Pagan Siege (Tribes of Britain Book 5) by Sam Taw (10 best novels of all time TXT) 📕

My nephew instructed me to stay by the fires until I could move into one of the huts. Left alone with my thoughts, I started to imagine all sorts of unpleasant fates for young Treeve. If he’d been injured, it was unlikely that we would find him in the dense woodland of the gorge since calling out would make him a target for the Alchemists. If, however, he’d been killed or worse still, captured, I was convinced my nephew would not recover from the loss.

It was late afternoon when Kitto arrived with Senara and the Head Hunters. They must have ridden the horses hard to cover that distance in less than three days. I first saw a glimmer of them on the top of the cliffs, when the guards whistled down to gain our attention. Not long after that, they dismounted and walked the horses down the steep path and around the headland.

Both the warriors and their ponies glistened with sweat. A few of them made straight for the river. Many of the younger ones were not aware of the brackish water. I watched them stoop low and cup their hands in the water before slurping it into their mouths. It was hard not to laugh, as each of them blew out the salty liquid, spraying one another in the process.

Ren directed them to a fresh water source, just beyond the settlement, where the Sea Warriors took it in turns to stand guard. I was relieved to see so many of our people, ready to fight for what was ours. Tallack made a point of welcoming Kitto, grabbing his forearm tightly and pulling him into a manly hug. Both men had healed well from their fight and seemed keen to deal with Kenver’s clan.

I loitered outside the hut that Tallack had selected for himself, watching Kitto enter before the Chief. Tallack looked about at those of us gathered, considering which of us he would consult. After a short time, he called on Massen to join them. The three leaders requested the presence of no others, which I found to be most disheartening. Massen had a sound head on his shoulders, but my concerns about Kitto’s ambition had not abated. Whatever suggestions he made, would be in order to benefit himself more than the tribe.

Try as I might, I was not able to hear their discussion and all my attempts to get close to the door were for nought. Kitto’s men stood guard outside preventing my entry. Slinking back the way I’d walked, Ren and Kewri met me outside the largest of the huts. It was the same one that I’d stayed in before with Tallack’s mother.

Ren pulled back the door drapes and gestured for me to go inside. I looked up at Kewri.

“I’ll um…” The giant muttered. “I’ll stay in that one over there with the men.” He seemed almost embarrassed. There was more than enough room for us all. I don’t know why he should want to share with those stinking warriors. When I got inside, Ren had collected bedstraw for the bunks and logs for the fire. Not that we needed one with the heat funnelling in up the valley. The waterfowl were plucked and gutted and ready for the pot. He’d even found some green linden twigs for me to clean my teeth and a solitary clay pot filled with cool water from the spring. It was a proper home from home.

We built a fire outside the house on which to cook. I suggested another stew to eke out the birds, but Ren said he could find more. A little roasted fowl would brighten our spirits no end. While I took care of the cooking, Ren stood outside Tallack’s hut with some of the other men, waiting to hear their plans. At nightfall, Ren returned.

“We are to gather at the far end of the beach tonight for the pyre.” He said, more solemn than ever.

“And what was decided about the miners?”

“From what I can make out, Kitto has convinced Tallack that our actions since we arrived, have only served to give the Alchemists the upper hand.”

I shook my head, sighing.

Ren turned the spit roast. “He intends on riding right up the ravine at day break, smashing through any defences and killing anyone on sight.”

“But that’s…”

“Foolish? Yes, I agree, but Massen was in no position to gainsay the mighty Kitto. Our Chief hangs on his every word. He might just as well hand over leadership of the tribe now.”

This news was most disturbing. In his bid to curry favour with the man, Tallack weakened his position even further. I thought back to the incident the summer before where we were in a similar situation as Kenver. Tallack and his brother ordered their men to build paling walls and archers traps all the way up to the mines. For the life of me, I couldn’t remember if Kitto was among them. If he was, surely, he hadn’t forgotten the impenetrable defences the Duro raiders were up against?

I didn’t need to state this obvious flaw in Kitto’s plan. Ren was fully aware of the perils. We cooked the birds, shared them with Kewri and a few others and then walked the length of the beach to await the lighting of the pyre. Senara made a point of seeking me out as we stood around the bodies of our fallen. The raised platform was rough but serviceable, stuffed with dry grasses and weed. None of the dead were washed nor wrapped. That was the job of the womenfolk. Maybe I should have offered, but I hardly knew the men and there was no cloth in which to wrap them.

Senara jogged my elbow. “Do you want to say the words over them, Fur Benyn? Endelyn would normally do that but, you know?”

My brow wrinkled up in confusion. “I’m not of the Priest Sect, Senara. It’s not