When the Ribbons Dance

Chapter 5

A/N - as usual, if there are formatting problem or smushed words problems, that would be Watty, not me. It's correct when I put it in and when I try to go back to correct their mess, it just makes a bigger mess. 

When the Ribbons Dance

Chapter5

The dayswere now cold, the last of the harvest was in. The townspeople openlyaccepted Aelhaearn's strange guest and seemed happy that Madoc was inresidence. He spent many meals at the Druid's, along with hisbrother, Meaurig. They spent many a late night, whispering in the lowfirelight but would stop whispering and change the subject whenBronwyn entered the room and sat down with them.

With theonset of winter, farmers were making sure food and wood were stockedfor the coming cold months. Samhain had come and gone. WinterSolstice was on the horizon.

AndBronwyn knew what that meant. She prayed they didn't ask her.

Meaurigclung to the cottage. Bronwyn thought he was staying near his brotherbut refused to acknowledge he was really staying near her. IfAelhaearn sent her into the town, Meaurig went with her. He carriedthings, suggested things, reminded her of things. Sometimes, when shereturned, his hand pressed to the small of her back, she found thingsin the basket she didn't buy – a sweet she liked, a jug ofhoneyed mead. Once there was a ribbon...she tucked it away, beforeAelhaearn or Glenys saw. She didn't know what to think.

She justknew her dreams of the man left her heated and in a sweat.

One coldevening, the group – family, as Bronwyn was inclined to think ofthem, sat around the table, close to the fire. They were eating ahearty stew that Glenys made earlier in the day and slow simmered.The food wasn't as rich as Bronwyn was used to, but it was delicious and she developed a taste for it quickly. The priest, Iospeh, wassitting next to her. He had healed, but still moved slowly, eitherfrom age, cold weather in his joints, or his injuries at the hands,or the hooves, of Cewydd'shorse. Conversation meandered from the amount of the harvest, thesize of the herds, and Hywel's plans.

"Ireceived a message from Dafydd," Madoc was seemingly focused on hismeal. The comment was back-handed, almost a whisper, that caughteveryone's attention just by the sheer lack of pretense of it.

Therewere various grunts and such around the table.

"Donot stop on my account," Ioseph was reaching the bottom of his bowland motioned to Glenys for a refill. "I have no love forCristiant's brats. Neither one is fit to rule a chamber pot, muchless a kingdom."

Bronwynreached for Ioseph's bowl and stood with her own. She headed towardsthe cookplace. "What did he say?" she asked innocently.

Madocsnorted."Accordingto the messenger, my brother wishes no ill will towards me, butstrongly suggests I show myself at Aberffraw to swear my fealty tohim as king. And then," he waved his fork with mock authority, "hewants me to stay, so he can 'protect' me."

"Protectyou from what?" Ioseph scoffed.

"Thequestion should be, protect him from who?"

"Ithink you will be more protected rejecting your half-brother'sso-called protection!"

Bronwynslid the refilled bowl in front of the priest and sank down next tohim. "What are you going to do?" She picked up her own eatingutensil and proceeded to study her meal.

"Youare not going!" Meaurig stabbed his eating knife into the table,causing Glenys and Ioseph to recoil. He jerked the knife from thepock-marked wood and pointed it at his brother. "The moment you arein Dafydd's hands, your life is forfeit!"