Night Birds' Reign(156)

At last they reached a small clearing in what seemed to be the center of the island and they halted, looking around them. In the center of the clearing, was a pool of dark water. It was impossible to see what it held in its depths, or exactly how deep it was, for the weak light from the gray sky did not illuminate the well. Gwydion took a step forward and immediately halted as a hawk flew into the clearing with a fierce cry and came to rest between the well and Gwydion. Then a huge swan swooped down from above and joined the hawk. Next a golden horse entered the clearing and reared up, neighing aggressively. Last, a black wolf stepped from the trees, snarling.

“These, then are the Guardians. And the Captains are to fight them?” Rhiannon asked in a low tone as Gwydion slowly backed away from the well.

“The song says we will do battle today,” Achren replied. “But I have no stomach for one against these.”

“I do not think we are to fight them,” Cai said quietly.

“The song says—”

“That we will do battle today. But not, I think, with them.”

Cai stepped forward, warily eyeing the hawk. The bird spread his wings and hissed at Cai’s approach. Cai slowly divested himself of his weapons, all the while never taking his eyes from the hawk. He pulled his sword from his scabbard and laid it on the ground. He gently set down his spear and shield. He pulled two daggers from his boots and laid them down also. Defenseless, he faced the fierce bird.

“Hawk of Gwynedd,” Cai said softly, “you know me. I am Cai ap Cynyr, Captain of Gwynedd. Uthyr ap Rathtyen var Awst is my lord and my master. In the name of Uthyr PenHebog, he who is the Head of the Hawk, I command you to step aside.”

For a moment there was silence. Then the bird spread his wings and cried out. He launched himself into the air and came to rest in the branch of a tree.

After discarding his weapons Trystan stepped forward and addressed the golden horse. “Horse of Rheged, I am Trystan ap Naf, the Captain of Rheged. In the name of Urien ap Ethyllt var Gwaeddan, the PenMarch, the Head of the Horse, I command that you step aside.”

The horse bent his proud head and moved back away from the well.

Then Angharad came forward, also laying her weapons on the ground at her feet. “Swan of Ederynion, you know me. I am Angharad ur Ednyved. My lady is Olwen ur Custennin var Elwen, she who is the PenAlarch, the Head of the Swan. In her name I command you to step aside.”

The swan hissed, snaking its graceful neck toward Angharad. Then it, too, backed away from the well.

Achren, her spear and her daggers on the ground, addressed the wolf. “Wolf of Prydyn, I am Achren ur Canhustyr, Captain of Prydyn. My master is Rhoram ap Rhydderch var Eurneid. He is the PenBlaid, the Head of the Wolf, and in his name I command you to step aside.”

The wolf growled, then slowly backed away from the dark water.

Gwydion and Rhiannon started forward toward the well.


HE WAS WATCHING through the bushes, careful not to betray his presence. He saw the Captains call off the animals that guarded the well, one by one. He saw Gwydion and Rhiannon step forward, for they knew, now, that the water held that which they sought. He wondered, as he had often done during the last months, just what battle would transpire today. And who would die.

The buzz of the arrow was the only warning he had. He knew in that split second where the arrow was headed. And he knew he could not let it reach its destination. So he leapt up and stepped in the arrow’s path.

And that was when he felt the burning pain in his gut. He looked down to discover that the arrow was protruding from his side, to discover that blood spurted from his wound and splashed the leaves.

To realize, indeed, just who was going to die that day.


THE FOUR ANIMALS—the hawk, the swan, the horse and the wolf—suddenly tensed and cried out. The hawk screamed, the swan hissed, the horse whinnied, and the wolf howled. Gwydion and Rhiannon halted, sure that the animals were ready to attack.

And they did. They leapt into the forest. Gwydion and the others could just make them out through the trees as they closed in on a man who held a bow in his hands. The man tried to run, but the horse cut off his retreat. He turned to run the other direction, but the wolf was waiting for him. He turned again, and the hawk and the swan fell on him from above. The bird’s cries mingled with the man’s screams. The horse reared up and lashed out with his hooves, breaking the man’s bones. Then the wolf leapt forward, snarling, tearing the man’s throat out.

Suddenly the clearing erupted as men poured from the shelter of the dense undergrowth, launching themselves at Gwydion and Rhiannon.

As one the four Captains, the best warriors in all of Kymru, leapt for their weapons. Cai rolled and grabbed his daggers. As he rose he stabbed the first assailant in the gut with his left hand and slashed the throat of another with his right.