Winchester, 879 AD
Winchester, 879 ADThe pungent smell of a newly extinguished candle did not help my befuddlement. John’s voice brought me back from the very edge of sleep. When instructing, John preferred to pose questions, which was the last thing I wanted. Even my soporific mind realised that if my session with the King were to have sense, I would need to rouse my sleepy brain and answer.
“What do you suppose the King aims to achieve by disseminating the books he mentioned, Gwyn … Are you awake?”
“Uh, I was thinking. He seemed keen on morality and wisdom.”
“So, you were following him, after all.”
“Not really. You see, those books he named. They meant nothing to me.”
There followed a long silence in which I heard only the wind whistling around the eaves. At last, in the profound d
