Suddenly the sword flashed down, and the whole field was on the move!
Bladud paced himself well, as did Liel. Neither sought the forefront at the beginning. The course was long and the contest was rough. In the jostling for position many were hurt and forced to leave the field. Seen from above it would have appeared more a battle than a race, and not even princes of the royal household were immune to injury.
Bladud saw a promising youngster tripped up; it being his first Lughnasa, he had not yet learned to concentrate on survival first and speed later. But as the numbers thinned out, the race started in earnest, and it was then the survivors concentrated all their efforts on speed. Knowing he was flanked by formidable rivals, Bladud was far from complacent. He wondered briefly if Rheinid
