Winter's Blossom: The Seasons of Arthur

Chapter 7

Enniaun was hunting to the south when the news first came of raids to the west.

We had already been warned for we could see smoke not more than a few miles to the west near the coastline, so that when the farm boy stumbled in upon his workhorse to tell the story of the raiders, he confirmed Ector's guess.

'They've gotten brave.' Ector commented sourly. He looked around him. 'Malaine.' He called out to one of the men who commanded one of Enniaun's lieutenants as his men manned the walls of the villa. 'Gather your men and go and keep them under observation. Cei,' He turned to his son. 'Get on your horse, I need to you to find the Lord Uther and inform him of the raiders.'

There were mixed emotions brewing in that courtyard. Some people looked worried and fearful, but that was for the people they knew from the village in the direction of the smoke. Ector was one of those people. Owain another, though Owain's face was also filled with confusion. 'Why would they do this?' He spoke his thoughts aloud. 'Can they be so stupid?'

'They're Hibernian?' I shrugged as if that explained everything. I felt bitter beneath my nonchalance though. The Hibernian were the people who had killed the father I had never known.

'But they must know my father will make raids in reprisal?' Owain insisted.

In all the faces of concern and confusion, Mordred looked excited and eager. 'Come on.' He grinned at Owain and me as we watched the Malaine and his score of men saddling their horses.

'Come on what?' Owain looked at him blankly, surprised that his elder brother was even talking to him, let alone with a grin on his face as if they were friends.

'Let's go with them.' Mordred said, hefting the saddle onto his own horse and shouting for a groom to help him.

'No.' Owain shook his head. 'Ector would want us to stay here.' He looked around for the old steward but Ector was nowhere to be seen. Owain looked for me to support but I was feeling my own excitement rising and I grabbed for my own saddle. 'Come on Owain.' I grinned at him. 'When will your father ever take you to war? This is your chance to learn.' I think the last bit persuaded him more, for Owain was every keen to learn and Owain reluctantly began saddling his own horse.

We sneaked out of the gate hidden in the middle of the troop of horsemen, so that it was not until we were half a mile out of the gates and Malaine was organising his own scouts and flank protection that he realised we were there.

'You need to go back.' He told us angrily. It was not just anger. Malaine was afraid of what might happen to him if Enniaun discovered he was with him. He shuddered to imagine what would happen to him if anything happened to us.

'Malaine,' Mordred told him with all his authority. 'My father is already at the age the average man dies. Do you want to still be in this household when he does die?'

Malaine looked at him with angry but impotent frustration. Suddenly he turned his horse back down the road. 'Come on then.' He said dejectedly and we rode on.

I felt a thrill of excitement and apprehension as we rode, not even caring that I was on a horse. I knew that we were not going for a fight but I imagined the Hibernian ambushing us, and how I would cleave through them. Suddenly I was aware of how badly I rode a horse though, and was positive that I was going to make myself an idiot. Thankfully, as we reached a small ridge by the southern edge of the village, we dismounted and I felt a rush of relief to be back on my own two feet.

The men waited with the horses while Malaine edged up onto his belly to peek over the top, Mordred followed him, I followed Mordred and Owain followed me. Malaine turned and looked at us, his eyes flashing.