Dragon of the Island (8 page)

Elwyn’s reassurance came quickly. “Truly, it
is wonderful that you can read and write. I have often wished that
I could learn.”

“It isn’t difficult. Perhaps I could teach
you...” Aurora bit off the words in midsentence. What was she
thinking of? She barely knew this young soldier. It was just that
he reminded her so much of Marcus.

Elwyn stared at Aurora for a moment and then
turned away, moving his horse slightly behind hers. Aurora felt her
isolation anew. Oh, let him be my friend, she thought desperately.
She needed one so badly now.

They rode in silence as the sun grew hotter
and Aurora felt the sweat dripping down her forehead. She pulled
her veil more closely around her face to shield it from the sun.
Despite her Roman blood, she burned easily, and she remembered how
Marcus had always admired her smooth, creamy skin.

The landscape was changing slightly,
becoming hillier, pasture instead of cropland. Stands of grayish
white sheep frosted the hills, with the dark figures of shepherds
moving among them. The shepherds stopped to watch the huge army
passing by them. Even from far away, Aurora could sense their awe
and fear. For the common people, soldiers and armies meant death
and destruction, and they avoided them as much as possible.

Aurora wondered again what Gwynedd was like.
She had heard it was wild and mountainous, but she didn’t know if
it was forested or open pasture. Her curiosity slowly overcame her
fear of embarrassing Elwyn further.

“Is Gwynedd anything like this?” she asked
him, gesturing toward the rich green landscape.

“No, tis not much like this,” he answered
gravely. “It is rocky and high, wetter and cooler than your land,
too. But it is beautiful,” he added loyally. “There are waterfalls
and green meadows, lakes and high overlooks where it seems you can
see forever—when the sun shines, the colors are so bright they hurt
your eyes.”

Aurora tried to imagine it, but could not.
Already she was homesick for the lazy, tranquil beauty of her
home.

Still, the land was not as important as
whether she would be accepted by Maelgwn’s people. Aurora had heard
her father speaking of a place called Caer Eryri, Maelgwn’s
headquarters. The name sounded forbidding, and Aurora wondered if
it was a huge army camp or a town like Viroconium.

Aurora turned to face her escort. “Please,
Elwyn, tell me of Caer Eryri.”

“What would you like to know?”

“What it looks like, how many people live
there.”

Elwyn thought a moment “Caer Eryri has a
long history,” he began. “The name means “fortress of eagles,” and
the Cymru have lived there since before the Romans came. A part of
it dates from ancient times, such as the walls and towers where
Maelgwn and his sister have their sleeping chambers.”

“His sister?” Aurora interrupted. “I thought
the rest of Maelgwn’s family were dead.”

“No, he has an older sister named Esylt,”
answered Elwyn. “She has been at Maelgwn’s side since they were
children.”

A sister. Aurora was both intrigued and
disturbed by this new insight. It would be nice to have another
royal woman to talk to—Aurora had been fond of her sisters and she
knew she would miss them sorely. Still, she was unprepared to find
another woman in Maelgwn’s life. It might make it harder for her to
be accepted.

“His sister, what is she like?”

“She looks very much like Maelgwn. She is
tall for a woman and has dark hair and blue eyes.”

Aurora frowned in concentration. Somehow it
was hard to imagine a woman looking like Maelgwn. There was
something so cold and forbidding about his appearance. Did that
mean her children would look like him, too? Aurora had always
imagined her children as blond and adorable, with fine delicate
features such as Marcus had.

“Esylt is a very capable woman,” Elwyn
continued. “She runs Maelgwn’s household. All the servants and
craftsmen answer to her when he is away.”

“Does she rule with him?” Aurora asked
hesitantly. She had not planned on competing with another woman who
was already established as queen. It might make it harder for her
to be accepted in Maelgwn’s household.

“No, she has no real authority in the rule
of Gwynedd.”

Aurora sensed Elwyn’s hesitancy and her
curiosity was piqued. “Does he listen to her counsel in private
then?”

Elwyn laughed nervously. “Not if he can help
it. Maelgwn often seems to be trying to avoid her for fear she will
bend his ear on some subject.”

Aurora got the distinct feeling that Elwyn
was very uncomfortable talking about Esylt. She turned back to
questions of her new home.

“You were telling me of Caer Eryri. Please
continue.”

“Aye. As I was saying, the fort itself is
old, but when the Romans made it a garrison for their troops, they
built barracks and many other buildings that are still used.
Maelgwn’s officers, as well as the craftsmen and freemen of the
tribe, live within the fortress walls.”

“Is it a town then, like Viroconium?”

“Not exactly. There is a village down by the
river, where the farmers grow their crops. The fortress is more of
a military headquarters. Most of the people who live there aren’t
farmers or herdsmen, but warriors who serve in Maelgwn’s army and
help protect Gwynedd.”

“Do all these soldiers live there?” Aurora
asked, gesturing to the mass of troops ahead of them.

Elwyn shook his head. “Most of these men
will go back to their homes—scattered throughout the hills—until
they are needed again. There aren’t a lot of people in Gwynedd. It
is a poor land in some ways, and makes for a hard living. But while
our people work hard, the Cymru are a hearty, merry people who love
music and tales.” Elwyn continued: “There are festivals and
celebrations during the summer, and feasts during the winter when
everyone gathers to hear the bards tell of the past.”

“Do you observe the rituals of the old
gods?” Aurora asked. While her family had converted to the new
faith of the Christ, many other gods were still worshiped by the
people of Viroconium.

“Aye, feasts are held at Beltaine, Lughnasa,
Samhain and Imbolc. And you—you are a Christian, aren’t you?”

“I suppose so,” Aurora answered, feeling
uncomfortable. She was not really sure
what
she
believed.

“I have heard that the Christian god is
jealous of all others, and that is why the Christian holy men are
so intolerant.”

“So it would seem. I am not very devout. Not
like my sister, Carina, who is always in prayer. I think my father
and the priest spoke to Maelgwn of raising our children as
Christians, but I am not sure he agreed.”

Elwyn nodded. “I’m sure you could go to the
priory in the valley if you wish to worship.”

“The priory?” Aurora asked in surprise.

“Aye, some holy brothers have begun a
settlement at the other end of the valley that Caer Eryri
overlooks—they have a chapel there.”

“And Maelgwn permits this?” Aurora asked in
amazement. People had led her to believe that Maelgwn was a
backward heathen.

“I’m not sure of his personal beliefs, but
Maelgwn has always permitted the worship of all gods in Gwynedd,
even the practices of the druids.”

Aurora’s eyebrows went up in shock. She had
been raised to believe that the druids were a hideous cult which
practiced human sacrifice. She knew they had settled in the west
after the Romans drove them out of the rest of Britain, but she did
not realize that the sect still had followers.

“But how can he tolerate their barbaric
rites?” she asked hotly. “It’s not decent!”

“It’s true that some of their cults go too
far in carrying out the old rituals, but druids have much knowledge
and power, too. Many of them are physicians and bards. It is even
said that Esylt, Maelgwn’s sister, knows some of the old magic
arts.”

“She is a sorceress?” Aurora asked in
horror.

Elwyn smiled nervously. “I’m sure if she had
any real power, she would have used it against her enemies long
ago. No doubt it is just a story told by the common people.”

They rode in silence for a while. Although
she sensed his reticence to talk further, Aurora finally dared to
ask the young man beside her the question that had been troubling
her all along: “Elwyn, I must ask you, and you must be honest for
my sake—will the people of Gwynedd accept me as queen?”

The young man looked distinctly
uncomfortable, and Aurora sensed that he did not want to answer
her. He looked away and then back at her. “You do not look much
like a Cymraes,” he said softly. “But certainly we could not hope
to have a more lovely queen.”

The compliment made Aurora blush, but she
was not satisfied with his flattering answer. He seemed to be
avoiding the intent of her question completely.

“But will they...” Aurora searched for a
dignified way of asking if she would ever be treated as anything
other than a war trophy, “Will they respect me?”

Elwyn sighed. “I don’t know. The Cymru are
not over-fond of outsiders, but Maelgwn is a strong king and you
are his wife, so no one will dare mistreat you or show you
disrespect.”

The young man’s face seemed very earnest and
sincere, and Aurora knew he didn’t mean to upset her, but Elwyn’s
words did little to reassure her. There was something in his manner
that led her to believe that her reception at Caer Eryri would not
be pleasant.

“And Maelgwn’s sister?” she asked Elwyn,
thinking out loud. “Will she accept me?”

Elwyn looked startled, and Aurora’s
uneasiness grew. After a moment, Elwyn regained his composure, and
when he spoke, she sensed that he was choosing his words with the
utmost care.

“You must remember that Maelgwn has never
had a wife or a consort before, and his sister has always managed
his household. It will be a change for her, and she is a woman who
loves power. I... I’m afraid Esylt may not greet you
graciously.”

Aurora could not stop the chill that ran
through her at

Elwyn’s words. Her place at Maelgwn’s side
seemed very much in doubt. It was quite possible Maelgwn would
continue to regard his sister as the most important woman in his
household. Aurora might well be relegated to being nothing more
than his bed partner.

They stopped to eat well past midday. Elwyn
brought Aurora soldier’s rations of dried meat and coarse bread and
some disgusting heather beer. She sat on the sheepskins he had
spread on the ground for her and ate the dry, tasteless food,
feeling uncomfortable and very lonely. Elwyn ate with the other
soldiers a few paces away, and the sound of their quiet,
comfortable talk increased Aurora’s misery and sense of
isolation.

Although she tried to quell it, her seething
resentment of Maelgwn was returning. Why had he not let her bring a
maid to wait upon her? How was she to manage with only a group of
soldiers for assistance? She thought she would die of embarrassment
when she had to walk to a secluded grove of trees to relieve
herself and several of the soldiers began to follow her.
Fortunately, Elwyn guessed her mission and called them back, but
Aurora still fumed at Maelgwn’s lack of consideration. As she
returned to the soldiers, something inside of her seemed to snap.
She was hot and dirty, miserable and lonely. She decided Maelgwn
deserved his reputation as a barbarian. Certainly he had no idea
how to treat a decent woman. She had to change that. When she saw
him tonight she must make his responsibilities to her very clear.
He had to do something to improve her situation while they
traveled, and while she was at it, she would also speak to him
about her role in his life when they arrived at Caer Eryri.

* * *

All day Maelgwn’s mind had turned
irresistibly to the thought of Aurora’s soft, yielding body beneath
his. To his delight, his new wife had turned out to be a wildly
passionate woman. Their lovemaking this morning had been
intoxicating, and it made Maelgwn smile just to think of it. The
eagerness he had sensed in Aurora in the garden had been real
enough, and she had unfolded to him like a flower blooming—a lush,
perfect flower. She was so beautiful and smelled so wonderful, he
could hardly believe she was his.

It had disturbed him to see how sad and
desolate she looked when their lovemaking was over, but perhaps
that was normal. He had always heard it was not so good for women
the first time. But from now on it would get better. He would do
all the things he knew to please her. If only night would come, so
he could go to her. The day dragged on, hot and tedious. Maelgwn
was glad he could occupy his mind with the details and problems of
moving such a large army. More than once he thought of going back
to see her but decided against it. The sight of Aurora would arouse
too many delicious memories, and he would be uncomfortable the rest
of the day.

At last it was sunset, and they were able to
set up camp. Maelgwn ate quickly and saw to the few items that
couldn’t wait. Then, with the bawdy jests of his men echoing in his
ears—was his eagerness that obvious?—Maelgwn made his way to his
tent. Elwyn was standing guard nearby.

“How does the queen?” he asked the young
soldier.

Elwyn looked uncomfortable. “I do not think
she is very happy. Perhaps she is homesick.”

Maelgwn lifted up the tent flap with a
smile. He would make her happy now, he thought with
satisfaction.

“Good evening, my lady,” he greeted Aurora,
bowing and smiling. He moved close for a kiss, but she backed
away.

“Maelgwn, I must talk to you,”

“Talk to me?”

“I cannot stand it!” she said emphatically.
“I will not travel this way—eating horrible food and always feeling
dirty and uncomfortable.”

“The food?” Maelgwn was puzzled. He had not
thought of what his wife was to eat.