Merlin went on to explain how the woodcutters were captured, his concerns about them, and the weapons and tools found hidden in their clothes and their bodies.
“We still don’t know who they are or why they’re here,” Merlin said. “The guards have interrogated them, but they’re not talking. I told them to keep the prisoners secure and wait for your return.”
“I’ll get started on them at first light. Do you care what I have to do to get information from them?”
“If they’re spies, they’ll be executed. But if they’re not spies, I’d rather not kill innocent people over trees.”
“So you want me to be gentle with them?” Galerius tried not to be too specific in front of Arthur, Bedwyr, and Cai.
Merlin refilled his goblet. Then he shook his head. “Do what you have to do, General. The tools they had with them show that they’re not innocent. We just don’t yet know what they’re guilty of. I leave it to you to find that out.”
“I will,” Galerius said, taking his knife to the mutton leg to cut off another bite.
Two days later, Galerius still hadn’t discovered anything about the woodcutters. No matter what he did, they wouldn’t talk.
Merlin watched from a distance, but he wouldn’t let the princes watch acts of torture. He sent them riding with their escorts to keep them away from Galerius as he worked to extract information from the prisoners.
A messenger arrived from King Nudd-Lludd of Bryneich at mid-morning. In addition to letters for Bedwyr, there was a letter to Merlin.
We’ve intercepted a small force of Anglians from Ebrauc – about a hundred men altogether. They were trying to cross my kingdom, but they were heading for Gododdin. I have no idea why. They all died before they could tell us anything. There may be more Anglians operating in both of our kingdoms. I’m taking steps to find and kill them. I suggest you do the same.
“Anglians,” Merlin muttered to himself.
He approached Galerius just as the general finished lashing one of the prisoners down to four stakes in the ground. A horse was tethered nearby, and it dug at the ground with its front hooves.
Merlin showed Galerius the letter from Nudd-Lludd. Galerius read it and looked at Merlin. “Anglians from Ebrauc?” he whispered.
Merlin nodded.
Galerius smiled. “Now I have something to talk to them about.”
The general walked over to the prisoner and stood over him. “So you’re an Anglian? Don’t bother denying it. Your reinforcements from Ebrauc were caught trying to cross Bryneich. They were all killed. No one’s coming to help you.”
Galerius watched the prisoner’s face, and knew immediately that he had guessed rightly. The prisoner tried to keep his face steady, but he couldn’t hide his emotions when he learned that the men he had been waiting for had been intercepted.
“Do you want to tell me why you’re in Gododdin?” Galerius asked quietly.
The prisoner glared at him.
“Very well.” Galerius called over one of his soldiers. He whispered in the soldier’s ear, and the soldier ran to the barracks and returned a moment later with a cruse of oil and a torch.
Galerius took the cruse and poured some of the oil on the prisoner’s feet. “I’m going to set your feet on fire. If you won’t talk, then I’m going to pour oil on your legs. I’m going to keep pouring oil on you all the way up to your head until you talk or you die.”
The soldier lit the torch in a nearby brazier and handed it to Galerius.
Merlin couldn’t watch, and he turned his back and hobbled to the great house. He heard screams behind him, but he didn’t look back. The screams became shrieks of indescribable pain, and Merlin was grateful that he couldn’t smell burning flesh. By the time he reached the great house, he couldn’t hear the prisoner anymore.
Galerius found Merlin on the far side of the hillfort from the guardhouse where the prisoners had been held. His clothes reeked of smoke and burned flesh.
“They were Anglian spies,” he said. “They were supposed to be captured and brought inside the hillfort. Then they were to break free and kill as many people, start as many fires, and create as much confusion as possible. They were also to open the gates so their reinforcements could enter and finish killing everyone. King Nudd-Lludd’s forces ruined that part of the plan.”
Merlin nodded. “How many did you have to burn before someone talked?”
“Three. The fourth one took one look at their bodies and told us everything, including where more Anglian spies are operating in Gododdin and Bryneich. I’ve dispatched soldiers to find them and kill them. The rest of the prisoners were given a clean death.”
Galerius ran the back of his thumb along his neck, and Merlin knew that Galerius had beheaded the remaining prisoners.
“Thank you, General,” Merlin said. “Are the princes back yet?”
“Not yet.”
Merlin nodded. “Good. I don’t want them seeing the bodies.”
“The bodies have already been disposed of.”
Merlin looked at Galerius from head to toe. “You might want to wash and change before they get back.”
Galerius laughed. “You’re right, Merlin. This is a smell that no young man should ever have to smell.”
Galerius walked back to his quarters, leaving Merlin alone with his thoughts.
I have to inform our neighbors about what has happened and let Ambrosius know that Anglians are threatening the northern kingdoms.
Merlin heard Arthur’s voice. “Merlin? We’re back!”
Arthur, Cai, and Bedwyr entered the great house just as Merlin finished writing dispatches to be sent to the kingdoms of Strathclyde, Bryneich, Rheged, and Ebrauc. Merlin put down his quill and stood, grabbing his staff. I’ll finish the dispatch to Ambrosius after supper. The messenger won’t leave before morning.
He left his chamber and found the boys in the great hall.
“How was riding today?” he asked.
“Wonderful,” Cai replied. “We rode east along the river to the sea. Then we rode south to the plains and west before coming back to Din Eidyn.”
“I guess you’re hungry,” Merlin commented. “I’ll have the servants bring supper.”
Merlin called for a servant and told him to serve supper. “Have Niniane and Anna had supper?” he asked.
“No, Lord Merlin.”
“Have them join us, then,” Merlin instructed.
The servant left the great hall.
When they were alone, Arthur asked, “Did General Galerius learn anything from the woodcutters?”
Merlin nodded. “They were Anglians. They were supposed to get caught and brought here. Then they were to escape, set fire to the walls and buildings, and open the gates for a hundred other Anglians, who were intercepted by King Nudd-Lludd and killed. Their goal was to destroy the hillfort and everyone inside, and then raid the village. Thankfully, their plan failed.”
Merlin reached into a pocket and pulled out the letters from Nudd-Lludd to Bedwyr.
“Here are letters from your father, Bedwyr.”
Bedwyr took the letters and tucked them into his tunic.
“Why are Anglians here in Gododdin?” Arthur asked. “I thought they were all in Ebrauc.”