Dragon of the Island (32 page)

Then he was gone. The door shut behind him
with a finality that made Aurora jump.

Maelgwn found Balyn just leaving the great
hall.

“I need to have you do something
immediately.”

“Of course, Maelgwn, what is it?”

“I want a guard posted outside the tower. It
does not matter who visits Aurora, but I don’t want her leaving
there.”

“By the gods, what has happened?”

“See to it!” Maelgwn snapped. Then his voice
softened. “Then meet me in the council room. I need to talk to
you.”

Balyn hurried away without another word, and
Maelgwn trudged wearily toward the barracks. His head was spinning.
He needed quiet and time to think. A few hours ago, he had been
determined to try again with Aurora—to make things right with her.
Then everything had fallen apart. First, there had been Aurora’s
awkward and obvious attempt to discredit Esylt with her story of
the spy in the village and the plot against him. If that had not
been bad enough, she had dragged up the old pain of Dinas Brenin
and thrown that in his face.

But the final blow was the poison. Maelgwn
sighed deeply. How had things come to this—how had the sweet young
woman he married become so warped by hate that she would plot
murder? Or, had Esylt been right all along? Had Aurora always been
capable of treachery, and he had been too besotted to see her for
what she was?

Maelgwn felt the cold pain twisting in his
belly. Aurora had told him that she loved him. She had finally said
the words he longed to hear from her lips. But it was too late. He
could never believe her. He could never be sure that it wasn’t just
another clever attempt to manipulate him.

Maelgwn reached the office and kindled a
torch to illuminate the large, nearly empty room. He knew what he
must do. He must banish Aurora from his life forever. He sat down
heavily. How would he find the strength? Even now all he could
think about was going to Aurora, of holding her in his arms once
again. He tried to hang onto his hate, his anger. It was futile.
His love was stronger than those feelings would ever be.

Maelgwn turned as he heard the hollow echo
of Balyn’s footsteps.

“My lord,” his friend said tentatively.

“Come. Sit.” Maelgwn said, gesturing toward
the stool that Aurora had sat upon only a few hours before.

Balyn settled his bulky frame upon the small
stool. His big open face looked worried.

“Ah, Balyn. You have been right all along. I
do love her.”

“That is good news. So why are you keeping
her a prisoner?”

“Perhaps for now she is locked up so she
will be safe from me.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I. I love her, but it seems she
is poison for me. Hah—poison, that is a good one!” Maelgwn said
humorlessly.

“What has she done?”

Maelgwn shook his head. “She accused Esylt
of treason and then admitted she was planning to poison her.”

“Aurora? Poison Esylt? I don’t believe
it.”

“Aye, it’s hard to imagine. I’m not sure she
would have ever gone through with it, but in these things,
intentions do count for something. I will never be able to trust
her again.”

“So, you have decided to send her back to
Viroconium?”

Maelgwn nodded. “If I can find the strength
to do it.”

Balyn looked thoughtful. He rubbed his meaty
hands together nervously. “Well, there is another possibility, you
know.”

“What is that?”

“Get rid of Esylt.” Balyn looked directly
into Maelgwn’s eyes. “It would solve your problems with Aurora.
And... I’ve never really liked Esylt much myself.”

“How do you propose that I get rid of
her?”

Balyn shrugged. “You could send her
away.”

“She would go straight to one of my enemies
and raise an army against me. What kind of a solution is that?”

“But she couldn’t win.”

“Are you suggesting that I fight a war over
a
woman
?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time. You’ve heard
of Helen of Troy—”

“Aye, I’ve heard of her,” Maelgwn
interrupted impatiently. “But what kind of a king would I be if I
did that? Risking men’s lives because I can’t control my own
lust?”

“You could have Esylt killed.”

“That would make it tidy, wouldn’t it? All
of Britain already thinks I’ve killed off the rest of my family in
my lust for power. Cadwallon’s eaglets they called us—squabbling
amongst ourselves until only one eaglet is left in the nest.”

“If only one eagle is to survive, would it
not be better for Gwynedd if it is you rather than Esylt?”

Maelgwn sighed heavily. “I do not know if I
could do it. It is one thing to kill a man in battle, but it is
another to murder a woman because she interferes in your life. I
already take enough guilt to bed each night because of Dinas
Brenin. If I killed Esylt so I could have Aurora, it would ruin
something for me. I think I would always blame Aurora for forcing
me into something so evil.”

“It is odd,” Balyn said softly. “Your
reputation is so bloodthirsty and cruel, but you have always been a
just king, a fair one. It doesn’t seem right you can’t have the
woman you love, just like any other man.”

Maelgwn leaned his head on his hands
wearily.

“I never wanted to be king. But now that I
am, I know that I am not like other men anymore. Sometimes the king
is the stag, the sacrifice that makes the fields ripen with
abundance and women’s bellies quicken with life. This land does not
yet demand my life, but it is time for me, no matter what the pain,
to put aside my feelings for Aurora and do what is best for
Gwynedd.”

“You have decided then?” Balyn asked.

Maelgwn nodded. “I’ll tell her
tomorrow.”

* * *

Gwenaseth rushed up the tower stairs.
Balyn’s weary, patient face when he came to tell her to go to
Aurora had alarmed her, but not nearly so much as seeing the armed
guard waiting by the tower entrance. It seemed Aurora was in
trouble, grave trouble.

Gwenaseth felt a stab of guilt. She had not
paid enough attention to Aurora lately. She had been busy setting
up her own household and adjusting to married life. No, that was
not true. The truth was that her feelings were hurt when Aurora had
been so cold and distant after Lughnasa. She had been selfish, and
now things were worse than ever between Aurora and Maelgwn.
Gwenaseth sighed. If Aurora were sent back to Viroconium, she would
never forgive herself for not doing more to help.

The tower room door was unbolted, and
Gwenaseth barely knocked before opening it and hurrying in. Aurora
was seated on a stool, staring into the lamplight, her face pale
and stricken.

“My lady, what is it? What has
happened?”

Aurora looked up with dull eyes, and her
voice was empty and harsh. “I don’t know Gwenaseth, truly I don’t.
I’ve tried, but it seems it is no use.”

“Did Maelgwn tell you—did he say he was
going to send you away?”

Aurora shook her head. “No, he said he would
let me know what he plans to do with me tomorrow. I would be
grateful if all he plans to do is send me back to my father. I
think he may have me killed instead.”

“No! Maelgwn would not do such a thing!”

Aurora shook her head numbly. “He said it
would be best for both of us. He was furious, I’m surprised he did
not murder me then and there.”

“What did you do, Aurora? Why is he so
angry?”

“I got some poison from a woman in the
village. Maelgwn thinks I was going to use it to kill Esylt.”

Gwenaseth gasped. “You were not, surely you
were not really going to do it?”

“I don’t know. I was desperate. I believed
Esylt was plotting to betray Maelgwn, and that I was the only one
who could stop her.”

“Did you tell Maelgwn that?”

“Of course. He called me a liar, as
always.”

Gwenaseth stared at Aurora’s swollen eyes
and pathetic face. What was wrong with Maelgwn? Why could he not
see his wife for what she was—a lonely, frightened young woman? But
it seemed he could not. For some reason Maelgwn was determined to
punish Aurora. Would it be death? Death hardly seemed appropriate
for Aurora’s mistakes, and killing Aurora would bring war and
bloodshed. It was not right. She could not let Maelgwn do it. But
first, Gwenaseth realized, she had to be sure of his
intentions.

“I’ll take leave of you now, Aurora,”
Gwenaseth said softly. “I need to talk to Elwyn. But I promise you,
I won’t desert you. I will help you somehow.”

* * *

Elwyn hurried toward the barracks, the blood
humming in his veins and his feet churning frantically beneath him.
Even in battle, he had never felt so tense and desperate. He could
hardly believe the story his wife had just brought to him: that
Maelgwn was planning to kill Aurora. It defied reason—all of it. He
could not believe Aurora had planned to poison Esylt. Aye, Esylt
was a bitch, and evil at that, but poison? It seemed impossible
that the sweet, tender-hearted queen he knew could even consider
such a thing. And then, to think that Maelgwn was planning to have
Aurora put to death for her mistake—that was madness, too. Anyone
could see Maelgwn was being eaten alive by his passion for Aurora.
Her death would solve nothing, except to destroy Maelgwn as
well.

Elwyn reached the barracks and saw with a
mixture of relief and dread that the light in Maelgwn’s office
still burned. Gwenaseth had sent him to find out what Maelgwn
intended to do, and find out he must. Still, he dreaded this
confrontation with his king. He could not help remembering the last
time he had tried to intervene in Maelgwn’s relationship with his
wife. Elwyn took a moment to slow his breathing and steady his
nerves before entering.

Maelgwn looked up as he walked in. The king
was seated at the table as if working, but nothing lay before him.
His eyes were dark and hollow, his face streaked with shadows.
Elwyn had never seen him look so old. The proud, powerful warrior
was gone, and in his place sat a weary, dispirited man.

Maelgwn said nothing. Elwyn burst out
bluntly: “My lord... I was wondering. What are you planning to do
with Aurora?”

“What do you think I must do?” Maelgwn
answered in a dull, heavy voice. “She has plotted to kill my
sister. That is treason, even for a queen.”

“But she is so young, so frightened,” Elwyn
protested. “Surely you must take that into account.”

“Don’t you see, Elwyn,” Maelgwn answered in
a voice of utter anguish. “I can’t let my feelings interfere with
my duty. I must do what is best for Gwynedd, for my people, even
though it tears out my heart.”

“But there will be war. Constantine will
surely never endure such a thing without retaliating!”

“Maybe,” Maelgwn agreed thoughtfully. “But I
went to Viroconium expecting to go to war. There will always be
war.”

Silence loomed between the two men for
awhile. When Elwyn finally spoke, his voice sounded very soft, very
frail in the large, empty room.

“Maelgwn, I must tell you—I can’t go along
with your decision. I can have no part in this.”

“Very well, Elwyn, it is not your decision
to make. Nor your burden to carry.”

Maelgwn spoke no more, and the silence
stretched between them again. Finally, Maelgwn looked up.

“If that is all you have come to say, you
may go. I have several other decisions to make tonight.”

Elwyn bowed curtly and left the room. It
seemed as though his knees might give way beneath him as he hurried
to the small house he shared with Gwenaseth.

“You were right,” he blurted out as he
stumbled into the darkened room. “Maelgwn intends to have Aurora
put to death for treason. He says he does not want to, but he must
put the good of Gwynedd first.”

Gwenaseth gaped at her husband, and then her
face turned hard. “Stupid man! He will never forgive himself.
Doesn’t he know that honor matters little compared to love? Well,
we won’t let it happen!” she added in a determined voice. “We will
keep him from making the worst mistake of his life.”

“How can you speak so?” Elwyn asked in a
shocked voice. “How can you dare to defy our king’s wishes?”

Gwenaseth shook her head. “You are a
soldier, Elwyn, and you have been taught to obey no matter what,
but my father raised me to be a princess and to think for myself.
This thing that Maelgwn intends to do is wrong, and we must stop
him.”

* * *

Gwenaseth smiled at the young guard as she
opened the door. “I’m taking the queen some clothes and food,” she
said, gesturing at the large basket she carried.

“So late?” the man asked lazily. “I can’t
believe you are still up. I know I would be in bed already if I
were not ordered to stay here.”

“When does your relief come?”

“Not for another hour or two.” The soldier
yawned. “I hope I can stay awake that long.”

“After I get these things to her, I’m going
to prepare the queen for bed. It should be quiet the rest of the
night.”

“Tell me,” the soldier said with a
conspiratorial wink. “Why does Maelgwn have his wife locked up like
this? Does he think she sneaks out to meet someone else?”

“I don’t know,” Gwenaseth answered
impatiently. “Men sometimes get strange fancies regarding their
wives.”

“I concede that Queen Aurora’s looks could
drive any husband to jealousy, but Maelgwn’s means seem extreme.
Wouldn’t it be easier for him to guard her himself by sleeping next
to her every night? It would certainly save us soldiers a lot of
trouble.”

“Perhaps I’ll mention it to him,” Gwenaseth
said as she hurried up the stairs.

Aurora had barely changed position since
Gwenaseth had been to see her earlier. She still sat on the stool,
staring at nothing and twirling her rings endlessly around on her
fingers.

“I sent Elwyn to speak to Maelgwn, Aurora,”
Gwenaseth said gently, kneeling down beside the queen. She laid a
tender hand on her arm. “You were right. He does intend to put you
to death.”