War Prize (A Roman Britain story)

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

On the third day of being at the Silure’s village, Aurelia met the Shield maiden Lena.

Kailen had relented in frogmarching her to and fro from his hut to Renna’s every day and every night, but she wasn’t so stupid as to think she wasn’t being watched. The people of the village kept a careful eye on her, not unfriendly, but Aurelia was aware of it whenever she stepped outside of the hut.

Following the hard packed earth trail to Renna’s hut on the morning, Aurelia stopped short when she heard raised female voices. Glancing up, she saw Renna just outside the entrance of her home in a heated argument with another woman. Well, argument wasn’t exactly the right word. That would imply two people yelling at each other. The unknown woman was throwing furious words at Renna, poking her in the chest with a long pointy finger and Renna was standing there silently. She made no effort to speak or draw away from the finger.

Aurelia was in two minds on what to do. Whatever was happening between the two was obviously between the tribeswomen and as an outsider, a Roman to boot, she knew her interference would be most unwelcome.

On the other hand, Renna had been very welcoming to her and they were becoming fast friends. If Renna wasn’t going to defend herself against this woman, then Aurelia would.

She hurried towards them, taking care to keep a calm façade so that she wouldn’t inflame the situation. “Is everything alright? Renna, do you need help?”

The other woman took a step back and turned, regarding Aurelia with a decidedly unfriendly look. She took her time in assessing Aurelia and then sneering. She obviously didn’t like what she saw and Aurelia couldn’t help but flinch at the scorn being directed her way.

She stood a head taller than Aurelia, with long dark hair braided back from a pointed shrewd face and tanned skin that spoke of a lot of time being spent outside. She was built lean and powerful, her bare arms tattooed in the same style as Kailen was. A short sword hung low on her hips by strips of soft worn leather.

Warrior, Aurelia thought. It was probably the markings that set them apart as warriors from the rest of the tribe.

“This is none of your business, Roman,” she sneered. “I suggest you stay out of it if you know what’s good for you.”

She was very intimidating, anger and force of personality coming off of her in waves. Aurelia knew without so much as a doubt that this woman could kill her without raising her heart rate.

Aurelia swallowed with difficulty, fighting the urge to step back. She shifted, meeting Renna’s wide eyed gaze over the woman’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Renna nodded her head slowly, obviously having the same problem as Aurelia was with dealing with an irate warrior woman. “I’m fine. Lena was just about done, weren’t you?”

The woman, Lena, smiled at Renna. It looked like it belonged better on a bloodthirsty lion than it did on her. “We are nowhere near done, Healer, but you hide behind the skirt of a Roman whore they call War Prize. We’ll speak again soon.”