By Blood and By Bond Teaser

Hi everyone, this is the first two chapters of my WIP "By Blood and By Bond" a historical fiction drama about Romans and Celts. If you like historical fiction, Roman fiction, Celtic stories, gladiators, father-son stories, then you would probably enjoy this. As a note, this is still a WIP, so typos or inaccuracies are my fault and will likely be worked out later on. However, if you find anything, please let me know so I can fix it.

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Chapter One

Caolán

“They have a force to be reckoned with. I think it will be a good fight on the morrow. What say you, Fáelan?”

         “So,” Fáelan replied with a grin. “It will be a good fight.” Caolán looked over at his friend, grinning back. They were lying on their bellies in the tall grass on top of a bluff, bare-chested in the summer afternoon, the swirling blue tattoos standing out on their skin. They were looking down on the gathered Roman army below them making camp. The Romans had come north several days ago, and Caolán and Fáelan had been watching their progress since they had first sighted them on a ride and were waiting for them to get closer to their borders before they made their move to attack. Caolán knew that his father, a chief of eight hundred spears, would gladly meet them on the field of battle, and the young man and his sword brothers were more than eager to do the same and test the invaders’ steel against their own.

         “Let’s go back, the horses are restless,” Caolán told his companion, and the two young men slithered down the hillside and raced back down into the valley where they had left their horses. Caolán whistled sharply and his horse, Tairneanach, pricked up his ears and trotted over to him, pushing against his chest playfully. Caolán laughed and petted the beast lovingly, pressing his forehead against his. “Come mo brathair. We shall rest for the fray in the morning.” He swung onto Tairneanach’s back and soon he and Fáelan were galloping home to the village, their long hair whipping back from their faces as they laughed in the careless way that young men will. It was not long before they rode into the snug cluster of huts, leaping off their horses and letting them be taken and cared for while Caolán went to make his report to his father.

         He found him in the main hall with his warriors, sharpening weapons and speaking of the coming fight. Chief Áedán was an impressive man; he stood near six and a half feet and had long blazing red hair that he had passed down to Caolán although the boy had his mother’s dark eyes and not the piercing blue that his father possessed. Áedán’s chieftain’s red and saffron checked cloak was slung over the back of his chair for the heat, and when he saw Caolán and Fáelan enter the hall, he stood to greet them.

         “Ah then, the young scouts have returned. What news do you bring to us?” he asked.

         Caolán nodded respectfully. “Mo athair, the Romans are sure to be upon us by tomorrow morning if they continue north. They looked to be preparing for battle as you predicted.”

         “So?” the chieftain said with a raised eyebrow. “Well, if it is what they wish, then we shall not disappoint them. Barra, tell the men we shall ready our weapons for we will be battling tomorrow. You two best as well,” Áedán told the young men standing before him and they did their best to conceal their grins as they made to leave the hall. “Caolán, stay a moment.”

         “Aye, Athair?” Caolán asked as everyone else left the hall to see about their business.

         Áedán smiled at him and clapped him on the shoulder, holding him at arms’ length. “I will need someone to drive my chariot tomorrow. Is there a young man who will do this thing for me?”