Later, as twilight deepened the shadows in the wood, Friar Tuck called the people together for a prayer of thanks for their deliverance from the hands of the enemy and for a safe return, and for the future of the realm. He then led his discouraged flock in a hymn; he sang the first verses alone, but soon everyone joined in, lifting their voices and singing loudly as the moon rose in the pale blue sky. Neither Bran nor Angharad attended the prayer service, but the banfaith appeared after sundown when the first of those leaving the forest settlement were setting off. Gripping her staff, she offered blessings for the journey and safe arrivals for all who would travel that night.
The next morning after breaking fast, the remaining Grellon resumed their chores; there was more work now that a fair number of the most able-bodied had gone. As those who remained took stock of their numbers it was clear that others, unwilling to be seen by their friends, had departed silently during the night. Taking a silent tally, they soon realized that fewer than half their number remained.
With heavy hearts they set to and were just discussing how to divide the duties of the day and the days to come when Angharad called all Cel Craidd to gather at the Council Oak in the centre of the settlement. As the forest-dwellers assembled beneath the spreading boughs of the great, grey giant, they found Bran seated in his chair made of ash branches lashed together and covered by a bearskin. Bran looked like a Celtic king of old-an impression only strengthened by the long-beaked mask of King Raven that lay at his feet. Angharad stood behind her king, wearing the Bird Spirit cloak and holding a long, thin, rodlike staff in her right hand.
As soon as everyone had settled themselves close about this primitive throne, the banfaith raised the staff and said, "Heed the Head of Wisdom and attend her counsel. You are summoned here to uphold your king in his deliberations with strong consideration. Therefore, make keen your thoughts and carefully attend your words, for the course we determine here among us will be the life and death of many."
She paused, and Bran said, "If anyone here does not wish to bear this burden, you may leave now in peace. But if you stay, you will agree to abide by the decisions we shall make and pledge life, strength, and breath to fulfil them whatever they shall be."
Iwan, grim and deeply aggrieved, spoke for them all when he said, "Those who wanted to leave have gone, my lord, and God bless 'em. But those you see before you are with you to the end-and that end is to see you take your rightful throne and lead your people in peace and plenty."
"Hear him!" said Scarlet. "Hear him!"
"S'truth," added Siarles, and others shouted, "God wills it!"
Bran nodded to Angharad, who struck the bare earth three times with the end of her staff to silence the commotion. Then, raising her hand, palm outward, she tilted her face to the light slanting down through the leaf-laden branches. "Goodly Wise, Strong Upholder, Swift Sure Hand," she said in a queer chanting voice, "draw near to us; enter into our minds and hearts; be to us the voice that speaks the True Word. Be to us our rock and fortress, our shield and defender, our strength and courage. Go before us, Lord of Hosts, bare Your mighty arm, set Your face against our enemies, and as You destroyed the army of the wicked pharaoh in the sea, let fear swallow up those who raise their hands against us. These things we ask in the name of Blessed Jesu, Our Hope and Redeemer, and Michael Militant the Terrible Sword of Your Righteousness." Her mouth moved silently for a moment longer; then she said, "Amen."
All gathered in the solemn assembly echoed. "Amen."
Bran turned his head and thanked his Wise Banfaith for her prayer. To the people gathered before him, he said, "We are here to decide how the war with the Ffreinc shall be pursued. On my most solemn vow, there will be an end to their rule in this realm… or there will be an end to me. For I will not tolerate their presence in the land of my fathers while there is yet a single breath in my body."
"I am with you, my lord!" cried Iwan, slapping his knee. "We will drive them from this realm-or die in the attempt."
Bran gave a downward jerk of his chin by way of acknowledgement of Iwan's pledge, and continued. "Let us speak freely now, holding nothing back. As we must stand together in the days to come, let us share our hearts and minds." He paused to let his listeners gather their thoughts. "So now." He spread his hands. "Who will begin?"
Tuck was first to find his voice. "To speak plain, I am grieved in heart, soul, and mind since the attack in the grove-and any man who said otherwise is a liar. Our King William has proven himself a greedy, grasping rogue and a stranger to all honour. If that was not a bitter enough brew to swallow, our Ffreinc overlords have shown us that they will attack with impunity, little respecting women and children-"
"Devil take them all," muttered Siarles.
"Nevertheless," the friar continued, raising a hand for silence, "I have bethought myself time and time again, and it seems to me that if our enemies have any tender feelings within reach of their cold hearts, it may be that they are even now sorely regretting that rash act."
"What are you saying, Tuck?" asked Bran softly.
"It would be well to send Abbot Hugo an offer of peace."
"Peace!" scoffed Bran. "On my father's grave, a moment's peace they will not have from me."
"I know! My lord, I know-they have earned damnation ten times over. Is there anyone here who does not know it? But, I pray you, do not dismiss the notion outright."
Tuck turned to appeal to those gathered beneath the oak boughs. "See here, it is not for our enemies that I make this plea-it is for us and for our good. The pursuit of war is a dire and terrible waste-of life and limb, blood and tears. It maims all it touches. Maybe we gain justice in the end, maybe not. No one knows how it will end. But, know you, we will lose much that we hold dear long 'ere we reach the end, and of that we can be more than certain."
"We have little to lose, it seems to me," remarked Iwan.
"True enough," Tuck allowed, "but it is always possible to lose even that little, is it not? Think you now-if war could be avoided, we might be spared that loss. By pursuing peace as readily as war, we might even gain the outcome we seek-and is that not a thing worth the risk of trying?"
Tuck's plea fell into silence even as he implored the others to at least consider what he had said. No one, so it appeared, shared his particular sentiment.
"Our priest is right to speak so," said Merian, moving to stand beside the little cleric. "War with the Ffreinc will mean the deaths of many-maybe all of us. But if death and destruction can be avoided, we must by all means try-for the sake of those who will be hurt by what we decide today, we must make an offer of peace."
"Offer peace?" wondered Scarlet aloud. "That's begging for trouble with a dog and bowl."
"Aye, trouble and worse," growled Siarles. "If you have no stomach for the fight ahead, maybe you should both join Henwydd and his band of cowards. They're not so far ahead that you couldn't catch 'em up."
"Coward? Is that what you think?" asked Tuck, voicing the question to the whole gathering. "Is that what everyone thinks?"
"I don't say it is, I don't say it en't," replied Siarles. "But the shoe fits him who made it."
"Enough, both of you. Courage is not at issue here," Bran pointed out. "I was willing to swear fealty to William Rufus. Indeed, I encouraged my father to do so, and we would not be here now if he had listened to me and acted before it was too late…"
"Do you not see?" said Merian. "You're in danger of becoming just like your father-too proud and stubborn for the good of your people. And, like your father, you will die at the end of a Norman spear." She put out a slender hand and softened her tone. "Red William is a false king; that is true. His decision was the ruin of all our hopes, and now everything has changed. Look around, my lord-only half of Cel Craidd remains. Even if we were mighty warriors, champions each and every one, we could not take back Elfael by force of arms alone."