Nena by Ann Boelter (digital book reader txt) 📕

the daughter of Meln has an important message for him. Yet you felt he did not need to hear it, so she is being detained outside the village and he will have to wait.”

Another warrior with a horizontal scar across his forehead appeared from the bushes on her left in time to hear her last words. He glanced uneasily at the shorter man, and Nena knew she would not be kept waiting after all.

“Come closer,” the short stocky one instructed.

Nena stopped the mare within feet of him. She felt the eyes of both men on the star and lightning bolt on her arm as they verified her identity.

“Follow me,” the short one grumbled, and turned back into the underbrush.

After almost an hour of following him through the dense green foliage, they broke out of the bushes on the crest of a hill. Though the warrior in front of her did not pause before dropping over the edge and continuing on the winding trail below, Nena pulled the mare to a stop. The Great Sea spread out before them, even more vast than she remembered. It filled her view and extended all the way to the distant horizon. The breathtakingly beautiful water sparkled like a blue jewel. Nena felt Exanthia stiffen behind her and heard her gasp.

“It is wonderful, is it not?” she asked the girl.

“Yes,” Exanthia replied, her voice filled with awe.

“That is the Great Sea,” Nena explained.

From their vantage point on the hillside, Nena could make out the two long spits of land she had recognized on the map, though she could not see all the way to their tips. There, nestled between their bases on the shores of the protected bay, was her aunt’s village. Nena would have liked to linger, to further admire every aspect of the panoramic view, but she tore her eyes away and pushed the mare down the hill toward the village below.

As she followed the warrior between the tents, villagers stepped out of their way and watched as they passed, more curious than alarmed by the arrival of a single strange Dor woman and child. Nena wanted to shout out her warning so they could begin packing or preparing their defenses, but she continued to follow her escort in silence. It was not her place as an outsider, and certainly not as a woman, to address these people. She knew her news would alarm them soon enough.

It had been many years since her previous and only visit, and Nena was unfamiliar with the layout of the village. Still, she recognized the tent with the gold banner and blue wave on top as the one she sought. Only a chief’s tent would be so adorned. The short warrior indicated for them to wait and disappeared inside.

A barrel shaped man with graying hair and shrewd eyes exited the tent shortly thereafter. He looked vaguely familiar to her, but she had only met her aunt’s husband once before. She glanced quickly at the extensive tattoos that identified him as the chief, then slid from the horse and knelt with her head bowed. Nena felt his eyes on her arm verifying the stocky warrior’s report of her own identity.

“Rise, daughter of Meln. To what do I owe the honor of a visit from the daughter of my most powerful ally?” the chief asked.

Though she was sure the warrior had already told him she had an urgent message, a fact further supported by her soiled appearance from hurried travel, the chief kept up the pretense of formality, giving no indication he was anxious for her news.

“I bring you warning of great danger,” Nena began.

“Has your father sent you?” the chief asked.

“No. I have come on my own. I, and this child,” she nodded at Exanthia, “have been held captive by powerful Northmen for months now, and only days ago made our escape. In that time, I learned of their plans to attack your village within the fortnight. With you being a friend to the Teclan, I could not in good conscious return home with this knowledge.”

“I see. And you are certain they are coming here?” he asked.

Nena wanted to scream at him to dispense with propriety and sound the alarms, to begin moving his people to safer ground this very second, if they even had such a place. Neither of them could afford to delay right now. But this was the stoic way of the Dor and she knew it well. Her father would have probably reacted much the same.

“Yes, I am certain,” she said. “I have overheard their leader making plans and seen their maps. The two spits of land extending out into the Great Sea were unmistakable,” she added for emphasis.

The burly chief took stock of her for one long moment, then spoke to the short warrior who had escorted her. “Summon the council immediately.”

“Yes, my chief.” The stocky warrior ran to do as he was bade, leaving the one with the thin blade scar across his forehead.

The chief turned back to Nena. “You must be tired and hungry. I will have Heldor show you to a tent, and he will have someone bring you food and water. It will take some time for everyone to pack, so you should have the remainder of the day to rest. Under the circumstances our hospitality will not be as gracious as we would normally extend to the daughter of Meln, but once we are safely settled, and I can spare the warriors, I will have you escorted home to your father.”

Nena chose her next words carefully, having no intention of remaining in this village for a single second longer than necessary. She hoped he had too much else on his mind now, dealing with her news, to be insulted or to disagree.

“This woman greatly appreciates the chief’s kind and generous offer, but must refuse. If I could ask for any hospitality, it would be only for travel food, a sword and spear, and an extra horse