Almost the moment he was finished, the hunters and the hounds came bursting into the clearing.
He could not hide what he had done, but he stood defiantly in front of the cave, with his sword drawn.
The hunters were no more than boys, one lad very young indeed. But the hounds were on to the doe’s scent, madly yelping and barking and leaping around him, trying to gain access to the cave.
‘Call them off!’ he commanded imperiously. ‘Call them off at once!’
‘On whose authority?’ The oldest youth yelled insolently.
‘On the authority of the High King Hudibras!’ Bladud snapped. The youth, who appeared to be the leader, paused, staring at him. Bladud had the bearing of a royal prince and gold gleamed at throat and arm. Also — there was something familiar about him...
‘Prince Bladud?’ Urien’s
