Fateful Voyage; A Tale of Albion - VI

VI


The warrior had been impressed with the Highlander's strength of will, how he clung to life. But the reason that he had dragged Caddan into the woods on a makeshift bier to the Old Woman's hut was this: Caddan tried to shield Sheymus' body from the blows of the gauntlet. The warrior once had a friend who looked like Sheymus. His Gods had spoke to him and told him: let their will be done. And he had done so, having proper fear for the Gods.

A silent shadow watched from the trees as the warrior left Caddan, laying upon the crude bier of branches, at the front door of the small isolated hut. As the door opened, the warrior fled running. The shadow, barely visible, reached out and stroked the fur of the wolf who stood quietly at her side.

Caddan faded in and out; he had no concept of the passage of time. He sensed he was in a small enclosed space, ill-lit by a small fire. He felt a presence near him often. Once he awoke long enough to see an old woman standing over him, her hands glowing blue with a purifying, healing force. He looked up at her face, and saw she was terribly disfigured. Leprosy. She turned away from him when she saw his gaze upon her, and slowly walked away.

Caddan slept. He dreamed, and he remembered.

He was at Hurbury again, in the courtyard, dead Celts around him and his comrades. His chest was heaving, he felt truly alive; he had faced death and won. For some reason it felt strange to be able to walk, to talk, to see his friends; this was disquieting in the back of his mind.

Then the Golden Lions entered the gates; their commander was upon a magnificent warhorse, dressed richly in cloth of gold finery. As he watched himself turn to the man on horseback, Caddan wanted to cry out a warning to all the Griffons in the courtyard, but he could not; all his comrades were talking excitedly of the battle. All of them would be dead a few moons later. He could only watch what happened. It was set in stone now.

Lord Braxton looked down upon him from his high horse, once again. A sneer was on his face. The Golden Lions were an elitist lot. Caddan saw himself grin and say, "Better late than never, Milord!" Red Donald hooted with laughter nearby, and the Griffons took up the mirth. Braxton scowled at him.

Caddan realized then: it was me. What I said doomed my friends, my Guild. I am responsible.

He drifted out of consciousness, feverish, uncaring. He cared not if he lived or died.

The Old Woman brought him back with her healing magics. She who was shunned as one touched by the Gods and Goddesses, an outcast, brought him back.

He dreamt of the Griffons. Sheymus, Red Donald, Carfryd, Sir Ward, all of the others. They stood silently, their death wounds showing plainly.

He dreamt of Lord Braxton. All he saw was his hateful face.

He dreamt of Trema. He heard her say things to him, conversations he had forgotten, things of no consequence. But they gave him something to hold onto, to remember. He started to heal.

He awoke with the Old Woman wiping his face with a damp rag. He lay upon a crude bed, naked, two blankets over him. He looked up into her disfigured face, and suddenly reached up to touch her cheek lightly, caressing it. She lowered her eyes; he thought to see tears welling there before she turned away.

As he grew stronger, mended by the strange magics of her, he walked around the hut. He could walk a little more each time he tried. He was soon walking in the woods nearby, and then was building his strength by chopping firewood with a crude hatchet. He made large piles of kindling for the Old Woman, who kept to herself in the hut, away from him.

He was chopping wood one day when Wolf appeared out of the trees. He looked up, startled, and saw Livia appear at the wood's edge. He smiled at her, then kept on chopping.

She walked up to him; Wolf nuzzled his leg.

She looked into his eyes; what she saw made her blink, and then she placed her arms around him as the tears leaked out of his eyes.

"It was my doing. All are gone, save me."

"Caddan, we must go. You have your lady to return to."

"I am the reason for this."

"What is her name?"

"Trema." He stood quietly; she stared at him.

"I am taking you back," she said, turning back to the woods, and then returning with a bundle. "Clothing,
a hauberk, a sword." She pressed the bundle into his hands. He looked down at them. The clothes came from a Griffon.

He stood, staring at the clothes, for a long time. Then he quietly put them on, along with the mail hauberk. He fitted the bastard sword's sheath over his shoulder.

He carried the last load of firewood to the hut, placing it against the wall. Then he went through the door. The Old Woman was nowhere to be seen.

They left, walking through the forest.

~~~

Guilford arose late that morning, head pounding from the sour ale he'd drank to much of. He gathered his gear and walked slowly out of Fort Deliverance, down towards the beach.

He didn't like the new troops that were at the Fort; Golden Lions. He snorted. They were arrogant, liked to order you around. He had no use for men like that. Give him a good Captain though, and a ship to sail, and he would gladly sail the seas; the life of a sailor was better than that of a peasant, by far.

Hugh joined him at the boat, muttering a good morning. They rowed out to the skiff, and started to inspect the rigging. they had some minor repairs to do today. Hugh said, "Too bad there was no room for berth upon the 'Phantom' ." Guildford nodded and replied, "Back to Gothwaite for them, lucky sea-dogs." Guildford wondered where the guard was-

Suddenly, the hatch leading to belowdeck crashed open. Guildford saw a remarkable sight; a gaunt Highlander, eyes burning, clutching a long sword appeared; followed by a woman scout with an arrow nocked in her bow, and a wolf! Hugh gave a cry.

"You will sail for Avalon Isle. Now." The Highlander's tone left no room for questioning. Hugh started to say something, but Guilford placed a hand upon his arm in warning.

"I'll set the sail," he said. "Hugh, haul anchor."

It was hours before anyone noticed that the skiff was gone. There was much shouting in the fort, and the two remaining skiffs sailed off in pursuit, with Golden Lions aboard.