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Page 295
and began to dress. There were the wounded men to see to and the church to pray in. Then Rhiannon went to talk to the castle leech and Sybelle to see what was being prepared in the kitchens; there would be wounded coming back to Abergavenny even if Richard's army was victorious and pursued Monmouth's men to the very walls of Monmouth keep.
Dinner, though not much of it for Sybelle and Rhiannon, was eaten in virtual silence. Gervase was very annoyed. She did not much care for either Sybelle or Rhiannon, but any company was better than noneor so she had thought until she found herself dining in the presence of what seemed to be a pair of deaf mutes. Marie was actually in a better mood than her sister by then. She realized that nothing she said to Sybelle would have made any impression and also that she had been mistaken about Sybelle's distaste for Walter. That would make her revenge doubly sweet. Sybelle would lose something she did want, something it would cause her more pain to lose than mere hurt pride.
After dinner, they all sat for a little longer than an hour by the fire. Sybelle, trained to the manners of the lady of a keep moreso than Rhiannon, actually tried to make conversation, but her mind wandered so badly that Gervase found Sybelle's effort at politeness more annoying than Rhiannon's silence. Marie grinned like a cat that had caught a pet bird that had been irritatingly out of reach for years. Well before None, however, all had had enough of each other's company. Rhiannon said abruptly that she would go out. Sybelle leapt up, fearing her wild friend meant she would ride out toward the battle, and she begged Rhiannon not to break her promise.
"I will not," Rhiannon said harshly. "It does not matter. If Simon comes not, I will go swiftly to meet him in the land of Annwn. We cannot be parted long."
It was the first time Sybelle had heard Rhiannon's voice other than clear and musical. And, although she had never heard the name Annwn, she knew from the way Rhiannon spoke that it was what the Welsh called the world of the dead. "There is no bad news!" she exclaimed.
Rhiannon shook her head. "I do not despair," she assured Sybelle. "I am only impatient of this waiting." Then her voice softened. "It must be worse for you. I have no ties except Simon to bind me to this earth. My mother and father

 
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