Daughter of the Sea

V: Captivated

The prince looked up and noticed her, and Angharad stepped forward to greet him. "Well met, cousin. Congratulations." Rhuddlum made a move as if to embrace her, but his hands were full of baby; she laughed, took him by the shoulders and kissed both his cheeks.

"Well met, indeed," Rhuddlum answered, "and many thanks for your care of my own. It was a great weight off all our minds, to have the princess in such good hands." He looked past her, his eyes darting about expectantly, and she guessed his thoughts.

"The queen sends her regards," Angharad assured him, "and her best wishes. She regrets having been unable to make them in person, but certain affairs required her attention at home. Be assured she was pleased to offer hospitality to our cousin in her need. The house of Mona is always welcome on Llyr."

"If only all young mothers were so fortunate," Rhuddlum said, looking slightly relieved, "to give birth among the midwives of Caer Colur. We are blessed by the alliance - and by our proximity. I hope you will grace us with a visit yourself soon."

Angharad glanced at Teleria, still transcendent with happiness, and smiled a smile not altogether forced. "I am honored by the invitation. We shall see what may be done. Meanwhile..." she glanced at the grey sky. "You should be off, if you want to get back today. This weather will hold."

"You believe so?" He looked, a little nervously, at the mist drifting across the water. "It looks like it might storm."

Angharad shut her eyes, breathed slowly, felt the lightness in the air, the pull in the tides. "No. The fog will clear before you get halfway."

"She's always right about these things, dearest," said Teleria breathlessly. "Oh, do let's get home! I've missed it so!" Rhuddlum nodded, and strode away to give direction, then strode back, with a rather foolish grin, and handed Rhun back to Teleria. She giggled, and threw her free arm about her cousin. "Oh, Angharad, I shall miss you! You must come visit me - oh, careful, darling, he's got his hand all tangled in your hair - as soon as you can. Write to me, won't you? I promise I'll write back."

"I will." Angharad kissed her dutifully and bent over the baby, tracing his silky head and downy cheek. His rosy little mouth opened and groped toward her hand. "Be sure to tell me how he's growing." She knew that would be all Teleria would tell her, but she had to say something.

In a flurry of kisses and fluttering garments Teleria was herded onto the ship with her ladies, and in a few more minutes it was pulling away from the dock, wood creaking, waves lapping at its belly, a backdrop to the shouts of men giving orders. The canvas sails unfurled and filled with air, and Angharad felt the resistant swell of the water as the prow cut through it; it made her breathless, brought back her restlessness in a sweeping tide. She gazed after the departing ship with envy.

"Are we going to head back some time today?" Elen asked, having waited longer than she felt courtesy demanded.

Angharad clucked for Tan and gathered up the reins; they rode back through the harbor village, humming snatches of an old chanty they had overheard passing back and forth among the sailors at the dock. Men and women paused in their work to salute her, a few calling out blessings upon the royal house. Children ran past them with less formality, shrieking in pursuit of a dog; when they saw the ladies they crowded around, hoping for sweetmeats, which Angharad dutifully produced and scattered with a smile. A worldly-wise girl elbowed her small brother, a grubby, adorable urchin who could have been no more than four, commanding with great importance and an even greater lisp, "Don't thtare at the printheth, Dylan; you're a boy."

Angharad sighed, and pretended not to hear. They left the village behind and rode without speaking for a time; Elen's companionable ability of not needing to fill up a silence with speech was one of the reasons she was a favorite. "Elen," Angharad said finally. "Do you ever wish you could sail off the island to somewhere else?"