[Culhwch]

As promised (though a little late) the rest of this scene:

They had mounted a gentle rise and come onto a cliff that overlooked a calm bay. The road dropped to the shoreline, skirting the bay before disappearing amongst some grassy dunes on the far side. Laurie reined in, and the others followed suit. A group of riders was emerging from between the dunes. ‘Is that them, do you think?’ he asked.

‘I imagine so,’ Selyne said from beside him. ‘How many do you make them, Tris?’

Tristafer stood in his stirrups, shading his eyes from the glare of the sun with a hand. It took a few moments for all of the riders to clear the long grass of the dunes and come out onto the open road. ‘Twenty, twenty-five at most.’

The riders were strung out along the Seaway in what seemed a loose formation, though even Laurie could see the underlying pattern, a protective circle around a central trio. Tugging on his rein, he brought his horse around so that he faced his companions. ‘Shall we wait for them here?’

Tristafer looked around. ‘It’s as good a place as any, I suppose.’

Selyne nodded, and fixed Laurie with a gaze. ‘You know what to say?’

‘I’ll be fine, Selyne,’ Laurie said, a little peevishly. ‘Have you no faith in your little brother?’

‘Not much.’ Selyne softened the words with a smile. ‘Sorry.’

Laurie snorted. ‘Father ought to have sent Hugh or Alyn.’

‘Your brothers have their own concerns, Laurie,’ Tristafer said.

‘Besides,’ Selyne added, ‘you and I are far more suited for this task.’

‘Escorting a king?’

‘Of course not,’ she said, looking to the approaching riders. ‘We’ve a different task altogether. We’re here to insult a king.’

Now that the riders were closer, they could make out more detail. There were twenty-four of them in total, not counting the packhorses. They were dressed plainly but openly wore swords and daggers at their hips. Every one of them had the look of a seasoned soldier – even the grey-haired man riding at their centre, sitting proudly on a chestnut mare. He was flanked by two well-built, dark-featured youths. As they neared it became apparent the pair were twins.

‘Aidan and his sons,’ said Tristafer. ‘And half the royal guard, it would seem. So much for remaining inconspicuous.’

‘At least he didn’t wear that god-awful cloak,’ Selyne answered, a smile playing at her lips.

Laurie gave his sister a look and spurred forward to meet the king’s party as it mounted the rise. ‘Your Majesty!’ he called into the wind, raising a hand in greeting.

The king’s guard spread out in a line across the Seaway, hands on sword hilts and eyes wary. Aidan guided his mare past them and reined in short of Laurie. He fixed the younger man with an expectant, steely gaze.

‘Your majesty,’ Laurie repeated, flustered. ‘Welcome to Rothgard.’

‘Then you’re my escort?’ Aidan said, voice gruff.

‘We are, your majesty,’ Laurie said, bowing as far as the saddle allowed as Selyne and Tristafer came up beside him. ‘I am Prince Laurie. This is my sister, the Princess Selyne, and her husband, Sir Tristafer Templeton, heir of Greythorne. On behalf of our lord father, we extend you our sincerest welcome and offer you our protection.’

The wind whipped Aidan’s thick woollen cloak and tossed his hair, but the king’s gaze didn’t falter. ‘Which one are you? The musician?’

Laurie smiled nervously. ‘I have studied music, your majesty,’ he answered. ‘In Oldtown, as a matter of—‘

Aidan cut him off. ‘A musician and a girl. Such a reception from the mighty king of Rothgard. A lesser man might construe that as an affront.’

Aidan’s cold blue eyes bored into Laurie, daring him to deny it. Laurie’s mouth opened and closed, but no words would come. He looked desperately at Selyne. She did not fail him. ‘To be sure, your majesty. But if our father had in our stead sent our brother Hugh, we feared it may have been construed as a threat.’

Aidan was quiet a moment, looking intently at Selyne. Selyne held the stare. Laurie dared not breath. After what seemed an eternity, the corner of Aidan’s mouth pulled into what could only be called a smile, and he barked a short, harsh laugh. ‘You I like, girl.’

‘Princess, your majesty,’ Tristafer spoke up. ‘I must insist.’

‘Don’t get your hackles up, Templeton. No need for jealousy,’ he said. Smiling still, before he inclined his head slightly. ‘But I will respect your wishes. It is just the three of you, then?’

’We left our escort in Saltwater, a little way down the coast, your majesty,’ said Laurie. ‘Speaking of which, we should be getting along, or else they’ll have the local militia raised and searching for us.’

‘Then by all means, let us go.’ Aidan nodded to one of his sons, who motioned to the escort and led a handful of them in a vanguard. Laurie, Selyne and Tristafer turned their mounts and fell in beside Aidan and his remaining son. The rest of the king’s men spread out around them.

‘I didn’t introduce my boys,’ Aidan said, riding beside Selyne. ‘This one is Cedric, and that one,‘ he gestured to the receding back of his other son, ‘is Leo. I think.’

Tristafer laughed, and Selyne smiled. Laurie could feel his heartbeat beginning, finally, to slow. ‘Do they ever speak, your majesty?’ Selyne asked lightly.

‘Not often, no,’ the king answered. ‘In that I am a fortunate man.’ He barked another laugh, and dug his spurs into his mare’s flanks. She charged off, leaving the others hurrying to catch up.