Page 295 of The Daughters of Avalon
And yet, her eyes were no longer afflicted; they were blue… no longer crossed.
She could no longer deny the truth: She was not to be Regnant. And more, whether it be from the manacles, or nay, neither was she so strong as she liked to believe.
She would not grow up to slay this demon, not alone…
Everything she’d ever believed of herself mightn’t even be true now that Seren was Regnant… beautiful, beautiful Seren… whose eyes… had always been blue… although she must have beenglamouredby a spell so strong that not even Morwen had been able to see beyond the visage displayed.
Rhiannon sighed.
Life was not fair.
And no matter, despite that she’d like to be angry for having borne the brunt of a disfigurement that wasn’t her own, she couldn’t truly be angry at Seren.
Neither was Seren’s beauty a lie; she was lovelier yet on the inside, and this is where it counted most.
Rhiannon had learned so much since leaving Blackwood… and yet, no revelation had shocked her so much as the knowledge that Marcella once knew her mother so well.
Loved her, in truth.
That was more than evident by the shine of her tears. They’d spoken louder than words. And yet, so much as Rhiannon wished to know more… she feared hearing more “truth.”
How much more could she bear?
Heaving another sigh, she swept a hand across the visage of her face, dispersing the eerie likeness to a watery grave, and then, resolved to rise and face whatever the day might hold—until she heard a voice at her back, a voice she didn’t recognize, and froze.
“Well met,” said a man.
“Well met,” said Jack, appearing behind her.
Marcella, too, crept into the vicinity, although she said nothing and Rhiannon came to be acutely aware that the paladin had moved into the space betwixt her and the newcomer, as though to defend Rhiannon.
Rhiannon daren’t turn… not yet.
She stood slowly, reaching for her mare’s reins as the animal continued to drink from the brook.
“Di’ ye hear the news?” the man said joyfully.
“What news?” inquired Marcella.
Rhiannon heard only one man dismount, his feet landing in the bracken…
Was he traveling alone?
“At long last! We have peace!” When nobody spoke, he continued. “The King and Duke Henry have formed a new treaty.”
“Before witnesses?”
“Aye,” said the man, excitedly.
“Signed?”
“Not yet, though Duke Henry is withdrawing from Wallingford as we speak.”
“What of the King’s sons?”
“Bugger’em both,” said the man.
Rhiannon brought herself to her full height, although for some reason, she was still afraid to turn and face the man, instinct warning her to keep her face hidden.
