Dragon of the Island (41 page)

“Many of them are angry at the way
Gwyrtheyrn has treated us. Viroconium has been like an armed camp
these last few days. Gwyrtheyrn has seen fit to take the best of
our cattle and grain to feed his men. Some of the women have been
abused, and the men are afraid to defend them against Gwyrtheyrn’s
soldiers. For all that he humiliated us, Maelgwn didn’t mistreat us
so.”

Constantine looked into his daughter’s
pleading face.

“I can only ask them, Aurora. I’m not a
leader like Maelgwn or Gwyrtheyrn. My men respect me, but they do
not fear me. I can’t order them to follow me if they feel they
would be better served by Gwyrtheyrn’s protection.”

Aurora nodded. “I know, Papa. Even though I
love Maelgwn, I would not ask you to do this if I did not think it
would be best for the people of Viroconium.”

Constantine looked nervously toward the door
of the tent.

“I must go now. I told the guard that you
are sick, he will wonder that I risk tiring you by talking so
much.”

“Where is Elwyn? Is he safe?”

“Aye, he is safe, but very closely
guarded.”

Aurora smiled. “Elwyn has been a great help
to me. How did he get away to speak with you?”

“It seems he knew one of Gwyrtheyrn’s
men—the man is a hired soldier who fought with Maelgwn once for
pay. He brought Elwyn to me. Elwyn told me nothing except that you
were ill and needed to speak to me.”

“I’m so glad he found you. I was trying to
think of a plan when I fell asleep.” Aurora reached out for her
father with an imploring gesture. “Remember what I said, Father...
Papa... remember what I told you of Maelgwn.”

“I will not forget, Aurora. Sleep now. You
are very pale. I fear that what Elwyn says is true—you have not
recovered from your injury. I will try to see you tomorrow... if
there is time... if we are not at war.”

After her father left, Aurora fell asleep
again, but this time her dreams were unmemorable. In the morning
she woke with a churning nausea in her stomach. It took all her
willpower to rise from the pallet and shakily search for her pack
of things lying in the corner of the tent. Someone had seen fit to
bring it in when they brought the lamp and a jar of water to her.
She was not quite a helpless prisoner, but oh, her stomach!

Aurora struggled to untie the package of
barley bread she had left in her pack. She took a bite and gagged
at the flat dry taste, but then took another and swallowed. She
must eat—it was the only way she would feel better. When she was
done, she drank the full jar of stale water. Now to attend to her
appearance. Her comb was in the pack as well, and Aurora unbraided
her hair and dragged the bronze comb through her thick tresses. She
wished she had some water to wash with, but she had drunk it all.
She moistened her veil with the last drops and rubbed it over her
face.

Taking a deep breath, Aurora pulled the tent
flap back and stepped out into the fresh air. The sharp chill of
morning was in the air, and Aurora pulled her cloak close around
her.

The guard outside looked at her
suspiciously, but when she smiled at him, he seemed to soften.

“What are you doing?” he asked in a cautious
voice.

“I just needed some fresh air,” Aurora
answered politely. “I don’t feel well.”

“Aye, the last guard said you were ill. He
also said you had a visitor—Lord Constantine.”

Aurora had trouble meeting the man’s probing
look.

She could only hope that her conversation
with her father had not been overheard.

“Constantine is my father,” Aurora answered
coldly. “I just wanted him to know that I’m all right.”

“Gwyrtheyrn was not pleased to know that you
had met with Lord Constantine. He wishes to speak with you.”

With that, the man grasped her arm roughly
and led her to Gwyrtheyrn’s tent. Aurora’s heart was pounding. If
Gwyrtheyrn guessed her intentions, she was doomed. At best, he
would kill her outright, or even worse, use her as a hostage to
control Maelgwn.

Gwyrtheyrn was having breakfast when Aurora
was brought to him. For a moment she could not help gaping at the
luxury that surrounded him. He sat eating at a table full of food
served in fine pottery, bronze, even glassware. He was dressed in a
rich purple tunic edged in gold, and his neck and arms were gilded
with elaborate jewelry. She could not help contrasting this scene
with the way Maelgwn normally took his meals while on
campaign—squatting by the fire with his men, eating the same dry
food as they, dressed in his old tunic and ragged leather trousers.
It seemed that Gwyrtheyrn enjoyed the trappings of a king a great
deal more than Maelgwn did.

“Well, well. Lady Maelgwn, we meet
again.”

Aurora met Gwyrtheyrn’s cold, searching
stare as levelly as she could.

“What do you want with me?” she asked him
boldly.

Gwyrtheyrn frowned. “I understand that you
disregarded my orders and met with your father.”

“He only wanted to make sure that I was
well.”

“Aye, I was told that you were sick—what is
wrong with you?”

Aurora tried to hold her head up proudly. No
doubt she looked white and frail—she certainly felt that way.

“I had a fall from a horse only a few weeks
ago. I still have not recovered. I was fleeing Maelgwn even
then.”

Gwyrtheyrn’s eyes narrowed and then flicked
over her suspiciously. “You look more like a woman who’s breeding
to me.”

Aurora inwardly suppressed a gasp. How had
Gwyrtheyrn guessed? She dared not let him know the truth.

She touched her flat stomach, and stared
back at Gwyrtheyrn with an arrogant glare. “That could not be—I
have not been with Maelgwn for many weeks.”

Gwyrtheyrn grunted, and Aurora knew that it
was time to distract him from this dangerous subject.

“While I’m here,” she said briskly, “I would
like to know your battle strategy against Maelgwn.”

“What does it matter to you?”

“I have a strong desire to see you defeat
Maelgwn,” Aurora answered. “I want to see you grind him into the
dirt.”

Gwyrtheyrn laughed. “What a cold bitch you
are—do you hate your husband that much?”

“Aye. You do not know what it is like to be
married off to a brute like Maelgwn—he had his greedy hands all
over me ere we were even wed. Besides...” she cast her eyes down
coyly. “I have another reason I wish to see Maelgwn defeated.”

“What is that?”

She smiled radiantly at Gwyrtheyrn. “The
young man who was with me last night—he is the one I truly love. I
thought that if I helped you, you might consider giving Elwyn a
position of power in Gwynedd.”

Gwyrtheyrn snorted derisively. “It seems
that Gwynedd is infested with traitors—I almost feel sorry for
Maelgwn.”

“What do you mean?”

“His wife, his sister, one of his
officers—it seems that Maelgwn the Great is hated most by those
closest to him.”

Aurora could not hide her surprise. “His
sister? Esylt has betrayed Maelgwn? I didn’t know.”

“Aye,” Gwyrtheyrn answered with a gloating
smile. “She is as eager as you to see her brother dead. She thinks
that I will let her rule in his place. Of course, I will make sure
she has no real power—I would certainly never trust a woman,
especially one who is a traitor.”

Aurora tried to temper her shock. She had
been right all along—Esylt was plotting against her brother! She
composed her face carefully.

“Esylt—I’m surprised. When I was at Caer
Eryri, she seemed completely loyal to Maelgwn.”

“Aye, she is a treacherous one. It appears
she has been plotting against Maelgwn all along.”

Aurora tried to be flippant, although her
heart was pounding. “In truth, I care little enough who rules
Gwynedd—as long as Maelgwn is dead.”

Gwyrtheyrn smiled again, like a cat that has
cornered its prey. “If that is all you ask, then I am sure I can
make you happy. I intend to slaughter Maelgwn’s army and take his
head as a trophy prize. Would you like me to save it for you—as a
memento of your marriage?”

Aurora could not hide her disgust.

“No, thank you,” she answered. “I never want
to see him again—dead or alive.” She pulled herself up stiffly, and
tried to pretend that she was her mother—calm and poised. “You
still have not told me your battle plans.”

Gwyrtheyrn’s gray eyes narrowed. “I will not
share my battle plans with any woman—queen or not. Besides,
whatever else you are, you are a traitor. Be glad that I need your
father’s support, or I wouldn’t have tolerated the sight of you as
long as I have.”

With that, Aurora found herself abruptly
dismissed.

“Come on,” her guard said harshly as he
grabbed her arm again. “You are to ride in a wagon at the end of
the train.”

“We are leaving, then?”

“It would seem so.”

Maelgwn was dreaming. Aurora was beside him.
He could feel her warmth, smell the scent of her hair—rich, spicy,
exotic. He stirred. It was still early, there was a chill in the
air, and the light that glowed in through the tent flap was faint,
tinged with rose.

He got up and dressed and put on his sword
and dagger. There was a heaviness in his heart—the weight of
sadness—but there was another feeling, too. The tingle of
expectation stirred in his limbs.

He went out, half expecting the grayness of
the last few days, but it was clear. The sun rose in the east,
threatened only by a few fragile clouds of pink and lavender. It
would be warm—the sunlight was already burning away the frost.

The rest of the camp was rising too. Men
were building fires for breakfast. Tents were being taken down.
Maelgwn stood for a moment, watching. He felt a surge of humble
gratitude. This was his army; these were his men. He had trained
them, inspired them. Today he might well lead them to their deaths,
and they would follow him without question. He loved them.

“You are up early, Maelgwn.”

Maelgwn turned to see the reassuring bulk of
his second-in-command. Balyn wore his customary lazy smile, but a
hint of worry lined his face.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked.

Maelgwn nodded back. “Aye, I slept well... I
always do the night before a battle.

“You think today, then?”

“It would seem so. I feel it in my
bones.”

Maelgwn said no more, and Balyn felt a
moment of discomfort as the silence grew between them.

“About last night...” he began finally. “I
wanted to tell you... that I am sorry. It must be a grievous thing
to be betrayed by your own blood.”

Maelgwn sighed faintly. “Aye, it hurts. But
you did warn me, and Aurora certainly tried to, as well. It was
just that I hoped...” Maelgwn’s voice grew harsh and strained. “I
had hoped that the curse of Cadwallon was finally over.”

“Perhaps it is now,” Balyn said gently.
“There is only one eagle left in the nest, and, the gods willing,
he will rule for many years.”

Maelgwn gave Balyn a quick, sharp glance,
and Balyn knew he was thinking of the battle to come.

“So, my king, what is the battle plan?”

Maelgwn pointed. “We will march down into
the valley and wait for them there.”

“It seems risky,” Balyn murmured. “With the
foothills behind us, we will have no way to retreat.”

Maelgwn shook his head. “There is no
retreat. We either defeat them or we die.”

Balyn nodded gravely. “You don’t think we
should wait for Abelgirth’s other forces—the troops from the
coast?”

“We haven’t time. I don’t want Gwyrtheyrn to
enter Gwynedd.”

“But the mountains have always been our best
defense,” Balyn argued. “If we waited for them here, we could cut
them down little by little with small bands of men attacking all
along the pass.”

“But by then Aurora would be dead... I’m
sure of it,” Maelgwn answered in a shaky voice. “If he has not
already done so, Gwyrtheyrn would use her as a hostage, or perhaps
kill her outright.”

“But if we go to meet him head-on in battle,
he will think we have no chance to defeat him, and perhaps he will
let her live,” Balyn suggested.

Maelgwn nodded, and then he turned to Balyn
with agony in his eyes. “Do you think me a fool because I risk
everything for a woman?”

Balyn smiled. “Nah, nah, not a fool, just a
man in love. It’s all right. You deserve a chance for happiness,
just like any other man.”

“But I am a king,” Maelgwn whispered
painfully. “Am I putting my own happiness above my people’s
safety?”

Balyn patted the king heartily on his
shoulder. “It could be argued either way, Maelgwn. If we meet them
in the valley, Gwyrtheyrn will have the hills behind him as well.
His men will not be able to retreat either. Since he has come this
far and grown this strong, we must crush him now, once and for all,
or he will always be a threat to Gwynedd.”

Maelgwn smiled. “Thank you, Balyn. Ever
since I met you, you have always known the right thing to say.”

Balyn grinned back. “Now, if only Sewan were
ever so pleased with me. She says I have only to open my mouth and
foolish words fly out.”

“Come on, let’s get ourselves some
breakfast,” said Maelgwn. “And order an extra portion for the men
too; they will need it today.”

The wagon lurched forward, and Aurora’s
stomach lurched with it. This was worse than riding her horse, she
thought miserably. She still had not had a proper breakfast, and
her nausea was agonizing. She crouched down, willing herself to
feel better. Finally, she gave up and leaned back limply against
the sacks of grain that were her companions in the wagon.

It was uncomfortable riding this way, but at
least she was safe. Her bluff with Gwyrtheyrn had worked. He was
willing to believe her story that she hated Maelgwn and would be
pleased at his death. Aurora felt a pang of painful regret,
thinking of her awful words. What if Maelgwn was defeated, and she
did not live to tell him how much she loved him? Would he go to his
own death believing that she had betrayed him?