Free Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 10] Roman Hawk by Griff Hosker Page A

you and your family for he had served with your father. He taught me how to speak as a Roman for he was proud to serve with Marcus’ Horse and my mother was Brigante.”
    Marcus knew the answer to his question before he asked it but he went ahead anyway. “And your family where are they now?”
    “My father was killed in the raid defending us. My mother suffered a blow to the head and did not survive the crossing.  My sister lived until last year.” She looked for the question which she had thought he would ask and when he did not, answered it anyway.  “She was older than I and…” She drank some of the honeyed milk from her own beaker.
    “Why did you say that I should not become ill?  What is it to you?”
    “I was taken as a slave as you were but have you not noticed that you are the only man in this hall?”
    Marcus looked around again and saw that even the boys who were in the hall were less than ten summers old. “I wondered but then I did not know what the chief wanted of me.  Now I do.”
    “The older women work the fields, preserve the fish and tend the halls.  The boys look after the animals and the girls… we are there to be used by the men.  My sister became ill after she was taken too many times last year and she bled.  That is how many of the girls die.  There are few of us who become grown women.” She shrugged, “At least I have seen none in my seven summers in this place. As long as you live I am safe for the chief has said I am not to be taken until he has learned all he can from you.”
    There was a silence as Marcus took that information in. It slowly sank in that he now had a responsibility to the girl.  He could not escape without taking her for he would not allow her to be raped to death like her sister. The Parcae had woven their spells well. “So that is how you were chosen to be with me because you spoke the language.”
    She nodded, “As soon as I saw you I felt hope soar in my heart.” She leaned in to him. “Can I tell you something?” Marcus nodded, intrigued by this resourceful young woman, for she was no longer a child, or even a girl. “I knew you would come for yesterday when I was picking seaweed on the beach I heard a bird and when I looked up I saw a hawk such as we have on the Dunum and he was circling above me.  When I saw the bird I knew that someone would come.  As soon as you arrived I told the shaman that I could speak your words and I was chosen.” She smiled, a cheeky smile, which suddenly made her look her age. “I made sure I beat the other girls to offer those services and I give thanks to the hawk.”
    Marcus closed his eyes and nodded. “Now I know that the Allfather is looking over us and this has all been intended.” The girl looked at him curiously. “My brother died last year and he took a death oath to protect me.  As his spirit left this earth we saw a hawk and I heard it as I was taken over the sea. The hawk is my brother’s spirit and now I have hope.”
    “I am glad that you were brought here for now I too have hope.” She pulled the bearskin over them. “If you want to take me…” Marcus recoiled. The girl looked appalled. “Am I too ugly?  I can…”
    Marcus shook his head. “No you are beautiful.  You are lovely but you are not an object to be used. There may come a time when we…there will, come a time but we will choose the time and the place because we wish it to happen and it will not be a coupling in a barn with others listening and watching.”
    She moved her head back to look more closely at him. “You have never had a woman have you?”
    Marcus thought that it was a good thing that it was dark for he felt himself reddening. “That does not matter. You father served with my father; I do not think that either of them would want me to take you here in this hall.”
    She shrugged and snuggled in next to him. “If you change your mind… but we will need to be close for it is very cold in the night here and we