They went to the gate, which was not yet closed, and Erling and I climbed the rampart near and looked over, bareheaded, lest our English helms should tell who we were.  In my own mind I was pretty sure that we were sought.

The mists had thinned to nothing, and only lingered in the hollows and round the scattered tree clumps.  Long ago the Welsh had bared all this hillside, and there was no cover for a foe as he came up the hill.  Across the grass came one man alone, and that man was Gymbert, as I had half expected.  It was ourselves whom he was after.  Maybe his only chance of regaining favour with the king being through Quendritha, he was trying his best to pleasure her.  Or else she had threatened him.  Either would be enough to set him on his mettle, for none with whom I had spoken thought that the forced retirement of the queen would last long.  She would soon be as powerful as ever, they said.

Now he came within half arrow shot of the gate, outside of which the two princes stood.  There he halted, and lowered his spear to the ground.

“Jefan ap Huwal the prince?” he said in the best of Welsh.

“You know me well enough by sight,” Jefan replied.  “There needs no ceremony.  Tell us what you want here.”

“I bring a message from Offa the king.  It is his word that, if you will give up the English fugitives you have with you, this matter of the cattle will not be noticed.”

“We have no objection to its being noticed,” said Jefan.  “I don’t know what else you could do about it.  But you say this message is from Offa?”

“Ay.  You have here with you a Frankish thane, so called, being a Wessex man in disguise, a heathen Dane his servant, and a girl, escaped thrall of the queen.  Doubtless you have apprehended them for us, and I only need ask you to give them up.”

“This needs no answering, Gymbert.  You never were known as a truth teller.  This is your own affair, or Quendritha’s, for Offa has seen no man to give any such order to.  Nor dare you go near him on your own account, or short would be your shrift.  Get hence, and take your lies back to her who sent you.  Mayhap you have told that queen that you have slain Sighard the thane.  If so, another lie or two will make no odds.”

Thereat Gymbert grew purple with passion.  Plainly that was just what he had told the queen.  And now he began to bluster, after his wont, stammering with rage.  He had forgotten what we must have told the princes.

“You hear the message?  Pay heed to it, or it will be the worse for you.  Set these folk outside the walls straightway, or else—­”

He shook his spear at the gate.

“I will not give them up,” said Jefan; “and if—­”

He set his hand on his sword hilt and laughed.  Naught more was needed.

Then Kynan, who was fairly stamping, broke in, being nowise so patient as his brother: 

“Hence, knave and liar!  If there were naught else, it were enough that you have called a freeborn thane’s daughter a thrall to your evil mistress.  The truce is at an end.”