Here Be Dragons - 1 by Sharon Penman (best inspirational books txt) 📕

neither one of them expected John to act with such f^655' sm§le~ minded resolve, or with such stunning speed.He at once set about making ready for a second V^elsl? camPai§^ and because he was both willing and able to subordina^ a e s aim, by early July a large army was assembling at the bof .A?WI?C TUaimHil A Ifl_ryV_UA»y J IA.L Jt»I.UJ.t^_WlillJT»Ut^MUkJ^iilfJ-ill^ttV 111CUJ «.»-t1 rpUBlanc Minster by the Normans and Croes Oswallt by '^ ,beans time he'd provided for pack horses heavily laden w'' Sa ,'cheese, flour, and sides of bacon and beef. He'd also sui^1??.116 ^ j ters and craftsmen, brought along laborers as well as 0"spades, axes, picks, and nails. , ig.On the second Friday in July they moved into Upfel(( J re-welyn's cousin and ally, Madog ap Gruffydd, prudent!/ . -n At sistance, let the English army pass unmolested through we|]- the same time, John's allies Maelgwn and Rhys Gry^coordinated plan of attack from the south. e^Swinging up the Vale of Llangollen, John crossed 'n °^ began pressed on toward the River Conwy. And as he pushed ^' ^ (or-to build Norman castles on Welsh soil. They were has* ^ 6 nters tresses, constructed of Welsh timber by conscripted Enjj'lS

329Rut they were also symbols of power, of the might of the English crown, nd each one cast a foreboding shadow over the countryside it now controlledLlewelyn was hopelessly outmanned, was forced to fall back before the inexorable advance of the English army/ to withdraw into the deepest reaches of Eryn as John swept all before him First Rhuddlan Castle and then Deganwy were reclaimed, and in the fourth week of July, John's men crossed the RiverConwy It was the first time in well over a hundred years that an English invasion force had penetrated this far into GwyneddAfter sacking the Cistercian monastery at Aberconwy, John encamped his army upon the west bank of the river, then dispatched a large raiding party up the coast With Welsh guides provided by Gwenwynwyn, they made their way through the pass of Penmaenmawr, on to Llewelyn's deserted palace at Aber, which they put to the torch From Aber they rode for Bangor Fawr yn Arfon, the episcopal see for the diocese of Bangor, where they dragged the Bishop from the HighAltar, brought him back a prisoner to John's camp by the Conwy But before they did, they set fire to the cathedral church, burned every house in Bangor to the groundAT dusk, Llewelyn's young allies, Owam ap Gruffydd and his brother Rhys leunac, rode up from the south Her private chamber having been appropriated for a council of war, Joanna was at a loss as to where to go, unwilling to subject herself to the stares in the great hall She'd thought her husband's countrymen had long ago reconciled themselves to his alien English consort, but during the past weeks she'd come to realize how tenuous that acceptance was As her father's army moved into the very heartland of Llewelyn's realm, there were many who looked upon Joanna and saw not Llewelyn's wife, Davydd andElen's mother, saw only John's daughterJoanna finally climbed the stairwell up to the battlements that enclosed the gabled roof of Dolwyddelan's keep, her need to be alone prevailing over her dislike of heights Even this refuge she had to share w'th several sentries, but they seemed to sense her mood, kept prudently to the other side of the walkwayThe keep towered more than forty feet up into the twilight sky By flight the view was breathtaking, affording panoramic vistas of the ^ver Lledr below and the mountains beyond But as darkness de-*erided over the vale, Joanna's attention was riveted upon the horizon [ j pale reddish glow lit the sky to the north She knew what it was, evvelyn had gotten word hours ago that Bangor was burning

330fr *332Joanna set her lantern on the embrasure, unable to take her eye from that eerily streaking sky. By dawn, all of Bangor would be reduced to ashes and charred rubble. Aber still smoldered. How long, she w0n dered, ereDolwyddelan, too, fell to her father's army?By now it was full dark. So absorbed was Joanna in her own pur. gatory that she failed to hear approaching footsteps, started violently when Morgan touched her arm.They stood in silence for some moments, Joanna studying him through her lashes. She knew he was in his middle fifties, although he looked much younger, for he had a magnificent head of silvered hair and sculptured cheekbones that aging only enhanced. In every sense but the biological one, he was a father to Llewelyn, and Joanna had tried repeatedly over the years to break through that cool, disciplined exterior, to bypass the priest and befriend the man, but to no avail. He kept others at a distance no less effectively than did Adda. Only with Llewelyn did he permit himself the luxury of emotional intimacy, and Joanna often wondered if he'd acknowledged even to himself how deep the bond between them was, that Llewelyn was a son in all but blood."Owain ap Gruffydd brought news, Madame, that I think you should know. LordHywel of Meirionydd and Prince Madog have deserted Llewelyn, have gone over to your father.""Jesu, no! But they are Llewelyn's cousins, his blood kin!""They are also frightened men trying to save what is theirs. They see Llewelyn as doomed, do not want to be dragged down with him."Joanna stared at him in silence, trying desperately to get her fear under control, trying not to panic. Maelgwn and Rhys Gryg and Gwenwynwyn were already fighting for John. With Prince Madog's defection, Llewelyn would be utterly isolated, surrounded, facing enemies on every side."If what you're saying be true," she whispered, "then Llewelyn is trapped, trapped with no way out.""Yes," he said dully, "I know. And so does Llewelyn."JOANNA could hear angry voices while still in the stairwell. But as sne followed Morgan into the chamber, a sudden silence settled over tn room.