Stephen Lawhead - Pendragon

'Tell Amilcar that I will consider his challenge,' Arthur replied evenly. 'I will bring my answer to the plain at midday.' Hergest repeated Arthur's words, whereupon the enemy battlechiefs, satisfied that they had delivered their message, turned to go. 'Owain! Vrandub!' Arthur called, choosing two from among the assembled noblemen. 'See that they leave the camp the way they came, unmolested.' To the others he said, 'Go back to your men and explain the challenge. We will assemble at midday and ride to the plain.'

As the lords hurried away, Arthur bade his advisors attend him in the council tent. Gwenhwyvar, Cai, Bedwyr, Cador, Llenlleawg and I joined the High King to decide what to do. 'It is a very good sign,' Bedwyr said as we seated ourselves at the board. 'It means the Black Boar knows we have increased the strength of the war host, and he is afraid.'

'What of this pledge not to fight today?' asked Gwenhwyvar sharply; the question was for me.

I quickly explained how I had been surprised and taken by Mercia. Cador professed himself amazed by this and said, 'He let you go if you promised not to fight today?'

'No,' I said, 'it was not like that. We talked first. He gave me to know that there is dissension in the Vandali camp. Amilcar has lost the confidence of some of his lords, and – '

'See!' cried Bedwyr. 'I am right! The Black Boar is running scared. The Vandali cannot withstand the might of Britain any longer.'

'Single combat is the only fight he can win,' Cai put in. 'Attack with all our might, I say. This is the chance we have been waiting for.'

'Perhaps,' replied Arthur, 'it is a chance to end the war without further bloodshed.'

'Perhaps it is a trap!' pointed out Gwenhwyvar sharply. 'The barbarians cannot be trusted,' said Cador quickly. 'Even if Amilcar was defeated, what makes you think they would honour any vow of peace they made?'

It was a good question – one that would be uppermost in every British warrior's mind. I was ready with the answer. 'It makes no difference,' I answered.

Their silence contradicted me. 'Truly, it makes no difference,' I persisted, 'for without Amilcar, the war will simply collapse. Can you not see that now?' The disbelieving stares of Cador and the others told me that they could not.

'See here!' I said. 'Whether it is a trap' – I inclined my head towards Gwenhwyvar as I said this – 'or whether Amilcar proves false, or anything else – makes not the slightest difference to us. For the selfsame moment he dies on the battlefield before his watching host, the invasion ceases and the war ends.'

'How do you know this?' demanded Cador.

'Mercia told me,' I answered.

'And you believed him?'

'I did indeed,' I replied. 'He held my life in his hands. Let there be no doubt: a word from him and my death was assured. But he let me live that I might know he spoke the truth.'

'He is a barbarian!' Cador charged. 'He would tell you anything to make you believe this lie. But I am not so easily persuaded.'

'It may be a lie,' I answered, 'or it may not. I say we put it to the test and find out. If I am right, the war will end.'

'But what if you are wrong?' Cai asked. 'What then, eh?'

'Then the war will continue,' I replied solemnly, 'and Britain will become the grave of champions.'

They grew silent, thinking this over. Before they could renew their objections, Rhys ducked into the tent just then to say that the priest Paulinus had returned to camp. 'Let him come in,' Arthur said.

The monk, gaunt and frayed about the edges like a bone gnawed to gristle, entered and all but collapsed at Arthur's feet. Without a thought, the king raised him and sat him in his chair. 'A drink, Rhys,' called Arthur. 'Hurry!'

'Forgive me, lord,' Paulinus said. He saw the others looking on and struggled to his feet.

Arthur pressed him back into the chair with his hand. 'Sit, man. Rest yourself. You have ridden hard, as we can see. Gather your strength and tell us what word you have brought.'

Rhys appeared with a cup and pressed it into the monk's hands. Paulinus drank thirstily and dried his mouth with his sleeve. 'I wish I had a better word, lord,' the monk said.

'How bad is it?' asked Gwenhwyvar, stepping close.

'It is not good,' Paulinus replied. 'The fever spreads despite our best efforts. The roads from Londinium are secured, but people still persist in travelling on the river; it seems we can do nothing to stop them. Thus, the plague follows the waterways.' He paused, gulped from the cup, and concluded, 'We have succeeded in rescuing a few settlements where the disease has not yet gained a foothold, but much of the land south of Londinium has succumbed.'

Paulinus drank again, and returned the cup to Rhys. 'Three of our own have taken ill, and one has died. Nor do I expect the others to live.'

Arthur stood over the priest, hands at his sides, fists balled, but there was nothing to strike. Paulinus, seeing his king's frustration, rose slowly. 'I am sorry, lord. I wish I had better tidings. I had hoped – we had all hoped…"

'You are doing all you can, we know,' Gwenhwyvar said. 'Go now, we will speak again when you are rested.'

Beckoning his steward, Arthur said, 'Rhys, see that our friend has something to eat and a place to lay his head.' Paulinus took his leave and, when he had gone, Arthur turned to the others. 'I cannot stop the plague,' he said softly. 'But if I can end the war with the Black Boar, I deem it a risk worth taking. I will fight Amilcar.'

A little while before midday, the lords of Britain and their battlechiefs were assembled once more and brought to stand before the High King's tent. Arthur acknowledged them one by one and lauded their loyalty. Then he said, 'Sword brothers all, you have heard the Black Boar's challenge. I have given the matter careful thought, and I have decided that if there is a chance to end the war by defeating Amilcar in single combat, then I must take that chance. Therefore, I will accept the barbarian's challenge and meet him on the plain.' The decision provoked a general uproar. 'Is this wise, Arthur?' wondered Ector aloud. 'Certainly, we all stand ready to ride beside you.' A score of voices added their agreement.

'Of that I have no doubt,' Arthur replied, holding up his hands for silence. 'Indeed, many good men have stood beside me already, and, alas! too many have died. Truly, if not for the loyalty of all noble Britons, we could not have driven the enemy to this desperate cast. I am persuaded that the will to continue this war rests with Amilcar. Thus, when he is dead, the war will end.'

'But what if you are killed instead?' shouted Cunomor, his voice rising above the din. 'What then?'

'If I am killed,' Arthur replied, 'it will be left to those who remain to carry on however they choose. The death of one man matters little, weighed against the death and destruction which has gone before and all that will certainly follow.'

'We came to fight for you!' shouted Meurig, 'not to stand by and watch you fight alone.'

Ogryvan added, 'We fight for Arthur! He does not fight for us!'

This produced a clamour which continued for some time. When it began to die away another cried out. 'Lord Arthur!' The voice was strange to many ears. The British lords turned as Aedd stepped forward. 'The man who wins this fight will gain everlasting glory and his name will be sung in the halls of kings for ever. Therefore, though I am least among your lords, I beg the boon of serving you. Let me face this barbarian Amilcar in your place. Great King, let me be your champion in this fight.'

Aedd, God bless him, was in earnest; he would readily trade life for life with Arthur, but the High King could not allow it. 'I thank you, Lord Aedd,' he said, 'and I will not forget your offer. But it seems that Amilcar believes me a tyrant like himself – in that if I am defeated, Britain's defence will crumble away. We must encourage him in this belief. My life must be the prize.'