The Winter Sword: A Novel of Germania and Rome (Hraban Chronicles Book 3)

by Alaric Longward

  I did.

  I pushed past Helmut and ran for Ragwald who blanched, but I aimed for his son who just looked at me, confused as the dogs shot after me. I tackled him to the ground and wrapped my hands around him, flipped him on top of me as the hounds buried us. Ragwald was screaming, Helmut was bellowing.

  I held on for my dear life.

  I gritted my teeth as the claws savaged my arms, teeth were tearing at us, and I shook Ragwald’s son around. The dogs mostly tore at him, and I witnessed from inches away how one of them buried its teeth in his neck, shaking him. I held on with all my power as he screamed until the powerful jaws closed his windpipe. In the terrible din of the bloody canine murder, I glimpsed Segestes looking on at the sight, the centurion rushing to us with a gladius. Helmut was finally dragging one of the hounds off me. The other dog yelped as the centurion killed it. Brimwulf had an arrow cocked and ready to shoot. Ragwald was sobbing next to his son, who was flapping his lips in fathomless pain. I backpedalled from them and got up on my feet, holding my forearms, which had deep bite and claw marks.

  Ragwald looked up at Segestes. ‘Lord, I will pay anything for his life! Neither Drusus nor Maroboodus needs him, not really and I have gold—’

  ‘Silence!’ yelled Segestes, looking at me with an unreadable expression. ‘Brimwulf, take him to his quarters.’

  I took a chance. If the centurion was a man of Drusus, he could help me. If he worked for Antius, he would smile. ‘Centurion, tell Chariovalda that Hraban lives!’ The man opened his mouth in confusion.

  ‘Hraban,’ he said, alarmed. ‘Wait, you are the man who they are looking for! What—’

  Segestes shook his head in regret and nodded at Brimwulf. The archer adopted a steely expression and shot the centurion in the chest, the arrow burying itself between his ribs. The man cursed and fell on his back. He looked at me as he slowly died amidst the Germani. Black froth issued from his mouth, and I cursed myself for a damned idiot. It is my fault, I thought. Then Segestes had a man stab him. The warrior wrestled the ring out of the centurion’s finger, admiring it before handing it over to Segestes. Segestes took the ring, placing it on his own finger, gazing at it while thinking deep. Then he moved away from the dying man. ‘These are sad times when Armin’s robbers still raid this far. Our future guests have to travel with guards. Hraban will be gone by then.’ He took Ragwald by his useless arm. ‘I need him.’ Ragwald started to protest, but Segestes shook his head. ‘He will go to Odo soon, Ragwald.’

  I stiffened. Odo?

  ‘See to your son and try to save his life. And when Hraban is sent away, he shall leave something behind. Arm, leg, his prick. I will think about it. Odo will not need all of him. Thusnelda! Go inside!’ he yelled at his daughter, who stood there, looking at me. Brimwulf grabbed me and pulled me along wordlessly. He looked hard at me and shook his head, warning me to remain quiet. He dragged me to my room and left me in the dark. The last thing I saw from the door before it closed was the front of the great hall and Helmut’s feverish face staring at my doorway. I saw Ragwald sobbing, his eyes pools of madness.

  Wyrd, I thought, and I was sure I had ruined my chances of escape. Odo?

  CHAPTER 16

  When the morning dawned, nobody came for me. There was no food, no punishment, no Wulstan. At some point, I heard Vulcan curse at the door and a guard brusquely told him to go away. Thus, I spent two days and wondered when they would come and claim the piece Segestes had promised them. I felt a pang of guilt at using Ragwald’s son as a shield to save my life, but that feeling ebbed with the hunger, and I simmered in anger, preparing for the worst. The wounds in my arms were sore and some began to get infected.

  Then the next morning I got a visitor. A female voice demanded access outside the door, rather imperiously. ‘Move!’

  ‘My lady, the Lord has forbidden—’ the guard began to argue.

  ‘Yes, yes. I am here on his behest,’ Thusnelda argued. ‘He has wounds; I will tend to them.’

  ‘Surely a slave …’ the guard said and went quiet, trying to find an argument that left him in good steads with the formidable woman.

  ‘No, I will do this,’ she said with a voice that hinted at a rising storm. ‘Stand aside man, and open it up,’ she insisted with such an arrogant voice that I could imagine the man quaking in his shoes.

  ‘Very well, but if they ask me, I shall—’ he grumbled.

  ‘Tell them,’ she said imperiously. ‘By all means tell my Father I came here to bind the wounds of his prized prisoner!’ The door opened, and she stepped in. She wore a dark woolen dress with a voluminous cloak around her. Her eyes were red, her face drawn, but she had a nervous energy about her as she carried a sack for me.

  ‘I need to search that,’ the guard said abruptly, and Thusnelda cursed and slammed the door on his face.

  ‘Asshole,’ she hissed, in a very unladylike manner. I flinched and hoped she aimed the comment at the guard as she marched up. I sat up on my bed. Then she opened the sack and wordlessly began to ladle out a small gourd of ale, cold meats, and vegetables, and nodded at me as I looked at the abundance ravenously. Then she took my arm and started to clean and bind the claw marks, which were sore enough for me to wince. She went on with the diligent work, glancing at me every now and then. It was strange, as if we continued the discussion from the day I had been bringing her to Armin. ‘He’s not all well in the head,’ she told me, with a mild reproof.

  ‘Which one?’ I asked, my mouth full of meat. ‘I honestly do not know.’

  She giggled, but sobered quickly. ‘The boy you fed to the dogs.’

  I nodded. ‘Oh, yes! Was it—’

  ‘Manno, he is Manno,’ she said. ‘Though he is known as—’

  ‘The Turd. Yes, I know. He is alive then?’ I asked, burping. ‘Well, it was his wyrd. He was the best candidate for covering me. A lank faced bastard,’ I said cruelly though deep inside I was again fighting with my conscience.

  ‘He is a kind man, though Ragwald has tried to make him like he is, brutal and a foolish brute at that. Manno obeys him, but likes to sit and be quiet, and loves dogs,’ she continued.

  I laughed. ‘Well! I think I cured him of that!’ I distrusted dogs. I had once been chased across woods by a pack of them. Twice, I thought, if you counted the time I tried to escape the pigsty.

  She slapped me, gently. ‘He cannot speak now, and is weak. He is missing an eye, and if he survives, his throat will make him look like a monster.’

  ‘So he has to grow a beard. Why are you here? To admonish me for surviving a murder attempt?’ I asked, wolfing down venison strips.

  She finished with my arm and sat back. ‘Armin is in danger.’

  I snorted. ‘I have been doing nothing but thinking about Armin’s problems this past year. When they beat me and nearly fed me to pigs, all I could think about was Armin’s tear-filled face. Yes, yes.’ She gave me a disapproving look, and I sighed.

  ‘Sarcasm does not suit you, Hraban,’ she said.

  ‘I know,’ I agreed. ‘Your father is a piece of rotten gristle,’ I told her blankly. ‘Helmut and Ragwald? I do not know how to describe them. Are they human? And you speak to me of Armin?’

  ‘I have no love for them. You must know this,’ she told me heavily.

  ‘We have that in common,’ I laughed and finished the food, licking my fingers meticulously.

  ‘Fine. Let’s talk about you first. It seems you might be given to Odo,’ she stated bluntly.

  I nodded and shrugged, drinking ale. ‘Perhaps,’ I said. ‘And I am sorry. I know your love is in danger. Your father is thinking about killing Drusus and becoming lord of the north. Armin is not part of that plan. And has Segestes not tried to hunt Armin for years? I am not sure why you are so surprised.’

  She laughed bitterly. ‘I merely stated a fact. Something that plagues me daily. So, you are saying my father is planning on betraying Drusus, as well?’ She had a disbelieving look and was tugging at a blonde red braid uncertain
ly.

  I rolled my eyes and leaned close to her. ‘He and my father will be given lordship of Roman Germania after Drusus dies to my father’s sword. Your father, an ally to Drusus, will make it possible. I should warn my lord. But now, he will give me to Odo.’

  ‘Do you know why?’ she asked me, not moving from me, and I backed off. ‘Why you will be given to the Crow of the High Woods. Some call Odo that.’

  ‘I don’t care what they call him as long it is not Hraban’s Bane,’ I snorted. ‘Why? Segestes asked me about our ring. Drapunir’s Spawn. Woden’s Gift. I think he is already planning beyond the death of Drusus. He needs the ring so he can avoid the wars with the Semnones in the east. Some wars, at least, for no Germani will bow to ancient rings for a long time, I am sure, or they actually might set out to capture it? Who knows. But your father fears the lot of a warrior. It is wild, unpredictable and risky, and he loves invented heroism over scars. A poem and a song are better than a ferocious scream of an enemy shield wall. And Odo has the ring so I guess he thinks Odo would trade me. They have spoken, no? I heard him speaking, you know.’

  ‘In the stables?’ she asked, tilting her head enticingly, and I thought she looked beautiful. ‘I heard you. Moaning in anger at the stalls.’

  ‘Yes. Drusus will come here next spring with legions to finally chase your lover—’

  ‘We have never slept together, but I do love him,’ she told me with a painful poke. ‘Do not speak like that or they might throw me to the swamp for being a harlot.’

  ‘You are a harlot, lady,’ I told her with a laugh. ‘You are betrothed to my father, after all,’ I said and hurried on as she was about to tell me what she thought about my past, ‘They will come and slay Armin. They will make an end of Inguiomerus, should he still resist.’

  She snorted. ‘Segestes wants him dead. Inguiomerus has asked for peace, but Father does not wish to look over his shoulder for ever. How will they slay Drusus?’

  I shrugged. ‘Your father will betray him on the march, Father will ride in and strike hard and my lord will die. Rome won’t go away, of course. Rome will conquer without Drusus well enough and finally some high and mighty bastard who wanted Republic dead will pardon Maroboodus and Segestes will be forgiven as well. But that leaves your father as the king, and he cannot fight. Rome might rule, but the Suebi are numerous. Langobardi, Saxones, Hermanduri. And the mighty Semnones.’

  ‘Father is not much of a warrior,’ she agreed. ‘So, you for the ring. I thought Odo said you are not needed and that you already showed him the road to Veleda as he followed Lif?’

  I grinned. ‘I guess he noticed Lif got away and thinks he might benefit from having me hanging from his chains after all. He is growing impatient. Perhaps his Raven being stuck here is not something he desires, and he thinks it jeopardizes his cursed prophecy.’

  She nodded. ‘I know about my father and his plans with Maroboodus.’

  I stopped mid chew and stared at her. ‘But you had me tell you all of it at length anyway?’

  ‘Yes.’

  I shook my head. ‘How did you know?’

  She sat there quietly and frowned for a time until she brightened. ‘Armin and Arbalo,’ she said dreamily. ‘You heard of it?’ Her eyes glowed with pride.

  ‘I did,’ I said brusquely. ‘He is the Fox.’

  ‘The Fox thinks very highly of you,’ she insisted. ‘You have plans? Escaping this place?’

  I looked at her dully. ‘You ask me for plans? The idiot who nearly died in pig shit? Who will be mauled very soon by two halfwits? I’ve planned to stay alive, but—’

  She nodded. ‘Armin, my love will fight. He will do it alone if he must. I cannot bear it.’

  I nodded. ‘When your father was talking about their plans, I saw you stiffen and curse. Time to choose sides, perhaps?’ I said, stretching and walking around her. ‘You might help me make a plan.’

  She did not move. ‘I always had a side, Armin’s. I’m as much a prisoner as you are. Though, of course, not without resources. I agree I might be able to help you.’

  I looked at her in the eye. ‘How will you get me out, and what do you want for it?’

  ‘I want you to help Armin,’ she said softly.

  ‘I am loyal to Drusus,’ I insisted, tired. ‘You guessed my plans the day Catualda took us; nothing has changed. I was going to take him to Drusus. I could promise you to fight for Armin, but would you believe me? No.’

  She whispered in my ear. ‘Fight Armin. Fight the Cherusci. Do so. But first, you will help Armin. You will help him with something he desperately needs.’ She looked hard at me, her face wooden and readying for a fight. ‘Segestes and Drusus will go and slay him and Inguiomerus. They will. Drusus won’t fall before that, for Father would not want to fight Armin alone after. Armin is doomed. I want you to give Armin a chance,’ she said plainly. ‘And so, you will find Sigimer.’

  I stared at her blankly and finally threw my hands in the air. ‘You want me to shear Siff’s golden hair as well? Or gobble up the sun for Sköll? Hunt for the world serpent? He is dead! I–’

  ‘I want you to do your best,’ she said weakly. ‘Just that. I know you will fight for Drusus. I knew it when you claimed to bring me to him and change sides. You are right. Armin and you. You two have been playing with each other for ages, playing this gentle game of truths and lies. All you wanted was Lif, and as you saved me from rape and possibly death, I let you lie to him. I would have let you keep Lif and would have made sure you did not hurt Armin. But now I want more. I want you to help him survive. In any way you can. But there is a particular way to do that and yes, Sigimer is alive.’

  I sat down and held my head. ‘Shit.’

  ‘Talk, you mongrel,’ she said with sudden desperation. ‘Hraban!’

  ‘What shall I promise?’ I asked in frustration. ‘Be specific! Sigimer?’

  ‘He is taken,’ she whispered. ‘Imprisoned.’

  ‘You want me to swear that I shall free Sigimer?’

  ‘Yes! That you free Sigimer!’ she told me, grabbed my tunic and shook me. ‘That is exactly what I want to hear you say!’

  ‘What good will it do that I shall free his father?’ I nearly yelled as she kept shaking me.

  ‘Free him,’ she said desperately and let me go as she noticed she had been shaking me, ‘and Armin shall not be alone. Sigimer will tie Inguiomerus back to the war, for the gaunt lord hates Armin but loves his brother. It will tear my father’s conquests apart; Sigimer’s old warlords will return to him. They will. Most all will. They will be poor in wealth, weapons, and men, but Segestes the Traitor, my father shall find himself reduced to what he was, perhaps. It only takes Sigimer.’

  My mind was whirling. ‘Where—’

  ‘Promise first!’ she insisted, and I laughed desperately, held my head with two hands and nodded.

  ‘Is he taken by Rome?’ I hissed.

  ‘No! Promise!’

  ‘Yes, I promise,’ I said thinly. ‘I will do what I can. Of course, this promise is like Donor swearing to leave a giant alive, but—’

  ‘Don’t speak of Donor, oh chosen of Woden,’ she said with a tremor in her voice. ‘Promise in Woden’s name you will try what I will ask for.’

  ‘I … promise in All-Father’s name I shall free the old, wrinkle balled bull, your lover’s father, though I am not sure what I can do,’ I told her and enjoyed her obvious anger as I called him her lover again. ‘But now I have to escape your father and Odo.’

  She smiled. ‘You will have to escape my father indeed. But not Odo. You promised.’

  I stared at her very intently for a moment. She looked bothered and blushed as she plucked at her sleeveless tunic, then she adjusted a bronze brooch on her shoulder. When I said nothing, she fondled her girdle and finally raised her eyebrow at me. ‘Had time to figure this out yet?’

  I had.

  ‘Odo has Sigimer,’ I stated blankly.

  ‘He has Sigimer. Odo’s home is somewhere to the sou
th of the ford Sigimer fell in, and his men captured Sigimer that night when the old lord was making his escape in the dark.’

  ‘And Odo wanted to trade me for him?’ I told her, groaning.

  ‘Sigimer riding free is not a prospect Segestes enjoys,’ she told me. ‘But Odo also promised Segestes your ring, after he no longer has a use of it.’

  ‘How do you know of this? All of this?’

  ‘Turd told me,’ she said acidly. ‘As I said, he was not a bad boy. Just slow.’

  ‘Ragwald’s boy told you their plans? Did you enchant the … boy?’ I asked her with a raised eyebrow. ‘Smiled kindly? Chirped like a bird and laughed at his jokes?’

  She blushed and shrugged. ‘I love Armin. I would do a lot for Armin. Even smile at Manno.’

  ‘What else did you learn from the fool?’ I grinned. ‘Surely he must have told you about his dreams, what kind of children he desires—’

  She slapped me painfully and hissed. ‘Stop that. It’s not proper. He told me much, though. His dislike for Helmut and Ragwald, for one thing. And he told me Segestes and Maroboodus are still allied, as well.’

  ‘Fine,’ I agreed. ‘So, what else—’

  ‘If you escape, you will need men, no?’ she told me. ‘You cannot do this alone.’

  ‘You mean Armin will help?’ I asked her hopefully. ‘He will come here and spring me free?’

  ‘No,’ she said, dashing my hopes. ‘Armin cannot risk leaving the southern wilds right now. He is a hunted man and traitors abound. You will have to do this. You must go to Castra Flamma and find help there.’

  I stared at her incredulously. ‘You think Rome would be interested in springing Sigimer from the thralldom? They would keep him a hostage if they found him!’ I told her as if to a dull child. ‘They don’t make a habit of capturing valuable enemies only to let them run merrily back to war! Perhaps you think they will hold a feast for Sigimer before escorting him to safety?’

  She stared back at me mulishly. ‘I don’t care how you do it, but you will find men to free Sigimer and then he will go free as a bird, feast or not. This you promised.’