‘Two ice bears, three gyrfalcons, five dogs, Your Majesty – and all of them white,’ I replied.
‘Dogs?’ Carolus grunted irritably. It seemed that being disturbed during his afternoon nap left him out of sorts. ‘I didn’t ask for dogs.’
‘They were available so I purchased them with surplus funds. I apologize if this went beyond my instructions,’ I said apologetically.
‘Any good for the chase?’ the king demanded.
He was passionate about his hunting, and I suspected that he was thinking of putting the dogs into the royal kennels.
‘I’ve been told that these dogs make excellent guard dogs and can pull sledges. But I heard nothing about hunting,’ I answered tactfully.
‘Not a lot of sledges in Baghdad,’ grumbled the king, ‘but I suppose we should add them to the list.’ Carolus’s gaze sharpened. ‘What about the unicorn? Did you bring one back?’
I took a deep breath. ‘No, Your Majesty. There is no unicorn.’
His eyebrows came together in a scowl. ‘My Book of Beasts states otherwise. Last month I was unwise enough to mention my hopes for a unicorn to my councillors, and one of them failed to hide his smirk. I dislike being thought a fool.’
Carolus’s ill-humour was making me nervous. ‘I meant only that there is no unicorn among the animals we brought back. The animal itself does exist of course.’
The shrewd grey eyes regarded me suspiciously. ‘Go on, but don’t try to hoodwink me.’
‘Your Majesty will recall you showed me the horn of an aurochs as proof that such an animal is real?’
‘Go on.’
‘Here is the proof that the unicorn exists.’ I held up the velvet-wrapped package. ‘I obtained this in the Northlands though no one could tell me where to find the living creature.’
‘Show me,’ ordered the king.
With a showman’s flourish I whisked off the purple velvet cover and offered the unicorn’s horn to the king. He took it from me and stood for a long moment, grasping the horn in his large, strong hand, turning it this way and that.
‘Remarkable,’ he said finally. A delighted smile replaced the scowl.
He whirled about, giving me a fright, and using the unicorn horn as a pointer, rested the tip on a deep-red gem set in the crosspiece of the great jewelled cross that dominated one side of the room.
‘Know what this is, Sigwulf?’ he demanded.
‘No, Your Majesty.’
‘A precious carbuncle. It represents the blood of Christ.’
He lowered the unicorn horn and turned to face me. ‘And where has God hidden the precious carbuncle to demonstrate its great worth?’ he demanded.
I shifted my feet uncomfortably. ‘I do not know, Your Majesty.’
‘In the skull of the asp or within the head of a dragon. That is where you find the carbuncle.’ He looked triumphant. ‘There are those who question that fact, just as they question the existence of the unicorn, but no more!’
He twirled the unicorn’s horn. ‘Sigwulf, you are to press ahead with the embassy to the caliph. You must cross the Alps before the snow closes the passes on your way south.’
‘And the aurochs?’ I ventured to ask. I noticed that he used the word embassy rather than mission. It seemed that my task had acquired extra status.
‘I’m still sending the aurochs as my giant beast, though it can’t match his elephant in size. You’ll be taking just a single one. My verderers could not trace another.’
He hefted the horn again. ‘But this I will keep with me. I will enjoy seeing the expression on the face of my doubting councillor.’
It was strange to see the king as elated as a child with a new toy. ‘Sigwulf, you’ve done well. I shall not forget the service you have rendered.’
I took it as a dismissal, bowed, and backed away towards the door.
‘Go and see Alcuin,’ were the royal parting words. ‘He will arrange all that is needed and can provide the necessary letters of introduction. And you’ll find he has an additional gift for you to hand over to the caliph.’
*
Amid all the bustle and clatter of the building works it was reassuring to find that Alcuin was just as I remembered him – tall and spare, dressed in the same dark gown and sandals, a calm, watchful expression on his intelligent face, and his same habit of coming straight to the point.
‘How did you get on?’ he asked as he opened the door to his cell-like office and saw me on the threshold. ‘Do come in.’
This time there was no aurochs horn on display, and he waited for me to finish recounting the outcome of the visit to Kaupang before he sat down again behind his desk. ‘A fair result,’ he said.