Drogoopened his mouth to protest the wordstealthen frowned as he suddenlynoticed how the men passing by the cart were casting hard, curious looks atEada. "I think I had best tell William that you speak French."
Thrownoff guard by the abrupt change of subject, Eada asked, "Will that be aproblem for you or for me?" She began to wonder if her little game,prompted by stubbornness and pride, could now put her in danger.
"Ido not think it will be a problem for either of us. Not if I tell Williambefore others can whisper the news to him, slyly twisting their tale until itsmells of some treachery."
Shenodded as she suddenly understood his concerns. "Your enemies could easilyuse it against you, making what was but foolishness sound evil."
"Yes,and there are ones who would like to cause me such trouble, mayhap lessening mein William's eyes." He looked back at Eada. "Stay with the cart andwith Ivo," he ordered. "Do not stray from Ivo's reach."
"Iwill not flee," she said. "Where would I go?"
"Itis not your escape I fear, for I believe you have the wit to know you aresafest where you are now. No, I give this warning because we now ride amongstthe Saxons. I do not wish you to be mistaken for some fleeing villager."
Shetensed as she realized what he was not saying. "Now the killing trulybegins."
Hesighed and rubbed his chin. "My men do not cut down the unarmed andinnocent or lay waste to all in their path, but others are not so merciful. Themercenaries will certainly be brutal. I have also heard talk of someretribution. Two of our ships went ashore in another village, and many arecertain that the men were killed. If they find such a village and the tale istrue, those people will pay dearly." He shook his head. "It does usno good to talk of this, for neither of us can stop it. Just stay in the cartor at Ivo's side. I ask it only to keep you alive."
Eadanodded and watched Drogo ride off to rejoin the others. He was right. It did noreal good to speak of the horrors to come, of who was right and who was wrong.She knew Drogo was a merciful man and, in the end, he had no more power thanshe did.
Thestinging smell of smoke roused Eada from her sleep. She winced as shestraightened up, deciding that sleeping on a sack of grain in a moving cart wasnot something she would do often. Rubbing the small of her back, she lookedaround. It was already late afternoon, and she was sure they were nearingBulverhythe Harbor. They would have to ride around that just as they had had toride all the way around Pevensey Harbor, so it was possible that they wouldsoon stop to camp for the night. The smoke, she realized, was drifting towardher from Hove or Bexhill and she shivered.
"Godhave mercy on them," she whispered and crossed herself.
"Ithink God has shown mercy on us," May said, her voice soft and unsteady."You have slept, and I have been saved from seeing the horror all aroundus."
"Ithas been bad?" Eada asked, briefly clasping May's hand in hers.
"Halisham,Herstmonceux, Ninfield, and Hove were all struck at least as hard as Pevenseywas."
"Thatwas hard enough."
Maynodded. "From what I have heard, Ashburnham has been laid waste, and Ifear that fate awaits Bexhill. The footsoldiers who march along the coast havejust reached it. I cannot be certain for I but grasp names spoken, know wherethe villages lie, and see what the soldiers do."
"Andsmell the smoke." Eada cursed softly. "With such wanton destruction,even those fortunate enough to avoid the swords and arrows could still bedoomed. The winter to come will be hard with all of their stores emptied orburned." Eada looked to the carts behind them and saw that prisoners hadbeen taken. "Have you spoken to the prisoners?"
"No,but we have been close enough many times and I have heard some of what they sayto each other. That is how I learned a little more than the names of thevillages. How can the men we are with be so good and kind yet ride with men whocan do such cruel things?"
"Allmen do evil in war. A village suffers even when our own men march through it orcamp nearby. Warriors are the same no matter which king they march behind. Somejust have a little more mercy and honor in their hearts than others." Eadatapped Ivo on the shoulder. "Are we going to stop to camp for the night?"
"Yes,"Ivo replied even as he nodded. "I do not know these roads, and it would bedangerous to travel them in the dark. They are rutted and the mud isthick."
"Theywere passable until an army marched over them," Eada muttered, but shekept her voice too low for Ivo to hear for she did not wish to confuse him orhurt his feelings with her complaints.
"Whenwe stop, you can teach me how to talk to May."
Eadaglanced at him and grimaced inwardly when she saw the earnest look upon hisface. She really doubted that he had the ability to learn English, but shecould not say that. "Mayhap it would be better if I taught May how tospeak your language. She and I will be together more and talking more. You willbe too busy helping your liege lord." She patted him briefly on theshoulder. "Then, when you are not so busy, May will be able to teach youall she has learned."
"Yes,that is a good idea."
Shesighed inwardly with relief. Although teaching Normans English would helpfulfill Old Edith's prophecy that everything Saxon would not die, Eada did notthink she wanted to start with Ivo. That would require more patience than shehad at the moment. When all their fates had been decided, if they all survivedand were still together, she would do her best to teach every Norman in herreach how to speak English, even Ivo.
Eventhough she wanted to ignore it, to remain blind to all of the tragedy, Eadalooked at the prisoners riding in the carts and stumbling along the muddy road.They all looked terrified, some wearing the empty expressions of horror andgrief on their pale faces. It did not surprise Eada that most of the prisonerswere women, many looking as if they had already suffered the pain anddegradation of rape. Many soldiers considered women part of the loot due thevictor. The only other reason they would take a prisoner would be for ransom,but there was no reason to do that in this war. If William lost, his men weredoomed; and if he won, few Saxons would have anything left to pay a ransomwith. What the Normans had not already taken they would soon claim as theirrightful due under the new king.
Afterwatching the mournful prisoners for several miles and smelling the taint ofsmoke in the air from yet another burning village, Eada's spirits were very lowby the time Ivo stopped to make camp. She silently helped him prepare a meal,absently noticing that May was equally subdued. It was not until she heard thesound of a man in armor approaching that she was able to shake free of the fearand the grief weighting her heart; but when she looked up, it was not Drogostanding before her. The man turned to look at Ivo and Eada tensed. On hisright cheek was a scar, the same scar she had glimpsed on the man in hervision. She did not need Ivo's muttered greeting to know that this was Sir GuyDeVeau.
"Whichone of these women is Sir Drogo's whore?" Sir Guy asked, his voice softand cold as he stared at Eada.
Eadastiffened with outrage as a scowling Ivo pointed at her. She ached to respondto the insult but forced herself to remember that, despite the kindness ofDrogo and his men, she was a prisoner, a Saxon in the midst of an enemy army.This time she would have to swallow her pride, for acting out in anger couldnot only endanger her but Drogo and the others as well.
