Read Online Carlotta and the Krius Scepter (Carlotta Series Book 1) by John Booth - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: John Booth
Ads: Link
front of our party before we mounted the dais.
“Announce your names and state your intentions,” he said. He carried a staff of elder, which he thumped on the floor.
Torin looked at me and I nodded.
“Our greeting to Queen Boudicca of the Iceni. We have come in response to the plea you sent.”
The Queen rose from her throne and I saw anger in her face. “We called on you by act of treaty in defense against our mutual enemies. I sent no plea.”
“We have no quarrel with Rome . Your people surrendered to them twenty years ago and now you find they can be harsh masters. It is a lesson that should be well learned.”
The Queen’s soldiers pointed their spears at us. Some of the spears trembled. This did not surprise me as our reputation tends to spread before us.
The Queen seemed to regain some of her composure. “Our treaty has been in place for more than two hundred years. Would you throw it in our faces the first time we call upon you?”
I decided to take a direct hand in the matter. I motioned to Torin who stepped aside to make way for me.
“We have a treaty. It called on both parties not to abuse the other, to acknowledge our mutual traditions and right to life. On our part, the treaty protected those of our young who might be born among you; on your part, we promised not to take from your people, especially their lives.”
“Who are you, child, to speak for your people on this matter.”
I decided not to take umbrage at her ignorance. We are few in number and not all humans understood our ways.
“I was born when your people still lived in caves and spoke in grunts. I saw the fall of Atlantis and witnessed the great flood that destroyed the world. I sat at Gilgamesh’s right hand side when man reinvented the city. I was worshipped in the East of the world as a god. I am known to the western tribes of these islands as Arianrhod, but you know me best as Caer Lotha.”
Nevin ruined my whole speech by adding, “She’s known almost everywhere as Ballbreaker because her favorite trick is taking a man by the …”
“Enough!” If the Queen hadn’t stopped him, I would have had too. A girl teaches a few men a good lesson with a judicious twist and before you know it you have a reputation.
“And what do your people propose to do to help the Iceni in their hour of need?”
I grinned.
“They sent me. I will fight in three of your battles against the Romans and because of that, you will win those battles. You get to choose which three.”
“One girl. They send the Iceni one girl?”
The Queen seemed to be having trouble with the message. I drew the sword at my side and all the Queen’s guards took one step back.
“I thought your kind could not tolerate silver?” the old man with the staff asked.
“Not silver,” I explained. “An alloy of iron that keeps its sharpness and can cut a bronze sword in two, slicing through it like butter. It does not decay with time. I brought this from the fall of Atlantis and I have fought in many battles since and never lost.”
Everybody looked suitably impressed. I nudged Torin and Nevin and they started walking away between the cheering throng. I would have come alone, except looking like a young girl does not add gravitas and I usually have to kill a few people before I get the attention of their leaders.
A Roman legion marching to war is an impressive sight. It’s the uniformity of look and their coordination that does it. They look and fight like a machine. Today they would die like one. There were over two thousand of them, arranged in lines to engage with the Iceni at the bottom of a valley. The legion commander must have been beside himself with glee at how stupid Boudicca was to choose to defend the low ground. He was about to find out differently when I attacked from the rear.
The Queen had chosen to use me in the early battles to buoy up her troops with the energy and pride that comes from success. I would give her the victories she
“Announce your names and state your intentions,” he said. He carried a staff of elder, which he thumped on the floor.
Torin looked at me and I nodded.
“Our greeting to Queen Boudicca of the Iceni. We have come in response to the plea you sent.”
The Queen rose from her throne and I saw anger in her face. “We called on you by act of treaty in defense against our mutual enemies. I sent no plea.”
“We have no quarrel with Rome . Your people surrendered to them twenty years ago and now you find they can be harsh masters. It is a lesson that should be well learned.”
The Queen’s soldiers pointed their spears at us. Some of the spears trembled. This did not surprise me as our reputation tends to spread before us.
The Queen seemed to regain some of her composure. “Our treaty has been in place for more than two hundred years. Would you throw it in our faces the first time we call upon you?”
I decided to take a direct hand in the matter. I motioned to Torin who stepped aside to make way for me.
“We have a treaty. It called on both parties not to abuse the other, to acknowledge our mutual traditions and right to life. On our part, the treaty protected those of our young who might be born among you; on your part, we promised not to take from your people, especially their lives.”
“Who are you, child, to speak for your people on this matter.”
I decided not to take umbrage at her ignorance. We are few in number and not all humans understood our ways.
“I was born when your people still lived in caves and spoke in grunts. I saw the fall of Atlantis and witnessed the great flood that destroyed the world. I sat at Gilgamesh’s right hand side when man reinvented the city. I was worshipped in the East of the world as a god. I am known to the western tribes of these islands as Arianrhod, but you know me best as Caer Lotha.”
Nevin ruined my whole speech by adding, “She’s known almost everywhere as Ballbreaker because her favorite trick is taking a man by the …”
“Enough!” If the Queen hadn’t stopped him, I would have had too. A girl teaches a few men a good lesson with a judicious twist and before you know it you have a reputation.
“And what do your people propose to do to help the Iceni in their hour of need?”
I grinned.
“They sent me. I will fight in three of your battles against the Romans and because of that, you will win those battles. You get to choose which three.”
“One girl. They send the Iceni one girl?”
The Queen seemed to be having trouble with the message. I drew the sword at my side and all the Queen’s guards took one step back.
“I thought your kind could not tolerate silver?” the old man with the staff asked.
“Not silver,” I explained. “An alloy of iron that keeps its sharpness and can cut a bronze sword in two, slicing through it like butter. It does not decay with time. I brought this from the fall of Atlantis and I have fought in many battles since and never lost.”
Everybody looked suitably impressed. I nudged Torin and Nevin and they started walking away between the cheering throng. I would have come alone, except looking like a young girl does not add gravitas and I usually have to kill a few people before I get the attention of their leaders.
A Roman legion marching to war is an impressive sight. It’s the uniformity of look and their coordination that does it. They look and fight like a machine. Today they would die like one. There were over two thousand of them, arranged in lines to engage with the Iceni at the bottom of a valley. The legion commander must have been beside himself with glee at how stupid Boudicca was to choose to defend the low ground. He was about to find out differently when I attacked from the rear.
The Queen had chosen to use me in the early battles to buoy up her troops with the energy and pride that comes from success. I would give her the victories she
Similar Books
