I shall expect you sving forward, then, was good of you to ther's body language aas his own; tWzthe squared shonrilcarlers, the juttingHttie chin were wrexichingly familiar. "W*"Why have you ctx>»me?" he demanded"We do not want you here. Go awsvovay!""Owain, hold yo >ur tongue!" " ' Hastening dovs^^acn the stairs, Senena grasped her son by the shoulders. " _ "How dare you sspeak to Lord Llewelyn like that? He is your Prince anrr_nd your grandsirLj»-e, and you owe him respect!""But Mama ..." The boy loolc*oked so bewildei»reed that Senena felt a conscience pang; he was, after all.ILU, only parrotin§§:g what he'd heard in their private chamber.- She could nn not risk antagonz Jszing Llewelyn, however, and she said sha rply, "See to oo your little brotr-ne»er. I shall expect you to apologize to your gnandfather ensre he leaves." MlcirDving forward, then, to greet Llewelyn, sh«e mustered as a taut smile. "It* was good of you to come."Llewelyn dismoumted, tossed bd the reins to th _»e-rs nearest man. "You sent word that Gruffydd was askii^idng to see me. MDOid you think I'd refuse?" He signaled fo:r his men to oo await him in tri&e great hall, glanced towardSenena once amd then agaim*in, much more s--e ~archingly. "Senena? Gruffydd did ask for met""No." Reaching o»ut, she clutcH>ched at his arm. "'i iiecj i had to lie. It was all I could think 4o do. Llewela-elyn, you must ss»-ee him, talk to him.Please say you will!"Llewelyn slowly shook his heaesad. "I think it b»-e--tter if I do not, Senena.If he does not wa nt to see me, ,s, what would it s»ierve?""Wait, please. At least hear me 9 je out. You want tJttrie truth? I'll tell you, tell you whatever you want to knormow. I've tried s AOO hard to helpGruffydd, to raise his spirits, to keep I o him from desp- »a miring. But he, of all men, cannot abide confinement. SoS Some days he'll rnot talk to me at all, and he spends hours standing at thrt*the window, nev^e-=»r taking his eyes off the horizon, those soaring seagullllnlls." Llewelyn rrm_nade an involuntary movement, and her h.and tighteneoa.ed on his arm. "~'I If you could just see him, Llewelyn, if you could but talWlalk together, may~^-rrtap then ..."Llewelyn knew better, knew tt - that talking wo»v«L_ild change nothing. But as he looked into hus daughter-inin-law's face, he - ocould not refuse ner. "Your loyalty does you great credir>dit, lass. I'll talk^: to him. Just do no expect too much to come of it."Senena heard only the consent,,t«it, not the qualifiacs-ation. "Thank you, she sighed, and he followed her upqcip into the keep. OGruffydd's chan> was on the uppermost floor. Pausiruiiing on the threshncnold, she gave L e lyn a look of anxious entreaty. "It n~n might be better L_if T I spoke to him 1 If you'll wait. . ." He nodded and se J she slipped insi» d -Me. theThe door was ajar. Llewelyn nn could see a rnani^arble-top 'a ' ^ sweep of velvet bed hangings. Senermena had not stinn»_ted in making
6:Z7tydd's captivity as comfortable as p«z>ssit»le/ as if enough luxui somehow compensate for the guard sat the bottom ot the stau table was cluttered with the evidence of Gruffydds strug empty hours, to vanquish theaiem^ tl~iat time had become a a draughts board, a stack of boob It was the books that Lie we most poignant, forGruffydd hadne ^ver t>een a reader He bac from the door Amistake This was .^ gririevous mistake"No1 I'll not see him1" Gruttfdd^ s voice earned clearly into well Senena's response was softe«r, less distinct, she seem pleading with him Her importuning was in vain, Gruffydd's vi again, raw with the rage of mpote-:nce. "Would you have n to him7 And for what7 He's notgoir^g to relent, and111 be dai I'll give him absolution Tell him if h_ is conscience wants easm seek it elsewhere Let his Norman s-lut console him let her v Llewelyn heard no more, he turned, moved into the shadov stairwellThe guards stepped aside resp^ectfully, let him pass P clinked, struck sparks against thestoiie-s and then he was emer the sun, into brilliant, blinding light _ O^wam had disappeared younger boy was sitting on the out«r stairs, when Llewelyn name, he smiled up at the man with irinocent camaraderie, hear trust"Llewelyn, wait1" Senena MS flushed, breathless She ign son caught up withLlewelyn at the jfoot of the stairs Do no like this I know you heard Gruffdd, t>ut . but can you blame not apologize for his pride and 111 not make excuses for his bi He is still your son, }our firstborn Her* w can you turn your bacl like this7 Do you hate him so much7"Hate him7" Llewelyn swun? about, pointed toward the h 'Do you think you could ever hate Lle^lo ? Or Owam7 How can I man as ]ong as j remember the child7' '' You want to free him1" Senena cn-ie-d, and it was both a cl j>nd a plea "i can see that now You tn-iJy do Why will you n n? L1ewelyn, I beg you Let him go- . "exil ?And then What' Can y°utone^t;1y tell me he'd willingly With That h death, disavow all alleg and th anta§omze the other *lsh r*rinces, goad the March she w 6 Cr°Wn lnto an invasion, and as. f o a- Joanna how do yc"Wh fare at hls hands'Senma?"at are you saving, then'Thatyo«Tj can never let him go
626ther's body language as his own; the squared shoulders, the jutn chin were wrenchingly familiar. "Why have you come?" he dem e "We do not want you here. Go away!" ed"Owain, hold your tongue!" Hastening down the stairs s grasped her son by the shoulders. "How dare you speak to Lord Ll ^ lyn like that? He is your Prince and your grandsire, and you ow h*~ respect!" lm"But Mama . . ." The boy looked so bewildered that Senena f conscience
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