9 - LANGUORETH

Riderch and the children were still asleep. Lying on the bed, Languoreth was savouring the quietness, while the first light of dawn was already creeping in. She heard birds chirping, and then, faint in the distance, some horse trotting.

Cair Ligualid was a proper town, something totally different than Alt Clut. The old Roman walls - although they were a bit run down - and the squared stone houses, made it look like the imaginary cities from the stories that Languoreth's grandmother used to tell her when she was a child.

In the courtyard of King Urbgen's residence there was a remarkable fountain, fed by a pipe which carried water from a river far from there. They told them it was a system built very long time ago by the old Romans and still perfectly functioning.

Even the inhabitants of Cair Ligualid looked more sophisticated than the tough and rough people of Alt Clut.

The rooms provided for the staying of Riderch and his family were furnished in good taste, with tapestries on the walls and fine silverware. Languoreth found that King Urbgen's court was very elegant. Urbgen's spouse, Queen Modron, used to wear refined red clothes and had fine manners. They also employed a bard, which the guletics of the Rock had never considered to do, as far as she remembered.

Riderch stirred next to her and he turned to hug her: "Is it dawn already?", he said with a sleepy voice.

"Yes, it is", she answered.

He yawned. "Soon it will be time to go back home".

"Couldn't we stay just a few days more?", she asked him imploringly, massaging his privates inside his  underclothes. Thankfully, the children were sleeping in the next room.

Riderch grunted: "I am starting to consider that". He kissed her all over the face, then he bit her earlobes and started to titillate her nipples.

A wave of arousal reached her, and she let go of her body and mind. Riderch forced her legs open and, already hard, entered into her.

A feeling of ecstasy was overwhelming Languoreth, now.

She was deep in a dimension of pleasure, when Riderch abruptly pulled away. Only then, dismayed and longing, she came back to reality, and she understood that someone had knocked at the door.

"Who is it?", Riderch asked hoarsely.

"Urbgen", a deep voice answered from the other side of the door.

Languoreth and Riderch exchanged looks. It had to be a serious matter, for Urbgen to wake up so early and come to call them. What could it be?

Languoreth covered her naked body with the bed sheet, Riderch put back on his underclothes, then he said: "Come in, Urbgen".

The door opened and the massive man who ruled Rheged entered the room, followed by two bodyguards. He was still wearing a nightgown and he didn't look pleased. His shaggy hair was still unkept loose on his shoulders.

He was holding a parchment in his right hand. "Forgive me, I hate when I get woken up before sunrise, and I am not pleased to come here and disturb your sleep. But there is this matter", Urbgen said waving the parchment in mid air. "The messenger who has brought this scroll told me that he had to deliver it personally to Prince Riderch, as a matter of absolute urgency that could not wait, not even until after sunrise. But then, when I questioned him, it became clear to me that he doesn't have the faintest idea if you're supposed to be here or not. That's so strange that I took the decision to bring the scroll to you myself. I told him that in my kingdom he doesn't have any right to insist on his duties, at least until I will be sure that he's not an impostor. And here you have your scroll". And while saying so, Urbgen lent the parchment to Riderch.

In the moment her husband took the scroll, Languoreth could see that the royal seal of Alt Clut was impressed on it, so it had to be authentic, whatever Urbgen had said. It was typical of him, abusing his authority, it looked like. But at least the scroll was still sealed, it had not been opened.

Something was wrong, Languoreth could feel it. Tutgual was the only one, supposedly, who knew that Riderch might be in Cair Ligualid, and for what reason would he send his son a message sealed with the royal seal, if it wasn't for a very serious matter?

Riderch unsealed and opened the parchment, then he started reading silently. Soon Languoreth could see from the expression on his face that it was bad news.

Finally he lifted his eyes from the scroll and, with a blank stare, he said: "King Tutgual is dead". An ominous silence fell over the room. "Oh, my dear", Languoreth said. She wished she could hug him, but three stranger men were in the room and she was completely naked under the bed sheets.

"How did that happen?", Urbgen asked him in a concerned tone.

"Here it only says that his sickness suddenly worsened to the point that he could not breathe anymore", Riderch answered, with a hint of disbelief in his voice. Then he stared at Languoreth: "The message was sent by my brother Morcant. He summons me to the Rock for my father's funeral, and to pay homage to himself as the new Guletic of Alt Clut".