High King of Britain by Tracy Cooper-Posey

Author:Tracy Cooper-Posey [Cooper-Posey, Tracy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: King Arthur, Ancient History Romance
Publisher: Stories Rule Press
Published: 2019-07-13T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

As she had once before, Mair escaped the camp entirely and headed into the trees. They had reached full summer growth now. Walking beneath them was to be cast into deep, cool shade. It helped her headache subside and her heart to calm.

She should not linger out here for long. She had nothing but her eating knife, and while the Saxons would not dare come this close to Venta Belgarum, there were more dangers than Saxons abroad in the woods. Most of them went on two feet, although bears were also dangerous at this time of year.

When she heard the clash of metal, her heart skipped and her wariness zoomed high. Perhaps the patrols had found something.

Then she heard laughter.

The knock of sword upon shield.

More laughter and voices, none of them raised in anger.

Intrigued, Mair crept forward, her knife out. She followed the sounds, which grew clearer as she drew near, although she could still make nothing of what they were saying. Voices echoed flatly through the trees, distorting the words.

She spotted movement ahead, a slight glimpse between the thick trees, and slowed her steps even more.

Even as the hand shot out from behind the great oak she was passing, Mair recognized Rawn’s bare arm. The wrist, thick with muscle, and the tanned flesh. He gripped her knife arm and drew her up against the tree he stood beside.

“Look.” He turned her around, so her back was to him.

Her heart thudding from more than being ambushed, Mair peered through the trees.

Rawn had picked his spot well. From here, a clear line of sight ran between trees and bushes, giving him a narrow view of the clearing beyond.

Men were training there. They wore old tunics and cast-off shields on their arms, as they moved through rigorous sword movements. Hector and Lionel were there, along with Bryn and Druston, among others. Nearly everyone part of Arthur’s counsel and considered senior officers.

“Watch,” Rawn breathed.

Mair would have been caught by the view and would have lingered to watch even without his advice, for the patterns and movements these men were using were different from any sword training she had ever seen.

She couldn’t make sense of the arm positions. They looked wrong.

How could anyone defend themselves with their sword up in the air that way?

“And what might you be doing, lingering here?” came the question from behind them.

Mair whirled. Rawn cursed.

Dinadan stood with his sword out, although the point was lowered toward the earth. He tilted his head. “Spying, are you?”

Rawn’s jaw worked.

“I was interested,” Mair said. “Why hold your sword so high, like that?”

Dinadan’s expression shifted to the merry one he most often used. “You’d best ask Lancelot. Come along.” He gestured with his sword that they should move toward the clearing.

Mair turned and followed Rawn through the trees. They stepped into the clearing and saw the whole area all at once. Mair caught her breath. There were dozens of men here. All of them were known to Mair. All of them were senior officers and lords, or the sons of lords.

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