*
Tanon was curiousabout the news when she overheard her nurse, Rebecca, discussing the arrival of “the savage Welsh” at Winchester. Tanon had no idea who the savage Welsh was, but she decided that he must be someone of great importance when she heard her papa telling her mama that William had promised him something very precious. It must have been something precious indeed, because Mama wept for hours after that.
Tanon wanted to look pretty on the day of the savage Welsh’s arrival, as she was William’s friend and should make a good impression. She even let Rebecca and Alysia tug on her curls without so much as a peep of complaint. What kind of example would she set if their guest thought William’s friends were as dirty as the pigpen? Of course, Tanon didn’t mind playing in the pigpen, even though it meant having to take a bath; it was fun to play in the mud with Petunia.
She wished she was allowed to play with the horses, especially Uncle Dante’s white one. Ayla was so pretty with her snowy white mane and wild eyes. Everyone else was afraid of her, but not Tanon. She even hoped to ride her one day.
“The most dazzling sunrise cannot compare to you,” William greeted her with a wide smile after she entered the throne room with her parents and stopped before his special chair.
“Thank you, William.” She flashed him a toothless grin and then moved closer to him and whispered. “You might think of telling the same to mama. She’s been crying all morn. I think it’s because she is getting fatter than Clara the cow. I do hope this time she has a girl, because I am sick of brothers.”
It was only after a man chuckled softly beside the king that Tanon noticed him, and the group of boys staring at her. These must be William’s guests, though she hadn’t thought there would be so many of them. She hoped her mama never had that many boys.
They looked strange. Who ever heard of boys wearing braids? Their breeches were fashioned from hide, their patterned tunics belted with rope. And even the youngest boy carried a dagger tucked at his waist. His wildness appealed to her. She smiled at him, remembering her lessons in good manners, and because he was smiling at her. One of the taller boys behind him scowled at her. Tanon decided she didn’t like that one. He had mean eyes like Roger’s. The younger one had eyes of pretty blue.
Tanon curtsied to him. “Well met.”
“Cyfarchion,”the boy replied.
She crinkled her nose and giggled. “What does that mean?”
“’TisCymraeg. Welsh,” the man corrected himself with a low chuckle. He had a nice smile, like the boy. “It means ‘greetings.’ My nephews haven’t learned all of your words yet.”
Tanon hoped that when they did their voices would sound as musical as his.
“Lady Risande,” William said. Tanon straightened her shoulders, knowing by his use of her title that she needed to be especially polite now. “This is Prince Rhys ap Tewdwr.”
Tanon curtsied again, then looked up. “Is he the savage Welsh?”
Her parents and William didn’t seem to approve of her question, but before anyone could say anything, the visiting prince smiled and nodded at her.
“Yes, I am.”
William cleared his throat and drew out a short sigh, then winked at Tanon when she cast him a nervous glance.
“These are his nephews.” He called out eight names in all, but Tanon took notice of only two. Cedric, the mean-looking one, whom William gestured to first, and Gareth, the younger boy.
“Are you all princes?” Tanon asked, spreading her wide gaze over the brothers.
“I haven’t any children of my own. When I become king of Deheubarth”—Prince Rhys bent to her and winked and she giggled at the way the last word rolled off his lips—“I will make my nephews princes.”
While she laughed, Gareth lifted his finger to her dimple and poked it gently. Cedric murmured something. Tanon couldn’t understand it, but she knew it was rude by the way he clenched his jaw, and by the way Gareth glared at him over his shoulder.
Tanon decided not to smile at Cedric anymore, since he was being so ill-mannered, but on Gareth she bestowed her friendliest grin. She hoped he would speak to her more, because the guests’ peculiar words made her belly tickle.
*
Tanon couldn’t reallysay whether Gareth was someone she might want to make friends with. He was proving to be as ill-mannered as his brother. He hadn’t spoken a single word to her since their introduction two days ago. He ignored her when she tried to speak to him. William kept asking her to be more polite to Cedric. But he refused to use his Anglo words with her, so she didn’t understand him. Also, William had told her that Cedric was ten and seven. Tanon was certain that he wouldn’t want to play with her, so she gave up trying to be nice to him.
“You’re very quiet, aren’t you?” she asked Gareth one day, appearing beside him while he made his way toward the stables.
He didn’t speak, or even look at her, but picked up his pace to walk ahead. Tanon clenched her hands at her sides. “I think you’re a very rude mute.”
That was when she noticed how soft his hair looked. His loose braid draped down his back. Two stray locks of gold dangled at his shoulders. He pivoted to look at her. He didn’t say anything. He simply stood there looking too old for a boy of only ten summers. His face was pensive, his blue eyes narrowed on hers.
“My brothers speak…” he began and then shook his head. “My brothers said you aregelyn—my enemy.”
The hard expression Tanon tried to maintain faded into a look of heartrending disbelief. “Your enemy? But why? What have I done?”