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To Cai's manifest amazement, everyone agreed wholeheartedly. Arthur commended the plan and lauded
Cai's suggestion, embellishing it with the small addition of a special contingent of monks to offer prayers
and psalms on behalf of the holy object and the realm. Thus would the Pendragon establish his reign, and
the Kingdom of Summer commence.
Dazzled by glory, we all retired to our sleep that night in a mood of high expectation. Surely now, after
the Saecsen wars and the battles fought to subdue the invading Vandali, we could lay aside our weapons
and embrace the practice of peace so long abandoned in our homeland. We dreamed that night of
returning to peaceful pursuits, growing contented and prosperous, and enjoying the fruits won by our
swords' harsh labours. Having dreamed the glorious dream, we rose the next morning to greet the sun
rising on a new and splendid epoch, the beginning of the Summer Kingdom, Taliesin's oft-told vision
when peace, love, and honour would govern Britain's island brood.
Arthur regretted that he could not ride south at once. 'Be at ease, Bear,' steady Bedwyr reassured him;
'the council is soon finished - a day or two more, and we are done here.'
As we might have expected, Myrddin thought little of the notion. 'Has it not occurred to any of you,' he
inquired tartly, 'that there is good reason why the Grail has remained hidden all these years? I have every
confidence Avallach knows best what to do. Hear me, Arthur: do not think to meddle. Leave it alone.'
But Arthur would not listen. Thanking the Emrys for his advice, he proceeded to do the opposite, and
the plan quickly grew to include not merely a simple service of homage, but a perpetual choir, too, and a
church in which to house them all. 'A seemly structure,' Arthur said, 'where any who are weary and
oppressed can come and see the cup blessed of the Saviour King himself.' He was convinced that just
beholding the sacred vessel would work wonders for those who made pilgrimage to view it.
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This, he said, would be the first of many marvellous undertakings with which he would commence his
reign. More and greater ventures would follow as bright dawn follows storm-torn night.
Nevertheless, Bedwyr had summoned the lords and petty kings of the region in the king's name, and
much as Arthur desired to hasten south to Ynys Avallach, he must abide until the council finished and the
Vandal problem was laid to rest for once and all. The necessity rubbed him raw, but he endured, filling
the time with schemes and dreams which he elaborated at great length to any who happened near. Oh, it
was a wonderful sight to see, and one which I thought had passed forever: Arthur, in the blazing vigour of
untempered youth, inflamed by his vision of a Holy Britain even now entering the harmony and prosperity
of the Summer Kingdom.
Myrddin held himself apart, viewing this turn of circumstance with a sour expression. Although he
appeared ill-disposed towards Arthur's schemes, he yet seemed loath to quench the fire that kindled
them. Like everyone else, I suppose, he was only too happy to have Arthur hale and whole once more,
and could not bring himself to steal even the smallest mote of the king's joy, or dampen the Pendragon's
ardour - not that anything could.
When I asked him what he thought of Arthur's plans, the Wise Emrys merely shrugged. 'It matters not a
whit what I think,' he intoned somberly. 'The High King will have his way in this, come what may.'
I thought this strange, or at least unusual. Myrddin's behaviour was often inexplicable, but rarely proud,
and never mean-spirited. No one else seemed to notice Myrddin's gloomy indifference, and this
concerned me, too. I began to meditate on what Myrddin had said about the Grail, and weighed his
words against Arthur's zeal, but arrived at no firm conclusion.
Still, as I looked around me, I saw that at least one other held some portion of Myrddin's reserve.
Gwenhwyvar, who had at first matched Arthur's fervour with her own, now appeared to be waning in her [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]