THE ROMAN WAS mounted on a white horse. He seemed impervious to the silent hostility with which hundreds glared at him from behind the lines of warriors who kept them back. Likewise he paid no heed to the nine Raven Warriors who stood around him, spears levelled and ready to skewer him at his first wrong move.
The crowd from the Hov crossed the square to meet him. As they approached, the rider was prompted to dismount with a few prods from the spears around him.
‘We intercepted him riding over the border, lord,’ the lead raven warrior said. As usual he spoke to Wodnas. ‘He says he has a message for the king. We thought we should bring him here as you asked us to be on particular alert for Romans.’
Wodnas nodded.
‘This is our king, dog,’ the raven warrior said to the Roman. ‘Show some respect.’
‘He won’t understand you,’ Hagan said.
‘I know your tongue,’ the Roman said. ‘That’s why I was sent here. I am an emissary from General Flavius Aetius, Magister Militum of the Western Roman Empire. I am here at his behest. I wish to speak to King Gunderic.’
‘I am Gunderic,’ the king said.
The emissary removed his helmet and raised his right arm in salute. He also bowed his head, which Hagan saw pleased Gunderic.
‘You have courage to ride alone into our kingdom,’ Gunderic said. ‘Outsiders are not welcome here. Especially Roman outsiders.’
‘You wouldn’t dare kill a Roman emissary,’ the Roman said with a barely concealed smirk. ‘Even the wildest of barbarians know that to do that will bring a storm of retribution down on themselves.’
‘We founded this kingdom by killing a bishop, a Roman official, and a commander with his two turma of cavalry,’ Gunderic said. ‘An emissary will be just one more dead Roman to us.’
Now it was the turn of the Burgundars to smirk. The emissary tried to smile, but Hagan could see his arrogant confidence had been dented a little.
‘King Gunderic,’ the emissary said. ‘General Aetius demands your answer.’
‘What is this, Gunderic?’ Brynhild said, frowning. ‘What is he talking about.’
‘My answer to what?’ Gunderic said.
Hagan felt his guts lurch, knowing what would come next. That bastard Aetius could not have waited until he or Zerco could have sent a response more discreetly. The general had had to push the issue. Now, with this happening so openly, he would look like a mere lackey of the Romans.
‘The general sent messengers here weeks ago,’ the emissary said. ‘They were to request you join the military alliance against Attila the Hun, the Scourge of God.’
‘What is this man talking about?’ Brynhild said again.
Gunderic glanced towards Hagan and Zerco.
‘We got Aetius’s message,’ he said, ignoring Brynhild’s protests.
‘So will you join the Alliance against Attila?’ the emissary said.
‘Our alliance was to fight off the Alemanni!’ Brynhild said. ‘And then defend ourselves against the Huns. Not to join the Romans.’
Gunderic tutted and shook his head.
‘We shall speak more on this later,’ he said, his voice tetchy.
‘Lady Brynhild,’ Wodnas said in a more placatory tone. ‘Attila is rampaging through the world, burning towns, cities and villages. He is killing men, women and children who stand against him and enslaving those who surrender. The Alemanni have joined his cause. By fighting him we will also fight them.’
‘But if we march off with the Romans we will leave our own realm unprotected,’ Brynhild said. There was a note of panic in her voice.
‘The Alemanni will not attack now,’ Wodnas said, turning to the emissary who nodded. ‘Tell her.’
‘He is right. The Alemanni War Horde is with Attila,’ the Roman said. ‘As are the Ostrogoths and Gepids. General Aetius has Visigoths, Saxons and Franks and now he hopes you Burgundars as well. An unlikely alliance, I grant you, and we can all only pray it holds together long enough to fight Attila. All the world is gathering outside Aurelianum. The battle will be immense. The Churchmen are saying this could be Armageddon, the battle that will end the world.’
‘But you said—’ Brynhild began to speak.
‘Things change,’ Wodnas said, cutting her off.
Brynhild looked around her. Her eyes were wide and her face pale. Hagan felt a stab of pity in his heart for his old friend. She had agreed to join Gunderic because of the threat of the Alemanni to her people and now that threat seemed to be gone. She must be wondering just how big a mistake she may have made, or if she had been lied to. His pity was overshadowed by a wave of guilt that he had had a part in deceiving her as well.
‘We accept General Aetius’s proposal,’ Gunderic said. ‘We will join the Alliance against Attila.’
‘No!’ Brynhild said.
‘Brynhild, you are now my queen,’ Gunderic said, heaving a sigh. ‘But you are also now my wife. There are hard decisions to be made and now I must make them for both of us.’
‘You make a wise choice, King Gunderic,’ the Roman said, a smile creeping across his face. ‘If your answer had been no, then Aetius’s first action was to march the legions into your kingdom. He cannot leave a potential enemy at his flank.’
‘He would lose many men if he did that,’ Gunderic said.
‘Perhaps,’ the Roman said. ‘Your warriors look capable enough. But Aetius marches with the entire interior army. Your little kingdom would have been annihilated. Happily that will not now be the case. I will ride back and tell the general you are with us. Attila is heading for Aurelianum. If he takes it all Gaul will be lost. Then…’
The Roman shrugged. ‘Expect more messengers with your marching orders.’
He saluted Gunderic once more. Gunderic nodded to the Raven Warriors who stood back while the emissary swung himself up into the saddle then rode off, the hooves of his horse clicking over the paving slabs of the square.
Brynhild glared at Gunderic, who raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture.
‘You heard what he said, Brynhild. If we don’t join this alliance we will be wiped out.’
‘A glorious death would be better than the shame of joining with Rome,’ Brynhild said through clenched teeth.
‘A corpse on the pyre is useful to no one,’ Wodnas said. ‘This way you get revenge on the Huns, who decimated your old kingdom and mine. Attila must die.’
Brynhild’s eyes flashed but she did not say anything more. The words of the one-eyed man were enough to silence her for a moment.
‘Come, this is our wedding day,’ Gunderic said, spreading his hands wide and smiling. ‘There are hard times coming but today is a day for celebration. Let us feast!’
They set off for the great feasting hall. Hagan could see Brynhild was brooding like a thundercloud on the horizon. There would be feasting to come but there would also, he had no doubt, be a storm.