Enchantress Mine by Bertrice Small

more before I must settle down,” he teased them. His generous mouth was turned up in a smile as he spoke, but his blue eyes were serious and thoughtful. He fully understood his duty, and the responsibility his father was placing into his hands. His entire life had been geared to the moment when Aelfleah would become his. Even if this was but a temporary thing he proudly accepted it, and looked forward to proving his worth to his father. “I will keep you fully informed, my lord,” he said gravely.
    “Indeed,” his father agreed, “you will. Now, my son, you know the special white pigeons that are kept in the dovecote?”
    “The ones with the black markings, my lord?”
    “Aye,” answered Aldwine. “Those birds, Brand, belong to my friend Timon Theocrates, a wealthy merchant in Constantinople. I possess six of his birds in my cote. He maintains six of our birds at his home in Constantinople. I intend to take another six of my birds with me when we depart. They are special birds, Brand, which have been taught to carry message capsules on their legs. They can bring important news far quicker than a man on horseback.
    “I suspected that the king would send a delegation to Byzantium. On the rare occasions that I have gone to court to pay Edward my respects he has questioned me closely on that empire. I did not expect, however, to head our delegation. It is true that my knowledge of Byzantium is better than any of our countrymen’s. In my youth I traveled widely, and the city of Constantinople was my home for over two years.
    “During that time Timon Theocrates and I became close friends. That friendship has endured despite the fact that we have not seen each other in almost fifteen years. You will not remember it, of course, but Timon came to England when you were still a baby. It was then that we exchanged pigeons. They are an ancient and fairly safe way to send messages over long distances. It is rare the pigeon is injured or killed. The message arrives swiftly, and the messenger cannot gossip. Every three years Timon and I exchange additional birds, for our winged messengers can only be worked for three to five years. If they survive past then they are too old to be reliable.
    “Should the king appear near death you are to launch at least two pigeons. I am Edward’s thegn. I cannot stand by while Godwin’s son steals England’s throne and Duke William is not likely to take England without a struggle, for Godwin’s brood are greedy and will not release their hold on it easily. I must be here to support the duke for in the end he will prevail over Harold. Those he believes to have opposed him will suffer the consequences of their foolish actions. I do not intend to lose my lands in the coming squabble, and you, my son Brand, are to steer clear of all factional fighting until I return.
    “If Edward dies before I can reach England then you are to hold Aelfleah against all, swearing fealty only to William of Normandy. I am Thegn of Aelfleah, and those are my wishes, Brand.”
    “Yes, father! Like you I cannot stomach the idea of a Godwin upon the throne! I will never pledge my loyalty to them! Never! ”
    Aldwine smiled at his son’s youthful fervor, and then he cautioned, “Never, Brand, declare never. If you had to choose between swearing to Earl Harold and losing Aelfleah, I would certainly expect that you would swear. These lands are our life’s blood, my son. We held them first in the days of Aethelwulf, and each generation has carefully husbanded them, some even adding to them so that today this manor is twice the size it originally was. We are one of the oldest families in Mercia.
    “Godwin’s family have gained too much power over the years. Particularly since they married their daughter to the king. They are overproud. I will not forget how they slighted our Earl Leofric’s good wife, your grandmother’s cousin, the Lady Godiva. Her ride through Coventry was a Christian act, and she was as brave