Dragon of the Island

by Mary Gillgannon

  “You are such a proud and mighty warrior,” she sneered. “But it’s clear you are afraid of your own sister. What power does she hold over you? What dark secrets does she know?”

  Maelgwn’s face went white. No one, no one had ever mentioned his relationship with his sister in such a way before. And her tone... so mocking, so sarcastic. He did not even remember lifting his hand to strike the blow, but suddenly Aurora was sprawled on the ground, holding her cheek and staring at him with bright tears in her eyes.

  Maelgwn was shocked at himself, at what he had done. He had never struck a woman before, not even when Esylt provoked him to fury. Slowly, he made himself go to Aurora and help her gently onto the bedplace. He could not bear to look at her, to see her red, swollen cheek. She turned away from him, her body shuddering with silent sobs. He did not know what to say, how to comfort her, and so he left the tent.

  The night was overcast and nearly starless. Maelgwn walked quickly past the guards and began to pace the perimeter of the camp, trying to steady his nerves.

  In Lludd’s name—what had gotten into him! He had gone to his new wife eager to pleasure her and make her sigh with delight. Instead they had quarreled and he had hit her, lashing out like an angry little boy. His loss of control appalled him. She was a woman, weak and defenseless. That he had seen fit to control her by using his fists made him appear a cowardly fool.

  Maelgwn flexed his shoulders and tried to think. It was the taunt about Esylt that undid him. He had never gotten over being sensitive about the role that his sister had played in making him king. But how had Aurora known that, and what kind of woman was she that she dared push him to the point of violence? Maelgwn stopped pacing and stared out across the dark hills. His new wife had a defiant streak that disturbed him. It must be dealt with, and dealt with quickly. But how? If he punished her further for her mocking words she might hate him, and then he would never get to taste the delicious secrets of her lovely body again. Oh, she would submit; she had no choice. But it would not be the same. He could not forget the way she had melted in his arms. He did not want to lose that.

  Curse it—this was hard. He had never guessed that having a wife could be so difficult. He had planned to marry Aurora, enjoy her beauty, savor the hold she gave him over Constantine, and then go on with his plans and campaigns. But already this woman was disrupting his life, making him feel things he did not want to feel. He had meant to keep Aurora as a hostage, a bargaining tool, but she was more than that. Here he was, pacing sleeplessly in the darkness, worrying that she would hate him.

  Chapter 7

  Aurora fumbled in the baskets around the bedplace, searching for a rag with which to blow her nose. She could not stop sobbing. Her cheek and jaw ached, but the wound to her pride stung more. No one had ever struck her before—not her parents nor her nurse—no one. But what could she expect from an evil-tempered brute like Maelgwn the Great!

  Aurora cried harder, the anger washing over her like waves. Only gradually did the nagging thought that she was partly to blame for her misfortune prevent her from wallowing in self-pity. She had meant her words to hurt. She had guessed that Esylt was a sore point with Maelgwn, and she had dared to use that knowledge to try and shame her husband into showing her more respect. If words could be weapons, she had chosen the most deadly ones she knew. It was not surprising that Maelgwn had retaliated. She was lucky he had not beaten her instead of merely landing a quick blow.

  Aurora sat up and stared at the tent entrance apprehensively. What a fool she had been. She had defied her husband and then mocked him. By now he had probably decided she was a hopeless shrew and he would be better off sending her back to her father. Her father had been depending on her to accept her lot as Maelgwn’s wife, to fulfill his part of the agreement. And what had she done?—taunted her husband into a rage! Aurora suddenly felt sick. Even now Maelgwn might be planning to turn his troops around and vent his wrath on Viroconium.

  It would be better if Maelgwn came back and punished her instead, Aurora thought grimly. At least then innocent people wouldn’t suffer because of her reckless temper. Or perhaps she could make it up to Maelgwn. If her husband came back to bed, she would try to act eager and willing for lovemaking. Perhaps then he would forget her awful words.

  Aurora hurried to undress. Her hands were trembling, and she realized how exhausted she was. Could she really convince Maelgwn that she wanted him? Could she appear eager and seductive, even though her insides were tight with fear and anger? Aurora sighed and crawled into the blankets. She had to try. She had to think of some way to win back her husband’s goodwill. She waited, listening anxiously to the night sounds of the camp, but he did not come.

  In the morning, Aurora spent a long time with her mirror and pots of cosmetics she owned, trying to fix her face before she left the tent. When she finally ventured out, there was no sign of Maelgwn.

  Elwyn gasped when he saw her. She mumbled something about falling into the table, but she was sure he didn’t believe her. Aurora drew her veil close to her face to cover her swollen cheek. She dreaded arriving at Maelgwn’s fortress looking bruised and battered. From what Elwyn had said, it was going to be hard enough to win the respect of Maelgwn’s people without this badge of shame upon her cheek. That is, if Maelgwn still intended to take her home as his wife. Aurora listened closely to the soldiers’ talk. She heard no mention of a change in plans. It appeared for now Maelgwn had not decided to send her home.

  They set off and kept to a steady, if monotonous pace. By late morning, Aurora noticed that the landscape was changing. Fierce outcroppings of dull gray rock veined the land, and the hills around them grew craggy and barren. The weather was changing, too. The sky had turned a sullen gray, and the air had a damp, slightly metallic scent. The track they followed narrowed and grew more rugged, finally winding into a steep-sided valley.

  Aurora shivered as they entered a silent world of mist and shadow. Shapes sifted in and out of the hazy light, and the gnarled, ancient trees around them reached out like spirits beckoning. The stillness was broken only by the echo of running water. The sound seemed to come from below them, beneath the ground. Aurora recalled that the poor farmers around Viroconium believed that every rock and stream and hill had its own god. Here she could almost believe it was true; the very air seemed haunted.

  As they rode slowly on, Aurora remembered a story from her childhood about Pluto, the Roman god of the underworld. He had carried off the beautiful princess Persephone to his kingdom beneath the earth, and she dwelt there still during the months when the land was cold and barren. Looking around at this gloomy land, it was easy for Aurora to imagine herself as the ill-fated princess and Maelgwn as the god of darkness and death, come to carry her away from the beauty and tranquility of Viroconium. Aurora shuddered and urged her horse closer to Elwyn’s.

  By afternoon they had climbed to higher ground, and the oppressive atmosphere lifted. Despite the change, Aurora could not overcome her foreboding. Maelgwn still had not appeared, and she had no idea what he meant to do with her. The uncertainty tortured her. The longer he waited to confront her, the more she feared the worst. She looked at the young soldier riding beside her. Elwyn had been silent and grim all day, and she wondered what he was thinking. Maelgwn obviously trusted Elwyn, so he must have some idea what was to be done with her. Aurora hesitated for a few paces. Would it really be easier if she knew the truth? Aye, she had to know; anything would be better than this horrible waiting!

  “Elwyn?”

  He turned toward her abruptly, as if she had startled him from his thoughts.

  “My lady?”

  “I... I appreciate your kindness to me, Elwyn, truly I do. It has made this journey bearable.”

  Elwyn glanced at her quickly and then looked away.

  Aurora plunged on, fearing that she would lose her nerve if she did not speak now.

  “I need to know... it would ease my mind a great deal if you would tell me what... what is to be
done with me when we reach Caer Eryri?”

  “Done with you?” Elwyn’s face was blank, as if he had no idea what she meant. Aurora felt a stab of irritation. Surely he was not going to pretend that everything was well between her and her husband! Anyone could see from the angry bruise on her face that it was not. She continued on more emphatically.

  “I have angered my husband, and I wish to know what he plans to do with me.”

  “I... I don’t know”

  Elwyn’s voice was halting and thoughtful. Aurora grew impatient.

  “Well, does he usually beat his women?”

  The young soldier gave her a look of horror. “No, my lady! Why, I cannot remember a time that the king has ever disciplined a servant, a slave—nay, even a dog—with his fists!”

  Aurora was not sure what to make of Elwyn’s shocked words. It was reassuring to learn that Maelgwn did not have a reputation for violence, but that meant that her words had provoked him even more deeply than she had guessed.

  Elwyn seemed to be thinking the same thing, for after a moment, he questioned her hesitantly: “My lady, it is none of my business, but... what did you say to the king?”

  He was right, it was none of his business, Aurora decided. Still, she needed some advice on how to deal with her husband, and Elwyn obviously knew Maelgwn better than she.

  “I... I suggested that he was afraid of his sister.”

  Elwyn went white and uttered an oath. “Gods above—you did not!”

  “I did.”

  “My lady, I am sorry. It is my fault. I should never have told you about Esylt.”

  Aurora sighed. “Nay, ‘tis not your fault. It was I who taunted him. My mother often warned me that my sharp tongue would get me into trouble.” She sighed again. “I only wish that it had not been so soon. I hardly know my husband; I do not want him to hate me!”

  “Maelgwn’s temper is legendary,” Elwyn said sympathetically. “And Esylt...” Elwyn shook his head. “I do not know why, but she has the effect of a mite under the skin with Maelgwn. The mention of her makes his face grow hard and cold, and if he spends too long in her company he becomes a raving madman. I’m not sure, but I suspect that it has something to do with Dinas Brenin.”

  “Dinas Brenin?”

  “Aye, there was a great tragedy there. The fortress was burned in a battle, and everyone perished.”

  Aurora’s eyes widened. “Aye, I have heard the story. They say Maelgwn burned his whole family to death.”

  Elwyn shook his head. “Not his whole family... just his brother and mother... enough, I suppose, to make men whisper dark, evil things about him.”

  “Is it true that Maelgwn ordered the fires set?”

  Elwyn looked deeply at her, his hazel eyes murky with pain. “Aye, it is true, but you must remember, it was war. If Maelgwn’s brother Maelfawr had been the one on the outside, he would have done the same thing.”

  “But his mother...”

  “No. Maelgwn didn’t mean for her to die. The fire was set not to take lives, but to drive the soldiers out to fight. It was an accident that women and children were killed.”

  “An accident!” Aurora’s voice was incredulous. “Why did Maelgwn not think of the risk before he ordered the fires set? I can’t help wondering if he’s not as ruthless and savage as his enemies say!”

  Elwyn shook his head. “Maelgwn has grieved deeply over Dinas Brenin for years. Despite what men say about him, Maelgwn is not a hard-hearted man. I know. I was sent to Maelgwn’s father’s household for fostering at the age of seven, and I have served the king as long as I can remember. There is not a better, more just king in Britain.” His eyes returned to her face, soft and pleading. “If you will give him a chance, you will find my words are true.”

  Aurora was silent. She had been told that Maelgwn was a monster, a cruel, power-hungry man. But Elwyn didn’t seem to think so, and her own experience with her husband had not proven him to be entirely a brute. She remembered the tender, provocative way Maelgwn had loved her in the forest. He had taken pains not to hurt her, to give her pleasure. If he were truly a barbarian he would not have given her feelings any consideration. Perhaps Elwyn was right. Perhaps she should give Maelgwn a chance.

  Aurora sighed. Her worry that Maelgwn meant to void the marriage and the alliance was leaving her, but another fear was replacing it. Now that he knew what a shrew she was, Maelgwn might well decide to ignore her, to use her body only to beget an heir and then leave her for a more agreeable woman. The idea made Aurora even more wretched. Maelgwn might not be the man she would have chosen to marry, but he was her husband now. She wanted to be his wife, his queen, not just a hostage to secure her father’s loyalty.

  Chapter 8

  Aurora stared at the brooding majesty of the blue-tinged peaks and wondered if she would ever feel at home in the formidable land called Gwynedd. When the sun shone, the deep green valleys, glistening rivers and sparkling waterfalls enchanted her, but more often it was overcast, and the land seemed untamed and desolate. In six days of traveling they had passed no towns nor villages. Only an occasional farmstead or shepherd’s hut suggested that anyone inhabited the stark highlands and misty valleys except the eagles and hawks who circled far above. How homesick she was. Maelgwn had not come near her since the first night, and she had begun to worry that he intended to shun her forever. When she questioned Elwyn, he shook his head sadly and told her he didn’t know Maelgwn’s plans, but the king must be mad to reject such a beautiful woman.

  Mad, aye, he might be, Aurora thought gloomily. Her husband’s behavior so far had been baffling. He had avoided her since their fight, but his men had made sure that she had fresh food and water to wash with after every meal. Obviously Maelgwn had listened to her complaints and was trying to make her journey as pleasant as possible. Why then did he not come to her? Had she ruined things between them with her taunting words? Or was the truth that she had never been anything more to Maelgwn than a hostage to control her father?

  No, he had wanted her once, Aurora thought stubbornly. She could still recall the thrilling eagerness in his kisses and the way he had moaned when he came inside her body. The memory made her shiver. Would Maelgwn ever touch her that way again? Surely he would have to, if he meant to beget a legitimate heir. She was his wife, and he had no choice but to share her bed occasionally. Ah, but a man did not need to give a woman satisfaction to plant his seed and make a baby grow, Aurora reminded herself. If Maelgwn hated her as much as he seemed to, he would make sure their coupling was quick and infrequent.

  She sighed softly and glanced down at the valley below, searching for a glimpse of her husband. Despite the agonizing confusion that the sight of him stirred within her, she could not help watching for him. She squinted and saw him very far below, directing some soldiers as they forded a small river with one of the supply wagons. His long dark hair and the huge stallion he rode were unmistakable. Aurora’s stomach convulsed with tension, although whether from anger or longing, she could not say.

  She glanced quickly at Elwyn, hoping he did not guess her turmoil. She had tried to guard her emotions carefully and not to let him know how upset she was. She did not want word of her distress to get back to Maelgwn, lest her arrogant husband think she cared if he spoke to her or not.

  She also didn’t want to worry Elwyn. He had been so sweet to her, so kind and considerate. How wonderful it would have been to marry a man like Elwyn, someone who truly cared for her, someone she could talk to. No, she thought wistfully, a man like that was not likely to possess the wealth or power needed to make a profitable alliance for her father. She was doomed to wed Maelgwn. If it had not been him, it would have been another foreign chieftain, perhaps one who was old and ugly, his belly thick with fat and his teeth rotten. Would that have been any better? Perhaps, Aurora thought ruefully. At least then she would not care if her husband ignored her.

  “Aurora, you are so quiet. Are you feeling well?”

  Elwyn’s sympatheti
c words interrupted her thoughts, and she turned and forced herself to smile at him.

  “Aye, I am well. I was just wondering how much longer we will be traveling. I am heartily sick of riding.”

  “It’s not much further,” Elwyn answered, smiling back. “Tonight we will camp at an old Roman fort called Tomen-y-Mur. From there the road leads straight to Caer Eryri. We should be there by midday tomorrow.”

  Aurora nodded, feeling the familiar anxiety twisting in her belly. Tomorrow she would meet Maelgwn’s sister and the rest of his household. If they were anywhere as cold and cruel as Maelgwn, her future was grim indeed.

  * * *

  “Maelgwn!”

  Balyn was coming toward him, moving quickly through the chaos of wagons, horses and men. It was almost sunset, and the damp air rang with shouts and curses as the army set up camp.

  Balyn smiled broadly and held out a wineskin. “Mead from Constantine’s private store. One of the serving girls gave it to me. She was ever so grateful that we did not burn the place down.”

  Maelgwn laughed. “Was she now? I imagine you led her to think the worst.”

  Balyn shrugged. “We have a reputation to uphold. I did not think it out of place to remind our hosts that we are rude savages. Anyway, it seems like fine stuff.” He shook the skin gently. “If you join me around the campfire later, I’ll make sure you get a share.”

  Maelgwn nodded distractedly. He didn’t feel much like celebrating. The memory of the fight with Aurora still gnawed at him.

  Balyn at once detected his gloomy mood. “What is it, Maelgwn? You’re one day away from returning from the most successful campaign of your life, and yet you frown as if you had just lost a war.” Balyn glanced over at the king’s banner, flying above his tent at the center of the army camp. “Is it Aurora? Has your quarrel with her brought on this morbid temper?”