The Dragon Lord's Daughters Read Free

softly.
    â€œOf course, you goose!” Averil said impatiently. “We are the Dragon Lord’s daughters, and descended from King Arthur himself. Even today our ancestor’s memory is still strong. But because I am the eldest I shall be wed first, and I will be fifteen next month, sisters. I think it is time for me to be matched. Most girls are wed younger than fifteen. Da just doesn’t want to let us go.”
    Junia’s tears faded away. “I did hear our da speaking with the lady Argel about matches a few days ago,” she said innocently.
    Maia’s arms dropped from about her sibling. “What did my mother and our father say?” she demanded to know.
    â€œThere were no names spoken,” Junia replied.
    â€œBut what did they say?” Averil pressed her little sister. “They had to have said something that piqued your curiosity, Junia, else you should not have mentioned it.”
    â€œThey said the time had come to consider marriages for you both. Father said he would follow the example of our prince, the Great Llywelyn, and seek among the Marcher lords for suitable husbands for you. That’s all that I heard. I swear!”
    â€œWhat did my mother reply?” Maia wanted to know.
    â€œShe agreed. Nothing more. You know your mother, Maia. She is so kind and soft-spoken. It is rare that she disagrees with our father. My mother says we are fortunate in her for another wife might not be so thoughtful of her husband’s concubines, or allow them to live in the keep with the lady and her children,” Junia finished.
    â€œMy mother says if the lady Argel had been able to bear her children sooner we might not be here at all,” Averil remarked. Then she turned her attention again to the prospect of a husband. “We must listen more closely, sisters,” she told them, “for we shall be told nothing before it is engraved in stone. We shall have to learn everything for ourselves.”
    The three heads nodded solemnly in agreement.
    Several days later, however, Averil overheard something that displeased her greatly. Her father was considering making a match for Maia first because she was his legitimate daughter. Never before had Averil Pendragon known her sire to put one of his children above the other, no matter their birthright. And worse! He would make no overtures towards any family until Maia was fifteen, which was a whole year away. I will be sixteen by then, Averil considered, and too old for a good match. She sighed, and began to think what she could do, but she could think of nothing. She kept this knowledge from her sisters, but she did speak with her mother, Gorawen.
    Gorawen was as beautiful as her daughter was. They shared the same pale golden hair, and fair skin. But Gorawen’s eyes were silver in color, and Averil’s were the light green of her father’s. All of the Dragon Lord’s daughters had green eyes. “You were right to come to me,” Gorawen said. “Your father can wait no longer to match you with a husband. You are more than old enough, but if you must tarry until Maia is wed, who knows how old you may be. Certainly too old to attract a good match. I will not allow your beauty to be wasted on some insignificant family!”
    â€œHe has never before put her before me,” Averil said, her tone irritable.
    Gorawen laughed softly, and patted her daughter’s hand. “He has always been more than fair with you all, and Argel too, but this is different, Averil. There is no avoiding the fact that both you and Junia were born on the wrong side of the blanket.”
    â€œSo was our ancestor, Gwydre, the founder of this house,” Averil muttered.
    â€œI know,” her mother replied, “but that was centuries ago, and Gwydre was a man. It is different for lasses, Daughter. My birth was true, but I was one of five daughters. There was no dowry for me for either a husband or the church. My father,