Serpent (30 page)

“Nay,” he said. “I doubt anything less than a broadsword would nick me through these wrappings. They would make fine armor.”

Bhrodi got his first good look at Penelope’s brother; he was a mixture of his parents with his father’s dark hair and mother’s pale eyes. He was actually quite handsome, rather average in height but with that muscular de Wolfe build that all of the men in the family seemed to have. Moreover, he seemed friendly enough. After the circumstances of his injury, Bhrodi wasn’t entirely sure how the man would view him. He seemed rather pleasant, in fact.

“Dwyn was my grandfather’s surgeon,” Bhrodi said. “He has been a healer for more years than I have been alive. He soaks the linen bandages in vinegar and then once he has wrapped the wound, he puts
a mixture of flour and water all over them to harden them on the outside. That is why they are stiff like armor, but the method protects the injury quite well.”

Penelope knocked on her brother’s wrappings, grinning when she realized they were, indeed, very stiff. “I hadn’t looked closely at them,” she said, looking at her brother. “Has he taken great care of you?”

Thomas nodded. “He comes every morning when I awaken and also every night before I got to sleep,” he said. Then he glanced at Bhrodi. “Does the man speak any English?”

Bhrodi shook his head. “Not a word.”

Thomas grunted. “No wonder he would not speak to me,” he said. “I thought it was because I was English.”
              As Bhrodi grinned and began to pour some wine, Tacey entered the hall. She was eating something, which seemed to be usual with her as of late, and she planted herself next to her brother as he poured another cup of wine. Bhrodi was preparing to hand it to Penelope but Tacey snatched it and drank deeply. Bhrodi frowned.

“That was not meant for you,” he scolded softly. “Unless it is offered to you, do not take it.”

Contrite, Tacey hung her head but she still continued to put bits of cheese in her mouth. Thomas and Penelope looked at the girl, varying degrees of smirks on their faces. Penelope finally spoke, simply to move past the scolding.

“Tacey, have you met my brother?” she asked. “He has been sleeping in your former chamber.”

Tacey’s head came up, timidly, as Penelope introduced them. “Tacey, this is Sir Thomas de Wolfe,” she said. “Thomas, this is Bhrodi’s sister, the Lady Tacey de Shera ap Gruffydd. Her husband was a son of Dafydd ap Gruffydd.”

Thomas knew that name only too well; every Englishman did. He nodded his head politely. “My lady.”

Tacey bobbed her head nervously and looked at her lap again, or what was left of it with her blooming belly. There wasn’t much more to say by way of introduction or greeting, so Penelope shifted the subject.

“How is
Kevin, Thomas?” she asked. “Is he coming down to eat, also?”

Thomas shook his head. “Nay,” he replied. “He seems better but the old surgeon has forbidden him from moving about too much. He says the man must heal.”

“And I will only heal if I am allowed to walk and breathe,” came a voice from the hall entry. They all turned to see Kevin standing there, dressed in the tunic he was stabbed in and leaning against the door jamb wearily. When he saw that everyone was looking at him, he pushed himself off the wall and continued, very slowly and stiffly, into the hall. “I am tired of lying in bed and being fed mashed-up food. I am going to eat like a man tonight if it kills me.”

Penelope was already up, rushing to him to help him walk but he waved her off. She stood there and frowned at him as he plodded
, hunched-over, to the table.

“Look at you,” she scolded, following him at a distance. “You walk like an old man. You should not be up!”

Kevin was holding his torso with his left arm as he walked. “That may be, but I am nonetheless on my feet,” he said, his gaze coming to rest on Bhrodi as the man sat at the table. “My lord, may I join you for sup?”

Bhrodi eyed the very big knight. After what he’d heard the other night when the man had declared his love for Penelope, he wasn’t exactly glad to see him but he would not deny
him a seat at his table. He had invited him, after all. He gestured to a seat without saying a word and turned back to his wine.

Penelope could see, in that gesture, that what Bhrodi had heard in the darkened chamber between her and
Kevin had indeed left a mark. The man had been very polite to Thomas but when Kevin had appeared, his manner cooled considerably. Not that she blamed him. But it was important that she show attention to Bhrodi in Kevin’s presence. She thought perhaps it would reassure Bhrodi that whatever the knight had said had no meaning to her. Even if Bhrodi wouldn’t discuss what he had heard, Penelope could still show him that her loyalty was with him. She was his wife, after all.

As
Kevin gingerly took a seat next to Tacey, Penelope went to Bhrodi and sat next to him. Usually, she sat across from him so he could look into her face. He seemed to like being able to speak with her face to face. But she resumed a seat next to her husband and he looked at her, seemingly pleased, as she claimed a cup of wine and put it to her lips. As she drank, her gaze fixed on his, she couldn’t help but notice the warm glimmer in the dark green eyes. Beneath the table, his hand came to rest on her knee and it was enough to make her heart skip a beat. It was the first true display of affection, in a public place no less, that she’d ever received from him. She was thrilled.

As Penelope relished the feel of Bhrodi’s warm hand against her leg,
the serving wenches began bringing out steaming bowls of food and great, trenchers of bread that sat atop big wooden trays. The pork that Penelope had so gleefully butchered was produced, smothered in a rich gravy that had apples and cloves in it. There was plenty of food to go around and Tacey, in her eagerness, ended up on her knees on the bench, shoving pork into her mouth and reaching across the table to grab at bowls of pears soaked in honey, or carrots with dill and herbs. There was also a big bowl of beans and pieces of pork simmered in a sauce made from onions and garlic.

In all, it was a massive
spread, fit for a king, and soon enough the commanders of Bhrodi’s
teulu
joined them. Ivor, Gwyllim, and Yestin joined the meal, eating peacefully alongside English knights that had once been considered their enemy. Now, they didn’t seem so much like the enemy any more. Because of Penelope, they were now family. Penelope realized she felt comfortable with them for the first time since her arrival. Aye, she was most definitely settling in and they even began to include her in conversation. Soon, the entire table was chatting, even Kevin, and it seemed like a calm and pleasant meal.

The only commander missing was Ianto
. That wasn’t unusual because the man had command of Rhydilian, setting posts for the night and taking some of the burden of command off of Bhrodi at times. But tonight, there was more to it than that; deep inside the keep with its three-foot thick walls, the feasting inhabitants hadn’t heard the cry from the sentries out in the gatehouse, nor had they been aware of the man-door in the massive outer gates opening to admit a lone rider.

Ianto had been there, in his diligence, and he had heard the message that the rider had
been ordered to deliver. It was a message for Bhrodi, a most important message, and once Ianto had obtained all the information, he had told the gate sentries to feed the messenger as he ran for the keep.

After tonight, things would never be the same again
.

⌘

Welsh Marches

“Castell y Bere has fallen to the English,” William told his men, gathered in his great tent. They had been on the border of Wales and England, heading home, when they had come into contact with a gaggle of English soldiers on their way out of Wales. That gaggle had brought much news with them. “Dafydd ap Gruffydd has escaped the siege and it is suspected that he is moving north.”

Paris and Kieran, as the oldest and most experienced men of the group, cast each other concerned glances.
They had been through Henry’s wars and now they were going through even worse wars with his son, the very powerful Edward. The man had a blood lust that his father had never had so this was serious news, indeed.

“
The Welsh prince has been running from Edward for quite some time now,” Paris said quietly. “I was unaware there was a siege at Castell y Bere.”

William nodded grimly. “Dafydd started the rebellion in the north last fall and he has been battling Edward ever since,” he said. “Why do you think our king was so determined to secure Anglesey?
He wants de Shera neutralized but if that is not possible, then he certainly wants the man’s allegiance. If Bhrodi de Shera jumps into this fight, then all of northern Wales will be in turmoil because de Shera is nearly unbeatable in the field. But if Dafydd has escaped Edward once again and is moving north….”

“… then he could very well seek refuge and support with de Shera,” Kieran finished.

William nodded gravely. It was the logical path of progression in Dafydd’s war against Edward. As William drew in a deep breath and pondered the information, Scott spoke.

“We cannot turn back for Rhydilian, Father,” he said. “We carry women with us. We are not prepared for battle.”

William nodded. “I am well aware of that,” he said. “We could, however, send the women and an escort back to Questing while we return to Rhydilian to see if Dafydd shows himself there.”

“And then what?” Scott wanted to know. “We would be fourteen knights against Dafydd and his men. Moreover, Bhrodi is now your son. What if he sides with Dafydd? Do we fight against Bhrodi or with him?”

William eyed his eldest son; the man had a point. After a moment, William simply shook his head. “I do not know,” he admitted. “The marital contract was for peace so I suppose I could neither fight for him or against him.”

“So we would let Dafydd ap Gruffydd do as he pleases and not intervene?” Troy spoke up, incredulous. “Father, we are English and our loyalty is to Edward over all
others. We could not side with de Shera.”

William knew that; God, he knew that all too well
. This was extraordinarily serious news and he was greatly torn by it. He knew what his duty dictated, but he also had a marriage contract to consider with his daughter involved. He was in a terrible position and they all knew it. With a heavy sigh, he turned away from the group, his thoughts pensive and sorrowful. It was several long and painful moments before he spoke again.

“If de Shera decides to support
Dafydd, then the marriage contract would be void,” he muttered, turning to the group of powerful knights that filled his tent. “If the marriage contract is void, then Penny is in great danger.”

“So what do we do?” Troy demanded, but it was without force. “
Do we go back to Wales and rescue my sister?”

William lingered on the question. “
Nay,” he said, although it was killing him to say it. He very much wanted to run back into Wales and get his daughter. “I think we need to find Edward. I must consult with him before we do anything.”

“But what about Penny?” Troy wanted to know. “Do we just leave her to the mercy of the enemy?”

William shook his head. “De Shera is her husband, not the enemy,” he said, “and we do not know for certain if Dafydd has even made it to Rhydilian. It is all speculation at this point. Therefore, it is my inclination to find our king and discuss all of this with him. He will want to know what we know, and I require his counsel on how to proceed. To act foolishly and rashly would not do Penny any good at all. For now, we must trust that de Shera is still our ally.”

He was proceeding rationally, which at this point was the best course of
action. But Kieran spoke softly.

“
Kevin and Thomas are at Rhydilian,” he reminded them. “If de Shera decides to support Dafydd, they will more than likely become prisoners.”

William shook his head firmly. “Penny would not allow it and you know it,” he said
. “For now, we must seek Edward. Apollo, Adonis, Alec, and Nathaniel will take the women back to Questing along with half of our men as escort. The rest of us will proceed into Wales to find Edward. The last intelligence I received said he was Corwen Castle, so we will proceed there. I must know what the king says to all of this.”

“And if he demands
you fight against de Shera?” Scott wanted to know. “What then, Father? Do you fight against Penny?”

William sighed heavily; the mere thought made him ill
. After a moment, he shook his head. “I am not for certain,” he said. “I must seek counsel from a higher source in that matter.”

He went to find Jordan.

⌘

Rhydilian Castle

“Dafydd is at Dolbadarn Castle,” Ianto said. “He has requested aid from you
. He is facing an English onslaught and he requires your support.”

Bhrodi was listening to Ianto’s message with both disbelief and indecision. They were standing just outside of the keep and had been ever since Ianto had entered the hall in the midst of a very pleasant meal and requested a private audience with his liege
. Bhrodi had complied and had been the recipient of some very serious news; the last Prince of Wales, Dafydd ap Gruffydd, was running from Edward and needed Bhrodi’s help. After Ianto delivered the bulk of the information, Bhrodi sighed heavily. There was regret there.

“What about
Castell y Bere?” he asked. “Who was in command?”

“Cynfrid ap Madog,” Ianto replied quietly. “He surrendered the garrison but did it in a way that allowed Dafydd time to escape with his entire family.”

Bhrodi listened closely. “And he went to Dolbadarn?”

“Aye, my lord.”

“Who holds that garrison?”

“I am not certain, my lord.”

Bhrodi was silent a moment, pondering. His mind worked very quickly and he already had a thousand questions and a thousand solutions. But he needed more information.

“Where is the messenger?” he asked.

“In the gatehouse,” Ianto replied.

Bhrodi’s
gaze moved to the massive gatehouse, silhouetted against the full moon. “Bring him to me,” he instructed. “Make sure he speaks to no one else. I will question him personally.”

Ianto nodded and went along his way. Bhrodi remained at the top of the keep steps, thinking many things at that moment. He realized his first instinct was to support Dafydd and give the man what he needed, but upon the heels of that thought came another, more prevalent thought – he was now married to an English woman and he had a peace accord with Edward
.

But peace went both ways; Edward was obviously continuing his attempts to conquer Wales if Dafydd was now on the run
. The situation had been quiet as of late, which had given him hope that perhaps Edward was backing off, but he could see it had been a foolish hope. All of northern Wales was compromised except for Anglesey. Here, there was still some peace, but that wouldn’t last long, Bhrodi knew. He knew Edward would eventually come for him, treaty or no. Penelope had known it too, as she had indicated before they were even married. Bhrodi had hoped to have more time before he had to deal with that but it looked as if he had no time at all. Dafydd was about to be crushed and once he was out of the way, Bhrodi would be the next target.

With heavy thoughts of warfare on his mind, Bhrodi
met the messenger from Dafydd on the steps of Rhydilian. The messenger was very young and Bhrodi recognized him as one of Dafydd’s illegitimate sons. The man had many of them. The lad was still a youth, perhaps not quite twenty years of age, very thin and exhausted. The young man acknowledged Bhrodi respectfully.

“
Fy arglwydd
de Shera,” he greeted. “
Rwy'n diolch i Dduw fy mod wedi eich cyrraedd.”

I thank God I have reached you
.
Bhrodi spoke Welsh to the lad. “And so you have,” he said. “Where is Dafydd?”

“At Dolbadarn, my lord,” the lad replied. “Baedden ap Ceron is the garrison commander and is providing for Lord Dafydd, but he is very short on men and requires your assistance. He asks you to send him no less than five thousand men. Can you do this, my lord?”

Bhrodi didn’t outwardly react to the enormous amount of men requested, but he was shocked by it. “Why so many men?”

The boy swallowed hard. “Because Edward closes in on him, my lord,” he replied. “It is thought that Edward has ten thousand men surging
north through Wales, destroying everything to get to Dafydd. They come for him, my lord, and Dafydd has asked for your help.”

Ten thousand men
. If that was true, then things were worse than Bhrodi could have imagined. All he could feel at the moment was a great sense of foreboding. Once Edward was finished razing Dolbadarn, there would be little between the castle and Anglesey. Edward would soon be on his doorstep.

Bhrodi had two choices; he could fight for Wales and hopefully keep Anglesey free of English rule, or he could refuse to help Davydd and embrace the English when they came to his lands
. But he knew very well he couldn’t welcome them; he was Welsh and fighting was in his blood. This was his land, and his people, and so long as Edward left them alone, Bhrodi wasn’t going to start any wars. But Edward was acting with great aggression towards the Welsh, trying to force them into submission. That being the case, Bhrodi would defend what was his. He would not go down without a fight.

“When does he need them?” he
finally asked the lad.

The boy wiped at his exhausted eyes. “As soon as possible, my lord,” he said. “Dafydd had just arrived at Dolbadarn when he sent me to find you, and it took me almost four days
. He fears the English are not far off.”

“He wants us to go to Dolbadarn?”

“Aye, my lord.”

“What of his other strongholds in Snowdonia? We are not to go there?”

“Nay, my lord. He asked for you to go to the castle.”

Bhrodi digested the information
; he wasn’t entirely sure about going to a castle that the English were closing in on because that might leave them vulnerable should they run into the English on open ground. But he agreed.

“Very well,” he said. “
I have a meeting with my chieftains tomorrow morning and I will consult with them. For tonight, you will rest and eat, and you will tell no one what you told me. Is that clear?”

The boy nodded firmly. “Aye, my lord.”

With that, Bhrodi flicked at hand at Ianto, indicating for the man to take the young messenger away. As they headed off back towards the gatehouse, Bhrodi turned for the keep. His mind was on the news he had been given and the situation in general as he entered, hearing the distant voices in the feasting hall, realizing that he was going to have to tell Penelope what had happened. She was a warrior, after all; she would understand the path of their present and the course of the future. She was as involved in it as he was and he came to wonder what her reaction would be. Would she staunchly defend the English? Or would she submit to her husband’s will in all things? He wondered.

It would be a pivotal moment for them both.

⌘

Penelope had remained in the hall well after the evening meal was concluded, waiting for Bhrodi to return
. She sat in small talk with Thomas and Kevin, and even Tacey when the girl stopped eating long enough to speak. Ivor, Gwyllim, and Yestin also politely conversed with her and even the English knights when the conversation called for it. When the
teulu
commanders did speak, Penelope found herself studying them simply because she was curious about them. They were always nearby, but always silent, like shadows. She didn’t know them at all, yet she lived in the same keep with them.

Ivor
was a tall, handsome man with dark hair who seemed to do most of the talking for all three. He also had a habit of scratching his face repeatedly, which Penelope thought was rather humorous. Gwyllim was older, quieter, and seem to be watching the situation much as she was. Yestin, oddly enough, came across as very arrogant when he did open his mouth, as if he was bored with the entire conversation. It didn’t matter who he was talking to; Welsh, English, man or woman. Everyone seemed to bore him.

As the evening dragged on and the food was cleared away, Tacey somehow convinced Thomas to play a board game with her
. She ran all the way up to her chamber to get it, bringing it down and setting it upon the table between them. It was called Fox and Geese, and a hand-painted wooded path encircled the game board with the game pieces being small carved wooden foxes or geese.