Read Online Saxon Dawn (Wolf Brethren) by Griff Hosker - Free Book Online
Authors: Griff Hosker
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out should anyone stumble upon us. I was just grateful that the Angles had not, so far, pursued us and, as I saw the storm clouds fill the sky, I knew any trail we had left would soon be washed out by the imminent rain. We would slaughter a sheep and stay within the walls for a few days and then I would scout the old stronghold and see if the Angles had returned.
My brothers stopped working when I clattered on to the cobbles. I think they were eager to see what I had with me. I handed the mail shirt to Aelle. It was slightly too big at the moment but he was growing all the time. I think he had been mistreated and malnourished by his father as well as the other Angles and my mother’s food had already started to put muscle on him. “Here are Roman shoes. Find some that fit.” I showed them my footwear which was a mixture of leather and caligae. “You could make yours like this if you wished.” As I unsaddled the two horses they examined the contents of the sacks.
“We will need arrow heads Lann.”
“I know.” Despite having collected the arrows we had used against the Angles we still only had thirty shafts between us. Now we had no goose feathers we would struggle to replace the ones we already had.
“There is a forge Lann.”
Raibeart and I stared at Aelle. “Are you sure?”
“Aye. I found it well away from the house close to the north wall. There is no roof and the bellows need repair but it is there.”
“Well done Aelle. We will leave that for another day but, with the Roman nails we have enough metal to make many arrow heads and we can use the existing arrows for a template. Raibeart, choose a sheep. We will slaughter one. It means we will not need to leave here for a while and, if the Angles are seeking us, they will not stumble upon us.”
When we had skinned the sheep Aelle scraped all the oils and fat from the hide. It would be useful as a lotion for our thighs after the horse riding and it helped to preserve the sheepskin. I butchered the mutton and we put all the bones in the one surviving cooking pot we found and covered them with stream water. When we had eaten the sheep we would still have a stock for soup. I now reprimanded myself for not bringing salt from our home. Had we had some then we would have been able to preserve the meat. We would have to use the other method my mother used, cook the meat in animal fat and let the fat protect the meat. It would make the meat last another eight or ten days. Now we needed to husband and watch our scant resources; we had no Radha and Monca to organise our lives. The three of us would have to provide everything that we consumed. We would have to learn quickly!
Over the next few days we used two of the short Roman swords to learn how to fight. I also regretted not bringing one of the shields as I was loath to use our good ones. We soon discovered that both Raibeart and Aelle needed to build up their strength. My work with the longer bow meant that my right arm was powerful and I wondered how I would fare against a warrior who knew how to use a blade.
“Tomorrow we leave before dawn. We will travel to our old home and see who is there. If there are no Angles yet then we can travel further afield and see just how far they have come.”
“Will the king not return? He said he would.”
“The problem is, Raibeart, that the king may have other enemies closer to home and he may think that all is well here in this part of the land.”
“Should we join him then?”
“I do not know Aelle. Why would he want three such inexperienced warriors such as us?” It had been on the tip of my tongue to say boys but my brothers deserved better. They had fought; they had killed; they were warriors.
We had still to make a saddle for Aelle but, by using the girths and the sheepskin he was able to ride and, after we had negotiated the copse and were riding south he remarked how comfortable it was. It set me to thinking
My brothers stopped working when I clattered on to the cobbles. I think they were eager to see what I had with me. I handed the mail shirt to Aelle. It was slightly too big at the moment but he was growing all the time. I think he had been mistreated and malnourished by his father as well as the other Angles and my mother’s food had already started to put muscle on him. “Here are Roman shoes. Find some that fit.” I showed them my footwear which was a mixture of leather and caligae. “You could make yours like this if you wished.” As I unsaddled the two horses they examined the contents of the sacks.
“We will need arrow heads Lann.”
“I know.” Despite having collected the arrows we had used against the Angles we still only had thirty shafts between us. Now we had no goose feathers we would struggle to replace the ones we already had.
“There is a forge Lann.”
Raibeart and I stared at Aelle. “Are you sure?”
“Aye. I found it well away from the house close to the north wall. There is no roof and the bellows need repair but it is there.”
“Well done Aelle. We will leave that for another day but, with the Roman nails we have enough metal to make many arrow heads and we can use the existing arrows for a template. Raibeart, choose a sheep. We will slaughter one. It means we will not need to leave here for a while and, if the Angles are seeking us, they will not stumble upon us.”
When we had skinned the sheep Aelle scraped all the oils and fat from the hide. It would be useful as a lotion for our thighs after the horse riding and it helped to preserve the sheepskin. I butchered the mutton and we put all the bones in the one surviving cooking pot we found and covered them with stream water. When we had eaten the sheep we would still have a stock for soup. I now reprimanded myself for not bringing salt from our home. Had we had some then we would have been able to preserve the meat. We would have to use the other method my mother used, cook the meat in animal fat and let the fat protect the meat. It would make the meat last another eight or ten days. Now we needed to husband and watch our scant resources; we had no Radha and Monca to organise our lives. The three of us would have to provide everything that we consumed. We would have to learn quickly!
Over the next few days we used two of the short Roman swords to learn how to fight. I also regretted not bringing one of the shields as I was loath to use our good ones. We soon discovered that both Raibeart and Aelle needed to build up their strength. My work with the longer bow meant that my right arm was powerful and I wondered how I would fare against a warrior who knew how to use a blade.
“Tomorrow we leave before dawn. We will travel to our old home and see who is there. If there are no Angles yet then we can travel further afield and see just how far they have come.”
“Will the king not return? He said he would.”
“The problem is, Raibeart, that the king may have other enemies closer to home and he may think that all is well here in this part of the land.”
“Should we join him then?”
“I do not know Aelle. Why would he want three such inexperienced warriors such as us?” It had been on the tip of my tongue to say boys but my brothers deserved better. They had fought; they had killed; they were warriors.
We had still to make a saddle for Aelle but, by using the girths and the sheepskin he was able to ride and, after we had negotiated the copse and were riding south he remarked how comfortable it was. It set me to thinking
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