King Uther hastily marries Ygraine, the widowed Duchess of Cornwall, only a couple of months after her husband’s death. Many courtiers consider it a clever and wise move on her part to secure the friendship and the protection of the king.
The preparations for the wedding are lavish and costly, and though many warriors complain that it is time to attack King Aelle to keep him from consolidating his victory, the king laughingly brushes them off.
Everyone can see that the widow is grieving far more than celebrating. Speculation about her grief centers on the death of her husband.