Tree of Life

The Keep is visited by a delegation of Danes, who want to form an alliance with Powys. It is bad timing for Evan, who says that Morleyna is with them for safekeeping, as her countrymen battle the Norse in Ireland. One Dane -- Gregos-- is suspected of raping a woman named Ceolinn, though she's refused to name him. Gregos has been caught searching areas of the Keep 'off-limits' to visitors.

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If love of money was the root of all evil, Owen suspected that lust for women watered the soil; the two certainly inhabited the same garden. In this case, Gywnedd's princess stood in the middle of the apple orchard and if that was not a clear sign, he did not know what more it would take.

When they left the archery range, Evan had asked him whether Owen had seen Lord Gregos. Berde seemed interested in the answer, and muttered something under his breath to Erik. No, Owen had not seen the man.

Till now.

Morleyna of Gwynedd had her back to them when they entered a wide clearing, as afternoon sun slanted through ripe trees. She held something in her arms, head tilted up as Gregos smiled down. Her hair cascaded to her waist in a waterfall of dusky curls.

Ceolinn had black hair and something bad had happened to her.

Owen stepped forward. Terion, the armorer's wife, sat on a blanket in the sun-dappled shade, face pale under a sprinkle of freckles. Her daughter Ursula slept on her lap, a half-eaten apple clenched in the small brown paw. Terion's face was bone-thin but her breasts almost overflowed her bodice. That produced the answer to what Gywnedd's princess was holding: the armorer's son, Idris, born on the feast of St. John.

Cynan stood in the background, arms folded across his chest. His eyes flicked once to acknowledge their presence, then back to the princess. Owen let out a breath of relief; nothing untoward had occurred. He looked at Evan, whose eyes went hard.

Gregos glanced toward them, smiled, then gestured at the child in Morleyna's arms, eyes bright with curiosity. The tail of his question floated in the breeze, in Latin, damn his soul. He wanted to see if the princess understood more than the words of the Mass. Gareth stepped out from the path, Erik and Berde with him.

Evan's hand went up. ''Wait,'' he said.

Owen watched as Gregos pointed to the infant, then to Ursula, then back to Morleyna, talking all the while. The princess took a step back and shook her head.

Then Owen saw Powys' hope for a treaty dissolve as the Dane stretched out a hand to touch the Princess of Gywnedd's hair.

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"Morleyna!" The name cracked like a thunderbolt.

She jumped at the sound and whirled around, eyes huge.

"Come here! Now!" Evan strode forward. He shot Gregos a look that froze the man's outstretched arm. Morleyna blinked, and tightened her hold on Terion's son.

"I said now!" Her eyes went wider, then she assented, moving with quick steps. Evan halted midway across the clearing; the sharp, sweet scent of apples struck an incongruous note to the murder on his mind.

"My Lord?" Her voice was a bare whisper.

He grasped her by the shoulders. "Do not speak to that man. Never let him talk to you, not even with a guard nearby. Do you understand?"

Morleyna nodded. "I said nothing."

"Did he touch you?"

"I…he," she stammered, shifting the babe in her grasp. "No. It seemed he wanted to touch my hair and then you--"

"Lord have mercy." Evan cupped his hands over the crown of her head. He closed his eyes and drew her close, till his chin rested on her head.

"How dare you?" she whispered. "Unhand me!"

"Please stay still a moment; let me think." He drew in a long breath and forced back the killing rage that snaked through his veins. It had the power to slow the sun, marking each moment with bright, crystal clarity. But it was no friend to him, not today.

He swallowed, then looked at her, his voice low. "What did Gregos say? Could you understand him?"

A crease furrowed her brow. "Not much, his accent is horrid but," she flipped back the topmost edge of the swaddling cloths, "I think he wanted to know about the babe's hair."

"Why?" Evan's eyes dropped to the twitching bundle of linen.

Morleyna touched a fingertip to the thick cap of curls that rioted over Idris' head. "He said it was black, like mine. And Ursula's." She kissed the child and smoothed her cheek against his; he snuffled against her, and moved his head across her collarbone. "Oh, I should not have done that. He is hungry and wants his mother." As if in agreement, Idris began to emit tiny grunts.

"Ignore him. What else did Gregos say?"

"Ignore him? 'Twill be rather difficult when he--"

As if on cue, Idris let out a piercing wail, butting at her chest like a small, determined goat. At the edge of the orchard, Terion gave a convulsive jerk. Evan quelled her with a look; her mouth pinched tight as she hugged her arms over her breasts. Ursula began to stir as Idris pitched his distress call higher.

"Forgive me, Lord Evan but this child needs to eat." She began to jog the infant up and down, which only appeared to increase the volume.

"And he will, when you tell me what the Dane said. With all the noise, no one will hear you."

Idris threw back his head and wailed, his crumpled face the shade of overripe berries.

"Oh, please." Morleyna adopted a swaying motion. "I cannot think just now."

"Hair," Evan prompted, tugging one of her curls.

"Oh. Lord Gregos seemed to think the children were mine, and that Terion was the wet-nurse. He said they did not resemble her at all."

"Of course not, they look like their father, a black-headed remnant of the legions if ever there was…" Evan dropped his hands. "Go, take Idris to his mother and come straight back."

"What did you say?" she asked, nearly shouting.

He bent to repeat it in her ear.

"Yes. My thanks." She departed in a flurry of skirts, the babe's howls tearing over her shoulder. Terion jumped up and opened her bodice, pushing Ursula from her lap, who woke and began her own lament. Evan missed the exchange that exorcised Idris' demon wail; he watched the Danes, who studied the women. Then, to a man, they turned and looked at him. Berde and Erik appeared surprised; Gregos reflected the satisfaction of a man whose suspicions had been confirmed.

So. There had been more than curiosity at the heart of his prowling about the Keep.

Evan suddenly saw the solution to Ceolinn's problem.

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Photo Tree of Life © Artio Boanne