The Dragon's Banner Page 5

  Leodegrance sat on the ground near the fire, taking two dark loaves from a small pile and handing one to Uther. He clapped his hands, and the servants began laying out a substantial breakfast.

  "I did not see you eat but a morsel until last night from the day we set sail over a week ago. I guessed you would be hungry after a night's rest."

  "Hah!" Uther bellowed loudly. "Hungry? Starved, rather. I wager I could eat a wild boar myself." He set to the food in front of him with commendable enthusiasm, beginning with the salted pork and cheese, then working through more bread, with mounds of butter, then apples and nuts, all washed down with flagons of excellent ale.

  Finally, even his bottomless hunger was sated, and the servants quickly cleared the rest of the camp so the party could set out. Uther strapped on his sword and leather jerkin and, last of the expedition, he mounted his horse and declared himself ready to set out.

  They agreed to make it a long day of travel, and to put some miles behind them before resting for the night. The path led first through the depths of the pine forest. The trees were tall and thin, with little or no underbrush, and the ground was flat. They kept on for some hours, skipping their midday meal, and riding until the sun was well past its high point.

  Eventually the forest became sparser, and they began to emerge into the country beyond. Over rolling hillsides they rode, and past houses, some great, others small, surrounded by vineyards and stands of olive trees. Some were occupied, but many seemed abandoned. Yet others were but burned shells. This was once a rich part of the empire, but it too had apparently declined along with imperial power.

  They had ridden for three days without encountering any but farmers and peasants, but on the fourth they were challenged. A group of riders, at least 50 strong, barred the road. The leader rode out a few paces in front and called out for the Britons to halt.

  Uther commanded the company to stop, and he rode forward. "Greetings, warriors. I am Uther, son of Constantine, of the house Pendragon. We are ambassadors from Britannia, come to seek an audience with King Euric of Toulouse."

  The leader was richly arrayed and clad in mail. "I am Thudis, marshal of these lands that you cross, and though I offer you welcome, in times such as these I cannot allow your party to ride on unescorted. If you would continue on your journey I bid you to surrender your arms and accept our escort to Toulouse. Else I call upon you to depart these lands in peace and return from where you have come."

  Uther answered Thudis’ challenge, his voice loud and cheerful. "I greet thee, Lord Thudis, in the name of my father and king, Constantine II of Britannia." He held up a small metal disk. "Here is the seal of King Constantine. Gladly would we accept your escort, yet to surrender our weapons would be to yield our honor. We have come for counsel, not battle, and we are not arrayed for war."

  Thudis sat upon his mount, studying the visitors. "Lord Uther, I mean no dishonor to you or your party, yet still am charged with defending these lands. You bear yourself with the honor of a princely house. I shall accept your oath on behalf of your party and allow you to retain your swords."

  Uther put heels to his horse and rode forward toward the Visigoths. "My oath you have, Lord Thudis, sworn freely. And my thanks as well."

  "Then let us ride together, and tonight you shall be my guests, for my villa is but a brief journey from here. If you are not averse to long marches, we can reach King Euric's court in three more days."

  "Again, our thanks to you, Lord Thudis. We would be pleased and honored to accept your invitation. A night under roof would be most welcome." Indeed, Uther could think of few things more appealing than sleeping in a proper bed, at least for one night.

  The two parties merged together, and continued down the road in a loose column, three abreast. Thudis rode alongside Uther and Leodegrance, and they traded news and stories of their lands. From Thudis, they learned that the empire was in a far more parlous state than they had anticipated. The emperor they had expected to meet, Glycerius, had been deposed by the governor of Dalmatia, Julius Nepos, who had the support of the eastern empire. The Visigoths had warred on Glycerius, with great success in Gaul and less in Italia, though they had been at peace with Nepos in the year or more since he'd seized the purple. All the scant lands remaining to the western empire were in chaos, the legions of old but a fading memory.

  Just before sunset they arrived at Thudis' house, a great old Roman villa perched on a hilltop. It was surrounded by grapevines and olive trees, with outbuildings clustered along the base of the hill. Uther and Leodegrance marveled at the scale of the structure, all built of stone. Even at Caer Guricon, only the old keep was built even partially of stone; the rest of the castle and the town were of wood. The villa reminded them of the great houses in Londinium, though most of those were abandoned, and many had been scavenged for building materials. Thudis' villa was occupied and maintained, though when closely inspected it was apparent that the newer repairs were of inferior workmanship to the old.

  Thudis rode alongside Uther and Leodegrance as they travelled up the hill toward the main house. "I would be honored if you would sup with me, my lords, while I have rooms prepared for you in the villa. My servants shall see that your warriors and attendants are provisioned and given shelter."

  Uther was momentarily uneasy. Separating the two of them from their escort would certainly make assassination easier. A glance over at Leodegrance confirmed that his friend had the same thought. They had known this Thudis only for the past few hours, and they were in a strange land far from home. Wisdom demanded caution.

  But, Uther thought, Thudis had done nothing to arouse suspicion. His invitation was proper and courteous, and indeed, it was the least honor demanded when treating with noble guests. Thudis had been courteous, and he bore himself with great dignity, as one born to rank and position. It was obvious he was a Visigoth lord of considerable power. To refuse his invitation would be an insult. They did not come all this distance, Uther decided, to offend the lords they met along their way, and he had never been one to allow caution or fear to influence his actions. He looked at Leodegrance, with whom long years of friendship had created an almost wordless communication, then turned to face their host. "Lord Thudis, we accept your invitation with great pleasure. Your hospitality is too kind, and we are most grateful to encounter a friend on our road, so far from home."

  Their caution, in any event, proved baseless, and they shared a pleasant supper followed by an even more enjoyable night's rest in the accommodations provided by their host. The villa was very comfortable, even if it lacked the opulence it had clearly displayed in some past age. All around were signs of shoddy repairs over what had been once been flawless craftsmanship, but Uther and Leodegrance were awed nevertheless, for this Visigothic lord's residence, fading jewel that is was, outshone any in their native land. Darkness and the fall of empire had come late to these fertile lands in southern Gaul, but in Britannia night had fallen early, and the land was almost beyond living memory of richer times.

  They departed early the next morning after a hurried but enjoyable breakfast. The trip to Toulouse was uneventful, and Thudis had arranged to stop for the night at the strongholds of other lords, so Uther and Leodegrance slept in beds each night. After the travails of the sea voyage, this journey was almost a rest for Uther, though they rode from dawn to dusk and covered near twelve leagues a day.

  The terrain became rockier and hillier, and they passed within sight of several hilltop towns. Some of these seemed to be abandoned, or nearly so, while others were surrounded by hastily-built wooden stockades. The travellers came down through a section of rugged hills along a winding dirt trail that ultimately led to a paved road in the valley.

  "This is the road to Toulouse." Thudis gestured to the stone path. "We shall spend the night at the villa of Lord Talric, a close friend of mine, and on the morrow we shall reach the city before the midday meal."

  Uther was excited to be so close to the first major stop on his quest. This
journey was the only thing of import his father had yet entrusted to him alone, and he enjoyed the feeling. Uther had also become friendly with Caradoc, Thudis' youngest son, who had accompanied them on the journey. Both were proud and brave, with ambitions more suited in that age to eldest rather than youngest sons, and they found much to discuss.

  The night was passed merrily, for Talric was as gracious a host as they could have wished. After they feasted heartily and drained several casks of wine, they sat around the roaring fire and traded tales of battle until late into the evening.

  Dawn came far too soon after a late night, and the band was ragged and tired as they set out from their host's pleasant villa. Before they left, Talric presented Lord Pendragon with a gift, for Uther had told the tales of his father's service with Aetius and Theodoric at Chalons. Talric, too, had fought in that epic battle, in Theodoric's guard, and he remembered the Briton, son of an emperor, who had succored his dying king. To Uther he handed a canvas wrapped bundle, which undone revealed an old helmet.

  "From a Hunnic lord, my friend Uther, whom I slew on that very field not 20 paces from where your father fought alongside my king. I pulled it off his head, which I had struck from the body."

  Uther was moved by the gesture, but uncomfortable at the magnitude of the gift. "Lord Talric, your generosity to a guest is magnificent, but I cannot deprive you of such a trophy."

  "Nay, Lord Uther, you must accept. For I am an old man, and my sons are all slain in battle. The Lord has seen fit to send me the son of another warrior who fought that great day, for many now forget what grave danger the anti-Christ Attila and his God-cursed horde posed to all civilization. Into your care I will now pass this keepsake, for perhaps you can sit with your father on your return and speak of the adventures of his youth.

  Having taken warm leave of their host, the party rode quietly through the early morning light. The road wound between rocky hillsides and into lush valleys filled with farms and vineyards. This close to Toulouse there were few abandoned areas, and the homes and farms were richer and in better repair. Every manor they passed was bustling with activity, for it was well into harvest time. They made their way between a last pair of hills and rode down into a large valley. Before them lay the vastness of Toulouse, one of the great cities of the empire, and now the capital of Euric, King of the Visigoths.

  Uther and Leodegrance stopped and stared in amazement, for city was like nothing they had ever seen, either in life or the shadowy world of dreams. Even Londinium, which they only knew as a nearly abandoned ruin, was at its peak but a small town compared to the vast city spread out before them. Toulouse was massive, surrounded by high stone walls and great bastions. From their vantage point they could see the maze of streets and endless blocks of buildings, the theaters, the fora bustling with cityfolk and, nearly in the center, the massive structure that could only have been Euric's palace.

  The party rode swiftly down to the main gate. The guards were alarmed at first to see so large a group approaching, but Thudis and some of his men rode ahead, and spoke with them, after which they stood aside to let the band pass. Through the streets of the city they rode, and Uther, Leodegrance, and their companions looked all around them in wonderment at the structures and the crowds, so unlike anything they had before witnessed. Uther's father had tried to prepare him for what he would see in the heart of the empire, but still he found himself awestruck at what cities men could build.

  Word of the visitors spread quickly throughout the city, and by the time they reached the palace there was a crowd gathered. Uther and Leodegrance followed Thudis into the palace, while the rest of the party waited. A rider had been sent ahead to advise the court of the approaching visitors, so they were not unexpected, and a richly-dressed chamberlain awaited them just inside the palace gate.

  Uther held a small box, brought as a gift for the Visigothic king. It was the work of Powys' finest craftsmen, wrought of gold and silver and inlaid with amethysts brought back from the Pictish lands north of the great wall. Leodegrance carried an offering as well, a golden goblet, equally fine work by one of Cameliard's greatest metalsmiths.

  They were led inside and down a long, columned gallery. The vaulted ceiling was at least thirty feet above their heads, and the walls and floor were of polished marble. Their steps echoed loudly on the glossy stone tile as they walked past large rooms on each side and stopped at a massive set of double doors. The chamberlain asked them to wait and bade Thudis to enter alone. Uther touched him on the shoulder as he turned to move toward the doors and handed him the amulet that Constantine had given him.

  Thudis was gone for only a few moments before the double doors swung open to reveal a large room with a ceiling even higher than that in the gallery. On the walls hung tapestries depicting scenes of war and banners displaying colorful coats of arms. There was a central aisle, and on either side were small clusters of men, dressed finely in a variety of styles. At the far end of the room, seated on a large chair set upon a raised dais, was a tall man of perhaps 35 summers. His tunic was spun from golden fabric, and upon his head he wore a crown wrought from silver and gold. His brown hair was long, pulled to the side and fastened with a jeweled clasp.

  They walked slowly down the aisle until bidden to stop by the chamberlain. They found Thudis kneeling before the king, but Uther and Leodegrance only bowed, for they too were of princely rank.

  King Euric motioned for all to rise. "Uther Pendragon, greetings. You speak truth in what you have told Thudis, for this is indeed my father's talisman. Flavius Aetius was both enemy and ally to my house, but only to a friend would Theodoric have given this." He held up the golden amulet, examining it closely. "Thus I greet the son of my father's friend and ally. You are welcome here, Lord Pendragon, and I gladly offer you safe passage across my lands. Leodegrance, prince of Cameliard, greetings to you as well."

  He paused as if considering his next words carefully. "But with welcome I shall also offer you tidings you may find ill, for things are not, I fear, as you hoped to find them." He paused again for a few seconds, seeking the words he wished to say. "You seek, I presume, to obtain assistance, or at least counsel, from the emperor to defeat your enemies and sooth the wounds of your troubled land. But all lands are now in turmoil, and the empire for which you search is all but lost. Indeed, where you now stand is no longer a part of it, for the emperor has recognized my independent kingship in return for the cession of Gallia Narbonensis to his direct suzerainty."

  Uther was surprised by what Euric said, but he remained silent and listened as the king continued.

  "This emperor, Julius Nepos, is little better than a Dalmatian warlord, and the purple he owes to his wife and her uncle, Leo I of Constantinople, a year now in his grave. Aid he has naught to give, and to his counsel I would pay little heed. In Ravenna you will find him holding court, for Rome itself is long abandoned by the emperors. Twice sacked in living memory she is but a shadow of past glories.”

  Euric looked down at his guests, sympathy in his eyes. They had travelled far, in his estimation, for naught, and he found no joy in shattering their hopes. "You seek friends, and indeed you may find some in your journeys. I daresay you have found one in me, my lords. But allies with strength to aid you in your struggle, I think shall be elusive prey. In the wake of empire there is naught but strife and fear, and the lords who would assist you in greener times have their strength now tasked to preserving what they have, or seizing what they will from their neighbors."

  He shifted in his chair, but his gaze remained fixed on his guests. "Thus is my counsel to you, and also this - that you stay with us for time in Toulouse as welcome guests. Our fathers were friends, and while yours yet lives, mine is long dead on a glorious field of battle. Allow me to honor him by feasting the son of his ally. Long has been your journey, and great pains and strife lie ahead, I fear. For now, I offer a brief respite. Let us eat, drink, and toast our ancestors."

  Uther had remained silent, respectful of his host
, for though he was also of royal blood, this was Euric's house and kingdom. The great Visigoth king spoke well and was obviously learned and wise. Here was a monarch of such majesty and power that the kings of Britannia seemed but petty lordlings in comparison.

  "King Euric, for your kind words and warm welcome we thank you. We dared not hope for such hospitality on our long journey. For your wise counsel we are grateful. We shall consider it seriously, though still we are bound by our oaths to seek an audience with the emperor, whether our task be hopeless or no. You hospitality we shall gratefully accept, for our travels have been long, and are not yet ended. Your counsel on how best to reach Ravenna we would also request." He stepped forward and placed the small golden box on the edge of the dais in front of Euric. The warriors flanking the king tensed when Uther first moved, but held when they saw his purpose.

  Leodegrance followed Uther, and placed the gift from Cameliard next to that from Powys. "These small gifts we bring as tokens of our respect and gratitude.”

  Euric motioned to one of the warriors, who retrieved the gifts and handed them to the king. "Your gifts are indeed magnificent, and they are happily accepted. Henceforth they shall be treasures of my house. But now, I speak too long, for you are guests tired and worn from a long road. Rooms are prepared for you. Go. Rest and refresh yourselves, for tonight we shall sup together and speak more of things."

  Euric motioned to several men standing off to his side, and they stepped forward to guide Uther and his companions to their chambers. They were led deep into the great palace to large rooms, richly appointed. Hot baths had been drawn, and their own servants had been given admittance and awaited their commands.

  When they had settled in and rested a bit, and washed away the dust from the road, Uther and Leodegrance spoke of what Euric had told them. If the empire were indeed on the verge of collapse, what purpose could be served by their continuing on? Should they trust Euric's word? Even if he were trustworthy, did he read the situation truly? Perhaps one great victory in the field would restore the empire's position, as it had a generation ago when Uther's and Euric's fathers had fought on the field of Chalons?