14 - CAIMIR

"I am running out of patience, priest", threatened Caimir.

But that Colmkille, or whatever his name was, stared back at him with not a hint of fear in his eyes: "I said we are going to proceed once my scribe will be here", he answered with his thick Cruthin accent.

"Why do we need to write down what is happening here? I showed you already the message with Guletic Riderch's seal, you already read our terms and you just need to agree or not. We don't need scribes".

The monk only shook his head and said nothing.

They had been discussing for a long time. Caimir must end the matter quickly, they were not safe on that island. Riderch had entrusted him with this risky expedition and he intended to get things done. But even arriving there had not been easy.

They had travelled on a small boat without banners, sailed by a boatman from Cair Ligualid who knew these shores: he had required a conspicuous payment, insisting that these places were very dangerous for Briton soldiers. After having embarked on a long sailing and having stopped halfway to spend a night in a hut on the coast in Alt Clut territories, they had managed to arrive on that remote island without meeting Cruthin ships, but Caimir was not at ease: they were on Dalriatan territories after all, and he had with him only six of his trusted guards, while the others had stayed in Cair Ligualid with Riderch. Seven armed men were more than enough against a group of priests, but they might not have been enough if it came to face a band of Cruthin soldiers.

One thing was sure, Caimir was very determined to carry on Riderch's plan. At the moment it was the only hope for him in order to be able to know what had happened to his wife and children in Alt Clut.

And he was also yearning to avenge the murder of Atoc, his guard stabbed in the borderlands by the false messenger sent by the conspirators. He had died after one day of agony.

Caimir had been relieved when he had not seen Cruthin soldiers on the island. But he had now to face the stubbornness of these monks, who wouldn't let go one of their pupils. Caimir could have easily acted by force, but he had received orders to try and avoid violence if possible: as if the situation wasn't enough complicated, the boy's mother was Riderch's sister, wed to Áedán of Dál Riata, and Riderch wanted this business not to become uglier than it was already. So Caimir was stuck in discussions and the monks were greatly testing his patience.

"Father Colmcille", spoke the monk known as Mungo, who had come with Caimir from Cair Ligualid, "we come here in a diplomatic effort. The boy Artúr is Guletic Riderch's nephew, and Riderch's intention is to raise him as his ward. No harm will be done to him...".

"I didn't know until now", interrupted Colmkille in an indignant tone, "that Christian monks in Albion are servants of the Briton rulers".

"Dear Father Colmcille", said an old bearded monk. Caimir was told he was the monk called Serf, who had fled Alt Clut at the same time as Mungo. "What Brother Mungo means, is that we have been spending our lives, and some of us have even given theirs, following the teachings of our Lord Jesus in our mission on converting to the true faith the pagan people: the same that you have done in your lands. In our efforts, we contributed to prevent wars, persuading many Briton rulers that there's a Lord greater than any of us, Whom they will have to answer to, in the afterlife. I am not servant of that Riderch, much as I am not of any Dalriatan chief. But I have seen with my own eyes many poor dead people only few days ago, and I know that vengeance will be as bloody as the first stroke and it will hit the same poor innocent people. Unless, unless there is a way to divert this vengeance. If taking away the boy will prevent Riderch from waging war, I say it's worth it. It's true, the boy's father will want to take his son back by force, but after having already attacked the Britons and destroyed one of their main citadels, I think this time he will be obligated to negotiate, if he doesn't want to face all the Britons united against him. And after all, Riderch and his allies, as far as I know, are supporters of the Christian faith, while the new occupying forces in Alt Clut have banished not only us monks, but all the Christians from their kingdom: the way I look at it, I think that Riderch's party may help us saving the endangered lives of the innocent Christian people, and if the boy will be with him, he will fight on the side of our faith, while his father is now allied with the heathens who are currently in power over Alt Clut".

Besides all the blabbering about faith, Caimir was impressed by that old monk's speech. Riderch had been right when he had told Caimir to let Mungo and Serf speak. Caimir didn't know if Riderch had instructed Mungo to tell Serf what to say, but that didn't matter.

What mattered was that Colmkille looked struck too: even if he was a Cruthin, he was discussing with them in the Brittonic language and by the look on his face he had understood everything of what Serf had said. "I've heard stories", said Colmkille, "that you too, Brother Serf, were born into a family of rulers, and now that I hear you speaking like that I can easily believe those stories. Yours is not common people's mind...".

In that same moment, someone arrived at the hut's entrance. It was the monk who had gone to call the scribe, accompanied by two other monks. Who was to be the supposed scribe?

Colmkille pointed at a small desk and said something in a language Caimir could not understand, but that sounded like Latin. The youngest among the three monks came forward and sat at the desk, which was equipped with quill and parchment. That was the scribe then? He was so young he could've been Caimir's son!

When the young monk was ready with the quill, Colmkille started speaking, and this time Caimir was pretty sure it was Latin. The scribe was writing down from dictation. Caimir couldn't understand Latin language, he only recognised the sound of some names, as Ioua, Riderch, Artúr and Áedán. But he didn't really care, the written words were not in the slightest as dangerous as the spoken words.

After endless time, Colmkille stopped dictating and scowled at Caimir, speaking in the Brittonic language, though not fluently: "Brother Lukius has written down, from my dictation, the content of your guletic's message and also what Brother Serf said a few moments ago. Everyone in this room is witness: what has been written on that parchment will remain as testimony to what happens here today", he said peremptorily. Caimir had enough of listening to speeches and he was ready to act. But that hard nut Colmkille, after a moment of silence, resumed his talk: "I cannot and I will not resist you, but God is witness of what is happening and of what Brother Serf assured with his words, which have been put in writing".

Colmkille waited for a moment, as if he was expecting to hear Serf's defence. But the old monk kept quiet.

Then, Colmkille spoke in Cruthin to the same monk who had been sent earlier to call the scribe. Once again, the monk answered Colmkille's orders and left the hut.

None in the room uttered a word. Colmkille stood there immobile and scowling, the other monks lowered their eyes, while Caimir's guards were keeping an eye on everyone. Caimir just wished that this business ended soon. That place was not safe for them and he was feeling the urge to leave the island as soon as possible.

After a while the monk was back, with Áedán's son. He was a blond little boy, apparently of around ten years of age. Same age as my youngest son, thought Caimir.

Artúr, that was his name, opened his eyes wide, amazed by the armed guards.

Colmkille came close to the boy and spoke to him, with a grumpy look but a surprisingly gentle voice: "My dear Artúr, today your education at the Abbey of Hy ends. For now, at least. I will leave you to the good hands of Brother Serf and Brother Mungo. These guards will escort you safely". Caimir was surprised: the abbot had talked in the Brittonic language and the boy had understood, judging by the expression on his face. That was for the best, it would be easy to speak to him, then.

Serf smiled to the child: "You know, Artúr, I used to know your mother, when she was still living in Alt Clut. We are going to one of her brothers, your uncle Riderch, to continue your training. He's staying at the great court of Urbgen Pendragon, you will like it there".

The boy's eyes shone with awe, as he asked: "My father ordered that?".

The boy had spoken in Brittonic! But Caimir let quickly go his surprise and hastened to intervene: "Yes, your father wants the best for you. He couldn't be here because... he is busy elsewhere. But your uncle Riderch, who is my lord, will take you with him for a while". Caimir could feel the monks' embarassment in the face of that half-truth, but the boy looked persuaded, and that was what mattered.

After that, Colmkille dictated some other stuff in Latin to his scribe, before they could be finally free to go.

Arthmail, one of Caimir's guards, was already stationed outside the hut. Now all of them walked towards the exit, two guards first, then Mungo and Serf with Artúr, and lastly Caimir and the last three guards.

Just when Caimir started towards the threshold, he heard a monk speaking, in a very horrible version of the Brittonic language: "Father Colmcille, I ask permission joining Brothers Serf and Mungo, if I may?". Caimir turned his face to see who had spoken: it was the monk who had arrived last together with the scribe. He looked like a foreigner, olive-skinned and with his beard trimmed-down in a strange fashion.

Colmkille stared at him for a moment, then he turned to Caimir: "If the soldiers agree, I have no objections... Brother Leo".

Caimir didn't know what to make of that and he could have easily refused. But then he thought that maybe it was good to have with them one more monk contributing to their cause, in such difficult circumstances. So he just grunted: "Fine to me". The monk called Leo was searched by the guards, who didn't find any potential weapon on him. After that, they could finally leave the damn hut.

The last thing Caimir saw before crossing the threshold was the young scribe, still sitting at the small desk: he was staring at the monk called Leo with a wild-eyed gaze.