Jenny: Background Images

"Scotti?" The Guttersnipe struggled to choke back a laugh. Waving her hand around in front of her face as though a fly had nearly gone down her throat, she said, "Scotti? Heavens, no. I'm Iceni. I'm British-born. My Lord took me from Venta years ago and I've been with him ever since. (You probably don't know where Venta is - it's in the south.) You see, they hold council in Venta, or did, and he was just arriving. I've always had a thing for horses and my Lord Ambrosius has the best cavalry on the island. So I fell in with them. I was very young then, and the world was so big. I will never forget the first time I saw home. It was autumn, and home never looks so pretty as it does in autumn. The pastures - we raise horses and cattle - are all yellow and tawny, and the apple-orchard makes the whole valley smell like spice. And the bells in the cloister ringing... There was my Lord Ambrosius, and Gaius and Bedwyr and Kay, and Caleb, and - "

* * * *

"Artos!"

He raised his hand and nodded wordlessly. Night was coming, slipping over the hills like black silk tumbling out of someone's hands. All lights were doused; the horses shifted and snuffled uneasily in the darkness. Hush, boys. Easy, girl. Not a sound. We take them by surprise.

Across the river flat to the northeast he could pick out the movements of soldiers creeping steadily along. They were moving as swiftly as they could, trying to get into position before being detected. He could hear, very far off, the broken noise of feet in the river. Deep in the apple-wood the Fox would be laughing. Within himself, he felt the heady excitement rise to meet the occasion. Nothing would show, nothing yet. Not until his uncle raised his arm and the trumpeter let off the rallying charge.

Catching his excitement, Nutmeg shuddered from end to end beneath him.

Not long now.