Knees were hugged in delight,
Tudful vanished out of sight.
Gwair accepted offered drink, coughed,
‘Do you think Brychan’ll be happy with
you training his daughter as Druid?’
Llewei wrapped cloak around, sat down,
‘Most can’t study for two decades;
their commitment fades. Starting them
early is invariably the best way.’
Background sounds subsided;
work noise, choir song, stopped;
sudden eerie silence echoed.
Hall doors swung wide again;
Murtagh, master mariner,
sea-scourer of the Scotti,
lips compressed, mirth suppressed,
strode head-shake into hall.
Paced to Palmyredes straight,
face serioused, warm embrace:
‘You were expecting another grandchild;
don’t know yet if the dragons killed it.’
Palmyredes solemn nodded,
console response interrupted.
In backward walked, mid quarrel,
Ceretic of Ystrad Clud, [Strathclyde]
great ginger bearded barrel,
‘Oh, screw you lot and the creed!
More priest-grief I do not need!’
Abrupt turned to face war council;
cold stare hall started to empty.
‘Palmyredes, please, intervene!
You gotta speak to Padraig, man,
my lads didn’t sodding do it!’
Palymredes hugged Murtagh again,
‘Doesn’t seem to be a pleasantries day,
we’ll send a rider, son, don’t worry.’
Ceretic, selfish absorbed,
‘How’ll a rider cross the sea?’
Palmyredes scorch scorn stare:
‘Silence. We’ve all received ccs
on your slaving proclivities.’
Llewei’s brow think-furrowed,
‘Is this that whole ex-commie thing?
Wow. Christian’s can be brutal…’
Padraig’s liberation theology
had soul shaken both the islands.
Kept close watch on his old bishopric;
mainly issued intervention missives,
from excoriating excommunications
to nice helpful little memos.
Cunedda smiled, bandwagoning,
‘If the Resistrix hears of this
she’ll give you a good gelding.’
Ceretic streamed complex curses,
culminating table side:
‘My lads didn’t bloody do it!
Any fool can fake a flag, but
requires another fool believe it!’
Palmyredes poured for Murtagh,
‘When I say ‘silence’, soldier,
silence I’m expecting. Stop
the strop invective – it isn’t
your case effective helping.’
Ceretic bit lip, full flushed but hushed;
Palmyredes put down drink down slow,
‘Your lack of guilt I already know.
Your response is egregious; rushed
straight into kick off with the church,
making the situation that much worse.’