So they took Feargus, who went readily, and they treated him fair, he being much beloved by them, and left him his sword, for no need had they, said Oscar, to put a slight upon him who stood so well in the sight of all men. But great was the wrath of the Picts when they saw their chief led away captive; for they cared not for Penda, or whether he were Christian or whether heathen, but only for their leader, and him they followed through the town to his prison, with Duncan at their head; and they were mighty and tall men and thick of limb, and ever ready in a desperate fight. Then Feargus minded them of the wishes of Nechtan their king, telling them to obey Penda and stay quiet. So they obeyed, but of their own will divided themselves into two bodies, the one half of them lying down outside the prison of Feargus, and the other half beneath the windows of Torfrida. So they kept Feargus in knowledge of all that happened, and he was greatly comforted to know they lay and watched for Torfrida. And daily they played outside his prison on the clarsach and on the pipes the noble songs of the Albanich. When Penda heard that they lay day and night outside the prison of their chief and of Torfrida, he was not unpleased, for he loved ever the faithful and the bold, and was secretly ashamed that he had been led into cruelty, such as had never stained his name, by Osbert’s evil influence. So at length, after a month had passed, he minded him of their services and sent for Duncan, who pleaded hard for Torfrida that she might be set free; for such was the wish of Feargus. The king’s heart smote him for Torfrida, but Osbert and his brethren and Edgar his cousin told him that Feargus loved Torfrida and was himself being converted to the faith of the Christians and would yet be on the side of Sigmund and the Northumbrians. And though Penda refused to believe that Feargus could be unfaithful to him, yet he was swayed somewhat by their counsel oft repeated. So Feargus still chafed in his prison and was much troubled about many matters. There was little hope that he might ever again see Torfrida, and he had much doubt in his mind, for that the king was so deadly an enemy to the Christians, of whom he himself was one; yet the idea of leaving Penda he could not brook. Two months passed and they brought him word that Torfrida lay sick, and he ground his teeth and beat his breast in despair; then Duncan, with Alastair, his captains, wished him to let them break his prison and release Torfrida and depart with her to Alban. “What would then happen to all ye who stayed behind,” said he, “nothing less than death, and how would Nechtan think of him who had broken oath to Penda and left his men to die? Nay, good Duncan, it cannot be. Never will I break troth with thee or with the king.” Then Duncan went once more to Penda and said—