Here Be Dragons - 1 by Sharon Penman (best ebook reader android TXT) 📗

Welsh do pronounce that as Dav-ith. But Davydd was dethroned nigh on five years ago. The man who now wields the greatest power inGwynedd is Llewelyn ab lorwerth.""Ah, yes, I recall hearing some talk about him. He sought to overthrow Davydd at a rather young age, did he not?""At fourteen." Thomas was frowning. "When he was twenty-one, he defeatedDavydd in a bloody battle at the mouth of the River Conwy, and since then has ruled Gwynedd with his cousins and allies; they hold the lands west of theConwy and he all that lies east... for now. Sooner or later, he'll find a pretext to claim all of Gwynedd. Nor would Iwere I a prince of Powyssleep well nights with him for a neighbor; I'd sooner bed down with a snake."Aubrey grinned. "Still, though, few men gain so much so young. How old is he now?""Twenty-six this February past," Thomas said flatly, and Aubrey's eyes shone with sudden curiosity."You seem uncommonly well informed about the man, even to his very birthdate.""He's my cousin," Thomas said reluctantly, and then made haste to add, "by marriage," lest Aubrey think he had Welsh blood. "My uncle Hugh did wed withLlewelyn's mother.""I gather there is no love lost between you," Aubrey said wryly, and Thomas leaned over, spat into the road."What of Llewelyn's uncle Davydd? Was he put to death?""No," Thomas said grudgingly. "Llewelyn banished him into English exile."Aubrey was thoroughly enjoying the turn the conversation had taken. "Most magnanimous," he murmured, much amused when Thomas rose at once to the bait."Do not fool yourself," he snapped. "He knows no more of mercy than he does of honor. If he spared Davydd's life, it was only so as not to make a martyr of the man; I'd wager my birthright on that."Aubrey laughed. "It sounds as if the poor man cannot win with you, torn. If he'd claimed Davydd's life, I daresay you'd have scorned him for a coldblooded murder; yet because he did not, you scorn him even more!"

105"If that is a jest, I see no humor in it " Thomas lapsed into a sullen ce and they rode without speaking for a time, Aubrey congratulat-5himself upon having discovered so effective a burr for Thomas's saddle"Where mean you to go after our stay at Mold7" Thomas asked at last and Aubrey, grimacing at "our stay," shrugged' "I thought I might venture down into South Wales, the lands underNorman control Whilst serving with King Richard in Normandy a few ears past, I became friendly with a Marcher border lord, and I should like to renew that friendship, to spend some days with him at Aber-gavenny Castle ""AberJesu, man, are you talking of William de Braose7""Yes, Lord of Brecknock and Upper Gwent Why does that so surprise you7""Because de Braose's name stinks like a mackerel in the sun, I'd have thought the foul smell sure to've reached even as far as Normandy ""You speak of a man I call friend," Aubrey said stiffly "I'd advise you to choose your words with care ""You are an innocent, Aubrey, in truth," Thomas said impatiently "Ere you unsheath your sword, you'd best hear me out, hear how de Braose avenged the death of his uncle The man responsible was a Welsh lord, Seisyll ap whateverDe Braose summoned this Seisyll and his followers to Abergavenny to hear a royal proclamation, set out for them a rich table, as much wine as they cravedWhen the Welsh were off guard, de Braose's men fell upon them, killed them allThen, ere word could get out, he dispatched others to Seisyll's camp, there abducted Seisyll's wife and, right before her eyes, murdered her sevenyear-old son " Thomas reined in, looked challengmgly at Aubrey "I bear no love for theWelsh, but vengeance such as that does no man honor "Aubrey was shocked "But he had such an agreeable nature, was quick to jest, to open his purse to his friends And he seemed truly pious, never passed a wayside cross without offering up a prayer ""Farsighted of him, I daresay, given how greatly he'll be in need of prayers come Judgment Day Although, to be fair, there are those who say de Braose was urged to it by his km There are even those who think 'he old King was not displeased And that bloody night at Abergavenny15 twenty years past But none would deny that de Braose is a hard man, a man not overburdened with scruples " Thomas laughed suddenly Little wonder his greatest friend at court is none other than Lord John'"Aubrey was not surprised that Thomas should be so indiscreet, not

206after some six weeks in the letter's company. But he had no intention Of compromising himself, of sharing his political prejudices with Thornas"Indeed?" he said coolly, and then, "torn, look at the sky. There rnUs[ be a fire ahead."Thomas stared at the smoke spiraling up through the trees, and then spurred his stallion forward. Rounding a bend in the road, he earn? to an abrupt halt.Aubrey and the squire reined in, too."Christ Jesus!" Thomas sounded stunned, turned to Aubrey in dis. belief. "The whoreson's besieging Mold!"Aubrey searched in vain for an identifying banner. "Who?""Llewelyn, you fool! Who else would dare?"SMOKE from the smoldering palisades drifted across the outer bailey, setLlewelyn's men to coughing. Most of the faces around him were well smudged with soot, but he saw only jubilant smiles, for they'd broken through the first ring of the castle defenses. Ahead lay the deep ditch that separated the inner and outer baileys, and beyond, the castle curtain wall, a far more formidable obstacle than the timber palisades, which had been easily set afire with brushwood and flaming arrows. But the curtain wall was stone, the gateway shielded by a portcullis grille.The drawbridge meant to link the two baileys still blazed, torched by retreating soldiers. Llewelyn glanced about at his captains, said, "We can do nothing till we fill in the ditch; see to it. But we'll need cover Remember, their