Daughters of Fire by Barbara Erskine

Author:Barbara Erskine [Erskine, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780007174270
Google: NLmhH8fu-WUC
Amazon: 0007174276
Publisher: HarperCollins UK
Published: 2007-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

II

Medb had seen Venutios in the clouds and in the waters of the river and in the flight of the birds: a man who would be her ally. A man who hated Cartimandua as much as she did. It was easy finding him. She followed the direction of the wind and the stories of the foresters she met on her journey towards Brigantia. At first she thought they were directing her to Dun Righ where Cartimandua had been chosen as high queen, but the gods were more subtle than that. The hero of her dreams was wounded. He was weak and he travelled slowly. At first he had followed the tracks north-west, towards the crowning, then he had veered away from the direct route and followed the secret paths towards the home of the north wind. When he reached Dinas Dwr he had resumed his own identity at last and as king of the Carvetii he had been fêted and made welcome by those who remained in the township, and there he stayed for a few days while he regained his strength. Many of the warriors and their wives had gone to Dun Righ for the great celebrations. Those who remained were pleased to entertain him.

Medb arrived on foot, late at night as the gates were about to close. A tall, beautiful woman, in the white robe and veil of a priestess of the woods, she was shown at her request into the guest house where Venutios was awaiting his supper. Looking up he took in the beautiful face, the fair silken hair, the clear eyes and he rose to his feet to greet her.

Within minutes he was ensnared. They ate together and later they lay together on the heaps of furs which had been lavished on the bed in the guest chamber. Her body was as beautiful as her face, this lithe, exquisite woman who had wandered in from the darkness of the forest. Venutios did not enquire where she came from. Enough that she was a priestess; a Druidess who served the goddess of the forest.

‘And why, great king, did you not challenge Cartimandua for the high kingship of Brigantia?’ she whispered as she lay in his arms. ‘Surely you are the one they would have chosen?’

He lay back, staring up at the ceiling. ‘So I thought. But the gods must have decided otherwise. Why else would they have waylaid me on my way to Dun Righ? Why else would they have scarred me?’ The wound the robbers had inflicted across his chest had still not knitted properly. That was the reason he had not gone straight to the crowning. No one would elect a wounded man who could barely sit in the saddle.

She smiled, running her fingers across the raw, jagged skin. ‘I think we can do something about that, my lord,’ she said softly. ‘Cartimandua will go nowhere for a while. She will wait for you.’ She bent and ran her tongue lightly across the wound, leaving him shuddering with desire.

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