“We are still five to your three.” The female said.
“I don’t think you’re helping Brenna.” Her brother said. “Anyway he’s right, we shouldn’t have strayed this far, and it’s only a deer, there are plenty more.”
“He said we could share.” She said staring at Tevelgus.
“Ah, that was before we found out that you had crossed the border.” Ad said. “You have broken the pact between our two people and you could start a war with this intrusion.” She laughed.
“Let them have it.” Cara said.
“What? Have you lost your sense little brother?” Ad said anger building.
“It’s a deer for the god’s peace.” Tog said, “Cara is right let them have it, they earned it.”
Ad couldn’t contain his rage any further and strode quickly back to the corpse. He threw his bow to the ground and took out his dagger. “I will not allow these thieves to come onto our land, shame us and take what is rightfully ours.” He then plunged the blade into the carcass and began to cut away at a hind limb.
Tog frowning, looked at Cara, he raised his hands and nodded at Ad as they both walked towards their brother and grabbed an arm each.
“Come Ad, it is but one deer, the woods and forests are full of them. We will find our own.” Tog said as he applied pressure to the arm he had grabbed.
“Take your hands off me.” Ad demanded. Tog however ignored his older brother and pulled him up and away from the carcass. As Ad struggled to get free, Cara let go of his grip and his flailing brother spun round and fell to the ground. He landed roughly, face first and quickly jumped up to confront Tog. Although Ad was the elder of the three boys, he stared at his brother prepared to fight, fists raised.
“I warn you now Ad, you may be my brother but you will regret this, I won’t allow you to do it and if you attack me, I will respond.” Tog said.
The girl Brenna spoke, “Adminius?” She looked at him as he stood scowling, breathing heavily. “You are the one to be crowned King, the heir to the Catuvellauni lands?”
“What do you know of me, of us thief?” Ad asked. “Well?”
She moved forward slowly, “More than you will ever know.” she said. She approached Ad and raised her hand to his face, he pulled back.
“I won’t hurt you.” She assured him, “Come.” He hesitated and then stood his ground as she reached over and touched the left side of his face with her palm. She looked into his eyes, as her own seemed to glaze over as her head rocked forward slightly.
“It is you.” She whispered.
Ad looked from her to the others in her group, “What is she talking about? How does she know me?”
Tevelgus answered, “She is a Shaman.”
“A what?” Tog asked.
Tevelgus walked to his sister and placed a hand on her shoulder, she was still staring at the Catuvellauni.
“A Shaman, well she will be soon anyway.” He looked at Adminius, “She can talk to the spirit world, to our ancestors, to the world beyond where we are.”
Ad pulled back breaking the physical contact from Brenna who then jerked her head whipping backwards as if she had been struck to the face.
“It’s true.” She said, beginning to pale.
“What’s true? What is this nonsense? What are you talking about?” Ad demanded. “Spirits, ancestors, another world, I think you need to take your sister home, she’s lost her mind. A Shaman?” He laughed, “I think she needs one.”
Brenna looked from Ad to his two brothers, “Traitor.” She whispered. It was barely audible. Ad frowned but before he could say anything she continued. “You are not like your brothers. You want power, to take from others, to dominate, you care nothing for others. Your soul is black.” She stepped away. “Come, she said looking to each of her group, “leave the deer, it’s theirs, I want nothing from this place.”
“Wait, what did you see?” Cara asked.
“It’s lies brother, she saw nothing, twisted words and lies nothing more, she’s mad. You yourself know I’m not as she says.” Ad said but Cara was still looking at the girl. He had recognised the words, the description she had used for his older brother. Although strange it was oddly accurate when spoken aloud. There were times when Adminius behaved totally different than he and Tog and he did have a cruel, vicious streak. How did this girl know these things? His mind churned, was it possible that she could communicate as her brother described?
“Why did you call my brother a traitor? He is to become King when our father passes to the next world, why would he be a traitor, to who?” Cara asked.
Brenna turned her dark eyes to him. “You weren’t meant to hear. I can’t see that but it is true, it will happen. He will betray you, your brother and your people.” She turned, “Come we must go.” She said to Tevelgus.
“Lies and madness,” Ad said. “She knows nothing of us, of me and I would never betray you or our people, you know that.”
Brenna stopped and turned and focused her eyes on Cara, “Don’t trust him. Whatever you do, do not trust this one,” She pointed, “no matter what he says or does, or where you go, the time will come when he will care nothing for you or yours. He will betray everything for his own gain. Nothing means anything to him except what he can get for himself. You Caratacus of the Catuvellauni,” this time she pointed at him, “are the only one who can stop him.” He felt a chill rush through his body, he shivered and knew what she was saying was true. Brenna nodded her head, turned and vanished into the thick undergrowth.
“Tog, go and get the horses, we’re not dragging this through the woods, Cara give me some help to get this out onto the path.” Ad said as he stooped down to look at the deer. A few seconds passed and neither brother had moved.
“Come on let’s move, we can’t stay here all day.” His brothers did as he’d asked with concerned expressions on their faces. From that moment, nothing would ever be the same between them.
Chapter Six
Caradoc woke with a start, sitting up suddenly and breathing heavily, cold sweat on his brow and chest, his pillow damp, it had been a dream, but it had been so real. He remembered back to the day when the girl had told him of the treachery of Adminius, why had it now come to him in his sleep? All those years ago, he had been warned, and although he had felt that what she had said was true, he had ignored her warning, how was this possible? He pushed himself off the bed, his naked skin felt cold due to the sheen of perspiration and reached for the ladle in the pail of water beside the bed. He poured some into a wooden cup and drank. He thought back again to that day, when his world began to change and nothing would be the same again with his older brother. Another incident returned to his thoughts and he wondered why he had now begun to think of these things again. His brother was a traitor and he had paid for his betrayal with his life, a life he had taken not long after the death of Tog.
Adminius had slowly grown distant after that day and sought companionship from others, while he and Tog had stayed together, growing older. It was three years later when reports began to come in that Adminius and his new found friends were crossing into other tribal lands. He had also started to drift away from their close-knit family as well and although it was clear that the King was unhappy about his behaviour, he never discussed it with his other sons. Cunobelin had worked tirelessly to ensure a peaceful existence after years of inter-tribal conflict between the Catuvellauni and surrounding lands. Trade had slowly prospered and treaties were agreed, even marriages took place and there was a melding of the people. More traders soon began to arrive from across the water to the east, and for the first time in memory his people could concentrate on their daily chores without a threat from outside.