Shadow Lands Trilogy

by Simon Lister

  A lone Adren Captain was pushing his way through the Adren ranks and slowly making his way towards the Anglian riders. The snow swept across the open space between them in thin veils giving the impression that the earth beneath was steaming.

  Cei looked at Merdynn who shrugged and they both nudged their mounts forward to meet the approaching captain. They met halfway between the two groups and stood regarding each other. The Adren Captain was well equipped for the dark winter and both his clothing and weapons appeared to be new. His silver helmet slanted down on either side of his head, covering his face and had narrow slits for his eyes. The high helmet was squared at the forehead and overlarge to allow for the thick fur padding on the inside. A design had been worked into the front. He wore a thick, black fur cloak and Cei wondered what type of animal it had come from.

  ‘What is it that you want?’ Cei asked as his horse bucked its head and stamped at the snow.

  The silver helmet turned directly to Merdynn and the captain spoke in a language Cei had never heard before. Merdynn turned to Cei, ‘He’s actually speaking your tongue – though you’d never know it for the accent.’

  Cei waited for Merdynn to continue.

  ‘Yes, well, he says that you are all free to return to your land if I surrender to them.’

  ‘I didn’t think the Adren made any deals.’

  ‘Whether they would let you go or not is another matter but I doubt it and even if they did, I doubt the Irrades would be so keen to see their four-legged feast walking away. Or the two-legged one either come to that.’

  The Adren Captain repeated his offer again but his voice was angry and his hand was on his sword hilt.

  ‘They must be keen to get their hands on you and keep you alive,’ Cei said levelly.

  ‘Fairly keen to stay alive myself as it happens.’

  ‘That could prove difficult,’ Cei said gesturing to the Adren line behind the captain.

  ‘Tempted then?’

  ‘No, not in the least. Tell him.’

  Merdynn faced the captain and began speaking in the singsong, staccato variety of the language that the Adren used. Before he could finish the Adren Captain snarled and in one movement spurred his horse to Merdynn and drew his sword, sweeping it towards Merdynn’s head. With a speed that belied his age, Merdynn brought his staff up to meet the Adren’s broad, curved blade.

  Cei watched on in horror expecting the sharp blade to slice through the staff and kill Merdynn but there was a flash of light and the sword was flung backwards without leaving so much as a notch in the oak. A split second later Cei felt and heard an arrow speed past his shoulder and the Adren Captain was jerked from his saddle as if he had been plucked backwards by an invisible force.

  Ethain’s horse skittered sideways then finally lost control under the fear of its rider and bolted. Ethain, already panicked, let out a thin scream and tried desperately to haul on the reins to bring the beast under control. In seconds he was flashing past the still twitching Adren Captain and heading straight for the Adren shield wall. Behind him Cerdic let loose a battle cry and sped after his companion whom he thought was incensed into leading a lone charge against the enemy. Others followed the pair in two’s and three’s and Cei cursed as the ragged charge swept by him. He and Merdynn had no choice but to follow the others with Herewulf and Wolfestan bringing up the rear on their slower mounts.

  Ethain had only just realised where his blindly racing horse was heading and he screamed curses as he fought to stay on the beast and haul back on the reins at the same time. Ahead of him the Adren line tensed, shields raised before them as they waited steadily.

  Ethain was only yards away when his horse finally realised what was ahead of it, obeyed his commands and tried to stop. It slid onwards through the snow then reared up in panic as it reached the Adren wall, its hooves flailing desperately as it crashed into the shields. The madly sliding horse smashed through the line sending several Adren sprawling in a tangled, thrashing mess of hooves, swords and shields. Ethain was sent sprawling in the cloud of snow and he lashed out blindly as the nearest Adren slaughtered his horse and cut at him.

  Cerdic roared as he saw Ethain break the line and he raced into the chaotic breach with the others thundering in a broken line behind him. He laid about him with his sword in a mad battle rage, searching for his fallen friend. Around him other horsemen were joining him and the shield wall was collapsing. Those Adren at either end of the line raced in to surround the riders. The Irrades had started their chase as soon as the charge had begun and were closing in on the melee.

  Cerdic saw Ethain duck under an Adren blade then stumble backwards over his dying horse. Cerdic spurred his horse forward and his sword swung down onto the Adren’s helmet and glanced off. The Adren reeled away dazed and Cerdic yelled to Ethain with his hand outstretched. Ethain grasped it and Cerdic hauled him up into the saddle.

  Cei was roaring above the noise of the frantic battle for them to ride onwards. One by one they fought their way free of the breach, using their horses to bludgeon a way through. As Cei swung his axe repeatedly down on the Adren surrounding him, he tried to see who was free of the mess and who was not. He saw Trevenna battling one of the Adren Captains, their swords flashing at each other as they fought to control their horses. Leah swept past them and her spear tore the captain from his horse and was wrenched from her grasp as she and Trevenna kicked their horses free of the confusion. Cei buried his axe deep into the shoulder of an enemy below him then, having to use both hands, tugged the heavy weapon free and spurred his horse after the others.

  Once clear, he glanced back over his shoulder. The Adren and Irrades were all racing to the point where the riders had broken through the line and where the fighting still continued. He could see at least two of his riders unhorsed and still enmeshed in the battle. He recognised Herewulf by his long grey ponytail, which swung back and forth as he hacked about him with his long sword. Cei turned his horse to go back when he saw Herewulf’s sword cut deeply into one of his attackers and momentarily bury itself in the Adren’s guts. As he jerked it free others leapt at him and he fell under a rain of curved swords.

  Cei checked his horse. Whoever else had been left behind must also have been killed as the Adren were leaving the churned mess of snow, blood and bodies and were now being marshalled by the remaining Adren Captain to give chase to the fleeing riders. Cei turned and sped after the others, yelling for them to regroup and ride together.

  Aelfhelm had halted his horse’s break-neck dash about a mile from the ambush and was collecting the straggled group when Cei arrived with Cerdic who bore Ethain behind him. Cei cast his eyes over the group, frantically looking for Trevenna. He saw her with Leah and let out a long breath of relief. Merdynn was with Roswitha, helping to bandage Elfilda’s badly gashed thigh. She would not remain still and kept calling out for her brother, Wolfestan, who was not among the group.

  ‘Anyone see Herewulf?’ Cerdic asked loudly.

  ‘He’s dead. They cut his horse from under him,’ someone answered.

  ‘He died bravely, laying about him and taking some of the bastards with him,’ Cei added as he searched the faces to see who else had not survived.

  ‘Wolfestan?’ he asked.

  ‘He went back to try and help Herewulf and Ranulf but one of their captains rode him down.’

  ‘Ranulf too?’ Cei asked.

  Both Thruidred and Wayland nodded. Cei cursed then went to see the injured Elfilda. Three dead and they were not out of the city yet. As he knelt by the squirming Elfilda they heard a horse galloping towards them. The mounted riders readied themselves but it was one of the dead men’s horses. Trevenna went to retrieve it and Cei turned his attention back to Elfilda. Roswitha was shaking her head behind her.

  ‘I’ve lost too much blood,’ she said and cursed, voicing what Roswitha was implying. The snow around her was soaked dark red. Cei looked at Merdynn who just pressed his lips together and shrugged miserably.

  ‘You
’ll recover Elfilda, we’ll rest here a bit. Cerdic, take Wayland and go back down the roadway, join Wolfestan and make sure there’s no pursuit.’

  The others all looked at Cei for a second then looked away. Elfilda grabbed Cei’s arm fiercely.

  ‘My brother’s alive? He’s safe?’ she said through gritted teeth.

  ‘He’s fine. Hacked down three of the bastards. Now, rest easy, we need to stop this bleeding.’

  Cei examined the sopping bandage that was wound tightly around her thigh. Blood was seeping out in great pulses as each heartbeat pushed the life from her. She was weakening quickly and lay back in Cei’s arms.

  ‘Tell him he’s a great useless bastard but that I love him,’ she said softly and smiled as the pain ebbed and the last of the life drained from her.

  ‘You can tell him yourself now, Elfilda,’ Cei said, gently closing her eyes. He looked up at the sound of drumming hooves. Cerdic and Wayland raced up through the still swirling snow.

  ‘They’re coming!’ Cerdic yelled.

  The warriors mounted and Ethain took the spare horse. As they were preparing to leave Ethain cried out to them, ‘We can’t leave her here, not for them!’

  Cei looked down at the dead girl and realised what Ethain was implying. They could not afford to carry her, it would slow them down but after what they had seen at Branque they could not leave her here for the Adren either.

  ‘Get moving, Cei,’ Merdynn said, taking the responsibility from him.

  As the riders cantered away Leah stole a glance backwards and saw Merdynn standing over the body of her friend. As she watched flames began to flick around the lifeless body. She shuddered and prayed to the gods that they would not hold it against Elfilda when she arrived at their gates.

  She turned away from Merdynn and stared in disbelief as Wayland slowly toppled from his saddle in front of her, a crude arrow sticking incongruously from the side of his face. Suddenly there were rocks, stones and iron bars raining down around her. An iron bar caught her across the shoulder and head and the world darkened as she slumped in her saddle. She felt hands holding her against her horse and a distant voice screaming at her from what seemed a different world. Gradually the voice became nearer and clearer and her horse’s ice-rimed mane came into focus before her eyes.

  Ethain was trying to shield them both from the missiles that were hurling down upon them from the high ruins on either side of the roadway. She could not make out what he was saying and put it down to her confusion when in fact he was just incoherently cursing. Above the noise around her she heard Cei roaring for them to ride on. The Irrades had put little faith in the Adren trap and had set their own ambush further along the road. Winter food was rare and never walked willingly into their city and they were not prepared to lose the opportunity of adding to their winter store.

  No sooner had Leah sat up straight than she was thrown forward onto her horse’s neck again as a large rock cracked into her back. She grunted at the force of the blow but the shield she had slung across her shoulders took most of the impact and it served to jolt her back into awareness. Ethain was trying to lead her horse out of the narrows and after the others who were already racing ahead and away from the trap but the Irrades had abandoned their missile assault and were now leaping down onto the roadway.

  Leah yelled a warning to Ethain as the figures closed on him in a shambling rush. Ethain did not seem to hear, his head was down and he was furiously kicking his heels into his horse’s flanks in an effort to get clear. Leah drew her sword just as she was tumbled from her saddle by an Irrades who had taken a mighty leap from the ruins.

  Together they sprawled in the snow, grappling to get on top of one another. Leah could feel its foul breath on her face and she twisted violently, driving the attacker off her. She scrambled on top of him and bringing her sword’s edge to his throat, pressed down with all her weight. Through the shower of blood she saw his face clearly for the first time and she recoiled in horror.

  She stumbled to her feet and doubled over as an iron bar thumped into her stomach. She lurched sideways to avoid the following down swing and the heavy bar crashed into the snow beside her. She stood bent over fighting for breath, momentarily winded and unable to move and she looked up to face her death just as her assailant’s head flew from its shoulders. As the creature fell she saw Ethain standing behind it, his sword dripping blood into the snow and a wild look in his eyes.

  The Irrades were rushing into the narrows all around them and she looked on, still gasping for air as Ethain charged headlong into them swinging and hacking with the madness of desperation. Three of the Irrades fell in mutilated heaps of severed limbs and pooling blood before Ethain’s legs were hooked from under him.

  Leah covered the short distance screaming a war cry with her sword held high. They backed away long enough for Ethain to regain his feet and they stood back to back as the Irrades circled them beyond sword’s length. Leah could hear Ethain muttering to the gods in a trembling voice. Thirty or forty of the Irrades surrounded them and there could only be one outcome. She reached behind her and took Ethain’s hand.

  ‘Thanks for trying to save me. We’ll take some of these hideous creatures with us, eh?’

  If she was looking for encouragement and bravery in the face of death then she would have been disappointed by the mewing whimper which was all Ethain could manage. She did not appear to hear though and freed her hand from Ethain’s tight grasp so that she could unsling her shield.

  Some of the Irrades had already slaughtered their horses and were dragging them away leaving long trails of blood in the furrowed snow. The others were intent on taking the two warriors as well. Two dashed at Leah who took one blow on her shield and cut at the other with her sword. They took turns to sporadically lunge at her as they mustered themselves for closing the circle.

  Two more lunged at Ethain. He met one of the clubs with his sword but was unable to stop the other attacker jabbing a bar into his groin. He collapsed to one knee and the Irrades cried out. Leah felt Ethain go down beside her and thought the cry that went up signalled their end but suddenly there was the thunder of horses all around them and the Irrades were being trampled and hacked in a furious charge as Cei and the others smashed into and through their crowded ranks. Leah was knocked aside as one of the horses cannoned into her and she scrabbled on all fours to throw herself over the prostrate Ethain and protect him from the carnage.

  Seconds later and the charge had taken Cei’s horses through the narrowed roadway and the surviving Irrades were scrambling back up and into the ruins. Leah lifted herself off Ethain and gently turned him over.

  ‘Ethain? Are you wounded?’ she said scanning his bloody body then seeing where he clutched himself added, ‘Is any of this blood yours?’ She carefully took his hand away as he shook his head. ‘You’ll live,’ she said with a smile and helped him to his feet.

  She too was covered in blood and gore and absently brushed at the mess as she looked around the killing ground. The horses were thundering back towards them.

  ‘Quick! The Adren aren’t far behind!’ Cei shouted to them both.

  Roswitha offered her hand to Leah and she leapt up into the saddle behind her. Trevenna offered Ethain a place and he mounted gingerly, grimacing as he sat in the saddle. As they rode off, Cerdic came alongside Trevenna and thumped Ethain on the shoulder.

  ‘Didn’t think we’d leave behind the hero who broke the Adren ranks did you?’ he cried grinning at him. Ethain just closed his eyes, held Trevenna tightly round the waist and rested his head against her back as they rode through the ruined city under a waning moon.

  *

  As the moon sank behind a growing bank of clouds they finally left behind the last outlying ruins of the city. They left behind the Irrades who ravenously feasted upon horseflesh, their own dead and Cei’s fallen warriors. They left behind the ominous remains of once great dwellings and the sullen tolling of the iron bells. They also left behind six of their own numbe
r as Osla too had fallen, unseen by Ethain and Leah, in the ambush on the narrow roadway. But they did not leave behind the Adren or their remaining Captain, who had orders to take Merdynn no matter what the cost, for the Adren followed Cei’s tracks through the city and out onto the white plains beyond.

  Cei’s riders travelled on for several hours after leaving the city, across a gently rolling country of low hills, frozen river valleys and clusters of small woodlands. Eventually Cei called a halt and they hastily set up a camp on the edges of a small wood that provided them with some protection from the wind, which still scoured across the white winter-locked land.

  They spread what canvas they had to shield the fire from the wind and to hide their presence in the lifeless land. The warriors huddled around the fire trying to warm their tired bodies and dry their sweat-soaked winter clothing. Their mood was a strange mixture of joy at surviving and having killed some of the enemy, and grief for the loss of their companions. Only twelve of them remained and they only had ten horses. Both Merdynn and Cei were acutely aware that their journey had only just begun and countless leagues stood before them and the Adren City.

  They ate frugally and made a weak but hot gruel. Some were talking excitedly, their bodies still coursing with adrenaline as they relived the skirmishes. Others sat silently watching the fire, dwelling on the fates that took in battle a warrior like Herewulf and yet let them live. Leah and Cerdic were among those who talked and laughed about the events back in the city.

  Cerdic raised his broth in toast to Ethain, ‘To the hero who wouldn’t wait for the order and who charged the Adren wall alone - and broke it alone!’

  Others raised their drinks in salute to Ethain’s bravery.

  ‘How on Earth did you manage to get your horse to charge into the Adren swords?’ Trevenna asked.

  ‘And to his horse that was just as brave as him,’ Merdynn added.

  Ethain could not meet their eyes and his gaze shifted about on the ground before him. He darted a look at Merdynn just to confirm that he was smiling exactly as he thought he was. He was.