Andraste's Children (Iceni AAR) [updated November 26, 2017]

[Alwyn]

Thank you, waveman - I like the 'race against time' theme too. With this theme in mind, I have started using Mitch's Guaranteed Major Faction Empires mod. Rome Is Coming (or, if not Rome, another major faction)...

Chapter Five

Oh, gods, thought Mabon as he woke. Why is my head pounding? Why is the faint light of a winter’s dawn too bright? Why does my body ache like this? What is that horribly loud metallic clanging sound?

“Take this,” said Blaidd, Mabon’s second-in-command. Mabon sipped gratefully from the bowl of hot soup, feeling the soup warming his hands through the wood of the bowl. Mabon shivered, wrapping his red cloak around him to keep out the cold. He kept the new, golden-yellow cloak which Dagomaros had given him wrapped up safely among his few belongings - today, it was comforting to wear his old red cloak.

Still, Mabon’s head felt slow and confused. “How much ale did I drink last night?” he asked. Blaidd laughed, and said, “Too much! But that is not the best part. The best part came after that, when you started talking to Dagomaros!”

Oh, gods, thought Mabon again. “I can’t remember – no, wait, did I say something about Romans?”

Blaidd smiled. “You told Dagomaros, in front of his noblemen, that a vast army of Romans, all skilled swordsmen, were coming to kill us and take our land.”

Mabon put down the soup bowl and buried his face in his hands, “Dagomaros must think I am a fool.”

“He laughed, I admit.” Blaidd looked thoughtful. “But then he said that, twice now, he has seen swordsmen almost overcome a larger force of spearmen. Then he said that, if any tribe – the Caledones in the north, the Ebdani across the sea to the west, or even the Romans - assembled an army of such men, they would be unstoppable. They could take all the land they wanted. Late last night, he summoned everyone who knows how to work iron and asked them to demonstrate how quickly they can forge iron swords. That is the sound you can hear, the iron-workers forging swords,” Blaidd pointed to a hall from which smoke was streaming. “You seem to have pushed Dagomaros towards making a decision he wanted to make. Maybe talking to him wasn’t such a bad idea.”

“I need to lie down somewhere dark and not emerge until sunrise tomorrow,” said Mabon, rubbing his temples.

“You need to feel the Sun on your face and the wind in your hair,” said Blaidd. “We should go for a ride - I’ll tell the men to get the horses ready.”



As Mabon, Blaidd and the company of riders rode out from Eborakon, Mabon began to feel better. The bitterly cold wind seemed to blow away the confusion in his head and he began to enjoy the ride.



To his left, a dark bird flew swiftly through the trees. It swooped low and called out, as if surprised to see the riders below. The piercing cry of the dark bird in the quiet morning startled Mabon and left him feeling uneasy, as if something was wrong.



Something is wrong, Mabon realised. Another company of riders appeared through the trees. They were ready for a fight, carrying spears and shields – and there were more horsemen behind them. They did not look friendly, they outnumbered Mabon’s men and they were approaching fast. Behind them, in the distance, Mabon’s sharp eyes could make out spearmen marching towards Eborakon. With the spearmen were men riding on chariots. Mabon had not seen chariots before, but he had heard stories about the Brigantes using them in war.

“They must be scouts for another army of the Brigantes!” said Blaidd. Mabon nodded, “We must ride back into Eborakon as fast as we can, and warn Dagomaros!”



As Mabon entered Eborakon, the Iceni spearmen on guard duty parted to let them through. The Brigantes horsemen turned away, avoiding a futile charge into a waiting line of spears. Mabon and his men rode quickly to find Dagomaros, who sent his captains to summon the men to battle.

Mabon’s warning came just in time. The Iceni spearmen formed up, ready to face the enemy chariots and the Brigantes spearmen and horsemen following behind them.



Mabon was horrified to see the chariots break through the wall of Iceni spearmen and reach the unprotected slingers who stood behind them. Only the intervention of Dagomaros and his swordsmen prevented the day from turning into a disaster. When the surviving enemies turned and ran, one of Dagomaros’ men held a newly-forged sword in the air, celebrating the victory.



Dagomaros clasped the arm of Mabon warmly, saying “Your warning of the approaching enemy saved many lives. Last night, when you gave me the idea of having more swords made, I did not know that we would use them so soon. Our farmers with spears are brave, but they are untrained. It is time that the Iceni had an army of properly-trained swordsmen, don’t you think? This morning’s battle shows that we can be attacked at any time – we must be ready.”

[Zeion]

Nice update Alywn.

The Iceni probably have to go through a difficult process of "unification"... which might be the only way to be ready for the inevitable Roman attack (or by another super power). This ambush/surprise attack shows that unification, however, is still a long way down the road.

Nice shot with the crow, too!

[SanyuXV]

Finally all caught up and I can say great writing so far (obviously)! The Iceni are an interesting faction to play in Rome II, and I'll be in much anticipation to the lengths at which you will bring them

[Alwyn]

Thank you, Zeion and SanyuXV, I appreciate your kind comments. As Zeion said, the Iceni still have a long way to go, to unify Celtic tribes. Even if they can do this, I wonder if they will be able to defend themselves against an invasion by Rome (or another major power.) I agree with you, SanyuXV, that the Iceni are an interesting faction to play. I'm enjoying learning how to use their 'early campaign units' and looking forward to using their more advanced units later in the campaign.

Chapter Six

So this is Eildon, stronghold of the Caledonians, thought Mabon. He had climbed a tree to get a good look at the walled city. There are the towers for archers and the fortified gates. He saw the glint of sunshine on the swords of men who were training. This confirms what the horse-trader told us. They are training swordsmen – they are preparing for war. But against who?

All through the spring and summer, the Iceni army had remained in the newly captured city of Eborakon, crafting swords and turning farmers and craftsmen into warriors. Mabon remembered how, on the day of the spring festival of Beltane, Dagomaros had told the assembled Iceni men that a great warrior has arrived to teach them to use a sword. He remembered the surprise of the men when they saw that this champion was a woman, Abegina. She took on four men from Dagomaros’ army in a practice fight with blunted weapons, one against four. She laughed at their clumsy attempts to attack her, provoking them to lower their guard and defeating them easily. After that, the men looked at her with newfound respect. This respectful attitude was not reciprocated.

“The gods are ashamed of you!” she had shouted, shocking the men, “I have seen worms with more backbone than you!” To prove her wrong, the men had trained late into the long summer nights. The arrival of Abegina was just the first of the surprises of that summer.

The second surprise was the arrival of the horse-trader from the north. At first, Mabon had suspected this man of being a spy for the Caledonians. To Mabon’s surprise, the horse-trader talked openly about the defences of the Caledonian stronghold of Eildon: high wooden walls, fortified gates and towers for archers.

“Perhaps the Caledonians sent him to impress us with the strength of their defences, to discourage us from going to war with them?” said Mabon.

Dagomaros agreed that this was possible. He sent Mabon north, with a few riders, to investigate the defences of Eildon and to see if the horse-trader’s claims were true.



Mabon found that the horse-trader had described the defences of Eildon accurately.

But then the third surprise came. A lone rider arrived at Eborakon. He was wounded, hungry and weary from a long journey. He introduced himself as a prince of the Caledonians, now in exile from his people. He told the Iceni that his brothers had begun to worship a war goddess, the Morrigan. This goddess demanded sacrifices, including an offering of royal blood. The prince of the Caledonians explained that his brothers had planned on sacrificing him – and that he had barely escaped with his life.

“Why are your people sacrificing to a war goddess?” asked Dagomaros.

“Because they will soon go to war with your people and they thought this sacrifice would ensure victory.” the prince of the Caledonians replied. “When you defeated the Brigantes, they were afraid that you would attack them next. Fear can drive men to foolish aggression.”

The prince of the Caledonians was handsome, quick-witted and skilled with a sword. As he recovered from his injury, he trained with Abegina and the Iceni men. Mabon felt a sharp stab of jealousy when he saw Abegina admiring the swordplay of the Caledonian prince. He makes friends easily, thought Mabon, perhaps too easily. Is he really a prince in exile - or a spy?

Mabon discussed his suspicion with his second-in-command, Blaidd, who grinned broadly. “Did you suspect him before he and Abegina started making eyes at each other?” When Mabon persisted, Blaidd agreed that Mabon should inform Dagomaros. Dagomaros nodded calmly when Mabon explained his suspicion.

“I anticipated this possibility. So I asked the horse-trader whether he recognised the prince. You confirmed that the horse-trader told the truth about Eildon, yes?” said Dagomaros. Mabon nodded. “I asked the horse-trader – he confirmed that this man is a prince of the Caledonians.”

After the autumn festival of Samhain, Adiatorix, King of the Iceni, arrived at Eborakon. With him marched several companies of spearmen. For many of Dagomaros’ swordsmen, seeing the new arrivals reminded them of who they had been, before the summer – untrained farmers and craftsmen with spears – and renewed their confidence.

Mabon asked Dagomaros why the King had brought the spearmen.

“Isn’t it obvious?” replied Dagomaros. “They will fight with us. We will attack the Caledonians before they march south. We will build ladders and climb their walls. We will fight them before they are ready.”

[Lugotorix]

I like how you weave tribes that were in the region but not on the RII map like the Silures into the story.

[Caillagh de Bodemloze]

Those are great pictures.

And I like Abegina - she's a fun character.

Given your previous work, I'm not totally convinced that taking Eildon will be as easy as Dagomaros hopes...

[Alwyn]

Thanks, Lugotorix! I like the ability to recruit mercenaries in Rome II and I wondered where the mercenaries come from (and who we are paying, to recruit these units) - the existence of these other tribes which do not appear in the game seemed to provide an answer.

Caillagh, thank you! Yes, as we are about to see, Eildon is not an easy stronghold to take...

Chapter Seven

Mabon watched proudly as the Iceni army approached the Caledonian city of Eildon. He knew Dagomaros was apprehensive. Eildon was shielded by high wooden walls and Mabon knew the Iceni commander had not attacked a walled city before. Mabon’s report of the high walls, the wooden towers and the fortified gates had suggested that any attacker would pay a high price.

“Should we surround their city and starve them out?” one nobleman had suggested.

“Eildon is a large settlement and there are gates on different sides. If we divided our army to watch every gate, we would spread ourselves thinly. They could send their whole army to attack us at one gate.” Mabon had said.

Dagomaros had decided that his men would build large, wheeled ladders to reach the walls of the Caledonian city. The spearmen in the Iceni first line, together with the slingers, pushed the ladders. Each ladder was several times the height of a man and they moved slowly. Behind them, the second line marched, composed of swordsmen. Mabon, leading his riders behind the swordsmen, noticed the golden-yellow cloaks of the noblemen on the left flank and thought that the Iceni army was a magnificent sight.



Pushing huge, heavy ladders uphill would have been a difficult task even if the Caledonians did not have slingers on the walls, firing at the men who were pushing. Dagomaros had anticipated that and he had a response ready.

“Slingers, now!” commanded Dagomaros in his deep, booming voice. A good general shares his thinking with his men, thought Mabon, so they know what to do on the battlefield. The Iceni slingers ran ahead and began firing at the Caledonians on the high walls.



The Iceni slingers were not protected, while the enemy were shielded by their walls. The slingers seemed small under the high walls of Eildon. Mabon could hear the enemy taunting them. A good general has to make hard decisions, he thought.

Slowly, too slowly, the ladders approached the high walls. One of the companies of slingers, having lost a lot of men, was falling back.

“This attack will cost us many lives,” Dagomaros had said to Mabon. “When a company falters, I will send them behind our lines to regroup. That is where you come in. You will rally the companies I send back. You will lead them as our reserve force. I need you to command more than just your company of riders, Mabon. When the time is right, you will lead the reserves into battle. Your force will not be large, but your men will have rested and they will be fighting tired warriors. Your intervention could tip the balance in our favour.”

“How will I know when to commit the reserves?” asked Mabon.

“If I can, I will tell you,” replied Dagomaros. “But, if I have led my noblemen into the fight, I will be too busy to give you orders. If you see the right opportunity to commit our reserves, take it! Choose wisely – if today’s battle is a hard fight, your decision could determine whether we win or lose.”

Now that he was commander of the reserve force, Mabon watched Dagomaros closely, to see how a good general acted. Several companies of slingers took heavy casualties and fell back. Mabon led his riders towards them, shouting praise and encouragement. The slingers formed up behind him.



While Mabon focused on rallying his slingers, the first ladder reached the walls. Brave spearmen climbed quickly towards their foes. Behind them, Dagomaros led the Iceni swordsmen into a run to the ladders.



The fight for the walls was over more quickly than Mabon had expected. Iceni warriors ran to take over the nearest gate, allowing Mabon, with his riders and slingers, to enter the city.

They found the Iceni spearmen and swordsmen celebrating victory, cheering and holding their weapons high. Mabon noticed the weapons the fallen Caledonians had been holding.

“When I came here before, I saw swordsmen training. But the men who defended the walls had spears or slings. Where are their swordsmen?” asked Mabon.

“Good question! We will find them, yes?” replied Dagomaros confidently. He sent slingers ahead to look for more enemies and sent his swordsmen and spearmen running to re-form their line.



The slingers found more Caledonian warriors ahead and started skirmishing. Between this part of the city and the next area, there were two narrow streets, running in parallel. At the end of the nearest street stood two lines of Caledonian spearmen. The front line of Caledonian men did not even have shields; they looked like untrained, unblooded youths.



Dagomaros sent Iceni warriors charging down both streets. Suddenly, Caledonian swordsmen appeared from behind their unblooded spearmen, charged confidently into the fight and started killing. This was a trap - they wanted us to charge down these narrow streets, Mabon realised. We thought hard about how to take the walls, but we did not plan for a fight in the streets of the city – and the Caledonians did. He saw the Iceni line faltering and Dagomaros leading his noblemen into the fight. Now I have to decide what do with the reserves, without his guidance, thought Mabon.

[theSilentKiller]

Nice assault! I wonder if Mabon is capable to use the reserves wisely, especially under the pressure he his. This could end very bad for him and Dagomaros (and of course for all of their men ).

[Caillagh de Bodemloze]

Oooh, a trap!

Nicely done!

[SanyuXV]

The classic street trap... blood will surely flow

Great writing yet again Alwyn!

[Alwyn]

Thank you, theSilentKiller, Caillagh and SanyuXV. Yes, this could end badly for the Iceni ...

Chapter Eight

Mabon’s reserve force, two companies of slingers and five of spearmen, waited near the city wall while Mabon and his horsemen rode ahead. The two narrow streets which provided access to the centre of Eildon were blocked at the far end by Caledonian warriors. In both streets, Iceni spearmen and swordsmen charged their foes, while slingers sent stones over their heads into the melee. The Caledonian nobles, supported by companies of swordsmen, were in the street on the right; the street on the left was held by Caledonian spearmen. The Iceni general, Dagomaros, and his brother, King Adiatorix, diverted a line of swordsmen from the left-hand street to the right, to face the enemy swordsmen. The general and the King led their own bodyguards into that street, where the fighting would be hardest.

Mabon’s reserves could tip the balance, but where should he send them? The battles in the two streets looked different. In the street on the right, swordsmen fought on both sides in a tightly-packed mass of fighters. In the street on the left, slingers on both sides exchanged fire while spearmen advanced. Their slingers are on the left, Mabon thought, that is where my horsemen could do the most damage.



As Mabon’s riders approached the front line, a group of Iceni swordsmen, their heads down, ran past from the street on the right. They were fleeing the fighting – and there were pitifully few of them, suggesting that many more of them had died in that street. The tide of battle was turning against the Iceni in the right-hand street. The enemy have armoured horsemen! Mabon realised, they are cutting down our swordsmen! He led his riders back to the reserves and sent the spearmen running into the right-hand street, shouting, “Protect Dagomaros and the King! They must not fall!”



The fight in the left-hand street was going better. Mabon sent the reserve slingers to that street. Their hail of stones helped to push the enemy back. Just one heavy blow and this enemy line will break, Mabon realised. He led his horsemen in a swift charge and saw the enemy flee. “Forward! Quickly!” Mabon saw the opportunity. He would lead the men in the left-hand street to the far end of that street. From there, they would be able to strike the enemy swordsmen, fighting in the narrow right-hand street. The enemy swordsmen would be under attack from both sides.

But, when Mabon reached the end of the street, he saw that there was no immediate prospect of surrounding the enemy. Like the Iceni, the Caledonians had kept men in reserve. The enemy’s reserve force included fearsome painted swordsmen as well as slingers and spearmen. This force advanced quickly to prevent Mabon from surrounding the Caledonian warriors in the right-hand street. Mabon’s order was “Charge and retreat!” His horsemen would strike the enemy, fall back and strike again.



For a time, Mabon’s tactic worked. But the Caledonian reserve force was fresh and had lost no men, while the men following Mabon were tired and there were gaps in their ranks. Mabon’s men were forced back, and back again, into the left-hand street which they had emerged from. The painted swordsmen attacked relentlessly, breaking through a thin line of spearmen. A company of slingers who had run out of ammunition drew long knives and charged the painted swordsmen, only to be cut down.



Mabon led his riders to attack the painted swordsmen, only to see his riders falling, one after another. His riders were tired after repeatedly charging the enemy. At close range, the spears carried by Mabon’s riders were clumsy and slow, while the painted swordsmen swung and stabbed with their blades quickly, killing more and more of Mabon’s men. Mabon felt pain in his stomach as he watched his men die – men he had known for years, men he had fought alongside and celebrated victories with. Only a handful of his riders remained. He had to get out of here.

“Go! Save yourselves!” Mabon cried out. Mabon saw a sword-blade coming for his head. A spear knocked the blade away; Blaidd, Mabon’s second-in command, was fighting to save Mabon. “Go now! I will follow!” shouted Mabon. Blaidd nodded and turned to escape. Mabon’s surviving riders broke away from the swordsmen. Mabon waited until they were clear before turning to follow.

At least I am the last to - Mabon’s thought was interrupted by a sharp pain, as a swordsman’s blade cut into his leg. Mabon clung desperately onto his horse. He followed the few horsemen who still lived, out through the open city gates, past the siege ladders and into a forest. Only when they felt safely hidden by the trees did Mabon and his surviving men slow down.



Most of the surviving riders were wounded and they were exhausted. Worse than that, they had dishonoured themselves by fleeing battle. I have no idea what is happening back in Eildon, thought Mabon. Dagomaros and Adiatorix could be captured or dead. Even if they won the battle, our swordsmen who ran from battle can slip back into our camp after nightfall without being noticed – but the only horsemen in our army were mine. There is no way to hide my shame.

[theSilentKiller]

Intriguing Chapter! I wonder what happened to Dagomaros and Adiatorix, since they are more imortant people for the enemies. Might safe their lifes. The loss of honor was a grave matter at that time...

[Alwyn]

Thank you, theSilentKiller! Yes, the loss of honour was a grave matter, indeed. If you would like to know what happened to Dagomaros and Adiatorix, you can now read on....

Chapter Nine

Each morning, when Mabon woke, the same realisation hit him. When many of my horsemen die at Eildon, my courage failed. I fled the battlefield. I am a coward, a dishonoured man. Each day, Mabon’s little group of riders got further south, closer to their homeland. Each night, sharp stabs of pain in his wounded leg snatched him from disturbing dreams back into the waking world.

When Mabon’s riders reached Eborakon in the lands of the Brigantes, they rested at a popular ale-house overnight. That evening, Mabon brooded in a dark corner, remembering the events at Eildon. If only the Caledonian prince had never come to us, telling us that the Caledonians were preparing to attack us, he thought, we would not have marched north. Many good men would still be alive. When he stood to fetch more ale, he caught a glimpse of someone he recognized. Across the crowded hall of the ale-house, Mabon felt sure that he saw the horse-trader who had confirmed the identity of the Caledonian prince. But, when Mabon looked again, the horse-trader was gone. While Mabon’s leg was healing, he walked slowly. By the time that he had crossed to the far end of the hall, the man had disappeared.

After many days of travelling, they followed a track to a ford across the river which marked the boundary of the lands of the Silures. They entered a forest and followed the track over the summit of a hill. The late-autumn sun was low in the sky, it cast long shadows from the trees on the hill across the land ahead. Mabon heard the gentle rustling of fallen leaves, as leaves were thrown up from the ground by the movement of their horse’s hooves. The sound soothed his weary, anxious mind. Ahead, as the trees thinned out, the homes of the main town of the Silures came into view. Mabon was without honour, but at least he had a home to return to.

But it was not the same home which Mabon had left. Mabon learned that his father, the King of the Silures, had died when the first autumn leaves had fallen. That evening, Mabon watched the sunset from the mound of earth where his father had been buried. He felt desperately tired, sad and alone. His brother, Rhys, was the new King of the Silures. Rhys welcomes his brother warmly and held a feast to celebrate Mabon’s return.

The next morning, when he went for a ride, Mabon saw a group of young horsemen practising, charging at a straw dummy with their spears. Their innocent enthusiasm and energy reminded Mabon of himself and his riders, before they had left for war – but only a few had returned. Rhys told Mabon that story-tellers and singers had spread the news of the part which Mabon’s men played in the victories of the Iceni general, Dagomaros. Now, the young men of the Silures wanted to ride to glorious victories, like Mabon. Rhys added that he had received a report of people disappearing from a village along the coast, towards Moridunon. Mabon offered to investigate. Rhys, smiling warmly, accepted his brother’s offer. He said that Mabon should wait until his wounded leg had fully recovered – and added that Mabon should take the young riders with him, when he went to investigate. Mabon agreed, thinking that the people responsible for the disappearances might be bandits, or perhaps a small group of Demetae warriors, taking revenge against the Silures for helping the Iceni to take their town of Moridunon.

As his leg healed, Mabon began to ride with the young horsemen, sharing what he had learned of fighting. Every day, he wondered what had happened at Eildon. Were Dagomaros and Adiatorix, the King of the Iceni, still alive? While Mabon’s leg was still healing, a wandering story-teller and merchant arrived with news from the north. That night, in the hall of the King of the Silures, people gathered to hear his story.

“A wounded man came to Eborakon to find Dagomaros, general of the Iceni,” the story-teller began. “He said that he was a prince of the Caledonians, fled into exile to avoid being sacrificed to a war-goddess, the Morrigan. He said that many of the young Caledonians were being sacrificed, to ensure victory in a war of aggression against the Iceni. Dagomaros was moved by the man’s story and he took his army north to Eildon, stronghold of the Caledonians.”

“High were the walls of Eildon, so Dagomaros build ladders. The walls were defended by brave Caledonians, so Dagomaros brought swordsmen to defeat them. Soon, the walls of the city were ours. Dagomaros and his men advanced confidently into the city. They found a thin line of young spearmen across two narrow streets. When the Iceni warriors marched into those streets, Caledonian swordsmen who had been hiding charged from behind the young spearmen.”

“Dagomaros and Adiatorix led their noblemen into the fight. The Caledonians had armoured horsemen in reserve and now they charged. When all seemed lost, Iceni spearmen charged into the street. Dagomaros and Adiatorix were saved.”

I did that, realised Mabon. I sent our reserve spearmen into that street. But what will he say now? Will he tell the story of my shameful flight from the battlefield?

“When the sun set, Eildon was ours. No-one celebrated because so many had fallen. The King of the Caledonians and all of his sons were among the dead.”

That cannot be right, thought Mabon, a prince of the Caledonians came to us in Eborakon.

The story-teller continued, “Dagomaros discovered that he had been deceived. The Caledonians had not tried to sacrifice one of their princes to the Morrigan. The man who told Dagomaros that he was an exiled prince lied. Dagomaros believes that he knows which tribe sent the man to mislead him. Even now, he is marching his army to the lands of that tribe.”

[Caillagh de Bodemloze]

So they've realised they were lied to, at least. And it looks as if Dagomaros is out for revenge. I wonder what Mabon will do next - he seems to feel that he has dishonoured himself very thoroughly, even though I'm not sure he and his men would have been much help if they'd stayed in the battle. I'm intrigued to discover whether Mabon and Dagomaros will meet up again, or whether there are going to be two narrative strands to this from now on.

[Rabbit55821]

I'm really enjoying this! I can't wait to learn what Mabon plans to do now...

[Alwyn]

Thank you, Caillagh and Rabbit55821! Caillagh, you are right about Mabon and Dagomaros. Rabbit55821, here is what Mabon did next...

Chapter Ten

No smoke from cooking-fires rose from the cluster of roundhouses which huddled together near a path down to the beach. The village was surrounded by a wooden fence. Mabon guessed that the fence was intended to keep domesticated animals in and wild animals out. For that, it would work well. A raider with an axe would have been held back no more than a moment before he had smashed the gate. When Mabon saw the shattered gate, lying in pieces on the ground, he felt sadness, but not surprise. The fence had failed to protect the villagers, it seemed.

As his men rode through the broken gate, they held their spears up and looked around, senses alert for any ambush. The village seemed empty. No sounds of children playing reached Mabon’s ears, he heard only the clomp-clomp-clomp of horses’ hooves on soft earth and the gentle lapping of the sea against the shore, a short distance away. A pale winter sun was rising and the roundhouses were casting long shadows. Mabon and his riders followed the path down to the beach. The fishing-boats sat on the sea-shore, no-one remaining here to take them out to sea. How can I find the men who did this? wondered Mabon.

Mabon and Blaidd, Mabon’s second-in-command, dismounted from their horses. Blaidd kneeled and looked intently at the ground, stroking his beard. Mabon followed, waving his men to ride on and search the houses.

“The tide will have washed away most of the foot-prints,” said Blaidd. “But after the rain we’ve had in the last week, the ground is soft. Look, here, just above the highest level the tide reaches.” Blaidd pointed, “Do you see? There is a cluster of heavy foot-prints, heading towards the village.”

“Can you tell what happened here?” asked Mabon.

“A large band of men landed,” Blaidd began, “They-“

Mabon interrupted, “Were they Dumnomii from the south? Or Edbani from the west, across the sea?”

Blaidd shrugged, “I am a hunter, not a seer. One man’s foot-print is like that of any other man. Aha! Here is an even bigger group of foot-prints, heading back towards the beach. The raiders must have taken the people of this village as slaves.”

“Or sacrifices,” suggested Mabon, shivering in the winter wind. “Perhaps some of the people here escaped the raiders and are hiding. They could tell us what happened. But, if they are hiding, how will we find them?”

“Where would go, if you were an unarmed fisherman and if raiders came here?” asked Blaidd.

Mabon replied, “The raiders came from the sea, yes?” I am starting to talk like Dagomaros, Mabon thought. I miss serving in his army. If only I could regain my honour, somehow. Mabon saw that Blaidd was grinning at him. He had been lost in thought and he must have missed something.

Blaidd spoke again, “I said, yes, they did. The raiders’ foot-prints don’t start on the part of the beach where the villagers keep their fishing-boats. The raiders must have landed further up the beach. Their foot-prints are deep and widely-spaced. By the time they passed here, the raiders were running. The villagers would not have had a chance.”

“Perhaps some of them escaped. They might have run into the woods to hide,” said Mabon.

They searched the roundhouses, found no-one, and rode into the woods. As they rode through the trees, Mabon felt nervous, as if he was being watched, senses alert for any danger. There was a sudden blur of red fur. A squirrel, which had been standing on a tree-stump, ran away from Mabon’s riders and suddenly froze, as if it was threatened by a predator.



Mabon turned, seeing why the squirrel had suddenly stopped. A young woman, with pale skin, long dark hair and bright eyes, stepped out from behind a tree, where she had been hiding. She held a knife high, showing that she was prepared to defend herself, and looked warily up at the riders.

“I am Mabon, prince of the Silures. We are here to protect you.” Mabon was trying to sound reassuring.

“You are too late,” said the woman in a desolate tone. “They came in the night. They took everyone – all except me. I tried to warn them, but they would not listen.”

“How did you know they were coming? Can you see the future?” asked Blaidd.

The young woman frowned, “My brother lives – lived – in the next village along the coast. He came to tell me that the village beyond his was raided. When the head-man of my village visited my brother’s village, he found no-one – my brother and everyone there were gone. I pleaded with the people here to leave with me. They told me that the King of the Silures would send warriors to protect us. You came too late!”


[Source for image of roundhouse: Ryedale Folk Museum, Hutton-le-Hole, England; image By Svitapeneela, CC BY-SA 3.0, Creative Commons licence applies. Source for image of red squirrel: By Peter Trimming, CC BY 2.0, Creative Commons licence applies].

[Rabbit55821]

Interesting update! I wonder who these Raiders are, and what will become of the woman they met. This is definitely interesting. You should enter the MAARC!

[theSilentKiller]

Nice update! - as always. I like the 'real' pictures you put in. I wonder if the raiders will make more problems. If they are a some murderous mob seeking booty they will course some. (then again, if they were ordered to raid villages they will do the same)

[Caillagh de Bodemloze]

'Real' pictures? No, no, I'm sure that squirrel is a screenshot from the game. Alwyn's ingenuity is great enough I'm sure he could find a way to do that!

That's another intriguing chapter, Alwyn. I wonder if Mabon will be able to find a way of regaining some honour through helping people attacked by these raiders.

[Lugotorix]

Excellent battle descriptions. Mabon is a great character to follow becausehe worri es so much like me. I hope he can win back his honor at least in his own eyes.