Terra Centuria (Res for Raven)

Silver opened her eyes just in time to see the ghostly face and she could feel the change in the atmosphere. Then the face was gone and Silver heard the trees beginning to whisper and sing to each other. To those that didn't know this land and her secrets, such a sound would be strange, perhaps a little frightening. Silver found no such disturbance in the whisperings. She knew only that the Great Mother was summoning her and so she obediently rose and left her tent, staring off into the distance as though in a trance.

Others in the camp also heard and listened to the strange noise in the trees. They too left their tents, including some of the Elders and they soon spotted Silver in her trance as she gently swayed from her tent towards a dense patch of the forest. Some of the Elders began to follow her, along with some others. They weren't sure quite what was going on, only that their lead warrior was walking into the forest without a stitch on her skin, without even the hide, and her eyes glazed over as though she was sleepwalking. The Elders knew otherwise though. They knew a summons when they saw one and they were eager to learn what secrets Gaia was about to betel Silver.

~She wasn't quite sure what was happening around her, but Silver became acutely aware that she was covered in soft lamb's wool of the purest white and the ground beneath her bare feet felt as though she was walking on moss. All around her, the trees were whispering among themselves and Silver could hear her name being called between the whispers. She began to look up and around her as she walked into a circle of tall stones, druid stones in the forest. She moved to the centre of the circle and dropped smoothly to her knees as Gaia appeared before her and looked down at her.

"You have summoned me, Great Mother." Silver said with great reverence.
"I did." Gaia spoke back smoothly. Her voice was like smooth ice, but was silken too. "You are not taking the path I have set for you, Silver, why?"
"Great Mother?" Silver asked, looking up briefly to the woman stood before her, "I do not understand? Have I not done everything you have asked?"
"You have done that and more." Gaia told her, her soft amethyst eyes showing nothing but love and pride for Silver, almost like a blood mother would look upon her beloved child. "But that is not of what I speak, Silver." She continued in her smooth tone. "The path I speak is that which I have chosen for you with the Roman Centurion."
Silver screwed up her nose some and turned her face away, "Tryton." She said with disdain.
"Yes, Tryton." Gaia said, "You do not see in him what I do, clearly."
"He is self centred, self important and arrogant about his knowledge." Silver snapped.
"As are you in your ways." Gaia told her, "You are more alike than you care to admit, both of you. You are both leaders and unwilling to share the accolade of such. You both believe you know better than the other and it will be your undoing."
"But why should I have to be the one to back down?" Silver asked, "Why should I have to be the one to submit. These are my lands, Great Mother, mine and my people's. Tryton cares only for Rome and the Roman way of life and war. These lands are not Rome and nor will they ever be. Their wall will fall, Great Mother and they will retreat back to where they came from and this land will one again be whole."
"That day is not yet to come, Silver." Gaia told her, "That day lies beyond your lifetime and Tryton's. The blood you were born for lies at my coast and his steel is far stronger than yours and Rome's. Only together will you defeat the invaders. Tryton is not your superior, but his weapons are and we need them and him to win this war."
"And the path I am to walk with him?" Silver asked.
"I do not ask that you submit to his will, Silver, not until you are ready. You will know when that day has come. Your heart will tell you. For now, the path you will walk with him will be at his shoulder, your weapons drawn together. He needs you as much as you need him and tonight, it will become clear to you both."
"Great Mother?" Silver asked, looking up again.
"You must wake now Silver, for they come for your blood." And just like that, Gaia disappeared and Silver woke from her dream.~

Her eyes snapping open, Silver knew immediately that danger was coming. "Ready the defences!" She yelled to the shocked Elders watching over her in the circle of trees where she had been knelt in silence for the last three hours. "Move!" She yelled. Just then, the first wave of Vikingar attacked from behind the treeline. Weapons were drawn and Silver quickly snatched a blade from one of the attackers, jumping at him and knocking him down. "Attack!"

He had closed his eyes but a moment it seemed and then it seemed he was outside his tent, the moon shining down upon him. The encampment was empty save for him. He turned looking about him and then he saw a simmering light that seemed to form into that of a woman. She smiled at Tryton as she got closer.

"Tryton, you have found your path to your people. Long have I watched you." she said.

"Yes this is my land, my birth right. It has taken some time to realize it but that is why I am here.

The woman smiled. "But there is another path that you must follow now. One with my chosen, Silver."

Tryton snorted."That is impossible. She is impossible. She thinks she knows how to lead her people and will not listen. She keeps bringing up that she is your warrior that will lead her people to victory."

"Yes she is sturborn as you are. The two of you are much alike and need each other to save this land from the invaders." the woman said. "She is my chosen, she was born to do this, as you were to help her." the woman told him.

"Well I am her to help her but it seems she doesn't want it." he shook his head. "She thinks I am here to take command of our people and lead them." he said, "I am but here to help them learn how to fight and not be slaughtered. She can lead them all she wants."

"Then tell her that. You two must work together and perhaps one day the two of you may find each other." the woman chuckled and then said, "Now wake, gather your men, trouble comes."

Tryton sat upright on his bed and looked around. He jumped from the bed and yelled out to his second in command. "Shields, spears and swords, now. Form ranks." he grabbed his shield and spear and belted on his sword and put his helmet on. The men assembled and he marched them out of the fortress. He followed what looked to be a swirling bunch of leaves until he saw the Vikingar. "Lock Shields." he commanded and the men formed a square with archers and some men with shields to protect them in the center. As one they moved forward to the enemy. The Vikingar turned to attack them and threw them selves against the shield wall with out effect. His soldiers used their spears to kill those in front of them. The archers fired into the enemy ranks cutting down as many as they could.

Tryton saw Silver and the elders fighting and moved to them, "Open left wall." Two of the soldiers unlocked their shields and made an opening for them to enter the square.

The Viking's blade was heavy and cumbersome by comparison to her own smaller and lighter crafted blade, but Silver managed to wield the weapon with a force unseen in one so small and feminine at that point. It took many of the attacking Vikingar by surprise that she would and could do that with such a heavy mass of steel and many of them did hesitate when they saw her running at them, covered in their comrade's blood and screaming in such a hellish and terrifying manner. She was feral, unpredictable, still utterly naked, completely fearless and absolutely lethal in every way.

Leaping at another group, Silver and her cohorts rammed their way through the ranks to cause maximum damage and she swung the heavy blade with all she could muster, separating arm from shoulder, foot from leg and many other limbs and attributes that would leave a man rather much less than he should be. Nearly a quarter of the hoard had fallen when Tryton and his men arrived, but they were welcomed with open hearts, for Silver had lost over a quarter of her own people by then. She heard the call for the left wall to open for them and she didn't hesitate in running with all she could muster in her tiny legs and she ran for that hole at full pelt.

Once inside, the hole closed again and Silver came to a rolling halt, actually rolling in the dirt to Tryton's feet. "Thought you'd never make it!" She breathed as she rolled again and got to her knees. Thankfully, it seemed someone in Tryton's contingent had brought some lighter weapons and she quickly dropped the heavy Viking blade in favour of one of those lighter and more agile swords. As it happened, the blade was more of a small dagger than an actual sword, but she was just as lethal as with anything. She began to move among the contingent's feet, taking them Viking down at her level rather than at theirs and in this, she was even more deadly than before and it showed her natural skill and movement in all its glory. The way her body moved as she darted between the men's feet and the way she lunged out her arm in those quick stepping motions, it began to bring down the attacking Vikingar and they couldn't see it or predict where it would happen next. Silver's quick thinking and natural instinct had given Tryton and his men the advantage. "Move forward!" She began to call as more and more of the Vikingar began to get trampled by not only them, but their own men too, crushing them under the sheer number of feet and shield edges. "Push them back! Break their lines!" She didn't know if they would listen to her and choose to wait for Tryton's order, or if they would see the advantage she had unintentionally given them and press it home. She didn't have time to look up at the Roman Commander, she was too busy still taking out the vital tendons and movement of the attacking Vikingar.....

Tryton's soldiers knew what had to be done. They had done this a number of times before. They stepped over bodies but as a unit. First the right foot, then the left, all in unison so that they had a rythem to their movement. Tryton and others made sure that all that were moved over were dead and dispatched those that were not. The Shield wall was strong and with the steady slow movement of the formation the Vikingar were pushed back. They tried attacking the sides but found the same locked shields. The Dire Wolf had charged into the battle ripping and tearing Vikangars to pieces. This caused many to press in closer to their comrades and into the waiting spear points of the Soldiers.

Tryton gave them commands, when to move right or left to shift their position to their advantage. It was soon enough that they had enough and began to retreat, right into Silver's peoples arrows. Her people had arrived and had set up an ambush for the retreating Vikangars. Not many made it out of the forest that day, and Tryton knew that the losses would hurt the Vikangar's King. By the time the battle was over, five hundred or more of the Vikangar lay dead. The bodies were quickly stripped of armor and weapons and taken back to the encampment.

Tryton broke the formation down to smaller ones so they could move through the forest easier. Once back inside the walls of the encampment his soldiers went to work sorting through the armor and weapons finding and laying out that Silver's warriors could use more effectively. The Shields were round but they could be used to make a shield wall, just a bit different was all. A couple of the soldiers were weapon smiths and with the forge there they could melt down the metal of the useless weapons and make the spears tips that would bee kneeded. Wood from the forest would provide the shafts of the spears. The Dire wolf padded along side Tryton looking quite satisfied and licking its choops clean of blood. It had plenty to eat back in the forest and he would dine later.

Tryton removed his cloak and placed it around Silver as they returned to the encampment. He wondered if she now saw the sense in military training and discipline. Only a few of his men suffered minor wounds from spears. The Vikangars had a similar shield wall strategy, but they had the round shields and it could be defeated. At least Tryton thought so. Those that had attacked thought they had found an easy prey with Silver and those with her. They found out it was not so.

Silver turned her head some as she felt Tryton put his cloak around her. She nodded some in thanks, but that was it. Cheers went up all around them and both were congratulated in equal measure. Silver accepted hers with her usual quite grace and thanks. Eventually, she turned to Tryton and handed his cloak back to him with another nod of thanks. "Thank you for what you did." She said honestly and began to walk away.....‏

Tryton nodded at her thanks. "Hopefully I can train your people to do that. They will be an unstoppable force then. You will have an army to command that will rival that of Romes." he told her. He didn't think the Vikangar would make another attack none to soon.‏

Silver stopped and half turned back to him, "I don't doubt it." She said honestly, feeling he'd just ignored pretty much everything she had done on the battlefield, but she let it go. She had other things to think about anyway....

"If they are as fierce as you were tonight, with the dicipline and tactics I can teach them., even Rome will tremble with fear." he smiled. "You have a way with your people. The Vikangar's will be the true test of your leadership and my training." he chuckled, "Then maybe i can find me a nice little piece of land to farm and grow old on."‏

Now Silver did stop at that point and she turned more fully to regard him proper. Her previous thoughts simply vanished then and she began to nod, "They are more fierce than I could ever be." She told him honestly, "For they have their cause to fight for. I am but their tool." She smiled anyway and looked to her tent, "I have some fine mead inside, brewed this very night a year ago. I fear the Elders would not give it the justice it requires." Had she just invited him to drink with her? It would appear so.....

Tryton raised a brow and nodded. A good drink would do good about then. His Dire Wolf padded behind them and when they reched the tent it laid down outside it. It was strange though, she was completely naked and didn't even think twice about it.‏

Silver nodded with a smile and made her way to her tent. She pulled the flap back as Tryton's Dire Wolf companion made himself comfortable outside. "He doesn't have to stay out here." She said to Tryton, "I hold no issue sharing my fire with him, nor any creature." She noticed the way he looked at her and she looked down at herself briefly before she snorted with laughter, "Does it bother you?"....‏

He laughed. "Well your men may see you in a differnt light, but me and mine see a womans body that is desireable and gives thoughts that make one hard to concentrate on other things." he told her. "Remember we have been raised quite differntly."‏

Silver began to laugh too and she nodded, "Ahh yes, I remember." She said, "The Roman prudish behaviour over how much skin should be seen on their women." She shook her head and stepped under the canvass. "We are all as nature and the Great Mother intended us to be. I see no logic in hiding that away for the sake of prudence or embarrassment." She moved across the covered ground, letting her feet sink into the lush furs that caressed her toes and she began to relax....‏

"Oh it is not that, we like to see women naked, but there is times for that and others when one's mind must be on other things." he told her. He sat down and tried not to look at her naked body. He had to keep his mind on the task at hand. "Our friend on the coast will surely now be wanting vengence even moe, but he will not probably try anything untill he has been reinforced from his homeland. Also he now knows my men and I are here, though to keep face I imagine those tht escaped will say that an entire legion was set upon them."‏

Silver laughed and shook her head again, but instead of making him feel worse, she grabbed a lined pelt and threw it around her shoulders, tying it off beneath one arm so it wouldn't move or fall off her form. Adding to the clear nervousness of seeing so much skin, Tryton swiftly moved the conversation to the Nordic boy king and Silver nodded again as she unwrapped the mead flagon and held it out to him. Pouring it would ruin the flavour, it had to be taken direct from the ceramic......‏

Tryton took the jar and drank from it. It was good and he enjoyed it. It was better then the watered down wine that they drank. He handed it back to her and wiped his lips wht the back of his hand. "So what is next, besides training your men. Do you have any plans on what to do about the vikangars?"‏

Silver nodded as he took the mead as it was designed to be and then licked her lips as she took it from him and hoisted it up over her forearm and drank deeply of it. It burned smoothly all the way down and it gave her a shudder of pleasure down her spine that she gladly went with. Tryton started talking again and she put the flagon down to look at him. "We send them home with their tails between their legs and their king's head on a spike leading them. At least, that was what Gaia has foreseen.".....‏

"Oh that we will, but until that day, we must make our plans on how to deal with them. Keep them bottled up, Make sure they do not make other bases further south. They will not wish to get to close to the wall and the legions. I worry about another base either further north or south that will put us fighting at two fronts. He may be a young and egar King, but I do not think he is a fool when it comes to some planning." He had a bit of surprise for the boy king further south if he tried to move there. If his men could train as many of her peole in that area, they would have their own base of operations to foil any other landings south.‏

Silver nodded and took up the mead again, "Well, we've already destroyed the nearest useful bay to them to the South and I very much doubt they would overcome the true Northern people." She shook her head, "Even I wouldn't dare tread their path and you know me Tryton, there isn't much in this world that I truly fear. Between the North, the wall and us, they're going nowhere and each contingent he sends for will meet the same end as the previous. I know it may sound a little foolish to you, but we need only keep doing what we're doing. Soon enough, they will run out of ships to send him. He's lost more than half his entire army these last months, along with his father and his main leading men. I threw three of their heads down the mountain myself. But I will not underestimate him either. He's had me in chains once already thanks to my own arrogance. His men are easy to deal with. He requires a little more thought.".....‏

What was not certain was how many more men there were back in the King's country or if he had allies. That part of the world Rome had not reached. No one knew what lay there, or how vast the land was. All Tryton knew for sure was they were fierce, had a military mind, and had the weapons, ships and manpower to conqure. If they had an older and more knowledgeable of war, things would have been vastly different. "Yes he has lost perhaps half his force here. But like you I will not underestimate him. He is young and ambitious and that could be dangerous.‏

Silver nodded again, "Agreed." She said, "And he knows of Roman tactics, for he uses almost the same as the legions do. Training, I feel, will only take my people so far. They need to retain some of that feral warfare nature. This king, as smart as he believes himself to be, has yet to predict this nature in our people. It is something we could perhaps use against him.".....‏

"Yes they will indeed retain their feral natures and put it into their attacks when they march forward in the formations I will teach them. Their desire to kill their enemies and march over their bodies will make them unstopable. This is the reason I can never return south now." he told her. Once he had trained them, they would be something that the Romans had never faced before, unless it was another legion.

He would make a legion or more out of her people, and he would teach her how to manuver them about the field of battle. Rome would have a force that they might not be able to defeat and the only thing that would protect them was the great wall itself. Then depending on the Senete, the Emperor at the time or in the future, the fate of the south of England would be determined. Should they desire to withdraw from such far away lands as England, then their people could reclaim the lands south of the wall, or have the people there join with them and unify the island.

Unstoppable. Now there was a thought. A force such as that could surely overrun the wall and leave the legions behind it to waste and ruin. Tryton could very well be Rome's undoing after all. However, Silver didn't forget what Gaia had already told her. The fall of the Roman empire in England would not be in her lifetime. Still, what Tryton was offering could very well set the groundwork for it to happen later down the generations.

Slowly, she nodded as she handed the flagon back to him, "Indeed, you will never be able to go south of the wall again." She said in agreement, "They would take one look at you now and know you'd gone native. I believe they still think that to be treason." She shook her head, "Rome and its rules and laws. No wonder her men spend so much time away from home and enjoying other lands and women. Far too many rules and laws for them.".....

Tryton took another drink and laughed. "Well Laws and such are what makes a civilization civilized. The going forth to new lands, exploring, and seeing and experiencing new cultures is inticing and many do go because if it. But others are career soldiers. That is all they know and that is all they want. They wish to be a part of something great and each and every soldier is their family and friend. They do so much together that every cohort is like one giant family. Those south of the wall, many have taken wives from this land and others and have brought them here. They have real families but they do not forget their military one."

He had his men, some had families south of the wall that would be sent for secretly so that they could come and join them. They had a bit of time for this if they survived the Vikangars. "I thank you for the drink. But I must be to my bed so that I can rise early and begin what I have come here to do."

"Do you truly believe that?" She asked carefully, "That such laws make for a civilised society. This is perhaps another reason why you and I see life, such as it is, so differently. Your laws here were not meant to bring civilisation or order, they were meant to restrict and command us, to make us slaves to Rome's thinking and ways and it has backfired from the very day they landed upon these shores." She corked the mead again and put it back carefully before she untied the pelt from her shoulders. "Perhaps you are unable to consider what it is to be truly free, Tryton, to live as you choose and not by the word and law of another so far away. The exploration of distant lands can never replace the love for being at one's peace in their own homelands."

When Tryton started getting up and leaving, Silver nodded and cast away the pelt, "As you wish." She said, "But I'd suggest a few swigs of water and some bread before you retire. Mead has a certain quality that can leave a man somewhat thickened of the skull by morning." In other words, it could give a man one hell of a hangover if it wasn't dealt with before he fell asleep. "I will look forward to seeing what becomes of our warriors come dawn.".....

He smiled. He never said that all the laws were good, but there had to be laws or chaos would rule. The laws of Rome were many and set forth by the Senate, by those that had never been to the lands that Rome had conqurered They only reaped the benefits of such conquests. If and when the people of the north decided to become one people instead of various tribes and villages, then laws would have to be made to maintain order and for people to get along with each other.

Silver was still emersed in the rule of the Pack as well as rudimentry laws to keep her people fighting together. He chuckled when she told him about the mead. "My grandfather already warned me of the effects of mead." he told her, as my men have been warned by others. They will know full well what to expect and what to do before they sleep tonight." He gave her a nod of his head before he left and the dire wolf rose and walked with him.

"Well boy I think it is time for you to go have your meal tonight." he scrached the big beast behind the ears and he was off loaping over the walls and out to where the battle had been. That would also put fear into the eneemy. Seeing their men knawed upon and devoured. Tryton then made for his tent and when he arrived drank plenty of water to help dilute the mead in his stomach and had some bread.

In the morning his men had two hundred of Silver's men in like armor and shields. Uniformity was part of the discipline that they had to learn. The training of the two hundred began. When they were trained they would train other groups and so on. Then they would practice and make perfect.

The first two hundred were shown how to lock shields with a second rank behind them to lock their shields between the others of the first rank. This helped protect the mens heads and upper body since they had round shields. "The shield wall is only as strong as your weakest man." One of Tryton's men called out. He picked a very large man and told him to run and hit the shield wall. He did and he plowed right through it."

"You must stand shoulder to shoulder. The man next to you is relying on you to hold firm. Plant your feet thus." he showed them, "shield held thus. Put your weight forward some and brace yourselves." He then told the man to do it again and this time he bounced off the shields. "Good! the soldier said and smiled. His soldiers drilled them for hours and then let them rest some and then drilled them some more. Making exact same movements when commands were given, locking shields, Moving forward as one. By the end of the day they were tired, yet they were working as a unit.

Silver's laughter echoed behind Tryton as he left, but it wasn't of a condescending tone or sarcasm, it was genuine humour and it flowed around him and into him like silk. Gaia was stepping in somewhere, she had to be. For the first time, Silver had accepted him and treated him as an equal, respected him as a warrior, not just a roman. And she had shared mead with him, spoken to him as a friend and laughed with him, at him and at herself. Silver went to her fur covered bed with a smile and a light heart that night and she slept in peace and silence.. well, save for one of her siblings snoring away somewhere on the other side of the canvass.

Dawn brought with it many a sore head, for it seemed some of his men had not taken the advice, more of her own men too, but it didn't matter. By the time the sun had broken fully over the horizon, they were beginning their drills and learning what it meant to work as one unit. Silver didn't watch from the beginning, she had something else she needed to tend to. Going down the other side of the hill, and under guard of course, she took a much needed bath in the river. Days and weeks of dirt and blood and mud had sullied her form. Some of the other women of the camp decided to join her and they made something of an event of it, helping each other rid themselves of the dirt and grime that had accumulated over their time there. For just that hour or so, Silver wasn't a warrior, or the Ban-Dia Laoch, or even a wolf. She was a woman enjoying the company of other women of her tribe and taking part in their culture and ways.

Once cleaned and worthy of someone's attention again, the women and Silver emerged from the river. All the women looked a vision like their Great Mother and all were dressed in faded white linen as a mark of respect to her, even Silver. The women made their way back to the camp, but when they reached the main area, Silver bid her goodbyes and made for the training area. In only her skin, or covered only with her father's pelt, men took very little notice of Silver as a woman. They saw only the warrior, the Ban-Dia. Dressed in the white linen, they now saw what Tryton did and they all openly watched her walk by.

With her now clean blonde and silver curls bouncing lightly around her back and hips, Silver entered the training ground to a sudden hushed silence. The drilling was going incredibly well and she could see even from a distance the benefits of it and how well they were all learning. And so she decided not to interfere. At least, that was until one of them saw her and literally dropped his shield and weapon to the ground. He then fell to his knees with a broad smile upon his features and both hands balled tight to his chest. The men to his flanks noticed her then and did the self and same thing. "Mighty Ban-Dia." One said with reverence, "Only the Great Mother herself could compare in beauty." Another from closer by came to her quickly and offered her a small white flower to put in her hair. It seemed she had disrupted the training after all, though she absolutely had not meant to.

Moving closer to Tryton, Silver offered another true smile to him and nodded her head in respect. The linen clung where it was tied to her, showing her curves and femininity and just a hint of skin underneath. "And you believed clothes would not distract a man from his duties." She said as she held out the small white flower to him. "I see the training is going well.".....

Tryton chuckled as he saw the men go to a knee and bow to Silver. She had some clothing on but it was wet, see through almost and clung to her in all the right spots. "Well clothes that are not wet to the point of clinging to a woman and almost not having any on as it shows so much." he chuckled again.

The training continued, "Their training goes well, just basic stuff right now. Once they have come together as a unit, a family, then, then the real training begins. But for now they will be able to stand shoulder to shoulder and march forward against the enemy with out breaking. Later is when they become what we talked about last night."

These two hundred would train more groups and when they had gotten as far as they did and could train others, they would be brought back together for further training. It normally took months of training to get the soldiers trained, and in physical shape. Their people were not fat, or limp of muscle. They were all lean and strong so, some of the training to get them in shape would reduce the time. "A couple weeks of training like this, and we will see how they do in combat."

Silver nodded and laughed, "Well, they weren't that wet when they were put on me." She said honestly, "I guess a hot summer will do that to a woman, though I didn't know I could sweat that much." She pulled at the dress a little here and there and it proved to be drier than Tryton thought. It had just clung to her where it had dried on her, that was all, but the adjustment didn't take away or distract from the simple beauty of it. Tryton then explained how the training was still basic, but given a few weeks, the benefits would be obvious. Silver nodded in agreement. "I looked forward to it. I assume you've tested the shield wall already, or you wouldn't be as pleased with them as you are." She grinned knowingly and then began walking away from the men so they could get back to training. "When your day is done Tryton, I recommend a bath in the river. You stink worse than a boar. Speaking of which, I believe the hunters have found one for us tonight, a good feast to signal the height of the year. You're welcome to join me at the Elder's table.".....

Tryton shook his head, with her around it was indeed hard to concentrate properly. When she mentioned him bathing, he rubbed his chin. It had been a bit since he last bathed. He had been quite busy. So he took himself off to the river with clean clothing and large towel and some soap. He would enjoy a bath on the hot afternoon of the summer. He removed his armor and then tunic and laid them upon the ground. He looked about him and drew his sword and took it with him into the river. He shoved it into the soft bed of the river and began cleaning himself, taking the wooden scraper and scraping the soap, dirt and grime from his body.

He stood there naked in the water. It was cold but not freezing like it would be in a few months. The warmth of the day also helped. He laughed as he thought about Silver being at the river bathing. He wondered how many men had been at the forest edge watching.

The day wore on and Silver enjoyed the quiet and peace of that day. Scouts from the forest's edge reported that the Vikingar were indeed shoring up defences and sending boats for reinforcements. They would not be attacking for at least a week or two, depending on the weather and fair tides. Not that Silver would relax entirely, neither would any of her warriors, but at least for the time being, they could rely on their own defences and enjoy the longest day and shortest night of the year.

The pit fire was lit in the early afternoon and the boar was stripped and skinned so it would cook evenly on the spit. A large jug of mead marinade was brushed over the meat as it cooked and the smell travelled all through the camp, enticing the appetite for the evening feast. Silver spent most of the waiting time with her pack, bonding and playing and introducing Tryton's Dire Wolf to the pack. Indeed, her wolf sister was eager to get acquainted with the new addition and with Silver's introduction, his integration into the pack would be easy for him and for all the pack. Once that was done and her pack suitably reminded of their bond, Silver left them to it and returned to her new human world.

After a quick rub down and putting the dress back on for Tryton's sake, she returned to the festivities just in time to see the pit being raked over and several smaller packs of food being thrown into the ashes of it, root vegetables mostly, some mead soaked breads and sweet meats and no less than four wild beehives had been found, smoked and cracked open for the honey. It was looking to be quite a night, though the scouts were kept on guard and the camp was patrolled by warriors and some of Tryton's men often just in case.

Across the main area, the rest of the tribe's women whom she had bathed with earlier, were happily starting up songs and dances for the men while others began entertaining what children were there. Silver watched on with a smile as she thumbed some twine between her fingers, rolling it into a thin string she could use perhaps.....

Tryton scraped his body clean and rinsed his body with cold clear water. He emerged with his skin reddened from the cold and the scraping his sword in hand. One did not leave it laying on the edge of the river out of reach. He dried himself and then dressed. Once he had his armor back on and tightened he made his way back towards the camp.

"I don't like being this close to them. Look what they have done already." came the voices of a couple Vikangar.

"Hush. Keep your voice down you fool." a second man whispered. "We are ordered to scout and that is what we do. Did you hear, he has sent for Ragnar. With his army, we will crush these fool savages and this land will be ours."

"What of the Romans. eh? Have you forgot them. They have come to fight with the savages and that bitch with the silver hair."

Ragnar will take care of them, mark my word. No one stands against him and his army."

The two moved on and Tryton let them go. It was important informaton and he needed to get it back to the encampment. He slowly made his way back, being as quiet as he could and as he got close he could smell the food cooking and it mad him hungry. Once in the camp he saw his dire wolf with another one, a female. He raised a brow and as the dire wolf saw him, it moved towards him the other following.

Once he was iinfront of Tryton it growled deeply at the feemale and she came forward her head bent low. "Well now my friend, It seems you have found some one eh. He squated down and looked at the female dire wolf. she growled at him and the male snapped at her and growled deeply. The Female then lowered her head more and moved closer. Tryton slowly reached over and scratched her behind the ear, and let her snif him. He smiled and gave his friend a hug. "Come on. Time to have some good food, though I think you two have dined already on yesterdays kills."

Tryton was spotted almost as soon as his Dire Wolf saw him and once the proper time with his companion had been dealt with, no less than half a dozen young women surrounded him and dragged him into the main area. "Would you look at this!" One of the women called in jest, "A Roman that knows how to bathe!" Cheers of laughter went up at the joke and many pointed in jest and fun, meaning no malice or harm to Tryton. The entire joke was only because this was the first time they had ever seen him clean. Across the main area, Silver also laughed as she chewed on the end of her homemade string and then knotted it tightly. More laughs and jests were thrown at Tryton as he was pulled through the area to the Elders. He had earned his place.

Among the Elders, the old Seer sat on a twisted looking log that seemed to serve perfectly as a chair for the old witch and she gave a toothless grin at him. "You will sit." She demanded, banging her staff on the ground beside her to her right, "And pleasure an old woman for the evening. Regale me with tales and stories, entertain me." The other Elders laughed and shoved Tryton to the old woman. "And you will tell me of the Ban-Dia Laoch. How fares she this special night? I saw her earlier down by the river with the other women, but I have not seen her hence." Across the space, Silver, having listened to pretty much everything the old woman had said and not that it had been hard either, the old hag had a voice like thunder, smiled softly and dipped her head down so no-one could see her smirking. She was curious as to what Tryton would say.

Tryton was surprised when the women came and drug him to the place where the banquet was being served. Yes he had gone a few days without bathing, because of all that had gone on. Now he was clean and they made merry about it. He laughed as well and looked over at Silver. He bet that she was enjoying it all.

Then he was lead over to the Elders and the old woman. He grinned when she spok and raised a brow. "What stories would entertain you?" he asked. "Surely not the exploits of such as I. They pale in comparison to those your people sing about." When asked about Silver he chuckled. I think she fares alright. She did get cleaned up some for tonight." he grinned. One would hardly recgonize her all clean and with clothes on. He looked directly at Silver with a big grin on his lips.

"And how would you know, boy?" The old witch snapped at him, "Our songs started out just like stories, you know. How else would they have come to be? Now sit!" She banged her staff on the ground again and grinned once more as he told her about Silver taking a bath. "A sight pleasurable to most, I would think." She said with some mirth, "I hear rumour of the chaos she caused dressed in the linen, made many a man simply fall at her feet as I hear it." She cackled and grunted her pleasure at this and stamped her foot. "Is it any wonder that you are in love with her!" At this, Silver's eyes snapped up at he old hag, but she made no move or said no word to stop the old witch from her statements. Not that any such interference would have that ability. Despite her age, her haggard ways and her appalling sense of taste, that old bat had more to her than met the eye, not to mention, she was a crack shot with that staff of hers. Instead, Silver opted to simply sit there with her twine string and continue to make whatever it was that it seemed to be designed for.

"Now tell me tales of the wall and those hiding behind it." The old witch continued, "Tell me your stories, from your half blood people, what traditions and legends have you learned from your native survivors."

Tryton sat down and chuckled, and then raised a brow when the old woman said he was in love with Silver. Well he did have a desire for her but he didn't think it was love. The two had been at odds with each other from the time they had first met and had but recently seemed to see eye to eye. But he thought back to the tales his father told him of Rome and other places in the Empire, and then what his grand father had told him of his people and of their beliefs. He told her of what his grandfather had told him about how his father and mother had met. Out of all the women that he had met and seen in the Empire, it was her that had caught his eye and his heart. He then told her of how both had parished that fateful night and how it had changed his life and thrust him into the world of Roman culture. A part of which he was now sharing with his people in the north.

He was not Roman, but Brittan. But he was educated, trained, and wiser in many ways that they were not. He was there to teach them the art of war and later if they would listen to him, more on farming, making roads and villages that would stand the test of time. He didn't know if his stories were entertaining, but more informative than anything else.

As for the people south of the wall, "The people south of the wall still believe in the old ways and gods. They have no use for the gods Rome has brought with them, but they have accepted what they have taught in growing things, how to plant and care for crops to give more food, how to build strutures that last, trade goods that come from afar that make life more interesting and other things that make their lives more meaningful and happier I think they could and would teach their breather in the north much if they were allowed to. As for what I have learned from them, mostly comes from my grandfather. He told me before he died all he knew about this land and Gaia." He looked up at the moon and the sky, "It seems she has been the one that has brought me here."

The old witch listened with great interest to Tryton's tales and stories and indeed, many of the Elders listened too, in particular the old stories of Rome and how his father had fallen for and taken a Briton for a wife. The old witch listened with something of a dazed and bemused look on her haggard old features. She was in heaven, hearing and learning these new stories that she herself could pass on to others. It took some time, but when Tryton had finally finished his tellings, she eased back into the twisted log and sighed in pleasure. "Long has it been since I have heard such new and exciting stories." She said as she patted him heavily on the head. "And it would seem you and your father have much in common with your hearts and minds. He took a Briton, a Druid even, for a wife and so shall you. Your grandfather will be proud as he watches over you, young warrior. As for your people south of that monstrosity, perhaps one day you can encourage them to emerge from behind it and embrace their people as well as their lands. The Romans have long branded us savages and uncivilised heathens, but as you can see, we have a long and deep culture all our own that the Great Mother herself gave us. After all, were it not for her and Great Father Sky, not a single one of us would be here, not you, not I and not the Ban-Dia Laoch. Remember that." She patted him heavily on the head once more and then began to clap as she heard a drum beat. "Dancing!" She called, "Where are the girls to dance for me?!"

Across the space, Silver had heard and listened to everything also with great interest and she had to admit, Tryton did give a good tale, especially when pushed like the old witch had done. She smiled as she twisted her vines and it finally began taking shape. By the time Tryton had finished his stories, she had created a little straw doll that she then left on the rock for one of the other girls to find or for a child to find, Silver didn't mind which. And then the Seer called for the dancing girls and being dressed in their linen for the celebration, Silver knew she was one of them.

Taking her place around the fire, Silver let the music take her and began dancing around the fire with the other linen girls, trying to keep up with them as they were much more experienced and dedicated to their learning than she was. She faltered a number of times, but there was no shame in her mistakes and she simply laughed them off with the others and carried on. Still in her 'chair', the old witch watched not only Silver, but Tryton too, wondering what he saw before him....

Tryton sat there and was patted on the head by the old woman. He looked at the old woman with a raised brow. Then she called for the women to dance and Silver was among them. He leaned back against the log and watched. Yes they had their own culture, but yet they could have much more if they would accept it. Especially with out the forced rule of Rome. Build their own Kingdom and have their own ruler. That was what he was hoping for. He wanted his people to become united. Not just in war like they were now, but as a people for all time.‏

He watched Silver dance and noted she was not as experienced as the other women. This made hm smile. But even so he was captavated by her dance and watched with intrest. In the fire light, one could see through the linen dresses the outline of every curve and line of the body. He wondered if the dance was done because the old woman wanted him to see Silver as a woman and not a warrior, or more perhaps. He chuckled and watched.‏

The Seer grinned at Tryton's chuckle and leaned forward to whisper somewhat to him so as not to interfere with the dancing, "Do you laugh in jest at our illustrious Ban-Dia Laoch, or do you laugh in something else, blood of Hector?"....‏

At what I think you have arranged for me to see. That she is not just the Bar-Dia Laoch but a woman as well." he told her. "I have already seen this, but I think this will help her to see that she is a woman as well. That is why I chuckle." The old woman probably already knew that Gaia had set them on a path together, that even before they had been born that she had already paved the way for it.‏

The old Seer lifted a bushy eyebrow and turned Tryton's face to her with her staff, "You think I did this?" She asked, then chuckled at him and shook her head, "This has been arranged since long before you or I ever came to be, young man. Only the Great Mother would create you and she together, but I thank you for the compliment. Long have I foreseen the blending of the bloodlines and had your mothers lived long enough, I am sure they would have brought you together at the appropriate time, your father permitting obviously for honour's sake, I'm sure."‏

"Well she still needs to see that." he told her. "She has her mind set on battle and not herself right now. Only when she is ready will she give of herself and I am not one to force the issue. We have already spoken of such things and she has made it plain of her desires." Indeed she had made that quite clear to him, not more then a day before.‏

The Seer nodded her head in understanding, "She is what she was made to be and that is unfortunate for you." She said almost with sadness. "Like so many of your generation, she should have been born in peace and love. Then you would face an entirely different creature, I'm sure. I do believe that your grandfather met the Ban-Dia's mother once, long ago when she was but a girl at the time. From what I understand, she left quite an impression on him.".....‏

He smiled at what the old woman said. Oh how he missed his grandfather and his wise advice. How he would have loved to have been there that night. He would had enjoyed the old ways and perhaps it would have been more of a fitting way for him to have passed. "But if not for the past that has been, I would not be here." His father had come to England because it was where his legion had been sent.

He had been quite differnt not to long ago. He had been more Roman then he had of the land he sat upon now. He had changed his way of looking at things and who he was, as had the men he lead. But he figured it would take alot more for Silver to change her ways.‏

The old witch nodded in understanding again, "Aye, such are the ways of war." She told him, "But I feel a turn in the winds. This war will not last much longer. The lines have been drawn and both sides have taken their stance. The only thing to be left undecided is whom will remain standing at the end of it. Silver will realise how much she needs you very soon and you will realise how much you need her and her feral wolf-like ways. She is truly terrifying in those ways, but the Great Mother must have seen reason enough for her to be that way.".....‏

Gaia was still strange to him, but he had seen what she could do and had heard her. Evidently she did not talk to just anyone like she had him. Bit the old woman was right, only time would tell on who would be standing and who would be defeated. "I only hope that we will be ready for what is comming." he told her. "There is another army that will be arriving to bolster the young Vikangar King's forces. A leader even these Vikangars fear."‏

At this, the other Elders suddenly had his full and undivided attention. "Another army?" One asked, "You must tell us of this immediately and their leader. I shall remove The Ban-Dia from the dance."
"You will do no such thing." The old witch snapped, "Leave the girl alone for an evening. She can be told when the celebrations are done with for the night. Tryton will tell her himself and gather her thoughts on the matter. For now though, I would like for you to go with the Elders and tell them all you know." The Elders nodded eagerly.....‏

Tryton got up and left with the elders. They did not go far but it was awy from the celebration as not to ruin it for anyone. "On my way back from the river, I heard two of the Vikangar that was scouting, talking. They talked of a great leader called Ragnar and of his army. Their voces when they talked of him was full of fear and admiration. He may be another King among their people and if he commands an army like the young king here does then there will a true test of our people in battle."

He looked back at the fire and Silver. "We know ships have been sent back the way they have come. We have the time it takes for them to return to their homeland, gather such an army and then return here." he told them. "I must accelerate the traing of our warriors. Perhaps even with the right equipment we can build now, attack and destroy the Vikangar here already and prepare for the new army that comes."‏

The Elders all nodded in agreement, "With fair winds an even tides, the ships could return in as little as a few months." One of them said, "When the first King sent for his second armies, it took around that time for them to arrive from the first message being sent. They would arrive by late autumn, perhaps even early winter. That could be disasterous for all.".....‏

"Then I must train our warriors and have certain equipment built." he told them. "I have a couple already with me and just needs to be assembled. These can be the models for the others that must be built." he told them. "Let us return to the celebration and not let this spoil the evening for you or anyone else. Tommorow we can begin our preperations." He smiled at them.‏

The Elders all nodded in agreement, "You shall have all you need." They all told him in one form or fashion. "When and how will you inform the Ban-Dia of what you know?"
"Very carefully." One said as he left the tent....‏

Yes carefully, indeed.. But they had time to prepare, which was good. More time for the warriors to become effective units. He had a feeling that with the news Silver would want to destroy what was left of the Young Kings Army and be done with him so they could be ready for the arrival of the new one.

One thing on his side was the fact that the Vikangar did not have catapults. They probably didn't even know what they were. He had two that were not assembled, but that would only take a day and then a few more days to cut and build more. With their range, they would be out of bow shot and could rain down bolders, flaming pitch balls and the like upon the encampment and then with a proper ram smash their gates and walls, then use their formations to smash them.

He returned to his seat by the old woman and continued to watch the dancing and Silvier.‏

The short disappearance had gone unnoticed in the grander scheme of things, but there were eyes that had seen the men leaving and it was obvious really, those eyes belonged to Silver. She hadn't let it distract her too much from her dancing though so it didn't ruin things too much for the other women. After that short time, she watched Tryton return and sit where he had done before, to the old witch's right on the ground by her staff. She wondered briefly why he'd returned to there and not to a seat of his own, but it passed quickly and she tried to concentrate on not completely destroying the dance she was supposed to moving to.

At some point, the music began to slow and some of the women began moving in an entirely different way. The few resident children had disappeared to their beds with sweet meats and honey milk. The boar had been sliced up and shared out and things were definitely turning much more adult. Silver followed the trend at first, thinking nothing of it until she copied a move from another woman that changed the entire mood for her.

The girl she danced with as a pair had taken on a much more fluid movement that came from her hips and lower back rather than her legs and arms. The drums started it, it seemed, for they became deeper and much more base in sound and design. It seemed only natural for the women to follow the sound and they did. This particular girl took that sound to an entirely different place that made every man there sit up and take notice. Turning in a slow circle, she began to turn her hips out, lifting her hands far above her body so it pulled the linen tight about her curves. She began to roll her hips in slow tight circles, using her feminine wiles to entice and enthral. The isolation in her hips became more profound as she dipped her body at her knees and pulled her shoulders back tight. Had a man been beneath her, one could easily mistake her movement for love-making. Making one long roll from her shoulders down her entire back and out again through her hips, the girl caused many a gasp in the men around the fire, but to compound that, she then repeated the move in reverse, pushing the roll back up through her entire body and out of her neck and shoulders. It was up to this point that Silver copied her and it was up to this point that she realised what she had just done.

Stopping dead, she purposely overbalanced herself so she would fall and she landed on her rump on the ground to laughter, mostly her own and she began to applaud the girl. The girl took the compliment and carried on after a bow of her head and Silver made her escape with her honour intact... almost.....

Tryton watched as the tempo of the dance changed and the women began to dance differntly. Silver imitated them until she realized what she was doing. He could see her purposely making it look like she had fallen on her ass and then got up and walked away. He Chuckled and he knew that the old woman was probably amused as well. He rose from his place and gave the old lady a nod and then followed Silver from the fire light.

"That was intresting." he said as he came up behind her. "You didn't like where the dance was going?" He arms were crossed in front of him as he looked upon her. "The old woman is something else you know. It seems she sees things that is deep within our souls.

Silver had almost managed to make the perfect escape it seemed and she had made it a good distance from the main throng of people. In fact, she'd made it to the treeline before she realised she had been followed. She stood at the top of a cliff that had dropped away during a great flood and now created a deep waterfall and gorge into the ground. She stood leaning against a tree with her eyes closed, but her ears finely tuned to everything around her. She heard Tryton long before she saw him. And then he spoke. She could feel he was up close behind her and she slowly turned to face him, keeping her eyes closed for a moment longer.

Interesting indeed and she couldn't help but laugh some and nod, "Definitely interesting." She said in agreement and then nodded again, "And how very astute of you. Had I known what she was going to do, I would have planted my ass on the ground a lot sooner." She offered him a smirk of laughter and turned back to face the forest over the cliff's edge again as he continued to speak. The old witch was something else. In that, she could not argue. "She sees far more than you or I." She said quietly, "But I wouldn't take everything she says at face value. Like most things from that realm beyond, it's subject to interpretation." She cocked her head to one side then, "Tryton, have you ever run free?"