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married Alinor and taken up the responsibility of defending her huge estate. Simon was so wild that he would have made endless trouble for his parents idling about the rich, smooth-functioning estates in England. Llewelyn was glad to have a strong, eager fighter to lead Ian's men. Alinor and Ian, although they worried about him a little, were delighted to have their son usefully occupied instead of making mischief.
Wales and Simon suited each other as a hand fits a glove. There was something feral and untamed about Simon that was more at home in the untouched forest and precipitous mountains of northern Wales than in the tilled fields and softly rolling hills of Sussex. The young man had always loved the Welsh estates passionatelywhich was why Ian gave those to him rather than the northern landsand Simon was always happier there and in Llewelyn's court with its barbaric undertones than in England. Thus, Ian was startled when his suggestion was rejected so violently. In the past Simon had been delighted to be sent to Wales.
"Joanna, have you been advertising my imminent demise again?" Ian asked his daughter-by-marriage, half-exasperated, half-laughing. Nothing Joanna did was ever really wrong in his eyes, especially not the anxious care of him that so clearly demonstrated her love. "I know my lungs were affected again last winter," he complained, "but I am hale and hearty now. There is no reason for Simon to hang over me, expecting me to fall on my deathbed at any moment."
"No, I did not 'advertise your imminent demise'!" Joanna protested indignantly. "Anyway, the way Simon had been acting, he is more likely to throw you into your deathbed than help you out by his presence."
"I simply do not wish to go to Wales now," Simon said in a more controlled voice. "I have been thinking it over and I, too, believe that Geoffrey is right. We should go to the council, and we should make clear our displeasure at the king's behavior."

 
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