The Winter Prince

Excerpts from The Winter Prince by Elizabeth Wein. My favorite book when I was a kid (read at a high level, don't think it's a simple book), and I recently bought it for my own little library and read it over again. I still do adore it. I am posting two excerpts I typed up here so you guys can read it. If you're interested in the book, get at me. I bought it for like 5 bucks on eBay, and it's worth way more than that.
Please do read it, some of you may like it.
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"I understand you mother," she said unexpectedly. "I understand her all too well. I live in constant fear that I will be kept prisoner as she is, because I am dangerous and powerful, and because I am a woman. I would not betray Lleu even if I wanted to; he is my sole ally, my one defense against such a fate. But you, Medraut, you have been offered the regency of his kingdom, you have power in your hand. So, why?"

I drew my fingers across Lleu's cheek and lips as though I were touching something beautiful and delicate, an exotic flower, a piece of old silk, the skeleton of a leaf. "For a word. For my father's word. For something I want Artos to say. I want him to admit before all, that it is his own iniquity that keeps me from the kingship. That the shame is his, not mine." I paused, my fingertips trembling above Lleu's still face, and then went on speaking as though to myself, as though she were not there. " And I want Lleu to be afraid of me. To know and admit to my authority. I want--" I hesitated again, lost. I did not know what I wanted. "Lleu's grown so confident and cruel."

"He's not cruel!" Goewin said.

"He is," I said. He is ever conscious of his beauty, his power. And he never quite stops sneering at me for my being so… scarred.

"I might end by killing him," I finished bitterly. "I would do it if I had a reason, if I were given the command. He would deserve it."

"He would not. You fret like a jealous child," Goewin whispered roughly. "I am as much in the way of your kingship as Lleu is. Take me in his place. Let him go."

"I couldn't take you," I said slowly. "I am too much afraid of what I might do to you."

"What could be more terrible than anything you might do to Lleu?" she asked.

I looked at her hard and straight, perplexed, unable to believe her so naïve. Then I took her face between my fevered palms and held her close, so that we must look directly at one another. My hands moved down her throat, across her shoulders, until at last they were cupped gently beneath her breasts; and then she knew what I might do to her. "I am your sister," she said.

"You see how it happens," I said, and let her go.

She sat still for a moment, her eyes lowered, as though in prayer. Then she carefully set the horn cup on the floor away from us and moved back to her place between Lleu and the cave wall. She lay on her back with her eyes closed and said in an icy voice, "If you don't bring Lleu back alive and unharmed I'll kill you, I swear it, surely I will find a way to kill you."

"I fear you as little as you fear me," I whispered.

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"I want your daggers. Keep them sheathed." Agravain unfastened his hunting knife and tossed it with angry reluctance at his cousin's feet. I did not move, sure that I could regain control of the situation in some way. Lleu turned the drawn bow toward me. "Hunter turns quarry," he said softly. "I do not like this game, Medraut, my brother."

"You play it very well," I answered, still without moving.

"I will train this arrow at your throat for the rest of the night if you do not obey me," Lleu said through his teeth. "How you scorn me! How you count too much on your superior strength. You weld it over my head like an executioner's sword. That you are stronger than me does not make you better, or more ruthless, or wiser."

"Show me your superior wit," I said with disdain.

"I am," he protested, laughing. "Why did you not bind me, or guard your weapons? Did you not imagine I would deliver myself with docile acceptance into the cruel and terrifying hands of the queen of the Orcades? Give me your dagger. And mine, you have them both."

"I will not," I said patiently. "Will you really stand there all night?"

He suddenly turned on Agravain and launched another arrow at his cousin, and drew his bow again. Agravain stared at Lleu with wide, angry eyes. "I care less for this fawning minion that I do for you, Medraut. Don't make me hurt him. Give me the daggers."

"Do it," Agravain hissed.

So I had threatened Goewin the night before, knowing she would do my bidding rather than let me harm her brother. I threw the knives contemptuously at Lleu's feet, more in the spirit of one accepting a challenge than because I cared for Agravain's safety. Lleu said, "Now, Agravain, come here. I want you to burn the other bows. Don't touch the spears."

Efficiently and effectively, Lleu disposed of all the weapons we had brought with us except for his own bow, the hunting knives, and a little hand ax which he used to destroy the spears. He kept only as many arrows as he could comfortably carry in a quiver. When he had seen to this purge of arms, he relaxed his guard and once more sat across from us by the fire; his face was still without color, but despite his evident fear he was confident, excited.



---Ruse