by Sam Taw
I pulled a face at him. From what I’d seen of Sorcha’s skills, she would be more likely to hinder than help. The girl was used to having slaves of her own to order about. The reason had nothing to do with her usefulness. He didn’t want her about camp reminding him of her father and brothers’ slaughter. This was another attempt to palm her off onto me.
There was no use in arguing. Tallack was not there to hear my complaint. His absence did not go unnoticed by Endelyn, who was clearly hoping to twist his heartstrings in a ditch attempt to make him join us. Ignoring her scowl, I led the charge through the gate and into the narrow trail between the marshland on our eastern shores.
Ahead of us lay two and a half days of riding across enemy territory. Ren was our biggest asset. He knew the paths and tracks close to the coast better than anyone, but I secretly wished that Senara was among our group. She was the most skilled tracker our tribe had ever seen. As we rode out, Ren trotted alongside me, with Endelyn, Sorcha and Kewri at the back.
Every few moments, Sorcha complained. First her horse was too slow, then it was the heat of the afternoon making her sweat in her bulky slave clothes. By evening, she was moaning about how chilly she was. There really was no pleasing her.
As daylight faded behind us, Kewri lost his patience. “For the sake of Cernonnus, woman. Shut your kyjyan mouth!”
It was the first time I had ever heard him bark like that. It shook us all.
Sorcha was affronted. “It’s alright for you. I’m the one forced to wait on the killers of my family or risk the same disgraceful death.”
“Your father went back on his word. He betrayed us all. You should be grateful that they didn’t slash your throat and be done with it.” Kewri looked red in the face.
In all honesty, I was surprised. At the ritual of old Faolan’s sacrifice, Kewri was the only one who showed Sorcha any compassion whatsoever. What had happened between them that sparked such a drastic change in attitude?
At dusk, Ren rode on ahead. We were close to the border of the Durotriges and we needed somewhere safe to spend the night. I also knew that he would keep his eye out for a bird or two for our supper. For a sea warrior, Renowden was a master hunter. It was almost as though he could sing the prey into his arms. I’d travelled with him on several journeys, and he was by far the most successful at keeping us all nourished.
This night was no different. When we caught up with him, he was sitting around a roaring fire with a couple of fat ducks roasting over the embers. I dismounted and let Kewri lead my pony to a freshwater stream at the foot of the valley. Ren had chosen a wooded dell in which to camp, but I was amazed that he’d risked lighting a fire.
“Won’t we draw the attention of the Duros?” I asked him.
“Nope. I spoke to a man further up the valley. They said that all the warriors and able men have been called up to help build the new Ruvane’s compound.” He laughed. “Brea’s obsession with power has done us a great favour. Even if there are other Duros about, they are in no mind for fighting. I got the distinct impression that they all hated her.”
Endelyn clapped her hands together when she saw our supper sizzling and spitting meagre fat droplets into the flames. “I’m ravenous.” She warmed herself by the fire and then picked at the meat, licking the juices off her fingers. “Hmm, not ready yet.” It was an obvious statement. We could all see that the meat was practically raw.
Sorcha was tasked with helping Kewri with the horses. He rolled his eyes at me when I made the suggestion. What had got into them? She surely had enough gumption to get them to water and give them some grain? It wasn’t as though I’d asked her to collect wood for the fire or build us a shelter. Did Tallack expect me to break her spirit and train her in the ways of subservience? If that was his plan, it was doomed to failure. This wilful girl had no intention of embracing her duties.
Endelyn was quiet after we’d eaten. She rolled out her bedding, swept away any ants and stones from her side of the fire and tucked herself into her furs. I took that to mean that she was still annoyed that Tallack had not fallen for her alluring ways. She was sulking. Kewri and Sorcha tired of sniping at each other and did the same shortly after, leaving Renowden and I to while away the time in peace.
“We crossed the River Sid back there.” I said, tipping my head in the direction we had ridden. “This is Duro land.”
“It is, but safe enough here. I did a quick circuit of the valley while I looked for food. There are no dwellings for miles, just a couple of old fishermen who had paddled down the Sid to the river mouth.” He took out his pipe and packed the bowl with hemp weed. “Want some of this to calm your nerves?” He waited for the shake of my head before continuing. “You sure? I have another pipe you can use.”
“That’s good of you Ren, but I don’t much like the taste. I’ll stick to the ale.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing.” He chuckled, pulling a burning stick from the fire to light the dried weed.
I wrapped my bed furs around my shoulders against the cold of the evening while my front tingled with the heat from the flames. “Do you ever get sick of the sea, Ren?”
“No, not even on lengthy trips. I start to miss it if I’m on land for too long.” He puffed on his pipe and leaned against the trunk of an ash tree. “I sailed with Aebba and then with Tallack while he learned the ropes. I’m guessing that with Blydh out of action, it’ll be some time before we put to sea again.”
“If ever.” I said flatly. “If Blydh can’t lead the tribe, Tallack will have to stay on land to run things just as his father did before him.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. Do you reckon he’ll appoint another clan leader for the Sea Warriors?”
“Not sure he has much choice.” We exchanged glances, both of us landing on the same thought. “As long as he doesn’t pick Treeve to replace him.” I said. “There would be enough outcry to fuel a mutiny.”
“You’re not wrong there, Fur Benyn. He might be a favourite of Tallack’s, but his preferential treatment doesn’t sit well with the crew.” The corners of his mouth curled up into a sneer. “I did think at one point during the last couple of moons that Treeve was after the Ruvane’s position.”
“By the gods, so did I.”
“He’ll be borrowing Cryda’s furs and jewels next.” Renowden chortled, coughing into his pipe smoke.
The thought of the dainty crewman parading himself in front of our whole tribe as the highest lady wife of the Chieftain filled me with horror. “He’d ruin my nephew’s reputation in less than a quarter moon if that ever happens. Can you imagine the reaction our tribe would receive at the great midsummer gatherings at Stonehenge?”
That seemed to amuse Ren all the more. His laughter had him sliding down the tree trunk until he had to steady himself with an outstretched hand. When he stopped coughing long enough to speak, he said, “I’m sure Tallack knows what he’s doing. Our laws and customs are well known to all. I can’t see him breaking with tradition just to satisfy the ambitions of one sailor.”
“Hmm.” I said, unconvinced. “Let’s hope you’re right.”
Between us, we finished off the last of the meat and stacked more wood onto the fire. I must admit, the ale quickened my curiosity and loosened my tongue. “Did you ever wed, Ren?”
“Me? No, Fur Benyn. Who’d put up with an old sea dog like me? The ocean is my lady.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Never in one place long enough for women to catch hold of me.”
I sensed that he was steering me away from a troubled past. I should have stopped pushing, but the ale was in control of my mouth.
“Where are you from originally? I don’t remember you being born at the first compound on the River Exe.”
He could have simply refused to answer me, told me to mind my own business, but he didn’t. He looked me in the eye, all traces of humour erased. “I was born on a homestead on the north coast of Dumnonia.”
Now that he
was talking, I stayed quiet in case I said something to interrupt the flow of information. He didn’t break eye contact the whole time he spoke.
“My father was an evil man. I know, there are plenty of those in the land, but he was particularly vicious. He’d beat my mother until she’d pass out in agony.” That memory pained him. He blinked a few times, clearing the excess moisture. “I tried to stop him but got a back hander for my troubles. I was too small at the time to overpower him and nothing would ease his temper.” Renowden sat more upright against the tree and took a steadying breath. “One day I came in from feeding the goats and pigs and found my mother dead on the hut floor. She was covered in blood. I wasn’t about to hang around for him to kill me too, so I took my few things and ran.”
“You came south to the River Exe?”
He took a gulp of ale from his cup and nodded. “Ran over the moors. I had no brothers nor sisters so there was no reason to stay.”
“And you joined Aebba’s Sea Warrior Clan?”
“Not at first. I tried over and over again to join your brother, Cador’s Head Hunters, but I was too young. I’d only seen nine, maybe ten summers. In the afternoons, I would sneak out onto the training grounds, but got my arse kicked out of there every time. Eventually, Cador fixed me up with the fishing crews, running about after the old men of the tribe. Spent my days fixing nets or gutting and salting fish. As much as I hated the drudge work, it introduced me to the sea. By the time Aebba was old enough to lead the Sea Warriors, I’d already learned navigation and sailed far and wide, mostly for trades with other tribes.”
“And Aebba saw how skilled you were, especially in recognising tribal regions of the coastline and took you into his clan?”
Ren nodded. I could see his cheeks flushing in the firelight. He was embarrassed by his own admission. Humility was rare among our tribal members. “So, you see the longest time I’ve spent ashore was the odd winter when we were repairing the boats.”
“I see, but I dare say some nice young woman would have been happy to bind to a man who was rarely in camp.” I smirked, trying to lighten the mood.
It worked, he snorted at my jest. “Ah, maybe one or two tried to pin me down, but none were successful. How about you, Meliora?” He caught me off guard, using my proper name and turning the invasive question around.
“Eh? What about me?” I smiled. I liked him using my given name; wise woman is so impersonal.
“Did you not bind to another in your youth?”
I stammered my words, unable to form a meaningful response. “Oh, well, um, not really, although it was a close thing but not to be evidently.” A rush of memories and emotions dashed into my mind, filling me with a confusion of feelings. I didn’t want to be reminded of my past any more than he did, but unlike me, he seemed to be pressing the issue.
“Someone arranged for you by the Chief or someone you found for yourself?”
He’d been so open with me about his past that I felt I owed him something in return. The trouble was, every time I thought about the love of my life, my throat constricted and prevented me from forming a coherent sentence. How could I explain the most painful moments of my youth?
“It was a very long time ago. Hardly worth speaking about.” I said, hoping that he’d lose interest.
“Someone as kind and smart as you must have had men lining up, surely?”
I narrowed my eyes at him, thinking he was making fun of me. His expression was neutral. He meant every word. I didn’t know what to say to that. “There was a man I wanted to spend the rest of my days with, but my brother was not called Cador the Cruel for nothing. He set me up to wed a great Chief and was furious when he discovered that I loved another.” It was my turn to stare into the flames, lost in my memories.
“And yet you did not go through with the ceremony your brother arranged?”
I took a long breath and let my lungs empty. “Let’s just say that my knowledge of herbs and poisons made my brother think twice about controlling me.”
“Were you able to take up with the man you loved?” He leaned forwards and rested his elbows on his knees, listening attentively.
I shook my head. “Cador made sure of that.”
“I’m sorry.” He murmured.
I shrugged. “Like I said. It was a long time ago.” We sat in silence for a while, contemplating our shared stories. It made me feel closer to Renowden, knowing that he too suffered at the hands of another family member at an early age. Both of us had seen more summers than most of the tribe combined, yet found ourselves at the mercy of the young and inexperienced. He was respected among the Sea Warriors, they’d seen him in action, but he had to work hard to gain and keep the good opinions of Blydh’s Head Hunter Clan. I enjoyed the rare privilege of being the Meterns’ aunt. That alone gave me the opportunity to voice my opinions, even if Blydh was angry with me.
We began rolling out our bedding for the night. The moon was high and the wet buds and leaves over our heads were turning pale with the frost.
“Have you ever been to the Nine Children Stones at Winterbourne?” Ren asked me. His face was puckered into a deep frown.
“Never. Have you?”
“Just the once, with Aebba and a few of his young warriors.”
“Well that should come in handy. At least you know the way.” I covered my legs and pulled the furs high over my body.
“That’s the least of our worries. What they say about the stones is true. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
“What, that there is some kind of wicked magic at work for those who enter the circle without tribute or priest?”
“One of Aebba’s warriors stepped into the circle before the ritual was complete on the night of a new moon. He died five days later from black pustules under his arms and rampant fever. I will never forget the look on his face. It was as though he’d been dragged into the Underworld by Cernonnus himself.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Needless to say, I slept ill that night. Renowden’s warning about the Nine Stones at Winterbourne swirled around my mind until the moon began to fall in the sky. Despite having a priestess among our party, I believed what Ren had witnessed all those years ago. He was neither a liar nor someone who exaggerates. If his friend died a horrific death just by stepping inside the circle, we had to be extra careful. As long as we could speak with the priest there without ever going near to the stones, we should be safe.
In the morning, Sorcha rode at the front of our group with Ren while I stayed at the rear with Endelyn and Kewri. With the bickering slave and my giant separated, we made good progress along the coastal path without the aggravation of their noise. Around mid-afternoon, we had a minor scare when Ren heard approaching horses along the cliffs.
Endelyn secured the black banners of the priests on a pole and held it aloft. It was a sensible thing to do, but we were not prepared to rely on it for protection. Rather than try and bluff our way through a conversation with people from our enemy tribe, we trotted further into the dunes and hid ourselves and horses behind the ridges.
Ren’s best guess regarding the location of all the Duros seemed to be correct. Other than a few old people and those galloping warriors, the place was deserted. I started to relax, knowing that we had another night to catch up on sleep plus a further half-day’s ride before reaching our destination.
We stopped to camp on the sheltered side of the cliffs beyond the high-water mark of the beach. While Ren wandered off to find our supper, Kewri and I built a fire and unpacked the cooking pots.
“Sorcha, walk along the wet sand and see if you can’t dig up a few razor clams.” I said, pointing down the beach.
“Can’t see any. I’d be wasting my time.” She snapped, sitting crossed legged on the bedding I was trying to unfurl.
“Get up girl.” I chided, yanking at the furs from under her. “Of course, you can’t see them. They’re buried in the sand.”
“Don’t you know how to dig for shellfish? By the gods, you�
�re stupid.” Kewri sneered.
“I’ve never needed to find my own food. I was the daughter of a great northern Chieftain.” She stuck her nose in the air and folded her arms across her chest.
My, they were tiresome. “Both of you shut up and go and dig for clams, cockles, whatever we can eat. Kewri, show her how.” I looked up and shot him a glare. That shifted him. “Go on, daughter of a traitorous Chief. Make yourself useful, or Tallack won’t have need to keep you alive. Just remember that, young lady.” I tugged so hard on the bedding; she was thrown into the sand on her face. Endelyn laughed, almost making me lose my composure, but I was determined to stay stern and gruff with her. Sorcha picked herself up and followed Kewri, muttering and complaining under her breath all the way down the beach.
It gave me a chance to speak to Endelyn without being overheard. I repeated what Ren had told me the night before about the death of his friend at the Nine Children Stone Circle. Hoping that she might laugh at the notion of dark magic and a deadly infection, I grabbed her sleeve to make her turn and face me. She was not laughing. The skin above her nose wrinkled together and she sucked in her lips.
“I’m afraid that it’s all true. A number of people have died from the same symptoms, but I trust my priest friend. He’ll make sure that we’re kept safe. We have plenty to give in offerings to the gods, thanks to Chief Tallack’s generosity. As long as that Sorcha girl does nothing stupid, we can trade for the resin and set off for home before darkness falls tomorrow.” She forced her mouth into a grin but it was not convincing. She was just as frightened about the possibilities as me.
Renowden returned with a couple of mackerel and a fat crab. They were almost cooked before Kewri and Sorcha returned with a few cockles resting in Kewri’s upturned tunic.
“Is that all you found? You’ve been gone for ages?” I moaned, but neither of them answered me. They seemed distinctly sheepish, but I couldn’t figure out why. “Did you rinse them well?” I squinted up at the huge man. He nodded, but they didn’t look clean to me. “Hmm.” Sorcha volunteered to take them to the shoreline and rinse them through again. Kewri went with her, smiling. For the love of Cernonnus, I hoped they had not taken a fancy to one another. It was bad enough when they were fighting, this simpering compliance was almost worse.
