Warriors of Alavna by N. M. Browne

Author:N. M. Browne
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 0100-12-31T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

The news of King Donicca’s death was widely known by the end of the day. The warriors talked of him with affection. Huw and some of the others disagreed and thought his decision to stay as a slave in the Raven domain unmanly and perverse. They declared rather ostentatiously that they would rather slit their own throat than wipe the backsides of the Raven enemy. Prys spoke out in his defence and Ursula trusted his opinion more than Huw’s. It also struck Ursula as rather disloyal of Huw to be so rude about his father’s brother.

Prys was blunt. ‘Huw, you are not worth that man’s toe-nail clippings. He knew he could damage the enemy more if he were alive and in the enemy’s own town than if he were dead on some lonely hillside. How do you think Macsen has successfully kept the legion away from us all this time? The old king had a few tricks up his sleeve and you can bet he taught Macsen more than a few of them.’

Huw did not attempt to attack Prys for his insult. Ursula found it hard to blame him for that. Prys looked like a bear and fought like one. The others watched carefully and drew their own conclusions. Prys had to be pretty sure that Huw would not be chosen King to speak of him so casually. Either that or he didn’t care. Ursula suspected that he didn’t care. Prys was Macsen’s man. Speculation about the new King was rife but there were few bets placed on Huw being made King.

Preparations began at once for another feast. Representatives of all the surrounding tribes involved in Macsen’s tentative tribal alliance would come to hear the judgement of Queen Usca, Macsen’s venerable grandmother. She had left for Ireland with the other women. King Cadal intended to bring her back to Craigwen on Macsen’s return. That way Cadal could discuss tactics with Macsen and collect his promised bride, Rhonwen. The men claimed that it was possible that a crowning and a marriage might all take place at once. They said it matter of factly and Ursula divined that it was because no one was sure that there would be enough of the Combrogi left come next spring to make such ceremonies possible. The end of their world felt very close to these men. The possibility of failure haunted them. Ursula felt it. It was not exactly fear; it went deeper than that. All of them would fight to their last drop of blood to keep their world alive, to keep the life of the Combrogi. All of them knew that it might not be enough.

Ursula found herself wondering what would happen if Huw were to be chosen as King. She was also vaguely disturbed by the thought of Rhonwen’s face in her dreams. She had gathered from the talk of the men that Macsen had indeed set fire to much of Deva to force the legion to remain there through the winter.

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