Page 113 of Boudicca

“My queen, your bath is ready,” called Phaedra from my bedchamber.

I stood and held my hand out to Rhan. She looked up from her work then, smiled, and placed it on the stool beside her chair before she took my hand. Fingers entwined like silver and feathers, we retired to my bedchamber and the copper tub that was just big enough for two.

Chapter XXXVI

The next morning the low gray sky spit a stinging mixture of snow and ice, but the crowd that framed the training field was in such high spirits that they brightened the gloomy day.

Though I chose to go into battle with my hair unbound, I’d taken one look at the sky and had Phaedra braid the mass of it back away from my face. I’d awakened to an empty bed. After I’d dressed in the beautifully dyed leathers Wulffaed had made for me, I understood why Rhan had not slept beside me. When I joined her in the main room of the lodge to break my fast, she presented me with the exquisite silver necklace dressed in feathers she’d spent the night completing. It rested just above my collarbone under the thick golden torque I never removed. The silver caught even the wan light of the winter morning, and the feathers rustled like they were living things—and whenever I touched them I felt the presence of my goddess.

“Ah, Boudicca! I thought for a moment you might choose not to leave the warmth of your bed today,” shouted Addedomaros as I joined him and the other two chiefs at the starting line of our race.

I smiled at the Trinovantes chief, pleased that he was in good humor, even though it was his son’s bragging that had gotten him into a race that he must have known he would be hard-pressed to win.

“How are those old joints today, Addedomaros?” I asked with exaggerated concern.

“Do you insult my father?” Adminius thrust out his chest and glared at me.

Addedomaros cuffed the back of his son’s head. “Enough! Make yourself useful and go hold Black. Try to keep him calm so he doesn’t work himself into a lather before his part of the race begins.”

Adminius threw me a narrow-eyed look but stalked away towardthe far end of the course, where our mounts would be held until the last leg of the contest.

“Well, I don’t know about Addedomaros, but I’m not ashamed to admit that my old bones are feeling the damp and chill today,” said Leofric, who was stretching and jogging in place, as if to keep his muscles limber.

“What about you, Comux?” I asked the Dobunni chief, who was closest to my age of the three men.

Comux barked a laugh, which sounded gravelly. He was pale, and the dark circles under his eyes were puffy and bruised, but his smile was authentic. “The Dobunni are used to the chill of winter. This is but a refreshing morning to me.”

We all chuckled at that, and then Rhan, who had been chosen to open the race, lifted her arm, motioning for us to take our places at the starting line. Earlier, we’d drawn lots for our positions. Addedomaros was in the first lane. I was next, with Comux beside me and then Leofric to his right. As I took my position, I had time to stretch, shake out my legs, and ready myself. Maldwyn was holding Ennis and Finley just before the man-sized straw targets about one-third of the way up the big practice field. Beyond them I could just make out Tân’s red coat where she waited for me, held by Cadoc.

“Chiefs and queen, ready yourselves!” Rhan called. “When I drop my arm, the contest begins.”

Rhan met my gaze, grinned, and then, with a dramatic flourish, dropped her arm.

I sprinted forward as the army cheered, but I shut them out, concentrating only on the field directly before me, which was rough with frozen ruts, black ice, and hunks of dirty snow. Within just a few feet I relaxed my upper body as my stride lengthened. I’d been training regularly, but it had been a long time since I’d felt the freedom of pushing my speed to the limit. In an instant I was transported to my familiar forest. The frozen ruts became roots of ancient oaks, and mounds of dirty snow turned to rocks and fallen limbs. I seemed to fly and was a little disappointed when I reached Maldwyn and the chariot.

“You are in the lead,” Maldwyn said quickly as I leaped into the cart, wrapped the reins around my left hand and forearm, and lifted the first spear. “Comux is a chariot length behind you. Leofric and Addedomaros are another two lengths behind him, but do not underestimate them—especially Addedomaros—and do not look back. Go, my queen!”

I didn’t look back.

“Hup!” I called to the familiar team of horses, and they surged forward. I controlled them, but only just. Ennis and Finley were eager to run and I wished I could give them their heads, but if I did so I would not be able to weave them through the six targets—and crossing the finish line without following the rules of the tournament would not be a true win. I also had to consider the rough ground. There was an especially deep rut of frozen dirt that ran the width of the space between our first two targets. Had I charged the team over that rut at full speed, the chariot could have been thrown into the air. So I held the eager team in check and threw my first and second spears before I noticed the other teams.

As I reached for my third spear, I saw Comux on my right, now less than a chariot length behind me. I threw the spear, hit the target, and as I lifted the fourth spear I caught a glimpse of Leofric on my far right. He had not caught Comux or me, but he also had not lost any ground.

When I lifted my fifth spear, Addedomaros suddenly flashed into my peripheral vision on my left. I could tell that he was closer than Leofric, and as I threw my sixth spear and then pulled Ennis and Finley to a halt beside Abertha, the Trinovantes chief caught up to and passed Comux.

“Run, my queen!” shouted Abertha with a feral grin.

I jumped from the cart and sprinted forward, breathing deeply and quickly and sending every bit of strength I had into my legs. Ahead of me I could hear the huge Trinovantes stallion snorting, more dragon than horse, though I kept my gaze shifting between the rough ground over which I ran and Tân, who waited quietly beside Cadoc, ears pricked toward me as I raced to her.

I reached her ahead of the chiefs. Cadoc’s hands formed a basket into which I placed my left foot and he easily boosted me atop Tân.

“For the Iceni!” Cadoc shouted.

As the other chiefs raced up to their mounts, I leaned forward, dug my heels into Tân’s flanks, and screamed the Iceni war cry as my brilliant mare exploded into motion. Unlike with the chariot team, I did not even attempt to hold Tân back. I knew my mare. She would not foolishly endanger us by ignoring the rough footing, and as we raced back along the path I’d so recently come down, she proved my confidence in her by jumping over blackened mounds of snow and avoiding spots of black ice.

I had time to look over my left shoulder to see that Comux and Leofric were neck and neck several lengths behind me. They didn’t seem to be gaining ground. I did not have to glance over my right shoulder. Even above the roar of the army and the sting of the sleet, I could hear the pounding hooves of Black. His dark muzzle came into view, then the rest of his head and neck.

I grabbed a fist of Tân’s mane and leaned closer to her neck. Her ears were flattened against her head as I encouraged her to give more. From deep within, my mare found a reservoir of speed, and Black stopped gaining ground. I heard Addedomaros shout and from the corner of my eye saw that he, too, was low over his stallion’s neck as the massive horse’s stride lengthened.