William H. Babcock - Cian of the Chariots - Chapter IV: The Return to the Villa lyrics

CHAPTER IV. THE RETURN TO THE VILLA. To view the comely forms of the lovely ones. – Black Book of Caermarthen. CIAN rode slowly, without speaking; for he still drooped, and every movement hurt him. Tigernach also was silent, but resentfully. Llywarch spoke in kindness. "You should not mind a soldier's frankness – a fellow woodlander's too. Which way lie your domains?" "In the heart of the great Andred wood, toward what they call Suss** now, on the old way to Anderida. We hold the ridge, and ever have held it. The Saxons did not come by me. After that town fell, they tried; but we cut up the first party in the thickets, and there never was a second." He warmed a little in speaking of this achievement. "You hold of London?" pursued Llywarch, with an interested air. "Why, so they hold. We do our buying here, and some of our fighting. This time Vortimer in- [Page 46] vited us – of the lower woodlands. He has some shadow-claim too, and a borrowed name from olden times that every Briton loves. But he looks the Saxon that he is, on the father's side. We lead our own life, and go our own ways." "You came lightly attended. Surely you do not usually adjust the affairs of London with half a hundred men." Tigernach laughed. "Such a kingdom! The only way to adjust a Londoner is to k** him. Then he knows his own mind, and is reasonable. As there was to be a fight, of course I came, with a few who were nearest, losing no time. Others will follow. Half my young men are on the way before this, if I know them." "I would send word," suggested Cian. Tigernach took on a more deferential tone. "That I have done. They will gather for us near the northern gate." "Re-enforcements for me!" cried Dynan, who had just ridden up, with breath and spirits back again. "We are well rid of the prisoners too. They didn't keep me long." "Ah!" growled Tigernach. Then he added calmly, "they were not of my people." "Oh, nothing in the way of slaughter. I turned them loose to bring recruits. One was a neighbor of yours, a tribesman of Caowl, that beetling-browed, [Page 47] slant-eyed, hard-fighting man. My compliments go with him." "Nimble of wit as of foot! Caowl will come over to us for that. Otherwise I harry him from one end of his land to the other." Dynan laughed merrily. "Dear neighbors are much the same in the Andred woods as up my way, – do as I bid, and, oh, how I love you!" "But you were given the prisoners to keep," said Cian. "There spoke Duty. Know, then, O Conscience! that our well-anchored commander bath endowed me with a huge discretion – which was wise and liberal of him, it being greatly needed. Moreover, I have the countenance of Prince Llywarch of Argoed." But Llywarch demurred at once, "Oh, no! my countenance was never a thing of red banners and blazes. My countenance is where it ought to be for decency's sake. Yet I did counsel mercy. It is well to err that way, as in over-care of friends." Tigernach bowed. "That is manful," said he. "And heart-warm," added Cian. "Thence comes all the craftiness of Llywarch." The lift of the land had taken them into clear moonshine. Looking back, they could see very little of London, except a low, formless gloom, with veiled glimmerings of light in it, and here and there a lamp on some house-roof or tower, shining like a red star. [Page 48] There was a diffused gleam about the basilica, and, more doubtfully, along the great bridge. The noise behind grew louder to them, as they ascended, but rarely made any one sound distinguishable. The howling of the wolves came from the hill-country quite as plainly. This time they crossed an affluent of the Wallbrook on a bridge a little above the villa. It must have been hidden from them by the fog and the twilight before – a strong bit of olden masonry, in the dip of a branch road, with pa**age for three horses abreast. New lights came out at this, moving from window to window. The lodge by the gate brightened also. A group of figures came hastening over the lawn, with sounds of laughter. When the gate swung open, Aurelia and Sylvia were there, breathing fast, but with eyes of welcome. Clad in white, flushed with exercise and expectancy, graceful and stately, with no thought of grace or stateliness, the tall daughter of Constantine had never looked more divine. "My father?" she inquired. "King Constantine, Princess," proclaimed Dynan. "Osburn the Frank is to be his general, at a bound. I have charge of the Ermine gate and this villa." While all made obeisance to her, she replied demurely, "Then we will all obey you as king at third hand, Dynan." [Page 49] But Sylvia was not content. She pulled at her sister, and began to whimper. "Why don't they bow to me, if I am a princess too? Why don't they look at me? I want to be a Princess." "And if you are," answered Aurelia, with a responsibly improving air, "be sure it will not add one cubit to your stature." "Heaven forbid, if I know anything of ancient measurement!" protested Llywarch. "Would you have this sweet little maiden shoot up all at once into a mate for the giant of Skiddaw?" "Prince Llywarch wishes to say that some of us are over-lofty already," expounded Aurelia to the lesser one. Llywarch looked that way too. "I will do homage to you, and be your champion, my bright little lady," said he. Sylvia eyed him with grave approval. Then, at a motion of Cian, she shook her ringlets. "This one; he has fought for me already," said she. There was a laugh, but she drew near to her rescuer confidingly. Even her slight touch fell by chance where it made him flinch. "See," she cried distressfully, "he is hurt. Aurelia, somebody has been hurting him." "Not much, dear," said Cian, laughing weakly at this new way of viewing his adventure. "That's what we are for, you know." [Page 50] But Aurelia had heard. "Wounded? and I am keeping you here!" she exclaimed. "Oh, come, come! No, you shall not dismount. At the house, not before." She walked easily beside him. "We heard there had been fighting," she said gravely, "but not this." "I shall not grieve," said Cian. "It will keep me your guest a little time." "Nor shall I grieve for that," she replied frankly. Turning to those who came behind, she added in a clear, full voice, "All my father's friends are more than welcome." The soldiery clanked their swords on their shields in response, and the woodland men shouted vociferously. Her beauty, her lavish benignity, the warmth and strength of her nature, were not new to them, but worshipful, as of old. They were now by the great front portico. Cian, dismounting, began to sway and reach. Aurelia stepped nearer. "It is my turn to help you," said she. He drew back, fearing to lean such weight on her. "Forgive me," said he, and rested his hand on the shoulder of Tigernach, who was there already. No greater sense of luxury had ever befallen him than when at last he lay full length in the chamber appointed, sipping a cordial, and disencumbered. With Tigernach watching, he soon slept. [Page 51] Llywarch brought the good news to their hostess, all the more willingly for the quick turn of her head as he entered, and the inquiry in her kind eyes. He did not love her in the first person, but he was half in love with her for Cian's sake. He made it tenderly plain to her that Cian's wounds were trivial, and that the surgeon had so well treated them, that there was little, beyond common kindness, for anyone else to do. But the beauty of her home, he told her, would be in itself a reviving medicine. She truly needed comforting, for the strain of that evening had been severe. After her first great peril the wolf-voices had come to her again, hour by hour, as reminders. Her people had told her also of wild human figures that gathered on the hills or went savagely by. Also, there were both the rumor and the noise of conflict in that tormented city where her father was risking life to win a shadowy crown. But now all had gone fairly well. Her home for the time was in safety, and she, too, might sleep.