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Rhiannon grinding an aromatic herb in a mortar held in her lap. Rhiannon uttered a gasp of frustration, and Kicva looked up. |
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"Ah, have you worked out the puzzle at last?" she asked. |
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"Puzzle?" Rhiannon snapped. "Do you think I am playing a game?" |
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"Not every puzzle is a game. Some are matters of life and death," Kicva replied placidly. |
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Rhiannon was silent, ashamed at having lashed out at her mother without cause. "There is no answer to this puzzle, I fear," she said at last. "I do not wish to love Simon, but I cannot cure myself." |
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"Why should you wish to do so?" |
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Kicva was not the least surprised by Rhiannon's statement. Llewelyn's letter had been very explicit and had given, as accurately as he couldfor he knew better than to lie to Kicvaboth sides of the story as he had heard them from Simon and Rhiannon. Interestingly, the letter had ended with a request for Kicva to send her news to Builth keep when she had any. |
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This was as close as Llewelyn dared come to saying to Kicva that he wanted Rhiannon to marry Simon. To give orders to Kicva could easily produce a result opposite from what he desired, so he gave none. In this case, however, Llewelyn and Kicva were in total agreement. Rhiannon needed to be married. Her nature was not at all like that of her mother. Kicva regretted this but accepted it. She thought it very unfortunate that Rhiannon could not find a man to suit her when she was younger, before she had built so comfortable a pattern of life. It would have been much better if Rhiannon had married seven or eight years past, but no man attracted her; worse, there had been no man who would permit her to remain Rhiannon, until Simon. |
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Rhiannon again poured out the tale, ending with the |
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