Phanes of Syracuse, an old friend of Mynyddog's, explains to Prosper that the King is indeed gravely ill, but his illegitimate son Ceredig the Fosterling will lead the host in his place (6). Gorthyn's party arrives at Dyn Eidin, Mynyddog's seat, expecting a war hosting against the growing power of the Saxons of Bernicia, and are shocked to find Mynyddog visibly ailing. Two and a half years later, when Prosper is sixteen, Gorthyn summons him to be his second shield-bearer at the hosting of Mynyddog the Golden, King of the Gododdin, and Conn goes with him (5). Prosper plans to kill the hart humanely, but the Prince himself calls off the hunt at the sight of it, and Prosper inwardly gives him his allegiance (4). But the news reaches the King's son Gorthyn, who comes to hunt the hart. The next year, Prosper, Conn, and Luned sight a white hart while searching for their lost dog, and make a pact to tell no one (3). Later that summer, they meet Phanes of Syracuse, a Greek merchant with a remarkable archangel dagger from Constantinople, which wakes Prosper to the reality of the outside world and Conn to the longing to smith metal, a craft barred to bondsmen (2). Prosper has to tend Conn's wound, and along with Prosper's foster sister Luned, they become friends (1). On his twelfth birthday, Prosper the second son of Gerontius the lord of Nant Ffrancon, Wales, is given an Irish bond servant named Conn with an injured knee, to his disappointment.
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