Gwenhwyfar_ The White Spirit - Mercedes Lackey [53]
Maybe it was only because in the Great Hall the smoke rose straight up to the roof, and there was no “bad side” for the tables, where wind sent the smoke into your eyes. The people on that side of the hearth fires were looking uncomfortable.
Gwen checked on her charge again. The Merlin was still watching Little Gwen. Oh, it would be so good if he picked her, Gwen thought fervently.
Finally, when the last of the food was gone, and the men had settled down to serious drinking and talking, the Merlin’s manservant came and tapped Gwen on the shoulder and indicated with a jerk of his thumb that she should go eat.
She went straight to the head cook who had, indeed, saved her a good meal and, wonder of wonders, had carefully put the goose in a clay pot and left it basting in its own juice by the fire so that it didn’t congeal in its own fat. Gwen enjoyed every bite, but she felt the need to hurry back, lest she be thought laggard.
By now, the sun had almost set, and the embers of the fire matched the color of the western sky. She took the jar of beer from the Merlin’s manservant and quietly replaced him without a fuss. The conversation was about children—the children of the chiefs as well as of the king—betrothals that might be made, daughters gone to the Ladies, second or third sons that might be sent for harder training away from the family. No man would send his heir away of course, but it was thought that other boys would benefit from being away from the shadow of the eldest and the protection of the family. And, of course, they might catch the eye of a daughter, and there would be an alliance-marriage out of it.
The Merlin cleared his throat. “I have some interest in your youngest,” he said, with great care. “I would like to speak with her at some length over the next day or two.”
“Little Gwen?” The King’s voice betrayed a touch of confusion. “Why Little Gwen? The conversation of such a child is not like to be entertaining.”
“I believe I may have detected another sort of Blessing on her than the one the Ladies look for,” the Merlin replied. “Such a thing is elusive, as difficult to follow as a minnow among the reeds, but it is the sort of thing that is useful to the Druids. It may be that as the Ladies have called your Cataruna, the Druids, although we do not usually call females, might be able to train your youngest. We have on occasion great need for maidens. Pure maidens, with special kinds of power to them . . .”
“Aha!” Comprehension dawned on the king. “Virgin foot-holders, as the good Goddess Arianrhod was to Math ap Mathonwy, Lleu’s liege lord. Has our High King the need of such, think you?”
“He might. Or I might. If the magic calls for it. There are other Druidic callings for pure maidens, though these rites be more secret than those of the Ladies.” The Merlin smiled. “I can assure you that if she is indeed endowed with such a Blessing, she and you will be greatly honored for it, protected and guarded—rather better than Arianrhod was. And if she is not, well no harm will come of a little talk with an old man. Hmm? Besides, your trusted Gwenhwyfar will be there.” He chuckled deeply. “I assure you, my lord King, I am not such that finds great interest in little girls except as they may grow to power or further the needs of the High King.”
“Oh, I had no suspicion of that.” The king’s ears had turned a little red. “And who am I to deny the Druids what they may need, especially as it may be in the interest of the High King? I shall tell the nursemaid that you are to have custody of the little wench for as long as you require. Or—” he amended with a chuckle “—for as long as you can stand her prattle.”
When the manservant again took Gwen’s place and she picked her way through the snoring bodies bedded down among the rushes in the Great Hall to the bedchamber, she discovered that once again Little Gwen was wide awake.
She heard the child sit straight up in bed as she lifted the door-curtain. As warm as it was, the bed curtains had been taken down altogether and put away until winter. “Gynath