"Well," he grunted. "That's one burden out of the way."
I grinned at him. "Aye, and well out of the way."
He frowned. "It will come back, believe me. We have not heard the last of this affair."
I blinked at him. "You said 'one burden,' Father. Are there others?"
"Aye. One other, but now it's yours."
I stared at him, wordless, and he continued, speaking in a low voice and glancing around to make sure no one could overhear him.
"They've turned me into an Administrator, Gay, and tied me to this Council Chamber. My soldiering days are over." He held up a peremptory hand to cut off my protest. "No, hear me, boy, and listen well. I am not unhappy about what I am saying. Nor is this any sudden whim or hasty decision. The matter has been in my mind for long months now. It's time for you to take command, formally, of our fighting forces." He paused, eyeing me keenly, one brow high on his forehead. "I'm not saying I'm too old, boy, so don't look at me that way. What I am saying is that you are ready for command and I have other matters, some of them vital, demanding more of my attention. I will still ride out to battle as and when the need arises, but time is pouring through my fingers like sand and there is too much to be done here in Camulod. That is my decision and there is no alternative, no recourse. You command. Uther will answer to you, and you will still answer to me in all but military decisions. There the last word is yours from this time on. Are we agreed?"
"Yes," I said, finally, bereft of words and fighting an urge to stammer, "but—"
"No buts. I shall inform the others—everyone—this evening. You have earned this position, my son. Now live with it." He gripped me, briefly and hard by the upper arm, nodding and smiling. "I look forward to serving under you, Caius Britannicus."
He spun on his heel and went to join his well-wishers without looking back, leaving me with my chaotic thoughts. Finally I collected myself and made my way out of the hall and back to my quarters in order to rid myself of my cumbersome finery before the noon meal.
I was surprised and pleased to find young Prince Donuil waiting for me in my rooms. He rose as I entered and nodded to me in a gracious, not unfriendly manner. I grinned at him and threw my cloak across the table that served as my desk.
"Good morning. I hope you have not been waiting too long? There was a Council meeting."
"I know. I found one of your soldiers who speaks my tongue. He told me there was great excitement. Then I heard all the shouting and commotion in the yard. I thought about going to see what was happening, but there was anger in the voices, so I came here instead."
"A wise move. Yes, there was anger in the voices, beyond a doubt."
"What is going on? Or can you not tell me?"
"Why not?" As I changed into my lighter uniform I told him what had been happening and how my father had resolved it.
He listened in silence until I had finished and then said, quite simply, "Your father seems to be a man of principle. He and my own father would get along."
"You think so? That's interesting. But you are right, my father is a man of principle. Are you a Christian?"
He shook his head. "No. We've had priests working in our lands for some years now. They are harmless enough, and they have won some followers here and there, but not many, not in our lands, at least. Some of the other kings encourage them, though. One bishop in the West, a man called Patrick, is building a great following. There are wondrous tales about him. I think it will take more than tales, though, to make me give up the old ways."
"You mean you would rather play than pray?"
"I would rather fight."
I grinned at him. "Aye, I'm sure you would. Let's go and find some food. Have you thought about what you might like to do while you are here with us?"
"I have."
"And?" I waited.
"I'm half starved. Could we find the food first? I think I might find it easier to say what I have to say on a full stomach, and you yourself might not suffer in the listening, with a good foundation."
I was intrigued. I could see that whatever it was he had decided upon had not come to him easily, but there was no truculence or resentment in his demeanour, so I led him across to the refectory by the kitchens and watched in amazement as he wolfed down three times the amount of food I ate. The place was quiet for the time of day, with only a few junior officers near us and one knot of off-duty troopers at the far end of the big room. Eventually my prisoner consumed the last of his bread and cheese and pushed his empty platter away with a contented grunt.
"I can see now why you are so big," I said, smiling. "Is this part of a plan of yours? To eat us out of provenance and starve us into submission?" A few of the young officers turned in surprise at the sound of my Celtic words. I ignored them and continued to smile at my prisoner, who gazed back at me for several moments, searching my comment for hidden meanings before his own face creased in a half smile.
"It is in my mind that you and your people here would not submit to starvation."
"I will not argue with you on that. What else is in your mind?"
"It is in my mind, too, that I know Lot of Cornwall no better than I know you, having met the man only twice and briefly each time."
"And?"
"I believe that my people would have a more beneficial alliance with you, than with Lot."
"How so?"
He made to respond immediately but then paused and considered his words so that his face grew speculative before he said, "I am not sure. Something of honour, I think. You have honour and understand the need for it. The King of Cornwall deals little with it, from what I have learned."
"How can you know that, Donuil, if you don't know the man?"
He shrugged his huge shoulders. "How do I know if the sun is shining before I leave my hut in the morning? There are signs and sounds that announce it. There are signs that make it clear to me, also, that we of the Scotii would be better allied with your Colony."
"But our Colony needs no allies. Especially in another land beyond the sea."
"Perhaps not, Caius Merlyn, but ask yourself how great your need of enemies is, across the same sea?"
"A good point, Prince Donuil!" I nodded in agreement. "If our enemies have allies across the sea, then we have enemies across the sea and should bestir ourselves to seek alliance there with others who could keep those enemies at home." He nodded, and I went on, "But that becomes complicated, even in the telling, and we have already solved the problem. Your presence here has cut the string from Lot's alliance. Your people are no threat to us, for now."
"Not for five years, at least, you mean."
"Not for five years, at least."
"And after that? What do you think will happen when my time with you is up?"
It was my turn to shrug. "Who knows? Much can happen in five years. The worst that could happen is that your people could war against us again. But by that time we would have made our preparations to receive them. It would not be pleasant, but we would be forearmed and ready for them." I looked directly at him and his eyes were wide and frank, looking straight into my own. "But we are not here to discuss a war that may or may not happen in five years. We are here to discuss your thoughts on how you might profitably spend those five years, with an eye to your own good and comfort, and a non-traitorous benefit to the community that will be your host during that time."
He smiled. "Nicely phrased, Caius Merlyn."