Queen Sacrifice Page 18

  ‘What do you know of the queen’s sister Bryn?’

  ‘Her name is Ceinwen,’ said Bryn. He looked round again to see that no one was listening. ‘She fears the queen may have been taken by the Gwyn.’

  *

  Cadell wasted no time in leaving for the border, taking one of the best of Lord Llewelyn’s fine black Welsh Cobs. He was impressed by Queen Rhiannon’s bravery but the risks she had taken were significant and he hoped he could reach her before she was captured by the Gwyn. Her sister Ceinwen was right, that could put the king in an impossible position. From what Bryn had told him of the queen, she was resourceful and well educated, so should have been able to look after herself, but he was not optimistic about finding her. One thing that troubled him was that he had spent time living with the Gwyn and knew the way they worked. If the Gwyn had succeeded in capturing the Du queen they would have already demanded King Gethin’s surrender.

  As he rode he pondered the drowning of the guard. He knew the area was home to all manner of thieves and robbers, so there was a chance that this was nothing to do with the Gwyn. When he arrived at the lodge Cadell was surprised to find it unlocked and deserted. He felt the ashes in the stone hearth and they were cold, so it had been unoccupied for some days. The stables were empty and there was no sign of the guards, so he decided to ride up into the woods and search for the queen. He was wary of ambush and travelled as silently as he could. There was no trail to follow and although Cadell had experience as a tracker, there was little else he could think of to do. There were only a few hours of daylight left and he knew it would be impossible to search at night, so his best hope was to reach a good vantage point on the higher ground above the valley.

  The path was narrow, so it took longer than he expected and the light was fading when Cadell reached the highest point. He dismounted and looked all around but could see or hear nothing other than the evening calls of birds settling down to roost. Cadell flinched as the peace of the early evening was shattered by the hissing scream of a barn owl in flight. Beautiful and mysterious, he watched the white and gold owl hunt silently until it vanished into the dusk. He smiled to himself, the owl had startled him but the old warlord Llewelyn had trained his horse so well it took no notice.

  Glancing down the narrow path into the valley, he could see the hunting lodge far below and was pleased to see the yellow light of a candle flickering in the window. The guards must have returned, so at least he would have some help with his mission and be able to question them more closely about the night the queen disappeared. Cadell mounted his horse and carefully picked his way back through the gnarled old oak trees in the failing light.

  He opened the wooden door of the lodge and found a large man on his knees lighting a fire in the stone grate. He clearly was not one of the queen’s guards, as he was dressed in the rough woollen habit of a monk with a large hood hanging down his back. He was unshaven, with unruly grey hair. The stranger looked round at Cadell as he entered the lodge and he immediately realised this must be the man the guards had reported seeing. Not wanting to take any chances, he quickly drew his sword.

  ‘Who are you? He demanded. Cadell had noticed that the man was using a heavy iron poker to prod the fire into life and realised it could be used as an effective weapon.

  ‘My name is Cledwin,’ answered the stranger. He hesitated, then added as an afterthought ‘Bishop Cledwin.’ He laid down the poker and stood with his hands raised palms outward to show he meant no harm.

  Cadell had heard of Bishop Cledwin of the Gwyn but never met him. He knew the bishop was a wealthy man and owned vast areas of land in the west. The figure before him looked more like a poor pilgrim but his voice was unexpectedly well educated and Cadell recognised the subtle accent of West Wales.

  ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘I came to capture Queen Rhiannon,’ Cledwin said in a matter of fact tone. He looked at Cadell, who was still holding his sword ready, but clearly struggling to understand.

  ‘Where is she?’ Cadell instinctively knew the answer from Cledwin’s demeanour.

  ‘The queen is dead. I am afraid… she killed herself rather than be taken by the Gwyn.’ The truth of the words hung heavy on the air, as did the sadness Cadell could see on the bishop’s face.

  Cadell sheathed his sword, deciding that Cledwin was not a threat to him. ‘I was sent here to find the queen.’ He shook his head. ‘I suppose I knew that something like this must have happened.’

  ‘I wish I could have stopped her,’ said Cledwin. ‘She was determined not to be my prisoner.’

  Cadell suddenly remembered what Bryn had told him in the tavern. ‘I heard that one of the guards was found dead?’

  Cledwin told him how the guard had died. ‘The guards were mistaken, he didn’t drown. It was an accident… I never meant to kill him.’ Cadell could see that the Bishop was telling the truth. He seemed a good man and in different circumstances would have liked him, but Cledwin was now his enemy. ‘I am afraid I must take you back with me,’ he said. ‘You are my prisoner now, Bishop Cledwin. You can tell your story to the sister of the queen.’ He looked out of the window. ‘It’s too dark to travel through the woods now. I need you to give me your word you will not try to escape?’

  The bishop nodded. ‘There is no escape for me now.’ He looked like a beaten man.

  Cadell believed him but decided to shut him up in the stable until the morning, as there was something unsettling about the coldly factual way the bishop had described the murder of the guard. Cadell had lived a hard life as a mercenary and learnt to trust no one. The stable had no lock, so as an extra precaution he dragged a heavy log across the outside of the stable door that would be virtually impossible for the bishop to move from the inside.

  He woke at first light, with a good idea forming in his mind. His decision to side with the Du meant he would be in a vulnerable position if they lost to the Gwyn. The bishop’s actions seemed to have been well intentioned, so he decided to help him safely reach the border in return for a promise that his support would not be forgotten. He walked over to the stable and was relieved to see that the heavy log was still in place, so Bishop Cledwin had been as good as his word. Cadell dragged the log out of the way and opened the door to the stable. The mercenary stood looking at the big man, slowly swinging from the wooden roof beam by a length of strong cord. He had forgotten to ask the bishop what he had done with the body of the queen.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Bethan noticed a worrying change in Queen Elvina. After they received the news of Sir Gwynfor’s death at the hands of the Du she had become completely withdrawn, staying in her room and hardly eating. Bethan was concerned, as it was difficult for her to know what to say to the queen. She listened at the door to the queen’s room then gently knocked.

  ‘Yes?’ The queen answered. Her voice sounded sleepy, even though it was nearly noon.

  ‘It’s me, my lady.’

  Queen Elvina opened the door. ‘Come in, Bethan.’

  Bethan noticed that the queen looked a little brighter and was glad to see the parchment map the king had given her was on the bed. ‘It is time we were leaving this place, we are no longer safe.’

  The queen looked out of the small leaded window. She had a view of the sea and could see it was a clear day. The sunlight sparkled on the water and herring gulls wheeled and called to each other noisily. She turned to Bethan. ‘I don’t understand. How can we not be safe?’

  ‘Word has spread that you are staying here. It is the talk of the village.’

  ‘You are right, Bethan. Let us pack our things and return to Pennard. The garrison from Pembroke is not far from there now, so it is as safe as anywhere.’

  Bethan looked hesitant, as if she wanted to say something.

  Elvina had known her long enough to recognise the look.

  ‘What is it? You are keeping something from me Bethan?’

  ‘I have heard that the Du plan to attack the garrison, my lady. We
should stay away from there. It will be dangerous for you if there is fighting so close to Pennard.’

  ‘I am sure the garrison are capable of seeing off the Du.’ She sensed there was something more that Bethan was not telling her. ‘Where would you hear such a thing? Has there been a message from the king?’

  ‘No, my lady. As far as I know the king is still in Caerphilly. I am sure he will send a message to you soon.’

  Elvina looked back out of the small window. She missed Sir Gwynfor and wished they had been able to meet. Her sadness was slowly turning into anger at the people of the north. It would take her a long time to get used to the realisation she would never see him again. ‘Where do you think we should go?’

  ‘I know a remote farm close to the border where we could be safe, my lady.’

  ‘The border? There is something you are not telling me.’ She looked Bethan with concern in her eyes. ‘There is more bad news?’

  Bethan nodded. ‘They say that the warriors from Ynys Mon are readying to take the west. They could be here any time.’

  Elvina looked at Bethan again. Her handmaiden seemed to know a lot about the plans of the Du. The king had often spoken about how there were many Du spies in the south. She remembered teasing him about it and wondered again about Bethan’s loyalty. She would have to take care. If Bethan was right and the war was turning against the king she would be useful to her, for now.

  ‘That’s decided then. We must leave today.’

  *

  The warriors of the Yns Mon hill fort had been crossing the narrow and dangerous straits of the Menai throughout the day in any boats they could find. Even the oldest could not remember ever seeing so many men on the opposite bank, shouting and calling encouragement to those yet to make the crossing. The black Cob Horses and supplies took the largest barges, with the men crammed into small fishing boats. Inevitably some ended up in the water. For those who could swim there was a hope that they would be able to make landfall further down. Others who could not yelled in alarm and sank quickly into the dark fast flowing water.

  Eventually they were all assembled and ready for the long journey south. The main body of men marched in groups, carrying spears and bows, with riders on Llewelyn’s sturdy black Welsh Cobs acting as scouts to the front. A second group of mounted warriors protected the rear. Many local people had turned out to see their army off and lined the old cobbled road, cheering and waving, shouting encouragement to those that they knew. Some women and girls gave their men last hugs and kisses, as it was impossible to know when they would see them again. Only a few would be remaining at the hill fort, including Cadell’s servant Bryn, who would wait there for his master’s return.

  The king’s orders were clear. He wanted as many warriors as possible to take the west from the Gwyn and claim it in his name. The goal was to reach the castle at Pembroke and take control before the alarm was raised and the garrison could return. King Gethin knew it was a risk worth taking. Apart from the men with him in the east, the north would be left undefended but he was encouraged by the message from Vorath. His warlord had done well. With the supplies and extra men he had sent Lord Vorath would soon have control of the south and keep the garrison at Abertawe busy.

  The men of Ynys Mon had been waiting for the order to advance and were eager for the chance to avenge the death of their leader, Lord Llewelyn. They made good time reaching the border, despite the shortening autumn days, and continued marching south into the territory of the Gwyn. They had been warned by warlord Vorath to be vigilant for signal beacons on the high ground and sent riders ahead to deal with any that they found. The riders returned to report that the whole area seemed to be undefended but there was a sense of calm before the storm and the men kept their spears and bows at the ready, determined to honour the memory of their leader.

  The scouts also reported a sizeable Gwyn village ahead of their path on the coastal road. The warriors needed a base camp from which to conduct their night time raids. It was decided they would seize the entire village in the name of the king and learn what they could about the strength of the Gwyn forces in the west. The only sound in the village was the barking of farm dogs as they stealthily scouted the layout.

  On the signal, the archers lit arrows covered with pitch and fired them into the thatched roofs of the selected buildings. The road quickly filled with villagers, screaming women, angry men and crying, terrified children. A few of the younger men of the village were armed with swords and knives. Others used farm implements to defend their property. They put up a good fight but they were no match for the trained warriors, who quickly disarmed them. The first Gwyn village in the west had fallen to the Du.

  *

  Elvina had slept lightly and was woken by the distant screams and the noises of fighting. She woke Bethan and they stood together in the cold night looking in the direction the shouts and yells were coming from. The sky to the west was lit by the bright orange glow of flames. Her guards had already taken position around the little farm that had become their new home but the scale of the destruction they could see suggested a much larger force. Their sanctuary was in danger of becoming a trap.

  Elvina’s hand went to the handle of the ornate dagger the king had given her. She had asked Bethan to sew the white leather scabbard into a hidden pocket in her dress so that she could easily reach it. She found it strangely comforting to trace with her fingers the ancient Celtic symbols engraved deeply into the silver handle, as she did now.

  ‘We left just in time. They must have been closer than I thought,’ said Bethan.

  ‘The Du?’

  Bethan nodded, ‘Where do we go now, I wonder?’

  For the first time Elvina realised that her life was at risk. They had comfortably outnumbered the Du before but now she sensed they were in real danger. An idea occurred to her. ‘You heard that the Du were heading south?’

  ‘Yes, my lady, the warning was right,’ replied Bethan, unable to take her eyes from the flames that were still lighting up the horizon.

  ‘We will cross the border north, it is the safest place now.’

  Bethan looked at her in amazement. ‘We should send for more guards.’

  Elvina shook her head. ‘There isn’t time, we should leave before they realise we are here!’

  They hurriedly packed and set off into the darkness, taking only what they could carry on the horses and leaving the rest hidden at the farm. The guards were unhappy with the queen’s decision, as they had strict orders from the king not to cross the border, but they had not relished the prospect of taking on the Du army. Bethan found a dark woollen shawl for Elvina to wear over her white dress but it was difficult to ride quietly and their white horses seemed to glow like beacons in the night. Although they were now heading deep into the territory of the Du, they felt safer as they moved further from the flames on the western skyline.

  *

  The mercenary Cadell had buried the body of Bishop Cledwin in the grounds of the peaceful hunting lodge. It was hard work, as he was a large man and heavy. Cadell was not religious but he marked the grave with a cross formed from two pieces of wood. Kneeling in front of the fresh grave he did his best to remember the words of a Christian prayer he learnt when in the service of the Saxons. Cadell’s divided loyalties meant he felt he somehow owed it to the old man, just as he owed it to Ceinwen to make sure that Cledwin’s story was true before he returned.

  He began a thorough search of the inside of the lodge, looking for any clue to the queen’s disappearance. He found a purse containing several gold coins and some jewellery among the possessions she had left behind, which he decided were proof she was abducted and not robbed. He put the coins in his pocket, thinking they would do well as payment for his troubles.

  After an equally thorough examination of the grounds of the lodge, Cadell decided to search the main path south they would have taken towards the border. It was unlikely that the bishop would have been able to dig much of a grave, so he hoped to see a c
airn of stones or some form of marker. To make sure he missed nothing, Cadell led his horse by the bridle and stopped at any clearing or open area close to the path to search for any sign of disturbed ground.

  Queen Elvina’s guards had been chosen personally by the king from his most experienced men. Their mission to guard the queen on her journey had been unexpectedly eventful, with the killing of the Du warrior and now the lucky escape from what must have been a significant raiding party. It seemed strange to them that she wished to travel deeper into the territory of the tribes and they argued amongst themselves about what the king would say when they returned.

  Two of the guards travelled well in front of the queen to make sure the path was safe. They had fought at the king’s side in the last war with the Du, so knew, how important it was to be vigilant for any sign of their enemy. It was easy for them to see ahead when they were on the open road but quite a different matter when they reached the hills. With narrow twisting tracks covered over with old and twisted oaks, the hills offered countless opportunities for anyone who wished to ambush them.

  Their vigilance paid off when the guards crested the brow of a hill and could see a lone figure approaching. He was on foot, leading a black horse by the reins and wearing the black cloak of a warrior of the Du. It was too late to take cover, as he also looked up the hill and had already spotted them. They swiftly drew their swords and charged, knowing he would raise the alarm if they allowed him to escape. The Du warrior’s reaction took them both by surprise, as he simply raised his hands in surrender. It could be a trap but they slowed.