An Eye For An Eye by Anthony Gordon

Author:Anthony, Gordon [Anthony, Gordon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-02-09T00:00:00+00:00

I struggled with the problem for a long time. Slowly, I made my way north again, crossing through Fib, then following the coast through Circinn. I had no real plan in mind, so I simply kept walking. By the time I reached Dun Foither, I was truly a wandering beggar for I had very little of any value left and I was permanently hungry.

The mighty coastal fortress of Dun Foither was still held by a garrison of Northumbrians. It was their most northerly outpost on the east coast, a place from where they could watch for any army coming down the coastal path across the Mounth, or send word of any fleet that Bridei might send down the eastern sea. Secure behind the massive wall and protected on the other three sides by high cliffs, the men who guarded Dun Foither were the lynchpin of Beornhaeth’s eastern defences.

There was a church on the headland, close to where the Dun now stood. People said that Saint Ninian himself had founded it when he first came to spread the word of God among the southern Pecht. There was still a church but the people who worshipped there now were the Northumbrian soldiers and their families. I would find no welcome there.

I knew that there were several farms scattered around the nearby countryside. I wondered whether I should try to find some work at one of these. Spring and Summer were always busy times on a farm, as I knew from personal experience. It would keep me fed until harvest time. After that, I would need to find something else to do if I wanted to eat, because few farmers would keep casual labourers once the harvest was in.

I hesitated, weighing up my options. What I really wanted was to return to Inbhir Nis, to warn Bridei of Guret's treachery, but I knew that was impossible. For one thing, I had no proof and for another, I would be a dead man before I could get close to Bridei. Medraut would make sure of that.

I might be able to reach Bleddyn without being detected but summer was approaching and he would already be on his way to Dun Eidyn to find me. That thought filled me with dread. If Bleddyn arrived in Dun Eidyn and began asking questions about me, he would be in danger himself. I could have sunk to my knees and wept. I could not imagine how things could be any worse.

Fighting off my black mood of depression, I sighed. There was nothing to be gained by feeling sorry for myself. I needed a plan of some sort. I was hungry and dishevelled from spending so many nights sleeping in the open. I needed to find food and shelter, but wherever I stayed, it also had to be somewhere that Bleddyn was likely to pass through.

I decided there was only one place I could go. Hefting my pack, I headed down the hill to the village of Cala na Creige.

Nominally,

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