“I welcome you in peace,” She said looking up at the men and smiling a warm greeting, “Would you like some refreshment for your journey?” Five men appeared from the houses behind her carrying swords and axes.
“Are your men as friendly as you?” Caradoc asked watching the men behind her standing like guards. “We are unarmed and are travelling south back to our homes at Isca after trading with the garrison at Deva.” He was surprised at how easily he lied. Maybe he had convinced himself he was actually a trader who wanted to live side by side with the Romans in a different reality.
“Trading you say?” Asked one of the men walking forward but drawing level with the mother, he was as tall as Brennus but a little more well-fed as his stomach testified and not as muscular as the broad Silurian.
“Trading yes, we have livestock they are interested in buying, what is it to you?” Caradoc asked.
“We don’t want any trouble here.” he replied. “If that’s all you’re interested in, you are welcome, please tether your horses here and take a drink with us.” He indicated to the wicker fence and turned walking away, followed by the others. The three Britons dismounted and tied their horses up.
Elus had suddenly become shy and was standing peering from behind his mother. “I am Deorwynn, Elus’ mother, welcome to our home.”
Her brown hair was long and ran to the middle of her back where it was tied into a tail; here there was also a carved bone pin. Caradoc saw she wore Roman style leather shoes on her feet.
“Thank you,” said Caradoc, “we can spare a little time for your hospitality. Your son tells us you have food provided by the Romans?”
She half turned blushing slightly and frowning at her child, “Well we did have quite a lot but most of it has already been eaten, you are welcome to try what we have left if you like?” She said. “Wait here and I’ll get some.” She turned and went into a roundhouse and returned a few seconds later carrying a tray with different coloured items on it.
“What are those things?” Ardwen asked pointing to a pile of red balls.
She smiled, “Try them they are tasty,” she put the tray down on a table, “these red ones are called cherries.” She picked one up and handed it to Ardwen, he frowned as he took it between two fingers.
“It feels strange,” he looked at Caradoc and Brennus, “like I would imagine an eye to feel if it were outside the head.” He grinned and quickly threw the cherry into his mouth, his eyes widened as he bit down onto it.
“Mm,” he managed pulling a strange face, “it’s full of some sort of tasty juice like a large berry,” he grimaced smiling, “quite nice though, try one.”
Deorwynn laughed as the three men tried her fruit and Elus lost his shyness as he saw them relax.
“Elus bring four chairs out.” She said.
“You have chairs as well?” Brennus asked.
“Of course,” she replied smiling once more, “what do you think we are barbarians?” She laughed, the men frowned.
Brennus raised an eyebrow, his features turning dark but before he could respond Deorwynn said, “They are very useful both inside and out but better out here when I have more supplies. With them I don’t have to stand all day and set the food up on the table by the track with chairs for anyone who wants to rest and have some refreshment. The soldiers from the fort stop by as well sometimes when they are out on patrol.” She pointed up at the fortified wooden structure looming over them from the high crag.
“And what do they give you in return?” Ardwen asked.
“These,” she said her hand going into a small purse attached to her belted dress. “They’re tiny but we can use them to buy other things at Deva when we travel there, which isn’t often but when we do go, I can buy goods.” She turned, “Like my hair pin, look, it has a snakes head at one end and a tail at the other.” She smiled proudly.
The men leaned forward looking at the pin. “Why would you want a snake pin of all things?” Brennus asked.
“The Romans don’t look upon them as evil as we do, to them they are a sign of life and of medicine, don’t ask me why but they are.” She picked up an amphora and filled three wooden cups. “Here try some wine.”
“We don’t have Roman coins to pay for it.” Caradoc said.
“Don’t worry, you can have it for nothing this time but when you come back to trade, you can buy some goods from me and pay me then.” She said smiling once more.
The men drank the wine in one.
“Have you been to the fort?” Caradoc asked looking up at the crag.
“Of course many times,” she began, “before the Romans came it was an old hill fort, our ancestors lived there, I was brought up on its slope.” She pointed. “It’s around the other side you can’t see it properly from here. The Romans identified it as a good location for their own fort so they threw us off, it’s one of the reasons they give us food now to try and make up for it.”
“Does it make up for it?” Brennus asked his gaze suddenly serious.
“Well at first…..” Deorwynn began to say before she was interrupted.
“No it doesn’t” The man said who had first approached them when they had arrived. He had apparently been eavesdropping from the cover of the nearest roundhouse. “Our ancestors lived there as Deorwynn said for many generations but they came and forced us to live down here.”
“Oh be quiet,” Deorwynn said, her face reddening once more, “you know it’s not too bad here and we’re out of that dreadful wind in the winter.” She turned to the big man. “How many times have we talked about this? We can’t do anything about it and things are so much better now in so many ways, we have better food and have access to their doctors and medicine and fine wine, we never had those things before.”
“I’m just saying that’s all.” The man said and turned once more lifting the door skin he went back inside.
“It seems not everyone around here is happy now the Romans have come.” Ardwen said.
“The men are unhappy when they remember the old ways but they are still free to hunt and roam the lowlands as they were before.” She said. “They’re not happy unless they’re grumbling about something. I think they feel unmanned by their presence but it’s senseless complaining,” she looked up to the fort, “they are here and there’s nothing we can do about it, we just have to get on with our lives as best we can.” She looked at the three men, “Will you take another drink?” She asked.
“Thank you but no,” Caradoc said, “we have to be going, we’ve a long way to travel.” He smiled at Deorwynn. “Thank you for your hospitality, do you think your man could show us the best route south?”
She laughed, “Oh he’s not my man, that daft oath, Elus’ father died three years ago, he’s my brother.” She went inside and then came out with him following her looking rather sheepish. “Show these men the best way south Elud, it will give you something to do and stop you moaning.” He didn’t look happy but nodded and went to get his horse.
Two days later as the daylight was fading, Caradoc looked upon the fort once more, but this time he had three hundred warriors with him. They were still some distance away but the prominent crag stood out clearly across the lowland, to the left was a long tree lined ridge rising about two hundred feet, it would provide ample cover for their approach. Elud had agreed to once more help show them the best route to take only on this occasion it was in order to attack the Roman fort at Bees Stone. He had virtually volunteered his services a few days before when it became clear he hated the occupiers as much as Caradoc and his men, telling them that he would do anything to help clear them from their land. There was no doubting his venom as he spoke of their ways and how they had taken over parts of their land and limited their lives. When the warriors had confided their intentions to him, he had said that he and his friends would want to take part in the attack even if it meant moving afterward and leaving his sister behind. He had been told not to say anything of their intent because if word reached the Romans, they would be slaughtered to a man. Elud had reluctantly agreed but had begged to go with them after the assault on what had been his home. Caradoc had agreed saying that he could always use brave men to fight the oppressors.