"Wewait," Drogo answered as he accepted the wineskin from Tancred, and hetook a deep drink before handing it to Eada.
"Waitfor what?" Eada took a drink of wine and passed it along to Unwin, who saton her right.
"ForHarold. William has sent a messenger to Harold in London. Harold will eithersend a messenger back or come himself."
"Youdo not still think he will come to bow before William, do you?"
"No,although it would save his people a lot of grief and destruction."
Eadaglanced around at the hundreds of camp fires covering the land and sighed."Not too much. You have brought thousands of men here and they all seeksome gain. And even if Harold hands the crown to William, there will be all theSaxon earls, lordlings, and thanes to deal with. William will want to give hisloyal men land, and he will have to take that land from someone. Not everyonewill give it up easily."
"Yousound very accepting."
"Iam simply trying to be for there is nothing I can do to change matters."She tore off a chunk of the bread May had baked and passed the rest to Drogo."Nothing can stop this. William will win."
"Iwish I could be as sure of that as you are."
Sheshrugged. "Your time at the monastery might make it difficult to believein omens and dreams. Old Edith said that the fire which moved across the sky atEaster marked Harold's end and that William was riding that tail to thethrone."
"So,Old Edith was a witch," exclaimed Unwin.
Eadagave the youth such a cross look that he blushed. "Just because someonehears or sees what is to come does not make her a witch. Could it not be God'shand at work? That poor old woman never hurt anyone, man or beast. I thinkpeople drove her away out of envy, because she was chosen to learn such truthsand they were not. Would you have called our King Edward a witch?"
"Ofcourse not."
"Hehad a dream, too, you know. He had it on his deathbed." Eada was unsettledby how quickly and intently everyone's interest was fixed upon her. "It issaid that he awoke out of the fever's madness and recounted a dream. He had mettwo monks he had known in Normandy, monks who had died a long time ago. Theysaid that the country was cursed because of the evil done by our earls and ourchurchmen. They prophesized that in one year plus a day after Edward died, theland would be scarred with war and fire. Only when a green tree, felled halfwayup its trunk and that piece taken three furlongs away, should put itself backtogether without any aid from man and grow leaves and fruit again, will Godcease to punish us."
"Itsounds as if you are to be punished forever," Drogo said after a longmoment of heavy silence. "Once cut, no tree can grow back together,especially not if one part of it is taken so far away."
Eadasmiled faintly. "I did find that difficult to believe myself. It wouldrequire the log to grow feet and walk back."
"Andwhat evil have your earls and churchmen done?"
"Well,I am certain someone must have done something bad or wicked."
"Withouta doubt," he drawled and smiled when she laughed softly.
"So,all of this means that the battle is already won," said Unwin.
"Ifone holds faith with dreams and prophesies, then, yes," responded Serle ashe idly poked at the fire with a long stick. "I would still watch myskinny backside, boy, as we march to London to crown William. No one has dreamtor seen that the English will lay down their weapons and welcome us with openarms. And no one has said that young Unwin can walk through the arrows andbattle-axs unhurt."
"Iintend to fight whenever I must," Unwin declared stoutly, and he graspedthe hilt of his sword.
Serlelooked at the youth with open amusement and made a gently demeaning remarkabout little boys and hot blood. Eada shook her head and laughed softly asUnwin rose to the bait. She had not known the man long, but it was easy to seethat Serle loved to tease the younger knights. Her attention was drawn awayfrom the ensuing argument when Drogo put his arm around her shoulders, tuggedher closer, and touched a kiss to her ear.
"Shallwe leave these children to their play?" he whispered.
Eadasuddenly found herself fighting the urge to blush so fiercely that she couldonly nod in reply. She did not really understand why she felt so shy andslightly embarrassed about what everyone would think as Drogo led her to histent. It was no secret that she and Drogo were lovers, and not one of his menhad treated her as anything less than a lady because of it.
Onceinside the tent, Eada busied herself tidying the already very neat inside. Sheheard the rope-strung cot creak as Drogo sat on it, but forced herself not tolook his way. She needed time to calm herself. Since they were already lovers,had already spent one long heated night in each other's arms, she felt that hersudden shyness was foolish and wanted to hide it from Drogo until she hadcompletely conquered it.
When,a few moments later, she felt Drogo's hand on her arm, she gasped. She had beenconcentrating so completely on calming herself that she had not heard him move.Praying that the shadows cast by the tallow candles would hide the blush shecould not subdue, she turned to face him.
"Whyso timid,ma petite?" Drogo asked in a soft, gentle voice as helightly ran his fingertip over the fine line of her cheekbones. "You blushlike the sweetest maid." He smiled faintly when she-scowled at him.
"Itis most annoying. I do not know what troubles me," she grumbled as he tookher by the hand and led her to the cot. "It is not as if I am aninnocent."
"Onenight with a man does not fully steal your innocence." Drogo sat down,tugged her forward to stand between his legs, and began to unlace her gown."I have the feeling that you could bed down with the whole of William'sarmy and still hold that sweet hint of innocence. It is too deep a part ofyou."
