Arthur, King. William Speir

to be king someday, you need to understand what’s going on inside your borders.”

      “When do I get to be king, Merlin?” Arthur asked.

      “When you’re sixteen, my Prince.”

      Arthur looked disappointed.

      “But I don’t want you to think that you’re going to be learning these things all by yourself,” Merlin added.

      Arthur looked up at him with a confused expression.

      “King Cynyr of Gwent is sending his son Cai, and King Nudd-Lludd of Bryneich is sending his son Bedwyr. They’re both close to your age, so you’ll have company for the next few years while Galerius and I teach the three of you what you need to know to be kings.”

      Arthur smiled. He had met Bedwyr before, and the two had gotten along well. “When do they arrive?”

      “Not before the beginning of summer,” Merlin replied. “They’ll be living in the great house with us.”

      Arthur grinned. Then he pointed to the northwest corner of the wall. “About the steps cut into the cliff…”

      “I prefer that you stay away from those steps, my Prince. But if you’re determined to explore them, then please promise me that you won’t try to climb down them alone. And try not to climb up or down while anyone in the village might be watching. No one below the cliff has ever found those steps, and we can’t afford for an enemy to learn about them because you were seen using them. If the steps get blocked by an enemy, or if an enemy uses them to breach the walls under the cover of darkness, every person inside the hillfort could be killed, including you and your sister.”

      “I promise, Merlin.”

      “Thank you, my Prince.”

      All Arthur could think about for the rest of the evening was having two boys his own age living with him for the next several years. He tried to sleep, but he couldn’t.

      I can’t wait to learn how to fight and to rule. But first, I can’t wait to explore those steps in the cliff.

      Chapter 9

      As hard as he tried, Arthur couldn’t get near the cliff steps. Someone always prevented him from reaching the hidden doors that led to the space between the north wall and the stables. The blacksmith seemed to be constantly aware of what Arthur was doing when he visited the smithy, and at least one groom remained near the stall with the other door. Arthur tried to sneak out of the great house and reach the hidden doors in the stables and the smithy late at night and early in the morning, but he couldn’t slip past the guards posted around the enclosure.

      After a while, Arthur realized that at least two guards watched him at all times. Merlin must really not want me to explore those steps!

      By the time Cai and Bedwyr arrived in mid-June, Arthur still hadn’t succeeded in using the hidden doors to explore the cliff.

      King Cynyr of Gwent sent an escort of twenty mounted soldiers with Cai to take him to Din Eidyn, along with two supply wagons. Cai wasn’t used to riding horses, but Cynyr had found a well-behaved horse that was the perfect size for his eight-year-old son. By the time they reached Bryneich, Cai rode more confidently.

      Cai and his escorts stayed in Bryneich for a few days before continuing on to Din Eidyn with Bedwyr and twenty of Nudd-Lludd’s cavalry. The two wagons from Gwent were joined by another supply wagon from Bryneich.

      Like Cai, Bedwyr had little experience riding horses, and his horse was skittish and prone to panic, making the journey to Din Eidyn eventful. On more than one occasion during the first day of the journey, Bedwyr’s horse bolted, and his escorts had to chase after it to keep Bedwyr from being injured. The chase made the horse panic even more. Bedwyr’s escorts tried to convince their prince to ride in one of the wagons, but Bedwyr refused. “I won’t arrive in Gododdin like a baby or a piece of luggage.”

      By early in the afternoon, a rope had to be looped through the horse’s halter. Two escorts held the rope, so the horse couldn’t run away again.

      Late that afternoon, Bedwyr’s horse tried to bolt again. When it couldn’t break free, it started bucking. Cai, who rode next to Bedwyr, reached out to help keep Bedwyr from being flung off. Cai had to back out of the way when Bedwyr’s horse started kicking.

      Bedwyr was terrified. He also felt angry at his horse for making the journey so difficult. He tightened his legs against the horse and clutched its mane, holding on tightly as it bucked and tried to break. The escorts tried to help the young prince, but they couldn’t get close enough to subdue the crazed colt.

      Bedwyr held on for dear life. Several times, he feared that he’d be thrown off the horse, but he managed to hang on. After a while, the horse began to tire. Bedwyr kept a tight grip on the horse’s mane. The horse bucked one last time, and then it stopped. Bedwyr released his grip and slowly sat up in the saddle. The horse didn’t react, and Bedwyr smiled as he reached for the reins.

      The lead escort rode alongside Bedwyr and grabbed the reins. “My Prince, I must insist that you ride in one of the wagons for your own safety. Your father would never forgive himself if you were injured by a horse that he selected for you.”

      Bedwyr shook his head and took the reins back from the escort. “I’ll stay on the horse for now. Let’s see what happens.”

      The lead escort stared at Bedwyr for a moment. “I can’t allow that, my Prince.”

      “It’s not a question of you allowing it,” Bedwyr snapped. “I’ll decide when and if I’ll ride in one of the wagons.”

      The lead escort started to protest, but Bedwyr glared at him. The escort shook his head. “Very well, Sir.”

      The horse behaved itself for the rest of the day, much to the relief of Bedwyr’s escorts. The next morning, as the escorts broke camp, Cai walked over to Bedwyr. “Do you want to ride my horse today? He’s calmer than your is.”

      “Thanks, but I’d like to give mine another chance,” Bedwyr replied. “Father warned me that he might be too young for the journey, but he’s the perfect size for me. Maybe he just needs to get used to having a rider.”

      Cai nodded. “The offer stands, if you change your mind.”

      As Bedwyr mounted his horse, it was quite docile compared to the previous day. Bedwyr rode around the camp, and the horse didn’t try to bolt. It seemed content to have Bedwyr riding it.

      Two escorts tried to loop the rope through the horse’s halter, but Bedwyr waved them off. “If he tries anything, then put the rope back on.”

      The mounted soldiers took their positions around the two princes, and they set out for Din Eidyn. Bedwyr’s horse behaved itself for the rest of the journey.

      Cai and Bedwyr had never met before Cai’s arrival in Bryneich, so they used the ride to Gododdin to get to know one another. Bedwyr discovered that Cai’s father, King Cynyr, was married to Vortigern’s daughter by his first wife. She was King Cynyr’s second wife. His first wife, Cai’s mother, was a half-Irish, half-Welsh woman who had died when Cai was still a baby. Even though life was very different in southern Wales than it was in northern Britain, both boys soon discovered that they shared many things in common. And though they both knew that they’d miss their families while staying in Gododdin, they were both excited to be with Prince Arthur; and they looked forward to learning from Merlin and Galerius, who had the reputation of being the two greatest minds in Britain.

      Arthur stood on top of the south wall above the hillfort’s gates, watching the causeway. Merlin and Galerius stood with him, trying to hide their amusement with the young prince’s impatience.

      “They’re supposed to be here by now, aren’t they?” Arthur asked for the third time. “You told me that they’d be here by mid-morning, and it’s nearly noon.”

      “They’ll