After the battle with Rhin’s warband in the north they had encountered little resistance. An occasional skirmish, but even then only between Coralen’s scouts and small bands of Rhin’s warriors. No one chose to stand against the whole warband, mostly in Cywen’s opinion because their warband consisted of Jehar, Benothi giants and a wolven. No one in their right mind would willingly choose to fight us, unless we were actively threatening their hearth and home, or they numbered in the thousands. Also, most of the villages were stripped of warriors of fighting age – most had gone to Owain’s summons and ridden to war against Ardan.

Some had even joined them. After seeing what the Kadoshim had done to the survivors of the village in the north, Corban had insisted on riding into each village that they passed to warn them. If it was a fortified town he would ride to its gates under the truce of a rowan branch and tell those gathered on the walls of what followed behind them. Corban had told Cywen that it was to give them a chance. Knowledge is power, Cy. At least, that’s what Brina always told me, and she’s usually right.

Many distrusted and disbelieved. Some didn’t. Corban offered them the opportunity of riding with his warband, much to Meical’s disgust. Over the course of their journey through Narvon the warband had swelled, numbering now around four hundred.

‘You’ve a gift for language, I have to say,’ Brina interrupted her thoughts. ‘You’re learning this much quicker than your brother ever did.’ The healer was sitting with her book open across her lap.

‘Can I see that?’ Cywen asked Brina.

‘Why?’ Brina asked.

‘I like letters,’ Cywen said with a shrug. It was true. When her mam had taught her and Corban, back in their kitchen in Dun Carreg, letters had always been Cywen’s favourite subject, while the histories had been Corban’s. She’d always thought Corban just liked hearing about ancient battles.

‘Here, then,’ Brina said, a little reluctantly. ‘Be careful – it’s very old, many of the pages are brittle. And only look at the first half – that deals with what concerns you.’