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comfort, but so compelling were her songs that all listened, even Sybelle, even Marie. |
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When Rhiannon grew too tired to sing again, Gervase and Marie went to bed; Sybelle and Rhiannon sat by the fire, waiting, waiting. But no news came, and at last they were forced to admit that their trial was not over. No battle had been fought that day. They must endure through the night and then through another day. Clasping hands, they, too, rose to go to bed, but neither could bear the thought of lying alone through the sleepless hours, so they lay together in Rhiannon's chamber, comforting each other as best they could until, near dawn, both slept. |
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It had been a bitterly cold night for Richard's army, for they did not dare light fires. Nonetheless, the men were in good spirits, for they knew their time of penance was over and they were warmed by the thought of the booty they would take. Dawn was a welcome sight, however, and there were few who needed to be roused by their captains. By Terce all were in position, eagerly awaiting the first sight of John of Monmouth's troops. |
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The noblemen had suffered less from the cold; braziers of charcoal warmed their tents, and furs protected their bodies. They were less sanguine than the men, however. Walter's news had not been welcomealthough, of course, Richard was glad to be warned. There would be more men than they expected, and that fact hinted that John of Monmouth might not be as unaware as they had hoped of the ambush laid for him. Still, Simon's Welsh reported that few precautions had been taken in Monmouth's camp. |
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Walter spent the night with Simon. The Welsh were assigned to keep pace with the very forefront of Monmouth's force and let loose with their bows to stop the advance when the signal came. On bearing this, Walter offered to add his troop to Simon's to provide an even more complete blockage. Richard, whose face was healed and showed no more than lighter, pinkish patches where the scabs had fallen off, wrinkled his brow and asked whether the bone Walter had broken was yet strong enough for fighting. |
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"Sybelle says not for jousting," Walter replied, "but there will be none of that." |
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That was not what Sybelle had said, but Richard did not |
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