United States or Colombia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"But she will not go till she has had converse with the princess." "I will go to her," said Hafrydda, rising. "Ay, go, my girl, and if thy sweet tongue fails to prevail, stuff her mouth with meat and drink till she is too stout to walk. Come, my queen, what have we this morning for breakfast? The very talking of meat makes me hungry."
"Well, then, brother," said Hafrydda, with a smile, "if he told you that Cormac has been seen and heard of, and is well, surely that may relieve your mind till to-morrow, when I know that some one who knows all about the boy is to be at our festival. We begin it with games, as usual. Shall you be there?"
In the breakfast-room he met the queen, Hafrydda, Bladud, and Dromas the latter being now considered one of the family and these five proceeded to discuss and arrange the proceedings of the day during the progress of the meal. "You will join in the sports, of course, son Dromas," said the king, "and show us how the Olympic victors carry themselves. Ha!
The fair-haired Hafrydda, however, was not so timid, her smile was evidently one of amusement at his defeat, which angered him all the more. "Gunrig," said the king, drawing himself up, and speaking impressively, "remember that you are my guest, and that it ill becomes you to insult my women before my face." "Pardon me," replied the chief, with an effort to recover himself.
"All hale and hearty!" replied Beniah, with a sigh of relief, "and all anxious for your return, especially Hafrydda." At this point Dromas looked at the speaker with deepened interest. "She is a good girl, your sister," continued Beniah, "and greatly taken up just now with that old woman you met in my cave. Hafrydda has strange fancies."
Branwen at once left the stand, and the king, descending into the arena, proceeded to congratulate the victor. Before he could do so, however, to his unbounded surprise, the queen also descended with her daughter and threw her arms round the prince's neck, while Hafrydda seized his hand and covered it with kisses.
Arrived there, they found that immense progress had been made with the new city insomuch that Dromas assured Hafrydda that it brought to his mind some very ancient fables of great cities rising spontaneously from the ground to the sound of pipes played by the gods.
How the ceremony of marriage was performed we have not, after the most painstaking research, been able to ascertain; but that it was performed somehow, and to the satisfaction of all concerned, we are absolutely certain, from the fact that Bladud and Branwen, Dromas and Hafrydda, lived happily together as man and wife for many years afterwards, and brought up large families of stalwart sons and daughters to strengthen the power and increase the prestige of Old Albion.
What they said I do not know; but he came straight to me, took my hand, fixed his piercing black eyes on me, and said, `Hafrydda, I love you." "Was that all?" asked Bladud. "Yes; that was all he said; but but that was not the end of the interview! It would probably have lasted till now, if you had not interrupted us." "I'm so very sorry, sister, but of course I did not know that "
"That will never do, Beniah," said the prince, laughing. "You take too serious a view of the matter. There is no fear of any more intrigues or circumstances arising to perplex you for some time to come. Besides, I want your services very much but, before broaching that point, let me ask why you have invited me to come to see you here. Hafrydda gave me your message "
Word Of The Day