"True, Majesty," answered Tuck. "That is a fact I cannot deny."
"Good Lord, Tuck," whispered Scarlet, "you've been a busy fella."
The king frowned, then said, "C'est la vie-I am glad you are here." Turning his attention to the task at hand he said to Bran, "Good day for a battle, eh?"
"None better," replied Bran, through Tuck.
"What is this about you, ah… desirer the throne of this godforsaken cantref? You have caused me the very devil of trouble, my lord."
"With respect, Sire," answered Bran, "I want only what is rightfully mine-the throne my family has occupied for two hundred years."
"Hmph!" sniffed William, unimpressed. "That is finished. Britain is a Norman country now. I made my decision. Can you not accept it?"
Tuck and Bran conferred, and the friar said, "Again, with respect, Sire, my Lord Bran would remind you that the two of you made a bargain in Rouen-a throne for a throne. That is what you said. Bran helped you save your throne; now he wants the one he was promised."
King William frowned. He took off his helmet and rubbed a gloved hand through his thinning red hair. After a moment, he said, "Your priest here," he jabbed a stubby finger at Tuck, "says you will swear fealty to me. Is that true?"
"Oui," said Bran. "Yes."
"If I restore you to the throne," William said, "you will cease this rebellion-is that so?"
Again, Bran and Tuck conferred. "That is what I intended from the first."
"This miserable little cantref has already cost me more than I will ever see out of it," grumbled William. "What you want with it, God knows. But you are welcome to it."
"Your Majesty!" gasped one of the barons attending William. "I fear you are making a grave mistake."
The knight moved up beside the king, and the forest-dwellers recognized him for the first time. "You had your say long ago, Gysburne," Tuck told him. "Ferme la bouche."
"You cannot just give it back to them," insisted Marshal Gysburne, "not after what they've done."
"Can I not?" growled the king. "Who are you, sir, to tell me what I can do? The priest is right-shut your mouth." Turning to Bran, he said, "It grows hot and I am thirsty. Can we discuss this somewhere out of the sun? I have wine in my tent. Come, let us talk together."
"I would like nothing more," replied Bran when Tuck had told him what the king said. "However, I would like to choose the place of discussion."
"Where, then?"
"The fortress is just there," said Bran, pointing down the slope to the caer on its mound in the near distance. "We will talk there."
"But the stronghold is full of your warriors," the king pointed out.
"Some warriors, yes," allowed Bran. "But farmers and herders, too-the people who have suffered under de Braose, Abbot Hugo, and Sheriff de Glanville these last years."
"Am I to go into this den of wolves alone?" said the king.
"Bring as many of your knights as you wish," Bran told him. "The more who see us swear peace with one another, the better it will be for everyone."
When King William and his knights rode into the fortress yard at midday, Bran and his people were ready to receive them. Bran, with Merian on one hand and Tuck on the other, was flanked by Iwan and Siarles on the right, and Will Scarlet and Alan a'Dale on the left. Behind him were other members of the Grellon-Noin, Owain, Brocmael, and Ifor, and most of the forest-dwellers. Baron Bernard Neufmarche stood a little apart, with two of his knights holding Sheriff Richard de Glanville, bound at the wrists, between them. Beside the knights stood Bishop Asaph gripping the oaken shaft of his brass-topped crosier, and Odo clutching a big Bible.
The king of England was accompanied by a dozen knights, Marshal Guy of Gysburne amongst them. Around the perimeter of the yard stood the people of Elfael. Outside the walls of the fortress, the army was drawn up and waiting. Beyond them, on the heights above the valley, the Cymry kings and their archers kept watch on the proceedings. If William's army moved to attack, they would move to prevent it.
William Rufus rode to the centre of the yard, where his personal canopy had been set up. He dismounted and was greeted by Bran. Merian and Baron Neufmarche joined them to make certain that no misunderstandings arose because of a simple lack of language on either side. A small table had been set up beneath the canopy, and two chairs. On the table was a jar and a single bowl.
"Your Majesty," said Bran, "if it please you, sit with me. We will drink together."
"I would like nothing better," said the king. Seeing Neufmarche, he stopped and turned to his wayward vassal. "Baron, do not think that your part in this will be ignored."
The baron inclined his head in acceptance of the king's charge, but replied, "What I have done I did for the greater good."
"Ha!" scoffed the king. "Your own good most of all, I do not doubt. By the Virgin, man, how could you turn against me?"
"It was not so much turning against you, Sire," replied the baron, "but protecting myself. Even so, it is fortunate that we did not have to try one another in battle."
"Fortunate, eh?" said the king. "We will talk of this another time." He moved to take his place beneath the brightly coloured canopy. Bran joined him and sat down, with Merian on one side and Tuck on the other. The baron stood to one side between the two kings and, acting as steward, poured wine into the bowl. He handed the bowl to Bran, who took it up, drank a draught, and then offered it to William.
Red William accepted the bowl and drank, then returned it to Bran. The back-and-forth continued until the bowl was drained, whereupon Baron Neufmarche refilled it and placed it on the table between them.
"God with you, Your Majesty," said Bran, who between Merian and the baron was able to make his thoughts known. "And though we might both wish that the occasion was otherwise, I do bid you welcome to Caer Cadarn and Elfael. It is my hope that we rise from this table better friends than when we sat down."
"Let us cut to the bone," replied the king in English. "What are your terms?"
Bran smiled. "I want only what I have always wanted-"
"Your precious throne, yes," answered the king. "You shall have it. What else?"
"Full pardon for myself and my Grellon, and any who have aided me in returning the realm to my rule," said Bran. "And that will include Baron Neufmarche."
The king frowned at this last part when it was explained to him, but gave a grudging nod of assent. "What else?"
"Nothing more," said Bran. "Only your seal on a treaty of peace between our kingdoms."
William gave a bark of disbelief when Neufmarche translated Bran's last remarks. "Nothing else? No reparations? No silver to pay your soldiers?"
"My warriors are mine to repay," said Bran. "We Cymry take care of our own."
"I wish every fiefdom took care of itself, by the blood," replied William. He leaned back in his chair and gave every appearance of beginning to enjoy himself. "If you have nothing else, then hear my terms. I require your oath of fealty and a tribute to be paid each year on…" He tapped his chin as he thought, then caught a glimpse of Tuck and said, "You, there, priest-if you are a priest-what is the nearest holy day to this one?"
Tuck moved a step forward. "That would be Gwyl Iwan y Coed," he replied. "The Feast of Saint John the Baptist, in plain English."
"John le Baptiste, oui," said Neufmarche, passing this along to the king.
"Henceforth, on the Feast of Saint John the Baptist, a tribute of…" He looked around at the rude fortress and the mean, common dress of the half-starved inhabitants and the grim determination he saw on their faces and made his decision. "A tribute of one good longbow and a sheaf of arrows to be presented to the Royal Court at Londein and given over to the care of the Chief Justiciar."