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

Chester glanced toward Johi then took it upon himself to say, "Need I point out, my lord, that you' m no position to refuse anything the King might demand of you?"- making it a simple statement of fact when another man might ha^ turned it into a mocking taunt."He's holding two sons of mine," a voice close at hand said i Welsh, andLlewelyn turned, stared for a startled moment into the ic blue eyes of an old enemy. Maelgwn seemed surprised himself, as if h words had somehow come of their own volition. He shrugged, mu mured coolly, "Mae yn rhy hwyr edifaru ar ol i'r ffagl gyneu."It was an oft-quoted Welsh proverb, one Llewelyn knew well: It too late to repent after the flame is kindled.He looked from Maelgwn to Chester, realizing that these two mei the most unlikely of allies, were, nevertheless, trying to do him a goc turn, to remind him of the wretched realities of defeat, the likely cons> quences of refusal.He realized, too, that they were right. But how i Christ's blessed name could he ever do what was being demandec How could he give up his son to John, toJohn of all men?John was smiling faintly. "The boy is in the camp; it would be eas enough to take him. But I've a question to put to you first, my loi Prince of Gwynedd.You speak with such passion of your concern f< your people, speak as if you truly care whether they have meat to put i their bellies. Tell me, then, how you can agree to offer up other men sons, whilst refusing to yield your own."Llewelyn sucked in his breath. He no longer looked defiant, looke shaken, andJohn took some satisfaction from that, but it was m enough, not nearly enough.He rose from his chair, and Llewelyn took a step toward the dai will YourGrace spare me a few moments . . . alone?"John frowned, but curiosity won out, and he nodded, waved tf0 her men away from the dais. They retreated with obvious reluctano0 less curious than he. As soon as they were out of earshot, he d< "landed, "Well? What have you to say to me?" ^ Just this." Llewelyn had advanced to the first step of the dais. ' . ant y°u to remember," he said, "that if Gruffydd is your hostag< Joanr>a is mine."

348I!T349John's eyes widened. "What mean you by that? You'd never hu^ Joanna!""No, I would not. I care very deeply for her. And I'm willing t0 concede that you care, too.""Of course I care!" John snapped. "What of it?""You know now that Joanna loves me. But she loves you, too, and however angry you are with her, I do not think you want to lose that love. Am I wrong?"John was frowning again. "Go on," he said curtly. "Get to the point.""As I said, Joanna still loves you. But there are things she does not know, that I've kept from her. Mayhap they'd make no difference to her if she knew.Mayhap they'd make all the difference in the world. Do you want to risk it?""You expect me to believe you'd do that to Joanna, use her as a weapon against me?"Llewelyn gave a harsh, bitter laugh. "You expect me to believe you would not?"John bit back a hot retort. "What do you want?" he said at last."I want you to remember that your quarrel is with me, not with my son.""He is a hostage, not a scapegoat. You have nothing to fear for him as long as you keep faith." John paused. "In a very real sense, his fate is in your hands, not mine."THE Chapter House was lit by a single, smoking rushlight, cluttered with overturned benches and the debris of soldiers who'd been using it as a barracks. It was a somber setting for what Llewelyn had to say, but it did offer privacy. When he'd exited the frater hall, he'd found Joanna andGruffydd waiting in the cloisters. They'd followed him obediently into theChapter House, showed themselves to be sensitive to his mood by asking no questions. They watched as he wandered about the chamber, kicking aside empty wine flasks, until Gruffydd could stand the suspense no longer."Are you not going to tell us what happened, Papa? What does he want?""All of Gwynedd west of the Conwy, twenty thousand cattle, and thirty hostages." Llewelyn had half hoped his son might guess t e truth, butGruffydd's face showed only outrage. Whirling about, glared accusingly atJoanna."I tried to tell you, Papa, that she was not to be trusted!""Do not talk foolishness, Gruffydd. If not for Joanna, there'd hav been no terms at all." Llewelyn glanced over at his wife. "I owe her a ^eat deal. We all do."He knew no easy way to tell the boy, and the longer he delayed, the harder it would get. "John demands that you be one of the hostages, Gruffydd/>Gruffydd gasped, stared at him, eyes dark with disbelief. "And . . . and you agreed?""I had no choice, lad.""No ..." Gruffydd backed away. "She got you to do this! So her son will be your only heir, so he'll""That's not true! I did not know my father would""Liar! He did it for you, for you and your God-cursed son!""Gruffydd, that is enough!" In the silence that settled over the chamber, Llewelyn faced a very ugly truth, one he'd sought for five years to deny. He'd long known that Joanna and Gruffydd did not get along, but he'd succeeded in convincing himself that it was no more than the natural strain between a stepmother and a child not hers, that their relationship would mend asGruffydd matured. Now he looked at Joanna and Gruffydd, and was forced to acknowledge that the son he loved and the woman he loved would never be reconciled, would never be other than implacable enemies, each one begrudging the other a place in his heart, in his life.Standing there in the dimly lit Chapter House, he could,