Three days after the wedding Thorgils came to Glastonbury with his charge, and glad enough I was to hand it to Herewald, as I have already said, and to get the care of it off my mind.  Yet I will say that by this time there had come to me a knowledge concerning this gold which was pleasant.  Only the other day I had been but the simple captain of house-carles, though I was also the friend of a mighty king, and foster son of a prince indeed, and that had been all that I needed or cared for.  Lately there had come a new hope into my life, and it was one that was far from me at that time.  But now, when the time came for me to go to Dyfed for Owen, I should go with power to choose lands and a home for myself and for that one whom I dared now to ask to share it.  And that was the only reason that I cared to think of the new riches at all.  If that hope came to naught I should certainly care for them or need them little enough, for my home would be the court as ever.

Better to me than the gold was a letter from Owen.  The honest Norseman had gone out of his way to put in at Tenby, knowing that I should be glad to have news thence, and not troubling about Mordred who was waiting release, at all.  So he had seen Owen, who was well as might be, he said.

“With two holes in one thigh, and his left arm almost growing again like a crab’s claw.  I do not think that he was in the least surprised to hear of the war, nor indeed of its end.  All he wanted to know was of you, as it seemed, at least from me.  So it was also with Howel and the princess.  It was good to see their faces when I told them of the fight at the camp, and how you won glory there.  Nevertheless, I was half afraid that I made the fighting a bit too fierce over Erpwald, for the princess turned pale enough in hearing how you were knocked over.  You ken that I am apt to make the most of things when I am telling a story.  My father was just the same, and maybe my grandfather before that, for saga telling runs in the family.”

I laughed at him, but in my mind I thought of the day when I saw Elfrida pale as she heard of Erpwald’s danger at Cheddar, and I wondered.

Then I turned to Owen’s letter, and it was long and somewhat sad, as may be supposed, for this war had a foreshadowing of long parting between him and me.  But he said that he had known it must come, having full knowledge, before Morfed the priest took him, how the war party were getting beyond control.  Wherefore he saw that he and I had been saved much sadness by his absence, and it remained to be seen how we should fare when he returned.  At least, we should meet soon in Dyfed, for he mended apace.

I need not tell all of that letter, for it was mostly between us twain.  But in it were words for Ina concerning peace, such as an ambassador from the British might well speak, and they helped greatly toward settlement by and by.  And so the letter ended with greetings from Howel and Nona, and many words concerning their kindness to him.