The Silurian, Book One: The Fox and the Bear by L.A. Wilson

Author:L.A. Wilson [Wilson, L.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: TwoRiders Productions
Published: 2014-01-17T23:00:00+00:00

39: UTHYR and LOT EXPLAIN

WE never left the field till well after mid-morn the next day. It had taken us a long time to find our dead, load them onto what carts we had, and then clear the ground. We also worked to strip the dead horses of their gear, for horse-gear was much too valuable to be left behind to rot. Also, Arthur’s Epona had taken a serious wound on her left rump, looked like a sword slash and though she was not dying; she was also badly wither-wrung, and couldn’t take her rider. He left her in the forest with the other wounded horses, waiting to take her home to the horse-doctors. When we finally made our way back to Luguvalos, arriving in the late evening, we found all of the townspeople out to meet us.

The fort stood ablaze with torches and light. Gododdin guards lined along the approach to the fort’s main gates and the Red Dragon was out flying from the roof. The hut for the wounded was fully prepared and ready with doctors, and when we came up the road as heroes, we found the doors to the hall wide open and heat and light flooding out, bringing the smell of roasting boar. And standing in the open doors was Uthyr. Seeing him standing there, hands on hips, my first thought was that he had attempted to take the fort back off his son while Arthur was away fighting. The guard along the approach were not ours, of course, but Uthyr’s, though as we rode by them they came to attention and saluted Arthur as he passed. Not a sign of a rebellion.

We continued on towards the steps before the main doors, and I watched Arthur carefully, for there was no knowing how he would react.

He looked hard at his father, jumped off his horse, and with his inner Clan following him, he came up the stairs and stopped before Uthyr and stared at him. “Where were you?” Arthur said, and he drew his sword, it came out slowly and I moved in, ready for trouble. Around me the Clan also moved as Arthur bore down on his father.

Uthyr backed away into the hall.

“Where were you, why did you not come?” Arthur forced on him.

“Put your sword away, boy, no need for this.”

“Do not call me boy! Why didn’t you come? You pledged to fight and support me in battle against the Picts and all the time I looked for you, but you never came.”

“You can fight wars like this without my help! Unbelievable. Do you think I am standing here to defy you? Look around you, Arthur, all this is for you, my son. You are unbelievable. I told Fearghus you would win and win without us. I proved a point to Fearghus. I told him you are so powerful you do not need aid in war and he saw it was real. He is afraid now and—” He stopped, staring back at his son, seeing Arthur’s powerful Clan of warriors surrounding him and ready to fight.

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