ALBION The Lame Dancer A Novel of Arthurian Britain PATRICK McCORMACK The Lame Dancer – 2 ? Also by Patrick McCormack Published by Constable & Robinson ALBION: The Last Companion (1997) ALBION: The White Phantom (2000). The Lame Dancer – 3 ? ALBION The Lame Dancer Patrick McCormack The Lame Dancer – 4 ? Copyright © Patrick McCormack 2008 Typeset by Howard Wiseman, Brisbane, Australia The Lame Dancer – 5 ? PREFACE By Howard Wiseman March 2008. Patrick McCormack has suggested I write the brief story of how I came to be “publishing” his novel The Lame Dancer on my website. I cannot think of a better way to begin than to quote from the letter I was able to send (after an earlier failed attempt) to Patrick via his publisher, Constable & Robinson, in September 2007: I am writing to you regarding your Albion trilogy of Arthurian and post- Arthurian Britain. I am a great fan of the first two novels. I have read a great deal of historical Arthurian fiction, and I think your books are unparalleled in their ability to capture the reality of 6th century Britain – the decaying economy, the complications of the politics and the relations between Britons and Saxons. You also have one of the freshest takes on the Arthurian legend. You have clearly put an enormous amount of research into these. The reason I am writing is that I’ve been waiting, ever since The White Phantom came out, for the third book in the trilogy, The Lame Dancer. It was advertised to come out years ago, but never has. I now understand from your publisher, Constable and Robinson, that you have finished it, but that they may never release it. This is very disappointing for me, and, I’m sure, many other fans. Is there any way you could make available your final novel for fans like me? To my great pleasure, Patrick was happy to oblige by sending the electronic manuscript of his novel. Moreover, he confirmed with Constable & Robsinson that, since they felt unable to continue with the third Albion volume, he was free to release it on the web. I am very grateful to Patrick for allowing me the honour of publishing it on my site. I hope that everyone who has read the first two novels will manage to find this final installment, and that it will be discovered by a new set of readers as well. I urge any of the latter to buy, beg, or borrow The Last Companion and The White Phantom and read them first. The Lame Dancer – 6 ? DRAMATIS PERSONAE OF ALBION Ambrosius The Elder and the Younger. Father and son who opposed the policies of Gworthigern and refused to acknowledge his authority. Angus Onetime abbot of a monastery visited by Nai. In his younger days he served as a warrior with the High Lords of Dumnonia, and with Arthur's Companions at Eidin. Kin to Lleminawg and Eremon, married Custennin's sister. Arthur Emperor or Amherawdyr of Albion. Bedwyr One of Arthur's Companions. He and Cei were Arthur's oldest friends and chief Companions. Bolanus A deeply Christian inhabitant of Cunetio. Budoc Name used by Bedwyr after Camlann, while he was a monk in Brittany and a hermit in Dumnonia. Cei Called 'the Long Man' because of his great size. With Bedwyr, the chief of Arthur's Companions. Celemon Daughter of Cei and friend of Gwenhwyvar. Ceolric A young Saxon who aided Bedwyr and Nai in their struggle against Eremon. Cerdic King of the West Saxons or Gewisse. Son of Elesa. Cynon One of Arthur's Companions. Custennin, or High Lord of Dumnonia in succession to his father Cunomorus. Constantine Dunnere Follower of Elesa. Echel Grandson of Glewlwyd. The Lame Dancer – 7 ? Elesa, or Eliseg Saxon adventurer, from a family long settled in Britain. Father of Cerdic. Eremon Outlaw of Irish descent. Foster son of Gereint and kin to Lleminawg and Angus. Slain by Nai. Eurgain Girl from the village of Porthyle who aided Bedwyr and Nai in their struggle against Eremon, now living with Ceolric. Gereint Minor lord in Dumnonia, served by Nai. Also, common name in Dumnonia. Glewlwyd Originally Gatekeeper to Gwenhwyvar's father. Later Gatekeeper to Arthur. Gorthyn Dumnonian warrior, member of Gereint's warband. Foster brother of Nai. Guthlaf Frisian living in Wermund’s hall. As a young man he sailed with Elesa. Gwenhwyvar Wife to Arthur. Gworthigern 'The High King': Vitolinus, who first invited the Saxons under Hengist to the Thin Britain, to help fend off the attacks of the Picts and Scots. (Vortigern) Gwydawg Son of Menestyr, killed Cei. Hareth Frisian. Kinsman of Guthlaf and father of Wermund’s second wife. Hengist Leader of the original Saxon mercenaries invited to Britain by Gworthigern. Hildeburh Descendant of Hengist and first wife of Wermund. Isag Follower of Angus. Isgofan Follower of Angus killed by Bedwyr. Lasrian Follower of Angus. Leodwald Saxon, second to Wermund in the settlment west of Selwood. Llacheu Arthur's son, killed by Cei. Lleminawg The Dancer, one of Arthur's Companions, descended from Irish settlers along the River Oak in Dumnonia. Accompanied Arthur to the Iardomnan and did not return. The Lame Dancer – 8 ? Llywri Minor lord from the Summer Country. Follower of Melwas and Pabo. Melwas The Young Prince. Lord of the Summer Country, once betrothed to Gwenhwyvar. Father of Pabo. Menestyr The name of a clan of tattooed men from the far north, the Sons or Children of Menestyr, and of its leader: Pedrylaw Menestyr 'The Skilled Cupbearer'. Moccus (1) A god, the Lord of the Swine. Moccus (2) A lame wanderer. Nai Dumnonian warrior. Ogrvran Gawr Father of Gwenhwyvar. Osric Follower of Elesa. Otta Follower of Elesa. Pabo Lord of the Summer Country. Son of Melwas. Pedrylaw See Menestyr. Pryderi Legendary hero who gave his name to Prydein. Pwill The Grey Man. Character from legend. Racwant Follower of Pabo. Regin Bard, son of Vortepor of Dyfed. Ricola Second wife of Wermund. Daughter of Hareth. Seradwen Horsebreeder, farmer and widow. An old friend of Nai. Teleri Bard and daughter of Pedrylaw Menestyr. Once loved by Bedwyr. Vitolinus See Gworthigern. Vortepor High Lord of Dyfed, father of Regin. Vortigern See Gworthigern. Wermund Ceolric’s brother and leader of Saxon settlement west of Selwood. Wethenoc Follower of Angus. The Lame Dancer – 9 ? To the memory of James Tilly 1954 -2001 'Photographer and Gentleman' The Lame Dancer – 10 ? The Lame Dancer – 11 ? PROLOGUE He hobbled through the woods that ran parallel with the road a bowshot below, the pig at his heels like a faithful dog. Branches caught his ragged cloak, and he tugged the wool tighter about his thin body. The leaf mould was slippery underfoot. He moved cautiously, favouring his right hip. Every so often he paused to catch his breath. It would be easier on the road, he knew, but experience had taught him the highway was dangerous, both for himself and for his companion. He was old and lame, the pig young and toothsome. The pair of them might as well have walked the road shouting ‘Here comes prey!’ at the tops of their voices. Instead they kept to whatever cover they could find, using the road as a guide and drifting back into the trees whenever they heard the sound of other travellers. Fortunately there were not many at this time of year. The pig usually gave the warning, though sometimes he himself was the first to see an oncoming party from the brow of a hill. His long sight was not what it had been, but he was still better than his friend at recognizing shapes from a distance. The pig grunted impatiently. With a sigh he pushed himself away from the tree and on up the steepening slope. His right leg dragged, so he left a trail behind him like that of the iron coulter of a plough, the newly turned dead leaves glistening in his wake. These trees had been coppiced once, coppiced and cropped on a regular basis. He could tell from the way they grew, especially the smaller species, hazel, alder and birch, the many trunks sprouting from a single stool. Someone – he had forgotten who – had once told him that even a small estate in the Roman style had consumed a vast amount of fuel every day, and though he did not pretend to understand the calculation, he did understand what it meant – that much of what the present inhabitants thought of as a natural landscape, growing wild or by the will of the gods, was in fact nothing of the kind, but had been planned as carefully as any settlement. The slope increased until he was almost crawling, using his hands to balance himself while his lame leg stuck out behind him like a rudder. He would have laughed had the pain in his hip not flowered as his foot jarred against a hidden stump. The pig, which had abandoned him to snuffle among the roots of another oak, came hurrying across at his squeal of distress and thrust its sandy head under his chest, demanding to have its ears rubbed, anything to distract him. He grunted, and used the pig’s body to lever himself upright, feeling its solid form flow under his hands like water as it pulled away. “Will you help or not?” he grumbled, wavering wildly before he gained his balance by clutching a sycamore. He worked his way up the hill, watching the pig, which had stopped at the crest and was sniffing the air. The Lame Dancer – 12 ? “Snow coming,” he said for the third or fourth time.