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

of my new saddle "Joanna sat upright "What saddle7""The saddle with ivory pommel and cantle, a silver girth buckle The saddle over in yon corner, covered with a blanket ""You wretch, that was to be your New Year's gift1" Joanna grabbed for a pillowLlewelyn was laughing too much to defend himself, and she was able to deliver several blows before he could pin her down against the mattress"My lord, my lady, I'm so sorry1" Branwen was standing in the doorway, looking so flustered that Llewelyn and Joanna could not help laughing But their laughter stilled abruptly at sight of the man standing behind Branwen, for he wore the colors of the English KingBranwen was still blushing "I did knock, in truth," she said faintly, stepping aside so the courier could enterKneeling, he held out a sealed parchment As Llewelyn reached for it, he said hesitantly, "It it is not for you, my lord, but for your lady "Llewelyn glanced toward Joanna She'd lost color, made no move to take John's letter After a moment, Llewelyn claimed it, laid it on the bed beside her"Are you not going to read it7"Joanna shook her head She rolled over, clutched the pillow to her breast She heard the door shut, heard one of Llewelyn's wolfhounds whimpering for admittance She closed her eyes What more did he want of her? Why would he not let her be?Joanna, I think you ought to read it He must have answered you within a day of getting your letter That speaks of urgency, breila "I cannot I know that sounds foolish, but in truth I cannot You read it for me, Llewelyn please "She felt his hand touch her hair, and then he said, "As you wish," br°ke the seal g,...as he scanned the first line, "To my beloved daughter Joanna, Lady re H8reetmgs," Llewelyn was suddenly reluctant to read further, to a letter never meant for his eyes "Joanna lease," she said, surreptitiously drying her tears against the pil-

442low, not wanting him to know that she could be so unnerved just by th sight ofJohn's handwriting.Llewelyn was staring down at John's letter; he'd had to read it tvvic before he could banish disbelief. "Jesus God," he breathed, and there was in the look he now gave his wife no small measure of awe. "He's agreed to your request, Joanna. He's agreed to release my hostages.""He did that ... for me?" Joanna gasped, grabbed for the letter John's words soon blurred; the writing wavered, bled black ink wherever her tears touched the page. Looking up at last, she said softly, "BU( not Gruffydd."She put her hand on his, half fearful he might pull away. He did not move; he was staring past her, dark eyes blind to the morning sunlight the familiar furnishings of the chamber. For four Welsh families this would be a Christmas never to be forgotten, a time to give fervent thanks for the manifold mercies of God. Their sons would be coming home.But his son would not. Gruffydd would pass yet another Christmas in an English castle, his fourth as a prisoner. Shut away from the sun and sky, how long could a wild, free spirit survive? How long could he live on hope? How long ere he began to look upon death as a friend, as deliverance?36RHOSYR, NORTH WALESMarch 1215ON January 6, 1215, Eustace de Vesci, Rob«j Fitz Walter, and the more recalcitrant of the English barons came arrne to John's council in London, where they demanded that John con their traditional liberties, as embodied in the ancient laws of Edwar^ Confessor and the charter of Henry I. John played for time, refusin^ give them his answer until Low Sunday, April 26, and the barons tantly agreed to wait. John at once dispatched a trusted agent to

443tace de Vesci followed soon after, for the barons, too, understood t how critical the Pope's support would be Both sides then began to PpareforwarANNA leaned over her daughter's bed Elen turned her face into the jllow, mumbled, "Nos da, Mam "Joanna hesitated, but decided it was best to allow Elen her aggrieved sense of injury, Elen was seven, old enough for pride "I bid you od night, too, dearest," she said gently, and then crossed the chamber to her sonDavydd was wide awake, primed with questions to forestall bedtime "Tell me whyPapa has gone, Mama " His French was flawless, but Joanna knew that Welsh came more readily to his tongue, that Welsh formed his thoughts, and that realization had been a surprisingly unsettling one for her, as if a barrier had somehow been erected, leaving her on one side and her children on the other"Your father and the other Welsh Princes have gone to Rhyd y Groes to meet with the new Bishop of Chester and Coventry, who brings an offer of alliance from the English King "The English King But what else could she say7 Your grandfather7 When not a day passed that Davydd did not hear John vilified as a child-slayer, as Herod7Davydd was so young, how could she expect a six-year-old to understand what she herself could not at twentythree7 Was it not better to wait until he was older, until he began to ask questions7 Mayhap by then she'd have some answers for him Joanna reached out, playfully rumpled Davydd's dark hair, and hoped she was being honest with herself, that she was truly thinking of Davydd andElen's pain and not her ownLlewelyn returned that same night, shortly after Compline As glad as Joanna was to see him, she was not eager to hear what he had to say, 50 sure was she that he'd spurned her father's olive branch She delayed e 'nevitable with feigned cheer, with an animated account of all that« happened in his absence, and while he ate sparingly of smoked wring and rice, she told him that his Seneschal was still ailing, that nyved's wife had given birth to a daughter, and Elen