A guard tower rose at one end of the enclosure. A single guard stood watch, but he was careless and his attention kept drifting. No doubt, he had been on guard most of the night and was anxious for his duty to end. Other than the tower guard, only four other guards were in attendance. Unless he was mistaken, Durlach was sure they could overcome the guards and free the prisoners.
The sky had not even started to lighten when sounds of fighting outside the compound walls could be heard. Screams of pain and shouting erupted. The prisoners huddled together in fear. The women wailed and moaned, convinced that Voadicia’s guards would soon attack them. It was only by sheer willpower that Fiona controlled her desire to begin screaming as well.
The fighting lasted for only a short time and then it ceased. The gate was thrown open and a few bloodied men were tossed into the compound—Durlach among them. Fiona’s last hope died. Pushing her fear aside, she moved quickly to him, checking his wounds. The most severe was a large gash to his side and a contusion on his head.
His eyes opened, tortured and grief-stricken, “They knew we would come and were waiting for us. Someone I trusted betrayed us. I failed you!”
“It isn’t your fault,” Fiona whispered, trying to calm him, knowing it was useless. “Voadicia is to blame.”
One of the other men would not last the day without immediate attention, his wounds were too severe and she had no way of treating him properly.
Fiona mourned him, he was a young man, full of promise, but that promise would not be fulfilled. They made him as comfortable as possible, the women taking turns holding his hand and comforting him.
Forty-Four
Nothing happened to the prisoners as a result of the morning skirmish. Guards came and went, and other than coarse remarks and jeering, they were left alone. Gruel was again provided, this time it had some sort of stringy meat in it. Fiona was afraid to ask what it was so decided to leave good enough alone.
The heat in the enclosure rose as the sun came up, a welcome relief from the cold night. Mid-day, Briga entered the compound, followed by a large number of her servants carrying blankets, food, clean water and extra clothing. She walked around, distributing the goods and murmuring soft words of comfort to each one, making sure all were attended to.
Pleas for mercy followed her and her face reflected their anguish. Her promise was made to each that she would do everything she could to secure their release. Ignoring the scowls and words of disapproval from the guards, she took charge of the children as well as the severely hurt young man and moved them out of the compound, her attitude daring the guards to say anything to her. She was still first wife and they knew better than to be disrespectful to her.
She approached Durlach, intending to take him as well. “Come with me young warrior. I will set you free.”
Durlach shook his head “no.” “My place is with Fiona. Kellach would expect me to stay.”
“Are you sure?” Briga’s gentle face shone with concern.
“I have to be here,” he said. “I must protect Fiona.”
One of the survivors of Durlach’s skirmishers, Garym, had managed to escape and work his way back to Tanith with word that their plans had failed and Durlach was either dead or captured. Tanith listened with horror and disbelief, what little hope she had managed to sustain died as he spoke. Xio Li sank to the floor, sobbing and moaning, her sorrow and fear too much to bear. She had been so sure Durlach would bring Fiona back to them.
Without Durlach to lead the fight, Tanith knew there were few alternatives left, but she had to do something.
“Garym! Hide outside the settlement until I send word. I will contact you as soon as I can.”
He nodded and slipped out the door.
Gathering her things, she set out. There were people to see and a story to be told and she would not stop until she had forced every one of them to listen. Having no other choice, she pressed on, continuing to seek supporters among the Lords of the tribe, careful to avoid those whose loyalty she questioned, and careful to avoid any confrontation with Voadicia’s men. If she were thrown into the compound with the prisoners, it would not go well for any of them. She needed to be free to unite those opposed to Voadicia.
Her mind drifted to her children. “If I perish this day, I ask the Gods to protect my little ones! Return Siran safely so that he may care for my children if I am not able.”
Few of the Lords turned her away, most were willing to join her, but unwilling to assume the role of leader, worried that without Kellach’s help, they would invite Voadicia’s wrath. Tanith did her best to convince each that Kellach was returning and if they could hold out until then, he would challenge Alstrom’s rule and Voadicia’s plans would be thwarted. None disputed Kellach’s ability to make that happen—alone he was a viable threat to Voadicia’s schemes, but with his army behind him, he was invincible.
Having met with most of the Council members and the Lords of the tribe, she made plans to meet with Briga. With Briga on their side, Voadicia would be hard-pressed to follow through on any of her threats to harm the prisoners. Alstrom had long sought Briga’s consult and Tanith did not think he was so foolish as to repudiate her advice now. Meeting with Briga without Voadicia learning of the meeting would be a problem. Briga seldom left the Chieftain’s dwelling and Tanith would not be able to attend her there.
She turned to Xio Li, her faithful companion throughout this trial. “We need to get word to Briga to meet somewhere. Do you know any of her servants?”
Xio Li shook her head no, but then brightened. “I know man who guard Briga. He pay for me many times, he like Xio Li. He good man, fair, not hurt Xio Li and he not like Voadicia. I find him.”
Tanith breathed a sigh of relief. “Tell him to have Briga meet me in the early evening near the river behind the stables. Make sure he tells no one besides Briga.”
Xio Li nodded. “Go now, be back soon. You not worry, he help us, I know.”
The wait seemed interminable but Xio Li finally returned. She had found the guard and he would do what he could. He sent words of encouragement and his vow to stand behind them when the time came. Tanith and Xio Li spent what little time remained of the day hiding from Voadicia’s guards, and making their way slowly down to the river, staying to the back streets lest they draw unwanted attention. Long before the appointed time, they rested by the river, waiting for Briga to come. All Tanith’s hopes rested with Briga. With Briga as their champion, more would dare to join them and stand against Voadicia.
A stealthy movement by the river drew her attention. Her senses told her to flee, something was not right! Xio Li backed into her, she was nervous as well. More movement! Rushes parted and metal glinted and clanged as soldiers closed in. They had been betrayed and there was no chance for escape! Tanith’s stood proud, the blood of her forefathers bracing her, though her heart was breaking. There was nothing she could do, there were too many of them. To fight was pointless. She would not give them the satisfaction of executing her now. Kellach would return soon, she had to believe that.
A guard stepped forward. “Lady,” he said almost apologetically. “You are to come with us.”
“Where do you take me?”
“You are to be taken to the prisoners’ compound to await sentencing in the morning.”
“Of what crime am I charged?”
“You have been charged with the crime of inciting rebellion. Voadicia has issued the order to arrest you.” Several of the guards snickered.
Another guard pushed forward, of higher rank than the one before her. He dumped a severed and bloody head at her feet. “We have reason to believe you were scheming with this,” he kicked the head, “scum to kill Briga.”
Xio Li gasped, muttering low. “That Xio Li’s friend. They kill him!”
“Not before he told us everything he knew about where you would be and what you had planned,” the guard boasted, a cruel smile widening his lips.
Tanith sneered in return. “She has you wel
l trained, her little army of dogs. What rewards do you get in return?”
“Cease your prattle! You are ordered to come with us. If you don’t come, we have orders to kill you on the spot.”
“Kill me?” she asked. “And who will protect you when Kellach returns if you do such a thing?”
“Voadicia assures us that Kellach will not return,” he sneered. “Do you come or do you die?”
“It seems I have no choice,” she spat. “I will come and I will remember your face so I can point you out to Kellach when the time is right.”
He raised his arm as if to strike her but the younger guard stepped in his way, preventing such an action. The younger guard reached to take her arm, but Tanith jerked away moving ahead of her own free will, refusing to allow any of them to touch her. She was a highborn woman and they were nothing.
Xio Li made as if to join her, but was cruelly shoved out of the way by a coarse-looking lout of a man. “Stay out of the way, slut. We have no orders for you.”
Tanith marched over to Xio Li, uncaring of the sneers and threats directed at her. Holding Xio Li close, she whispered, “I want you to follow the river until you find my parents. Stay with them and protect them. I have no doubt that Voadicia will be searching for them as well. Stay there until someone comes for you. Do you understand?”
Xio Li nodded, her face troubled and confused. “Not want to leave you! Want to stay, help Fiona!”
“I know you do, but the best thing you can do right now is to keep my parents and the children safe. You are the only one I can trust to do that.”
Xio Li turned to go, but ran back and hugged Tanith. If anyone hurt her newfound family, she wouldn’t be able to bear it. They were all she had now that Mei Mei was gone. “I promise,” she vowed. “Be careful,” she pleaded. “Voadicia very evil. She will try to hurt you.”
At least Xio Li was safe for the moment. Tanith looked back. Xio Li stood by the bank of the river, her eyes filling with tears, her arms reaching out as if to hold her. Tanith dipped her head slightly, her eyes focused on Xio Li, willing her to understand. Xio Li nodded. She would do as Tanith asked.
When they reached the prisoners’ compound, the gate was opened and Tanith was roughly shoved inside by the ranking officer. Fiona ran to her, grabbing her and holding her tightly. The tears that Tanith had thus far managed to contain spilled down her cheeks. Fiona comforted her, pulling her to the spot she shared with Durlach and some of the other women. All were known to Tanith and all shared the same fate.
“What happened?” Fiona whispered. “Have you managed to contact Kellach?”
“Cyrnon and the twins went to find him, but we have no way of knowing whether they did,” Tanith whispered back.
“If I had my sword, they would not be able to take any of us,” Durlach growled. “I would die fighting.” His head dropped, he was alive when so many had died.
“Garym survived. He told us what happened. He is in hiding outside the settlement. He will be ready when Kellach comes.”
Fiona hugged her. “He’ll come soon, I know he will. I can feel it.”
“I hope so,” Tanith replied, “for both our sakes.”
Fiona looked towards the guards, her eyes narrowed and her lips tightened. “The guards keep taunting us, saying Voadicia will carry out our sentence in the morning. I think she means to kill all of us.”
Tanith agreed, though she would not say it aloud. To say such a thing aloud was to invite the punishment of the Gods.
“We have to believe Kellach will return before she can make that happen.” Fiona refused to believe anything else. It was all she had.
They huddled with the rest of the women, the night had grown cold but at least with the coverings Briga had provided, the night would not be as uncomfortable as the previous night had been.
Forty-Five
Xio Li worked her way carefully down the river, guided by the light of the moon reflecting off the water. Negotiating the terrain was slow, brush and small trees grew densely along the river, preventing her from moving quickly in the dark.
Nervously, she eyed the reeds and wild grasses growing on the banks. Great orange and black cats had been glimpsed prowling in this area and there were too many places where these ferocious beasts could wait in ambush. More than one luckless victim had been dragged off, never to be seen again. Her ears were tuned to the slightest whisper of sound, each a potential attack, and more than once, animal eyes gleamed in the darkness. Her skin crawled and she wanted nothing more than to find a good hiding place and wait until morning to continue, but she kept going, her promise to Tanith giving her courage.
Towards morning, as the first rays of the morning sun began to lighten the sky, she came upon a small encampment, abandoned and deserted. Supplies and equipment were scattered carelessly around, forsaken by the owners. Xio Li picked up a small garment—one she knew only too well—and held it to her heart. It was the same one she had seen Fiona working on many times. Nuala, Baroc and the children were gone, and she had no idea where they were. Conditions of the camp indicated that they had not left willingly. A soft whimpering sound came from some small bushes nearby. Startled, she turned, fearful that wild animals or bandits had chanced upon her. To her relief, Conan crawled out, a crusted gash oozed over the top of his eye and an arrow stuck out from his hindquarters. Xio Li ran over and knelt beside him, scratching his ears and crooning to him. He was hurt, unable to stand, but whined and licked her hand in recognition.
The arrow, its head buried in the soft tissue of his flank, was decorated with the colors of Voadicia’s soldiers.
“Xio Li fix.” She patted the injured animal. “Then we go back. Save Fiona and Tanith.”
Gripping it tightly, she pulled the arrow out. Blood spurt in a red arc. Pressing a rag tightly against the wound, she held it there until the bleeding slowed and then bound it with a length of cloth ripped from the edge of her shirt. Taking off her wrap, she laid the dog on it and then carefully lifted him up, tying the ends of the shawl across her forehead, forming a sling.
“You be good dog and let Xio Li carry you.”
Conan did not fight her, instead relaxed against her back, welcoming her comfort and nearness.
A cursory search of the ruined camp rewarded her with a half-filled waterskin and a few handfuls of dried meat. Tears dripping down her face, she resolutely started the trek back to the settlement. It was up to her to save everyone. She was all that was left. There wasn’t much time and it was a long way.
Forty-Six
Morning came too soon. The prisoners milled about nervously, wondering what would happen and when. Mid-morning, they were still waiting, nerves stretched to the breaking point, tension almost physical in the cool morning air. Fiona looked at the sky. It was a beautiful clear day, no clouds in the sky and a gentle breeze softly blew. Will this be the last time I enjoy such a small pleasure? How could so many ugly things exist under such a beautiful sky? It was one of life’s ironies, ugliness beneath the beauty.
The gates swung open and Voadicia’s guards entered the compound. They searched among the women, shoving them out of the way after confirming their identities. One by one, they checked each woman until there was only Fiona and Tanith left. Fiona was grabbed by two of the guards, as was Tanith, and they were dragged from the compound, fighting, kicking and biting all the way. They were taken to the open courtyard in front of the Chieftain’s dwelling, forced to their knees and held there by Voadicia’s guards.
On a raised platform, strategically situated, Voadicia, swathed in a pure white tunic, reclined on a lounge draped in blood red silk. Her priestesses stood behind her, their high pointed hats a testament to their lofty stations, and establishing their positions as judge, jury and executioner. Fiona had no doubt that she had been judged by Voadicia alone.
Fiona gasped as another group of guards entered the square. Nuala and Baroc walked among them, Connach and Berlach held tightly in their arms and Machar trailing behind. The ba
bies were yanked away and placed on the ground, nothing to protect them from the glaring sun, both sobbing from hunger and weariness. Machar was roughly shoved near them, falling to the ground, his small face frightened and sad. Nuala tried to go to them but was forced back near Baroc, his head down in shame. Tanith struggled harder, trying to get to them and received a hard punch in the stomach for her efforts, taking her breath away. She lay on the ground gasping, glaring at her captors, refusing to cower.
Voadicia rose seductively, gliding down the steps of the dais, like a panther ready to strike.
She stopped in front of Fiona. “So, little dove, your time has come. I do not think there is a question of your guilt.” She turned to her priestesses. “Do any of you wish to plead for her?”
None did. Playing her role of ruler to the hilt, she waved her arms, calling loudly, “Bring forth the body of the murdered child.” A guard hastened to do her bidding, returning with the small sad body.
“Is that the child you saw this woman,” pointing at Fiona, “murder?”
“This is the child,” the guard confirmed. “She was holding the baby when we found her. She had just murdered him.”
Fiona was outraged! He was a lying bastard! “I did no such thing! The baby was dead when I found him!”
“Silence!” roared Voadicia. “The prisoner has no right to speak here.”
Voadicia’s sneering smile was hideous. “It appears your guilt is not in question.”
Fiona’s chin lifted, her eyes sparking green fire. “Is this what you call a trial?”
Voadicia shrugged, unconcerned. “No trial is needed. It is my right to judge you.”
“What right is that?” Fiona snapped.
“My right as first wife. I find you guilty as charged. Your sentence is death,” she finished casually.
Fiona laughed softly, staring into Voadicia’s eyes. “You couldn’t win any other way, could you? But no matter what, you will never have Kellach. He will kill you. Mark my words.”
10 Timeless Heroes; A Time Travel Romance Boxed Set Page 26