by Jayne Castel
“Goodbye, sweet Merwenna.” He pulled her against him and hugged her tightly. “Wait for me. I shall return.”
Drawing back from his betrothed, Beorn cupped her face with his hands and stooped to kiss her, not caring that half the village was looking on.
“I must go,” he murmured. “Wait for me, my love.”
“I will,” she whispered back, her eyes huge on her heart-shaped face.
Beorn moved over to his pony and prepared to mount it. He was too big for the beast, but fortunately the pony was sturdy, and it had been the only horse his family could spare. Frankly, he was fortunate to be riding at all – most of the kings’ fyrd would arrive inTamworth on foot.
His mother started wailing then. She broke free from her daughters’ embrace and rushed toward her son. Beorn enfolded her in his arms as she sobbed.
“My boy! Don’t go – I’ll never see you again!”
“Enough, Arwyn!” Horace hauled his wife back. “You’re embarrassing the lad. Control yourself!”
“Farewell, mōder,” Beorn said hoarsely, struggling to hold back tears of his own. He had never seen his mother so upset. “Don’t worry – you will see me again.”
His assurances only made his mother sob even louder. Turning away from his parents, Beorn mounted his pony and quickly adjusted the stirrups. He rode away feeling wretched; his mother’s heart-rending wailing was almost more than he could bear.
It was a relief when he could no longer hear her.
Beorn joined the throng of men leaving Weyham, glad to be finally on his way. His hamlet sat on the heavily wooded western fringes of the Kingdom of Mercia. It was nestled at the end of a long valley, in the shadow of dark hills that rose to meet the sky. Beorn rode through his village, passing the ealdorman’s timbered hall along the way. He listened to the crunch of frozen leaves underfoot, the creaking of leather and jangling of horses’ bridles, and felt his skin prickle with excitement.
A warrior had to be able to say goodbye without shedding tears. He had done well this morning, yet it was nothing compared to what lay ahead. He rode toward battle and glory – toward his future.
Buy Book #1 in the Kingdom of Mercia series: THE BREAKING DAWN
Historical Note
As with the previous two books of the Kingdom of the East Angles Saga, The Deepening Night is based on actual historical figures and events.
Annan of the East Angles did rule from around 636 – 653 A.D. (although his real name was Anna – which I had to alter slightly for my readers’ benefit). I have taken some ‘author’s license’ with the dates. Since this story takes place in 630 A.D., I have shifted Annan’s time line slightly.
The conflict between the Kingdoms of the East Angles and Mercia was very real in this period. I have used some historical events, and shifted others to suit the story. It was Annan’s brother, Aethelhere, who actually ‘bent the knee’ to the warmongering Mercian king, Penda – and, in fact, Aethelhere died at the Mercian King’s side in the Battle of the Winwæd, in circa 655 A.D.
Regarding this story’s heroine, there is some historical reference to Annan having a ‘consort’ named Saewara – although some references mention a woman named Hereswith as his possible wife. On further inspection, it appears that Hereswith was, in fact, married to one of Annan’s brothers. For the purposes of this tale, I decided that Aethelhere would be the lucky man! My initial research into Annan’s family tree was what gave me the idea for this novel’s ‘love triangle’.
The last half of the novel is centered on Devil’s Dyke; a ditch and bank defense, which the East Angles built to defend their kingdom from the Mercians. Set in the heart of rural Cambridgeshire, Devil’s Dyke is often described as Britain’s finest Anglo-Saxon earthwork of its kind – and it’s certainly one of the best surviving. There are historical records of King Anna of the East Angles, spending time in Exning, possibly overseeing work on the dyke.
The ancient monument stretches for seven and a half miles, and reaches 10m (33ft) in height. The dyke is made up of a defensive earth bank and ditch, originally built to control access from the nearby Roman roads, including the Icknield Way.
A number of excavation projects have been carried out, but still little is known about its creators. Archaeologists place its construction in the fifth or sixth century A.D. – although for the purposes of this story, I set the completion a little later. Another change, on my part, was the use of the name ‘Devil’s Dyke’. This name is believed to be a post-medieval one, with references to ‘Reach Dyke’ documented during William the Conqueror’s siege of Ely in the 11th century.
And, just in case you’re wondering – historical records state that Annan and Saewara had four children: Jurmin, Seaxburh, Aethelthryth and Aethelburh. It’s not known when Saewara died, but Annan, and his son Jurmin, both met their ends in 653 A.D. at the Battle of Bulcamp, on the Blythburgh marshland in Suffolk. Here, the East Angles fought, and lost against Penda and the Mercians – their old foes. Annan would have been nearing sixty years of age by the time he died in battle, whereas his son would, tragically, have just reached warrior age. Annan’s death marked the end of the golden age of the Kingdom of the East Angles; from this point on it would be overshadowed by its powerful neighbor, Mercia.
Jayne Castel, February 2014
Other works by Jayne Castel
Dark Under the Cover of Night
(The Kingdom of the East Angles, Book 1)
Buy now from Amazon (Kindle and paperback editions)
QUARTER FINALIST IN THE AMAZON BREAKTHROUGH NOVEL AWARD 2013 - ROMANCE CATEGORY!
BRITAIN – 624 A.D.
Raedwyn – daughter of King Raedwald of the East Angles – has just been handfasted to one of her father’s ealdorman. Although highborn women wed to strengthen political alliances, rather than for love, Raedwyn still hopes for a happy marriage like that of her parents’. But, her optimism is shattered on her wedding night.
Raedwyn’s life shifts unexpectedly when outlaws ambush her new husband's party on their journey back to his long ship. She finds herself captive of a bitter, vengeful warrior – Ceolwulf the Exiled. He has a score to settle with King Raedwald and Raedwyn is his bargaining tool.
Caelin, Ceolwulf’s enigmatic son, follows his father on his quest for revenge. Fiercely loyal to her own father, Raedwyn isn't prepared for her wild attraction to Caelin – or for its consequences. In a world where to go against a king’s word means death, Raedwyn must decide what matters more: love or duty.
Nightfall till Daybreak
(The Kingdom of the East Angles, Book 2)
Buy now from Amazon (Kindle and paperback editions)
QUARTER FINALIST IN THE AMAZON BREAKTHROUGH NOVEL AWARD 2014 - ROMANCE CATEGORY!
BRITAIN – 629 A.D.
Freya, the headstrong daughter of a renowned healer, accompanies her mother to the hall of the King of the East Angles. When the king learns the healer cannot heal him without taking his leg, he flies into a rage, banishes Freya’s mother and keeps her daughter as his slave.
Enslaved by one king, and then by his successor, Freya fights to regain her freedom in a world controlled by ruthless men. Resourceful and determined, she has just one weakness: Aidan of Connacht, the king’s right-hand. Aidan, an incorrigible flirt, has accompanied the new king to Britannia, in search of a new life. However, he soon realizes his loyalty will cost him dearly.
In the shadow of approaching war, Freya and Aidan gradually grow closer – but neither can give in to their passion. Freya’s fate has now entangled with that of her doomed king’s. Ultimately, she must decide just how much her freedom is worth.
The Breaking Dawn
(The Kingdom of Mercia, Book 1)
Buy now from Amazon (Kindle and paperback editions)
BRITAIN – 641 A.D.
It is late summer and Merwenna of Weyham impatiently awaits her betrothed: a young warrior who marched to war, and never returned. She goes in search of him, travelling to Tamworth – the s
eat of the Mercian King – only to discover the bitter truth. He is dead.
In Tamworth, Merwenna meets Welsh battle Lord, Prince Cynddylan, who led a host of warriors to help Mercia fight Northumbria. From the moment Merwenna and Cynddylan meet, their paths are entwined.
In a journey from Tamworth, through the green heart of Mercia, and into the woods and mountains of Wales, Merwenna struggles between grief for the man she has lost, and her powerful attraction to this battle lord who appears to love only power and glory.
Darkest before Dawn
The Kingdom of Mercia, Book 2
Buy now from Amazon (kindle and paperback editions)
BRITAIN - 655 A.D.
Princess Alchflaed of Northumbria is a spirited young woman who wishes to choose her own path. Unfortunately, highborn women in Anglo-Saxon England have no say in their choice of husband, and her father promises his daughter to the son of his bitterest enemy.
This attempt at 'peace weaving' is not what is seems. Alchflaed's father orders her to murder her new husband. Charged with this treacherous task, she journeys south to her new home in Mercia.
Maric - a seasoned warrior with a dark past - leads her escort. Princess and warrior find themselves strongly drawn to each other, but they must deny their feelings. Both bound by loyalty, neither can choose their own fates.
Alchflaed's father has given her a terrible choice: to earn her freedom, she must kill a king.
Dawn of Wolves
The Kingdom of Mercia, Book 3
Buy a copy now from Amazon (Kindle or paperback)
2016 Kindle Scout Winner!
BRITAIN, 657 AD
Snow is falling in the Kingdom of Kent when Ermenilda and Wulfhere meet for the first time. She is a Kentish princess, determined to take the veil. He is an exiled prince of Mercia, ruled by ambition.
To win Ermenilda, Wulfhere promises her father he will take back the Mercian throne. He will also renounce his pagan ways and convert to Christianity. When the king agrees, Ermenilda is devastated.
Trapped in a marriage she does not want, Ermenilda struggles between her unexpected passion for her husband and hatred for his harsh, warmongering ways. Wulfhere, initially secure in the knowledge that he has claimed the only woman he will ever want, soon begins to realize that possessing a woman and owning her heart are not the same thing.
About the Author
Love is at the core of all Jayne Castel's stories. She writes historical romance set in 7th Century Anglo-Saxon England and contemporary romance set in Italy.
Her inspirations for these genres come from her fascination for British history, and her love of Italy, where she lived for a decade.
Two of her novels DARK UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT and NIGHTFALL TILL DAYBREAK, reached the quarter finals of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards in 2013 and 2014. Her latest historical romance, DAWN OF WOLVES, is a Kindle Scout winner and is in production to be published by Kindle Press.
Jayne lives in New Zealand's South Island, where works as a freelance copywriter. When she’s not writing, she’s studying languages, or dreaming about her next trip to Europe!
Visit Jayne's website at www.jaynecastel.com
Jayne loves to hear from her readers – please email her at [email protected]
Read Jayne's blog: www.anglosaxonromance.blogspot.com
Follow Jayne on Twitter: @JayneCastel
Follow Jayne's fan page on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jayne.castel
Follow Jayne on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/jaynecastel
Sign up for Jayne’s monthly newsletter and receive a FREE Kindle copy of the novel that started it all: DARK UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT. Visit www.jaynecastel.com to sign up!
Did you enjoy this novel?
If so, please help other readers find it by leaving an honest review on Goodreads or Amazon.
Your support would be greatly appreciated – thank you!