4 - RIDERCH

The stronghold of Alt Clut was built on two massive rocky hills, hence the name of that place: the Rock. From the parapet at the top, Riderch was watching the wide expanse of water below, where the river Clut, from which the kingdom got its name, was flowing broaden as a lake towards the end of its course, the western sea.

The sunset was closing in, he didn't have any more time to spare. He left the parapet, replying with a nod to a soldier's salute.

He passed through a scattering of dwellings, mostly inhabited by some of his relatives. At that time of the day, only few men were already at their homes, while the women were busy preparing the evening food and doing the last chores of the day. So, only the children were running around and crossing his path. But he knew that the person he was looking for was there.

When he reached the royal hall the guards recognised him and, after searching him quickly, they let him in. Weapons of any sort were not admitted in the royal hall, besides those of two armed guards standing at the entrance.

The wide space inside was lit by a small fire. Only one person was in the room: a bald old man, wearing a thick fur, was sitting behind a table and he was impressing his seal into the wax on a tablet, under the light of a torch.

"Good evening, Father", said Riderch moving closer.

"Look who's here", replied the old man distractedly, without even raising his head.

They were alone, besides the two guards at the entrance. He could speak freely: "I wish to speak with you".

"Speak about what?", asked his father, still busy with the seal.

"Well, it's been a long time since when we talked last time. I thought...", but Riderch stopped in mid-sentence. He had hoped that his father would be the one who started speaking.

After a silence which lasted too long, the old man coughed loudly. Finally he raised his piercing deep blue eyes, his features illuminated by the fire's light: "Let's talk then", he said. "Tell me, who was Coil Hen?".

"What?". Riderch was totally puzzled by this request. "Coil Hen? He was... He was the one who took control of all the Northern Brittania after the Roman troops left, was he? That's what they taught us. I am afraid I don't know much more than that... But if you please I have recent and spicy rumours about Coil Cenet: in Peartoc they say he has been cuckolded by his wife, and in response...".

But Riderch didn't carry on. He was expecting the faintest reaction from his father, instead the old man remained stone-still and, frowning, he answered: "We call Albion our great land, for the gods' sake, Brittania was the name used by the Romans. And what happened to Albion after Coil Hen?".

Really? Riderch had no idea of what was that about, yet he didn't have much choice but to answer: "After Coil Hen, Albion was divided by his generals and successors in smaller territories that eventually turned into different kingdoms".

His father coughed again, but then he insisted: "And how many are these kingdoms?".

Riderch sighed: "Now I don't recall, Father. Can we go straight to the point?".

"Seven are the main ones," continued his father unstoppable, "Rheged, Ebrauc, Bryneich, Elmet, Gododdin, Dunoting, Deifr, not counting the smaller and insignificant territories controlled by high chieftains and want-to-be petty kings".

"Fine, but...".

"And then there's Alt Clut...". A fit of coughing interrupted him in mid-sentence.

Riderch seized the chance of the interruption, he grabbed a stool nearby and he sat. He had enough of standing there like an imbecile.

When he stopped coughing, the old man looked at him grimly: "Our kingdom is unique, Riderch. At Coil Hen's times, the ruler of Alt Clut was Ceretic, one of my forefathers. While other clans raised and died and so many warlords fought and killed each other, our family rules over Alt Clut since the old times when the Roman soldiers occupied Albion. The Rock has never been breached for generations, and under my father's and my rule it has become a political and economic centre".

Riderch yawned, but his father had not finished: "And now, do you know what is happening?".

"What?", replied Riderch, feeling tired of all that.

"Our family's survival is itself at risk, and in this situation you spend your time drinking mead in company with prostitutes, unconcerned about your children and your wife...".

This time Riderch raised his voice: "Enough Father, I've had enough of people speaking to me like that!".

"Don't interrupt me!", boomed the old man, and this time it was not his father, it was King Tutgual Tutclyd of Alt Clut: "Today I received another report from Din Eitin: my cousin, King Clitno, writes that the Engle, or whatever they are called, are slowly occupying more lands along the coasts of Bryneich. He thinks that soon a war will be inevitable".

"A war for taking back an insignificant fort such as Din Guaire? I don't even know how that Morcant Bulc managed to lose it, anyways. Too bad that my brother has the same name of that wimp", replied Riderch sarcastic.

Tutgual had another fit of coughing. The healer had diagnosed some lung disease and had prescribed some potions, which apparently had proved useless. Actually, Riderch realised that his father was coughing even more than the last time he had seen him.

In any case, Riderch couldn't understand why his father was confiding in him about these issues. His elder brother Morcant was the heir designated to succeed Tutgual as high chief of Alt Clut, and despite Riderch's sarcasm he had already proven to be skilled in command, unlike that other Morcant Bulc of Bryneich.

While his father was still coughing, Riderch started to feel uneasy. He had come there with a precise purpose, but it looked like the talk had turned into something very different from what he had in mind.