The Bwy Hir Complete Trilogy (33 page)

CHAPTER FOUR

Aeron Ddu felt his blood pumping in his temples, his hands shook with fury as he prepared for the R’hela, placing a metal studded leather breastplate over his naked torso and his leather bound trousers he stuffed into knee-length doeskin boots. Next he placed his leather vambraces on his forearms, allowing Taliesin to pull them tight before securing the leather cords. ‘Have you sent for the woad, my son?’ Aeron’s voice seemed distant, as distant as the look in his eyes.

‘Yes, it is on its way, do you wish me to do it?’ Taliesin’s fingers shook as he tied the knots good and tight against his
father’s forearms. Aeron gave a single nod.

A knock on the door was followed by the entrance of Gwrnach. He stood in the doorway flexing his fists. He looked formidable in his full hunting attire, his beard had been plaited and woad already covered his face and forearms, blue spiral
s and Triskeles decorated both his upper arms and cheeks. Helgi were drawn onto his shoulders and woad had been streaked through his hair; he was retribution made real. ‘We are ready.’ His voice was gruff, his face was stern and Taliesin was in awe of him. ‘I have the woad, I took it from a Druid on his way up here and sent him scurrying.’ Gwrnach handed Taliesin a bowl and brush.

Aeron stood completely still as Taliesin began to paint the woad on his father’s white skin. The contrast of white and blue was fascinating and Taliesin bent to his work, absorbed in
the motion of his brush as he formed Triskeles and spirals identical to Gwrnach’s. All of the Host would be decorated in the same designs, all except two: Taliesin and their quarry, Cadno.

Taliesin was forbidden to join the
R’hela until he bloomed to his full stature and tonight of all nights that irked Taliesin. ‘If I cannot hunt with you, can I at least hunt here in case Cadno is hiding in the halls or caverns?’ he asked his father, as he finished with the last lick of the brush.

Aeron studied his son. Taliesin was no longer a child
– far from it, he would bloom any day now and so Aeron nodded. ‘You will stay close.’ Aeron turned to Gwrnach, ‘Is Celyn-Bach riding with us?’

‘He does but he would prefer not to, you know how he hates dragons.’ Gwrnach shrugged.

‘Then let him hunt with Taliesin, closer to home, as my son suggests. Cadno is crafty enough to go to ground under our noses.’ Aeron gritted his teeth. Gwrnach nodded and left to tell Celyn-Bach the change of plan. ‘Your mother was right to give you your grandfather’s hunting bow. Check every crevice of the mountain and the farmlands beyond. We will search further afield, see if we can flush him out … He shall pay for what he has done.’ Aeron was grim. Taliesin nodded, keen to be away from his father. ‘Go and good hunting.’ Aeron patted his son’s shoulder and then took the bowl from his son. ‘But not before you are marked as a warrior.’ Aeron took the brush and painted a Triskele on Taliesin’s forehead and a spiral on each shoulder. ‘Go,’ he commanded, and Taliesin ran to join Celyn-Bach feeling a flux of emotions: pride, anticipation, guilt and fear.

Aeron watched his son’s flight with a wry grin; his son
would soon become a member of the Host. He leant over his side-table and grabbed a short handled double headed axe and a hunting knife before sliding them into his belt. He would not take a bow to hamper his movement, he would instead use his knife and axe up close in personal combat or else wield fire. Either way he intended to hunt down a traitor: Cadno of the Bwy Hir.

Aeron made his way down the flight of torchlit stone steps to the gallery beneath him to meet with the rest of the Host. They were waiting in their general quarters
; a fire roared and sparked in the fireplace and the chamber held an air of anticipation.

Hot on Aeron’s heels were a gaggle of Elder
Druids. ‘Lord Aeron!’ one called. Aeron recognised him as the Elder Tomas. They clustered around him, looking up with serious eyes. ‘My Lord, we are not ready for the R’hela, the beasts have not been released into the forests yet, it was not scheduled until the Winter Games and the R’hela!’ They fussed and muttered to each other, bobbing their heads and wringing their hands.

‘Peace!’ Aeron shooed them
. ‘Your R’hela will go ahead as planned, but tonight we hunt one of our own. Are the Helgi
and Seekers ready?’

‘Yes, my
Lord,’ said Elder Tomas, flexing his fingers with worry, ‘but are you sure you wish to hunt for Lord Cadno? Are you sure it was he who meddled with the ateb?’

Aeron’s eyebrows knitted tog
ether as he stared down at the Druid. ‘Are you suggesting it was someone else, Elder?’

Tom
as shook his head and took a step back. ‘No, No!’ he cried, ‘I merely wonder as to Cadno’s actions. Why do such a thing, Lord Aeron, what does it profit?’

Aeron snorted
. ‘This is Cadno we speak of – he profits in all chaos! No, Cadno did this in repayment for the choice I made for him in the coupling at the Solstice. He did not want his mate and therefore he spites us all … and he will pay for what he has done.’

The
Druids all exchanged looks. ‘This is a calamity, my Lord!’ Elder Tomas sighed. ‘What is to become of the Triskele – we are unravelling!’ He brushed a tear from his face and the other Druids leaned in to offer reassurance and condolences.

‘The Triskele stands strong.’ Aeron swivelled his head to en
compass everyone. ‘Neither one Druid, one man or one Bwy Hir alone can destroy our bonds, nor undo all we have created. These are dark days indeed but we will prevail.’ Aeron spoke with sincerity. ‘None shall break their oaths without being taken into account, none shall harm the Triskele and be left unpunished, the Bwy Hir included.’

‘Tell me,’ Gwrnach spoke up, ‘do we hunt to kill this night?’

‘No. We hunt to capture. Cadno will face the Triskele R’hela at the Winter Games,’ Aeron said with relish.

‘And Afagddu and the Chosen Dafydd Morgan, will they too face the
R’hela?’ Elder Tomas asked.

‘On what charge?’ Aeron folded his arms
. ‘They are held pending an investigation and on the surrender of the Morgan girl. Have the Helgi located her yet?’

‘She cannot be found,
my Lord,’ said Elder Tomas, flexing his fingers again, ‘and the Chosen grow restless at the imprisonment of one of their own without charge.’

‘Elder, I respect and admire your concern but I have greater evils to focus on.’ Aeron unfolded his arms and stood to his full height
. ‘We will convene at the Triskele Council meeting prior to the full R’hela. The Chosen can air their grievances then but tonight we focus on finding Cadno and bringing him back to answer for his crimes.’ Aeron brushed the Druids aside and waved his brothers forward to commence the R’hela. ‘Celyn-Bach, watch after my son,’ he shouted as he departed.

Taliesin and Celyn-Bach were left alone in the chamber. ‘Should we have told your father?’ Celyn-Bach asked Taliesin in a low, conspirator’s voice.

‘Tell him what, Celyn?’ Taliesin dropped his head. ‘That there is a new ateb? That it is already tested and proved … it still makes no sense, why would Cadno destroy the Druids’ ateb? They can make more – it will take time, but they can do it. Did he do it just because my father chose his mate? No, it is senseless … Celyn, there is something you should know … Cadno has the ingredients for the new ateb.’

‘What? How?’ Celyn-Bach spun on Taliesin. ‘I thought only the Pride had it and they were holding it close.’

‘I had a copy of it and Cadno made me hand it over to him.’ Taliesin did not like holding the whole truth from Celyn-Bach, but Mab and Awel were not here to protect him and he feared his father’s anger.

‘Why would he need it? Without the Pride there is no purpose for the
ateb
– oh, no!’ Celyn-Bach moaned into his hands. ‘He’s gone after Atgas – we must tell your father immediately!’

They ran as fast as they could, through hallways and past chambers and halls
. Druids flung themselves against the walls to make way for the two Bwy Hir as they passed.

‘Who
is
Atgas?’ Taliesin asked, as he panted after Celyn-Bach.

‘She is – was your mother’s sister
.’ Celyn-Bach threw a look over his shoulder. ‘She was banished before you were born.’

‘Why?’ Taliesin had not heard of Atgas until Cadno had mentioned her name a few days ago.

‘She would entrap men, any man, drug him, mate with him and then drink his blood. She was banished when your mother discovered her deeds and rather than condemn her to the R’hela your mother fought her in hand to hand combat, your mother won and Atgas was banished – we are commanded not to speak of her, so enough questions.’

They continued running down, lower and lower towards the
dragon stables where the Host would mount before flying into the night sky. Taliesin and Celyn-Bach barrelled into the stables, the reek of ammonia and damp straw assaulted their nostrils as they entered.

‘Father!’ Taliesin shouted, but the Host had already
gone.

‘Blast!’ Celyn-Bach shouted, ‘We are too late
… Let us wait on the upper floors for them to return.’

‘No!’ Taliesin would not hear of it
. ‘Cadno could still be lurking here, he could even be lying low on the Chosen lands – we should at least search for him!’

Celyn-Bach rolled his eyes but understood Taliesin’s need for action
. ‘Then let us make ready,’ he replied, ‘go and grab your new bow and let us be away, it would be a shame for us to be dressed for a hunt with nowhere to go!’ Celyn-Bach slapped Taliesin’s shoulder, sending him on his way. ‘I will wait here, hurry back, Tali,’ he called to his back.

Druids
skirted past Celyn-Bach as he waited for Taliesin to return, keeping their heads bowed as they passed the Bwy Hir dressed in full hunting apparel and decorated in woad. While he waited Celyn-Bach had time to ponder on recent events.
Was the Triskele unravelling?
Celyn-Bach was a natural worrier not a warrior, a thinker not easily roused into hasty actions, not like Aeron who was like quicksilver: mercurial and unpredictable.
Was this the real reason Cadno had broken free, could he see the Triskele breaking and so deserted it like a rat from a sinking ship?
Celyn-Bach tittered at his own analogy; what did he know about ships, other than what he had read?

‘Where to first?’ Taliesin asked
, as he arrived with his bow in hand and a quiver slung over his back.

‘Let us start from the bottom and work our way up
,’ Celyn-Bach suggested but Taliesin shook his head.

‘We should begi
n outside, in the Chosen lands – that is where he would hide, with the foxes: like the foxes.’

Celyn-Bach was pleasantly surprised at Taliesin’s trail of thought, it would indeed be like Cadno to hide among his own and all knew of his affiliation with the foxes
; he was nearly as fond of them as Mab. ‘To the Cerdd Carega it is then, but Tali,’ Celyn-Bach said, grabbing at Taliesin’s arm. ‘If we should come across him I do not want any heroics as I can disarm him without force.’ Celyn-Bach tapped his forehead.

His mind was stronger than any of the Bwy Hir
; he could wind-cast like no other, he could also bend other minds to his will – something he was exceptionally talented at, but rarely performed. Celyn-Bach was a righteous soul.

Taliesin took the lead to the Reception Hall and from there agreed with Celyn-Bach to meet at the
Cerdd Carega in the Gwydir forest, the nearest stone from Eryri and the Halls of the Druid.

Celyn-Bach, as prudent as ever, had brought two lanterns with him and handed one to Taliesin when he arrived in the forest
. ‘Keep it shuttered for now,’ Celyn-Bach advised, ‘let your eyes grow accustomed to the night.’ He didn’t expect to find Cadno skulking among the trees and so was content to allow Taliesin to take the lead once more. Taliesin was driven by adrenaline and took the quest seriously. He nodded to Celyn-Bach and then crouched low, stalking the night on silent feet. Celyn-Bach followed, concealing a smile.

They continued through the woods, Taliesin’s head swivelled left and right, his ears pricking at every sound
. Celyn-Bach had to admit that Taliesin was a natural born hunter. They hunted right up to the edge of the forest and suddenly Taliesin dropped to the floor signalling Celyn-Bach to do the same. ‘There is movement in the field up ahead,’ he breathed, ‘can you see the faint flicker of light up ahead and slightly to our right?’

Celyn-Bach squinted into the darkness. In the middle of the field beyond the forest were three figures bent around torchlight
. ‘Can you see who it is?’ he whispered. Taliesin shook his head. They edged towards the light, silent and cautious. Taliesin held his bow tightly as they approached until Celyn-Bach stood up straight, all stealth vanishing as he said out loud, ‘What on earth are you doing?’

The three figures shot upright
; one squealed. Taliesin opened the shutters on his lantern and flooded the scene with light. Dai Jones stood stock-still with a shovel in his hand, his son Gary dropped the pick he was carrying and Liz Jones clutched a torch to her breast, she had been the one to squeal.