Arthur

The hills north of the vale of Clyd are steep-sided and close set. The lakes are narrow, long, deep and cold: black-water realms ruled by keening eagles. Into these desolate hills we followed the enemy, pushing them further and further each day. And many days passed.

After many more days, we came to a place where a vast hump of land rises between two long lakes. The one is open to the sea and has no name; the other is called Lomond. A river called Dubglas joins them, running through a deep defile. And it was on this river that the barbarians chose to rally.

In this Baldulf showed wisdom. The cleft of the river was narrow, preventing a charge by the horses. And it sloped sharply up, giving the enemy the high ground they covet – if they cannot find a ford, a hill is best. And here they stood.

We attacked from below and the barbarians rushed down upon us. We fell back – as if overcome by their strength. Baldulf, eager to avenge himself for his defeats, pursued us. I still remember the gleam of their weapons in the hard sunlight as they plunged headlong down the scree-filled defile, screaming in triumphant rage. Those inhuman cries woke the stillness of the forest and made it quake. Down they rushed, with but one thought: to crush us utterly.

That was their mistake.

Arthur had held the second division in abeyance until Baldulf should commit himself. As the barbarians fell upon us, the hunting horn sounded and Pelleas, Cai, and Bors appeared up in the pass behind Baldulf. They had come round the hill and worked up the river pass from the opposite side.

Now Baldulf was trapped between two forces, and the larger of them held the high ground. Oh, the speed with which those cries turned to wails of anguish as the barbarians realized what had happened!

If at first they fought for revenge, now they fought for their lives. The battle was fierce, the fighting bitter and hot. With my spear I drove into the clash. My shield rattled with the blows rained upon it. My arm ached. But I struck and struck again, deadly, each stroke a killing stroke. The enemy fell before me.

The glens round about echoed with the clash of steel on steel, and the cries of the wounded and dying. With the larger force bearing down upon the barbarians from above, we gave ground below, coming at last to stand on the grassy banks of the lake.

This opened a way for Baldulf, but there was no place to run. Behind and on either hand stood Arthur's war host, and before him the deep waters of Lake Lomond, shining like polished silver. I do not know what I would have done in his place, but Baldulf fled into the lake. The lake!

It is not as foolish as it sounds. For there are a score or more islands in the Lomond waters. Some of these are mere rocks, fit only for gulls; others support huge stands of trees, and men might hide there. And by running from island to island they might cross the deep water and escape to the far side, which in some places is no great distance at all.

Cai came red-faced at a run. They are getting away. Do you want us to go after them?'

We stood on the shore and watched the enemy floundering across the water. Arthur did not reply.

'Please, Artos, let us finish it here, or we will be fighting all summer.'

Cai was right, of course. But in his excitement he had not thought it out.

'What would you do?' I asked him. 'Swim after them?'

'They are escaping!' he complained, thrusting his sword at the lake.

Arthur turned to Cai. Take the Cymbrogi and ride the south track round the lake to the other side. Kill any who will not surrender.'

Cai saluted and hurried off to do as he was bid. Turning to me, the Duke said, 'Mount the rest of the warband and follow me.'

'Arthur, no!' I called after him. For I had guessed what he had in mind. 'It cannot be done.'

He stopped and turned round. 'Has anyone ever tried?'

'Well, no – I do not think so. But – '

Then how do you know? An angel told you, perhaps?'

'Do not talk to me of angels, Arthur. God love you, I am in earnest!'

'I am in earnest, too, Bedwyr. I mean to end this battle without further loss of life. I can do that and no one even need get wet. I call that a victory.' He turned away again and called for Rhys to signal the formation. We mounted up at once and rode south, following Cai.

At intervals of a hundred paces Arthur placed one horseman, and one footman every fifty paces between them. In this way he surrounded the whole southern half of Lake Lomond. Upon reaching the eastern shore we met Cai riding back along die lakeside.

'Did anyone come across?' asked Arthur.

'Only a few. Most drowned. They would not surrender, so they were put to the sword. The rest have taken refuge on the islands. I will continue south, lest they slip away from us.'

There is no need,' Arthur replied.

'But they can swim across while we sit here talking. Once in the forest we will never find them again.'

There is no need,' I explained, 'because Artos here has surrounded the lake.'

'Surrounded the lake!' exclaimed the red-haired firebrand. 'Am I hearing you aright?'

'You are,' I assured him sourly. I did not much esteem the idea of surrounding large bodies of water.

Cai sputtered for a moment, but could think of no suitable reply. In the end he sighed – a noise like a hornful of beer poured onto a bed of hot embers. 'Well, what are we to do now?'

'Wait,' said Arthur. 'Only wait.'

'We could wait here all summer!' Cai complained. His temper, bless him, was never far from the surface. Those islands have game and birds on them. There is water to drink. They could feed themselves for months!'

'Then we will wait months,' Arthur said firmly. 'We will wait until snow rises to our chins before I let another of my men be killed rooting out Baldulf.'

There could be no moving him when he got like that. So I let be. On the eastern bank of Lake Lomond we made camp and pitched our tents in among the tall pines and burly oaks.

Waiting for someone to starve to death is a tedious business. I do not advise it.

The expense in patience alone is staggering, and it is a cost that must be weighed carefully. I have never liked sieges for the same reason. Better a battle sharp and quick – a spear thrust to the ribs, the swift chop of a sword – than a lingering death and slow.

Twice a day riders took food to the groups of watchers ranged about the lake; this task alone proved most formidable – the food must be prepared, loaded onto a wagon, and delivered to the sentries. Every other day the sentries were relieved and other warriors took their places, for it was an onerous duty.

For the rest, we occupied ourselves as best we could. We hunted in the forests and fished the lake. The warriors wrestled and disported with one another in various games of skill and chance. And, above all, we watched.

Now and then we would catch a glimpse of the enemy on one of the islands. Usually this was at dusk or early in the morning. Mostly they stayed out of our sight – though once at the end of a long, rainy day there arose a cry from the islands and the barbarians came down to the water's edge to jeer at us and rouse us to come and fight them.

Cai was all for it, but Arthur would not. We watched them, and as night came on the calls died away. All through the night there were renewed cries, and we saw torches and fires burning on the islands. But these too died away in time, and night closed around all.

One morning I saw Pelleas sitting on a rock at the water's edge, gazing at the largest island before us. 'It is a poor way to die,' he said, as I sat down beside him.