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The noise, which had lessened around them, began to swell again. Groups of men who had run out of the camp in panic had been gathered by some of the captains who had escaped. Once their shock diminished, so did their terror. They began to realize that the army attacking them was far inferior in numbers to their own. They had found weapons and scraps of armor and began to return to try to drive the invaders away. Partly it was a matter of pride, but an even stronger inducement was their own need for the supplies that were being stolen. If they did not fight back, there would be no food for them, no money, no tents, no shoes, no blanketsnothing. Some had gathered loot in past battles. That was being taken, too, and they did not want to lose it. |
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Where these groups were fighting their way back into the camp, the sounds were differentcurses and cries of pain but no screams of unreasoning terror. Rhiannon turned her head to listen and knew she must go. Her eyes were blazing like emeralds even in the dim light. |
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"Give me a bow, and I will guard the wagon," she cried. |
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Simon was battling with his new stallion and had no attention to give to anything else. Siorl, who had listened to Rhiannon sing to the voices in the wind around Dinas Emrys, would never question the orders of the witch. He set up a cry for a light bow, and a man came running up with a boy's weapon as the wagon was started forward. Rhiannon swung the quiver over her shoulder and then, grasped the bow. |
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"Have a care, Simon," she shouted back as she kicked Ymlladd into forward motion, which finally stopped his dancing and plunging. "I will marry you where and when you will, so have a care to yourself." |
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Simon heard and for a moment his control of the black destrier faltered. He started to rise and tip in the saddle, but his knees gripped hard and he pulled back |
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