The Songs of Slaves by David Gray Rodgers

Author:David Gray Rodgers [Rodgers, David Gray]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781481908887
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2013-01-07T00:00:00+00:00

XVI

Connor could sense the ghosts of Lorentius, Merridius, and the others as he rode through the site of yesterday’s battle. Some rust-colored blood still remained on road stones. Connor wondered if animals had yet disturbed the young men’s shallow graves. He pulled his wool cloak closer, but it was not the morning air that chilled him.

Valia’s dark charger paced fluidly ahead. The Gothic nobleman had been talkative at the camp that morning, visibly excited at the day’s undertaking; but now that the game was in play Valia was all business. The column of thirty cavalrymen followed their leader’s example – one hand on the reigns, the other loosely at their weapons; the rhythm of hooves the only sound.

Valia halted the column when they came to the cross roads. Connor was surprised – even a little wary – that the intersection seemed so deserted. But then he realized that it was Sunday; and with the herald of an impending winter in the air and the lands astir with travelling mercenaries and bacaudae, who would be on the road who could avoid it? Connor peered eastward, down the wider road he had travelled. Arastan’s men were nowhere to be seen. While both parties had left the Visigoth encampment at the same time in the morning and took the same route, Valia saw to it that their pace allowed his rival to develop a lead, or at least the impression of a lead. If Arastan surmised their plan their hopes of success would be spoiled, and perhaps an unwanted confrontation would follow. So far, there had been no sign of that; and if any of Arastan’s men noticed that Valia was bringing a considerably larger scouting party than he normally did, they had not seemed to question it. “They ride out clamorously, like brigands; not in order, as warriors should,” Valia had muttered to Connor. By the look of derision on the young lord’s face, Connor knew that Valia was ready and committed to his task that day, and that he believed that Connor had offered him the perfect opportunity. Valia, Gaiseric, Henric, Tuldin, and the others that followed them were ready to take Arastan down a peg or two.

Valia turned back towards his men.

“We split here,” he said, the morning sun catching his mail. “We have our fox hunt for today, but security for the main body comes first. Feodric, you and your four scout west. Give it about three miles; then come back. Ansturval, your four stay here and wait for the column; then rejoin with Feodric and follow us east. At any point that we leave the road, we will post a lookout for you to follow. And don’t worry – I’ll see to it that you all receive an equal share tonight.”

The groups that were splitting off saluted Valia with a fist over their heart, in the Roman style. Valia turned his horse and spurred it back to a trot.

“And don’t worry,” Gaiseric added, as if to the men but only loud enough for Valia and Connor to hear him.

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