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

n morning's assault. But on the battMrt*ttlefield you can take nothing for gran. /ited, Davydd, nothing. Careless meie/nen do not make old bones, lad.""I was so scared b d for you, Papa. Were . . . were you sc.^5~ared, too?Llewelyn turned bsd, looked into the hazel eyes upturr*_med to his, Joanna's eyes. "Not wlw "whilst we were fighting, Davydd. Yov-r^rn do not have time to be afraid dunu uring a battle, are too busy trying to ^s stay alive. DUafterward, when youwoou think about it, about all the loathsorrrme ways ther*are to die, I suspect n 11 most men feel fear. I have, for certes. . ." , Davydd no long«griger met his eyes. "I've heard men say that Grutty knows no fear" y"Do not measuni/iare yourself against Gruffydd, lad. I ct-*_rriose you as .heir because I saw in v in you qualities of leadership." Llew^^-elyn hesi a ^for it was not easy t.j v to say. "I did not find those qualities - in Grut y

561trust you not to repeat that to anyone else But I trust you, t member it ""Llewelyn1" Ednyved was leaning over the wall embras Braose wants to talk, says he'll send his son out if you'll wa safety ""Agreed " Llewelyn looked at Davydd and then grinned I'll even invite him to dinner'"THE tents of English kings were opulent, even sumptuous, , enough for privacy as well as comfort Llewelyn s tent was of modest scale, for even if he'd had the resources to indulge hirr Welshman could have respected a commander who went to ^ feather mattresses and silver plate Llewelyn contented himsel]pallet, and when dinner was served, he and his guests sat in a c the ground, just as his men did around their campfiresIf Will de Braose thought Llewelyn's accommodations spa did not show in his face The Marcher lords tended to be a hard robust and tough-minded as theWelsh they fought and befriend< Will ate with gusto, even knowing that he was being served on< own beef cows As much as it irked Gruffydd to hear Normans i his tongue, it offended him even more to hear one speak such Welsh, and he was hard-pressed to manage even a semblance liteness He would never understand how his father could bring ^ to eat and drink with their enemies, never' It scarcely seems fair to repay your hospitality with what 1 r, tell you now" Will reached for another piece of bread "But my and I thought you had a right to know Your daughter Gwladys is i *e castle "There was a moment's silence Then Llewelyn laughed den ar|d Gruffydd spat, "Liar1"My son speaks bluntly, but true which is more than you d you think I'd besiegeBuellt without first making sure of my daugi Hereabouts, her safety? Gwladys is many miles to the north a CourtontheisleofM6n "Will did not seem at all abashed He shrugged, said with an ( fcntant grin, "Well, you cannot blame a man for trying, can you? f Llewelyn shifted his position with unwonted care, neither mi n n°r a lanolin ointment had done much to ease his discomfort } I e here lest you had an offer to make What is it7"Seven hundred head of cattle if you ride away on the morrow hat was a fair offer But there was more to consider than pr

560actually fear masquerading as fury, and he said, still laboring for breath"Let it lie, Gruffydd.""Christ, Papa, he could have killed you! What if he'd missed, if he'd hit you instead?"Llewelyn preferred not to dwell upon that. "What's your name lad?"The bowman swallowed. "Trefor, my lord," he mumbled. "Trefor ab Alun.""You're a good shot, Trefor. I'll remember."Trefor beamed, but dared not linger. Gruffydd's anger counted for more at that moment than Llewelyn's approval, and he hurried to rejoin his comrades.Ednyved picked up the broken sword, flung it out into the moat. "It seems to me, Llewelyn, that you're the one who needs the nursemaid, not your Davydd!"Llewelyn's smile was wry, faintly discomfited. "I should have known better,"he admitted. "But it did prove one thing, that I was right about these Norman hauberks. Without it, I'd have been skewered like a stuck pig.""Papa . . ." Davydd was standing several feet away. He'd lost all color, was so shaken that Llewelyn knew at once he'd witnessed the fight.As Llewelyn climbed down the scaling ladder, he began to appreciate the extent of his injuries; his muscles were already exceedingly sore and tender. But he knew how very lucky he had been, and as soon as he and Davydd were standing on firm ground, he said, "I'm glad you saw that, lad. I hope to God you remember, for it might save your life one day. I did something very foolish up there. Isaw a man lying on the wall, just took it for granted that he'd been killed in the morning's assault. But on the battlefield you can take nothing for granted, Davydd, nothing. Careless men do not make old bones, lad.""I was so scared for you, Papa. Were . . . were you scared, too?" Llewelyn turned, looked into the hazel eyes upturned to his, Joanna's eyes. "Not whilst we were fighting, Davydd. You do not have time to be afraid during a battle, are too busy trying to stay alive. But afterward, when you think about it, about all the loathsome ways there are to die, I suspect most men feel fear. Ihave, for certes."Davydd no longer met his eyes. "I've heard men say that Gruffyd knows no fear.""Do not measure yourself against Gruffydd, lad. I chose you as ni heir becauseI saw in you qualities of leadership." Llewelyn hesita^ > for it was not easy to say. "I did not find those qualities in Gruffy0

567trust you not to repeat that to anyone else But I trust you, too, to remember it ""Llewelyn1" Ednyved was leaning over the wall embrasure "De graose wants to