“He has joined us,” said Gruffydd, speaking up. “Greetings, Rhi Bran.”
“Greetings, Gruffydd. I never thought to see you again.”
“For that I am full sorry,” replied the lord of Gwynedd. “But I beg the chance to make it up to you. I have brought friends—and, yes, Baron Neufmarché is one of them.”
“You will forgive me if I am not wholly persuaded,” remarked Bran.
“Could you come down, do you think?” asked Gruffydd. “I grow hoarse and stiff-necked shouting up at you like this.”
Slinging his bow across his chest, Bran prepared to meet them on the road. “Keep an eye on them,” he said to Owain. “When Scarlet and the others get here, position the men on the rocks there and there”—he pointed along the rocky outcropping—“and tell them to be ready to let fly if things are not what they seem.”
“God with you, my lord,” said Owain, putting an arrow on the string. “We’ll wait for your signal.”
Bran lowered himself quickly down the rocks, dropping from ledge to ledge and lighting on the edge of the road a hundred paces or so from where Mérian and Gruffydd were waiting. Behind them stood the ranks of the baron’s knights and men-at-arms, and Bran was relieved to see that none of them had moved and seemed content merely to stand looking on. Unslinging his bow, he put an arrow on the string and advanced cautiously, keeping an eye on the troops for any sign of movement.
He had walked but a few dozen paces when Mérian spurred her horse forward and galloped to him, throwing herself from the saddle and into his embrace. Her mouth found his, and she kissed him hard and with all the pent-up passion of their weeks apart. “Oh, Bran, I have missed you. I’m sorry I could not come sooner.”
“Mérian, I—”
“But, look!” she said, kissing him again. “I’ve brought an army.” She flung out a hand to those behind her. “They’ve come to help save Elfael.”
“Truly,” replied Bran, still not entirely trusting this turn of fortune. “How many are with you?”
“I don’t know—over five hundred, I think. Baron Neufmarché has come in on our side, and Rhi Gruffydd is here, and Garran and—”
“Votre dame est la plus persuasif,” said Neufmarché, reining up just then. King Garran rode beside him.
“It is true,” said Garran. “My sister can be very persuasive. She would not rest until we agreed to come help you.”
King Gruffydd rode up and took his place beside the baron. Seeing Gruffydd and Neufmarché side by side seemed so unnatural, Bran could hardly credit what he saw, and his native suspicion returned full force. Instinctively, he stepped in front of Mérian.
“That is close enough, Baron,” said Bran, raising his bow.
“Aros, Rhi Bran,” said Gruffydd. “You are among friends—more than you know. The baron has pledged his forces to your aid.” Indicating the troops amassed behind him with a wide sweep of his hand, he said, “We have come to confront King William and his army, and would be much obliged if you would lead us to them.”
“If you have truly come to fight the Ffreinc,” said Bran, “you will not go home disappointed. I can show you all you care to see.”
King Gruffydd climbed slowly down from the saddle. He walked to where Bran stood and then, in full sight of everyone there, went down on one knee before him. “My lord and friend,” he said, bending his head, “I pledge my life to you and to this cause. My men and I will see you on the throne of Elfael, or gladly embrace our graves. One or the other will prevail before we relinquish the fight. This is my vow.” Drawing his sword, he laid it at Bran’s feet. “From this day, my sword is yours to command.”
“Rise, my lord, I—” began Bran, but his throat closed over the words, and overcome with a sudden, heady swirl of emotions, he found he could not speak. In all that had happened in the last days and weeks, he had never foreseen anything like this: the help he had so long and so desperately needed had come at last, and the realization of what it meant fair whelmed him over.
Gruffydd rose, smiling. “I owe you my life and throne and more. Blind fool that I am, it took me a little time to see that.” Taking Bran by the arm, he pulled him away. “But come, Llewelyn is here—he has been most persuasive, too—and I’ve brought some others who are