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〃We mean you no harm；〃 Kelson said steadily。
〃An' ye shall e t' nae harm if ye do as yer told；〃 the man replied。 〃You first。 Stand up and move to yer right； away from him。〃
Kelson stood； but he did not move away from Dhugal。
〃We'll go quietly； but we won't be bound again；〃 he said； not taking his eyes from the chiefs。 〃If someone besides one of you is in charge； I'd like to speak to him…or perhaps to a priest。 We're honest； God…fearing men。〃
〃Honest； God…fearin' men dinnae desecrate the tombs o' the dead；〃 the man replied。 〃An' we have nae priests； only coisrigte…consecrated brethren。 We buried one o' th' best a week aye。 His was one o' th' graves ye despoiled。〃
〃Sagart；〃 Dhugal murmured； cautiously easing to his feet as well； though he was careful to keep his hands clear of his body； in plain sight。
At the name； the man gasped and the woman's face went cold and set。
〃Who has told thee that？〃 she demanded。
〃With respect。 Lady； one of his men said it； the first time Bened…Cyann came in；〃 Dhugal replied。 〃Cyann means 'chief；' does it not？ And the tore would tend to confirm that rank。 Your dialect is difficult for me； but I understand a little。 being border…bred myself。〃
As the man called Bened stared； measuring Dhugal more shrewdly； in light of what he had just heard； the woman nodded slowly。
〃Both young men wear g'dulae； Bened；〃 she murmured； 〃and yon ruadh hath recognized thy rank。 And didst thou not say that both were ta'en wi' golden spurs？ That means they be highborn。 How art thou called； young ruadh？' she said to Dhugal。
She had referred to him as ruadh； a border term for someone with red hair； and Dhugal again exchanged a quick query with Kelson。 It could do no harm to admit his name to these people； for it likely would mean nothing to them。 But establishing himself as one of their kind was important。 Kelson agreed。
〃I； too； claim the title of Cyann； Lady。 I am the MacArdry of Transha；〃 Dhugal replied； 〃and among my own people； I too； wear the tore of chiefship。 My brathair is an even greater chief than I。 But we salute Bened…Cyann in border kinship。〃
As a murmur rose up behind her； the old woman nodded。
〃Meac Ard Righ〃 she repeated； giving his name an odd accent。 〃Son o' th' high king。 An'just what high king might that be？〃
〃I dinnae care about his lineage； Jilyan；〃 Bened interrupted。 〃That doesnae explain what they were doin' in Sa…gart's tomb an' beyond。 E'en a king can be a cateran。 Speak up； young MacArdry； if ye would save yerself an' yer friend。〃
Dhugal nodded carefully； filing away the name Jilyan for future reference； for he sensed it was a proper name and not a title。
〃We truly meant no disrespect； Bened…Cyann。 We were fighting for our lives。〃
〃By breakin' intae Naomha Sagart's tomb？〃 One of the men spat。
〃By breaking out of his tomb。〃 Dhugal retorted。 〃That's what I've been trying to tell you。 We were trying to get out… not in。 We came from the other direction； from the cavern beyond the tombs。〃
〃Th' cavern…〃 another man murmured。
〃Let him speak；〃 the woman said。
〃Aye； Ban…Aba；〃 the man whispered； immediately subsiding。
Dhugal recognized the old title； and made her a respectful bow of thanks； right hand to heart； as he sent the translation to Kelson。
A ban…aba's a sort of abbess。 I think she may be in charge； rather than Bened。
〃Thank you； Ban…Aba；〃 he said。 〃Some days ago…or perhaps it's been weeks； now…we were swept into an underground river near Saint Bearand's Abbey； northeast of Caerrorie。 We nearly drowned。 We have no idea how far we were carried before we came to ground in the cavern that eventually led to the end of your burial chambers。 In fact； we don't even know where we are。〃
He paused hopefully； but no one volunteered to clarify that point。
〃In any case； we managed to dig through the wall that closed off the corridor you people have turned into a series of tombs； and then we…came through what seemed like an endless series of doors；〃 he finished lamely； for he suddenly realized he dared not tell them how he had opened those doors。
〃'Tis true； Ban…Aba。〃 Kelson joined in； trying to cover Dhugal's near slip of tongue。 〃We only disturbed the contents of the tombs to look for food。 We hadn't had anything but water and some fish for days； and it was all gone by the time we broke through into the first tomb。 Fortunately； some of the wine was still good。 And then； when we found the bread and ale in…in Sagart's tomb…we ate it。 When we came out of there； that was our first breath of fresh air in… probably weeks。〃
〃Yet ye escaped yer bonds； when nae man should hae been able t' do so；〃 Bened said； gesturing toward them with the hand that still held the Camber medals on their chains and then pulling up short as he remembered what he held。 〃An' wi' holy fire all 'round ye when we came in just now。
〃By th' Blessed One； ye made th' holy fire。 An' ye wore his medal；〃 he went on； his eyes widening as he stared back and forth between the two of them。 〃D'ye…nah； ye cannae be…〃
〃Wha' can we nae be？〃 Dhugal said； his border accent broadening as he stared back at the man； suddenly seeing a ray of hope。 Could it be that Saint Camber was the 〃Blessed One〃 of whom Bened spoke with such obvious reverence？ 〃Would we wear his medal if we didnae reverence his memory？〃
Bened stared at them even harder。 The ban…aba went a little white。 The men began to murmur uneasily among themselves； a few crossing themselves furtively； the bowmen slightly lowering their weapons。 Both Dhugal and Kelson hardly dared to breathe。
〃Dost thou mock us？〃 one of the men whispered。
Dhugal shook his head emphatically； but he sensed it was not he but Kelson who should speak next； and glanced at the king in question。
〃Say his name；〃 the chief said at last； turning on Kelson to thrust the medals before his eyes。
Hardly breathing。 Kelson reached one hand slowly； slowly； to cup one of the medals in his palm so he could bend to kiss it。
〃We reverence the name of the Blessed Saint Camber of Culdi；〃 he said boldly； crossing himself as he straightened。 〃We are his servants。〃
The murmur of their awed surprise rumbled into shock and confusion； and Kelson wondered whether he had gone too far。
〃By what right d'ye claim to be his servants？〃 Bened finally said； his voice bringing the others to silence。
Kelson sensed that only the truth would suffice now。
〃My panion and I are newly knighted；〃 he said steadily； 〃and had taken as a quest of thanksgiving the recovery of some of Saint Camber's relics。 It is my intention to restore his cult to its rightful place in Gwynedd。〃
〃Thou wouldst restore Saint Camber？〃 the ban…aba gasped。
〃'Tis nae possible！〃 one of the archers blurted； slightly lowering his bow。 〃Th' Church would ne'er allow it！〃
〃Not e'en a king could do that！〃 another man whispered； awe…struck。
〃This king could；〃 Kelson replied； 〃and he intends to do so。〃
〃Ye claim t'be a king？〃 another said contemptuously。
〃I am a king；〃 Kelson answered。 〃I am Kelson Haldane of Gwynedd。〃
〃Kelson？〃
〃A Haldane？〃
Flurried questions and reactions passed among their captors for several seconds； too quick and idiomatic for Dhugal to catch much of what they said； and then； without warning； a