The Dragon Lord's Daughters by Bertrice Small Read Free Book Online Page B

the stream. Three maidens, and one with golden hair that seems more magical than real. Do you think one of them is Pendragon’s daughter?”
    â€œLet us ride down and ask,” Rhys suggested. Turning, he said to the men behind him, “Make yourselves discreet, lads. We don’t want to frighten the little dears. Rog and I will ride down and introduce ourselves.”
    Together the two young men rode slowly down the rise, moving as they did closer and closer to the stream with its willow grove. The trio of lasses looked up as the riders moved their mounts at a leisurely pace across the little brook. The look was a wary one.
    â€œIs this Dragon’s Lair?” Rhys asked politely.
    â€œAye, it is,” the tallest of the three said.
    He noticed that she was easing the two younger girls behind her as she spoke. Clever girl, he thought to himself. “I am Rhys FitzHugh of Everleigh, and my companion is Roger Mortimer, Lord Mortimer’s son. Will you not introduce yourself, demoiselle?”
    â€œHave you business with my father?” Averil asked Rhys.
    â€œYou are Pendragon’s daughter?” he answered her with the query. Jesu! She was beautiful! Obviously, his luck was about to change.
    â€œI am,” Averil said. Then she turned and said to her companions, “Run home, and tell the lady Argel that we have two guests.”
    As Maia and Junia turned to go, Roger Mortimer moved his stallion between them and their path, blocking their route. The two young girls looked up at him startled, and he saw fear coming into their eyes. “I will not harm you, demoiselles,” he reassured them, “but it is not quite time for you to run home.”
    â€œWhat are you doing?” Averil demanded, seeing his actions.
    â€œYou are Pendragon’s daughter,” Rhys repeated, thinking she was very beautiful.
    â€œAye, I am Pendragon’s daughter,” she answered him impatiently. “My name is Averil.” Why was he asking her the same question over and over again?
    Rhys FitzHugh moved his horse as close to her as he could, and reaching down he wrapped a hard arm about her slender waist, quickly lifting a very surprised Averil up onto his mount before him. “You will come with me, then, Pendragon’s daughter,” he said. And turning his animal about he moved swiftly across the stream, then put his horse into a canter, calling as he did so, “Roger!”
    Roger Mortimer grinned down at the two startled girls. “Now, lasses, you may run home and tell the Dragon Lord that Rhys FitzHugh of Everleigh Manor has taken his daughter. He may come to Everleigh to discuss marriage terms at his convenience, of course.” Wheeling his own horse about, Roger Mortimer followed his friend.
    Averil had at first been stunned by what had happened. Now, galvanized into action by the sight of the keep growing smaller behind her she shrieked aloud, causing Rhys’s mount to rear up in his flight. She began to pound at her captor with her clenched fists. “Villian! Put me down this instant! How dare you lay hands on me! My father will punish you for this outrage! Put me down!”
    Struggling to keep his startled horse under control while hanging onto this raging shrew was almost too much for him. The girl came close to falling to the ground although he doubted that she realized it. “Stop struggling, lady!” he commanded her in a stern voice, attempting to tighten his grip on her.
    Averil looked directly at him, and reaching up, clawed at his face with both of her little hands.
    â€œOww!” he yelped as he felt her sharp fingernails breaking the skin. Yanking his animal to a sudden halt he quickly repositioned his captive, forcing her facedown across his saddle before moving on again.
    Averil howled in fury at this new outrage. “Are you trying to kill me, you monster?” she yelled at him. “Why are you doing this to me?”
    He ignored