Dawn of Love

1 A New Life

April 1356  A small castle near the boarder of Wales and England

John stumbled into his older brothers apartments, stunned at the sight that met his eyes.  In his brothers bed a woman had just given birth. A young maid servant and his brothers personal physician cleaned up the mess as his brother held the crying infant up for the woman to see.  His brother had been crying. He had never seen him so emotional before.

"Alyce, Alyce look at our beutiful daughter.  She will have your beautiful violet eyes. What shall we name her?"

John couldn't discern the reply Alyce gave, unable to go closer because fear had frozen him in place.  If their father found out, there would be hell to pay.  Feeling like a bystander watching a tragedy on the stage, he watched in horror as the baby was thrust into the arms of the young maid servant and his strong big brother threw himself across the now lifeless body of Lady Alyce.

Reality seemed to return some time later as he sat by the fire in his brothers solar with a cup of ale in his hand.  His brother had been writing and sending out messengers for what seemed like an hour.  At long last his brother turned to him.

"John, I need your help. I need you to help me get my daughter to safety. I can't go myself because father needs me to help ready the troops for our journey to France in September.  I need you to deliver her to Raaglan Castle into the care of one of my most trusted knights, Sir Rhys ap David."

"She is to be delivered to Wales? To be raised by a Welshmen?"

"Conway Castle in North Wales is as far as I can send her from court and danger. After Alyce received word of her husbands death in the holy land, we were secretly married. I knew father wouldn't approve right away but I thought if I could present a grandson and wife at the same time he would relent. All was going according to plan until yesterday, a man arrived with a report that Alyces husband was not dead, but was very much alive. Under English law, my daughter is legally his. Alyces husband was a brutal man. I wouldn't give him a dog I hated let alone my own child. John Westin, the Earl of Conway is a man I trust in this matter above all others. He is a good man and will protect my daughter as thought she were his own.  Take her to him with these instructions. You leave now, as soon as the horses are brought around."

Twelve hours later John rode through the side gates of Raaglan castle, the young maid servant, called Rose, and baby just behind him.  They were shown into a small ground floor room off the great tower.  A fire warmed the room and food stood waiting for them. Lady Gwladus appeared with a servant who showed Rose where she could tend the baby.

"My Lord John, I understand you have business with Sir Rhys who is currently staying with us. He has been summoned and will be here shortly."

"My Lady Gwladus, I thank you for your hospitality."

"It is no problem my lord. After your business is completed please feel free to join my husband and I for supper. I have had a bedchamber made ready for you so you may rest as long as you need before returning to London. My niece, the Lady Anne is visiting with us too and she is a most accomplished musician. I am sure you will enjoy her playing."

After a few minutes spent in conversation with the gentle Lady Gwladus, John looked up as a young man with black hair and blue eyes entered the room with a commanding presence. Lady Gwladus stood up from the chair she had been sitting in, "Well I shall leave the two of you too it."

John was confused.  The young man looked at him expectantly. John said, "I am waiting for Sir Rhys." The young man responded, "I am Sir Rhys ap David." John was sure there had to be a mistake. "The Sir Rhys I am looking for is a Knight in the service of Edward, His Grace the Duke of Cornwall, and Prince of Wales."

"I am he my lord. I stand ready to do my lords bidding. My life and my sword pledged in the name of Edward Woodstock, Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall." John was taken aback when the young man knelt during this impassioned speech. This young man must indeed be the knight his brother so trusted.

"Sir Rhys, there is a package the needs to be carried through Wales and delivered to Lord John Weston.  You are to remain at the castle as part of the garrison guard but your primary responsibility will be the safety of this precious package. Your mission will last 18 years and 3 months.  Regular reports as to the well being of the package are required and instructions on their regularity and the way they will be carried out are detailed in this letter to you."

"I did not know the mission His Royal Highness required me for would last so long. What sort of package is it?"

At that moment the sound of a happy baby gurgling met them as Rose and the infant returned to the room.  A look of horror passed his face as Rhys realized what the package was.

"Sir Rhys ap David, meet the Lady Kathryn, daughter of Lord John Weston of Conwy."

"How did the Lord John of Conwy manage to lose his daughter in England though he and his wife have not left Wales in months and the child can't be more than a few days old at most?"

"That is none of your concern."

The young mans eyes darkened in color and he took a menacing step closer to John, "Your pardon my lord, but it is my concern if I am to spend the next 18 years of MY life guarding her and if I am to be successful I must know who she is, where she comes from and who I am to protect her from."

John was impressed by the demeanor in his brothers knight. Taking him by the arm a few steps away from the door and the maid servant he spoke urgently into the young knights ear, "She is the natural issue of my brother, the Prince of Wales and the late Lady Alyce de Bourgh, whose husband is the very powerful, very rich, very nasty Lord Humphrey de Bourgh. Should he discover his wife's death was a result of a liaison with the Prince his wrath will kill thousands."

Short minuets later Sir Rhys, Rose, Lady Katryn and a small group of knights on loan from Lord Williams garrison at Raaglan were thundering down the moonlit road leading them into the North of Wales. They would have to stop half way and purchase more supplies as well as warmer clothes. The north of Wales was notoriously colder than southern England.

Nine days later the travel weary group thundered through the gates of Conwy Castle. Lord John greeted them with great noise and joviality as a servant quietly whisked Rose and Lady Kat through a side servants entrance.  After traveling for 9 days with the infant, Rhys had become attached to her. She was a good baby, slept in the arms of her nurse or Rhys soundly as they rode and rarely cried. That morning she had focused on Rhys with the most intense trusting blue gaze he had ever seen. It was like she could see through him. Then she gurgled her baby laugh that seemed to tell him she liked what she found in his eyes. From that moment he was her slave and he feared that she knew it.

"Sir Rhys you have come upone us at a happy time! My wife has 3 days hence been delivered of a baby girl!"

"Lord John you are to be congratulated. I bring greetings from His Royal Highness Edward, Prince of Wales and news on the treaty with Wales. Had he known of your daughters recent birth I know he would have sent his own congratulations as well as a gift for the child."

"No gift is required from our esteemed Prince Sir Rhys, instead we shall have you send to His Highness and ask him to be her godfather."

"Lord John, such is the affection our Prince has for you I feel confident in accepting such an honor in his stead."

"Let us drink a toast to the arrangement and I will call my man of affairs to have it put down in writing."

This conversation took place as the two men linked arms and strode into the main hall. They supped together, Rhys sharing details of his journey north and everyone drank heavily of the celebratory ale that flowed freely.  After waiving his servants away Lord John leaned into Sir Rhys ear and whispered, "My wife was indeed delivered of a girl.  The child took fever and died early this morning. No one knows accept myself and the child's nurse. My wife has yet to recover fully from the birth. The Lady Katryn will be slipped into her place and no one will be the wiser. Best of all my wife will not have to suffer the death of another infant. I fear another death would kill her.  Now that most of the castle are 3 sheets to the wind with toasting the birth we can retire to my solar and have the documents of birth drawn up."