Legacy: Arthurian Saga by Mary Stewart

your jerkin on before you go out, it's
cold." I shoved a hand into the sleeve, glowering. "You've seen all
this, something that's really happening, and I -- I was looking
into the crystals with the fire, and here I've got a hellish
headache, and all for nothing...Some silly dream of slaves in an
old mine. Galapas, when will you teach me to see as you
do?"
    "For a start, I can see the wolves
eating you and Aster, if you don't hurry home." He was laughing to
himself as if he had made a great jest, as I ran out of the cave
and down to saddle the pony.
     
    8
     
    It was a quarter moon, which gave just
enough light to show the way. The pony danced to warm his blood,
and pulled harder than ever, his ears pricked towards home,
scenting his supper. I had to fight to hold him in, because the way
was icy, and I was afraid of a fall, but I confess that -- with
Galapas' last remark echoing uncomfortably in my head -- I let him
go downhill through the trees a good deal too fast for safety,
until we reached the mill and the level of the towpath.
    There it was possible to see clearly.
I dug my heels in and galloped him the rest of the way.
    As soon as we came in sight of town I
could see that something was up. The towpath was deserted -- the
town gates would have been locked long since -- but the town was
full of lights. Inside the walls torches seemed to be flaring
everywhere, and there was shouting and the tramp of feet. I slipped
from the saddle at the stableyard gate, fully prepared to find
myself locked out, but even as I reached to try it the gate opened,
and Cerdic, with a shaded lantern in his hand, beckoned me
in.
    "I heard you coming. Been listening
all evening. Where've you been, lover-boy? She must have been good
tonight."
    "Oh, she was. Have they been asking
for me? Have they missed me?"
    "Not that I know of. They've got more
to think about tonight than you. Give me the bridle, we'll put him
in the barn for now. There's too much coming and going in the big
yard."
    "Why, what's going on? I heard the
noise a mile off. Is it a war?"
    "No, more's the pity, though it may
end up that way. There's a message come this afternoon, the High
King's coming to Segontium, and he'll lie there for a week or two.
Your grandfather's riding up tomorrow, so everything's to be got
ready mighty sharp."
    "I see." I followed him into the barn,
and stood watching him unsaddle, while half-absently I pulled straw
from the pile and twisted a wisp for him. I handed this across the
pony's withers.
    "King Vortigern at Segontium?
Why?"
    "Counting heads, they say." He gave a
snort of laughter as he began to work the pony over. "Calling in
his allies, do you mean? Then there is talk of war?"
    "There'll always be talk of war, so
long as yon Ambrosius sits there in Less Britain with King Budec at
his back, and men remember things that's better not spoken
of."
    I nodded. I could not remember
precisely when I had been told, since nobody said it aloud, but
everyone knew the story of how the High King had claimed the
throne. He had been regent for the young King Constantius who had
died suddenly, and the King's younger brothers had not waited to
prove whether the rumors of murder were true or false; they had
fled to their cousin Budec in Less Britain, leaving the kingdom to
the Wolf and his sons. Every year or so the rumors sprang up again;
that King Budec was arming the two young princes; that Ambrosius
had gone to Rome; that Uther was a mercenary in the service of the
Emperor of the East, or that he had married the King of Persia's
daughter; that the two brothers had an army four hundred thousand
strong and were going to invade and burn Greater Britain from end
to end; or that they would come in peace, like archangels, and
drive the Saxons out of the eastern shores without a blow. But more
than twenty years had gone by, and the thing had not happened. The
coming of Ambrosius was spoken of now as if it were accomplished,
and already a legend, as men spoke of the