Читать книгу Arthur, King - William Speir - Страница 21

Merlin limped along the corridors of the great house, concerned for the health of his queen. Less than three months after Uther’s funeral, Ygerna wasn’t herself. She barely ate or slept, and she cried often. She increasingly let Merlin handle her duties to the kingdom, in addition to his own duties as regent, while she remained cloistered in her apartments. The only thing that seemed to bring her any joy was the time she spent with Arthur and Anna.

The Picts, upon learning of Uther’s death, wasted no time. Less than a week after Ambrosius left Din Eidyn to return to the south, the Picts descended on the villages along Gododdin’s northern borders like packs of wild dogs. They expected little resistance in light of Uther’s death. They weren’t prepared for General Galerius, Gododdin’s new field commander.

Merlin and Galerius were in the great hall when the messenger arrived with news of the invasion. Galerius immediately left Din Eidyn, along with the cavalry forces housed in the hillfort and the two squads of foot soldiers and cavalry that Ambrosius had assigned to him. Riders were sent to summon the rest of Gododdin’s forces.

Galerius knew that any delay in attacking the Picts would benefit the invaders and make it harder for Gododdin’s forces to push them back. He also needed a quick victory to prove to the Picts that Uther’s death didn’t leave Gododdin defenseless. Galerius weighed the risks and decided to attack, even though he was outnumbered by a considerable margin.

He and his men from Din Eidyn slammed into the left flank of the horde of Picts attacking a village in northwest Gododdin. The men were anxious to punish the invaders for disturbing them during their time of grief, and they fought ferociously.

The Picts tried to surround Galerius and his men, but the Gododdin cavalry simply rode through the invaders, turned around, and attacked from a different direction. The cavalry repeated this maneuver several times. The Picts, suffering terrible losses and unable to use their numbers to any advantage, panicked and ran. Galerius and his men pursued, leaving a trail of dead and dying Picts that stretched to Gododdin’s northern border.

By the time the first squads of foot soldiers arrived, the Picts were in full retreat back across the border. Galerius thought about following them, but he decided that it was unwise to risk fighting the Picts on their own lands. He ordered the arriving foot soldiers to secure the border, help rebuild the villages, and tend to the wounded Gododdin people. Once he was satisfied that the Picts weren’t coming back anytime soon, he led the cavalry back to Din Eidyn.

Merlin and Ygerna were in the great hall when Galerius returned a few days later and reported what had happened. Ygerna thanked the general for his swift action to save her people. He bowed and left the great hall to check on his men.

Merlin looked at his queen. “My Lady, Galerius has done us a great service. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Ygerna nodded absently but said nothing.

Merlin knew that he couldn’t stay silent any longer. “My Lady, what’s wrong? You’ve been this way ever since the messengers arrived with news about Uther from the siege at Dinas Emrys. You have to snap out of this. Your people need you. You’re their queen!”

Ygerna waved her hand dismissively. “They have you, Merlin. You’re the regent. You take care of things, and leave me to grieve for my husband.”

Ygerna stood and left the great hall.

Weeks passed, and Ygerna continued to decline.

One evening, two months after Galerius returned victorious, Merlin shuffled down the hallway leading to the queen’s apartments; his staff thumped loudly on the timber floors. A servant stood at the door. Merlin raised an eyebrow, and the servant shook his head. Merlin nodded and returned to the chamber that he used when he stayed at Din Eidyn.

She’s still refusing to eat. It’s like she’s willing herself to die. Doesn’t she realize what that’ll do to Arthur and little Anna?

Merlin’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of feet running down the corridor. Looking up, he saw Arthur standing in his doorway.

Merlin smiled at his Prince and gestured for Arthur to come in. “How may I serve you, my Prince?”

Arthur looked at him with piercing deep blue eyes like his mother’s. “What’s wrong with Mama, Merlin? She won’t open her door.”

“When did you see her last?” Merlin asked.

“Yesterday morning,” Arthur replied.

Merlin nodded. Thinking about it, he realized that he hadn’t seen Ygerna for almost a week. “Go back to the nursery. I’ll check on her and find out what’s wrong.”

Merlin stood and reached for his staff. Arthur gave him a hug and then scampered back to the nursery.

Merlin was concerned. He retraced his steps back to the door to Ygerna’s apartment. At first, the servant refused to move out of the way. Merlin glared at him ominously, and the servant finally stepped aside.

Merlin knocked on the door and heard a voice faintly say, “Come in.”

He opened the door. Ygerna sat in Uther’s chair by the fireplace. Her skin was pale, and her face was thin and drawn. Her eyes looked sunken. Merlin could tell that she was dying.

“My Lady!” Merlin exclaimed rushing over and kneeling next to the chair, heedless of the pain in his left leg. He laid his staff on the floor next to him.

She weakly put her hand on his arm. Merlin saw the outline of bones and sinews along the skin. “It’s all right, Merlin. It won’t be long.”

“What about Arthur and Anna?” Merlin asked. “They need you. We all need you, my Queen!”

Ygerna shook her head. “It seems that I can’t live without my husband. Uther wanted you to raise Arthur and Anna if anything happened to him. I want that, too. You’re the regent. You and Galerius will lead our people until Arthur is of age, and then you’ll serve him and help him be a great leader. Protect his kingdom for me, Merlin. Protect it for Uther.”

“I will, my Queen.”

Ygerna’s hand went limp and slid off Merlin’s arm. He looked up at Ygerna’s face. Her eyes were fixed and distant. He put his hand up to her nose. She wasn’t breathing. He listened for her heartbeat. There was no sound. Ygerna was gone; she had left to be with Uther.

Merlin wept.

Explaining to Arthur and Anna that both of their parents were now dead was the hardest thing that Merlin had ever done. Anna was too young to understand what was going on, and it took several weeks for her to stop looking around the great house for her mother. Arthur had a slightly better grasp of what was happening, and her death hit him hard.

Ygerna was laid to rest next to Uther on the ridge overlooking Din Eidyn. A week later, Merlin’s wife, Niniane, moved into the great house to help raise Arthur and Anna. Merlin and his wife both felt that the children needed to grow up in the familiar surroundings of the hillfort, rather than on Merlin’s estate.

Even though Merlin and Niniane could have moved into Uther’s apartments, they decided to stay in Merlin’s chamber on the other side of the great house. They felt that it was too soon for Arthur and Anna to see someone else living in the rooms where their parents had lived.

Ambrosius and the other members of the Council of Kings sent letters of condolence to the young prince and princess. They also acknowledged Merlin’s post as regent and promised to treat him as an equal member of the Council until Arthur was of age.

Merlin, having lost his sons during the battle with Vortigern’s guards, named Arthur as his heir, making Arthur and Anna his foster-children.

Arthur and Anna slowly came to terms with the loss of their parents, and they came to look at Merlin and Niniane as their new father and mother. By the time the autumn leaves began changing color, life had returned to normal at Din Eidyn.

Two years passed. In spite of having lost both parents, neither Arthur nor Anna ever felt like orphans. Merlin and Niniane went to great effort to ensure that.

Niniane had always wanted a baby girl, but she had given birth to three sons. Anna loved playing with her, and the two grew closer and closer as time went by.

Merlin was proud of the way that Arthur dealt with his grief. Rather than sulk or hide, he threw himself into one activity after another. He spent most of his time watching the soldiers and the hillfort guards train with their weapons and the horses. Arthur was fascinated with horses, and Merlin often found him in the stables, helping the grooms.

It didn’t take long for Merlin to discover that Arthur had a talent for learning. Arthur spent hours every day watching the soldiers, the engineers, the blacksmiths, and anyone else who had skills that he could learn. Even though, as king, he’d have men around him to perform those duties, Arthur wanted to understand the duties for himself, and he wanted to know more about the people who performed those duties.

Arthur’s curiosity led him to spend hours each day exploring the hillfort and the defenses that surrounded it. Merlin knew that the guards kept a close watch on their young Prince, so he didn’t worry that Arthur would get into too much mischief.

On a beautiful spring afternoon in 473 AD, a few months after Arthur had turned eight, the Prince walked to the smithy in the northwest corner of the hillfort. The blacksmith was busy repairing several spears that were damaged during a recent raid by the Picts, and he paid little attention to Arthur, who had become a regular visitor.

Arthur walked behind the great forge in the far corner of the smithy. Along the back wall, items that the blacksmith had made hung on pegs. Arthur was curious about these items because they were always there. Not one had ever been removed since Arthur had started visiting the smithy. Arthur wanted to know why.

He reached up and grabbed a large hook that hung on the wall. It didn’t budge. He pulled on it, but it wouldn’t move; it was attached to the wall. He reached for a set of hinges, but they wouldn’t move either.

Why are these things attached to the wall? Is the blacksmith afraid that someone will steal them? Who’d do that here?

Arthur inspected item after item. Each one was attached to the wall, and they weren’t coming off. As Arthur moved along the wall, he grew more confused about why the items were displayed this way.

When he reached the opposite side of the forge, he reached for the hilt of a small sword hanging next to the other items. At first it didn’t move, but when Arthur twisted it, it rotated in his hand and he heard a faint clicking sound. He pulled the sword again, and the section of the back wall that he had been inspecting swung out.

It’s a secret door! I wonder where it leads.

He looked over at the blacksmith, who stood at his anvil with his back to Arthur. Arthur slipped through the opening and pulled the door closed behind him.

Arthur looked around. He was in a space between the back wall of the smithy and the north wall of the hillfort. Looking east, he saw that the space ran the full length of the north wall behind the stables.

This must be a hiding place if the hillfort is ever attacked.

Arthur knew that the north wall was the safest place to hide because the hillfort couldn’t be attacked from that direction. The north wall was on the edge of a cliff that overlooked the village. No enemy could scale the cliff and attack the hillfort without being seen and killed by the guards who patrolled the walls.

Arthur walked eastward along the north wall. The hidden space ended at the east wall of the hillfort. He turned around and headed back toward the smithy. He had just reached the hidden door in the back of the smithy when he saw a strange shadow close to the hillfort’s west wall. He walked forward, and saw that the shadow was the outline of a small door with sliding iron bolts on both sides keeping it locked.

Another hidden door! This one must allow anyone hiding here to escape from the hillfort in case of fire or in case the hillfort falls to an enemy. But this wall’s on the side of a cliff. How could someone escape from here?

Arthur tested the bolts. They didn’t move at first, but he grasped them with both hands. Small flakes of rust fell from the bolts as they finally started moving. He unlocked the door and grabbed an iron handle at the bottom. The door swung up toward him on hinges hidden at the top. Arthur looked up and saw a metal hook hanging on a leather strap above the door. He hooked it to the door handle and stepped outside.

The north wall of the hillfort was made from timbers rising above an earthwork base that was comprised of boulders and other stones excavated when the site of the hillfort was first cleared. There was a gap between the timbers and the earthworks where Arthur stood. Looking left, he saw a path through the earthworks leading west. He followed it.

When he reached the end of the path, he found himself on the edge of the cliff overlooking the village. Looking around, he saw what looked like crude steps cut into a path that led along the side of the cliff. He peered over the ledge and saw that the steps appeared to go all the way down the cliff.

This is definitely an escape path.

Arthur wanted to explore the path and see where it led, but the sun was sinking lower in the sky, and he didn’t like the idea of trying to climb back up the cliff in the dark. He retraced his steps and entered the hillfort through the secret door. He unhooked it and slid the bolts back into place to lock it. Then he reentered the smithy through the opening in the back wall.

He had just twisted the sword to lock the wall when the blacksmith noticed him.

“My Prince! I didn’t know that you were still here. Have you been here the whole time?”

Arthur turned and nodded. I’ll keep what I discovered today a secret until I can explore the steps in the cliff.

The blacksmith nodded. “You’re quiet today, my Prince. Is anything wrong?”

Arthur shook his head. “No, sometimes I just enjoy watching.”

Shortly after sunset, the blacksmith approached Merlin and Galerius as they walked the perimeter of the hillfort. Merlin’s left leg felt better, and he didn’t have to grip his staff as tightly as usual.

“Forgive me, Lord Merlin, General Galerius, but I need to tell you something.”

“What is it?” Merlin asked.

“Prince Arthur discovered the secret door behind the smithy today.”

“What secret door?” Galerius asked.

“When the hillfort was expanded, Uther’s father had a space built behind the smithy and the stables,” Merlin explained. “It was designed as a hiding place in case of attack. You get to it through a false wall in the back of the smithy, and there’s another entrance in the back of one of the stalls in the stables. The space leads to a door through the earthworks at the northwest corner of the hillfort, and there are steps cut into the cliff that can be used to escape down to the village.”

Galerius looked intrigued. “I’d like to see it for myself.”

“Are you certain that he found it?” Merlin asked the blacksmith.

The blacksmith nodded.

Merlin looked at Galerius. “It appears that our young Prince is a curious lad. We should find ways to focus that curiosity and prepare him for his future, don’t you think?”

“If he has time to find secret passages out of the hillfort, then I agree with you,” Galerius said. “Perhaps it’s time that Prince Arthur begins his training in how to rule his kingdom and in the arts of war.”

“Exactly what I was thinking,” Merlin said, smiling. “How do you want to start his training in the arts of war?”

Galerius looked at the guards changing their posts along the walls. “He should start at the bottom and work his way up the ranks. I’ll start him with the spear. Once he’s mastered that, I’ll teach him archery, then hand-to-hand fighting and knife fighting. When he’s old enough to ride, I’ll teach him how to fight on horseback. He’ll learn the sword last of all.”

Merlin nodded in approval. “You should know that I’ve had requests from two members of the Council of Kings to let their oldest sons spend a few years up here learning from you and me. They’re both close to Arthur’s age, and it would be good for him to have people his own age to spend time with. I’m perfectly willing to teach them the art of ruling, but do you have any objections teaching the art of warfare to three princes instead of just one?”

Galerius shook his head. “Who are the kings?”

“King Cynyr of Gwent wants to send his son Cai, and King Nudd-Lludd of Bryneich wants to send his son Bedwyr. Nudd-Lludd also wants to get his son further north. He believes that Colgrin is up to something, and Nudd-Lludd is concerned that it’s his kingdom Colgrin’s after.”

“They’re good men,” Galerius noted. “Let them know that I welcome their sons.”

“I’ll make the arrangements,” Merlin nodded.

Merlin found Arthur sneaking into the kitchens a short while later.

“Prince Arthur!” he called out as he approached.

Arthur faced him with a guilty look on his face. “Yes, Merlin?” he asked.

“I’ve been searching for you, my Prince. May we walk and talk together?”

Arthur nodded, and the two walked to the stairs leading to the top of the north wall. Merlin ambled with a slight gimp, and Arthur had to move more slowly than usual to keep from getting too far ahead.

Merlin leaned on his staff as they looked out over the north walls at village below. Smoke from the cooking fires hung in the air above the houses, and the breeze carried the smells of meats, breads, and other foods up to the hillfort. “I understand that you found the secret door in the north wall today.”

Arthur nodded.

“That’s fine work,” Merlin said with a hint of pride in his voice. “Your father was older than you are before he found it, and he only found it because he saw someone coming through the wall in the back of the smithy.”

“You’re not mad at me, Merlin?”

Merlin shook his head. “Of course not, my Prince. This is your hillfort. You should know its secrets.”

“Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Not exactly,” Merlin replied. “You’re at an age now when there are things that you need to learn – things that will help you be a great king. If your father were still alive, he’d begin teaching you these things. But he left that responsibility to me. Fortunately, I have someone to help me. General Galerius wants to start training you how to fight. You’ll spend time with him daily. You’ll also be spending time with me daily. I’m going to teach you about your kingdom, about Britain, about her enemies, and about what it means to rule. I’m also going to start bringing you to meetings that concern your kingdom. If you’re going to be king someday, you need to understand what’s going on inside your borders.”

“When do I get to be king, Merlin?” Arthur asked.

“When you’re sixteen, my Prince.”

Arthur looked disappointed.

“But I don’t want you to think that you’re going to be learning these things all by yourself,” Merlin added.

Arthur looked up at him with a confused expression.

“King Cynyr of Gwent is sending his son Cai, and King Nudd-Lludd of Bryneich is sending his son Bedwyr. They’re both close to your age, so you’ll have company for the next few years while Galerius and I teach the three of you what you need to know to be kings.”

Arthur smiled. He had met Bedwyr before, and the two had gotten along well. “When do they arrive?”

“Not before the beginning of summer,” Merlin replied. “They’ll be living in the great house with us.”

Arthur grinned. Then he pointed to the northwest corner of the wall. “About the steps cut into the cliff…”

“I prefer that you stay away from those steps, my Prince. But if you’re determined to explore them, then please promise me that you won’t try to climb down them alone. And try not to climb up or down while anyone in the village might be watching. No one below the cliff has ever found those steps, and we can’t afford for an enemy to learn about them because you were seen using them. If the steps get blocked by an enemy, or if an enemy uses them to breach the walls under the cover of darkness, every person inside the hillfort could be killed, including you and your sister.”

“I promise, Merlin.”

“Thank you, my Prince.”

All Arthur could think about for the rest of the evening was having two boys his own age living with him for the next several years. He tried to sleep, but he couldn’t.

I can’t wait to learn how to fight and to rule. But first, I can’t wait to explore those steps in the cliff.