Free Microsoft Word - LadyPendragon by test Page B

life, for that matter. It was this particular cold edge that caused him great alarm. Gwen did not fare well around other people, especially those of the opposite sex.

    Inwardly, he knew Gwen’s true desire but he could not allow her to follow it. Not when everyone believed in their love. He snorted. He doubted that Gwen had ever truly been in love with him. And to be fair, his heart still belonged to Mildred. Alas, Mildred had died many years ago. He would be eternally sorry that they had never found their happiness together. It was one of those regrets that would tear at him until his dying day and in all likelihood it would haunt him even after death.
    LADY PENDRAGON MARLEY MATHEWS 36

    The only reason Gwen continued to allow him into her bed was because she believed she needed to fulfill her wifely duties by bearing him a child. But she had yet to find life growing in her womb, despite her many fervent prayers. Arthur did not believe that she truly wanted a child. Whenever a babe was around her, she immediately lost interest, scrunched up her nose, proclaimed that they never ceased their wailing, and then she would flee as quickly as her feet would carry her. Arthur on the other hand, delighted in being around wee babes and was contented when he could hold one. He had missed a great deal of Molly when she had been a babe in arms, and he regretted that the most, out of anything else in his life.

    Mildred’s betrothal to his cousin had greatly complicated things, and though he had been very young at the time, he had wanted to break the betrothal. Alas, in the end, Mildred had ended up wedding Llewellyn, despite the fact that Arthur vehemently opposed it. She had decided it would be the only way to keep the fragile peace, and in doing so, Arthur’s heart had been broken. If only she had chosen him. He would have fought heaven and earth to keep her in his arms. He would have braved the very fires of hell if the consequences of their union demanded it. In the end, though, Mildred had chosen her sense of honor and duty, over the earth shattering love they shared.

    From that time onward, Arthur had set about proving to be Britain’s grandest king, and through his many campaigns, against the Saxons, Picts and Danes, he had kept the people of Britain relatively safe from invading forces.

    He settled his large body beside Molly’s now frail looking one, and his breath hitched in his throat as Gwen pulled the blood soaked dressing away. Gwen descended on Molly, with her large glinting threaded needle, and Arthur caught her hand, before she could cause undue misery to his daughter. As if Molly could sense the oncoming danger, she sat up in bed, wild-eyed, and locked her furious eyes on Gwen. Again his breath stalled in his throat. He smothered a cry at the sight of Molly’s rage filled eyes.

    She raised her hand at Gwen, and for the first time, she lashed out at the woman with a small spark of her blue fire. Nonetheless, though weak, it still connected with Gwen’s flawless skin, and Gwen backed away. Gwen let out a loud hiss and began rubbing at the affected spot.
    Her mouth formed in a surprised “O” but she couldn’t seem to get any words out.

    “If you try to touch me again, with your grimy fingers, and filthy needle, I shall turn you into an old hag that would rival the one from Shakespeare’s Scottish Play,” Molly promised, as she began coughing up blood. “Oh, shit! Why couldn’t I have just stayed in Connecticut?” she asked herself, as Morganna pushed Gwen out of her way. Gwen stumbled to the side and lost her grip on her needle. It clattered to the stone floor. Morganna plopped her bottom down on the side of the bed, and gathered Molly in her arms.

    “Hush now, Mary. You mustn’t upset yourself. Just take a deep breath and all will be well,” Morganna murmured.

    Arthur stared at his daughter in incredulous amazement. She was talking like one of his most hardened knights, and though Molly normally