Winter's Blossom: The Seasons of Arthur

Chapter 19

The woman with my uncle was Morganna, and I gaped when I found out that he had brought her.

'It is rumoured she shares his bed too.' Cei told me enthusiastically. He was part of my uncle's retinue, and was excited at everything about Viroconium. Owain was not to be found, and so instead I had taken him with me to meet Aglovale, Dirandon and my friends at the brothel where a delicious red haired girl stroked his face with long nails making him shudder. It was amazing to see my old friend again, but it already felt like he was from another lifetime.

'But she was the lover of his son!' I protested.

'People say she's a witch.' Cei told me with a wicked grin. 'I can well believe it. Everybody seems to be terrified of her. People disappear...'

'People don't just disappear Cei.' I said sceptically.

'Exactly!' I had obviously missed the point. 'She's often blamed. They're exactly the kind of people who she and Mordred used to abuse, pretty young girls. Except they're now almost always blonde.'

I wondered about that. I thought about what Owain would say about that. He had this way of understanding the way people thought, about how their personalities reflected why they did the things they did. I thought of Morganna, so tall and strong that, if she were not beautiful, she would almost seem mannish. I thought of the darkness about her, from her raven black hair to her dark and pitiless eyes. I could see her spoiling the bright beauty of those fair haired girls.

I did not see much of Owain over those days of the council. I think he preferred the company of Lancelot in that time, for it was Lancelot who encouraged to be disdainful of the disapproval shown from his father. During the day Owain sat on the council though. He did not take part in it, and though I thought nothing of it at the time, used to being omitted and left out by then.

'Do you not see what this means?' Merlin asked me incredulously. He of course, sat on the council. If nothing else this spoke of his genius. The men who sat at the council table were the most important men in the country.

I knew the layout well enough. In the centre of the chamber, on top of a raised dais stood a large round table upon which sat the five kings, or rather four kings and one steward, with Ambrosius on the highest chair in the middle of them, to signify that he was the first among equals at their table. Each king had the option of one chair besides them, most chose to seat their eldest son on the chair, though a couple chose their most trusted advisor or most powerful lord. This was why Merlin sat at the table, he was the trusted advisor or Enniaun Girt. At each end of the table were the emissaries of Kernow and Gododdin.

Every man at the table was granted a voice in the council. They could raise their own parts, question others and argue over them. Mordred had once sat where Merlin did, though he had been told to keep his mouth shut and listen.

All around the dais upon which the round table stood were five other tables, these long and rectangular. These were filled with the most powerful men in each kingdom, noblemen, warlords, bishops and sometimes some younger sons. By right, I could have sat on the table of Gwynedd or Powys but chose not to. I had no wish to listen to a bunch of old men argue over nothing all day. 'Owain goes.' I shrugged at Merlin, 'He will tell me if anything of interest has come up. Or you will, you do love gossip.' I grinned at him.

Merlin scratched his head and smiled ruefully. 'You know Culhwch, sometimes I despair that I was ever your tutor.'

I had assumed that Owain was sitting on one of the lesser tables looking up, and my mouth dropped open when Merlin told me Owain had been sat upon Ambrosius' left hand side. The right-hand side reserved for the king of Dumnonia, the next powerful kingdom in Britain.