The Warrior Princess by K. M. Ashman

Author:K. M. Ashman
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781612185781
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2017-08-07T22:00:00+00:00

Tarw walked down the hill to the valley floor. In the distance he could see Gwenllian’s column approaching. For a few moments, he stopped dead in his tracks, shocked at what he saw. At the head of the column rode his wife, sitting upright and proud in the saddle with an air of power and ability about her, an authoritative and almost arrogant presence that he had known and loved for so many years. Despite not losing any of the love for her during their time in anonymity, he suddenly realised he had missed this woman, the one who had commanded so much fear and respect from friend and foe alike. With a grin on his face he walked onto the path and waited for his wife to arrive.

A few minutes later, Gwenllian reined in her horse and slid from the saddle to stand before her husband. Tarw looked her up and down, recalling the last time he had seen her in full armour, and for a few seconds there was silence as each looked deep into the other’s eyes, remembering the many campaigns they had embarked upon in the pursuit of freedom. Tarw’s heart was racing with love, desire and admiration. His princess, the one whom he had eloped with all those years previously, was once again standing before him, as large as life and ready to stand against any man who crossed her.

‘Well,’ she said eventually, ‘what do you think?’

‘I think,’ he said, after a few moments, ‘that you have never looked more beautiful, more regal or more damned scary in all the years I have known you.’

As they embraced the population of the rebel camp gathered around, many remembering the couple from years earlier.

‘My lady,’ called a voice, ‘welcome back.’

‘Remember me?’ called another. ‘We rode together at Wetwall Bridge.’

Gwenllian laughed as she disengaged from her husband’s embrace and turned to acknowledge all of the best wishes. A little girl came up and gave her a holly sprig complete with berries.

‘From my mother,’ she said sweetly, and Gwenllian turned to see one of the young women who had ridden alongside her all those years earlier, now an older mother with another child held tightly beneath her shawl.

‘Karin,’ shouted Gwenllian as the crowd gathered around her in excitement. ‘How are you?’

‘As well as I can be,’ replied the woman over the noise of the crowd. ‘Though these two keep me busy.’

‘My boys are the same,’ shouted Gwenllian as she was jostled by those eager to touch her. ‘Come and see me when all this has died down.’

‘I will,’ laughed Karin as Gwenllian was swept away by the crowd, ‘and give my love to your family.’

For the next ten minutes or so, Gwenllian was kept busy saying hello to old friends and meeting others who had only heard stories about her exploits fighting the English all those years earlier. Finally, the crowd started to thin out and Gwenllian turned to see a rather frightening and dirty warrior standing before her.

‘Hello,’

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