Page 58 of Boudicca

The change that possessed Rhan when she performed the rites and rituals of a seer always amazed me. It was as if she shed mortal trappings and took up the mantle of the gods. Her blond hair washed down her slim back, and her eyes, always expressive, gleamed like deep water.

Rhan raised the pitcher so that her forest-colored robe fell back, exposing the tattooed Ogham symbols that circled her slender biceps. Her bare feet began to stomp rhythmically,da-da, da-da, da-da,a strong, steady heartbeat. She gestured, and the Iceni joined her until the field was one beating heart.

Then, in time with the tempo the tribe kept, Rhan began to dance a circle around the caged hare and me. As she did so she poured a libation from the pitcher. The sweet, familiar scent of strong honey mead laced with lavender perfumed the air while Rhan invoked Andraste.

“Wind, whisper Queen Boudicca’s petition to the goddess of the Iceni, blessed Andraste. Fire, blaze Queen Boudicca’s petition to the goddess of war, our Andraste. Water, wash Queen Boudicca’s petition to Andraste, goddess of wealth and plenty. And, earth, let even the rocks sing Queen Boudicca’s petition to the goddess of the harvest.”

Rhan ended the invocation in front of me. She placed the empty pitcher on the ground, opened the cage, and lifted the hare so that I could whisper my petition to it, and through the little creature to Andraste. All around us my people continued to stomp a heartbeat that filled the field.

But I had decided to change tradition. I raised my hand and the people stilled. Rhan’s gaze met mine. She did not look at all surprised; instead she dipped her head in agreement.

“Iceni and Trinovantes, I will not whisper my petition to Andraste. Instead, I would shout it so thatallmay witness my question as well as the goddess’s answer. I refuse to repeat mistakes made before me.” I would not list the faults of Prasutagus that had led us here. Everyone present knew them. But I also would not pretend as if he had been infallible. The longer I ruled alone, the more I understood what had driven my husband to ignore the signs sent from Andraste—something he could not have done had the Iceni witnessing those signs heard his whispered petition. So I did not whisper to the hare. I shouted and was glad that the creature had been bred for a calm temperament, because instead of startling and struggling to get away from me, its brown eyes watched me calmly, as if it listened closely to every word. “Andraste! Your Victory seeks sign! Is it time to serve our vengeance to the Romans? I beseech you, mighty Andraste, show me your will!”

When I’d finished speaking, the hare began to struggle against Rhan’s hold. The Iceni seer placed the creature at my feet and itsprinted, circling me thrice, before it dashed south—in the direction of Camulodunum. As it darted into the watching crowd, people parted, but not just for the white hare. There were several shouts, and then a wide area was suddenly clear and five hares raced after the goddess’s messenger. They were wild hares, smaller and brownish gray. Single-minded, the creatures ignored everyone except the sacred hare as they all ran southward and directly toward a large cook fire that marked the beginning of the corrals. For a moment it seemed all six hares would hurl themselves into the fire, but at the last moment they darted around it and disappeared into the south.

I looked to Rhan. “Seer of the Iceni, what say you of this sign from Andraste?”

Rhan spoke, projecting her voice throughout the field. The power of her words shivered across my skin. “Andraste’s hare circled Queen Boudicca three times before racing to the south and being joined by five wild hares. The goddess’s sign is clear. The queen must travel to Camulodunum and back in three days. Five days after that, the Iceni, joined by Tribe Trinovantes, will burn the city to the ground.”

I blazed with Rhan’s words, lifted one fist to the sky, and shrieked the Iceni war cry. The tribe took up my cry and it mixed with the whooping of the Trinovantes so that as the sun retreated into the horizon it seemed to do so in response to our voices.

Chapter XXII

“You know you cannot enter Camulodunum without being recognized by the Catuvellauni. They’ll immediately report you to the Romans. At best they will be more vigilant in guarding the city. At worst Paulinus will send for the Ninth Legion to reinforce the centuria stationed there, the centuria that attacked Tasceni.” I spoke quietly and firmly to Addedomaros. “You cannot join me until we ride at the front of our combined armies and burn Camulodunum to the ground.”

I would always feel the affection of a foster daughter for the Trinovantes chief, but he did not rule in Tasceni and all I owed him was the courtesy of hearing his words—not following them. He sat on my right, at the place of honor at the head table within my lodge. To his right was his son, Adminius, and beside him was Mailcun, the faithful Trinovantes shield. The evening meal had a feastlike quality as Tasceni celebrated the battle sign Andraste had given. I did not want that spoiled by Addedomaros’s petulant insistence that he must join me to reconnoiter in Camulodunum.

“Queen Boudicca, if I may?” Rhan, who sat on my left with Cadoc, Abertha, and Maldwyn seated beside her, leaned close to me and spoke so that her voice did not carry farther than our table.

“Of course, Rhan,” I said.

“I do not see why she should speak!” Adminius snapped. Several heads turned toward us at the sound of his sharp words. Rhan’s brother had visited with his father only a few times during the past several months. I had not known him well when I fostered in his home. He was two years younger and had not shown any interest in his sister or me, or really anything except himself. I’d thought him petulant and selfish, when I thought of him at all.

“Rhan speaks because I have given her leave to speak and I am queen here, Adminius.” My voice was just as sharp, though considerably quieter than the Trinovantes chief’s son. “You would do well to remember that she is seer of the Iceni, conduit to Andraste, appointed by Derwyn himself.”

When Addedomaros looked as if he would protest, Mailcun spoke up. “My chief, it is proper that the seer speak.”

Addedomaros blew out a long breath as he ran a hand through his thick hair. He nodded, turning to his son. “Mailcun is wise, as is the Iceni queen. Of course Rhan should speak.” He looked around me at Rhan. “Sometimes I forget that you are a gifted seer and not simply my daughter.”

And if you or your son insults my seer again, you will be very sorry.The words were on my tongue, but I pressed my lips together and held them in. It would not serve me to threaten my only ally. Instead I nodded for Rhan to continue.

Rhan leaned forward again so that she could keep her voice low. “The sign Andraste sent was clear. The hare circled Queen Boudicca thrice before the wild hares joined it. The Iceni must make the first foray into Camulodunum alone, for the very reason Boudicca gave—a reason I know the chief of the Trinovantes must agree with.”

Addedomaros nodded. “Yes, yes, yes. But to remain behind is difficult for this old warrior.”

“And yet you will remain behind,” said Rhan. “Because you are not just an old warrior. You are a wise old warrior.”

“Excellent point,” said Cadoc through a mouthful of wild boar pie. “Should you join us I doubt we would be allowed to leave the city.”

“Agreed,” I said to stop the pointless discussion. “Cadoc, Maldwyn, and I leave for the city in the morning.”

“What of Abertha?” asked Cadoc. Abertha was seated beside him and looked up from her plate as she heard her name.

Instead of answering my shield, I stood and waited for the lodge to be silent. When all heads turned to me I said, “As Andraste commanded, I leave for Camulodunum tomorrow. The Iceni who have waited here will leave at dawn to recall all of our warriors to Tasceni.I take with me my shield and my horse master.” My gaze went to Abertha. “While I am gone, my spear master, Abertha, will oversee the last of the preparations for war.”

“As you ask, so will I do!” Abertha’s voice rang with pride and the warriors pounded their tables in support of the well-respected warrior.

“I return in three days. Then, following the sign given by the goddess, we will wait five more and then ride to fulfill Andraste’s curse. We will burn Camulodunum to the ground!”