The West Breaks Away (Guardian of Empire Book 2) by Kelso William

Author:Kelso, William
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: KelsoBooks Ltd
Published: 2024-02-21T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen - The Saxon Thing

Rising from the middle of the broad waters of the Albis estuary the small island divided the river into two. The marshy banks covered in tall yellow reeds, beyond which poked the sloping thatched roof’s of the German longhouses. The core of the Saxon settlement of Treva however was clustered around the harbour. A solitary wooden jetty that led to a muddy beach. It was afternoon and smoke was rising from numerous cooking fires - the village teeming with people and activity. Cattle mooing loudly. Dogs barking excitedly. Geese cackling in their pens. A bell tolling away from somewhere out of sight. While the approaches to the small harbour were crowded with a vast number of dugouts. The simple one and two man log canoes lying beached in the mud or converging on the island from every direction. Their occupants using paddles to power themselves through the water. The craft were dangerously overloaded with trade goods, baskets containing live poultry and other supplies.

The Saxons were gathering for their Thing, their tribal assembly, Veda could see as he stood gazing at Treva from the bow of the ‘Glory’. Thousands appeared to be coming. Each Saxon community sending representatives. The Roman barge joining the armada that was heading straight for the harbour. Laelian’s bodyguards and Caledonus were working the oars in two banks of three but among the dugouts out on the water no one was paying them much attention. As if the locals were used to the sight of Roman merchant ships in their waters.

Gazing at Treva Veda frowned. There was no sign of the original Roman military camp which Drusus had erected on the island so long ago. Treva was decidedly Saxon in character. The only hint to its origins the old name that continued to live on. But among the swarms of dugouts there were larger sea going ships too. A couple of galleys that looked like they could be Roman traders and as he peered at the boats Veda’s frown deepened. Lying at anchor inside the harbour was another ship sporting a curved prow that ended in a great serpent’s head. The vessel looked very much like the Saxon sea pirate vessel that had tried to overtake and attack them just a few days earlier.

Gazing at the anchored pirate ship Veda took a deep breath. Looking unhappy he turned towards the bodyguards sitting upon their rowing benches. The soldiers pulling at their oars in practised unison. Pirates and hostile barbarians were just one part of the threat. Matters were not good on board the Glory. The mood and cohesion continuing to deteriorate. The crew increasingly divided. Abbe and Laelian had stopped talking to each other after their row and he had been forced to act as a go between the two men. And as he gazed at the bodyguards Hulmu noticed him. The ex-centurion glaring back at him before silently reaching up to draw a menacing finger across his throat.

Ignoring Hulmu, Veda’s eyes came to rest upon Ganna who was sitting upon her chair out on deck.

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