In awe and wonder, Lady Unace's warriors dropped to their knees, some in the snow, others on the bare rocks, and a deep-throated version of the song sprang from many fighters' lips, embroidered by the high voices of the shield-maidens, who harmonised around them.
Piro glanced behind her. Unace sat astride the unistag, black hair dark against the vivid green cloak, pale skin glowing in the afternoon sun. She carried the spar's emblem so proudly, no wonder her people responded.
The sound of their voices carried across the deep valley to the castle opposite where helmeted heads bobbed and pointed. Piro nudged the healer. 'Look. They've seen her on the castle battlements.'
'They'll be sending for Steerden now.'
After that it was all a blur. When Lady Unace reached her snow-cave, an area was cleared for the unistag. Then her supporters crowded around. While Unace debated the best course of action with her supporters, Piro cared for the unistag, rubbing him down and sneaking him treats. The unistag was unsettled by the many visitors.
The healer joined her, studying the unistag with great interest. 'I find it hard to believe this is the creature King Byren the Fourth captured thirty… nearly forty years ago,' he whispered. 'The beast looks so well. I'm sure they don't live that long in the wild.'
'Good food and a safe life,' Piro said, growing uncomfortable.
'We should all be so lucky,' he said, with a grin.
She smiled. She liked him, couldn't help it. With his crooked back, he was only a little taller than her and he reminded her of a fragile but clever bird.
'The unistag is an Affinity beast. I suspect that he needs more than food and a warm stall.' Seagrass stepped closer, offering his palm to the unistag who snuffled hopefully. 'I've read of rare people who could share Affinity with the god-touched beasts.'
Pretending she did not understand what he was hinting at, Piro yawned and stretched. 'I'm tired. Where do I sleep?'
The healer glanced down to the carpet-covered ground. 'Here, beside the unistag would be best.' He lowered his voice. 'Don't worry, your secret is safe with me.'
Her guilty gaze flew to his face, then she realised she had given herself away.
'In Rolencia all those with Affinity must serve the abbey or choose between death or banishment,' she whispered. 'The warlords all agreed to follow father's law on this. Why risk yourself to keep my secret?'
'I have seen Unace and her brothers grow into adults, seen their children born.' Tears glistened in his old eyes and his chin trembled. 'I never thought I'd see the day they were all murdered by a kin-slayer!'
Tears of empathy blurred Piro's vision.
He managed a sad smile. 'Sleep, little goatherd. You can trust me.'
Piro nodded. It would kill her to lose her family.
'Sleep,' he repeated.
Piro made herself comfortable with a rolled-up blanket for a pillow. The unistag knelt beside her and dozed. The drone of the adults' strategy discussion echoed in her ears but Piro did not mind. She was finally living out an adventure as she had always longed for.
It felt as if she had only just fallen asleep when there was a distant but ferocious clashing of metal and yelling.
Piro rolled to her knees, calming the unistag reflexively. Unace opened the canvas flap. The healer lit a lamp and joined her at the entrance. Piro went over to peer into the night.
'An uprising in Unistag Stronghold,' Seagrass said.
Around the camp, people came out of their snow-caves, trying to see what was going on. But, though the stars were bright enough to cast shadows, events in the Stronghold remained obscure.
'I can't tell what's going on,' Piro whispered in frustration.
'They deal in death,' Unace replied with a shiver. 'I've known the Stronghold men-at-arms and servants all my life. I'm guessing they've turned on Steerden and his warriors.'
'Will they succeed?' Piro asked, then cursed herself. How would Unace know the answer?
'We'll know tomorrow,' Seagrass said softly as he draped a blanket over both their shoulders.
'Thank you,' Unace whispered.
'It is cold, you haven't had much sleep, Unace,' he said.
'I can't sleep, not while my supporters are fighting for their lives,' she replied.
Like Unace, Piro felt she couldn't sleep. So they huddled under the blanket, watching the Stronghold. Light gleamed in a row of high windows.
'Those are the warlord's private chambers,' Unace whispered. Her small son woke and cried. She fed him.
Piro let his tiny fingers curl around her little finger. He was a marvel. 'So small but strong.'
'He will have to be, with his father and brother dead,' Unace muttered.
'Byren told me,' Piro whispered. 'I'm so sorry.'
'I can grieve later. Right now I must avenge them.'
Piro couldn't bear to think of anything happening to her family.
A fire broke out, sending sparks showering up through one of the stronghold's slate roofs.
'The armoury,' Unace whispered.
Eventually the stars faded and the world took on grey form as dawn crept across the hillside. By the time the sun had come up, the fire was under control and only a smudge of dirty grey smoke hung over the Stronghold in the still morning air.
Unace stood up, returning her son to his cradle and stretching. 'Better get ready, Pi — Depiro. I plan to ride right up to the gates and demand entry.'
Piro nodded. She had listened to them debate all possible alternatives last night and it seemed the night's uprising would not change their plans. Flanked by her best fighters, decked in their finest, Lady Unace would approach the town. She hoped the townspeople would open the gate and take their chances.
If Unace and her people got that far, they would march right up to the Stronghold gates, backed by their most experienced warriors. If the usurper Steerden had not been overthrown last night, he might just be tempted to make a sally, hoping to wipe her out for good. This would entice him out of the Stronghold, which made him vulnerable.
Even if Steerden didn't venture out, someone inside the Stronghold might be convinced that the gods favoured her. They just might open the gates. If Unace and her supporters got inside, after the night's fighting Steerden's defenders might have been weakened enough for them to retake the Stronghold.
There were a lot of 'mights,' but it was their best chance. Who knew, perhaps Unace's people had already retaken the stronghold. It was hard to tell with the spar's emblem flying undisturbed.
Unace kissed her sleeping son, all bundled in his woolen blankets, and looked over at Piro. 'Ready?'
For today's assault Unace wore the green cloak again, but this time she wore chain mail and carried her weapons.
'Ready,' Piro agreed, mouth dry, heart racing.
'Remember, if the fighting starts, don't stay by me, run and hide,' Unace warned. She held Piro's eyes. 'Promise me this, if I am killed run back here, rescue my son and take him to Rolencia. He can grow up as a stable hand in your castle. As long as he has a chance to grow up!'
Emotion closed Piro's throat. She could only nod.
It was enough for Unace, who put her hand on Piro's shoulder. 'Thank you. I am lucky to have met you and your brother.'
Piro managed to swallow.
Seagrass returned. 'We are ready, Unace.'
Piro walked the unistag out of the snow-cave into the crisp first light. It was a clear morning, so sharp and bright the air was cold enough to make her chest ache. She glanced up at Unace, who had taken her position on the unistag's back. It was hard to believe that this woman, who only moments before had been breastfeeding her infant son, could soon be dead. Everything was so sharp, so beautiful.
Is this what Byren and Lence experienced every time they led a raiding party, this amazing clarity of perception?