It took Tutgual some time before he could stop coughing. He had never counted on Riderch to have anything to do with ruling, he knew he was not suited. His firstborn Morcant luckily had the character for leading his people. But that didn't allow Riderch to live idly, oblivious even of his own family. Tutgual had to ask him to perform his duties. And then, there was something that even Riderch needed to know: it was about a possible attack on his clan, after all.
"I didn't want to talk to you about the Engle, anyways", he told his son after he had caught his breath. Even if no one was close enough to hear them, Tutgual lowered his voice: "There is a more serious matter. I received some confidential information: apparently some of my cousins are conspiring against me. My informers told me that my cousins have been meeting in suspicious circumstances. And the other day, when we had an assembly of the clans' chieftains, that hothead Cynan said that our cousin Neiton would be the right guletic, should a new war be waged. That was outrageous, just in my face! I could have even put him under arrest, but Serwan intervened shouting at him and Neiton himself declared that I am the only rightful guletic. As if I needed his backing!".
Riderch frowned, but when he spoke it was only to say: "Father, I have always wondered, does the word guletic stand for 'chief' or 'administrator'?".
Tutgual had another sudden fit of coughing, but he managed to recover soon his breath. He must remain calm: "Riderch, even if you don't care, this is a serious issue. We are under a threat of a dynastic clash. My cousins claim that Neiton would be entitled to rule because his father was regent of Alt Clut for few months, when our grandfather Dumnagual died while my father Clinoch, who was Dumnagual's firstborn and heir, was away at war. In any case, the Royal Guard is loyal to me and the Guards of the Rock call me 'Defender of the People'. The conspirators don't stand a chance". Then, he changed his voice to a more resentful tone: "And to answer to your question, the word guletic means both 'king' and 'administrator', and 'chieftain' and 'warlord' too. A good guletic is the one who fulfils all these roles. I have been doing my part in that for many years, but now I am old and sick, and the conspirators come to the fore. Your brother Morcant is well aware of all this, and we have plans ready, if need be. But it was important that you knew, too."
Riderch now looked serious: "Father, I wanted to tell you that Languoreth and I were thinking to travel for a while".
"What?!", shouted Tutgual, repressing a cough: "Travel? For what reason? And where?".
"Soon I might be too absorbed by my duties as a member of the royal clan, as you just told me", replied Riderch, "so this will be the last chance for me and Languoreth to leave the Rock for a little bit, just for few weeks at most. Languoreth and I have been discussing that for a while. We don't plan to travel soon anyway, maybe during the next or the following waxing moon, if you will agree".
Tutgual tried to keep calm and not to fly into a rage: "Riderch, you are in a privileged position, you could have so much power if only you grasped it. Instead, you decide to escape".
"I promise you, Father," he replied, "I don't want to waste my role in the clan. That's the reason why I decided to give Languoreth this last occasion for traveling, in order to dedicate myself only to my duties once I'm back".
Tutgual sighed, silently. He could forbid Riderch from going, but it wouldn't do any good. "So be it, then," he said, "but you will bring something with you". He stood up and he told Riderch to follow him outside.
The guards, Artmael and Caratacos, followed him out of the hall. It was their duty and no matter how much Tutgual hated to be followed everywhere, they wouldn't leave him without their protection even if he ordered them to. Only seven where the royal guards, but these seven, together with some of their own most trustworthy subordinates, vowed to protect the king and his family with their lives.
The wind chill made Tutgual shiver, even with the thick fur he was wearing, and he got again a fit of coughing while he was walking in the cold.
Luckily his abode was close to the hall. He told the two guards to wait outside, together with the guard who was already stationed there, and he went inside with Riderch. Here the temperature was warm, thanks to the coals still glowing into a metal box at the centre of the room and to the furs hung on the walls, which shielded from the outer chill. The warm air made his breathing much easier.
Riderch had stopped just inside the entrance. "Follow me," told him Tutgual, "I want to show you something". He walked across the large room, too large for him since the day Elufed died.
He let his son follow him up the steps which led upstairs, where the guletic's private sleeping area was situated.
Tutgual didn't have many personal belongings, but those few ones were very valuable. Next to his bed, under a pile of fine leather, there was a low and elongated metal chest, closed by a lock. Tutgual bent down, took off his ring and opened the chest with the key inset on the ring. He took out a metal scabbard, richly decorated, from which an ivory hilt was sticking out.
He turned to Riderch and handed the scabbard to him. Riderch looked puzzled: "This is Dyrnwyn, White-Hilt, our family's ancestral sword, is it?".
"It is. Take it", Tutgual answered.
Riderch took the scabbard, confused, watching the embellishments encrusted on it.
Tutgual carried on: "If you are really deciding to leave, you will take it with you and you will pledge to bring it back as soon as possible".
Riderch gaped: "But Father... Dyrnwyn is a precious legacy of our family, I cannot take it. It should belong to Morcant, after you".
"It belongs to the guletic of Alt Clut, you are right. And I lend it to you as a pledge. If you accept it and you won't come back as promised, the damnation from all the previous generations of guletics of Alt Clut will fall upon you".
Riderch, his stare still fixed on the scabbard, unsheathed the sword.
"Dyrnwyn", Tutgual continued, "is not only a sword of excellent manufacture. It's also extraordinary powerful. My father used to call it Caledbulch, hard breach, because of its cutting power".
Riderch looked at him: "Father, I am grateful for this responsibility. I pledge to bring back Caledbulch safely".
Tutgual grimaced: "You don't have to keep it safe, you can use it if it will be needed. You will need an escort, anyway".
"The Bear and his men will come too. I wanted to go just on a family travel, but alas, the Bear insisted on taking with him all his henchmen".
That was good. Caimir, called the Bear, was one of the seven royal guards and his duty was to protect the king's second son and his family. "So be it", Tutgual said. "Where do you intend to go? And for how long?".
"I don't know exactly, I am thinking southwards, maybe as far as Cair Ligualid. But Father, I haven't told anyone that I am leaving, besides you, Languoreth and Caimir, and I would like if it stays that way".
"Of course it's not other people's business", Tutgual replied. "If you are going to Cair Ligualid, bring my greetings to Urbgen. But remember, son, your place, your life, your people are here".
"I know father, I promise, once I am back I will dedicate myself to my duties, and everything will change".
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