“It is for you to say, lord,” muttered Cuall, implying that king or no, Avallach owed his continued existence to Elphin’s manifold generosity, and that if it had been his decision things would have been different. Hafgan merely gathered his robe about him, accepted the horn, and drank.

“We expected you hours ago,” Elphin told Taliesin.

“When you did not follow us back to camp, I became concerned.”

Taliesin began to reply, but Avallach said quickly, “My daughter was attacked while riding this afternoon by Irish raiders-seven of them I Believe you said?” Charis confirmed this with a nod. “I do not know how this happened precisely, but your son came to her aid and saved her life.”

“Is this so, Taliesin?” wondered Elphin.

“It is. Three were killed and the rest fled on foot.”

“And are halfway home by now,” snorted Cuall.

“I am indeed grateful,” continued Avallach, “but that is not why I came.” He paused, aware of the suspicion of the dark eyes around him. “It is about the land.”

“You said events had left you of a different mind,” said Elphin. “Has this attack something to do with it?”

“In part. Taliesin asked for no reward and said he would accept none. Very well, that is his choice. And in truth I had already decided what to do before I learned of the attack.” Avallach lifted the horn and drank. The others looked on- the Cymry wary, the Atlanteans indignant. “That is good,” Avallach said, lowering the horn. “I have never tasted anything like that before.”

“We are not without civility-coarse though it may be,” growled Cuall.

Elphin gave his second-in-command a quick, impatient gesture and Cuall subsided into flinty silence. “If I had a cask it would be yours,” he told Avallach. “But the beer, like so much else, is gone.” He looked directly at Avallach and asked, “Why have you come?”

The Fisher King reached into his wide girdle and brought out Elphin’s knife. “I came to return your knife.”

“It was a gift to a friend.”

“And that is why I must return it now. My actions earlier today were not the actions of a friend. Please, take back your knife.”

Elphin stared at the knife but made no move to take it. “The gift was freely given and I do not regret it. A gift should be honored.”

Avallach placed the knife between them. Cuall reached out for it, but Taliesin grabbed his wrist. “Leave it!” he whispered.

“Why not accept the knife?” asked Avallach. “Is it not mine to give?”

“Do what you will; I have no claim to it.”

“But it was your knife,” insisted Avallach.

Elphin glanced at Hafgan, whose expression remained blank. “It is no longer mine,” he said warily. “My gift imposed no obligation.”

Avallach smiled, his face mysterious in the torchlight. “A gift should be honored-that is what you said. I accept your gift, and I ask you likewise to accept the gift which I now bestow.”

The statement took Taliesin by surprise. “As my father has said you are under no obligation”

“I understand that or I would never have come here tonight.” Taking up the knife once more, Avallach said, “Will you honor the gift I give?”

Elphin sought consensus in the expressions of his advisors, but their faces offered no help; none guessed what Avallach was planning. “A gift must be offered before it can be accepted. But I see no harm in accepting whatever token you wish to give.”

“Rightly said, King Elphin!” Avallach all but shouted in triumph. The Cymry exchanged worried, puzzled glances. Belyn and Maildun frowned.

“Well, what is this token?” Cuall asked, unable to contain himself any longer.

“No great distance from here there is a fortress on a hill-ruined and abandoned now, I am told. The land round about is desolate, the people long ago driven off by one tribe or another… The Roman tribe, I have heard it said. It is good land but useless without men to work it. I give it all to you- the fortress and the land with it.”

Cuall began- rising to his feet, but Taliesin put his hand on his arm and held him down. “What sport is this?” Elphin said, eyes narrowed, his frown tense.

“Please,” soothed Avallach, “it is not my intention to insult you further, which is why I do not encumber my gift with any conditions.” He grinned happily. “Your acceptance imposes no obligation.”

“But such a gift,” remarked Hafgan. “One cannot accept a gift of this value without incurring obligation, directly or subtly.”

“Why not? What does the size of the gift matter? It is not a tenth of what I own-and even if it was half my kingdom I would feel no differently. I simply want you to have it.”

“Why?” asked Cuall, “So we will fight for you when the Northmen come screaming down from Pictland?”

Avallach confronted him bluntly. “That is as much insult to me as my unthinking offer was to you. Still, I do admit that an alliance between our two peoples would be advantageous, and I will seek it earnestly. But not through guile, and not through gifts.”

Elphin looked around him and caught Taliesin’s eye; Tal-iesin nodded silently. “It is not easy to put aside the clanways of a hundred generations, nor scarcely less difficult to lay down a king’s pride,” Elphin replied evenly. “Another time, another place, I would not accept your gift, for it would shame me. But a king without land is no king at all; so for the sake of my people I will accept your gift, Lord Avallach.”

Cuall shook his head in amazement. His mouth flapped once, twice, and then closed again speechless, Hafgan studied those around him through half-closed eyes and allowed himself a private smile. Avallach slapped his knees and shouted, “That was well done, Lord Elphin! Land or no, you are a king, and the equal of any I have met. I welcome you as neighbor and friend.”

The clansmen, who had been following this involved exchange in their own secret way, burst out in cheer for their unexpected good fortune and for the honor paid their king. Suddenly the camp was awash in laughter and celebration. A harp was produced and thrust into Taliesin’s hands. He jumped up and began to strum and sing, gathering other voices to his own until the whole camp rang in soaring, Celtic song.

Avallach roared with laughter, his dark head thrown back, white teeth flashing through his beard as his great shoulders shook with delight. Even Belyn and Maildun managed fishy grins as they watched the celebration commence.

During a lull in the singing, when the food was being served from the steaming caldrons, Taliesin found a moment to take his father aside. “Good fortune, eh, Taliesin? Less a surprise to you, I suspect, than to the rest of us.”

Taliesin shook his head. “Avallach’s gift was his alone. I had no part in it.”

“And nothing to do with the saving of his daughter?” Elphin asked, favoring Taliesin with a knowing look.

“She required little help from me. I arrived in time to scatter the sea-wolves, nothing more. They were only too happy to flee for their lives when I came upon them.”

“Remarkable,” said Elphin. He turned his head to view Charis across the fire where she stood with Rhonwyn and several other women, helping to fill bowls with food. “A woman with beauty and spirit-a treasure, Taliesin.” He looked at his son, noted the glimmer in the clear dark eyes, and grinned. “A worthy bride for a Cymry lord. Do you wish me to speak to her father?”

“Indeed,” replied Taliesin, his voice tight. “I have thought of nothing else since I saw her.”

“Then we waste time jawing on about it. I will speak to him now.”

“Now?”

“What better time? Let us further the alliance between our people with a marriage!”

With that Elphin strode off. Taliesin watched as his father made his way around the fire to Avallach, who stood talking to Cuall and Hafgan. He saw Elphin join the group, say a few words, and gesture in his direction. He saw Avallach’s head come up and turn toward him. He saw his father’s mouth moving, and he saw first surprise and then shock on the Fisher King’s face. The smile never left Avallach’s lips but passed directly into a grimace of anger.