Valour

‘No girls on the Field,’ Rafe said to her as he drew near.

 

She ignored him and strode on, passing a huge pen on her path to the wall. A horrible smell came from it – rotting flesh and something worse. It was where Nathair kept his pet draig. Wide stone steps were hewn into the wall, made for giant strides. She looked back into the draig’s pen as she climbed higher, caught a glimpse of it spilling from the burrow it had dug in the ground. She was sweating when she reached the top of the wall; the breeze up here was fresh and welcome. She leaned on the battlements and looked out beyond the fortress. It felt as if she could see the whole world. To the west the sea was a bright shimmering blanket in the summer sun, the sky and horizon so clear she could almost see the coast of Cambren, a smudge at the edge of her vision. She turned west and south, the river Tarin a bright line twisting through the landscape, through the dark of Baglun Forest. I hope Pendathran still lives, she thought.

 

King Brenin’s old battlechief had stayed just one night in Dath’s abandoned cottage; Cywen had brought him food and water the night she had poisoned the hounds. He had stayed there the next day, sleeping, then set out the following night. Cywen had told him all that she knew, of Queen Rhin’s invasion of Narvon, the imminent battle looming between her and Owain. Of how rumour said that a resistance against Owain was growing in Ardan, based around the swamps and marshes in the west. That had been enough for Pendathran – he hadn’t told her where he was going, but the look in his eyes had been enough.

 

‘Come with me,’ he had said. ‘There’s nothing for you here now.’

 

She had been tempted, but something held her back. Dun Carreg was her home. Buddai would be able to come with her, but not Shield. Who would look after him? I could steal Shield, take him with me. But she’d be followed. She was already being watched by Conall. If her kin were hiding in the west she could end up leading Evnis straight to them. No. Not yet. Best let Pendathran find safety, and maybe I’ll follow.

 

‘If you see my mam and brother, tell them . . .’ she had said, then fell silent. She did not know what to tell them. That she missed them, that she wanted them to come back, what?

 

‘I will, lass,’ Pendathran had said, cupping her hand in his. ‘And I will not forget what you have done for me.’

 

Then he had left, slipping into the night. As far as she knew, Evnis had not mounted any large search for him. How could he, under Owain’s nose? He must be raging. She smiled at that thought.

 

Something caught her eye, a movement to the west, out on the sea. As she watched, it became clearer. Ships, lots of them, sleek and black-sailed, like the one already anchored in the bay. Closer and closer they came, horn blasts rising along the walls of Dun Carreg as they were spotted. Cywen counted ten, twenty ships, more – all sailing into the bay. Banners snapped from the mast of the first ship – a white eagle on a black field. Nathair’s fleet had come.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

 

 

CAMLIN

 

 

Camlin led them through the woods to where the horses were hobbled.

 

They were still there, four of them.

 

Quickly, Marrock split the group. Edana and Halion mounted one horse, Heb and Brina another, though the old lady complained about having to hold on to Heb.

 

‘You can squeeze me as tight as you like,’ Heb said, ‘only admit that you like it.’ Brina slapped him across the back of the head.

 

Camlin chose Vonn, Anwarth and Dath to help him; the first two because they had fought well, and they were quick, looked as if they could move fast if they needed to. He chose Dath because the boy could do with a job to do. He felt sorry for the lad, knew what it was like to lose kin. He looked as if he was falling deeper into a pit that could be hard to climb out of.

 

‘I’ll help,’ Corban volunteered.

 

‘Don’t think the smell of your wolven will help us sneak up on a herd of horses,’ Camlin said. ‘Could do with you, though, Gar. You’ve a way with horses.’

 

‘I’ll be going where Corban goes,’ Gar said, and Camlin could see there was no negotiation in that. He shrugged.

 

‘I’ll come with you,’ Marrock said. ‘I could do with a lesson in sneaking about.’ He grinned.

 

Camlin smiled back. ‘All right then.’

 

‘We’ll ride to where the two hills meet, wait for you there,’ Halion said, pointing across undulating meadows into the distance.

 

‘If we have not joined you by sunrise, go on without us,’ Marrock said.

 

With that the two groups split. Camlin watched Halion and Edana lead the riders off, heading along the wood’s fringe, away from the village to avoid any watching eyes.

 

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