Chapter 32
The journey was long and arduous, but they rode abreast, Aganippus, Cordelia and Lear.
Behind came Lagon and Locrinus, who had refused to remain in Gallia alone.
Each day, they heard new rumours, stories of death, destruction and the never-ending malaise of the once prosperous land.
Behind them snaked an army: men, horses, carts, cutting a swathe from Gallia to Dobvnni.
At Belgae, they were welcomed by Kerin and Margan, they had heard of the destruction of Lear’s lands by his son-in-law Maglaurus and agreed to join them.
‘Once this land was united under your rule,’ Kerin said to Lear. ‘We will bring peace again by removing the tyrant who governs for no benefit other than his desire to wield power.’
As they travelled, more and more people attached themselves to the train, all wishing for a return to peace, to the thriving way of life they had enjoyed before the darkness of Lear’s madness had cursed the land.
Cordelia made no comment when the tales of cruelty and torture were delivered by eyewitnesses.
She could not equate the monstrous behaviour with either of her sisters, yet the stories arrived on a daily basis.
‘Queen Goneril presides over daily executions…’
‘Lady Regan plots to remove her sister from power. They fight like she-wolves, torturing all who oppose them…’
‘Henwinus has become cruel, punishing people for strange and mysterious crimes, which he refuses to reveal. It is another way to terrify the Dobvnni into obeying his twisted laws…’
‘Maglaurus has desecrated the stone circle, ordering men to topple the stones and destroy the power of the unbroken ring…’
The final story had roused anger in Cordelia.
Stone circles were sacred, the protection of their magic was drawn from the completeness of the eternal boundary, to break this was to lose the favour of the goddesses and gods.
It was an act of terrible destruction, the highest insult to the sanctity of the deities, and Cordelia knew there would be a reckoning.
‘Has there not been enough damage committed?’ she had murmured to Aganippus when they were curled up in the darkness. ‘Why desecrate the circle?’
‘Foolish men like Maglaurus believe this shows he has power beyond that of even the goddesses and god,’ he had replied. ‘When, in fact, it uncovers his weakness and fear.’
Each night, as she lay beside Aganippus, her eyes would become wet with grief as she relived her carefree childhood and its tragic loss.
She saw them: herself, Goneril and Regan, the three daughters of Lear Bladudsunu, as they had been at the solstice during the last Litha celebrations, dancing with fire, flirting with the suitors, happy and excited about the adventures of life before them.
She had hoped her dark visions had been wrong but the Everywhen had, once again, proven itself to be correct.
There was darkness and despair and again the image of her father with his sword raised above her flashed across her mind making her shudder.
Angarad might have directed her curse at my father, thought Cordelia, but we have all been equally damned.
Finally, they arrived at Credenhill, the homestead of her uncle, Kamber Bladudsunu, her father’s younger brother.
His oppidum was further down the valley, but his land bordered the Golden Dobvnni settlement.
The huge following army spread out across the landscape, encampments were set up and, as dusk fell, the glow of cooking fires twinkled in the gathering gloom, disappearing towards the horizon.
Cordelia shivered as she looked across the Golden Valley to the hill fort she had always called home.
Beacons burned at regular positions along the fence, illuminating the fierce, sharpened wood that had been hammered into the ground as a defence, a bristling collar of pain around the walls where once it had been renowned as a place of safety.
‘The bees,’ Cordelia said to Aganippus as they entered her uncle’s roundhouse. ‘I wonder what happened to the bees.’
‘Why would you ask such a question?’ he said.
‘The hives were an important part of our worship, as well as an integral part of our healing. Honey protects on many levels, as well as tasting delicious,’ she said. ‘I hope the bees survived the carnage or they, too, may add their contempt to Angarad’s curse.’
‘The bees are safe,’ came a voice from the shadows at the edge of the central gathering space.
Cordelia spun around and uttered a cry of delight as Gloigin stepped forward, her arms wide with welcome.
‘Gloigin!’ Cordelia exclaimed, throwing her arms around the younger woman and hugging her tightly. ‘You’re safe. Ignogin and Oudar?’
‘Both safe, too,’ said Gloigin with shining eyes.
‘May the goddess be praised,’ said Cordelia. ‘Tell me all. Your escape, was it smooth? Were you followed?’
‘No, our journey was guided by the goddesses themselves, Corycia, Kleodora, Melaina, the Bee Maidens Three,’ she said.
‘Once we had left the fort, we hid in the woods for a week to ensure no trackers had been sent to force us to return. Oudar found wild honey for us along the way and the bees led us to Credenhill. Lord Kamber himself gave us beini and has made us part of the community.’
‘This is wonderful news,’ said Cordelia.
‘How is Becuma?’ asked Gloigin.
‘Well and happy. She is married to Buel, the trusted second-in-command and friend of Aganippus. She is with child or she would have accompanied me,’ said Cordelia. ‘But the bees? Becuma will wish to know they are safe.’
‘Kamber has been impressed by Oudar’s healing skills and, at her request, he sent a raiding party to save the hives,’ said Gloigin.
‘We weren’t convinced it would work. Oudar accompanied them and Ignogin and I believe the bees must have sensed her presence.
They flew in a magnificent swarm to the camp in the woods where Kamber’s men were based, then they followed Oudar here from the Golden Fort. It was astonishing to behold.’
‘This is truly magical,’ said Cordelia. ‘May the goddesses be praised. What’s your status here? Have you taken a place in their temple?’
‘The temple here is led by Caius, a Druid of great learning, but he favours the rule of Taranis, the wielder of the thunderbolt and hammer, the father of the three gods of Dana. Goddess worship takes place in the women’s quarters and we often participate, but there are no high priestesses in this oppidum,’ she explained.
‘Instead, I’m betrothed to the blacksmith, Rud.
He’s a kind man and when he proposed, my heart assured me this was the correct path. ’
‘Our futures haven’t been as we imagined when we were high priestesses,’ said Cordelia. ‘I’ve found more happiness in my marriage than I expected and we have a daughter, Nest.’
The two women continued to exchange news while the men gathered around the fire to discuss strategies.
When the drums sounded to summon them to eat, Cordelia took her place at the head of the benches, summoning the other women to join her.
As Queen of Gallia, she was the highest-ranking woman in the hill fort, a position she was beginning to understand and use to its best advantage.
She placed Margan, her mother-in-law, on one side, ensuring Gloigin was on her other.
Oudar joined them and Cordelia thought she would burst with happiness and relief when she saw their smiling faces.
‘Where is Ignogin?’ asked Cordelia.
‘She left after the Hunter’s Moon,’ said Oudar. ‘She and two other women heard the call of the goddess and have departed for the Sanctuary of the Moon Sisters in Demetae. It’s an all-female Druid encampment, they pray for peace to the moon and the stars, their desire is to spread love.’
Cordelia stared at Oudar in surprise. ‘Of us all, I believed Ignogin was the least interested in the worship of the goddess,’ she said. ‘You must miss her, Gloigin.’
‘We’re twins,’ said Gloigin. ‘She is forever in my heart.’
Once the food was served and the conversation was loud enough to disguise her words, Cordelia whispered to Gloigin and Oudar, ‘What news of Goneril and Regan? I have heard tales of darkness but struggle to believe my sisters could be guilty of such malefic crimes.’
Gloigin sipped her mead, her brown eyes clouding.
‘There are many stories,’ she said. ‘Kamber has spies within the Golden Dobvnni, including Rud’s nephew, Sisillius, and Rud has told me of his discoveries.
After Maglaurus blinded Locrinus, Goneril helped him and Lagon escape.
I think this could have been a turning point for her, a return to reason and truth, but Regan and Henwinus returned and it wasn’t long before she was lost.’
‘What happened?’ asked Cordelia.
‘They had heard the stories of unrest under Maglaurus and Goneril’s reign and Henwinus was determined to have Regan’s share of wealth from the hill fort.
For a short period, Maglaurus was generous and they ruled together, although they were disorganised.
The summer was wet and, because of their mismanagement, the Dobvnni crops failed.
Maglaurus blamed the gods but it was due to his refusal to allow the farmers to tend the fields, preferring instead to drill them as soldiers.
When they were finally released, the plants had rotted in the ground.
‘Our crop was good, perhaps not as bountiful as in other summers and Kamber gave them as much as we could spare. Soon after, smaller settlements in the area became victim to vicious raiding parties hunting for food. They were brutal, burning roundhouses, taking hostages and killing all who tried to stop them. Word came to us that Goneril and Regan were behind the plan.’