Dragon of the Island (6 page)

Aurora’s resolution to be a dutiful,
obedient wife took on new meaning. She had married a king, with
hundreds of men at his command. Who was she to demand anything of
him? Instead of concerning herself with how he treated her, she
should be devoting her efforts to pleasing him. It was not just a
matter of honor, but of self-preservation. Her father’s bold words
notwithstanding, once they were out of sight of her homeland,
Maelgwn could ignore her or abuse her as he wished, and no one
would care. She was at her husband’s mercy.

Perhaps the soldier who helped her off her
horse when they reached the king’s tent sensed her foreboding, for
he spoke as if to reassure her. “The king is still making
preparations for tomorrow, but I’m sure he will be here shortly. In
the meantime, is there anything I may get for you, my lady?”

The man’s accent was strange, but that was
not all that intrigued Aurora. From his sparse facial hair and soft
hazel eyes she guessed him to be much younger than the hardened
soldiers who made up the rest of Maelgwn’s personal bodyguard.

“Nothing, thank you,” she answered, trying
not to stare at him. There was something about his sweetly handsome
face and deferential manner that reminded her of Marcus.

The young soldier moved ahead of her and
lifted the tent flap for her to enter. She saw with relief that
there had been some attempt to prepare for her arrival. There was
no bed in the tent, but a mattress of sheepskins on the ground was
comfortably spread with blankets. There was also a low table with a
lamp, and an urn of water and a chamber pot had been placed
discreetly in the corner. Maelgwn’s men unloaded the baskets and
chests that contained her clothes and personal items and stacked
them neatly in the corner of the tent. Then they left her, bowing
quickly as they took their leave.

Aurora sank down on the blankets, tired to
the bone. As she fumbled awkwardly with the tie of her wedding
dress, she thought again how unfair it was that Maelgwn had not let
her bring a maid to help her with her clothes and hair. She forced
the thought away, realizing that she must not dwell on her
resentments. Having made up her mind to try and please her husband,
she dared not think about the things he had done so far to anger
her.

Aurora crawled into bed wearing the thin,
linen shift she had worn under her wedding gown. She shivered
slightly, remembering the possessive, demanding way Maelgwn had
kissed her in the garden. She did not like to remember the way he
had made her feel, so weak and out-of-control. Tonight she would
have to submit to him, but that was all she would do. This time she
had no intention of letting his kisses turn her into a gasping
idiot.

Aurora listened intently to the night sounds
of the camp, expecting to hear Maelgwn’s footsteps or deep voice at
any moment. When he did not come, she sighed and shifted
restlessly. It had been a long day, and it was bliss to lie down
and relax. Her last thought was that if Maelgwn did not come soon,
she would be asleep.

As Maelgwn made his way to his tent, he met
Balyn and Evrawc, another of his officers.

“She’s here, settling in by now I imagine,”
said Balyn, motioning toward the torches which burned near the
king’s tent.

“All went well—she is comfortable?”

Balyn shrugged. “As comfortable as we could
make her. I really think you should have let her bring a maid,
Maelgwn. It’s not right that a lady of her background have no
female servant to attend her.”

Maelgwn’s mouth set in a hard line. “Aurora
must adapt to her new life as a Cymraes. I thought that a companion
from her homeland would make it harder for her to set aside the
past and accept her lot as my wife.”

“You expect a great deal from someone so
young, especially a woman who has obviously been sheltered and
protected all her life,” Balyn said with a shake of his head. “She
is bound to be homesick, perhaps miserably so.”

“I disagree,” put in Evrawc. “You are right
to make Lady Aurora accept the terms of her new life right away.
Too many women get the idea that they rule the household instead of
their husband.”

Maelgwn and Balyn looked at each other and
shared a faint smile. It was no secret that Evrawc’s wife was an
acid-tongued shrew who made him miserable. Perhaps that accounted
for Evrawc’s dour outlook on life. Like Balyn, Evrawc had been with
Maelgwn almost from the beginning of his struggle for kingship, but
there could hardly be two men more unlike than his two chief
officers. Balyn was big, powerful, good-natured and always joking.
Evrawc was small and wiry, with a disposition that was as gloomy as
Balyn’s was sunny. Maelgwn felt they made a nice balance in his
life—one cheering him up and the other advising him with shrewd
pessimism.

“I’ll consider your advice, both of you,”
Maelgwn answered. “Good night. I’ll see you both on the
morrow.”

Maelgwn walked briskly to his tent. Balyn’s
words troubled him. He did not mean to be cruel to his wife, but he
was uneasy with the idea of coddling her. From Constantine’s
obvious affection for his daughter, it seemed likely the girl had
been pampered, spoiled by her easy life and doting family. If she
was to be his queen, she must be toughen up and learn to think of
others as well as of herself.

Still, he did not want to hurt her or make
her hate him. He was looking forward to their lovemaking, and he
wanted more than her acquiescence in bed. Maelgwn recalled Aurora’s
ardent response in the garden. Aye, he might well be willing to
spoil her a little himself if she were to display some of that
passionate enthusiasm again.

Maelgwn pulled aside the flap and entered
his tent. The lamp still burned, but it appeared Aurora was asleep.
She was curled up on the bedplace, her face turned away from him.
Maelgwn dropped his heavy sword and scabbard on the ground. Aurora
did not stir.

He climbed over the clutter of boxes and
baskets at the foot of the bed to get a better look at her. Asleep,
his wife looked exquisitely enticing. Her soft, rosy mouth was
slightly open, and her hair tumbled in wild curls around her face.
Maelgwn leaned over and took a lock of it in his hand, feeling the
silky weight of it, thinking how good it would feel against his
naked body.

Then he sighed deeply. He could not take her
now. It would be near rape to wake her out of this peaceful sleep
to have his way with her. His body ached with unfulfilled desire as
Maelgwn blew out the lamp and lay down beside his new wife. There
would be time enough, he told himself. He would possess this
beautiful young woman yet. She was his wife, and she would soon
know that Maelgwn the Great commanded her.

Aurora woke and looked around. Although
there was evidence that Maelgwn had come to the tent during the
night, he was gone now. Aurora felt a strange disappointment. Last
night had been her wedding night, and nothing had happened, nothing
at all. Was it possible that Maelgwn did not really want her, that
he had married her only to humiliate her father?

Shouts and noise came from outside the tent,
and Aurora hurried to dress. In one of the chests at the end of the
bedplace she found her traveling clothes and other personal items.
Tears came to her eyes when she saw Julia’s favorite bronze comb
carefully packed away among her things. She and Julia had not been
close. It seemed that she could never please her critical older
sister. Which made it especially touching that Julia had chosen to
give her one of her most prized possessions.

Aurora began the frustrating process of
trying to untangle her hair. The day was hot, and she was soon
sweaty and very thirsty from her struggle with her obstinate curls.
The urn of water on the table looked stale and unappetizing and
Aurora thought with longing of the spring in the nearby forest. She
could almost taste the cold, sparkling water. Why not? she thought
impulsively. The spring was only a short distance away. There was
no reason she could not help herself to a drink. She finished
combing her hair quickly.

The day was brilliant with sunshine,
promising great heat by midday. As she left the tent, Aurora was
amazed at how much Maelgwn’s soldiers had already accomplished.
Where the night before a large camp had been spread, this morning
there was just a cluttered, muddy field. The grass was trampled and
dotted with bare wet patches and a few smoldering fires. Most of
the men were ahead of them, grouped to march, and only a few
lingered behind to finish up.

The young soldier who had escorted her the
night before was stationed near the tent. He nodded courteously and
bade her good morning.

“Do I have time to go for a short walk? I
would like to wash, and there is a spring I know of just a few
paces within the forest.” She pointed across the ruined meadow.

“Of course, my lady,” he answered
politely.

Aurora immediately set out for the dark line
of forest. The thought of the cool spring water drew her on, and
she felt the need to escape the oppressive mass of the army crowded
so near. She was disconcerted when she saw the young soldier was
following her.

“I
do
know the way; I’ll not get
lost,” she said over her shoulder.

“Aye, my lady,” he answered, but continued
to follow her.

“I’ll not run away,” she added, turning to
face the soldier with flashing eyes.

“Of course not, my lady,” he said with an
awkward look on his face. “But you are the queen and must be
guarded. Maelgwn commanded it.”

Aurora turned and continued walking. She
felt badly that she had snapped at the man. Clearly he was only
doing his duty, and it was some consolation to learn Maelgwn was
protective of her. Still, surely the soldier would let her walk
alone when she came to the forest.

They walked on, neither speaking, her escort
following a few steps behind her. Aurora had been carefully picking
her way through the mud and garbage, but as they reached the
portion of the camp where the horses were kept, it seemed
impossible for her to continue without ruining her sandals. She
paused, close to tears. She had only wanted to spend a last few
quiet moments in the woods, but here she was, a grown-up, married
woman, no longer the young girl who could run wild and free,
heedless of her clothes and shoes.

“My lady,” his voice came softly from behind
her. “May I help you across?”

At first Aurora was startled by the
suggestion, but then she nodded her assent and allowed the young
soldier to pick her up and carry her over the sodden ground. He was
surprisingly strong, despite his youth and slender build, and he
carried her with little effort. His face was very close to hers,
and Aurora glanced at him shyly and saw that he was watching
her.

They were not yet to the open meadow when
they were both surprised by the sound of horse hooves. Maelgwn,
mounted on his black stallion, rode up rapidly, nearly running them
down.

“I bade you look after my wife, and here I
find you carrying her off.”

“She wished to wash at a spring near here; I
am taking her there.”

The young man’s answer, so calm and precise,
relieved Aurora. For a moment even she could have believed that
this gallant young soldier was abducting her, and she had been a
little frightened by what Maelgwn would think.

Maelgwn shifted his horse so that the sun
did not shine on them so brightly. Aurora could see that he was
smiling.

“Well, if my wife needs assistance, it is
only proper that I give it myself. Lift her up, Elwyn.”

Maelgwn caught her about the waist and
helped her up to sit in front of him on the horse. Her position was
awkward, and she felt that all that held her on the huge horse was
Maelgwn’s firm grip about her waist. The pressure of his arm made
it seem that she could barely breathe—or was it the excitement of
having him so close? She could feel his warm breath upon her hair,
and the power of his taut muscles as they guided the horse sent
thrills along her body.

Aurora pointed the way, and Maelgwn directed
the horse to the edge of the forest. They reached it in a few
massive strides, and Maelgwn released Aurora so that she slid
gently off. He dismounted after her. For a moment their bodies were
very close, and there was a surge of feeling between them. Aurora
pulled away in embarrassment, filled with unease. She could not
forget Maelgwn’s frightening effect on her in the garden, and she
did not want to risk having Maelgwn paw her in public again.

Aurora entered the forest quickly. Maelgwn
followed right behind her, and she had a start as she realized he
meant to escort her to the spring. The idea upset her. She was
looking forward to being alone one last time in this sanctuary of
her childhood. She glanced back at Maelgwn. He was watching her
intently. She looked away and hurried down the path ahead of
him.

“Aurora.”

“Aye, my lord.”

“This place you are taking me to—do you go
there often?”

The nerve of him! What right had he to pry
into her life? Except he had every right. After all, he was her
husband.

“Aye, ‘tis a pretty place, and one that
soothes my spirit.”

“It is lovely country here. Different from
Gwynedd, but very green and fertile. I imagine that it’s only a
matter of clearing the trees, and near anything would grow
here.”

Aurora did not answer him. She had no heart
for talk of land and farming. She had come to the forest to find
the peace and contentment that usually awaited her here among the
tangled green thickets and misty air. This place was a refuge from
the tensions of her father’s household, the clatter and bustle of
the town. How many times had her mother scolded her for shirking
her chores to escape to the woods to while away the hours
daydreaming?