Here Be Dragons - 1 (82 page)

finally spoke, it was to Davydd.
"What can you tell me, Davydd, about the English laws of inheritance?"
Flustered to find himself suddenly the cynosure of all eyes, Davydd durted out, "The eldest son gets all," only then to be seized with °ubts, with the sinking sensation that he'd misfired another arrow. But s «ther nodded, as if satisfied.
L|e You/re right, lad. That is the crux of it, the heart of the matter."
agteVelyn/S eyCS Ieft the boy' shifted toward the others. "I think we'd all e 'hat ours is a more just way. We do not leave younger sons to gain am

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their bread as best they can; we divide a man's holdings equa]i amongst all his sons. But Scriptures say a kingdom divided against its ]i shall be made desolate. Is that not so, Morgan?"
He did not wait for confirmation. "I've ofttimes spoken to you my grandfather, Joanna. But I've not said much of his brother. The was naught but envy and dissension between them, a sharp rivalry th lasted the whole of their lives.
And when my grandfather died, his son fought for Gwynedd, not against the
English, but against each other My father was slain by his own kindred."
He turned away from the table, moved toward the center of the room. "Ours is a bloody past, but no bloodier than that of Powys and Deheubarth. There, too, a prince's death inevitably brought about the same slaughter, brother against brother. Verily, a man reading our history might well conclude that Cain and
Abel, too, were Welsh That is the ugliest of our legacies, that the sons of our princes must seize power over the bodies of their brothers. It is not a legacy I want to leave my sons."
"What you say is true, Llewelyn. It is not in man's nature to share a kingdom.
And because it is not, Welsh princes love their brothers not Indeed, had I
been born whole of body, the affections of our boyhood might not have survived the ambitions of our manhood. A disquieting thought, that, but who is to say?
Yet there is nothing to be done about it Our ways are not always easy, but they are ancient and revered, and above all, they are ours."
"You're wrong, Adda. There is something I can do. Amongst God's Commandments, which one says that the laws of Hywel the Good cannot be changed?"
A shocked silence greeted so blasphemous a suggestion. Why were men so set upon clinging to the past at all costs? Why did the phrase "as it's always been done" give them such false comfort? Llewelyn's was an old and familiar impatience, made all the sharper now by his anxiety, and he said abruptly, almost defiantly, "I do not expect you to agree with me. But so be it. I
summoned you here to tell you that I have decided to bequeath my realm to one son, as the English kings do.
Davydd heard his mother whisper, "Oh, dear God," and there was so much fear in her voice that he was suddenly afraid, too, both or w his father would say next and of shaming himself before an audience adults. He sat very still, scarcely breathing, thinking not of crowns an kingdoms but of Gruffydd, the firstborn son, the Welsh-born son, best-loved. ^
"Our people love you well, Llewelyn. But in this you ask too ^ I do not think they'll willingly forsake a custom so deeply rooted m ^ past, accept in its stead the practice of our enemies. To men rea

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concept of equality amongst sons, such a change would be both alien and offensive "
Even before Morgan had finished speaking, both Rhys and Adda ere noddmg in vigorous agreement Ednyved, too, looked exceedingly Hubious "There's truth in that, Llewelyn It will not be easy "
"I know," Llewelyn conceded "That is why it must be done in my
1 fehme People will need time to come to terms with it, as with any new Hea
But I think they can be made to see that it is for Gwynedd's good Surely none amongst you can argue that it benefits a kingdom to have it split asunder by civil war "
"The common sense of what you say cannot be denied," Adda said, and then smiled thinly "But men heed other voices than reason I see, however, that your mind is set upon this, upon naming Gruffydd as your sole heir, and so"
"No," Llewelyn said "Not Gruffydd Davydd "
"Me7" Davydd gasped, sat suddenly upright, then flushed as he realized they were all staring at him Joanna reached over, squeezed his arm, but her eyes never left Llewelyn's, he had seen such a look upon her face once before, the very first time he'd kissed her Ednyved was smiling, but Rhys and Adda looked appalled, and Morgan, who understood, looked neither surprised nor judgmental, just unutterably sad
"Do not speak of this yet, not even to your wives," Llewelyn said before either Adda or Rhys could recover, could burst out with impassioned arguments upon Gruffydd's behalf As he'd hoped, they were constrained by Davydd's presence Ednyved now cued the others by nsmg, they reluctantly followed suit
'Papa " Davydd was still dazed "Papa, I'll make you proud, I will "
' You'd better," Llewelyn said, and the boy gave him a radiant smile He looked slight, almost frail, when compared to Gruffydd at the same age Although
Davydd was still quite young, Llewelyn did not think it likely he'd ever approach Gruffydd's uncommon height, and he could never hope to match
Gruffydd's strength But he'd once puncred his hand upon a nail, and when his playmates panicked, he Calmly walked a half-mile for help, with the nail protruding from his " m And Llewelyn had known for several years now that of his eight chl'dren, Davydd had by far the best brain u Uavydd was the last to depart Joanna stood for a moment with him n the porch, not speaking, just sharing Then she turned, went back ne chamber where
Davydd had been born, where Llewelyn Wa'ted her
Tk
^'ddl 6V k°tl1 move^ toward each other at once, came together in the e °f the room "Beloved, what can I say7 I know that my joy is

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your painknow, too, how very difficult a decision it was. In truth, Llewelyn, you are a remarkable man."
Llewelyn tightened his arms around her. "No," he said, his voice muffled in her hair. "No, I am a man who is going to lose his son."
LLEWELYN had dreaded nothingnot even his surrender to John at Aberconwyas much as he dreaded telling his son. And it proved to be even more of an ordeal than he expected. Gruffydd listened in unnerving silence, never taking his eyes from Llewelyn's face, eyes filled with such stunned disbelief that Llewelyn found his throat tightening, his own eyes stinging.
"The cantref of Meirionydd has been mine since my cousin Hywel's death. I am giving it now to you, Gruffydd. Also the lordship of Ardudwy. And in time, mayhap even"
"Why?"
"As I told you, lad, Gwynedd has to be kept intact. It is the only way we can hope to resist English incursions, to"
"Why Davydd? Why Davydd and not me?"
"Davydd is the nephew of the English King. That will afford him some degree of influence at the English court, for Henry gives great weight to blood ties.
And they are of an age, have taken a liking to one another. That, too, might one day work to our advantage."
"I know you love her. But you loved my mother, too. I am your firstborn. And lest you forget, I was four years as an English prisoner for you, Papa, for you!" Some of Gruffydd's control cracked. "Does that now count for nothing?"
Llewelyn flinched, but he did not relent. "I know you suffered on my account.
But I cannot allow that to unbalance the scales, not when so much is at stake."
"Do not do this to me, Papa. All my life I've sought to please you, to make you proud of me. And I... I thought you were!"
"I am proud of you. There is no man in Christendom I'd rather have by my side in a battle." Llewelyn drew a constricted breath. "But I cannot let you rule in my stead. I cannot let you destroy yourself in a war you could never win."
His voice changed, steadied. "And I cannot le you destroy Gwynedd. I will not prove my love by the loss of Wels independence."
"What independence? You've turned Wales into an English fief,an yourself into an English lackey!"
"I know what I've taken from you, do not begrudge you your a ger. But your bitterness will change nothing, Gruffydd, and that is you must try to understand, to accept."

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"Must I indeed' I think not, my lord Prince, I think not1 You're not |Ugt denying me my birthright I have a son of my own now, or have you forgotten7
What of Owain, what of his right7"
Gruffydd was blinded by tears, but they were tears now of rage He turned away, and Llewelyn caught his arm
"Gruffydd, wait'"
Gruffydd wrenched free "Tell your woman and her half-breed son to savor their victory whilst they can1"
Llewelyn made no further attempt to hold him "When your anger cools, I hope you will remember what I am about to say nowthat you will always have a place at my court, m my life, in my heart "
Gruffydd was already at the door "Rot in Hell," he said, and sobbed "Rot in
Hell'"
AS Joanna and Llewelyn left the abbey, crossed the stone bridge into
Shrewsbury, Joanna felt uncomfortably conspicuous It seemed strange to her that they should be ndmg so peacefully along a route Llewelyn had once followed in war Llewelyn, however, did not share her selfconsciousness He was indifferent to the stares of the townspeople, had been amused that they should be staying in the very abbey guest-house once fired by Welsh arrows As they turned onto the street called Altus Vicus, he nonchalantly pointed toward the
High Cross, telling her that was where he'd accepted the surrender of
Shrewsbury
"Of course, that wall was not there then," he said, gesturing toward the structure in progress, stones were being mortared in horizontal layers under the supervision of masons, while men hoisted buckets of rubble up onto the scaffolding to fill in the space between the inner and outer faces of the wall
"The citizens of Shrewsbury can thank me for their new wall In the past, the crown was never willing to put up the money needed to wall the city in "
"So you're saying you did the townspeople a favor by attacking fhem?' Joanna was delighted by Llewelyn's laughter, for she'd heard it
50 seldom in the past month, not since Gruffydd had left the court "I
as so proud of Davydd yesterday," she confided, seeing again in her md s eye the ceremony in which Henry formally took his nephew un-
r the protection of the English crown, acknowledged Davydd as Lle-
/n s heir "Henry seemed to enjoy it, too He has quite a liking for felt r^' cannot walt feH nis coronation on the seventeenth I think he cheated before, not being crowned at Westminster like our other
Kiiigs"
),e lr other kings, if you please, Madame," Llewelyn objected, but s sirulmg "Should you like to attend the coronation, Joanna7"

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"I would indeed!" Joanna guided her mare closer to Llewelyn "May I take Davydd and Elen?" And when he nodded, she experienced a surge of heartfelt happiness.
"I'm very fond of Henry. There's sweetness about him, a vulnerability that can be quite touching. I see j him Isabelle's extravagance and generosity, her love of surprises and compliments and secrets. But I can find in him nothing of my father. Tell me, Llewelyn, what sort of King do you think he'll make?"
"I agree with you that he's a likable lad. But he has two traits that do not augur well for kingship. He is rather timid, and yet inflexible, too loath to compromise. In truth, I do not think he'll make a good King for the English.
He may well, however, prove to be a very good Kmg in. deed for Wales."
Joanna joined in his laughter. "I suspect," she said, "that you intrigue even in your sleep. I know you truly do like Henry, but you're deliberately cultivating his goodwill, too. Sometimes you look at him as if he were a fallow field, just waiting for your plow!"
Llewelyn grinned, did not deny it. They had just crossed through the arched gateway into the inner bailey of the castle, and Llewelyn himself helped
Joanna to dismount. "I do not tell you nearly as often as I ought," he murmured, "but you hold my heart." She gave him so loving a look that he almost kissed her right then and there. "Come on," he said, taking her arm, "lest these English think I'm besotted with my own wife!"
Davydd was waiting for them upon the steps of the great hall. He had spent the night with Henry at the castle, and Llewelyn's smile faded at sight of him, for he could not help thinking of his other son, the son who would have socialized with the English King only at swordpomt
Davydd looked troubled. "Something is wrong," he said.
AS they entered the great hall, Llewelyn paused to greet Pandulf, who d recently replaced Guala as the papal legate, and Stephen Langton, K stored to favor by the new Pope; as Archbishop of Canterbury, it was he who would crown
Henry eleven days hence. Llewelyn addressed w prelates with marked respect, as genuine men of God. He did not ^ the urbane, luxury-loving Bishop of
Winchester in the same esteem/ Peter des Roches was deserving of notice, too, if for altogether d« reasons. With Pembroke dead and Chester still on crusade, P£'er ^ Roches was undeniably the most powerful man in England, with the most influence upon the young King. ^ j|,am
Peter was flanked by Hubert de Burgh, the Justiciar, and ^. Marshal, who'd succeeded his father as Earl of Pembroke. HIS &^$. to Llewelyn was noticeably cool; the Pembroke holdings in Sou

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Were extensive and it was inevitable that the youn* Earl wh the statesman his late father had been shouW f , ,u W3S not Llewelyn's growing power.
L] ^S^ ^-d by before saying to Peter, "My son tells mP a V7 u ln return'
from the Queen." 7 * me a dlst^bmg letter has come
Pembroke was affronted that Llpwph K i j <
in affairs of the crown. But he was noHn h f * S° *"t0 med* he'd been one of those lord whol^n?;*^'5*' for Llewelyn was brother-in-law to the Kine H J f°r
L°Uis' while prised, therefore, when Peter desR^' ^ aggrieved but not *ura right to know. R°CheS reSP°nded if Llewelyn had
.H^^^n^
zzs^^*^?^^^
^^^^:^ frthe Hoiy L- h-
eldest son and Joanna's half-b'Lr Sef a^t?' ^ ?Uin°y 9nd his
^^^^::^^^"^^^
«^^£^^*;' ** said. ", ter's betrothed!" 8 Lusignan's son, her daugh-
.oi."^::^"1 iust in" "> « ^ tap-*-* ,.
5^53^?^^^: ;^5?i^£Ss^it3s5
N ^°"y would have been l"t Wh y°UrKand °Ur lands in Poitou
"^ssaS^^^is:
arcne, and let Heaven witness that we did this

530
rather for your benefit than for our own. Wherefore we ask you, as our dear son, to be pleased with this, as it greatly profits you and yours.'" Joanna raised her eyes from the letter, saw her husband struggling not to laugh, and she smiled ruefully. "She is not very convincing, js she? Isabelle, the martyred mother, bravely sacrificing herself for her son's sake. The rest of the letter asks Henry to give them her dower castles of Niort, Exeter, and
Rockingham, and three thousand five hundred marks she says my father bequeathed to her." "Does she mention her daughter at all?"
Joanna scanned the letter again. "At the end. She says she and Hugh will send
Joanna back to England if Henry desires it. Llewelyn .. I just remembered something very intriguing. When I last saw Isabelle, she spoke very kindly of this same Hugh de Lusignan, sounded as if he'd already made quite an impression upon her."
"Mayhap he had," Llewelyn said dryly, "but she's been back in Angouleme for two years now, and you notice she did not marry him until his father died, until he became the new Count of La Marche. Our Isabelle might look like gossamer and gold dust, but when it comes to practicality, she'd put a French peasant to shame."
"Nonetheless, I mean to cling to my romantic illusions," Joanna said and laughed. "What's more, I wish Isabelle well, hope she finds contentment in her new marriage."
"I wonder what the Pope will make of it. Isabelle was plight-trothed to Hugh's father, and Hugh to Isabelle's daughter. The truth, breila does that not sound somewhat incestuous?"
But Joanna was no longer listening to his banter, for Henry had just entered the hall.
HENRY turned as Joanna joined him in the window recess. He was an attractive youngster, with his mother's striking blue eyes; they were reddened now, suspiciously swollen. "You heard?" he mumbled, ana Joanna took a sister's liberty, kissed him sympathetically upon the cheek.
"I know it was a shock, dearest. But it was only to be expected that your mother would one day wed again. She's been a widow for m than three years, and although thirty-two doubtless seems ancient tr your vantage point, she ought to have many years ahead or ^
- ^ KO i,-,r,piv nr emotv, Henry, 1 know , your vantage point, she ought o nave ^ ^ , knOw You'd not want those years to be lonely or empty, Henry, would not." _ ^^OA his tears, t>u a IlUl wain, vii^j^- j -
"rdo no, »a, Hen^a^ - ^>
"You do not understand." Henry nau uict-^c^ * voice still quavered. "Do you not see what this marriage means, J° Now Mama will never come home."