I'm absolutely delighted with all of my covers for my Celtic Fervour series- especially since I now have the matching one for The Beltane Choice!
I'd like to give you a choice of which book to choose an excerpt from, to post with them today, but I'll just make it easier and choose for you.
Since After Whorl: Donning Double Cloaks is now around 12 days till its launch here's an excerpt from Chapter 12-
Silence walked
alongside them for a while till Kaideigh picked up the thread of the
conversation again. “My best friend, ever, was Seaonaigh.”
“I know she was, but you will meet
others who may be her match.”
“I wish that Seaonaigh had come with
us on our adventures.”
When Kaideigh quietened Nith filled
the gap.
“What did you understand of Earn’s
claim that the Votadini have known for a long while that the exploratory forces
of Agricola have been in the lands of the Venicones?”
Brennus’ answer was wry. “I prefer
to believe what Earn has just told me than the Votadini High Chief. I suspect
there is much more that the Votadini have kept to themselves.”
Esk intervened. “I am inclined to
believe the same, Brennus. Yet, if that is so, the exploratores units have
covered more ground than we have expected and must be well ahead of us right
now, perhaps even in the lands of the Taexali. They are so adept at marching
long distances by day and then bedding down for the darkest hours behind those
ditches. It takes them no time at all to dig the sods of earth and bank them
high before they rest behind their turf walls.”
Nith had asked many questions about
the Roman movements in Brigantia when Brennus had lived there but it seemed
there was always another question to be answered. “Did your fellow Brigantes ever
challenge any of these small exploratory patrols before the battles at Whorl?”
“Aye, indeed they did and some
Romans were successfully routed or killed. At other times it was impossible to
come upon them in surprise since the stakes they plant prevent an easy climb
over the ditch.”
Kaideigh had been only
half-listening to the talk. “What stakes?”
He patted her head to encourage her
to keep moving since she was flagging, her breathing uneven. “The Roman auxiliary
soldier walks with many things packed and dangling around his back. His shield
lies close to his bones but to the front of that is a crossbar with many things
dangling from it. Are you seeing this, Kaideigh?”
“I am!” She had been told many times
what a typical auxiliary might look like, in order to flee from the sight.
“One of those items is a pick to
break up reluctant soil. Another is a shovel to dig out the earth.”
Her little voice grew in strength
since she knew of this part. “They use the shovel to remove the turf?” When he
nodded back she continued, “And then they scoop the soil and form a wall.”
“Aye, daughter they do. And when
they are done with the ditch digging they place the turf back on top of the
mounded soil and that is when they remove the stake from their pack and ram it
into the top of the wall making a palisade.”
“The stakes are all neatly spaced?”
Kaideigh was quick to learn things.
“Aye! Very even. The soldiers have
perfected this.”
Esk added the next bit. “And come
the morn what do they do, Kaideigh?”
She looked puzzled but only for a
moment. “The man has his stake tied to his sack every day?”
He nodded. “Aye, he does.”
“Then each man must pull up his
stake and tie it back on?”
Brennus patted her head and gave her
a shoulder hug. He was so proud of his little daughter’s ability to reason so
well.
“Exactly!”
“But they do not flatten the earth
and put it to rights before they leave?”
“Nay!” The laughter of the adults
rang around. “They spend no time on that. They pack up and move on to the next
place. The ditches and ramparts tell us where they have been.”
“How do they know where to go?”
Kaideigh so loved to know things.
“Some of them are mounted and they
scout well ahead of those who march. They are also incredibly good at reading
the landscape.”
In the way of a small child her next
question was a good one. “What are they looking for?”
“Aye! And some of the Romans know
how to describe the landscape to others. They make plans and write on wax
tablets and on paper rolls. I have explained about these to you before.”
Her little smile showed she
remembered what he had told her of his life as a trader to the forts. “Are the
Romans making their camps on the way to the hillfort of the Venicones High
Chief?”
“We hope not, Kaideigh, but the main
forces who were down at the Black River, those
all around Dunpendyr, have been building where we were less than a se’night
ago. That is why we needed to leave Dunpendyr quickly. You heard the messenger
tell us that in Earn’s roundhouse. They are not far behind us.” Nith was so
patient with her but his next question was for Brennus.
“If exploratory Roman scouts have
been hereabouts many seasons ago why did Cerialis, or Frontinus, not conquer
the tribes north of the Brigantes?”
“I have no answer, Nith. It may have
been a question of needing the legions’ soldiers elsewhere in Britannia. The
shorelines of the Selgovae neighbours are extensive. The Roman fleet could
easily have landed many ships and disgorged thousands of troops.”
“Could that be what they have done
in Venicones lands?”
“Perhaps. You also heard Earn say
that the Venicones have a long coastline which could be breached by Classis
vessels in many places.”
Nith’s question set him to pondering
the rumour of Roman troops in Venicones territory having not all tramped up
there by a land route. He dreaded learning that the answer was yes to Nith’s
question, yet feared it must be so.
Not long to wait till you can read the whole book...but you can pre-order the paperback version now! The image isn't showing up yet on the site but this is the one!
Slainthe!
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