Chapter 3

We gathered the young and the old and headed first towards the dense woods that would at least give us some cover.  From there, we made our way towards the direction where the great chief had taken his army, praying that he would be forewarned in time by our messenger and came to our rescue.  I also prayed for protection of the gods for my beloved Nemetona.  The Silure must have reached Marmesse now and a bitter battle would result.  Nemetona had agreed to hold on just long enough to sustain the tribe’s honour and give us a chance to cover as much distance as possible and if the danger of being overwhelmed arise, she would call a retreat and make a stand only if rear-guard action was necessary.  Still, my heart was burning with worry as I knew her was strong-willed and might be tempted to take on more than she could handle and refuse to grasp her last chance to escape.
I could not envisage what would happen if she fell into the hands of Orgetorix. Throughout the land he was famous for two things: his good-looking face and his cruelties to those who dared oppose his path.  Whole tribes had been impaled for doing less than what Nemetona was trying to do.  To resist his force with a mere handful would be more than a challenge.  It would be a grave insult that Orgetorix would be unlikely to forgive.
We walked all night without pausing for rest.  By the next morning, we could hear the sound of hoofs thundering near us and we knew they could not be Nemetona and her men.  We had not left so many horses behind for those who chose to stay and fight..  So, Marmesse must have fallen.  Our hearts sank both at the immediate danger and the thoughts about Nemetona and her followers.  I ordered the few warriors who had been assigned to escort us to form a protective ring.  Not that it would be of use if they Silure decided to press in an attack as they enjoyed an absolute majority.  Still, I had to try my best and leave the rest to the gods.
The first rider appeared, followed by more behind.  
I tightened the grip on my staff.  But then there were cheers among our people as they recognized Ogmo, the eldest son of the great chief.  Our messenger was successful in finding the great chief and he had immediately sent three hundred warriors towards Mermesse.  Sirona, the most loved of the great chief’s offspring by our people, was behind him, followed by Eporedia, the youngest.
“Is that you? Bitutitius?” it was Eporedia who asked.
“Indeed. It was I.” A sudden heat was felt on my face.  Seeing Eporedia here made me think that I had abandoned her sister to a dangerous position.
“And where is Nemetona?” her face was getting pale.
“I do not know, my Eporedia. She had chosen to stay and fight…”
The young daughter of the chief did not wait for me to finish.  Turning the head of her mount towards Marmesse, she gave a yell and the mount sped through the trees. A score of warriors hurrried after her.
“Shame on you, Bitutius!” Eugenix cursed he pulled down the hood that had covered his face.  I had never liked that face.  His dark eyes were deeply set and the nose was that of a hawk.  His lips were thick and though he wore a long beard, it could not hide a protruded chin.  Something on it told me that this man harboured nothing but evil design inside.  Yet he was powerful and had accompanied the great chief on many campaigns.  Some said our enemies feared him more than the weapons of our warriors.
I looked at him in the eyes.
“There is nothing I do that is unbecoming of a druid.”  
Eugenix was about to further challenge me when Ogmo stopped him.
“Let us not waste time now.  We should make full speed towards Marmesse.  May be there is still hope.” The son of the great chief did not wait for our reply but spurred his steed in the direction which Eporedia had taken.  
I was lent a horse and joined in the rush towards Marmesse.
We would never forget the tragic sight that greeted us on our return. As we rode back into Marmesse there were the scattered bodies strewn around of the warriors that had stayed behind, most without their heads.  The headless torso of the young nobleman Tirix was a sad sight.  Stripped entirely naked, the young man was beheaded in front of a kiln.  To my relief there was no body of Nemetona to be found. However, her broken sword was discovered and this might mean that Orgetorix had taken her captive back to his Silure homeland by the River Wye and I must anguish at her fate.
Barely had we had time to take in the sorry spectacle when Cu Ciann appeared.                                        
 
Silently and with great sorrow the army stood around their great leader. Recent triumphs were forgotten as solemn faces took in the awful massacre. Ogmo had dismounted at the spot where his young brother was butchered.  He knelt by the body of Tirix and covered it with his cloak.  Then turning towards his warriors, he vowed that this would not go unpunished. .  We knew Ogmo enough to know he always kept his words.  We also knew he was patient and could wait till the most opportune moment to make good his threat.  The most urgent thing to do now was to bury the dead and rebuild Marmesse so that life could go on as before as quickly as possible.  Casualties had not been high and the town would quickly get back to normal but for the wounded and helpless.  In a day or two punitive parties might be sent out to scout the border and several Silure villages would undoubtedly be burnt down in retaliation.  But for now, we must take care of things more pressing.
I cared nothing about this.  All I could think of was the condition of Nemetona.  I concentrated my mind and forced myself searching the middle realm where the recent dead were kept wandering for the crossing into the dark domain.  No, I did not sense her presence there.  So, she was still alive, at least for the moment.