Free Night Bird's Reign by Holly Taylor Page B

the air, shouting, “I declare Cai ap Cynyr, the PenGwernan of Gwynedd, winner and king of Calan Llachar!”
    Chest heaving, his face wreathed in smiles, Cai staggered back as his wife burst through the crowd, throwing herself into his arms. He swung her around, laughing, and planted a quick, hearty kiss on her lips. Then somebody yelled, “You can do better than that, boyo.” Cai grinned and gave Nest a long, leisurely kiss, which the crowd cheered even more wildly.
    “Hmm, who do you think Cai will chose for his festival queen?” Griffi asked.
    “Looks like Arday has been disappointed again,” Susanna said, nodding to the sight of Arday wiping Madoc’s perspiring face.
    Gwydion’s jaw dropped open. “Arday and Madoc?”
    “You just weren’t fast enough, Gwydion. With some women you’ve got to be pretty quick,” Griffi replied.
    “That woman’s got no taste at all,” Gwydion said sourly.
    “Why do you think she went for you first?” Susanna asked. “Oh, look, Cai’s starting his climb.”
    With a mighty leap, Cai grabbed hold of one of the lowest branches on the huge tree and began to climb amid catcalls from the exuberant crowd. As he neared the top, he reached for the crown woven of rowan flowers and marigold. The delicate white of the rowan and the hardy orange of the marigolds seemed to flash in the sun as he reached for them. Perhaps that was why he lost his balance and slipped from the branch he was standing on. The crowd gasped, but Cai caught himself just in time, grabbed the branch and hauled himself up again. He waved at the crowd and carefully picked up the crown.
    Cai descended, the crown clutched tightly in one hand. Proudly he made his way up to Nest and, placing the crown on her shining brown hair, knelt at her feet.
    Voice trembling with tenderness, Nest spoke the ritual words, “I call to the King of the Hunt, the Lord of the Wild. To the woman be man. To the Queen, be King.”
    “I seek no kingdom. But as Protector, I answer. Hunt with me and I will be man to your woman. And King to your Queen.” Cai replied steadily. Nest held out her hand to her husband and Cai rose, the ritual complete.
    “Great king of Calan Llachar, what are your orders?” Gwydion called out.
    “To dance!” Cai shouted gleefully. At his signal, dozens of men and women formed two rings around the tree. Those in the inner ring, Cai and Nest among them, grasped the orange and purple ribbons hanging from the lower branches. The others placed themselves within the outer ring. As Susanna grabbed her harp and struck up a tune the dancers in the inner ring began to circle the tree, twining the ribbons around the trunk as they danced. The dancers in the outer ring circled in the opposite direction, while those not dancing began to clap their hands in time to the music.
    After a moment Susanna began to sing and others picked up the chant.
    Fair season, welcome noble Spring.
    Flowers cover the world.
    The harp of the wood plays melody,
    Color has settled on every hill.
    Tender fruits bud,
    The speckled fish leaps on high.
    The glory of great hills is unspoiled,
    Every wood is fair.
    A joyful peace is spring!
    Everyone shouted the last words. At the shout the dancers changed direction, untwining the ribbons as they danced. The verse was sung again, and when the crowd shouted, “A joyful peace is spring!” the dancers again changed direction, once more twinning the ribbons around the trunk of the tree.
    Gwydion glanced up at the sun. It looked like some unimaginable giant had taken a tiny bite from the edge of the great glowing disk. He glanced over at Griffi. “You called it. It begins right on time.”
    “Of course I called it. We Druids are astronomers, you know.”
    At that moment, Cai shouted to Gwydion. “Over here, man! Dance with us.”
    The orders of the king of Calan Llachar could not be disregarded, but Gwydion tried anyway, shaking his head. He hated to dance.
    “I command you, Dreamer of Kymru, to