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'Father! Keep still.' She faced Conaire and demanded, 'Will you speak yet, or must we stand here all
day?'
I glanced at Llenlleawg and saw that he was smiling, obviously enjoying the dispute. Even so, his spear
was in his hand and ready.
The huge sword trembling above his head, Conaire rolled his eyes and gave in to her demand. 'You are
worse than your father,' he snorted in disgust. 'Let my hands down and I will tell you.'
Gwenhwyvar, satisfied with his reply, released the sword and stepped back a pace. 'Well?'
'It is that accursed priest!'
'Ciaran has done nothing to you!' Fergus charged, thrusting forward.
Gwenhwyvar pushed him back, and addressed Conaire. 'What about the priest?'
'He stole six of my cattle,' the king complained weakly.
'Your cattle wandered away when your cowherd fell asleep,' Fergus said. 'The priest found them.'
'And took them to his own pens!'
'He offered to give them back!'
'Oh, he offered! He offered if I would come and get them he would give them back.'
'Well?' demanded Gwenhwyvar, growing more exasperated with each passing moment.
'It is only so that he can rail at me with that that creed of his,' Conaire insisted. 'He defies me to listen
to him and says that he will make a Christian of me yet. But I will have none of it!'
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'What are you afraid of, man?' Fergus challenged. 'Hear him out and make up your mind. No one can
make you believe anything you do not want to believe!'
'And you, Fergus mac Guillomar, are a fool!' Conaire rejoined. 'You are beguiled with the babble of that
priest. Most malicious of men, he has stolen your wit as well as reason. Christians! Look at you, Fergus,
you cannot even fight your own fights anymore. I see what listening to priests has done to you, and I will
not go down that path.'
Gwenhwyvar spoke up. 'I am a Christian, too, Conaire,' she said, coolly. 'Do you think me weak-willed
and witless?'
Conaire raised a warning finger. 'Stay out of this, you. This is no concern of yours.'
'Is it not?' she asked. 'I rather think it concerns all who hold the Christ as lord over them.'
'Then draw your weapon and stand behind your father,' Conaire told her. 'And I will give you stroke for
stroke what I give Fergus.'
'Go to it then!' cried Fergus. 'Do your worst!'
'Oh, stop it both of you,' Gwenhwyvar snapped. 'Conaire, we do not have time for this. If it is a fight
you want, listen to me now. The Vandal host is laying waste to Ynys Prydein. I have come to raise the
warbands of Eiru to aid Arthur.'
Fergus was only too happy to be distracted from the tussle at hand. 'Did you mean to keep it from us,
daughter? Why, my men and I are ready; we will put to sea at once.' He turned to his warriors, who
stood looking on. 'Bid your kin farewell, men. Arthur needs us.' Turning back to Gwenhwyvar, he said,
'Arthur in need? Say no more. That is good enough for me.'
Conaire frowned. 'Well, I care little for that. I will not go.'
Gwenhwyvar could scarce believe the man's stubbornness. 'After all Arthur has done for you?' she
challenged. 'Is this the thanks of a noble lord?Britainsuffers now because Arthur helped you.'
'What son of king leaves his realm unprotected?' Conaire sniffed, putting on a brave display of
indifference.
'He did it to save you!' Gwenhwyvar declared.
'More fool he,' replied the Irish king smugly. 'I did not ask his help, nor did I need it.'
'If not for Arthur you would be dead now you and all your people with you, Conaire Red Hand!'
'And if I were dead I would not have to keep hearing about Arthur!'
Gwenhwyvar, her face flushed with rage, spun from him. 'Go, Father, ready your ships and men.
Llenlleawg and I ride to rouse the southern lords.'
'This lord will not be roused,' Conaire insisted. 'Nor any beholden to me.'
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'Go your way, Conaire,' Gwenhwyvar told him. 'You are of no consequence anymore.'
'I will not go '
'Well and good!'
' and neither will I allow my lords to sail toBritain,' he said. 'This is no concern of the Uladh or its kin.'
'Arthur needs help and I am pledged to give it,' Fergus said. 'All I have I owe to him. More, he is my
kinsman through the marriage of my daughter. I am going to help him.'
'And I say you will not go.'
'And I say I will!'
'You will not '
'Silence!' Gwenhwyvar screamed. She faced the Irish king squarely. 'You can choose not to help us,'
she said, anger seething from every pore. 'That is your right. But you cannot prevent Fergus from going if
he is so resolved."
'No,' allowed Conaire, growing sly, 'I cannot prevent him from going. But 'he turned a defiant gaze
upon Fergus 'if you leave, your lands are forfeit.'
'Snake! Snake!' cried Fergus. 'You cannot do that!'
'Stand back and watch what I do!"
'Do not listen to him, Father,' Gwenhwyvar said. 'Go and ready the men.'
'Since you are going,' Conaire continued, 'I advise you to take your priests and people with you, for I tell
you the truth: there will be no home for you if you return."
'Take the land!" Fergus bellowed, drawing himself up with immense dignity. 'And I take back my oath of
fealty to you. I once pledged myself to a true king, but you are not that man. Go your way, Conaire
Crobh Rua. I am done with you.'
'What need have I of a faithless lord like you?' Conaire sneered. 'I will give your lands to men who
honour their oaths and do not go chasing after priests of strange religions.'
Fergus drew breath to reply. Gwenhwyvar put her hands on his chest and turned him. 'Go now. Say
nothing more.'
'Indeed,' her father replied, 'there is nothing more to say.'
He turned and hastened back to his waiting warband and the gathered throng of his tribe. In a moment
they began moving away.
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