The Warrior and the Druidess by Cornelia Amiri

Author:Cornelia Amiri [Amiri, Cornelia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-10-01T16:00:00+00:00

* * * * *

“Where is Tanwen?” Brude bellowed above the blustering wind at Huctia and Gethin.

“It was she who yelled out the Ordovices’ war cry,” Gethin said clutching a sword in his hand.

“Where were you two? You came all the way from Britannia to guard her.” Brude wheeled around facing his own men. “Where were my guards? Why was the druidess the only one who alerted us of a cattle raid? And so close to winter.”

“We must find Tanwen and rescue her from the Smertae,” Huctia said.

“Are we sure it was the Smertae who took her?” Brude took a deep breath.

“Yes,” one of his men spoke up. “I recognized Nectan. He grabbed the druidess and rode off with her flung over his lap.”

“The beast,” Huctia snapped.

“I will save her,” Brude swore. At that moment, tiny white specks swirled thought the air. As he drew his cloak tighter around his shoulders, a chill filled Brude’s insides as guilt gripped him. He should have protected her. How did this happen? He couldn’t fault the Smertae for raiding their cattle, but to attack a druidess? Even worse, to take Boudica’s granddaughter? Nectan must be addled. “If they have hurt her in any way, it will be war.”

What he had to do now was get her back home. The village had become her home. He thought of her as part of the tribe now. They needed a druidess. The needed her. He needed her too. But she deserved better than him. She deserved a husband who would protect her.

“They will want to trade her, to hold her as hostage for ransom,” Gethin said as his cloak flapped against him in the wind and tiny white flakes sprinkled his long hair and mustache.

“What will they want in return?” Huctia asked as she gazed with an empty expression at the night sky and the icy bits of snow falling down.

“What they came for and didn’t get.” Brude inhaled slowly. “Our cattle.” He flew through the village and stormed into his father’s wheelhouse. Some of his men had come first and were sitting by the chief’s bedside speaking to him.

Sitting up in bed, Calach called out to Brude, “The brutes took the druidess?”

“Yes, I am going to take our best men and ride after them.”

Calach grunted. “Is that noise the wind?”

“Yes.” Brude shrugged. “It’s wailing and an early snow flurry has begun but I care not of that. We have to save Tanwen.”

“You won’t help the druidess by riding through a snow storm and endangering our best men and yourself, my only heir.” The chief rose and poured a cup of mead. “Nectan won’t harm her. He took her to guarantee that he’ll get the cattle he wants.”

“What if he deems the granddaughter of Boudica is a better prize than our cattle?”

“If you mean he keeps her and weds her, I ken you would pleased. You don’t wish to marry her.”

“I never said that.” Brude shook his head.

“Yes, you did.” Calach bobbed his head. “Many times.” He rolled his eyes.

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