Amber Treasure, The by Richard Denning Read Free Book Online

first time the look was not one of loathing or mockery − but
gratitude.
    “Thank you,” he said, as he
picked himself up.
    Father, of course, sent for me
immediately. He told me bluntly that no slave on his land was allowed to carry
weapons or become a warrior.
    “That is the tradition, so that
is that.”
    I told him that I thought
tradition was a pile of fetid horseshit, but that earned me a vicious slap
across the cheek, which sent me reeling.
    “Tradition is everything,” he
bellowed. “It tells us who and what we are and where we come from. Tradition,
honour and fate − it is all men are. Lose sight of that and we are
nothing. Do you understand?”
    “Yes, Father,” I mumbled.
    “Grettir knows all this …”
    “Grettir is a bit of an old
battleaxe, Father.”
    “Maybe he is, but he was still
impressed by you today.”
    That surprised me.
    “I thought he went off in a
huff.”
    My father nodded, laughing now.
    “Oh, he was mad as a demon, but
he soon calmed down. Grettir is the salt of the earth and a very good man to
have on your side, but he expects someone to be in charge and giving the
orders; your grandfather or uncle in the past, then your brother, me or you. He
respects authority − but more than that, he demands authority. Leadership
is not just a right; you must earn obedience and loyalty by taking command.
Today was the first time he saw that in you and he was impressed.”
    I felt myself colouring, unused
as I was to compliments.
    “Even so − don’t get
carried away. I rule here and that means no more swords or practice for
Aedann.”
    “Yes, Father.”
    But, maybe something of Loki was
about Aedann after all and maybe some of that had rubbed off on me: Loki the
trickster and deceiver of the gods. So, I knew even as I promised it, that I
was lying. Loki looked down upon me and laughed as I plotted and planned.
    Strange the way things go in
life. Aedann had seemed to be an enemy and someone who did not want me about
and I had felt that way about him. Now, Eduard, Cuthbert and I were suddenly
quite fond of the boy. Only a few days before, our teasing and name calling had
led to him being punished and now his name calling and challenges to us had
made us want to be with him.
    So, we planned ways to smuggle
swords and shields out to the woods a little way from the Villa and he practised
with us, despite my father forbidding this. He was good with all the weapons
when he got the chance, even, much to Eduard’s chagrin, the bow. However, it
was with a sword that he excelled.
    We were ever watchful of Grettir
and kept our eyes on the woods in case he or Father would find us. One day, I
was keeping watch whilst Eduard and Aedann fought. Aedann was goading Eduard by
telling him that he was Owain and Eduard was Firebrand and that soon he would
be victorious. Suddenly, I saw the bushes move.
    Quick as lightning, I pushed
Aedann into the undergrowth close at hand and then signalled to the others to
throw their swords away. We then stood, breathing quickly, our gaze fixed on
the bushes. Yet no one emerged, so Eduard circled round to come at the
suspicious thicket from the rear. Nothing happened for a good few minutes.
Then, we heard Eduard give a load bellow and with a scream, two girls came
tumbling out of the bushes: Mildrith and Aidith.
    “You were spying on us!” I
accused them.
    Mildrith stood up and glared at
me indignantly.
    “No, we weren’t. We were … erm,”
Mildrith replied, with some hesitation.
    “Picking fruit?” suggested
Aidith. Mildrith nodded vigorously.
    I looked at the hazel thicket
doubtfully.
    “It’s midwinter and that is a
hazel tree. There is no fruit anywhere.”
    “Oh, that explains it then,”
Aidith said, with a giggle.
    “Yes, no wonder we did not find
any,” Mildrith added.
    “It’s a … an easy mistake to make.
A … a ... anyone could make it,” Cuthbert said to my sister. She smiled back at
him and I sighed. One day, my friend might get the courage to