Oath Bound (The Wolf of Kings) by Richard Cullen

Author:Richard Cullen [Cullen, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781801102032
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Published: 2021-08-04T23:00:00+00:00

24

COLESELLE, ENGLAND, JUNE 1067

He plunged head first into the bush, heedless of the shrubbery that threatened to cut his arms. His big hands closed around the rabbit, and it squirmed and struggled in his grip. Styrkar wrenched the creature free, snapping its neck before it could make a bigger nuisance of itself.

This was not the kind of hunting he had envisioned when Kenric made his offer those weeks before. Styrkar had been expecting to hunt deer and trap wolves, not face conies and the odd angry badger. But then again, Styrkar had never been much of a bowman, and it was hard to bring down game with an axe.

Not that he was in any position to complain about his lot. He was making a generous living from selling skins and meat. The town had welcomed him with open arms, and he had a roof over his head, food in his belly and people he could call friends. The wild thoughts of vengeance he had harboured for so many months were still there, but locked away at the back of his mind. Sometimes he would think on them, and think on acting upon them, but since he had arrived in Coleselle, the Red Wolf had slept. Life went on.

He stuffed the rabbit in a sack along with the others and hefted it over one shoulder. It was full enough for one day, and as the evening drew in he made his way back through the wood towards town.

He was alerted by a rustle from the trees, stopping dead as he waited to see who was coming. When Kenric appeared from amid the trees onto the path in front of him, he let out a slow breath. For a moment Styrkar felt an odd sense of relief; his hand had not even strayed towards the seax at his belt. A few weeks ago, he would have been ready to fight before Kenric even showed himself. Now, he had become so used to the lack of danger he had not turned to the fight-or-flight instinct that had kept him alive for so long. Whether that was a good thing, Styrkar could not say.

Kenric noticed him, a wide smile crossing his face as he held up the sack he was carrying.

‘Come see what I’ve got, my friend.’ Kenric beamed.

Styrkar peered into the sack as Kenric held it open. Inside was pigweed, shaggy mane mushrooms, rosemary, nettle leaves and other things he couldn’t identify. It was hardly a king’s bounty, but Kenric’s face told how proud he was of his foraging.

‘We will eat like lords tonight,’ Styrkar said.

‘Lords indeed,’ Kenric replied, closing the sack and swinging it over his shoulder. ‘When we get home I will cook us up a feast worthy of a coronation. A rabbit stew like you’ve never tasted. Then we can sell the rest for coin and mead. We are like merchants, you and I. True men of wealth and breeding.’

Kenric smiled up at Styrkar, who didn’t feel the need to speak.

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