[Undómë]

Meghan


As Rædwald and Sythric discussed what they might do about the bloodied bundle in the field, Meghan drew her horse a little to the side. The men had their heads together their eyes flicking up now and then toward their objective. She spoke low to Ash, giving the little mare a pat on the neck. Ash’s ears swiveled to the sound of her voice and the horse nickered low.

Something caught the grey’s notice and she startled, taking a few steps backward. Meghan’s head turned toward where the mare’s eyes stared. There in the distance to her right was a lone figure on a horse. A young woman, she was sure – small statured, long blonde hair, and yes, a dress. Bent over the dark-maned neck of her mount, the woman did not seem to notice the Bregoware group in the distance. Squinting in the light, Meghan took note that the woman did not seem armed.

Without thinking, Meghan turned Ash toward the woman and urged the horse in her direction. Maybe this person had seen or knew something of Osmod and Fion. She could see the woman had turned her horse about and was going slowly along. Allowed to go on, she would soon be out of hailing range.

Ash, at the bidding of her rider, was now at a full gallop. Meghan, her yellow braid flying behind her, stood up in her stirrups and called loudly to the other women. ‘Hey! Hey, you on the horse there! Wait up, will you?’ One hand on the reins, Meghan waved the other wildly in the air

Meghan’s spirited little mount ran as fast and as effortlessly as a prairie wind over the over the sere grassed ground. With a determined effort, she closed the space between her mistress and the other . . .