SOUL MINER

                                                                          II

As Spurius topped the hill he gently reined Hugo to a halt, Rollo stopped beside them and sat on his haunches. In the distance in front of them, on the side of the next rise he could see a bell pit with two men working on digging the coal from it. Hugo snorted and then bent his great head to graze on the grass at his feet. Rollo gave a low guttural, went down to lying on all fours, these strangers were too far away to be of any threat to the man and horse at his side.

When Hugo was heeled lightly to start the descent down the slope, some small rocks dislodged and tumbled down in front of them, this noise carried across the valley between the two hilltops just enough for the two men to look up from their labors and see the oncoming odd looking trio in these sparsely populated confines. A tall looking man dressed in black wearing a wide brimmed black hat on a large dapple grey plow horse being accompanied by a rather large dog of some type.

The man digging coal closest to them raised his arm motioning them to join him and his fellow miner at the bell pit. After about a third of an hour Spurius was again halting Hugo about ten paces in front of the miners, now standing side by side their picks now leaning on the ground beside them.

“You must be the roman priest known as Father Spurius?” the taller of the men said.

“You have the better of me sir, but yes I am Father Spurius.”

“News of you, priest has preceded you here, more than once we have heard stories of your wanderings in these mountains full of Decaenli. We have also heard of your kindnesses to our kinsmen in your meanderings of the last two passages of the moon.” He answered but waited just a moment before continuing. “I am called Einion and my companion is known as Cawrduf. We are miners here and cousins of the blood. You priest are most welcome here and have earned the right to be known by many now. You in your black tunic and hat with your rather large dapple grey horse and wolf dog are rather easily recognizable.”

“I did not know I had become, as you say, well known. I have done nothing so notable, other than wander from hamlet to farm to forest and glen, in search of a place I might be welcomed into to practice my beliefs and be of what use a lowly priest might be.”

“Priest, you may be Father Spurius, but lowly or like any other priest we have ever heard of, I think not. Nor would any whom you have met in these mountains, or who have heard of you only, so far. But welcome you are. Cawrduf and I would be honored if you would accompany us to our homes, they are but a short way from here. Merely around that bend in the path yonder and a short walk through the trees. Our wives especially would scold us mercilessly if we did not bring you to meet them without undue delay. You see Cawrduf and I are married to sisters, Annwwyl and Carys, I am married to Annwwyl.”

“It is I who am honored at your most kind invitation Einion, thank you.”

“Good it is, then let us go.”

At that Spurius dismounted Hugo and with Rollo at his side followed Einion and Cawrduf down the path and for something less than a league, until the forest opened onto a rather large grassy glen with several of the round houses and buildings in its center. There were well maintained vegetable gardens near three of the houses and two women were working in two of them that were close together. A tall young man was also tending to pigs in a sty not far away, upon hearing the calls between Einion, Cawrduf and their wives, he too looked up from his tasks and started for where the women were coming out of their gardens.

Upon getting closer Spurius could see the family resemblance between the two women, he also noticed a very strong resemblance between Einion and the younger man who had been working at the sty. This strapping lad was but a younger mirror image of Einion and definitely his son. By now there were two other young women walking towards them coming from other parts of the glen he had not noticed before.

“Father Spurius this is my wife Annwwyl, that young man there is my eldest son Sulien and that beautiful small version of my wife is Undeg my daughter. This is Carys my sister in law and Cawrduf’s wife and that young lady is Eilir, Cawrduf’s daughter.” Einion introduced each one in turn. Great pride exuded from his chest as he spoke and a broad smile enveloped his sun baked face, softening his well chiseled features into those of a proud husband, father and friend.

 “I am most happy to meet you all. I would like you to meet my two companions Hugo who has made my journeys much more comfortable and our fellow traveler Rollo who adopted us here in Britannium, but fast became our friend.” Hugo snorted at hearing his name called but was more interested in putting his great head back to mother earth surveying what green morsels were available for ingestion. Rollo however stood at hearing his name used, waiting to see if he was being summoned for a task, tail wagging in response.

“Father Spurius, you and your friends would be recognized by all Decaenli of these mountains by now, you are most welcome……..” Annwwyl was interrupted by her daughter.

“May I pet your dog?” She blurted out in a soft lyrical tone.

“Undeg, please wait at least until I am done speaking child.”

“Yes mother but may I”

“His name is Rollo and if you come stand by me, ask him if you may and he noses your hand first. Than yes you may, he will also enjoy your touch.”

“Are you sure Father, I have heard he can be a formidable protector?” Annwwyl asked in a respectful tone.

“I do not know what you have heard, but yes he can be both and yet neither depending on how he is approached and my instruction or proximity” Spurius answered her. At this Undeg slowly walked to stand beside him, slowly showed the back of her hand to Rollo where he could sniff her and then bent his head to rub it under her palm. “Ah, you see, he likes you already.”

“Ohhh, his hair feels funny. I like him.” Spurius heard the faintest of sighs from both her mother and father as she started stroking Rollo’s head.

“Father, you are as different as I have heard. Thank you, she would not have been pleased until she tried.” Einion said softly.

“It is because her father indulges her whims so.” Annwwyl said smiling at her husband.

“We cannot help what our Hearts love so.” Father Spurius added almost absent mindedly. But saw all the adults nodding even if not answering as they watched Undeg and Rollo.

“Father why do you not put your horse over there in the pen beside the bairn and I will help you with your belongings into that house close by? You, I hope will stay with us, at least a while and we will have our evening meal before long? Until then you could rest, here let me show you.” Cawrduf asked.

“I would like that.” Spurius answered as he began walking with both Cawrduf and Einion in the direction of the bairn. Rollo licked Undeg’s hand as he turned to follow where ever Spurius and Hugo went.

                                                                           *****

“Father Halarius, a messenger just left this with one of the women cleaning the chapel. I think this is the seal of Pope Leo I.” Theodulus said as he handed the leather tube to the parish’s priest.

At taking it in hand and looking at the wax seal he answered “You are right it is. Thank you Theodulus.”

The young man left so his priest could read it in private. After reading the communique twice, Halarius sat and studied the page with mixed feelings. Although it had the Holy Fathers seal, it had been written by a cleric for the Pope, inquiring if Halarius had received any word from Father Spurius since his departure for Britannium. He decided to answer the Holy Father with caution, saying that he did not expect to hear from Father Spurius for some time yet, as he had not been on his mission long enough yet to warrant such an expense.

                                                                          *****

“I wonder if that priest is still alive?” Gunedda ap Edern said absent mindedly to his wife Gwawl  erch Coel as they stood and watched the sunset over the western sea.

“Who my King?”

“You remember Gwawl, that roman priest who we met at court with the rather unusual name.”

“Oh, Yes I remember him. What makes you think of him?”

“Looking out here into the distance where the sun is dying into this vast sea. I just wondered how such an odd man is fairing in our mountainous regions, either alone or among people so different from him and with no close home or family to retreat to when a time comes that he is having any difficulties. I have heard nothing of him since he left and I thought I might have heard some morsel of friction, one way or the other by now.”

“It is not worth our time my king, he lives or he dies, it is the way of things. He is of no consequence.”

“I suppose, I rather liked him though for his oddness. He did not strike me as the usual kind of man we know of as a priest of the Romans.”

                                                                          *****

Everyone Spurius had met here with Einion and Cawrduf were in Einion and Annwwyl’s house seated at the large table on benches or the two chairs at either end. Annwwly and Carys had prepared roasted pork, oat bread, leeks and a pudding. All of which were delicious and disappearing rapidly, as everyone talked of the day and Father Spurius’ arrival.

“So, Father Spurius, tell us of your wanderings here in our mountains.” Einion requested in a pleasant tone of friendship.

“There really is not much to tell actually. I left Rhos two turnings of the moon ago, after being granted leave to do so by King Gunedda ap Edern. I have spent my time going where ever the trails led, or from one small hamlet to another, or by directions given to me by one man or the other I met along my way. A few times I stayed for a short time in one place or the other and at times just camped along a river in a glen here and there resting my bones with Hugo and Rollo.”

“Oh, come now Father, we have heard there has been more than just that in your travels. What about the fisherman, along the River of the Goddess, you saved from footpads some time back. We heard of him especially, since he happens to be a distant cousin of Annwwyl and Crays’s.”

“Well yes, there was a brief encounter along the river. The man was being assaulted by two men who looked like they had been living wild a long time. They had the man down on the river bank and were hitting him about his head and shoulders, when I rode close by and noticed the fray. Rollo and I merely scared them off before they could steal anything and aided the fisherman’s bruises and cuts.” Spurius told them in a matter of fact tone. “You all can just call me Spurius, please, the title father is not necessary among us.”

“Thank you, but we heard a somewhat different story from Annwwyl’s cousin. According to him, yes, he was being attacked by two dangerous looking scoundrels bent on stealing his catch that day and anything else he had on him. He had already lost at defending himself and was sure they were going to kill him, so as there would be no one to tell who had done the misdeed. When suddenly, you and your wolfdog appeared out of nowhere. He said you used a pole, he had been using for fishing, like a soldier uses a quarter staff thrashing one of them, while your dog attacked the other, knocking him to the ground with his great paws on the man’s shoulders pinning him to the ground. But at your yelling ‘hold’ the dog did not bite or kill him, just holding the man there with teeth bared and deep threatening growls. Then you yelled ‘come’, where by Rollo let that man jump up, who then ran to the other, who you had let rise from the ground himself, as they ran for their lives. He also said you cut off some leaves from nearby with a knife he had not seen and mashed them with a river stone which you packed under the bandage you wrapped on his shoulder, to stop the bleeding there. I think there was somewhat more to the event than you want to take credit for.”

“It could be that there was a little more detail than I originally spoke of. I would not call your kinsman a liar by any means. But I only did what any man would do seeing the same scene I did at that time.”

“Most men say they would, but many would not succeed. As for your meeting with the king, I should tell you that Gunnedda Wledig is not Decaenli, or any tribe of peoples from here. He is from the north and fought with the Romans. It is said he led the Votadini against the Picts. He only came here and assumed rule as the Romans left. The Romans ruled here for many generations Spurius. But in the heights of our mountains, we Decaenli just live our lives. Yes, we pay the tribute when necessary, but only so none make much effort to change our ways. We keep our troth and loyalty to our kinship. No offense is meant by that to you.”

“None is taken by me.”

“Spurius, I heard another story from Bet Ws-Y-Coed about a lead miner’s wife, can you tell what actually happened there?” Carys asked pensively.

“Well, yes I can. I had left Bet Ws-Y-Coed after a few days there and was on my way into Snowdonia, when I saw a large rolling cloud of dust right after we felt the very earth itself tremble and shake. I urged Hugo in the direction of that cloud, much to his dismay and with Rollo growling deeply to himself. We rounded a corner in the hills and saw a woman and her small daughter clawing at a huge debris pile of rocks and boulders. She was weeping so much and both their hands were so bruised and scraped from their digging that I barely understood her at first. What I finally understood was her husband and two oldest sons were in a lead mine behind the debris pile, it seemed that the mine had caved in while all her men were inside working. She was not sure if they were even alive. But she could not get all the debris clawed out to get in and she was trying to remove a mountain of smaller rocks around some huge boulders that she could not move and begged for my help. I looked at the biggest obstacles and asked if she had any ropes or tethers of some kind. When she said, she did and showed me where they were kept, I fashioned a harness of them, hooking them up to Hugo.”

“Your horse!” little Undeg cried out all excited.

“Yes, little one my dapple grey. At first I thought the boulder I had hooked him to was too much for even him. But with continued pulling and interspersed resting off the lower and more forward of the boulders finally moved. When it slid far enough forward some of the others tumbled down in the space left. When they tumbled out of the way we could see a very small opening break loose at the top of the pile and then heard her husband’s shout from inside. After a couple of more hours and Hugo helping us move a couple more of the larger boulders like the first one and all of us on both sides of that cave throwing aside many smaller rocks that became freed up. Her husband and both sons crawled over the pile, through a now larger hole at the top and got out. Except for some bruising and several cuts they were fine. I stayed with the family for many days, helping her husband and sons clear more of the debris so they would eventually be able to work the mine again. They even gave me a few pieces of the lead they had stock piled, they are in my satchel among my belongings.”

“Can I see them. I have seen coal Father and Uncle Cawrduf dig all the time and once he showed me pieces of iron, but I don’t think I have ever seen real lead.” Undeg asked in all enthusiasm.

“Undeg, child where are your manners?” Annwwyl scolded

“it is fine, yes, of course. I will show them to you tomorrow, Undeg.”

“How did you know to do these things Spurius, these are not what we know of Roman priests of the past?” Einion inquired. ”And may I ask about that knife Annwwyl’s cousin spoke of?”

“Of course, the knife is easy, but meant to be unknown, Father Halarius had it made for me before I left for Britannium.” Spurius paused while he reached for the crucifix hanging around his neck. Pulling the upper part of the cross while holding the lower portion, it separated revealing a knife blade hidden within. The lower section working as a hidden scabbard for the blade which was then only the lenghth of four fingers width.” Father Halarius was the man who raised me all my life. I never knew my parents. He said he had it made for my protection, but should not let any know about it.”

“Do you know how to use it, like you knew how to use a fishing pole like a quarter staff?” Cawrduf asked.

“Yes, I do. That is one of the many things Father Halarius insisted on during my last two years with him. Training in self-defense, plants and herbs with special uses besides those good for a food source and certain the language of Cymru. He said I should be prepared for much more than just a priest’s duties if I was going to live and thrive on my own. Father Halarius was, also as you say, not an ordinary priest.”

“It seems you learned well and are thankful to him.” Cawrduf added.

“Yes, I love him as the only father I ever knew and am glad of him for all he taught.”

“It seems that I have heard of you using this knowledge of herbs and plants on a few occasions during your travels through our mountains as well.” Carys added.

“Yes, that is also true . A few times so far.”

“All of your secrets are safe with all of us here, Spurius, and I think we will continue to call you Father Spurius when any are here but us, or if we are beyond our family borders.” Einion stated to everyone as well as Spurius. With which everyone nodded in agreement. “Now I think it is late enough that we all should find our beds and sleep, you are satisfied with your quarters, Spurius I hope. That house has been abandoned for quite a while. My father and mother lived there before. My father has been gone many years, he was killed in a battle far from here and my mother joined him two years ago.”

“I am most honored with your generosity and yes they are quite more than I would expect anywhere.” Spurius added. “I agree that sleep will be welcome, I would like to say my good evening to Hugo and Rollo before I turn in. I look forward to seeing you all in the morning.”

With that, all said their good nights to everyone. As Spurius headed for the bairn, Cawdruf with his family headed for their home as well. While Einion and his family began to move about the settling in for a night’s sleep as themselves.

Once in the bairn at Hugo’s stall, Spurius talked to his equine friend as he took a handful of straw and curried his dapple-grey coat. When he headed to the house he would sleep in, Rollo followed. When Spurius opened the door, he turned and stroked Rollo’s head, who then laid down curled up in front of the door.

A few moments later Spurius lay on his back in the bed contemplating the day’s events, and all that had brought him to this place. He wondered if this was where he should remain, these were good people and for some reason he trusted them. He fell asleep with this, the last of his conscience thoughts for a long day.