CHAPTER V. THE KING'S CHILDREN.
"Dynevor --did you say Dynevor? O Eleanor, it must be he!"
A tall, slim, fair-faced maiden, with a very regal mien, looked upquickly from an embroidery frame over which she was bending, and glancedfrom the eager, flushed face of the younger girl who stood beside her tothat of a tall and stalwart English youth, who appeared to be the bearerof a piece of news, and asked in her unconsciously queenly way:
"What is it, Sir Godfrey, that you have told this impetuous child, tohave set her in such a quiver of excitement?"
"Only this, gracious lady, that certain youthful chieftains from thesouth have come hither to Rhuddlan to pay their homage to your royalfather. In his absence at Chester they have been lodged within thecastle walls, as becomes their station. It has been told me that amongstthem are four sons of one Res Vychan, lately dead, and that he was Lordof Dynevor, which honour has descended to his eldest son. I was tellingwhat I knew to Lady Gertrude when she broke away to speak to you."
"Eleanor, it must be he -- it must be they!" cried Gertrude, withflushing cheek and kindling eye -- "Res Vychan, Lord of Dynevor, and hisfour sons. It could be none else than they. O Eleanor, sweet Eleanor,bid them be brought hither to see us! Thou hast heard the story of howwe went thither, my father and I, two years agone now, and of whatbefell me there. I have never heard a word of Wendot since, and I havethought of him so oft. Thou art mistress here now; they all heed thylightest word. Bid that the brothers be brought hither to us. I do solong to see them again!"
Gertrude was fairly trembling with excitement; but that was no unusualthing for her, as she was an ardent, excitable little mortal, and everin a fever of some kind or another. The young knight who had brought thenews looked at her with unmistakable admiration and pleasure, and seemedas though he would gladly have obeyed any behest of hers; but he wasfain to wait for the decision of the stately Eleanor, the king's eldestand much-beloved child, who in the temporary absence of her parentsoccupied a position of no little importance in the household, and whosewill, in the royal apartments at any rate, was law.
But there were other listeners to Gertrude's eager words. At the far endof the long gallery, which was occupied by the royal children as theirprivate apartment, a group of three young things had been at play, butthe urgency of Gertrude's tones had arrested their attention, and theyhad drawn near to hear her last words. One of these younger children wasa black-eyed girl, with a very handsome face and an imperious manner,which gave to onlookers the idea that she was older than her years.Quick tempered, generous, hasty, and self willed was the Lady Joanna,the second daughter of the king; but her warm affections caused all whoknew her to love her; and her romantic temperament was always stirred toits depths by any story that savoured of chivalry or heroism.
"What!" she cried; "is Wendot here -- Wendot of Dynevor, who held theEagle's Crag against half a hundred foemen to save thee, sweetestGertrude, from captivity or death? -- Eleanor, thou knowest the story;thou must bid him hither at once! Why, I would thank him with my ownlips for his heroism. For is not Gertrude as our own sister in love?"
"Ay, Eleanor, bid him come," pleaded Alphonso, a fragile-looking boy ayear younger than Joanna, whose violet-blue eyes and fair skin were inmarked contrast to her gipsy-like darkness of complexion; and thisrequest was echoed eagerly by another boy, a fine, bold-looking lad,somewhat older than Alphonso, by name Britten, who was brought up withthe king's children, and treated in every way like them, as the wardroberolls of the period show, though what his rank and parentage were cannotnow be established, as no mention of him occurs in any other documentsof that time.
The Princess Eleanor, as she would now be called, although in thosefar-back days the title of Lady was generally all that was bestowed uponthe children of the king, did not attempt to resist the combinedentreaties of her younger playfellows. Indeed, although somewhat matureboth in mind and appearance for her years, she was by no means devoid ofchildish or feminine curiosity, and was as willing to see the hero ofGertrude's oft-told tale as her more youthful companions could be.Moreover, it was her father's policy and pleasure to be generous andgracious towards all those who submitted themselves to his feudalsovereignty; and to the young he ever showed himself friendly and evenpaternal. The stern soldier-king was a particularly tender and lovingfather, and his wife the best of mothers, so that the family tie intheir household was a very strong and beautiful thing. When the monarchwas called away from his own royal residences to quell sedition orrebellion in this turbulent country of Wales, his wife and childrenaccompanied him thither; and so it happened that in this rather gloomyfastness in North Wales, when the rebellion of the warlike Llewelyn hadbut just been crushed, the king's children were to be found assembledwithin its walls, by their bright presence and laughter-loving waysmaking the place gay and bright, and bringing even into politicalmatters something of the leniency and good fellowship which seems to bethe prerogative of childhood.
Thus it was that one powerful and turbulent noble, Einon ap Cadwalader,had left as hostage of his good faith his only child, the Lady Arthyn,to be the companion of the king's daughters. She had been received withopen arms by the warm-hearted Joanna, and the two were fast friendsalready, although the Welsh girl was several years the elder of thepair. But Joanna, who had been educated in Spain by her grandmother andnamesake, and who had only recently come to be with her own parents, hadenjoyed abroad a liberty and importance which had developed her rapidly,and her mind was as quick and forward as her body was active and energetic.
Intercourse with Arthyn, too, had given to the younger princess a greatsympathy with the vanquished Welsh, and she was generously eager thatthose who came to pay homage to her father should not feel themselves ina position that was humiliating or galling. The gentle Eleanor sharedthis feeling to the full, and was glad to give to the young knight SirGodfrey Challoner, who was one of her own gentlemen-in-waiting, agracious message for the young Lord of Dynevor to the effect that shewould be glad to receive him and his brothers in her father's absence,and to give them places at the royal table for the evening meal shortlyto be served.
Great was the delight of Gertrude when the message was despatched. Hercompanions crowded round her to hear again the story of her adventure onthe Eagle's Crag. Gertrude never knew how she had been betrayed byWendot's brothers. She believed that they had been accidentally hinderedfrom coming to her rescue by the difficulties of the climb after theeagle's nest. There was a faint, uncomfortable misgiving in her mindwith regard to the black-browed twins, but it did not amount to actualsuspicion, far less to any certainty of their enmity; and althoughEleanor had heard the whole story from her parents, she had notexplained the matter more fully to Gertrude.
An invitation from royalty was equal to a command, and the eagerchildren were not kept waiting long. The double doors at the end of thelong gallery, which had closed behind the retiring form of Godfrey,opened once again to admit him, and closely in his wake there followedtwo manly youths -- two, not four -- upon whose faces every eye wasinstantly fixed in frank and kindly scrutiny.
Wendot had developed rapidly during these two last years, although heretained all his old marked characteristics. The waving hair was stillbright and sunny, the open face, with its rather square features, wasresolute, alert, manly, and strong. The fearless blue eyes had not losttheir far-away dreaminess, as though the possessor were looking onwardand outward beyond the surroundings visible to others; and beneath thecalm determination of the expression was an underlying sweetness, whichshone out from time to time in the sunny smile which always won theheart of the beholder. The figure was rather that of a man than a lad --tall, strongly knit, full of grace and power; and a faint yellowmoustache upon the upper lip showed the dawn of manhood in the youth.There was something in his look which seemed to tell that he had knownsorrow, trial, and anxiety; but this in no way detracted from the poweror attractiveness of the countenance, but rather gave it an added charm.
Griffet
h retained his marked likeness to his brother, and was almost hisequal in height; but his cheek was pale and hollow, while Wendot's wasbrown and healthy, his hands were slim and white, and there was an airof languor and ill-health about him which could not fail to make itselfobserved. He looked much younger than his brother, despite his tallstature, and he blushed like a boy as he saw the eyes of the ladiesfixed upon them as they came forward, bowing with no ungraceful deference.
"Wendot, Wendot. don't you know me?"
The young man started and raised his eyes towards the speaker. So far,he had only been aware that there were a number of persons collected atthe upper end of the long gallery. Now he found himself confronted by apair of eager, dancing eyes, as soft and dark as those of a forest deer,whilst two slim hands were held out to him, and a silvery voice criedsoftly and playfully:
"O Wendot, Wendot, to think you have forgotten!"
"Lady Gertrude!"
"Ah, I am glad you have not forgotten, though methinks I have changedmore than you these past years. I should have known you anywhere. Butcome, Wendot; I would present you to my friends and companions, whowould fain be acquainted with you. They know how you saved my life thatday, I have told the tale so oft.
"Let me present you first to our sweetest Lady Eleanor, our great king'seldest daughter. You will love her, I know -- none can help it. And shelets me call myself her sister."
Young things have a wonderful faculty of growing intimate in a verybrief space, and the formalities of those simpler times were notexcessive, especially away from the trammels of the court. In tenminutes' time Wendot and his brother had grasped the names and rank ofall those to whom they had been presented, and were joining in the eagertalk with ease and with enjoyment. Joanna stood beside Wendot,listening, with unfeigned interest, to his answers respecting himselfand those near and dear to him; whilst Alphonso had drawn Griffeth tothe embrasure of a window, and was looking up into his face as theycompared notes and exchanged ideas. It seemed from the first as though astrong link formed itself between those two.
"Your brothers would not come. Was that fear or shame or pride?" askedJoanna, with a laughing look into Wendot's flushed face. "Nay, think notthat we would compel any to visit us who do it not willingly. Gertrudehas prepared us to find your brothers different from you. Methinks shemarvelled somewhat that they had come hither at all with their submission."
Wendot hesitated, and the flush deepened on his face; but he was tooyoung to have learned the lesson of reticence, and there was somethingin the free atmosphere of this place which prompted him to frankness.
"I myself was surprised at it," he said. "Llewelyn and Howel have notbeen friendly in their dealings with the English so far, and we knewthey aided Llewelyn of North Wales in the revolt which has been latelyquelled. But since our parents died we have seen but little of them.They became joint owners of the commot of Iscennen, and removed fromDynevor to the castle of Carregcennen in their own territory, and untilwe met them some days since in company with our kinsman Meredith ap Hes,coming to tender their homage, as we ourselves are about to do, we knewnot what to think of them or what action they would take."
"Are both your parents dead, then?" asked Gertrude, with sympathy in hereyes. "I heard that Res Vychan was no longer living, but I knew not thatthe gentle Lady of Dynevor had passed away also."
Wendot's face changed slightly as he answered:
"They both died within a few days of each other the winter after you hadbeen with us, Lady Gertrude. We were visited by a terrible sickness thatyear, and our people sickened and died in great numbers. Our parents didall they could for them, and first my father fell ill and died, andscarce had the grave closed over him before our mother was stricken, andfollowed him ere a week had passed. Griffeth was also lying at the pointof death, and we despaired of his life also; but he battled through, andcame back to us from the very gates of the grave, and yet methinkssometimes that he has never been the same since. He shoots up in height,but he cannot do the things he did when he was two years younger.
"What think you of him, sweet Lady Gertrude? Is he changed from what hewas when last you saw him, ere the sickness had fastened upon him?"
Several eyes were turned towards the slim, tall figure of the Welsh ladleaning against the embrasure of the window. The sunlight fell full uponhis face, showing the sharpness of its outlines, the delicate hecticcolouring, the tracery of the blue veins beneath the transparent skin.And just the same transparent look was visible in the countenance of theyoung Prince Alphonso, who was talking with the stranger youth, and morehearts than that of Wendot felt a pang as their owners' eyes were turnedupon the pair beside the sunny window. But Wendot pressed for no answerto his question, nor did Gertrude volunteer it; she only asked quickly:
"Then Griffeth and you live yet at Dynevor, beautiful Dynevor, andLlewelyn and Howel elsewhere?"
"Ay, at Carregcennen. We have our respective lands, though we are minorsyet; and our kinsman Meredith ap Res is our guardian, though it islittle we see of him."
"Meredith ap Res! I know him well," cried a girlish voice, in accentswhich betrayed her Welsh origin. "He has ever been a traitor to hiscountry, a traitor to all who trust him; a covetous, grasping man, whowill clutch at what he can get, and never cease scheming after lands andtitles so long as the breath remains in him."
They all turned to see who had spoken, and Arthyn -- the headstrong,passionate, patriotic Arthyn, who, despite her love for her presentcompanions, bitterly resented being left a hostage in the hands of theEnglish king -- stood out before them, and spoke in the fearless fashionwhich nobody present resented.
"Wendot of Dynevor, if you are he, beware of that man, and bid yourbrothers beware of him, too. I know him; I have heard much of him. Besure he has an eye on your fair lands, and he will embroil you yet withthe English king if he can, that he may lay claim to your patrimony. Hebrings you here to the court to make your peace, to pay your homage. IfI mistake not the man, you will not all of you return whence you came.He will poison the king's mind. Some traitorous practices will bealleged against you. Your lands will be withheld. You will be fed withpromises which will never be fulfilled. And the kinsman who has soldhimself body and soul to the English alliance will rule your lands, inyour names firstly perchance, until his power is secure, and he canclaim them boldly as his own. See if it be not so."
"It shall not be so," cried Alphonso, suddenly advancing a step forwardand planting himself in the midst of the group.
His cheek was crimson now, there was fire in his eyes. He had all theregal look of his royal father as he glanced up into Wendot's face andspoke with an authority beyond his years.
"I, the king's son, give you my word of honour that this thing shall notbe. You are rightful Lord of Dynevor. You took not up arms against myfather in the late rebellion; you come at his command to pay your homageto him. Therefore, whatever may be his dealings with your brothers whohave assisted the rebels, I pledge my princely word that you shallreturn in peace to your own possessions. My father is a just andrighteous king, and I will be his surety that he will do all that isright and just by you, Wendot of Dynevor."
"Well spoken, Alphonso!" cried Joanna and Britton in a breath, whilstWendot took the hand extended to him, and bent over it with a feeling ofloyal gratitude and respect.
There was something very lovable in the fragile young prince, and heseemed to win the hearts of all who came within the charm of hispersonal presence. He combined his father's fearless nobility with hismother's sweetness of disposition. Had he lived to ascend the throne ofEngland, one of the darkest pages of its annals might never have beenwritten.
But this hot discussion was brought to an end by the appearance of theservants, who carried in the supper, laying it upon a long table at thefar end of the gallery. No great state was observed even in the royalhousehold, when the family was far away from the atmosphere of the courtas it was held at Westminster or Windsor.
A certain number of servants were in atte
ndance. There were a fewformalities gone through in the matter of tasting of dishes served tothe royal children, but they sat round the table without ceremony; andwhen the chaplain had pronounced a blessing, which was listened toreverently by the young people, who were all very devout and responsiveto religious influences, the unconstrained chatter began again almost atonce, and the Welsh lads lost all sense of strangeness as they sat atthe table of the king's children.
"Our father and mother will not return for several days yet," saidJoanna to Wendot, whom she had placed between herself and Gertrude; "butwe have liberty to do what we wish and to go where we like.
"Say, Gertrude, shall we tell Wendot on what we have set our hearts? Itmay be he would help us to our end."
"I would do anything you bid me, gracious lady," answered Wendot withboyish chivalry.
The girls were eying each other with flushed faces, their voices werelowered so that they should not reach the ears of the Lady Edeline,Joanna's governess, who was seated at the board, although she seldomspoke unless directly addressed by Eleanor, who seemed to be on friendlyterms with her.
"Wendot," whispered Joanna cautiously, "have you ever hunted a wolf inyour mountains?"
"Ay, many a time, though they be more seldom seen now. But we never ridourselves altogether of them, do as we will."
"And have you killed one yourself?"
"Yes, I have done that, too."
"And is it very dangerous?"
"I scarce know; I never thought about it. I think not, if one is wellarmed and has dogs trained to their duties."
Joanna's eyes were alight with excitement; her hands were lockedtogether tightly. Her animated face was set in lines of the greatestdetermination and happiest anticipation.
"Wendot," she said, "there is a wolf up yonder in that wild valley wecan see from yon window, as you look towards the heights of Snowdon.Some of our people have seen and tracked it, but they say it is an oldand wily one, and no one has got near it yet. Wendot, we have set ourhearts on having a wolf hunt of our very own. We do not want all the menand dogs and the stir and fuss which they would make if we were known tobe going. I know what that means. We are kept far away behind everybody,and only see the dead animal after it has been killed miles away fromus. We want to be in the hunt ourselves -- Britten, Alphonso, Arthyn,Gertrude, and I. Godfrey would perhaps be won over if Gertrude beggedhim, and I know Raoul Latimer would -- he is always ready for what turnsup -- but that would not be enough. O Wendot, if you and your brotherswould but come, we should be safe without anybody else. Raoul has dogs,and we could all be armed, and we would promise to be very careful. Wecould get away early, as Gertrude did that day she slipped off to theEagle's Crag.
"Wendot, do answer -- do say you will come. You understand all abouthunting, even hunting wolves. You are not afraid?"
Wendot smiled at the notion. He did not entirely understand that he wasrequested to take part in a bit of defiant frolic which the youngprinces and princesses were well aware would not have been permitted bytheir parents. All he grasped was that the Lady Joanna requested hisassistance in a hunt which she had planned, and with the details ofwhich he was perfectly familiar, and he agreed willingly to her request,not sorry, either for his own sake or for that of his more discontentedbrothers, that the monotony of the days spent in waiting the return ofthe king should be beguiled by anything so attractive and exciting as awolf hunt.
The Dynevor brothers had often hunted wolves before, and saw no specialperil in the sport; and Joanna and Gertrude felt that not even the mostnervous guardian could hesitate to let them go with such a stout protector.
"I do like him, Gertrude," said Joanna, when Wendot and his brother hadretired. "I hope if I ever have to marry, as people generally do,especially if they are king's daughters, that I shall find somebody asbrave and handsome and knightly as your Wendot of Dynevor."
For Gertrude and Joanna both took the view that the breaking of theking's gold coin between them was equivalent to the most solemn of trothplights.