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

go back into the hall. But his good intentions were forgotten as he approached the steps, saw his brother standing in the sun.Gruffydd stopped abruptly, staring up at Davydd. "Why are you not inside with your English kindred? You cannot tell me that you needed to get away as I did.Not you, Henry's nephew, John's grandson. Why should you care if Welsh pride is trampled into the dust?""I care."To Gruffydd's exasperation, that was all he got. No matter how he proddedDavydd, he could never break through the boy's defenses. When Davydd felt threatened, he simply withdrew into himself, and that only strengthenedGruffydd's contempt, his conviction that Davydd was utterly unfit to rule inLlewelyn's stead.He moved closer and Davydd backed up a step. But the knowledge that Davydd feared him did not give him any satisfaction. Christ pity Gwynedd, he thought, and suddenly he could keep silent no longer, the truth was bursting forth of its own accord, in a scalding surge of bitterness."Prince Davydd. The heir apparent. The favorite. The usurper! Tell me, are you enough of a fool to believe that will ever come to pass?"He saw Davydd's jaw muscles tighten. But the boy's voice was colorless, devoid of emotion. "Papa will not change his mind.""I know," Gruffydd admitted, and that was the hurt beyond healing. "But Papa will not live forever," he said roughly. "And then we shall see. I could not fight Papa. But I shall take great pleasure in fighting you, in claiming what is rightfully mine!"Davydd swung around, started back into the hall. He was cautious by nature, as deliberate of action as he was quick of thought. He" learned to turn silence into a shield, understood Gruffydd far better than Gruffydd understood him.Gruffydd's were volatile and imp38' sioned rages, outbursts of heat and elemental energy, summer lightning in a cloudless sky. Davydd's rages were rare, seldom seen, and loflS smoldering; as slow as he was to anger, he was even slower to forgive Now, as he reached the door, he stopped, turned to faceGruffydd."You are right," he said. "Papa will not live forever. But neither ^ I be fourteen forever. And then, just as you said, we shall see."

7SHREWSBURY, ENGLANDAugust 1226IAN January Henry fell gravely ill, and it was feared he might die. He did recover, but his Uncle Will of Salisbury was not as fortunate. Sailing fromGascony back to England, Will was shipwrecked, for a time was presumed lost.Although he survived several harrowing weeks at sea, his health declined. He died on March 7, much mourned, and was buried with great honors in the partially constructed cathedral church at Salisbury.HENRY watched complacently as Joanna scanned the letter he'd just handed her."You see? Nell is quite content now with Pembroke. Did I not tell you that wedding was for the best?""And it seems you were right," Joanna conceded. This buoyant, sprightly missive was a far cry from the tear-splotched, forlorn letter she'd gotten from Nell two years ago, pleading with Joanna to intercede for her, to persuade Henry not to make her marry the Earl of Pembroke. But Pembroke had been very kind to his child bride, indulging her every whim, and the little girl seemed to have found in her husband the father she could not remember."I've something else for you, too, an early birthday present. I'm giving you the manor of Condover in Shropshire."Joanna was delighted. Until Henry had given her an English manor the preceding year, she'd not realized what a secure feeling there was in ^'ig a property owner, in having land of her own. "You spoil me as mucn as Pembroke spoils ourNell," she said, and Henry laughed."I fry. I just like to make people happy, to surprise them. And this u§ht to do both." Henry was holding out a parchment scroll. But as

568Joanna reached for it, he snatched it back. "How could I forget? You do not read Latin, do you? Ah, well, mayhap I could be coaxed into reading it to you.""Please do," Joanna said, utterly intrigued by now. Llewelyn and Davydd were no less curious. Only Elen did not join the circle, but stayed where she was in the window seat.Henry was thoroughly enjoying the suspense, took his time in unrolling the scroll. "You'll observe the papal seal, no doubt. I had it in my hands two months ago, but I wanted to wait, wanted to see your face, Joanna. Are you ready? 'Dispensation to Joanna, wife of Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, daughter of King John, declaring her legitimate, but without prejudice to theKing and realm of England.'"Their response was entirely satisfactory; they were staring at him in obvious astonishment. "Henry, I... I do not understand," Joanna said at last. "How can this be?""Does it matter? Is it not enough that I asked and His Holiness the Pope obliged?""But there had to be more to it than that, Henry!""Ah, Joanna, it is not such a mystery. Papa's marriage to the Lady Avisa was dissolved, declared to have been void from its inception. That meant he was free to enter into another marriage or plight troth up to the time he wed my mother. Suppose he had pledged his troth with your mother. If that were so, you'd have a claim to legitimacy, would be entitled to recognition.""But, Henry, he did not plight troth with my mother!""Since she's dead and Papa's dead, who is to say?" Henry grinned, held out his arms. "Are you pleased, Joanna? Did I surprise you?""That you did, for certes!" Joanna moved into his embrace, while Llewelyn studied the papal dispensation."'Without prejudice to the King and realm of England,'" he quoted. "I take it that means Joanna's legitimacy is qualified, bars her from any claim to theEnglish crown?""I knew you'd catch that straight off!" Henry laughed. "It seemed for the best. No offense, Llewelyn, but you've shown yourself to be too adroit at taking a weak claim and making of it an irresistible one!"They all laughed at that, and Joanna kissed Henry