‘All right, take it slowly,’ I said. ‘Where is this woman? How far?’

‘Longwater. In the settlement there.’ The messenger was white-faced and shaking, shock setting in now he had found me. ‘You take the main road west, then there’s a track in along the river. I’ll ride back with you, show you where to go.’

‘How long is the ride? I’ll need to borrow a horse.’ If she was already fading when the young man left there, chances were she would be dead before I reached her. And I didn’t have my healer’s bag with me.

‘On the western side of Wolf Glen, isn’t it?’ said Grim. ‘Be well over an hour.’

‘Not if you go the back way,’ said the messenger. ‘Takes only half the time. But we should be leaving now.’

‘If you’re coming with us you need a fresh horse. That one’s not up to it.’ Grim’s tone was blunt. ‘Best to borrow three fresh mounts, leave your horse here for a rest. I’ll knock on the prince’s door and ask Eochu.’

‘Thank you, Grim. Be as quick as you can. And I’m going to need my healer’s bag.’

‘I’ll ride back and get it. Catch you up on the way.’

Grim had friends in the prince’s household, and this stood us in good stead now. We were soon riding west on borrowed mounts, Grim having made a quick trip home for the bag and caught up with remarkable speed.

The messenger’s name was Osgar, and the woman in labour was his sister, Fann. As we rode along I offered calm words. But I would not lie to him about her chances. It might already be too late to turn the babe if it was awkwardly placed. The lengthy labour might have weakened the child so much it would not survive. The cord might be around its neck. The mother’s heart might give out. I did not tell Osgar those things, merely that I would do my very best, but that I could not give him an iron-strong promise that both mother and baby would survive. Did she have other children? No, this was the first. How old was Fann? Over thirty; she had married late. I did not tell him that an older woman faced a higher risk, especially with her first child.

‘I’ll do everything I can for her, Osgar,’ I said. ‘Believe me.’