aid this day and in the past had had a profound effect on her life. ‘The man hast been like a guardian spirit to me and my kin, I owe him so much.' She was overwhelmed by tears again, as there were no words to describe the loving gratitude she felt for the Protector of Dyfed. ‘I only recently discovered how he saved mother from her death, and now he hast been wounded saving me.'

Rhun hugged his wife close. ‘If I know Bryce, and I do, that thou art alive and unharmed will be all the reward or thanks he will ever need. To protect his kin hast been his sole life purpose, as long as they art safe, he remains a happy man.'

‘Speaking of kin, art thee aware what became of Urien?' Bridgit wondered if her newly-found brother had done the right thing by his kindred in the end.

‘He hast been waiting patiently to see thee.' Rhun made a move to send for him, but Bridgit took hold of his hand to waylay him. ‘I do not know if I wish to grant him an audience at present. Tell me of his movements throughout this nightmare first, and then I shall decide if I have a brother or not.'

Rhun smiled, happy to oblige her.

He began his tale at Arwystli where Bryce and Urien were deceived into believing Blain would withdraw his assistance to Elidyr's attack on Caernarvon. ‘Urien offered to carry the note of withdrawal to Reged and deliver it to Elidyr in person, unaware that Blain had sent Owen to stop the missive ever being delivered. For Owen wast under the misconception that Urien planned to aid Elidyr and so was sent forth by Blain with an order to kill him on sight.'

Bridgit became concerned for her brother, even though she knew he must come to no harm in the story, waiting as he was to see her. ‘Wast Owen not suspicious, having no proof of Urien's treason?' she defended, passionately.

‘Fortunately, aye, he wast.'

Bridgit gave a sigh of relief.

‘Once Owen caught up with Urien on the lower border of Reged, they both sorted through their stories and the truth of the matter became fairly plain. They decided to continue on to Ribchester and deliver the missive as originally planned in the hope of bluffing Elidyr out of the attack.'

‘Which obviously did not happen.' Bridgit thought that plainly obvious.

‘Elidyr had already departed leaving his young son, Llywarch, to govern in his absence. To cut a long story short … Urien got talking with the future King of Reged to discover Llywarch be a passive Prince with no desire to rule a Kingdom … in fact his greatest aspiration be to study as a Bard under Selwyn, as Prince Cai dost.'

‘They struck a deal?' Bridgit guessed, thinking it was just like Urien to negotiate a kingdom from beneath a ruler, without raising so much as his voice. ‘
Tell me
.' She was dying of suspense.

‘I really think Urien will want to tell thee the details himself.' Rhun made a move to fetch him again, only to be yanked back onto the bed by his impatient wife.

‘Nay, I am still not convinced. Tell me the rest,' she insisted, whereby Rhun climbed back onto the bed to complete the tale.

‘Besides Urien, Owen and Llywarch, a fourth party helped formulate how everyone's wish might be granted.' Rhun paused to build the suspense, whereby Bridgit hit him.

‘Aye, and?' she prompted.

‘And it wast decided that should Elidyr die in his attempt to take Caernarvon, as Urien suspected he would, then —'

‘Hold on.' Bridgit pulled him up. ‘Thee did not tell me who the fourth person at this meeting wast?'

‘I am coming to that,' Rhun assured, as if put out by the interruption. ‘The fourth person wast Llywarch's
cousin, Brimesent, the younger sister of Elifler, who wast staying at Ribchester under Llywarch's protection whilst her brother and uncle were absent from their kingdoms. A fortunate thing, too, as Urien and the Princess of York both took rather an instant fancy to each other. So, it wast decided that if Elidyr died in his attempt to take Caernarvon —'

‘My brother be going to wed!' Bridgit guessed the punchline, nearly jumping out of her skin with excitement. ‘Fetch him, quickly.' She ushered her husband out to do her will, as she hastened to make herself look presentable.

Rhun didn't have to go far. Urien was pacing the corridor just outside the door, as he had been for several hours. When the High King gave a whistle, the King of Gwent and, soon, Reged, came running.

‘How fares my sister? Will she speak with me?' he hounded Rhun, having pondered these questions for hours.

Rhun simply nodded.

‘Did thee tell her about Brimesent?' Urien moved past the High King to enter the bedchamber.

Again Rhun nodded. ‘I fear her enthusiasm may overwhelm thee,' he assured with a wink.

‘Splendid, Majesty … I cannot tell thee how relieved I am.' Urien made haste to speak with Bridgit, as he was most eager to make amends with his sister. ‘Urien of Reged hast rather a fine ring to it, dost thou not think so?' He posed the question to Bridgit as he entered, throwing his arms wide in victory.

‘Congratulations!' She squealed with delight and embraced Urien, and Rhun closed the door so that they might speak alone.

 

Blain had fled back to Powys via boat, and hence Gareth had been unable to recover his wife and child from their captor. Cai had also gone missing in the wake of the battle and so it was assumed that he'd been taken hostage also.

Not that it mattered how many Blain kidnapped; nothing could protect him from what fate had in store. In Rhun's mind, this hostage situation was yet another incentive to execute his elemental vow without hesitation or question. In a few days, the ten-year-old Prince of Powys, Solomon, would be king. Until Solomon came of age, Prince Owen would rule in Powys in his stead. Owen was still faithful to the Goddess and her council, thus all hostages would be released.

‘Killing in the name of peace,' mumbled Rhun, his eyes lost in the roaring fire that heated Bryce's recovery room.

Thee cannot place personal friendship before the welfare of the entire nation!

Rhun did not have to seek Taliesin to know what he would say on the subject. Yet his soul found no solace in knowing that Blain's death would be considered just and welcomed by many.

‘I imagined eternal paradise very differently.'

The High King's attention diverted to the bed not far away, where Bryce now sat upright, checking the bulging muscles around his abdomen for a wound. He
looked to Rhun, appearing most bewildered when he failed to locate so much as a scratch.

‘I wast run through from behind. I know it.'

‘Aye, 'tis true.' Rhun raised himself and slowly approached to begin his explanation, still unsure of how much he would divulge to Bryce. ‘But thy death wast never meant to be and by the grace of the Goddess and her elements, thy life hast been restored.'

‘Thy wife!' Bryce suddenly remembered Bridgit's sad predicament at the time he'd lost consciousness.

‘She was spared,' Rhun assured him. ‘I arrived in time to prevent her being defiled.'

‘Praise the Goddess.' Bryce breathed a sigh of relief, but having been in the company of the Dragon's kindred some thirty years, he knew that the Otherworld never performed favours free of charge. There always had to be an exchange of kind. ‘What be the going rate in Annwn for a life these days?'

‘The death of another.' Rhun found it difficult to look Bryce in the eye and so moved to pour him a drink of water. ‘The man who murdered thee as chance would have it.' He passed Bryce the goblet of water and thinking it best not to make further comment, he returned to his seat by the fire.

Bryce edged his way over to sit on the side of the bed facing Rhun. Any fool could tell the High King was tormented and if this deal Rhun had struck had something to do with his dis-ease, Bryce was not about to let his young friend carry the burden alone. ‘So thee recognised the weapon that wast pulled from my body?'

Rhun only nodded in response, as he finished off the mead in the goblet he'd left by the fire.

‘
So
… who do I have to kill?' Bryce queried casually, whereby Rhun nearly choked on his drink.

‘Nay.' He spat the excess liquid from his mouth into the fire. ‘It be my destiny to confront the man in question and not thine.' Rhun was determined; Bryce had hit a nerve. ‘If I had only done away with him when first advised to do so, much of the recent debacle would have been avoided.' When he saw the shock on Bryce's face, Rhun knew he'd said too much.

‘Blain,' Bryce uttered, devastated by the realisation. ‘Thy prophecy hast come to pass.'

Rhun was dumbfounded by the comment. ‘How did thee learn of it?'

‘Cai wast helping me spy on Blain following thy last visit to Arwystli. Thy prophecy had Blain scared out of his wits! Or so I thought.' Bryce lowered his head to rest in his hands, his sorrow and shock turning his stomach.

‘It matters not if Blain fears the prediction.' Rhun looked back to the fire, straining to keep the hurt from reflecting in his voice. ‘His actions have made the event inevitable … the Goddess and her folk want him dead.'

Bryce raised his head, barely able to believe that there was still a trace of remorse in the High King's voice. ‘I can well understand why.' He moved closer to the fire and crouched to speak more intimately with Rhun. ‘Even with all Blain hast put thee through, and I feel sure I am yet to discover the half of his crimes, still, thee would prefer to forgive him than bring him to justice?'