“Lady Gwendolyn,” said Lady Thea and they both curtsied.
“Lady Thea,” said Gwen politely. Marian would have been proud.
“It’s a lovely evening here tonight. So kind of your parents to invite the servants I see.”
“Yes,” said Gwen in an exaggerated tone but luckily for her Thea did not notice.
“Your sister shows Lord Carwyn a lot of attention. I hope her overbearing behavior does not frighten him away.” This time Gwen sighed with annoyance. How dare Lady Thea even tell her such a thing? Ceridwyn was one who put up with everything Thea said for she always fretted over being accepted by her. Gwen for the life of her couldn’t figure out why. “I hope she has the decency to step aside and let some other ladies get to know him.”
Gwen glanced over at them and smiled. “Why? They both look quite happy to me,” said Gwen.
Thea raised her head proudly and ignored her comment. “Oh for goodness sake. Look!” Gwen looked up but did not understand what Thea was referring to. “There is that no good, Lady Emma Sturbridge from Norham. You’d do well to stay clear of her. She’s of no good value and look at her nose, so out of joint. I don’t know what any man could see in her. And apparently she sings. Well I never heard anything that sounded so dreadful in all my life. Honestly, she sounded like a poor animal that needed to be put out of its misery. She has been linked in the most scandalous manner to several men and rumour has it that she has squandered all her father’s fortunes. I can’t tell you how….”
“Yes, well, I think she looks fine,” said Gwen cutting her off. “I’ve never heard her sing so I can’t give you my honest opinion and as far as all the other rumours, I choose to stay clear of such slanderous gossip.”
Lady Thea looked at young Gwendolyn with shock in her proud eyes. “Thank you for your conversation. Perhaps we shall see each other at worship tomorrow in the presence of our good Lord. With a bit of luck that wench won’t be there. Excuse me.”
They curtsied and Gwen grimaced as she walked away and all to glad to see her go. It was at that moment that Merry joined her. “What did she say to you to make you look so regretful?” asked Merry.
“Oh nothing,” said Gwen. “But how can people be so spiteful and jealous of someone and then go to church and worship God as if they were perfect in his sight. I’ll never understand such behavior in this kingdom.”
“You may never understand but always be sure of this. You should always treat others as you yourself want to be treated.”
“How can you be so understanding? Especially when others aren’t very nice.”
“Because we serve a loving and kind God who never gives us what we deserve.”
“I suppose you are right Merry. None of us are perfect. We all have our faults.”
“Let’s forget all of this for now. After all, it’s Christmas. Merry Christmas Gwen.”
“Merry Christmas,” she replied. Merry nodded with approval and the two sisters moved to the banquet table and enjoyed a generous feast of wine and good food and more dancing to their heart’s content.
Chapter Four
Outrageous News
It was a few evenings after Christmas that outrageous news arrived. It was a brisk winter evening and snow had covered the landscape. The garden path that Merry and Gwen often walked on was covered in deep snow and the trees and shrubs were draped in white garlands. The castle guards were busy all that day and night trying to keep the avenue to the gates clear. It was upon the nineteenth hour of the day that visitors rode as quickly as they could over the snow covered path to the front of the castle.
They were all relaxing in the solar and Lord and Lady Godwyn were sipping wine by the fire with Carwyn and Merry while they discussed the situations at Berwyck concerning restoration and farming in which every detail fascinated Merry as she herself had been the humble wife of a farmer. To her mother however the conversation had little understanding. Lord Crewe and Sir Blackley were playing chess with the game that the Duke had sent to Lord Godwyn. Gilbert and Lionel and Daniel watched them with anticipation as if expecting the game to have some magical quality because of where it came from. Lord Crewe used the white pieces which were lions and Sir Blackley, the black pieces which were dragons. It was the very moment that Sir Blackley moved the dragon rook piece and said, “Check,” that the door swung open to the Solar and the steward barely had enough time to announce their guest as he moved into the room at a quickened pace passing the steward. A tall handsome familiar face and locks of chestnut hair came into the evening light. “Sir Jamie de Winter and his brother Sir Alfred,” the steward sputtered out quickly.
“Sir Jamie?’ said Godwyn.
He walked at a quickened pace and stopped before Lord Godwyn. “Sir, this is urgent. I request the presence of his lordship and sons and Lord Carwyn, Lord Crew and Sir Blackley, immediately, Sir.”
Godwyn rose to his feet. “Of course, what is it?”
“I will tell you in private sir.”
The gentlemen excused themselves from the ladies and headed straight to the great hall leaving the ladies behind in dire speculation as to what had made Sir Jamie’s visit so urgent. He usually relayed his messages in the presence of the whole family. Why this sudden privacy? The ladies glanced at one another but said nothing for they were all aware of the degree of consequence but as they were leaving the room for their chambers Gwen’s attention was suddenly drawn to the position of the chess pieces. The dragon king piece was lined up to take the lion king piece. For some odd reason this bothered Gwen and she studied the board momentarily and saw that the lion king piece had one move available.
“Gwen,” her mother called out from the hall.
“Coming mother. I was just fixing something,” She looked at the board again and quickly shifted the lion piece. Satisfied with her action she turned and left the room with a pleased smile.
In the great hall everyone took a seat and waited for Sir Jamie to share his news. It was dead quiet and the bells in the church tower had just rung. “Now Sir Jamie, tell me what is it that has brought you here in such urgency.”
“Sir, I know that in recent months we have been concerned for the state of the kingdom just prior to the return of King Edward and his armies. Sir, I fear he will not return in time.”
“Why do you say this?” asked Carwyn with concern.
He sighed deeply. “It is a well-known fact that the weather is causing concerns, but it has also come to my attention from one of the informants in the Duke’s service that he has a secret weapon, sir.”
“A secret weapon, Sir Jamie?” said Godwyn.
“What kind of secret weapon?’ asked Carwyn.
Jamie and his brother glanced at each other momentarily with an intrepid glow in their eyes. “Surely, Sir Jamie it can’t be that terrifying that your tongue is paralyzed. What secret weapon does the Duke have?’ asked Godwyn.
“Well sir . . .” Sir Jamie paused and glanced across the table to all the eyes anticipating his reply and knew there would be skepticism at what he would say but he needed their full support. If not it could mean the end of the kingdom. “He . . . has a dragon sir.” There was complete silence for a few moments and Sir Jamie again glanced across the table to expressions that now seemed paralyzed for everyone’s eyes had gone blank and then suddenly there was chaotic chatter.
“What do you mean a dragon?’ said Crewe
“That’s preposterous!” said Gilbert.
“They’re just legends!” said Lionel.
“That’s absurd!” said Sir Blackley.
“Can we have some silence, please,” said Carwyn. “Now please Sir Jamie do explain this new development. Do you really mean a dragon, Sir Jamie?”
“Yes sir. The news came to my attention only a few evenings ago by the . . . never mind who. It just came to my attention. It came from an informant that was strategically placed in the Duke’s service at Dragon’s gate.”
“And he told you that the Duke had a dragon?” aske
d Godwyn.
“Yes.” Negative remarks circumferenced the room.
“Did he see it?” asked Carwyn?
“I believe so, Sir. He described it as a creature of great magnitude. He plans to use it to gain control of the kingdom.”
“That’s absurd!” said Gilbert. “A dragon! A dragon! A large fire breathing reptilian type. I don’t think so,” he stated with skepticism.
“You do realize that this sounds preposterous,” said Godwyn once the room had settled of swirling comments.
“I know sir, but this is what we are facing and if you do not believe me then . . . God help us.”
“Do you have any proof?” asked Godwyn.
“What proof do you need sir?” asked Sir Alfred. “Blood and fire and billows of smoke. Perhaps a few villages that have been absolutely scorched to the ground. Then will you believe?”
Godwyn sighed deeply. “This is all perplexing.”
“But if it’s true then we can’t afford to overlook it,” said Carwyn.
“Well, dragons were believed to have existed at one time sir,” said Daniel. “There are many legends through-out the Isles about them and there is an account of them in the Angle Saxon Chronicles. It says in the year A.D. 793. This year came dreadful fore-warnings over the land of the Northumbrians, terrifying the people most woefully: these were immense sheets of light rushing through the air, and whirlwinds, and fiery, dragons flying across the firmament,” said Daniel who was very well learned and who always seemed to have insight into situations. This was something that really irked Gilbert.
“Nothing but ridiculous fairytales,” said Gilbert to his brother. “No one wants to hear your childish stories!”
“It’s not fairytales!” said Daniel bitterly. “It’s written in the Anglo Saxon . . . “
“We heard you,” said Gilbert cutting him off.
“Arguing is not going to help this situation,” said Godwyn sternly to his sons.
“Sorry Father,” said Daniel and Gilbert grinned at him sourly.
“Well,” said Carwyn standing to his feet and addressing everyone at the table. “Let’s just pretend that this . . . dragon is real. What would we do about it? What is the next step we need to take?”
“We would need to subdue it,” said Crewe.
“Exactly,” said Carwyn.
“But how?’ said Godwyn. “How do you stop a dragon and if he does indeed have one why hasn’t he used it before? Why wait until now?” There was momentary silence as everyone pondered that question.
“Perhaps he is waiting for an opportune time,” said Daniel.
“I wonder how large it is,” said Lionel. “I mean a creature of great magnitude could have several interpretations. It could be the height of a tree or it could be the height of the castle walls or it could be larger.”
“Heaven help us,” said Carwyn. “But back to the earlier question. How will we stop it?” asked Carwyn and looking hard at each man present and then he returned to his seat.
“We need gwirionedd, the sword of truth,” said Daniel.
“What is gwirionedd,?’ asked Lord Crewe.
“It’s the sword of Cadwallader, an ancient Welsh prince who fought a great dragon and defeated it. I’ve heard Prince Pryderi tell the tales before. I’m sure it was one of his ancestors.”
“How will that help us?’ asked Gilbert sarcastically.
“It was believed to have been forged by God himself to help Cadwallader,” said Daniel.
Gilbert rolled his eyes. “Bollucks little brother!”
“It’s not bollucks,” replied Daniel.
“I’ve heard the story before as well,” said Carwyn. “There was a sword.”
Everyone was momentarily silent and thinking of this new situation and what would they do about it. Was some ancient legendary sword the answer to their problems? It all seemed crazy to put one’s hope in some magic sword.
“If the sword is indeed real, where do we find it?’
“I don’t know,” said Daniel. ‘You’d have to ask Prince Pryderi but I think he said the sword disappeared after his ancestor slayed the dragon.”
“It won’t help us then, will it” said Gilbert in a spiteful tone. Gilbert was a practical young man and he didn’t believe in fairy tales and legends.
“Sir, if I may suggest I think that at the moment we need to be well prepared,” said Jamie. “We don’t know exactly what we are facing. We need as many able bodied men as possible.’
“Of course,” said Godwyn.
“Excuse me sir, but if this is a real dragon we’re facing then all the able bodied men in the kingdom won’t do nor any weapons. What we need is someone with knowledge about dragons,” said Carwyn.
“Who on earth would have knowledge about dragons who isn’t from the dragon clans?” asked Godwyn.
“The Earl of Dinefwr,” said Carwyn with a glow in his eyes and he rested one arm on the mantel piece.
“Unusual man,” said Godwyn. “I haven’t seen him for a lonnnng time. I wouldn’t even know where to find him.”
Prince Pryderi would,” said Daniel.
“I’m sure Alfred and I could find him,” said Jamie glancing at his brother and he nodded in agreement.
Godwyn nodded in agreement. “Find the Earl of Dinefwr and bring him here and if possible the sword of Cadwallader and let us keep this conversation amongst ourselves and all that we have spoken of, especially the dragon. If what you have told us is true then the Earl of Dinefwr may be our only hope,” said Carwyn.
Everyone nodded in agreement and Sir Jamie and his brother were back on their horses and heading south again to find the Earl of Dinefwr.
Merry waited and waited for the private meeting in the hall to finish and she expected that after an hour the doors to the hall would swing open and the men would appear laughing and joking and telling tales of wonder about their journeys on the road over glasses of wine and ale. But one hour passed and then two and then three. The door to the room never opened and Merry had decided to retire but she couldn’t help but wonder what urgent message Sir Jamie and his brother Alfred had brought to her father. Surely Carwyn would tell her in the morning. With that consolation she went to her chamber.
Chapter Five
Man of Secrets
The day finally arrived for Daniel to head off across the sea and retrieve the daughter of the late Earl of Desmond. Merry smiled at her young brother proudly when he came downstairs dressed in leather breeches and a white tunic. His smooth dark hair was brushed back neatly and then he inspected himself in the looking glass for he was indeed a very pleasing young man. He had an appearance that made the young girls swoon and his brother Gilbert jealous. They always seemed to be in some sort of disagreement and Merry could hear them early that morning in the hallway as they headed downstairs in the early hours of morning light. He was suddenly catapulted aside as he walked along as a figure moved swiftly out of the shadows and grabbed him pressing him firmly to the wall. It was Gilbert. Merry waited patiently for him at the bottom of the stairs for she wanted to wish him well but she listened with interest to the desperate plea of a young man who did not want to marry.
“Promise me one thing.”
“What?” Daniel winced as Gilbert put a lot of pressure on him.
“If that girl is anything like Cyneburga, don’t bring her back!”
“Don’t bring her back!” said Daniel with surprise. “You heard father! How can I not bring her back?”
“I don’t know but just do whatever you have to. Capsize the boat or something.”
“If she’s the size of Cyneburga, she’ll sink the bloody boat!” said Daniel.
“Alright, just . . . damn!” said Gilbert. “Why does father have to be so stubborn!”
“Perhaps you are the one who is stubborn,” said Daniel.
“Now don’t start with me little brother. It’s early and I didn’t sleep well!”
“You know all too well, Gilbert, resistance with father
is futile.”
He sighed deeply and headed down the stairs and Daniel followed. “Where are you going?”
Gilbert swung around sharply and his blue eyes were ablaze with torment. “To join the crusades and don’t try to stop me!”
“Fine. I won’t. Can I have your room? Yours has a better view than mine and if you are killed can I have your horses as well?”
“Thanks little brother. You little smart ass! Have it! Have it all and you can marry that girl too! I just want to be free!” He grabbed his cloak and ran out the door and at that moment Gwen entered the hall and stood beside Merry looking upward to the sound of Gilbert and Daniel but within seconds Gilbert flew past them and ran out the door
“Where is Gilbert going?” asked Gwen. It was very early and the sun hadn’t yet risen.
“To join the Crusades,” said Daniel who now appeared at the top of the stairs.
“Shouldn’t we go and stop him,” said Gwen with alarm.
“Nah,” said Daniel. “He’ll come back tonight.”
Merry softly grinned. “Poor Gilbert. Another one in the family embittered by the power of holy matrimony.” She laced her arm through Gwen’s and together they walked down the long stretch of hall towards the Great Hall.
“So are you going to tell us what the meeting in the Great Hall was all about?” asked Gwen.
“Yes, I can’t believe all the secrecy,” said Merry. “Carwyn’s lips are sealed tight.”
“So are mine,” said Daniel with a smile and he quickly moved ahead of them.
Gwen rolled her eyes. “I guess they are sworn to secrecy. Just to change the subject, do you think you will ever marry again?” asked Gwen.
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