Chronicle of Ages (10 page)

As Cara thought seriously on the question, she too was forced to concede that the odds were tipped largely in her husband's favour. ‘But will that be Vortipor's reaction? He can never know for sure. Goddess forbid if I bore a son!'

‘Well, what choice dost thou have?' Tory stood, angered by the realisation that Cara was hinting at aborting it.

‘I wast hoping thee might suggest some means to be rid of it.' Cara was slowly choking on her remorse at suggesting it, but she did not retract her words.

Now Tory understood why she had confided in Ione. As Tory looked to her champion, Ione confessed: ‘If I had fallen with child from my rape at the hands of Prince Caradoc, I would have kept it.' Tory was appeased by her champion's resolve and had turned back to Cara to preach the child's cause, when Ione added: ‘That child would now be of three and twenty years, and if male, I warrant he would be out to avenge his father's death by the hand of thy husband, King Maelgwn, and to steal the throne of Gwynedd.'

That scenario served to enlighten Tory to the far-reaching implications of such a pregnancy. ‘Whoa!' The High Queen's mind boggled. This question was too complex for her to fathom the right thing to do. ‘I think we need to consult Taliesin on this one.' She looked to Cara to get her okay.

‘Alright.' Cara nodded. The advice of a High Merlin would certainly not go astray.

‘Take my hands.' Tory took up Cara's limp grip and pulled her to standing posture.

‘What art thou doing?' Cara smiled through her tears.

‘Taking thee to see Taliesin,' Tory announced in a playful fashion. ‘I have learnt a new trick.'

‘What —'

‘Just close thy eyes and do not let go of my hands,' Tory instructed Cara, closing her own eyes to concentrate.

‘Goodness!' Cara cried with delighted expectation as both she and Tory slowly vanished from sight.

Katren and Ione were completely thunderstruck.

‘Truly, the hand of the Goddess be upon her,' uttered Katren, before clapping her hands delightedly. ‘Excellent! Tory shall be able to visit more often now.'

 

Maelgwn returned to the main table where he'd left Tory, of the mind to whisk her away to their chambers for a lustful encounter. He was highly disappointed to find her missing. ‘Oh damn,' he mumbled. Tory always told him when she was retiring, so this meant she'd wandered off somewhere. The High King collapsed into his seat, too drunk to be bothered searching the castle for his wife. He held out a goblet towards Vortipor, who was refilling his own.

‘Hast thou any idea of my good queen's whereabouts?' asked Maelgwn, as his goblet was refilled.

‘Cara's missing, too, and Queen Katren,' Vortipor grumbled, ready for bed himself. ‘They're probably all off together somewhere.'

So much for a lustful encounter,
Maelgwn thought glumly. If the women had retreated to talk, that was the last he'd see of Tory tonight. Whilst he was dwelling on the subject of lust, Maelgwn thought to inquire of Vortipor's decision regarding Conan. Still, this was a celebration — that topic would be best left until the meeting of the allies the following day.

Vortipor was considering that the women might be discussing Cara's misadventure, for she had been reluctant to speak of it with him. She strove to be the same carefree, loving wife she'd always been, but when they made love now there was an element of constraint that had not been there prior to the sad incident.
Vortipor expected that this would heal in time, and he was glad that Cara had close female friends who could aid her through her pain where he could not.

‘I had the bastard drawn and quartered,' Vortipor advised the High King.

Maelgwn was startled, thinking Vortipor had read his mind. ‘I would have left him to rot in darkness a few years first,' he commented, pleased that the episode was closed.

‘Cara could not abide the thought of him living in the same dwelling, so I wast forced to show mercy. I could have transferred him to a dungeon elsewhere, but why risk an escape?' he reasoned and Maelgwn quite agreed.

‘I promised Aurelius Caninus that I would set Gwent Is Coed to rights in Conan's wake, and I shall. Sir Leoline shall administer the Council's rule of the kingdom for the time being, until a suitable heir to the throne can be found or appointed.'

‘But the old king had no living heirs or relatives, bar Conan.' Vortipor pointed out.

Maelgwn shrugged. ‘When a throne be left vacant, it be amazing how many long-lost relatives crawl out of the woodwork.'

‘Oh, brother!' Vortipor held his head with both hands. He had not yet considered the nightmarish chore of tracing the validity of claimants to the throne.

‘Fear not, old friend.' Maelgwn slapped the Protector's shoulder and encouraged him to drink. ‘We shall face that horror together, when and if we come to it.'

‘To keeping the horrors at bay,' Vortipor proposed, clinking his goblet against Maelgwn's.

‘Here, here.' The High King drank to that.

 

Tory's visualisation of the entrance foyer to Taliesin's otherworldly labyrinth manifested around her, and she was not surprised to find the High Merlin waiting to greet them. She released herself from the grip Cara had on her. ‘Open thine eyes, Cara. We have arrived.'

When Cara beheld her grand and wondrous surroundings, she could not help but be enchanted. The art, decoration and architecture were unlike anything she'd ever imagined. That was when Cara realised that Tory had brought her into the realms of the Otherworld.

‘Splendid. I see thou art finally utilising another aspect of thy potential, Highness.' Taliesin bowed to Tory and then to Cara. ‘My Lady. I have been expecting thee, please follow me.' He turned to lead them out through the double doors located at one end of the large cathedral-like room.

As they followed, Cara gripped hold of Tory's arm once more. ‘Stay with me,' she pleaded, wary of the unknown.

‘I am with thee, all the way.' Tory patted her hand in assurance.

The Merlin didn't take them very far into his maze. Tory suspected that this was to avoid giving Cara sensory overload.

They entered a room that was candlelit and cosy and contained nothing that would have been unfamiliar to Cara. The lady relaxed upon entering, and Taliesin motioned both women to be seated on the large scatter cushions in front of the fireplace. Once all three of them were settled, Taliesin looked to Cara and said: ‘I know thy woes, Lady. I know thou art seeking answers to a
question that, if only thee knew the full truth of it, thee could answer.'

‘Aye.' Tears of hope filled Cara's eyes.

‘I can tell thee the whole truth, and grant thee some insight into the future … if thou dost wish it?' As Cara nodded in agreement without thought, the Merlin cautioned her. ‘I must confess that at this point I have only seen fragments of what may lay in store for thee. I need thy permission to see the complete picture. But I cannot guarantee thou shalt like what I have to say. Art thou prepared to face the worst?'

‘Better that I know, than spend a life in torture wondering,' replied Cara, resolutely.

‘Then give me thy hand.'

Cara offered her right hand to the High Merlin, which he took hold of with his left. Taliesin then reached his right hand inside his robes to grip hold of something that hung on a chain about his neck. Although Tory wondered what that something might be, she maintained her silence so as not to disturb his truthsaying.

Taliesin closed his eyes and went very quiet for some time, which was agonising for Cara as the Merlin's expression gave nothing away.

‘The Goddess hast not abandoned thee, Cara,' he said finally, and the Lady was set to burst into tears of joy when he added. ‘Thou art to be tested, however.'

‘Nay.' Her voice filled with dread.

‘Listen to me.' Taliesin cautioned her to calm. ‘I know what lies in store for thee and the identity of this child's true father, but thou dost not need to know. It be enough that I am aware.'

‘Nay.' Cara regained her composure. ‘I want to know all that thou dost.'

‘Then I shall be frank with thee.' The Merlin took hold of both her hands now. ‘Muster all thy strength, Cara, for what I have to tell thee will not be easy to hear. Bear in mind that thou art being tested, and so seek only the lesson and the good that will come of thy fate. For if thee can do this, all shall be well with thy soul, thy family and thy kingdom.'

Cara took three deep breaths and then nodded for Taliesin to continue.

‘The first thing thou must know be that this pregnancy will kill thee.'

Cara gasped with shock, but the Merlin continued regardless of her horror.

‘Try and abort this babe and thou shalt die in the attempt. See the pregnancy through to full term and the delivery shall kill thee.'

Tory rushed to place a comforting arm around Cara as she was now continually gasping for breath. ‘Taliesin!' Tory was mortified that he could be so brutal in the delivery of such news.

‘The child will be male.' The Merlin regained Cara's full attention with this statement. ‘He will be the only living heir to the throne of Gwent Is Coed.'

‘Nay!!' Cara collapsed into an hysterical fit of tears as all of her worst fears were realised.

‘How could thee?' Tory demanded an explanation. It was not like Taliesin to be so callous.

‘She must come to terms with the harsh hand she hast been dealt, before we can draw the good from it.'

‘Good!' Cara raised herself back off the floor to a seated position. ‘Conan's bastard be killing me!'

Taliesin shook his head to enlighten her. ‘This child saved thee, Cara. Thee should have died by Conan's hand, but the Goddess spared thee long enough for thee to save Gwent Is Coed from ruin.'

Cara was about to deny any concern for the future of Gwent Is Coed, when she was struck by the consequences the kingdom's future would have on her own descendants.

‘This extra time the Goddess hast granted thee, thee can use to savour life and thy family here in this day and age, or thee can spend it bitter and tormented.'

Cara began to regain her perspective and her weeping suddenly subsided. She recalled when Conan had overpowered her and she had thought her moments among the living were numbered; to see her family and friends again had been her only desire. ‘The Goddess granted my dying wish,' she realised.

Taliesin nodded. ‘The child in thy womb shall not grow to be the monster his father was. How could he, when he was conceived in the realms of the Otherworld? He will be known as Urien, and as sure as I am seated here, I can tell thee that in due course he will deliver the whole of Briton from the brink of crisis, Dyfed included.'

‘Why am I being tested in this way?' Cara sniffled. ‘Have I offended the Goddess?'

‘Spiritually speaking, thou hast travelled in leaps and bounds in this incarnation, Lady. Thou hast all the great qualities of one of the Chosen, save one. Selflessness. This be the final test of thy soul-mind, Cara. If thee can endure this lesson, thy perfect reincarnation can finally
be set apart as Chosen and thou shalt find life eternal upon thy death when thy spirit joins thy immortal self. If not, thou shall reincarnate again and again. For this lesson must be learnt before thee can join the ranks of the Chosen Ones and be freed of earthly karma to move on in the universal scheme of things.'

Taliesin made death sound more amazing than life, Cara thought. ‘What would thee do in my place?' Cara looked to Tory for her opinion.

Tory exhaled heavily as she considered all the facts. ‘I would grant the Goddess her heir and take what time I could to enjoy my family to the fullest.'

Lady Cara bit her lip before posing her next question. ‘And remembering that thee could always tell thy husband that the child died in birthing, would thee make him aware the child was not his?'

Goddamn. Tory considered Cara's plight. Cara had some monstrous decisions to make. ‘Although it might effect the time that was left to us, I would tell him. Considering the circumstances, I feel sure that Maelgwn would support and respect my decision.'

‘But thy husband be an emotionally mature soul, whereas Vortipor …' she shook her head.

‘I would urge thee,' Taliesin spoke up, ‘and thy husband, not to think of this child as the son of Aurelius Conan, but as the grandson of Aurelius Caninus, who hast been a dear and trusted ally to ye both for many, many years.'

Cara stared into the firelight. It was too much to take in all at once. ‘Who shall raise the babe upon my passing?' she queried, her eyes entranced by the flames.

‘The young king shall have three guardians: myself, so he shall know the way of the Goddess; Sir Leoline, so he shall know the way of the warrior and the duties of state; and, thirdly, a Lord Bishop, who goes by the name of Samson —'

‘Nay,' Cara insisted. ‘No priest.'

‘He must know and respect the two faiths of his people to rule more wisely than both of his predecessors.' The Merlin spoke up over Cara's protest. ‘This holy man studied with the High King for many years. King Maelgwn will vouch for his good character.'

There was still the look of distaste about Cara as she relented. ‘I want to meet with this bishop.'

‘Excellent,' Taliesin conceded, calmly. ‘For he shall certainly wish to meet with thee.'

I
n order to face her fears in their entirety, Cara told Vortipor the whole truth. By so doing she was granted an extraordinary insight into her husband.

Her confession prompted a giant outpouring of pent-up fears and emotions from both Vortipor and herself. Never before in their ten years of marriage had they sat up talking until the dawn about deep and meaningful issues. Together they had reached the decision to have the child, and hand him over into the safekeeping of Taliesin Pen Bierdd, as the Goddess would have it. Vortipor refused to believe that Cara would be dead by next Beltaine, but intended to make the most of every moment they had together, whether the prophecy came to pass or not.

 

The redeemed man, Vortipor, made his way down to the lowest levels of the dungeons at Castle Dwyran. It was rare that anyone committed a crime so grievous as to be condemned to rot in the dark, damp stench of this place. Most of the prisoners were kept on the upper prison levels where some light penetrated into the cells. These pits were reserved for the scum whose crimes were too horrendous to be atoned for by their death.

Vortipor came to stand over an iron grille in the floor. ‘Art thou enjoying thy accommodation here at Castle Dwyran, Highness?'

‘Thee cannot treat one of royal blood like this, Vortipor.' Conan's voice echoed up out of the dark pit. ‘My people —'

‘Bid thee good riddance,' Vortipor cut in. ‘Everyone wast most relieved to hear that I had had thee drawn and quartered.'

‘What!'

‘Aye, Conan,' Vortipor teased maliciously. ‘To all bar me, thou art dead and buried.'

‘Lying maggot!'

‘Well, we all have shortcomings, and thou art mine.' The prisoner went quiet, no doubt wondering what his fate was to be. Vortipor decided to enlighten him. ‘Make thyself at home. I shall be back to see how thou art faring in a couple of seasons.'

‘Nay, Vortipor,' Conan cried out in desperation. ‘If thou hast the slightest shred of mercy thou shalt kill me now.'

But the Protector had decided that only if Cara survived the birth of this child would he be merciful and
kill Conan. If his wife died as Taliesin had predicted, then her murderer would be left to ponder the error of his ways and slowly decay in this godforsaken hole in the ground until natural causes took his life. ‘If thy misery be so great, then put an end to it thyself,' the Protector suggested.

As his religious beliefs prevented him from taking such action, and Vortipor well knew it, Conan was infuriated. ‘Thou shalt rot in hell for this, Vortipor!'

‘Fortunately I do not believe in the existence of such a place,' the Protector commented cheerfully. ‘Eternal torment be reserved for fearful, diseased minds the like of thine, which can conceive of a realm of such utter darkness and torture. Still, I suppose it doth give thee something to look forward to, beyond thy current abode.'

‘I can survive this place,' Conan threatened. ‘Leave me alive and I shall come back to haunt thee.'

‘Only time will tell if thou art half the man thou dost claim to be,' Vortipor decreed. ‘I am thy only friend now, Conan, and I shall talk to thee next spring. If thou art lucky, I shall kill thee then.'

The Protector left the fallen King of Gwent cussing and cursing, feeling no remorse or sympathy for him. It was up to the Goddess to decree his fate now.

 

The High Merlin, Sir Leoline and the Lord Bishop of Glamorgan in Gwent were led to Vortipor's Room of Court at Castle Dwyran, where the Lady Cara was awaiting to grant them an audience.

Taliesin had the debatable honour of making the introductions, for Cara and the Lord Bishop regarded each other with suspicion.

‘I remember thee, priest,' Cara stated, sourly. ‘Thee would not believe thy Prince's abuse of me … well, now it hast manifested!' She held her swollen belly. ‘Or dost thou believe this to be just a happy coincidence?'

‘As a matter of fact,' Taliesin spoke up for the young Bishop, who was fearful of losing his head if he spoke his mind, ‘he doth have his doubts.'

Cara's eyes narrowed as she seethed. ‘What have I to gain by such a lie? Why would I drag my loved ones through this trauma and thwart my husband's desire for a male heir to his kingdom?'

‘Because this way the alliance be rid of a Christian King in Gwent and can replace him with one moulded in the native faith,' the Bishop said boldly.

As Cara's anger was robbing her of speech, Taliesin intervened. ‘If that were our intent, Lord Bishop, then why inform thee of the event?'

‘A crafty trick, I suspect,' Samson told Taliesin plainly.

‘Or the simple truth.' The Merlin shrugged.

Sir Leoline cleared his throat, and stepped forward to say his piece. ‘I have known Conan all his life and I am familiar with all the players in this sad affair. In my experience, the only person involved that I have ever known to lie be Conan. My Lord Bishop, High Merlin and Lady Cara, thou art all good and honest people. In that knowledge I must concede that the Lady Cara doth carry the grandchild of my late and beloved ruler. It shall be my duty and privilege to raise and honour the child as the rightful King of Gwent Is Coed.' Sir Leoline turned to Samson. ‘The High Merlin and
myself can do this without thee, and the king shall grow to be ignorant to the ways of the Christians in his kingdom as thou dost fear. Or thee can partake in the young king's getting of wisdom, so that a division of faith will never again threaten to plunge our fair kingdom into a civil war.'

Cara was moved to tears by the knight's faith and conviction. ‘Urien will be lucky to have such a mentor as thee, Sir Leoline.' She gave her blessing to the knight's role as a guardian of her unborn child. ‘I shall not lie to thee, priest.' The Lady Cara looked back to Samson. ‘I did not want any of thy faith influencing my son, but I see the wisdom of the High Merlin and Sir Leoline's forecast … Urien must know and respect the beliefs of all those he means to rule, and unlike his father, he must be taught love and respect of his homeland. I have had thee investigated, Lord Bishop, and by all accounts, thou dost have a sound, questioning mind and a good heart. Therefore, I put it to thee … vow allegiance to my child's cause or risk being driven from thy homeland by him.'

Samson didn't trust the High Merlin, but he suspected that his wariness was due more to ignorance and superstition than instinct. The Lady Cara was renowned as being chaste and charitable, which knowledge cast a shadow of doubt on his suspicion that her claim was fraudulent. Sir Leoline's word the Lord Bishop had come to trust implicitly. Deep down Samson knew that his hesitation to commit to this cause didn't stem from not believing their tale. He didn't want to concede that the teachings of his faith
had bred such a contemptuous, treasonous and morally corrupt individual as Conan, when all in Gwent had held such high hopes for him.

Samson looked to Taliesin and then to Leoline, wondering what he was letting himself in for. ‘I do vow allegiance to thy child, Lady.' He went down on one knee before her. ‘I deplore the circumstances of his conception and deeply regret that thy first encounter with one of my faith hast led us into disrepute in thine eyes. I vow that I shall do all within my power to ensure that the unborn king grows to be all that his father failed to be.'

Cara suddenly saw the High King in this man. He had Maelgwn's same talent for diplomacy and reason. ‘So be it, then.' Cara looked to each of the three men. ‘Remember my pains in delivery, gentlemen, and raise me a good, brave and wise son.' As her emotions threatened to overwhelm her, Cara took her leave.

 

As the day of birthing was nigh, Tory went to stay with Cara at Castle Dwyran, and brought Old Hetty with her. Hetty was the most experienced midwife in Gwynedd, and the whole of Briton most likely. She had run a brothel for many years, hence her talent with birthing babies was a by-product of that enterprise.

 

Vortipor was alone with Cara when she went into labour. The contraction horrified the lady for, once again, she knew that death had come calling for her.

‘Do not weep, my love.' Vortipor held her and rocked her gently. ‘I feel sure that the Goddess will spare thee —'

Cara placed her hand over her husband's mouth and shook her head. She knew in her soul that her time was up. ‘I decided at the time Urien wast made known to me what I would do this day. The Goddess will have her heir, but I refuse to be tortured to my death.' Vortipor nodded, not really understanding her intent. ‘So, my love …' Cara held his face in both her hands to beseech him. ‘I must ask of thee a great favour.'

 

Make haste, the Lady Cara's life be in great peril.

Tory awoke to Taliesin's voice resounding through her brain. She responded quickly, throwing on her clothes as she raced to her friend's aid.

‘What hast happened?' Tory inquired of Vortipor, whom she encountered first.

‘Cara's wrists have been cut.' Taliesin approached to tell her.

Tory was deeply shocked by the news. ‘She took her own life?'

Taliesin looked at Vortipor, suspecting otherwise. ‘It would appear so,' he advised. ‘The Lady died just a moment ago.'

Although Tory was deeply saddened by the news of Cara's passing, her first concern was for the wellbeing of the child. ‘The babe will suffocate unless we cut him from her, and quick!'

‘Hetty prepares to do just that,' Taliesin informed.

As the High Queen moved to join the commotion around the bed, Taliesin placed a hand on the Protector's shoulder. ‘This be but a short separation, Vortipor. Ye have the whole of eternity to be together.'

The Protector looked to the High Merlin, his eyes dry, but swollen red from crying. ‘The second that child be born I want it gone from my kingdom.'

Taliesin nodded. He understood the man's loss and torment and so said nothing more.

The Protector left the chaos of his chamber and was halfway down the stairwell when the cries of the newborn reached his ears and shattered his heart. That could have been the cry of his son; this could have been one of the happiest moments of his life!
If not for Conan.
This conclusion chilled the Protector to the bone.

As Vortipor came to stand on the iron grille atop the pit in his lower dungeon, his anger had a grip on every fibre of his being; he even found it difficult to speak. ‘Now thou art completely friendless, Conan.'

‘Vortipor?' A voice croaked in the darkness, a voice far less self-righteous than that belonging to the prisoner he'd left there many months before. ‘I feared thou had forgotten me. Please say thou hast come to end this torment.'

‘Thy torment be just beginning, Conan,' Vortipor advised, his voice gruff with restraint. ‘And with that made plain to thee, now I shall forget thee.'

‘Nay!' Conan screamed. ‘Mercy, Vortipor … for pity's sake, mercy.'

The pleas of the condemned man had trailed off into hopeless weeping when Vortipor reached the warden on duty, who awaited him by the stairs. ‘No one speaks with this prisoner lest his tongue be cut from his head. No one sees him and lives to tell of it. He receives food and water only.'

‘Aye, Lord.' The warden bowed.

‘Thou shalt have twice thy pay for as long as thee can keep him alive and unbeknownst to any living soul.'

‘I understand, my Lord Protector.' The warden bowed again. ‘Thou art most generous.'

As he departed from the foul recesses of his stronghold, Vortipor could only hope that Conan would survive to suffer as long as he would himself.

 

When the High Merlin of the Druids came knocking at the monastery gate in Glamorgan in the middle of the night, the monastic community there were concerned, to say the least.

‘Return to thy beds,' Samson instructed his clergy. ‘I shall see to our caller.'

Once their audience had departed, Samson opened the gate and stepped outside to speak with his new acquaintance. ‘What be the meaning of this, High Merlin?' The Bishop was about to launch into a spiel about appearances and rightful conduct when the Merlin suddenly produced a bundle from the folds of his cloak.

‘May I present Urien, King of Gwent Is Coed.' He handed the tiny babe over to the mystified priest. ‘I wast just on my way to deliver him to Sir Leoline, who has nursemaids waiting to suckle the young king to good health, but I thought thee might like to baptise him first.'

Samson's attention shifted abruptly from the newborn in his arms to the druid at his side, for such consideration overwhelmed him. ‘It will be my honour,' he replied. ‘Do come in.'

The Bishop led the High Merlin in through the monastery gates, and side by side they admired the new King as they crossed the open ground to the chapel.

 

The PME orb I held in my hand shut off, catapulting me back through time to my room at the Purcell Institute of Chailida on Kila.

Given a moment to get my bearings and consider the episode that I had just relived, I became increasingly frustrated — Tory's insight into the matter hadn't satisfied my curiosity. It had only raised more questions. I was still no closer to discovering what had driven Selwyn to madness and isolation, nor had it been made clear to me what Maelgwn Gwynedd did to earn the title of High King. Why had Gwyn ap Nudd abducted Tory? What had Selwyn done to make the Lord of the Night seek revenge … and then how on earth had the young Druid appeased the God to save the day?

In addition, there was another point of interest that I had noted whilst viewing this orb. Among the additional accounts that Tory had collected to compile her reconstruction of the period, I had espied memory inserts from Brian, Cadwallon, Cadwell, Nerida and Maelgwn. But two players in this tale whom I did not recognise, Samson and Conan, had also made small contributions.