Ceridwen of Kilton: Book Two of The Circle of Ceridwen Trilogy by Randolph Octavia

Author:Randolph, Octavia [Randolph, Octavia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pyewacket Press
Published: 2012-09-26T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter the Eleventh: Like Coinage, Spent

The Year 877

But Godwin came from Witanceaster alone. I saw Modwynn’s face fall as he rode in one morning, alone save the men he had taken with him. When he was unpacked we gathered in the quiet of the treasure room. He called Wulfstan in as well, and Godwin stood before us, walking back and forth and turning often to scan our faces.

"Sidroc has grown rich, both in silver and in men. He says he commands 400 warriors. Half that is a fearsome force." We were all silent, but I felt my eyes grow large at hearing how quickly Sidroc’s boast of an army had come to pass..

"He came before Ælfred, and the whole of the Witan, with the boldness that surety gives. He asked for 10,000 pounds of silver, and hostages of twenty of Ælfred’s best men."

This last demand was hard indeed to hear, and Gyric lowered his head for a moment.

"Would I could be one," Wulfstan said, his lamed leg before him, "and repay him double for what he wreaked upon me."

I did not dare to speak, for fear of further angering Godwin or sorrowing Gyric. Wulfstan mastered himself and asked, "And what does the filthy heathen offer in return? Naught but his turning tail and fleeing back to his stolen keep?"

"He does offer more. Protection."

"The Danes to protect Saxons!? I would sooner send my hawks to guard the chicks in the fowl house!"

"He claims he will not attack Wessex, and will actively fight with Ælfred’s men to keep other Danes from attacking."

"You mean, fight as a mercenary army against the other heathen hordes?" Wulfstan would not believe it.

Words escaped my lips. "So he would...join with us?"

All looked at me, and Godwin answered, "Join with us? He would take our treasure all right, and anything else he laid his eyes upon he wanted, and he may or may not keep his pledge, but he would never be ‘joined with’ we Saxons."

His words were very hot, and Modwynn spoke with calmness to temper them.

"Godwin," she said quietly. "And how did Ælfred and the Witan decide this matter?"

"It is not decided. Nor do I think it will be. Firstly, there is not 10,000 pounds of silver left in all the kingdom."

This quantity of treasure was beyond my ken. I had seen caskets of coins and hack-silver weighing perhaps forty or fifty pounds, but could not imagine 10,000.

"Do you mean that once there was that much?” I hazarded to ask.

"Far more," he told me. "Ælfred, his brothers, and their father before them have paid over 25,000 pounds to the Danes already."

Wulfstan spoke from his long memory, and spoke in heat. "And what have we to show for it? Wessex now stands alone against the heathens, all six Kingdoms have fallen, save us."

Gyric stood up, gripping his spear shaft. "Sidroc came before the Witan alone, and made his offer?"

Godwin turned to face him. "Alone. He rode with a heavily armed band, but left them beyond the city gate.

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