XVIIIIt was late summer before the war party set out from Uther’s Dun, on their way to Caerwent, to hold conference with the Kings of the West. All told, they now numbered four hundred horsemen, and since they had sworn over the hot fires and the steaming blood ever to help each other, whatever might befall, they called themselves the Cymry, that is, the Comrades. Artos led the main force of two hundred and fifty, while Medrawt was in command of the second force of one hundred and fifty, mainly the youngest and least-tried of the cavalcade. The great savage, Bedwyr, still rode beside Artos and would not be parted from him. The small dark tribesman, Cei, was seconded to the troop of Medrawt, to act as his lieutenant. In spite of his saturnine features, Cei was something of a humourist, and
