"Certainlynot as if you are about to face imprisonment.Merde, you act as if youare about to face some ordeal. The most you should be doing is trying to guesswhat lands you may soon hold, what title you might gain, and where in this dampmist-shrouded land you might rule. So, again I ask, what troubles you?"
"Ido not know," Drogo replied in a soft voice as he slumped against the wallnext to Tancred and tried to smile reassuringly at an uneasy Unwin.
"Areyou afraid that you will not be given all you deserve?"
"No.Whatever our king chooses to grant me will be more than I have now. I will bethankful for whatever lands I might be given." He nodded. "Yes, evenas I speak the words I know, in my heart, that they are the completetruth."
"Well,if you do not know what gnaws at you, I cannot help you. I would advise you tocalm yourself before you meet with our king, however. William may see your moodand wonder on it. I do not believe you want to try and explain yourself tohim."
"No."Drogo shuddered at the thought. "I shall thank him most graciously forwhat he gives me and leave. I will collect Eada and the others and go to mylands as soon as I am able. I wish to place some distance between myself andthis court. There is too much intrigue, and I do not wish to be caught in itsweb. Will you travel with us?"
Tancrednodded. "Just this morning I was granted a small holding near Hastings. Ifyour lands are in that direction, I will be most pleased to travel withyou."
Drogoclasped Tancred by the shoulder. "I am pleased about your good fortune,but I shall miss you at my back. It will be strange not to have you always athand."
"MayhapI will not be too far away. Mayhap fate will smile upon us and our grantedlands will be close together."
"Thatwould be good. Who is your liege lord?"
"Ido not know. The king is trying to find out who held the lands I now claim apiece of, but no one seems to know. The earl is known but not how the landswere held under him or by whom. It may be months, even years, before that isknown." Tancred lightly bit his bottom lip and glanced warily at Drogo."Are you certain you should take Eada with you?"
"Ofcourse. She is my woman. Why should I cast her aside?"
BeforeTancred could reply, a man called for Drogo. With a last frown directed atTancred, the unanswered question sitting uneasily in his mind, Drogo followedthe man. The tension that had been subdued by his talk with Tancred nowreturned in full and Drogo felt his insides knot up. This was the moment he hadwaited for, yet he dreaded it. That made no sense, and that confusion onlyadded to his tight uneasiness.
Drogobowed as he confronted William, idly thinking that the man sprawled in the hugeoak chair looked more the warrior than the king. He smiled his gratitude forthe honor when William waved him toward a bench on his right. As he sat downand faced his liege lord, Drogo fought to hide his confused feelings. The roomwas filled with the smoke of tallow candles and a fire as well as William'slarge entourage. There were also Normans, Saxons, and even some of William'smercenaries, all awaiting their rewards or a chance to argue their fate. Drogohoped all of that was enough to keep William from looking too closely at him orkeeping him at his side for too long.
"Iam pleased that you and all your men survived the war, Drogo," Williamsaid.
"Soare we, my liege," said Drogo, and he returned William's quick grin.
Williamsighed, his mood changing quickly as he frowned at the people gathered in thehall. "I fear that, although the victory came more swiftly and easily thanI had planned, it will not be easy to discover exactly what I rule. I do notfully understand the Saxon ways and laws, and since they do not fullyunderstand mine, I fear we often talk a great deal yet learn nothing from eachother. They do not understand what I ask and I do not understand their repliesand explanations. With so many Saxons dead or in hiding, it is also impossibleto gather all the information I need." He shook his head. "It couldbe years before I know all I now lay claim to, but everyone wishes to knowtoday what their fate is or what they have gained."
Ashe prepared himself to graciously accept the news that he would have to wait toknow what lands would be his, Drogo murmured, "And one cannot expect thedefeated to rush to hand over all they have lost."
"True,my old friend. But for you, I do have good news. In truth, this boon becameknown to me but an hour ago. Do you see that pretty Saxon woman trying to hidein the far corner of the hall?"
Hisheart sinking, Drogo looked where William pointed. The woman was fair, blonde,and shapely. When she saw the king pointing her way, she looked up briefly andblushed, quickly averting her gaze and revealing a becoming modesty. As he hadstood upon the shores of France months ago, he would have considered such awoman a true prize, an excellent choice for a bride. Now he was almostterrified that William was going to suggest that he marry the girl.
"Sheis very pretty," was all Drogo could bring himself to say.
"Andalone. Her father and brothers fell at Hastings, leaving well-marked, richlands. The man who takes her to wife will be both powerful and wealthy."
"Butonly if he takes her to wife."
Williamnodded. "The bond of Saxon with Norman, the old ruling blood with the new,will ease resentment and anger. If that Norman is a fair and honorable man, Iwill have at least one island of peace in this sea of anger I must try tocalm."
Drogoknew he should say yes without hesitation. This gave him all he had come toEngland to gain. This was far more than he had any right to expect. He wouldrise from little more than a mercenary knight to a lord with lands to rule,power, and wealth. Such a gain would also help his men, especially Serle andUnwin, who had little hope of any gain for their service. Even recalling hisdebt and responsibility to those who served him could not bring the word yes tohis lips. The strange advice Lord Bergeron had given him the day of thehangings no longer seemed so strange. This was the decision the man had beenreferring to, this was when he had to choose between ambition and happiness. Hedid not want the woman. He did not want any woman but Eada. The woman was thechoice of ambition; Eada was where his happiness would be found. Suddenly,nothing William could offer was alluring, not if it would cost him Eada.
"Youhesitate?" William asked, watching Drogo closely.
"Ido not want the woman," Drogo replied quietly, wondering how he couldrefuse such a gift without causing insult.
"Ifear the woman comes with the lands. There will be anger aplenty when thepeople see that not only their king will be foreign. That will be eased some ifmarriages are made."
"Iknow and I agree, but I cannot take the woman." He suddenly realized thatthe look upon William's ruddy face was not one of anger or outrage but ofamusement. "You are not surprised by my refusal."
"No.We have marched together for months, Drogo. I believe I know what lies in yourheart. I but wondered if you craved the lands and wealth more than the woman.Do not fear to insult me. I accept your refusal with but one regret. I havenothing else to offer you. Not now. Mayhap not ever."
