The Beast of Caer Baddan (60 page)

“Princess,” he said. “Lord Bodvoc is here, but the king is still out. The lord says it is urgent, so I did not want to send him away without your permission.”

Leola was surprised at these words. Here was a man who had
keep of a vast estate, and he was asking permission of her as to what to do about a ruler.

I do have power and position!

The thought brought her both awe and fear, for she was unsure what to do in this situation.

“Did he say what he needed from the king?” Leola asked.

“No, Princess,” the steward replied.

Leola did not know who Lord Bodvoc was nor did she remember his name from the solstice feast, but for some unknown reason she felt that she should discover what it was he wanted.

“I shall see him myself, Tuathal,” she replied.

“As you wish, Princess,” the steward replied.

Leola found Lord Bodvoc in one of the sitting rooms along the front hall. He was quite young, younger even then Leola herself, she was sure. He seemed worried and confused and his eyes showed a resounding fear.

“Madam,” he said, in surprise.

Leola swallowed hard and chose her words with care. “I am Princess Leola, Prince Owain’s wife,” she said, trying to speak clearly and control her accent.

Leola thought she saw some violent quiver of his lower lip as she mentioned Owain.

“What may I do for you?” she asked.

“I must see the king-” Lord Bodvoc began, his voice frantic.

“King Irael is out at this time, Lord,” Leola replied.

“Bodvoc, Princess,” he said, his voice hurried and frightened as if something would jump out of the shadows at strike him dead. “I am Lord of the Dobunni.”

Lord of the Dobunni? Instead of Lord Eisu?

“I... I wanted to tell King Irael that I did not know about the plot to kill him,” Lord Bodvoc said. “I never realized what my brothers had tried to do. I only now heard of it from the captain of the guard, and my sister-in-law confirmed it then. I'm innocent. I swear.”

“Who is accusing you, Lord Bodvoc?” she asked.

He seemed unsure how to answer her. “No one is, but I attacked Prince Owain when he came to confront my brother Eisu about it. I know that Prince Owain believes I was a part of it. I fear I cannot go to Corin, to the Meeting of the Circle of Glouia, with this over my head. What if the dominae should decide to take my life as well?”

Leola didn’t know how to respond. She knew nothing of what he spoke of, but was determined to help.

“I do not believe that King Irael wishes your death, Lord,” she said.

“No, but Prince Owain!”

“I shall speak to Prince Owain of this when he returns,” she replied, and once she had said these words she was determined to do just that.

“You would speak to the dominae on my behalf?” he asked.

Leola gave him a reassuring smile.

“I shall,” she replied.

“I thank you, Princess,” he said, visibly relieved.

Leola mentioned Lord Bodvoc’s visit to King Irael when he returned that evening.

“Tell Owain when he arrives,” the king replied.

Leola felt badly for Lord Bodvoc, but she did not know what influence she might have on Owain. His acceptance of her at breakfast a few days before did not mean that he wished to hear her opinion on political matters.

“I'm unsure as to what to say to him, Father,” Leola said.

King Irael laughed and shook his graying head.

“What does anyone ever say to Owain?” he said. “He has an emperor's soul and the power that goes along with that. Ah. But he listens to you, Leola. Besides, there is so much trouble in Corin that I am constantly called back there. I might not be here when he arrives, and such business should not have to wait. Just tell him what you told me.”

Leola nodded in agreement, but she was nervous over what Owain's response might be.

The king sat down in a comfortable chair by the fireplace and closed his eyes, listening to Gratianna's gentle strumming on the harp.

“That is very lovely, Child,” he said the her.

“Thank you, Grandfather,” she replied.

Leola watched them with pain, knowing that he wished to be apart of his granddaughter's life but was too afraid of harming her to do so.

The babies, lying on their backs in the cradle, tried to lift their heads up as Leola cooed over them.

“What big boys you are,” she said. “What big boys.”

She picked Euginius up and kissed his forehead. Then a rather ingenious plan took hold of her.

“Here, Father,” she said. “Take him.”

“Oh no!
Not I!” the king replied.

But Leola was up and standing over him in an instant.

“Certainly,” Leola said. “Here.”

She placed the infant in his lap and wrapped his trembling arms around him. Gratianna burst into a spill of giggles at her grandfather's frightened face.

“Give us another glorious song, Dearest,” Leola said to her.

“But I only know the one!” Gratianna protested.

“Then let us hear it again,” Leola said.

Gratianna beamed from ear to ear as she started her music afresh.

Leola sat down by the king's side, and laid a comforting hand over his shaking arms.

“He is very strong, is he not?” she said.

“He is,” King Irael said, a nervous flutter in his voice. “Just like his father.”

Leola giggled.
“And green-eyed too.”

When her ears caught Ambrosius' whimper, Leola rushed back to the cradle to draw him up as well.

“There, Dearest,” she said kissing his ornery face. “Mama is here. Hush now.”

“Ah,” King Irael, the apprehension plain in his voice. “Don't you think the nurses should take them to bed now?”

“No, Father,” Leola replied, with a happy lilt in her voice. “See how comfortable Euginius is? He likes you.”

“This is nice,” King Irael said, looking down at the baby in his arms, who stared up at him with curious eyes.

Leola smiled as she watched them.

She was determined to cure the king and felt that this was a very good start.

Everything is as it should be.

The next few days brought the Army back to the barracks at the City of Gloui. Owain had much inventory to settle and was once again distraught over the dwindling money supply. Even with King Erb's payment to the dead knights' families and his generosity towards the Army, Owain felt insecure about the next year’s adventures. He paid the troops and made sure that the storehouses were completely stocked, than prayed that the following spring would be more fruitful.

Owain found Swale's bookkeeping to have been atrocious and had much fixing to do in that regard. Moreover, before his clansman left for Ewyas, Owain ventured a word with him on a different matter.

“I need to know what happened in Anlof,” Owain said.

“Oh?” Swale said in some surprise. “Where?”

“The village north of the Town of Hol, where you took the knights through a day before we attacked the Gewissae,” Owain replied.

“Oh!” said Swale, remembering.

“I am the dominae and what this Army does, including the knights do, is my responsibility. I need to know what happened.”

Swale looked on Owain for a moment as if trying to decipher these words.

“I took the boys that looked twelve and over as prisoners,” he said, at last. “I should have had their hands bound. How I did not think of it, I do not know. We got about three miles south of the village.
All of the sudden, one boy says in very bad Latin that he is the youngest son of the earlmann. Then he starts yelling something over and over at the other boys.”

“Abrieteest tha Britisc,” Owain said, remembering the words of Sigbert Earlmann of Holton just before he took the man's life.

“Kill the Britannae.”

“I did not need to be fluent in Saxon to know what that meant,” Swale replied. “All of the boys jumped on us, kicking and biting, and trying to stab us with these little knives. We managed to restrain about half of them, but the rest ended up dead.”

This was exactly what Owain had feared when Leola spoke of her cousins being gone. At least Garrick was alive, and for that Owain was grateful. He promised himself that he would find the rest of the boys, one by one, and return them to the sorry Town of Anlof.

“Have I done wrong?” Swale asked.

Owain sighed, wondering in his heart if anything was ever correct in war.

“No, Clansman,” Owain replied. “You did right. You did as you were trained to. You followed the rules. No one can criticize your actions. It is I who
have done wrong. I gave the order and you followed it, but I should have never given that order. I should have never sent you to Anlof in the first place. It is my responsibility and I shall remedy it. Come, I shall walk you out.”

They spoke of other things as they went into the courtyard of the barracks, where Swale's servants and guards were waiting for him. Yet, once the older prince was off on his journey north to his own home, Owain's mind was consumed by thoughts of that sorry village.

Chapter Forty Nine: A Prince of the Highest Regard

The whole city of Baddan was alive with excitement. The townspeople crowded the streets and shouted as the riders entered the gates.

“Owain!
Owain! Owain!” they cried.

They chanted this the entire time that Owain passed by and made his way to the castle.

Once through the castle gates, Owain found a company of servants waiting and cheering as loudly as the city had been.

“Owain!
Owain! Owain!”

Owain, Britu, and Annon dismounted and left their ponies for the servants to tend to. Owain called Garrick to his side and told him to follow as they went inside.

“God keep you, Prince,” the steward said, bowing to Owain. “A stunning victory?”

“We slaughtered them,” Annon said, eagerly.

“Prince Annon and Prince Britu are here with me, Tuathal,” Owain said. “Prince Swale has gone back to Ewyas but might be with us for the feast.”

“Excellent,” the steward replied. “I shall have the rooms ready for them. Your father has been in Caer Corin for the week but shall return tomorrow.”