Read Online The Dragon Prince by Mary Gillgannon - Free Book Online

their blue eyes
staring sightless and bright red blood oozing from their
wounds.
    But during that same raid, Rhun had rescued
her, carrying her out of the longhouse to the freedom of the
forest. He had hidden her from his fellow warriors, clearly
disobeying orders to save her. Having done that so many years ago
when he was but a fledgling warrior and she only a child, surely he
could be trusted with her life even more now. He was obviously a
powerful, important man among his people. He sat at Arthur’s side
and shared in his council meetings. And she was a woman, not a
scrawny child. She could make him desire her, make him look at her
with longing as other men did.
    She sighed and dipped a piece of the bread
into the stew. Bannock, they called it, a flat unleavened mealcake
cooked over a campfire. Filling, substantial food, although plainer
and coarser than what she was used to in Cerdic’s household. But
she had never traveled with her uncle when he went to war, and this
was the food of an army on the march.
    Again, her stomach twisted. She had risked
everything to be with Rhun. What if she had made a mistake?
    * * *
    “Why did you do that?” Rhun asked his
brother as they walked away from the gathering of Arthur’s
Companions. “Now we are bound to go to Londinium, prolonging our
journey all the more.” He turned and grabbed Bridei’s tunic. “Are
you plotting some mischief? Because if you are—”
    “Peace, brother.” Bridei soothed. “I have no
devious intent. Arthur needs a man to go to Londinium, and I’m the
obvious one. As for taking the woman—” He shrugged. “Why should she
not see a bit of the country before she is shut up in our father’s
fortress?”
    “She’s a hostage, Bridei! Not some sort
of... of... of guest we are showing off the choice parts of Britain
to!”
    “Do you want her to be miserable? To feel
like a prisoner, a kind of game piece in this contest between
Cerdic and Arthur? I thought you cared about her.”
    “I don’t care about her! That is, I do, but
I can’t act on those feelings. I have to deal with her as I would
any other hostage.”
    “Oh, so that is why you argued with Bedwyr
about what horse she would ride, making sure she had as fine a
mount as any of Arthur’s Companions?”
    “That was simply a practical consideration.
She must have a decent horse if she is to keep up with us. Besides,
she is a woman and royalty. I can’t treat her as I would a rough
fighting man.”
    “My point exactly. She’s a woman and has
lived a pampered life. At least since Cerdic rescued her and made
her part of his household. What does it hurt to take her to
Londinium with us and enjoy ourselves for a time?”
    “Enjoy ourselves?” Rhun gave his brother an
aghast look. “What are you talking about? You’re going to Londinium
on a sensitive diplomatic mission. This is not a matter in which we
should find pleasure!”
    “And why not?” Bridei asked. “Why should we
be wretched and gloomy every moment? This battle between Saxon and
Briton has been going on since before I was born—before you were
born, in fact. Why must our lives be grim and cheerless because
Arthur ap Uther and Cerdic Hengistson both seek to rule Britain?
They are like two hounds fighting over a bone. Neither will give in
until they are dead—or until this whole island is ravaged and
ruined.”
    “The cause we fight for means that little to
you?” Rhun asked bitterly. “Do you really want to end up a Saxon
slave, to see our people wiped out?”
    “They can’t enslave every man in Britain.
Nor are they likely to kill us all, either. I don’t see why we
can’t live side by side, as the Romans and our people once did. The
Saxons are farmers. They care nothing for the highlands where our
people live.” Bridei grimaced. “Although I despise having to admit
it, I fear for once our father is right. This war is a futile waste
of effort and lives.”
    “But the Saxons are barbarians! Heathen
devils who