nodded. “He’s seen his last battle, though. The cut will heal, but the muscles may never grow back properly. He’ll have a pronounced limp for the rest of his life and will have to walk with a staff. Riding and fighting will be nearly impossible. The leg won’t allow him to stay on a horse very well.”
Uther nodded, happy that the news wasn’t worse. “I guess your sons will have to pick up the slack from you,” he joked.
Merlin smiled, but the healer hit a nerve, and Merlin grimaced in pain.
Uther stayed for a moment, and then he continued checking on the rest of his wounded soldiers. Strathclyde soldiers were also being treated by the healers, and Uther saw Ceretic approaching to check on his men.
“Your plan worked perfectly, Uther,” Ceretic said.
Uther smiled. “If it hadn’t been for both of our armies being here, today might have been a disaster.”
Ceretic nodded. Looking around at the healers, he asked, “How are your men doing?”
“Better than expected. Yours?”
Ceretic looked grateful. “Your healers are treating them well. Thank you for that.”
“That’s what friends do, Ceretic,” Uther said softly.
Ceretic nodded, but then he looked away. Uther guessed that Ceretic still struggled with whether to view Uther as his friend.
Uther watched the funeral pyres being lit to destroy the bodies of the Picts. The wind blew toward him, and soon the stench of roasting flesh assaulted his nostrils.
Ceretic shuddered. “I don’t care if it is a sign of our victory, that’s the most awful smell in the world!”
“I agree. But at least it’s not the smell of the Picts burning our bodies.”
“As if they would. You know that they leave our bodies for the wolves and carrion-eaters while they drag the bodies of their own dead back to their tribes. God only knows why.”
“So we’re the more civilized?” Uther asked.
“Of course we are,” Ceretic snapped.
Uther looked around. Soldiers from Strathclyde and Gododdin sat together and celebrating their victory. The men gladly shared their rations with each other. On this night, they were one army, not separate armies from different kingdoms.
“Then why are we fighting against each other?” Uther pressed him, gesturing toward their soldiers. “Haven’t we proven today the value of our friendship? Would the day have gone as it did if we hadn’t been united against our common enemy? I’m not your enemy, Ceretic, and you’re not mine.”
“But Vortigern…”
“To hell with Vortigern,” Uther interrupted. “He’s not the issue here. Look, I’ll make it very plain. I won’t post scouts along my border with Strathclyde to watch what you and your soldiers are doing. You and your men may cross my borders at any time, and you’ll be welcomed as friends. I have no intention of fighting you. I hope that you feel the same way.”
Ceretic stared at Uther in the glow from the bonfires. Finally, he said, “What if Ambrosius calls on you to attack Vortigern?”
“Then I’ll attack Vortigern,” Uther replied. “But I won’t fight you, and neither will my men. And I’ll make sure that Ambrosius doesn’t order anyone to fight you.”
“And if he does?” Ceretic asked.
“Then I’ll stand between you and them, and they’ll have to get through me to get to you.”
The two kings stared at the bonfires for a while.
“I still don’t like Ambrosius,” Ceretic said.
“No one’s asking you to,” Uther said. “I’m only asking you to remember our friendship.”
The next morning, the two kings met again. Most of the Strathclyde soldiers had already set out for home, but Ceretic and his escorts remained behind.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said yesterday, Uther. You say that you won’t fight me and my men. Well I won’t fight you and your men. I’ll put our alliance first before all other loyalties.”
The two kings embraced. Ceretic mounted his horse and smiled at Uther. “You’re a better friend than I deserve, Uther. Thank God for that!”
Ceretic waved and rode away to catch up to his army.
Uther returned to Din Eidyn the next day, and Ygerna and Arthur were there to welcome him home. He spent time with them both, and then sat down to prepare letters to Ambrosius, detailing what had happened with the Picts and describing his conversations with King Ceretic. Once the letters were finished, he gave them to a messenger, who left Din Eidyn and rode south immediately.
That evening, Uther dined with Ygerna in their private chamber.
“I’m impressed with the way you handled Ceretic, my love,” Ygerna said.
Uther smiled and put his hand on hers. “I wish I could have that conversation with the other kings who still support Vortigern. At least Ceretic was receptive. I’d hate to think what would have happened if the Picts had found us actually fighting each other.”
“We should celebrate your victory, don’t you think?”
“What did you have in mind, my dear?” Uther asked. “A banquet? A holiday?”
Ygerna smiled. “No. I was thinking about trying to have another child. One hardly seems enough. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Uther smiled. “You have the most wonderful ideas.”
He leaned forward and kissed her. What a perfect way to celebrate this victory.
Chapter 5
Ambrosius spent his time strengthening the defenses along the Saxon frontier and fighting the occasional skirmish against Vortigern and his supporters.
Vortigern had retreated to his fortress at Carn Fadrun shortly after the Council stripped him of the High Kingship of Britain. He never accepted the Council’s decision, but he lacked the support of the other kings to challenge Ambrosius seriously.
Ambrosius knew that it was only a matter of time before Vortigern would send messengers to Hengist and Horsa to enlist their help in restoring his title. To prevent any of Vortigern’s messages from reaching the Saxons, Ambrosius posted soldiers along all of the roads leading to Saxon-controlled lands. Their orders were to intercept and detain any messengers. He also posted soldiers on the roads leading to Colgrin’s lands, so no messengers from Vortigern would reach the Anglians.
It was clear that Hengist and Horsa were building up their strength. Longboats arrived often, carrying fresh warriors and settlers. Ambrosius knew that there wasn’t enough land inside Hengist’s territory to support the ever-increasing Saxon population. The Saxons would have to attempt to expand their territories; it was just a question of when.
In the autumn of 466 AD, three months before Arthur’s second birthday, Ygerna discovered that she was pregnant again. Uther was overjoyed, and he did everything he could think of to help Ygerna. He didn’t want her to suffer another miscarriage.
Winter came and went, and Uther stayed in close contact with his neighboring kingdoms. Strathclyde was no longer an enemy of Gododdin, but relations with Rheged remained chilly at best because of the Council meeting. However, when Colgrin and his Anglians attempted to expand their territory, King Gwrast of Rheged sent a thousand soldiers to join Uther and Nudd-Lludd’s forces to help King Mor drive them back. Mor wasn’t able to re-take any of the lands he had lost when the Anglians first invaded, but he managed to keep Colgrin from gaining any new lands.
Ambrosius arrived with his cavalry on the last day