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asked, staring.
"Far too real," Gawain said grimly. "I know her."
"Who is she?" Henry demanded.
"A Scotswoman, the daughter of a rebel. I met her years ago." Gawain fisted a hand, silent and fierce, wondering if he and James Lindsay might have been able to prevent this mockery had he stayed with them in Scotland.
"'Tis madness to chain a young girl so," Henry said.
"Indeed," Gawain growled. He walked around the table toward the open area surrounding the cart. He wanted to help, but was not certain what to do, short of grabbing her and carrying her out the door. Surely there was some better solution.
The king stood. The guests rose too, in a rush of movement, dropping napkins and setting down their goblets and half-eaten portions of food.
"What have we here?" the king asked in a smooth, rehearsed tone. "A swan... and a Swan Maiden. Welcome to our celebration." He gestured brusquely. A servant pulled the huge carved chair aside and the king walked around the table.
Edward approached the cart, a tall, thin man, hands folded behind his back. Torchlight gleamed on his white hair, and on the jeweled collar over his magenta tunic. Age and illness bowed his shoulders.
"The sight of such a beautiful woman will surely stir our knights to thoughts of... victory over Scotland," Edward murmured. A ripple of low laughter followed.
Gawain frowned, watching the king pace in front of the cart. Edward peered at Juliana as if she were one of the strange beasts kept in the little zoo in the Tower of London. The girl straightened her head and back as gracefully as the swan beside her.
The bird moved then, extending its neck and hissing loudly. It batted a wing at Edward, who stepped back hastily. The guards and some of the advisors rushed forward, but the king waved them away and resumed his stroll.
"All the swans in England," Edward said, "belong to the king. No one disputes that. These two swans" —he emphasized the last word—"were taken in Scotland. Scottish swans also belong exclusively to the king of England. As does the land of Scotland itself." His voice rose, and he lifted his hand.
"I swore in London weeks past upon a pair of swans," he declared. "I swear again before God and this company, and upon this swan and Swan Maiden, that I will quell Scotland and the rebel Robert Bruce. All men here, swear the same with me!"
Throughout the hall, hundreds of knights repeated the king's words in an echoing, massive single voice. Gawain stood silent while Henry and his stepbrothers made the vow as well.
The king rounded upon the girl, his face flushed. She stared boldly back at him. Gawain watched her reaction with keen approval.
The swan hissed, flapping his wings. Edward raised a hand, avoiding the swan, and stroked the girl's head, cooing. She batted his hand away firmly. The smack was audible.
Gasps echoed around the room.
With a fixed smile, Edward turned to his guests. "The Swan Maiden wants taming," he said. "We shall choose an English knight for the task. She will be brought to rule by him, just as her rebellious nation will be ruled by his king." He looked around the hall. "Whoever can tame this Scottish swan shall have her. Come forward and try!"
Several knights stood, and more followed suit. The king beckoned them forward. Gawain stood not far from the girl's cart, motionless. Even when Henry urged his sons to go forward, Gawain did not move. He had no interest in this cruel game, and no taste for dominating a woman.
As the men gathered to form a line, Gawain recognized many of them by name or by sight. Some were so drunk that they swayed and stumbled. And some, Gawain knew, hated Scots as virulently as Edward Plantagenet.
He looked at Juliana Lindsay again, and saw her face grow pale. Cold fury rose in him. He could not leave now—and he could not stand here and watch this.
He stepped forward.
Chapter 6
She sat straight and wary, greeting each knight in turn with cool silence. One after
"Far too real," Gawain said grimly. "I know her."
"Who is she?" Henry demanded.
"A Scotswoman, the daughter of a rebel. I met her years ago." Gawain fisted a hand, silent and fierce, wondering if he and James Lindsay might have been able to prevent this mockery had he stayed with them in Scotland.
"'Tis madness to chain a young girl so," Henry said.
"Indeed," Gawain growled. He walked around the table toward the open area surrounding the cart. He wanted to help, but was not certain what to do, short of grabbing her and carrying her out the door. Surely there was some better solution.
The king stood. The guests rose too, in a rush of movement, dropping napkins and setting down their goblets and half-eaten portions of food.
"What have we here?" the king asked in a smooth, rehearsed tone. "A swan... and a Swan Maiden. Welcome to our celebration." He gestured brusquely. A servant pulled the huge carved chair aside and the king walked around the table.
Edward approached the cart, a tall, thin man, hands folded behind his back. Torchlight gleamed on his white hair, and on the jeweled collar over his magenta tunic. Age and illness bowed his shoulders.
"The sight of such a beautiful woman will surely stir our knights to thoughts of... victory over Scotland," Edward murmured. A ripple of low laughter followed.
Gawain frowned, watching the king pace in front of the cart. Edward peered at Juliana as if she were one of the strange beasts kept in the little zoo in the Tower of London. The girl straightened her head and back as gracefully as the swan beside her.
The bird moved then, extending its neck and hissing loudly. It batted a wing at Edward, who stepped back hastily. The guards and some of the advisors rushed forward, but the king waved them away and resumed his stroll.
"All the swans in England," Edward said, "belong to the king. No one disputes that. These two swans" —he emphasized the last word—"were taken in Scotland. Scottish swans also belong exclusively to the king of England. As does the land of Scotland itself." His voice rose, and he lifted his hand.
"I swore in London weeks past upon a pair of swans," he declared. "I swear again before God and this company, and upon this swan and Swan Maiden, that I will quell Scotland and the rebel Robert Bruce. All men here, swear the same with me!"
Throughout the hall, hundreds of knights repeated the king's words in an echoing, massive single voice. Gawain stood silent while Henry and his stepbrothers made the vow as well.
The king rounded upon the girl, his face flushed. She stared boldly back at him. Gawain watched her reaction with keen approval.
The swan hissed, flapping his wings. Edward raised a hand, avoiding the swan, and stroked the girl's head, cooing. She batted his hand away firmly. The smack was audible.
Gasps echoed around the room.
With a fixed smile, Edward turned to his guests. "The Swan Maiden wants taming," he said. "We shall choose an English knight for the task. She will be brought to rule by him, just as her rebellious nation will be ruled by his king." He looked around the hall. "Whoever can tame this Scottish swan shall have her. Come forward and try!"
Several knights stood, and more followed suit. The king beckoned them forward. Gawain stood not far from the girl's cart, motionless. Even when Henry urged his sons to go forward, Gawain did not move. He had no interest in this cruel game, and no taste for dominating a woman.
As the men gathered to form a line, Gawain recognized many of them by name or by sight. Some were so drunk that they swayed and stumbled. And some, Gawain knew, hated Scots as virulently as Edward Plantagenet.
He looked at Juliana Lindsay again, and saw her face grow pale. Cold fury rose in him. He could not leave now—and he could not stand here and watch this.
He stepped forward.
Chapter 6
She sat straight and wary, greeting each knight in turn with cool silence. One after
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