The Beast of Caer Baddan (47 page)

Leola caught the pride and delight in the older woman’s voice.

“Emrys was neither a prince nor a knight but was a common soldier from Venedotia,” the queen said. “He had left that kingdom to see what the rest of the island looked like. When he arrived in Pengwern, he heard what the Basilisk was doing and how he had vanquished the Lady of Gore. Emrys swore then that the knight would die for his crimes.”

Leola listened attentively wondering what would happen.

“He rode his pony to the south of the kingdom,” said the queen. “Went up to the front gate of the fortress and challenged the Basilisk then and there. The knight went out to meet him and when he saw that Emrys was just a commoner, he laughed and mocked him. But Emrys drew his sword and sliced off the Basilisk's right hand and then his head in a single swing. He took the ring off of the Basilisk's severed hand. Then he went into the fortress, carried out the Lady of Gore, and took her safely to her home. Now her father was the Lord of Gore and the elder lord of the Circle of Pengwern. When he heard what had happened, he said to the Lords of Pengwern, 'We are all great princes and yet none of us dared fight this monster. Emrys of Venedotia alone is brave among us.' That very day, the lords elected Emrys to be their king, and he has ruled Pengwern ever since.”

Leola was enthralled by such an incredible story.

“Is that true?” she asked.

The queen laughed. “Who really knows the truth of such tales?” she said. “My only point is that you should not concern yourself with the status of your birth. You are a princess now. If you are patient, humble, and kind, in time the lords shall accept you and the people shall love you.”

Leola liked that thought. It seemed so open and full of hope, that she wished to believe it.

She sighed.

“You are too tired,” the queen said. “I have kept you awake longer then I should. Close your eyes and rest.”

Leola was glad to obey. She kissed the foreheads of both boys, closed her eyes, and was soon fast asleep.

Owain's mind wandered to his home in the City of Baddan, Gratianna, and his father.

“I am Owain ap Irael Prince of Glouia,” he said to himself. “I am an Andoco. I am the dominae.”

With that, he braced himself and gritted his teeth. His hands clenched and shook, but he pulled himself up and on to his hands and knees.

His eyes hardly focused in the dark hut but they soon spied the cracks of light streaming through the torn animal hide that covered the entrance. He crawled towards it, pushed it aside, and peered out to the sunlight.

“You are getting strong, I think,” the hermit said.

He was sitting outside by a fire, his fingers busy mending some poorly shaped basket.

“Ie,” Owain replied. “That I am.”

"Oh, so you do talk, you do."

“I can talk,” Owain replied. “I only speak with difficulty because of this pain. Can you tell me where I am?”

“Ie.
Ie,” the hermit nodded his head multiple times. “You are at my house, I think. Eat. Eat. You are hungry, I you are.”

Owain had to smile at such an answer, for being at the poor hermit's home was the first of all the things he had assumed. Owain wished to know how he might find his own family and thus desired more useful information.

“Ie,” he said to the hermit. “I thank you, sir. But I beg you, tell me what town is nearby.”

“No town, I think," the hermit said. "No town. Only my humble house, I think.”

He gave Owain a bowl of stew and they ate. The hot vegetables felt good in Owain's mouth, but his hands shook so violently that he could hardly lift the crude spoon to his lips.

“Why is it so cold here?” Owain asked.

“It is cold and then warm and then cold, I think,” the hermit said.

Owain was unsure how to understand him but resolved to try again at a later time in hopes of gaining some pertinent information.

Chapter Thirty Seven: Dedication

On the babies’ eighth day, their entire company loaded into carriages and went to the church on the other side of the city. King Emrys and Queen Madge were in one carriage, King Irael in a second, Gratianna and her nurse in a third, and Leola with babies and one of their nurses in a fourth. Mounted guards surrounded the carriages as they drove.

Leola was far too engrossed in the babies to notice the buildings or houses that they passed. Ambrosius’ face ha
d continued to turn a yellow hue, even though Euginius’ face had become a normal color.

“What is wrong with him?” Leola asked the nurse.

“I do not know, Princess,” the nurse replied. “I have never seen a baby that color.”

Neither have I.

But Leola did recall hearing that one of the babies in Anlofton had become yellow.

As she exited the carriage, Leola squirmed in discomfort. The binding around her lower body had been twisted in the ride and she could not get it correct. She understood that it was to keep the blood from her labor from dripping down onto the floor but in all her life, she had never worn such a thing. The women of the Gewissae had simply let the bleeding fall, and with nearly all of their houses and buildings having dirt floor, this was never a problem.

Just one more oddity I must get used to.

To her dismay, King Gourthigern and Queen Severa were waiting for them in the courtyard to the church.

“Brother,” Queen Severa said to King Irael, kissing him on the cheeks. “I trust all is well?”

“Certainly,” King Irael replied.
“Cousin,” to King Gourthigern.

“We were glad to hear you were recovered, Cousin,” King Gourthigern replied.

Leola clung to Ambrosius as if to protect him from the judgmental eyes of Owain’s aunt.

“God keep you, Leola,” Queen Severa said.

Leola mumbled a reply.

King Irael seemed to understand that Leola did not wish to converse with his sister and stepped in to rescue her.

“I am very relieved to have had Britu here,” he said. “He was a great help and comfort.”

“Good,” Queen Severa replied.

“He left after the birth. He said he had something important he wished to attend to.”

“He did,” King Gourthigern said. “There was a prisoner he wanted to release, one called Aluca.”

Leola’s ears perked at the name.

Aluca Aetheling of Tiwton?
He survived the battle? And Prince Britu has set him free!

“Really?”
King Irael said, and he seemed surprised by these words. “That is very attentive of him.”

“It is,” the queen agreed. “He is maturing all of the sudden.
Becoming responsible. How are the babies?”

“Strong for early,” King Irael replied, “but thus far, there is no danger.”

Leola was apprehensive, for Ambrosius' coloring was beginning to frighten her.

“Let me see the heir,” Queen Severa said.

King Irael directed his sister towards the nurse who was holding Euginius.

“Is he not beautiful?” he said.

Leola caught the ring of pride and delight in his voice.

“By the ancestors!” the queen cried. “He looks exactly like Owain did when he was born.”

“He does,” King Gourthigern agree.

Queen Severa looked over at Leola, who was still clinging Ambrosius to her heart.

“I suppose they were early,” she said, as if it was some great concession.

What is that supposed to mean?

“They were,” King Irael said, hurriedly.

He seemed to feel the tension build within their party and wished to stifle it. 

“We must not keep our uncle waiting,” he said.

Gratianna came running up from her own carriage.

“Let me kiss them!” she said.

The nurse bent down for her to see Euginiu
s, and the child placed a kiss on his check. Then Gratianna came to Leola to do the same with the younger twin.

“What is wrong?” she asked, as she gazed at the baby's face.

“I think he is a little sick,” Leola replied, not wishing to alarm the child. “That happens sometimes.”

After the greetings were made, they went inside the old stone church to find the Bishop of Gloui with all of the city’s priests.

“Father Vitalius,” King Irael said, giving the churchman his religious address. “I trust you have had a pleasant journey.”

“I did, Nephew,” the bishop replied. “No rain. I hear there are two new Owains.”

“There are,” King Irael replied. “Leola?”

Queen Madge stepped forwards and took Ambrosius from Leola's arms and then indicated her to the nurse who held Euginius.

I don’t understand! What am I supposed to do?

“Take Euginius and hand him to Father Vitalius,” King Irael whispered.

Leola took Euginius from the nurse and followed the bishop to the front of the church, where the bishop’s students were standing. There on a table was set a large wide basin filled with water.

“What is his name?” the bishop asked.

“Euginius Aurelianus,” Leola replied, a little proudly.

“Euginius Aurelianus,” said the bishop, taking the baby from her arms.

He washed him in the basin and said a blessing over him. Then he wrapped him in a towel and returned him to Leola’s arms.

Although the water was warm, Euginius was unhappy with the procedure and gave a loud protest against it. Leola, anguished to see her child weep, quickly dried him off and brought him back to his nurse.

“Now Ambrosius,” King Irael whispered to her.

When Leola returned to Queen Madge to get the baby, she noticed the woman's right hand. There, where her two smallest fingers should have been,
were nothing but little stubs.

Your fingers have been cut off!

Leola stared at the queen in surprise as the truth of the woman's story revealed itself.

You are the Lady of Gore who fought the Basilisk!

She felt a kind of kinship between herself and the queen. Leola had stabbed the villain Raynar and killed a Britannae knight. Queen Madge had fought guards and knights and endured torture.

I am glad I have a friend who can understand.