David Gemmell. The Hawk Enternal

The following morning, as work began on the cairn, most of the lancers had returned home through the Gate which had appeared in a blaze of light on the plain the night before. Sigarni remained behind with twenty men, including Obrin.

Leofas had found Gaelen sitting hand in hand with the Haesten girl in the woods skirting the mountains. ‘Well met, young Gaelen,’ he said.

Gaelen rose, introducing Lara to the older man.

Leofas bowed. ‘I have seen you before, girl, but never prettier than now.’

‘Thank you. I am glad you survived,’ said Lara.

‘We might not have done, had you not appeared with your archers.’

‘A freak of chance,’ Lara told him. ‘We struck north to avoid the Aenir, and that meant we had to pass the Folly. How is it that the Queen arrived? Gaelen told me she was due at Axta Glen, and that’s a day’s ride from here.”

Leofas shrugged. ‘I don’t know, neither does the Queen. Caswal-lon’s the man to answer the riddle. Now get a move on, boy, the Queen wishes to see you. But tell me, where is Layne?’

Gaelen looked into the old man’s eyes, but could find no words. The smile faded from Leofas’ face, and he looked suddenly so very old.

The white bearded warrior sighed. ‘So many dead,’ he whispered. ‘Tell me how it happened.’ Gaelen did so, and could find no way to disguise the horror of Layne’s passing. Leofas listened in silence, then turned away and walked off alone towards the trees.

Gaelen watched him, and felt the comforting touch of Lara’s hand. ‘Come,’ she said, ‘the Queen wishes to see you.’

He nodded and together they approached the Queen’s camp. Sigarni strode out to meet him, hand outstretched. ‘Good to see you alive, my lad! There are a few questions I have for you.’

Gaelen bowed, introducing Lara. The Queen smiled warmly at the clanswoman. ‘Now, what were you doing risking yourself to save me?’ she asked, turning on Gaelen, her grey eyes glinting with humour. ‘I expect that from my lancers, but not from strangers.’

‘I owe you my life,’ said Gaelen simply.

‘For coming here with my lancers, you mean?’

‘No, Lady. But I cannot speak of it. Forgive me.’

‘More secrets of the enchanted realm? You sound like Redhawk. All right, Gaelen, I shall not press you. How can I reward you for your action?’

Gaelen stared at her, remembering the day she had saved them from the Beast. In that instant he knew where his road must lead. Dropping to one knee before the warrior Queen, he said, ‘Let me serve you, my Lady. Now and for ever.”

If Sigarni was surprised she did not show it. ‘You will have to leave this realm,’ said the Queen, ‘and fight beside me in a war that is not of your making. Do you desire this?’

‘I do, my Queen. More than anything. I love this land, but I have seen my friends slaughtered, their homes burnt and their children massacred.’

‘Then rise, for my friends do not kneel before me; they walk beside me. Will your lady come, too?’ she asked, turning to Lara.

Gaelen rose and took her hand. ‘Will you?”

‘Where else would I go?’ she answered.

‘I love you,’ he whispered, pulling her to him.

The Queen moved away from them then, joining Obrin at the fire.

With a high cairn now covering the clan dead, Leofas led the survivors back to Attafoss. Despite the victory the men were heavy of heart. Their loved ones were lost in the past, their friends dead in the present. Maggrig rode beside Sigarni, while Gaelen and Lara joined Lennox, Onic, Agwaine and Gwalchmai at the head of the column.

Gaelen was the only one of the surviving Beast Slayers to have emerged unscathed from the battle. Lennox carried a score of stitches, while Gwalchmai had taken a spear in the shoulder. Agwaine had been stabbed in the leg and he walked with a painful limp.

‘Are you really going to go with the Queen?’ asked Agwaine. ‘And leave the mountains?’

‘Yes,’ answered Gaelen. ‘I promised her years ago that I would follow her.”

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