Page 63 of The Dragon Ring
Raised voices once again came from the vestibulum, as though someone had opened the doors into the street. The voices drew nearer. Heart hammering, I struggled to my feet. My dress was stained dark with the boy’s blood. A wave of nausea at the metallic stench of it rose in me. I mustn’t be sick. I had to pull myself together. My eyes fell on the dagger lying on the tiles by my feet. I bent and picked it up, and nearly retched. I was in no fit state to cope with anything, but I had to. There was nowhere to hide. Hot tears burned in the corners of my eyes, tears for the dead boy, tears for myself, tears of fear.
Arthur came striding out of the vestibulum in full armor. For a moment, I stared, unable to believe he was alive and unhurt. And then anger took over. Oblivious of the press of his men behind him, I marched up to him and thumped him hard in the chest.
“You left me!”
His dark eyes opened wide in surprise, and as I went to thump him again he caught my wrists. Probably he was worried I might even try stabbing him as I was still clutching the dagger in my right hand.
“You bastard!” I shouted, letting all the tension of the last hours pour out of me. “You left me with a pregnant girl and just buggered off!” I struggled in his grasp as Merlin, who’d come up beside him, carefully prised the dagger out of my hands. I shot him a furious look– he’d left me too.
Arthur took me by the shoulders and held me at arm’s length, looking at me carefully. Behind him, I was dimly aware of a sea of blurred faces.
“Where are you hurt?” His voice was strained with concern. It might well be, considering the amount of blood that had soaked into my once beautiful blue dress.
“I’m not,” I blurted. “It’s his blood.” I pointed to the dead boy. “And Morgawse’s.”
Theodoric was by my side in an instant. “Morgawse’s blood? Where is she? What’s happened?”
I twisted in Arthur’s grip, angry with all of them, particularly Theodoric. Shoving his poor, pregnant and in labor wife into my arms, and then clearing off, was not the done thing, surely, even in this world. “She’s fine,” I snapped. “She’s had her baby, that’s all. I helped deliver it.”
His eyes widened in surprise. “She told me it wasn’t due for two weeks.” It was a protest, an excuse, a shifting of the blame onto her.Bastard.
Arthur was looking unmistakably impressed. With me? Perhaps.
“Well, she was wrong,” I returned, feeling even more angry with him. “And it’s born, and before you ask, it’s a boy.”
Arthur released his hold on me and clapped Theodoric on the back. “A fortuitous day for your son to be born. It will bring him great luck.”
Really? Not if I was right.
I considered hitting Arthur again, but decided against it. I rubbed my forearms so that he’d see he’d hurt me, but he was too busy congratulating Theodoric.
The big blond Goth looked smug as several more of Arthur’s warriors also clapped him on the back. As if he’d done any of the work.Bastard.
“What’s happened?” I asked. “Where’s Cadwy? Is it safe now?”
Arthur nodded. “It’s safe. There was fighting. We have the City Guard under Eudaf on our side. Along with my warriors from Din Cadan, and Theodoric’s men. Cadwy has the Palace Guard.”
“Are there many dead?” I asked, glancing back at the dead boy.
Arthur shook his head. “We don’t know yet. Too many. Luckily Cadwy saw it was only going to get worse, fighting in the confines of his city streets. We’ve come to an agreement with the help of Dubricius on Cadwy’s side and Euddolen on ours. Cadwy’s not happy. But if he hadn’t agreed, he would have lost everything. I’ve settled for Dumnonia as my father decreed. I don’t want Powys. I never did. He doesn’t seem to understand that even now.”
“Because he’s always wanted all of it,” Merlin put in. “He thought you did too.”
I shivered. My anger was waning and shock taking its place. “So it’s all over?”
Arthur shook his head. “Not really. We’ve still the Council of Kings to come. When a new High King should be elected.” He grinned, but his eyes remained serious. “That should be fun.”
“What about the kings who were already here?” I asked. “What did they do when the fighting was going on?”
Arthur flashed a wry smile. “Stood back and watched, that’s what. It’s none of their business what happens between Cadwy and me. They just waited to see who would come out on top.”
“So none of them supported him?”
“Not a one. But you could say the same thing about them not supporting me.”
Theodoric interrupted. “Where is my wife? I want her with us. We’re going to the Domus Albus, Euddolen’s house. Where is she?”
We went together to collect Morgawse, followed by a score of heavily armed warriors.
