Maelgwn’s puzzlement was turning to irritation. Why must she ask him these things right now?
“And what of me?” Aurora’s voice was plaintive, tinged with unhappiness.
“Why, I had planned for you to remain here at Caer Eryri. It is safe and has many comforts.” Maelgwn frowned. “Surely you don’t expect to go with me on my travels. It’s no life for a woman.”
“I have no wish to be left behind in this unfriendly place all year!”
“What is it about Caer Eryri that displeases you?”
“The women here hate me; they will never accept me. There is nothing for me to do here. I have no say in the running of your household, and I am tired of sewing and spinning!”
Maelgwn paused and looked at his wife’s face searchingly. She seemed genuinely unhappy, and he suspected that Esylt was behind it.
“Where would you like to live?”
“Why, anywhere else. Along the coast, at another mountain fortress, anywhere I can be more than your despised, pampered bed partner!”
Maelgwn considered. It was not as easy as she thought to find another place for his queen to dwell, and he didn’t like the idea of catering to Aurora’s whims. On the other hand, he was anxious to make her happy so she would be willing and enthusiastic for lovemaking. He decided to put her off. He touched Aurora’s cheek with a warm lingering caress.
“I will think on it, Aurora, I promise. But for now... can we not continue what we were doing?”
Despite her anxiety, Aurora forced herself to respond to her husband with all the passion she could muster. Now it was more important than ever that she keep Maelgwn satisfied.
Balyn asked Maelgwn the next day: “How are things with you and Aurora?”
Maelgwn shook his head. “As soon as we were alone together, Aurora surprised me with a request that I find her some other place to live. I know that her unhappiness here is real enough, but do I dare give in, especially since it will be considerable trouble to move her elsewhere?”
“Why is she unhappy?”
“Well, for one thing, she says the other women are cold and unfriendly to her.”
“I’m not surprised,” Balyn said thoughtfully. “As much as I have tried to get Sewan to befriend her, my wife steadfastly refuses to give Aurora a chance.”
“Do the women have real grievances against her, or is it just the petty jealousies of their sex?”
“Oh, their grievances about Aurora are quite damning,” Balyn answered with a smile. “They think she is vain and proud, too proud to speak to them or make the first gesture of friendship. I have tried to make Sewan see that Aurora is really shy, not haughty and rude, but as usual she does not see my point of view.
“She says I know nothing of women,” he continued. “Actually, I think I understand them all too well. They are jealous of Aurora, jealous of her many gowns and elegant appearance. Beauty such as Aurora’s does not endear her to other women. They see their husbands watching Aurora, their eyes lingering on her body and the graceful sweep of her unbound hair.”
“Aurora is my queen,” Maelgwn said stiffly. “Her beauty pleases me. Should I have her wear rough gowns and bind up her hair so she does not outshine the plainer women?”
Balyn shrugged. “You see the problem it causes. If she were a Cymraes the problems might be lessened some, but with her odd accent, her foreign ways of dress and manner...”
“And if I take her elsewhere... to one of my lesser holdings, will that make it easier? No, I think not. The women there would be even more in awe of her.” Maelgwn groaned in frustration. “I had no idea that having a wife would cause so much difficulty.”
“Are there other reasons she does not like Caer Eryri?”
“Aye,” Maelgwn answered wearily. “She does not like it that Esylt runs my household, and not she.”
“I’m not surprised. Esylt would be hard for any woman to take.”
Maelgwn’s face stiffened with determination. “Aurora will have to learn to ignore Esylt and the other women. There is only so much I am willing to do to keep her happy.”
“You will refuse her?”
“I must. She has to learn to adjust to her new life—she is only a woman after all.”
Aurora waited impatiently for Maelgwn. The barley bannock she had eaten for breakfast sat heavily in her stomach, and her thoughts churned in restless circles. She had tried to please her husband well last night, but there was no telling what he would do, if he would listen to her. If he did not... Aurora shuddered. How would she endure life with Esylt breathing her foul, evil breath upon her back?
Maelgwn came at last to the tower room. He looked at her with warmth and then leaned down and kissed her.
“Let us go for a walk,” he suggested. Maelgwn played with her fingers distractedly as they walked through the fortress, testing the sharpness of her nails against his callused palm.
Aurora was not sure about this gentle, thoughtful mood of Maelgwn’s, and as they left the gate and he had still not spoken, her anxiety grew. They walked down the track for a while, and finally Maelgwn led her off into the grass. When they were near the place where Aurora had been coming to watch the valley, Maelgwn stopped and turned to her.
Aurora searched her husband’s handsome face—the deep-set, moody eyes, the sensual mouth. Even now, so close to him, she could not guess his thoughts, and her heart pounded in her chest.
“I told you I would think on your request to live elsewhere than Caer Eryri—and I have,” he said softly. “I’m sorry, Aurora, but the answer is no.”
Aurora gave a little gasp and began to protest, but Maelgwn silenced her with a curt shake of his head. “Hear me out. There is nowhere else you could go, nowhere you would be safe, not to mention live comfortably.”
“I don’t care about safety!” Aurora cried. “What does it matter if I am safe, but alone and miserable!”
“Your safety matters a good deal to me. You could be taken hostage, and I could be forced into war because I failed to guard you properly. I will not let your foolishness compromise Gwynedd’s security.”
“But what of Llanfaglan? Surely I would be safe at Abelgirth’s stronghold.”
Maelgwn shook his head grimly. “There are the politics of where my queen lives to consider. Already there are chieftains who think I am much too tight with Abelgirth. To lodge you at Llanfaglan would give substance to their grumbling that I favor him over others.”
Aurora’s face was full of dismay, desperation even, and for a moment Maelgwn regretted his refusal of her. “I am sorry Aurora,” he said as gently as he could. “It’s not an arbitrary decision. If I could think of a safe place that would not upset the balance of power among my princes, I would consider it.”
Harsh words came to Aurora’s tongue, but she held them back. To mention the conflict between herself and Esylt was too dangerous. So far Esylt had not gone to Maelgwn with her lies, but Aurora dared not risk forcing Maelgwn into a confrontation with his sister. Still, it seemed to her that Maelgwn was condemning her to a life of misery and fear.
The sun shone brightly, turning Aurora’s tears to glittering ribbons on her cheeks. Maelgwn was torn. He wanted to comfort her, but he was also determined not to let her affect him deeply. Suddenly he thought of a way to make his decision seem less harsh.
“Would it help if you could go away from here for a little while?”
Aurora nodded.
“I have to visit Cunedda in the north to talk with him of the Pictish raids. It will be a long, hard journey, Aurora,” he cautioned. “It would mean being tired, dirty, eating traveling food...”
“I don’t care,” Aurora said defiantly, her tears forgotten. “I don’t want to be left behind again. When will we leave?”
“Tomorrow. That is, if Gwenaseth can get you ready in time.”
“Who is going with us?”
“Balyn, Evrawc, Rhys, Gareth... and Esylt will no doubt bring her latest bed partner.”
“Esylt!”
Aurora almost choked.
“Aye. Cunedda is a distant kinsman of ours, and he and Esylt have been close since they were like puppies playing together at the same hearth.” Maelgwn read the dread in Aurora’s eyes. “Have you changed your mind about going?”
Aurora considered. Esylt would have long hours on the journey to tell Maelgwn her hateful lies. No, as much as she loathed the thought of being near Esylt for so long, she needed to be with Maelgwn, to remind him that he desired her and that she knew how to make him happy.
“I... I still wish to go.”
“Good.” Maelgwn gave her a satisfied smile. “Why don’t you tell Gwenaseth the news.”
Chapter 17
“I don’t know if you will like Cunedda’s people,” Gwenaseth said skeptically when Aurora told her of the journey. “The Brigantes are wild and uncivilized—they make the Cymru look like proper Roman townspeople by comparison.”
“It will be exciting. I like to ride, and I will see many new things.”
“I will never understand your desire to go roaming about on horseback. I would just as soon stay on my own two legs and by my own hearth all my days,” Gwenaseth said with a shudder.
“I have never been anywhere except Viroconium and Caer Eryri,” Aurora answered. “On my trip here, I was so nervous and homesick I hardly noticed anything except whether Maelgwn smiled at me or frowned.”
“Well, it seems Maelgwn smiles at you now,” Gwenaseth observed happily.
“It’s not so certain as that. I have learned better how to please him, but he is still capable of dealing with me very coldly.”
“You will see just how considerate and civilized a man Maelgwn is when you meet Cunedda. He is a brute! It’s hard to believe they are distant cousins.”
“It’s not so hard to believe,” Aurora said with a smile. “Why just today Maelgwn was telling me of your father. From his description, I can hardly believe such a man sired you.”
“My father is big and loud and crude sometimes, but he is also good-natured and loyal,” Gwenaseth answered defensively. “I know Maelgwn counts him among his strongest supporters.”
“I was merely teasing. I’m sure Abelgirth is a good friend to Maelgwn... just as you are to me.” She looked at Gwenaseth fondly. “Now, help me decide what to take.”
* * *
Maelgwn and Balyn sat in a corner of the great hall, discussing gifts to take to Cunedda. “By the way,” Maelgwn said as an afterthought. “I have decided to bring Aurora with us.”
Balyn looked surprised. “It’s a long journey, Maelgwn, and not one for a woman like Aurora.”
Maelgwn shrugged. “She rode to Gwynedd well enough... and she wants to go. She complains she has nothing to do here at Caer Eryri.”
“But what of her and Esylt? Can you hope to keep them from being at each others’ throats when they are together for days?”
“Perhaps it will be good for them. Being forced to be together might make them more tolerant of each other.”
Balyn shook his head. “I don’t know, Maelgwn. It seems ill-advised to take two women on such a long journey.” He looked at the king suspiciously: “Why really, are you taking her?”
“Do you suspect I have become so infatuated with my wife’s lovely body that I can’t bear to leave her behind?” Maelgwn asked with a smile. “I do have other reasons. Aurora is proof of my easy victory over Constantine. Cunedda cannot boast of having such a woman.”
“You think it’s time to remind Cunedda of the might of your army?”
“It may be. I can’t tell. Despite our shared blood, Cunedda and I have never been easy with each other. He wants my help with the Picts, but I fear he would betray me if he thought it would benefit his people.”
Balyn nodded. He wondered if Maelgwn’s decision to take Aurora was really wise. Maelgwn seemed very much like a little boy, eager to show off a new plaything to a rival. Had his gloating over his beautiful wife clouded his judgment? Aurora was lovely and charming, but she was also unpredictable, naive and headstrong, hardly the sort of person most leaders would want to take on a peaceful visit to an uneasy ally.
As he lay sleepless in his bed that night, Maelgwn, too, had second thoughts about his decision. Aurora had been passionate and eager when they made love, and his body felt exquisitely satiated. But his mind was crowded with doubts. How well did he really know this woman who lay beside him, sleeping in the silvery moonlight? Esylt had warned him that Aurora was weak and untrustworthy. Was his sister blind with jealousy or was he the one who was in thrall to his own desires?
Maelgwn watched Aurora sleep, tracing the delicate curve of her cheek with his fingers. He had never felt anything for a woman like he did for this one. It worried him. His whole future was bound up with this mysterious, foreign princess and he did not really know her, no, not at all.
They left at dawn. Aurora wore a pair of Elwyn’s trousers and an old tunic. Her hair was braided to keep it out of her face, and she wore a veil to protect her fair skin.
Maelgwn was used to riding next to Balyn, but Aurora’s horse trotted beside him now, and Balyn had dropped back next to Rhys and Gareth. Maelgwn had to admire Aurora’s skill on a horse, but it was strange to see her dressed in men’s clothes. If anything, the close-fitting garments emphasized her feminine charms, and Maelgwn tantalized himself with the thought of sliding down the awkward trousers to reveal the creamy naked curves of her hips.
Esylt rode at the end of the caravan near the wagon full of gifts for Cunedda. Next to her rode a lean, swarthy man named Grimerwyn, who appeared to be her most recent lover. A single slave drove the wagon, and from his vivid red hair, Aurora was sure he was kin of the Irish slave girl she recalled from her first morning at Caer Eryri.
Aurora was happy and excited. Riding next to Maelgwn reminded her of the times she had gone riding with Marcus. Although she was not entirely comfortable with Maelgwn, it was nice to feel as if he were her companion.
As usual, Maelgwn said little. Aurora had found him to be a quiet man, despite his ability to speak well before a crowded feasting hall or to make his men comfortable with a friendly word or jest. Even though they were married, Aurora seldom saw Maelgwn alone, except when they were in bed together, and then he was usually too busy doing other things with his mouth to talk! She was looking forward to a chance to converse at length with him.
“Maelgwn,” she began. “Tell me about Cunedda’s people. What are they like?”
“Cunedda’s grandsire and mine were brothers, but there was little influence of the Romans in the north, and the Brigantes still keep the old ways. The land they live in is too wild and densely forested for farming. They hunt the red deer and the wild boar, and herd their cattle. Cunedda’s army is undisciplined, and they have no cavalry, but they are excellent bowmen and fierce fighters.”
Aurora considered this wealth of information carefully. “What of the women of the Brigantes? Does Cunedda have a wife?”
“I believe he has several.”
“Why, that is... barbaric!”
Maelgwn looked at her with a mocking, amused stare. “That may be, but it is his people’s way.”
Aurora looked back at him in agitation. “Do the Cymru... Would you ever...?”
Maelgwn laughed. “Me? I have enough trouble with the one wife I have,” he answered wryly. “At any rate, Cunedda’s wives may be of noble blood, but none of them have brought him the wealth of Viroconium.”
“That is it, then?” Aurora asked, her eyes flashing. “I bring you power and wealth, so I am valuable to you?”
“What do you want me to say?” Maelgwn asked, the edge of frustration creeping into his voice. “I can’t say that I would have married you if you were a poor freeman’s daughter.”
Aurora bit her lips silently. How could she admit to her husband that she longed for something more than respect—that she dreamed of love and tenderness, laughter and companionship?
“So, you go to meet with Cunedda to discuss his pr
oblems with the Picts and the Irish?” Aurora asked when her irritation had begun to cool.
Maelgwn nodded.
“If you help him, send him warriors and supplies for battle, what will he do for you in return?”
Maelgwn smiled at his wife. For all her innocent face, her mind was sharp—she knew the right questions to ask. “Perhaps someday I will need Cunedda’s help and perhaps he will help me.”
“Perhaps? You doubt him?”
Maelgwn looked appraisingly at his wife. He was used to guarding his tongue carefully around all but his officers and closest counselors. Was it wise to trust his new wife with doubts regarding his allies? She could have little understanding of the heritage of conflict that haunted the tribes of north Britain. Blood was no proof against treachery—you had only to look at the deadly rivalry that had destroyed his family to know that.
“What interest do these subjects have for you, Aurora?”
“If I am to be your wife and queen, it would seem wise to know a little of who are your true enemies and allies.”
“You need not trouble yourself on that account. I have advisers and officers enough to deal with those problems. I only expect you to be appropriately beautiful and charming when we get to Manau Gotodin.”
Aurora could feel her rebellious temper rising again. It had obviously been too much to hope that Maelgwn would ever treat her as his equal, or even trust her as much as he did his soldiers. Hot anger flashed through her. Now the day did not seem so fine nor the journey so exciting.
Maelgwn looked regretfully at the tense set of his wife’s mouth. He hadn’t meant to upset her, but why was she interested in these things anyway? It reminded him too much of Esylt. He wanted his wife to spend her time pleasing him, not worrying about politics.
They rode in silence for a while—Aurora, angry and hurt, and Maelgwn regretful but stubborn. As usual, Aurora could not hold onto her anger, and it disappeared as quickly as it had come. Before they reached the shadow of another hill, she found herself full of eager questions again.
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