Inside, he made out the blurred figures of what he guessed was Akastos, reclining on a cot, with Hekabi kneeling beside him. To Hylas’ astonishment, they were laughing so hard that Hekabi was rocking back and forth and Akastos was clutching his bandaged side.
They welcomed Hylas, but he sensed the current between them and felt out of place. ‘I’ll come back later,’ he said curtly.
‘No, Flea, you’ll stay,’ said Akastos with a smile in his voice.
Hylas heard Hekabi rise to her feet. ‘Don’t talk too long,’ she told Akastos softly. ‘You need to rest.’ As she passed Hylas, he felt her cool hand at his temple. ‘Your visions,’ she said. ‘They’ve gone.’
He nodded. ‘I realized when I couldn’t sense Telamon’s ghost. I think maybe the lightning blasted them away.’
‘Maybe.’ She too had a smile in her voice. ‘And lions are sacred to the Lady of Fire: perhaps Havoc licked them away.’
When she was gone, Hylas groped towards Akastos’ cot and sat cross-legged beside it. He felt awkward, it was the first time they’d been together since the battle. ‘How do you feel?’ he asked.
‘Sore,’ Akastos said drily. ‘You?’
‘The same.’
Then Akastos asked what Hylas had been dreading: he wanted to know what had happened on the battlefield after he’d passed out. Haltingly, Hylas told him, about the Angry Ones dropping from the sky, and the ghost of Akastos’ brother licking the blood of vengeance from its lips.
‘What did he look like?’ said Akastos with a catch in his voice.
‘Like you, but younger. And he – he was missing his little finger.’
‘Ah. So it really was him.’ He was silent for a while. ‘Strange,’ he murmured. ‘When you’ve wanted something for years and you finally get it, it’s hard to take in.’
‘I know,’ said Hylas with feeling. He was thinking of Issi.
‘It’s a long way from the Island of the Fin People, isn’t it, Flea? When I talked you down from that woodpile.’
‘You didn’t – you tricked me down.’
Akastos chuckled. ‘So I did!’
Belatedly, Hylas realized that he was speaking with the High Chieftain of Mycenae. ‘What will you do now?’ he asked.
‘Rebuild. Restore order to Akea. Do my best to heal the wounds of the past.’
From what Hylas had heard, he’d already started. The rains had quenched the fire at Lapithos before the main grain stores were destroyed, and Akastos had ordered food to be distributed to the peasants. He’d also earned the respect of the surviving Crows by forbidding reprisals against them, and decreeing honourable rites for their dead. Telamon’s body had been burnt, and at Hylas’ request, the ashes had been placed beside his father in the tomb of his Ancestors. The ashes of Koronos and Pharax had been given no rites, and merely scattered on the wind.
As for the dagger, Hekabi had gathered all the fragments she could find, and cast them into rivers and streams, to be washed down to the Sea and lost for ever.
‘There’s a lot to do,’ Akastos said quietly. ‘Soon, I’ll return to Mycenae. Periphas will stay here and rule Lykonia.’
‘That’s good,’ said Hylas. ‘He’ll make a fine leader.’
Akastos paused. ‘So will you. I want you to take Messenia.’
‘What?’
‘The chieftaincy. You saved my life on the battlefield, Hylas, I don’t forget. And I want a chieftain I can trust.’
‘You can’t have a blind chieftain,’ growled Hylas.
‘I meant, if you get your sight back.’
Hylas scowled. ‘Not even then,’ he said harshly. ‘If I ruled, I’d have to fight. That’s what rulers do.’
‘Sometimes.’
‘How can you bear it?’ Hylas burst out. ‘Every night I’m back in the battle! I’ve just killed a man, I can feel the drag on my sword as I pull it out of his flesh … And I see Telamon …’ His voice cracked. ‘He used to be my friend, and I tricked him into getting struck by lightning!’
‘That’s war, Hylas,’ Akastos said in a hard voice.
‘Well I want no part of it!’
‘No one does! But sometimes you have to fight to defend what’s yours!’
Hylas glowered. He felt the High Chieftain’s strong hand on his shoulder. ‘I know how it is,’ said Akastos. ‘You can’t get the bad things out of your mind, and they’re cutting you off from Pirra and your sister. But they’ll fade, Hylas. I promise.’ Then he said in a brisker tone: ‘So tell me, what can I do for you? There must be something you want.’
Hylas thought. ‘Um – yes. Actually, two things.’
Akastos laughed and cuffed him round the head. ‘Ah, Flea! You haven’t changed that much, after all!’
Echo swooped past Pirra, then plunged into a flock of rock-doves, scattering them for fun. Pirra laughed. Hylas didn’t notice. He was limping beside her, scowling at the ground.
It was four days since he’d had his talk with Akastos. His sight was nearly restored: yesterday, he’d even downed a squirrel with his slingshot; but he remained unhappy and withdrawn.
Pirra wanted the old Hylas back. She wanted … She kept thinking about that moment before he’d left her on the trail to ride after Telamon, when she’d kissed him and he’d kissed her back. She would quite like to do it again.
I suppose it’ll be down to me as usual, she thought as they climbed the hill towards camp. I’ll just have to say something.
She was mustering her courage to begin when Issi appeared between the trees with Havoc, and the moment was lost.
‘Issi!’ called Hylas. But Issi had spotted Pirra. She hesitated, as if trying to pluck up the courage to join them. Then she melted back into the forest.
‘What’s the matter with her?’ exclaimed Hylas.
‘I told you,’ said Pirra in exasperation, ‘she still feels left out. She’ll come round in time.’
‘But why would she feel left out?’
She flung up her arms. ‘Well, because all the time she was hiding out in Messenia, we were together!’ She reddened. ‘I mean, not together exactly, but –’
‘But I’m her brother! What does she think, that I’ll abandon her?’
‘Of course not! It’s just – a lot for her to get used to. I mean, me being, um, with you. Maybe you need to reassure her.’
‘How?’
Pirra looked at him. She heaved a sigh. Until things were sorted out between him and Issi, there was no point talking to him about anything else, he wouldn’t take it in.
When they reached their camp, she threw down her waterskin and put her hands on her hips. ‘I’ve had an idea. I think it might help you with Issi.’
‘What is it?’ he said.
She told him. And for the first time since the battle, he broke into a grin.
‘I told you, it’s a surprise,’ said Hylas for the tenth time as they were making their way through the marshes.
Issi drew a frog in the mud, then made a huge arc with her arms.
He laughed. ‘No, it’s not a giant frog.’
Issi scowled and kicked him in the shin. Tell me!
‘No!’ He made a grab at her, but she dodged and went splashing ahead with Havoc. Hylas felt a pang of love and apprehension. This had better work.
Over his shoulder, he gave Pirra a rueful smile. She’d offered to stay behind in Lykonia so that he could be alone with Issi, but he’d said no, Issi had to get used to her. Pirra had flushed with pleasure. He’d wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her; but he had to make things right with Issi first.
The Marsh Dwellers had greeted them with respectful bows and a basket of fish for Havoc, and their pudgy faces had lit up when they’d seen Issi. Hylas had asked if they’d really never suspected that the Outsider ‘boy’ they’d sheltered might be a girl, but they’d shaken their heads. ‘Why would we?’ they’d said with startling simplicity. ‘She wore the brown headband, so we took her for a boy.’
By the time they reached the Se
a, Issi was bursting with impatience. This had better work, thought Hylas again.
Havoc bounded into the shallows. Hylas lifted Issi and flung her in. She surfaced, spluttering with laughter, and he dived in after her. Pirra sat on a rock and watched.
Hylas came up shaking the water from his hair. ‘Time to show you why I brought you,’ he told Issi. ‘It’s something incredibly special which I know you’ll love.’
Treading water, she splashed him impatiently.
‘Just wait!’ He gave a piercing whistle and smacked the waves with the flat of his hand. They waited. Please, please come, prayed Hylas. Help me as you’ve helped so often before.
Havoc shot out of the shallows and stood on the shore, staring seawards. A moment later, out in the bay, something flashed.
Issi gasped. Hylas began to smile.
Spirit leapt clear of the Sea in a great shining arc, then smacked down in a shower of spray and sped towards them. On her rock, Pirra put her fist to her forehead and bowed. Spirit was her friend, but he was also a creature sacred to the Goddess.
The dolphin brushed against Hylas, who stroked his flank. Thank you, Spirit, he told his friend silently. Issi was looking on round-eyed.
‘Don’t touch his blow-hole,’ Hylas warned. ‘And be careful not to scratch.’ He was about to go on, but Spirit slid past Issi upside-down, and she trailed her fingers lightly over his belly. Hylas moved back to give them space. The dolphin swam past Issi again, the right way up – and without being told, she took hold of his fin with both hands and he was off, pulling her after him while she lay at full stretch, flying over the waves and grinning from ear to ear.
She spent all afternoon playing with Spirit, and in the end, Hylas had to haul her bodily out of the Sea. As they started on the return journey, Havoc – who’d gone off when the dolphin had appeared – came and rubbed against Hylas, as if to claim him, now that he was back on land.
Pirra walked some distance behind, so that he and Issi could be alone. ‘Issi,’ he began awkwardly. ‘You know that I never stopped trying to find you. You do know that, don’t you?’
Issi nodded, but she kept her eyes on the ground.
‘And you mustn’t ever think that because Pirra is with me, you’ll be – left out. That’s just not how it is. You’re my sister.’ He cleared his throat. ‘You’re – part of me.’
Scowling, Issi chewed a reed stem. She was as embarrassed as he. ‘And whenever you want,’ he went on hurriedly, ‘we can come down to the Sea and visit Spirit, just you and me. Yes?’
Issi thought about that. Then she clawed the air with both hands, made a snarly face and gave a silent roar.
Hylas blinked. Then he broke into a grin. ‘Of course, Havoc can come too!’
Issi nodded. She turned and gave Pirra a small, tentative smile over her shoulder: And you can come as well. Then she put her hand in Hylas’ and grinned up at him. And for the first time since he’d first caught sight of her on the Ancestor Peak, he truly felt that he had found his sister again.
They’d been back in their little camp for a day, and Hylas knew he couldn’t put it off any longer. Issi was snuggled against Havoc, fast asleep; so he could be alone with Pirra.
He found her by the stream a short distance from camp, combing her hair. She threw him a wary look, but didn’t speak.
You’ve got to ask her now, he told himself fiercely. Just say, will you be my girl?
But he was so nervous that instead he blurted out: ‘This morning I made an offering to the Lady of the Wild Things.’
She blinked. ‘What did you ask for?’
‘Um – it was for Telamon.’
‘Telamon? He would have killed you!’
‘I know, but … He was my friend once. I want his spirit to be at peace.’
‘And that’s what matters to you, is it?’ she said crossly. ‘Someone who used to be a friend, and became a deadly enemy?’
‘No, I mean … Look, I didn’t come to talk about Telamon.’
‘Glad to hear it!’ Her cheeks were flushed, her hair a black cloud around her shoulders. She caught him looking at her, and her flush deepened.
There was an awkward silence. Just ask her, Hylas told himself.
The silence lengthened. Pirra blew out a long breath and rose to her feet. Without so much as a glance at him, she tied back her hair with a twist of grass and stalked towards camp.
Grinding his teeth, Hylas started after her. That was when the gods gave him another chance. He spotted a boy coming towards him, bringing a gift from the High Chieftain: Jinx and a beautiful grey mare.
‘Ah, that’s good!’ cried Hylas. Then to Pirra: ‘Pirra, come back!’
‘Why? What for?’
‘You take the mare, I’ll take Jinx! Come on, we’re going for a walk!’
‘Where?’
‘I’ll tell you when we get there, it’s not far!’
The light was turning golden and the shadows were lengthening as they led the horses uphill towards a meadow dotted with olive trees.
Hylas’ elation drained smartly away, and with every step, his nervousness grew. ‘I didn’t tell you before,’ he said to Pirra, ‘but Akastos offered me the chieftaincy of Messenia. I – I turned it down.’
To his surprise, she nodded. ‘Yes, I told him you would.’
‘How did you know?’
‘Well – I know you.’
He shot her a glance. ‘And you don’t – mind?’
‘No, why should I?’
‘I – we – would have been rich.’
‘I’ve been rich. It didn’t make me happy.’
They walked on a bit further. Then he said, ‘Akastos asked me what I wanted, and I said, two things.’
‘Oh?’
‘First, I said I wanted to set Jinx free, with a mare to keep him company.’
Pirra pressed her lips together and nodded. ‘That’s good. He ought to have a mate.’
He shot her another glance. ‘Yes, I think so too. It’s good to – to have a mate.’
‘Yes,’ she replied evenly.
They reached the meadow, and Hylas slipped off the mare’s bridle. She trotted a few steps, then put down her head and grazed.
Hylas stroked Jinx’s bony nose for the last time. ‘Goodbye, Jinx,’ he said softly. ‘Enjoy your freedom.’ He took off the bridle. Jinx nuzzled his neck, then ambled towards the mare, who’d stopped grazing and was watching him intently. They touched noses. The mare cantered off across the meadow. Jinx flicked up his tail and cantered after her.
‘What was the second thing you asked for?’ said Pirra, keeping her eyes on the horses.
‘I asked him to give me somewhere in the mountains, where there are no peasants and no warriors, so that – so that Havoc can come too. And Issi.’
Pirra nodded. Her colour was high. He could see a pulse beating in her throat.
Havoc appeared out of nowhere and rubbed against his thigh. She cast an indifferent eye on the horses, having recently made a kill, then ambled over to Issi, who’d come to see what was happening. Clearly sensing that she shouldn’t butt in, Issi climbed an olive tree, where she sat, swinging her legs, discreetly looking the other way.
Echo swept past, her wingbeats lifting tendrils of Pirra’s black hair, then soared skywards with a joyful shriek.
Hylas took a deep breath. ‘Will you come and live with me in the mountains?’ he said to Pirra in a rush. ‘I mean – as my girl?’
At last, she turned and looked up at him. Her dark eyes were shining, her lips curved in the beginnings of a smile.
He was about to pull her into his arms, but Havoc nosed between them, nearly knocking them over. In her tree, Issi clamped her hands over her mouth to muffle her giggles.
‘Oh, Havoc!’ muttered Hylas, pushing the lioness out of the way.
Pirra gave a little spurt of laughter. ‘Of course I will,’ she said.
Author’s Note
Warrior Bronze takes place three and a half thousand years
ago during the Bronze Age, in what we call ancient Greece. We don’t know much about Bronze Age Greece, as its people left so few written records, but we do know something about their astonishing cultures, which we call the Mycenaeans and the Minoans. (Hylas is Mycenaean, and Pirra is Minoan.)
It’s thought that this was a world of scattered chieftaincies, separated by mountain ranges and forests, and that it was wetter and greener than today, with far more wild animals both on land and sea. Also, this was long before the Ancient Greeks ranged their gods into an orderly pantheon of Zeus, Hera, Hades, and so on. That’s why the gods Hylas and Pirra worship have different names: they were the forerunners of the later lot.
To create the world of Hylas and Pirra, I’ve studied the archaeology of the Greek Bronze Age. To get an idea of peoples’ beliefs, I’ve drawn on those of more recent peoples who still live in traditional ways, as I did in my Stone Age series, Chronicles of Ancient Darkness. And although most people in Hylas’ time lived by farming or fishing, I think much of the knowledge and beliefs of the Stone Age hunter-gatherers would have survived into the Bronze Age, particularly among poorer people, such as Hylas himself.
Concerning place names, Akea (or Achaea, as it’s often spelt) is the ancient name for mainland Greece, and Lykonia is my name for the region which today is called Lakonia. I haven’t changed the name Mycenae, as it’s so well known. And I’ve used the name ‘Keftian’ for the great Cretan civilization we call Minoan. (We don’t know what they called themselves; depending on which book you read, their name may have been Keftians, or that may have been a name given them by the ancient Egyptians.)
The map of the World of Gods and Warriors shows the world as Hylas and Pirra experience it, so it leaves out many places and islands that don’t come into the story, and includes others that I made up, such as the Island of the Fin People and Thalakrea. The same goes for the map of Akea; this features only those places which are relevant to the story in Warrior Bronze.
Warrior Bronze brings Hylas back to the mountains where his adventures began, so I’ve drawn extensively on the research trips to Greece which I made for the earlier books in the series. In particular, I’ve drawn on the time I spent in Lakonia, especially: the Langada Gorge that winds through the Taÿgetos Mountains; the area around the top of the Langada Pass, which I explored for several days; and the coast and caves at Vlychada, on the Bay of Diros in south-west Lakonia.
Warrior Bronze Page 18