Stephen Lawhead - Tuck

These banners preceded a single knight, riding between them. Two more knights followed the lone rider, and all advanced to a point halfway between the two armies, and there they halted.

"Saints and angels," said Gruffydd, "what's the old devil about?"

"I think Bloody William wants to talk," replied Llewelyn.

"I say we give him an arrow in the eye and let that do our talking for us," declared Gruffydd. He nudged Llewelyn beside him. "Your aim is true, Cousin; let fly and we'll see that rascal off right smart."

"No!" said Tuck, pressing forward. "Begging your pardon, my lords, I do believe he wants to beg terms of peace."

"Peace!" scoffed Gruffydd. "Never! The old buzzard wants to sneak us into a trap, more like. I say give him an arrow or two and teach him to keep his head down."

"My lord," pleaded Tuck, "if it is peace he wants, it would be the saving of many lives."

Bran gazed across the distance at the king, sitting on his fine horse, his newly burnished armour glinting in the golden light of a brilliant new day. "If he does want to talk," Bran decided at last, "it will cost us nothing to hear what he has to say. We can attack as soon as the discussion is concluded." He turned to Gruffydd. "I will talk to him. You and Llewelyn be ready to lead the assault if things go badly." He motioned to Will Scarlet, saying, "Come with me, Will. And you, too, Tuck-your French is better than mine."

"Baron Neufmarche speaks French better than any of us," Tuck pointed out. "Send for him."

"Maybe later," allowed Bran. "We'll see if there's anything worth talking about first."

Together the three of them walked down the grassy slope to where the king of England had established himself between his billowing standards.

"Perhaps the friar is right," suggested Will Scarlet. "It would not hurt to have Neufmarche with us."

"We will call him if we need him," allowed Bran.

"William speaks English," Tuck told them.

"Does he indeed?" said Bran.

"A little, anyway-more than he'll admit to."

"Then we will insist," Bran decided. "That way we can all be very careful about what we say to one another."

They came to within fifty paces of the knights on horseback. "Mon roi," said Bran, with a glancing nod of respect. "Parlerez-vous?"

"Oui," replied King William. "Je veux vous parler de la paix."

"He wants to talk to you about making peace," said Tuck.

"Bon," said Bran. To Tuck, he said, "Tell him that we will speak in English and that you will relay my words to him."

Tuck did as he was commanded, and a strange expression passed over the king's face. "You," he said. "Have I seen you before?"

"You've seen us all before, you mule-headed varlet," muttered Scarlet in Welsh.

"Steady on, Scarlet," said Bran. "We're here to listen."

"Oh, indeed, yes, Sire," replied Tuck. "We met first in Rouen last year-when my Lord Bran came to warn you of the plot by your brother against your throne."

William nodded. "Somewhere else, I think."

"Yes," said Tuck. "I was at Wintan Cestre when you gave your judgement against Baron de Braose and Count Falkes, and delivered this cantref into the care of Abbot Hugo Rainault and Sheriff de Glanville."

William squinted his eyes and regarded the little friar with a suspicious look-as if trying to decide if the priest was mocking him in some subtle way. "No… somewhere else." Realization came to him, and his eyebrows raised. "Le Sang Vierge! You were that priest in the church this morning."

"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.