Tales Of Gallanol : Ch.3 (Part 3) The Watchtower

Chapter 3 (Part 3) The Watchtower

 

(Written September 1983)

 

    Deneldinhew, Eric, Orgwain and the rest of the military leaders, and Bleddyn and Idwal, were the last to arrive at breakfast. The leaders of the expedition were getting to know each other. Gone were the recent times when conversations had adhered to strict formulas of politeness. Gallanol was such a large political entity that, although the life of the provinces was centred around the trade and social meetings of the rich and influential families of society in Gallanolian cities, the class of rich and influential Gallanolians was always much too large for all influential leaders to know each other. Wartime and periods of political upheaval were always important in forming new links in society. Owen and Deneldinhew, and those who shared their ideals, could see the real rulers and determinants of government in Gallanol beginning to mould themselves together as a team. It was a good sign for the coming campaign and for Gallanol.

 

    When the time came for the expedition to be on its way again Owen noticed that Jovian had not returned. Owen sent Dui to look for him in the stalls, but immediately afterwards Ola came up to Owen and whispered in his ear that Jovian had invited shy Ywain to walk with him outside.

 

   Owen fumed and rushed off after Dui. As he went he dismantled any notion of attempting to like the vain long haired Galdelleini. In his mind he tore down the walls which divided his inner emotional self from his outer rational political brain, and let the jealousy and unease, which he had secretly felt for Jovian (whom he still hardly knew) flood out. He knew he could never allow any sister of his to become involved with a man who did not suit him, a man who, he realised now, would never see things the same way as Owen and would never settle to be subservient to Owen; a man who did not fit the ideal image which Owen had of the Great Society, the New Gallanol, in which duty to one’s race and civilisation and one’s own culture were of paramount importance.

 

    To Owen Jovian’s outward nonconformist, extravagant appearance, his affectation and above all his long, brushed back hair made him out to be a man who felt he owed nothing to Gallanol, a man who wanted for himself, not for his own people, a man who refused to affect even the appearance of a Gallanolian. This man Jovian reminded Owen of the cultured but perverse Nardyrrians, who cultivated long hair and who refused to affect all the Gallanolian principles of society, even though they traded so much with Gallanol and begged for Gallanolian aid and advice to build their new settlements, and to help defend them whenever the Martan races attacked them. But Jovian was much more than a traitor to Gallanolian principles; he was also an animal. He was like the long haired and dirty Northern Cinder Folk races, whose men abused their wives and endlessly quarrelled with each other because they all wanted their own way and had not the sense to take up civilisation. The black clothing with which Jovian frequently garbed himself, Owen took to denote the evil selfishness which inhabited his mind.

 

   Owen could have tolerated a man like Jovian had he kept his distance, but Owen could never accept him into his own family or into Deneldinhew’s confidences. Jovian’s choice of his favourite sister Ywain for his attention was the worst possible snub for Owen and the one most likely to stir him into action against Jovian. Owen’s favourite sister was reserved for some great friend of Owen’s, someone Owen could admire. Secretly he had hopes that Deneldinhew and Ywain might marry, but he would also perhaps have been happy to marry her to Prince Llewelyn or one of the King’s Companions, or any young , rich and influential Gallanolian who met his standards and whom he liked. Owen felt sure that his father Orgwain would feel the same as he did, because they both shared many of the same values.

 

    Owen toured the outhouses around the courtyard and them went in to the stables. He found Dui, who had not seen Jovian or Ywain, and told him to go back inside and tell everyone to make the journey down into Girithon and back onto the ships, and that he and Jovian would catch them up. After looking thoroughly through the stables Owen decided that perhaps the most secretive place for a couple who wanted to be together was the rarely used watchtower, a small building near the gateway at the rear of the house where a small track ran to outlying farms and some of the Gireald farming estates beyond Girithon: a little used track and a watchtower that was kept furnished in case the household ever needed to post guards to watch against invaders. The door was unlocked, a sure sign that Ywain had taken Jovian there. The knowledge reinforced Owen’s fear of the truth and his burning hatred of Jovian.

 

    He opened the door quickly, drew his blade, and banged the door shut behind him. The sight which met his eyes gave undeniable proof of his worst fears. Ywain and Jovian were sat next to each other on the bunk, arms holding each other tightly, lips embracing in a long passionate kiss. Owen dearly loved his sister, not least because she was physically attractive to him. He would never harm her or say anything against her; too concerned was he for her devotion to him as her strong and powerful brother. Jovian he saw as an ugly defiler, an imposter who had no place in his dream. Owen was intensely jealous of Jovian, and for that, probably most of all his other grievances against the man, he hated him completely.

 

   “Get away from her, you animal, proud traitor,” he snarled as he lunged sword first across the room. “Let me get at you,” he cried.

 

     Jovian did not need to be told. With desperate speed he moved away, and, as Ywain put her arms up to ward him from her brother, he leaped across the room, dodging Owen and reaching his own sword, strewn on another bunk, on the far side of the room. Owen hurled insults, but Jovian’s sword met his and stopped its fatal attempt. Ywain shouted to them to stop, but Owen refused to let up and Jovian soon began to attempt to wound Owen. Both were strong, both were agile, and both were trained sword fighters. For a minute they thrusted and counter thrusted, and expended their energies while Ywain tried to part them. Owen, practically berserk, would not stop, but then Bleddyn and Idwal opened the door to the watchtower and entered. Bleddyn took the sword out of Owen’s hand as Idwal restrained his arms. The fighting stopped and Owen agreed to sit down on one of the bunks.

 

    “What happened?” demanded Bleddyn. Ywain described Owen’s brutal entry and his reason for attacking Jovian with a cracked and shamed voice, cowed by her dominating brother’s disapproval.

 

     “Alright, since you won’t let me kill him now, don’t give him his sword back Idwal!” Idwal had taken Jovian’s sword. “Ywain, I want you to promise that you will never see this man again, or any other like him. If ever you do I will kill that man! What evil got into you? Your father and I could never allow you to marry a treacherous, vain and selfish social climber such as him. I would rather die than allow you to fall into the hands of such a barbarian.”

 

     Owen’s quick mind, having grasped the physical realities of the situation, knowing that he could not kill Jovian now because Bleddyn and Idwal were there to stop him, was now attempting to make the best of the situation. However it took him a minute to understand how close he had come to ruining his own career. If he had killed Jovian his own career would have been in ruins and his family in disrepute. Idwal and Bleddyn were his friends. They would be loyal to him. They would despise what Jovian had done. He felt sure they liked Jovian no more than he did and would be glad to cooperate with him in the future to end Jovian’s career, to banish him from society, and to turn Deneldinhew and all the others against him. Perhaps they might even help him to plot Jovian’s death in some way, at some time in the future. Owen stopped speaking for Ywain to answer.

 

    She stammered, “I did not lead him on. I have never even seen him before. He talked to me this morning and I liked him – I find him attractive. I couldn’t refuse. It was just a harmless kiss, that’s all. Surely I am old enough to make my own decisions. If anyone else had found us here they might have disapproved, and they might have talked with me later and told me that my family did not intend me to marry Jovian of Gorn, but they would never have interrupted us and they certainly would never have tried to kill Jovian for it.”

 

    “My father would have,” replied Owen. You can never marry that man. That man’s life will be worth nothing when I tell Deneldinhew.”

 

    “Why?” replied Ywain defiantly. “Who said anything about an actual marriage? What happened that could possibly justify murder? I hate you for this. I will never forgive you.”

 

    “He might have raped you, Ywain! Promise me that you do not love him and could never marry him. Promise that you will never give yourself to any man but the man you marry, the man who will really love you and is accepted by our family!”

 

    “I know now that you would never allow me to marry him or even to court him. I know I can only marry a man whom I love, but who is also acceptable to you and father. I cannot promise that I do not love him, because I am attracted to him, but I know I cannot marry him. Is that good enough for you?” replied Ywain reluctantly bowing to her brother’s dictate. She knew her father would only say the same as her brother was saying.

 

    Owen sighed, “It will have to do Ywain. Do not take this badly; it is for your own good. You can choose from many of the men in Gallanol, but you may not have from the likes of him.” He was attempting to reconcile her to him.

 

Ywain left the watchtower and crossed the courtyard. Later she cried in her own room, but she did not tell her mother or her sisters about the incident.

 

    There was silence for a second or so after she left. The significance of what had happened seemed to sink in. Jovian, a moody untalkative man when amongst enemies or rivals, stayed aggressively silent. His eyes were on the three King’s Companions. He seemed like a wild beast cornered, and yet at the same time he did not seem so different from usual, not unduly panicked. He showed few emotions. Yet inside he was deeply regretful of what he had done; not because he felt it was wrong, but because his chances of remaining as an important political figure in Gallanol and certainly those of becoming a friend and influence to the High King now seemed dashed, or at least remarkably unstable. He cursed his misfortune and his misjudgement in becoming quickly involved with Owen Gireald who, it was obvious, was, together with the High King’s family and Luneid Lenwar, rapidly becoming one of the four or five most powerful men in the whole of Gallanol. A lot depended on these two King’s Companions. Would they advise Owen Gireald to forget the incident, for fear of stirring problems with King Alentin of Galdellyn, Jovian’s own employer, who trusted Jovian as one of his foremost servants? Jovian knew that King Alentin would not take kindly to the High King sending him back in disgrace with no explanation, for it was out of the question that Owen Gireald would allow Deneldinhew to ruin the reputation of the Gireald House by publicising the incident. It might endanger Alentin’s loyalty to the High King if he was sent back to Alentin with no explanation. Would they not run the risk of an embittered Jovian himself perhaps swaying Alentin into making his peace with Lewden of Paldein or withdrawing support from the High King’s Campaign? Jovian was not about to react in that way, but they could not know that for sure. In that event King Lewden would be in a much stronger position against Deneldinhew. Jovian thought it unlikely that Alentin would withdraw his support. The High King and Owen Gireald would invent a plausible reason for sending him back without risk of annoying King Alentin.

 

     Instead however, the three Companions went outside to talk. Bleddyn thought they should tell Deneldinhew immediately about what had happened, and discuss whether to do anything at all about Jovian with him. Idwal also thought they should tell Deneldinhew, but he thought it would be best to send Jovian back to King Alentin. As usual Owen got his way. His plan was to frame an incident where Jovian was accused of treachery. Owen did not reveal his real intentions to Bleddyn and Idwal, but they were both concerned that he would not let the matter rest until he had done some irreparable damage to Jovian. Owen had decided that whatever happened he would not rest until Jovian was dead, but it would have to be done without soiling his own name.

 

    And so the four men returned to the waiting boats as if nothing had happened.