The Unexpected Ally by Sarah Woodbury

tried to kill
you, should he?”
    “Madog has always been ready and willing to
fight us,” Cynan said. “Why sue for peace? It’s unprecedented.”
    Hywel pursed his lips. “We need more
information than we have now. It could be that he’s feeling
pressure from somewhere else that has nothing to do with us. How
far have your scouts ranged east into England, Cynan?”
    Cynan gave Hywel a blank look before
answering, “Not far, my prince. I didn’t want Ranulf of Chester to
think we were encroaching on his holdings.”
    Hywel pursed his lips at Cynan’s use of his
title, but it was how Cynan would have spoken to Rhun at times.
    “Has there been some new development in the
war between Stephen and Maud?” Taran urged his horse a few steps
forward and dismounted too. “Last we heard, King Stephen had
engaged Earl Ranulf in the east.”
    Owain nodded. “I promised King Stephen I
would send men to fight against Ranulf, but until now I perceived
my obligation to counter Madog as the greater. Perhaps we should be
warier about fighting too.”
    “You may have the right of it, Father,”
Cynan said. “A messenger arrived today from my brother at Mold
informing me that Stephen has released Gilbert de Clare, Earl of
Hertford and nephew to Ranulf, whom he was holding hostage to
Ranulf’s good behavior.” He gestured apologetically to the others
in case he was telling them something they already knew. “His
freedom was predicated on the surrendering of a number of his
castles, which Hertford did. But when his other uncle, Gilbert de
Clare, Earl of Pembroke, who up until now has been loyal to
Stephen, asked that the castles be given to him in trust, Stephen
refused. Now both Gilberts have sided with Ranulf against Stephen.
The whole of the west now stands for Maud, with the lone exception
of Shrewsbury.”
    Hywel and his father exchanged a significant
glance. They’d been speaking about these three Norman earls, close
relations of Cadwaladr’s wife, Alice, only moments ago.
    “If Chester, Hertford, and Pembroke are
fighting Stephen, then their territories are fair game to an
incursion by Powys,” Hywel said. “Madog knows that any war with us
isn’t going to end well for him. He’d much rather take his chances
with an undefended Chester.”
    “Plus, with Robert’s health failing, his son
controls more and more of his domains,” Cynan said. “We don’t know
if he will continue Robert’s staunch support for Maud beyond
Robert’s death.”
    “The son is not the father.” King Owain
tapped a finger to his lips. “Robert of Gloucester’s suffering
through Ranulf’s many defections may be as great as my own dealings
with Cadwaladr.”
    Nobody had a reply to that observation—all
the more because it was true.
    “My lord.” Cynan bowed deeply to his father.
“Your pavilion is prepared and a meal ready.”
    “Again. You have my thanks.” King Owain made
a slight motion with his head in Taran’s direction. Taran was the
one who’d make sure that everything really was prepared for the
king’s arrival. The steward nodded, understanding that the thanks
had been a dismissal. He departed with Cynan and the others,
including Cadifor, who shot a look heavy with meaning at Hywel.
Cadifor was a warrior and a straightforward thinker. It wasn’t that
he didn’t understand the need to negotiate or the strategy
involved, but he didn’t like it, and Hywel expected to hear his
foster father’s objections later. Rather than feeling caught
between his two fathers, he felt comforted that both had his best
interests at heart, even if their approach to caring for him
differed.
    Thus, Owain was left alone again with Hywel,
and Hywel marveled that his father was taking him into his
confidence in this way. It wasn’t as if he never had, but for the
first time since he’d become a man, Hywel felt like his father was
consulting with him, not simply telling him what to do.
    “I assume Gareth is the one heading up the
inquiry