Read Online Hawk Queen 01 - Ironhand's Daughter by David Gemmell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: David Gemmell
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pull. Reaching behind him, Gwalch lifted a jug of honey mead and took a swallow.
Sigarni's cabin was in sight now, and he could see the black bitch, Lady, sitting hi the dust before it. So could Shamol and Cabris and with a lunge they broke into a run. Gwalch was caught between the desire to save his bones and the need to protect his jug. He clung on grimly. The cart survived the race down the hill, and once on level ground Gwalch began to hope that the worst was over. But then Lady ran at the hounds, swerving at the last moment to race away into the meadow.
Shamol and Cabris tried to follow her, the cart tipped and Gwalch flew through the air, still clutching his jug to his scrawny chest. Twisting, he struck the ground on his back, honey mead slurping from the jug to drench his green woollen tunic. Slowly he sat up, then took a long drink.
The hounds were now sitting quietly by the upturned cart, watching him gravely. Leaving the jug on the boardwalk, he stood and walked to where the cart lay. Righting it he moved to the dogs, untying the reins. Shamol nuzzled his hand, but Cabris took off immediately towards the woods in search of Lady. Shamol ambled after him.
Gwalch recovered his jug and went into the house. He found Sigarni sitting at the table, a dagger before her. Her hair was unwashed, her face drawn, her eyes tired. Gwalch gathered two clay cups and filled them both with mead, pushing one towards her. She shook her head. 'Drink it, girl,' he said sitting opposite her. 'It'll do you no harm.'
'Read my mind,' she commanded.
'No. You'll remember when you are ready.'
'Damn you, Gwalch! you're quick to tell everyone's fortune but mine. What happened that night when my parents were butchered? Tell me!'
'You know what happened. Your ... father and his wife were lulled. You survived. What else is there to know?'
'Why did my hair turn white? Why were the bodies buried so swiftly? I didn't even see them.'
'Tell me about last night.'
'Why should I? You already know. Bernt's ghost came to me at the pool."
'No,' he said, 'that wasn't Bernt. Poor, sad Bernt is gone from the world. The spirit who spoke to you was from another time. Why did you run?'
'I was ... frightened.' Her pale eyes locked to his, daring him to criticize her.
Gwalch smiled. 'Not easy to admit, is it? Not when you are Sigarni the Huntress, the woman who needs no one. Did you know this is my birthday? Seventy-eight years ago today I made my first cry.
Killed my first man fourteen years later, a cattle raider. Tracked him for three days. He took my father's prize bull. It's been a long life, Sigarni. Long and irritatingly eventful.' Pouring the last of the mead, he drained it in a single swallow, then gazed longingly at the empty jug.
'Who was the ghost?' she asked
'Go and ask him, woman. Call for him.' She shivered and looked away.
'I can't.'
Gwalch chuckled. 'There is nothing you cannot do, Sigarni. Nothing.'
Reaching across the table she took his hand, stroking it tenderly. 'Oh,come on, Gwalch, are we not friends? Why won't you help me?'
'I am helping you. I am giving you good advice. You don't remember the night of the Slaughter. You will, when the time is right. I helped take the memory from you when I found you by the pool.
Madness had come upon you, girl. You were sitting in a puddle ofyour own urine. Your eyes were blank, and you were slack-jawed. I had a friend with me; his name was Taliesen. It was he - and another - who slew the Slaughterers. Taliesen told me we were going to lock away the memory and bring you back to the world of the living. We did exactly that. The door will open one day, when you are strong enough to turn the key. That's what he told me.'
'So,' she said, snatching back her hand, 'your only advice is for me to return to the pool and face the ghost? Yes?'
'Yes,' he agreed.
'Well, I won't do it.'
'That is your choice, Sigarni. And perhaps it is the right one. Time will show. Are you angry with
Sigarni's cabin was in sight now, and he could see the black bitch, Lady, sitting hi the dust before it. So could Shamol and Cabris and with a lunge they broke into a run. Gwalch was caught between the desire to save his bones and the need to protect his jug. He clung on grimly. The cart survived the race down the hill, and once on level ground Gwalch began to hope that the worst was over. But then Lady ran at the hounds, swerving at the last moment to race away into the meadow.
Shamol and Cabris tried to follow her, the cart tipped and Gwalch flew through the air, still clutching his jug to his scrawny chest. Twisting, he struck the ground on his back, honey mead slurping from the jug to drench his green woollen tunic. Slowly he sat up, then took a long drink.
The hounds were now sitting quietly by the upturned cart, watching him gravely. Leaving the jug on the boardwalk, he stood and walked to where the cart lay. Righting it he moved to the dogs, untying the reins. Shamol nuzzled his hand, but Cabris took off immediately towards the woods in search of Lady. Shamol ambled after him.
Gwalch recovered his jug and went into the house. He found Sigarni sitting at the table, a dagger before her. Her hair was unwashed, her face drawn, her eyes tired. Gwalch gathered two clay cups and filled them both with mead, pushing one towards her. She shook her head. 'Drink it, girl,' he said sitting opposite her. 'It'll do you no harm.'
'Read my mind,' she commanded.
'No. You'll remember when you are ready.'
'Damn you, Gwalch! you're quick to tell everyone's fortune but mine. What happened that night when my parents were butchered? Tell me!'
'You know what happened. Your ... father and his wife were lulled. You survived. What else is there to know?'
'Why did my hair turn white? Why were the bodies buried so swiftly? I didn't even see them.'
'Tell me about last night.'
'Why should I? You already know. Bernt's ghost came to me at the pool."
'No,' he said, 'that wasn't Bernt. Poor, sad Bernt is gone from the world. The spirit who spoke to you was from another time. Why did you run?'
'I was ... frightened.' Her pale eyes locked to his, daring him to criticize her.
Gwalch smiled. 'Not easy to admit, is it? Not when you are Sigarni the Huntress, the woman who needs no one. Did you know this is my birthday? Seventy-eight years ago today I made my first cry.
Killed my first man fourteen years later, a cattle raider. Tracked him for three days. He took my father's prize bull. It's been a long life, Sigarni. Long and irritatingly eventful.' Pouring the last of the mead, he drained it in a single swallow, then gazed longingly at the empty jug.
'Who was the ghost?' she asked
'Go and ask him, woman. Call for him.' She shivered and looked away.
'I can't.'
Gwalch chuckled. 'There is nothing you cannot do, Sigarni. Nothing.'
Reaching across the table she took his hand, stroking it tenderly. 'Oh,come on, Gwalch, are we not friends? Why won't you help me?'
'I am helping you. I am giving you good advice. You don't remember the night of the Slaughter. You will, when the time is right. I helped take the memory from you when I found you by the pool.
Madness had come upon you, girl. You were sitting in a puddle ofyour own urine. Your eyes were blank, and you were slack-jawed. I had a friend with me; his name was Taliesen. It was he - and another - who slew the Slaughterers. Taliesen told me we were going to lock away the memory and bring you back to the world of the living. We did exactly that. The door will open one day, when you are strong enough to turn the key. That's what he told me.'
'So,' she said, snatching back her hand, 'your only advice is for me to return to the pool and face the ghost? Yes?'
'Yes,' he agreed.
'Well, I won't do it.'
'That is your choice, Sigarni. And perhaps it is the right one. Time will show. Are you angry with
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