Pit of Vipers (Sons of Kings Book 2) Read Online Free

tunic and breeches before climbing beneath the furs. ‘You do know what we’re doing tomorrow, I take it? I mean, you did hear what was decided?’
    ‘I know, Aethelred. I always listen – well, nearly always,’ Alfred responded with a grin, as he picked up his saddle pouch to tuck away the velum missive.
    ‘Well, I hope you sleep without the noisy dreams tonight. I need a few hours of undisturbed rest.’
    ‘I’m sorry, brother. If I could rid myself of these dreams, I would,’ Alfred said, closing his eyes as Aethelred’s voice drifted into nothingness.
    *****
    By the time Aethelberht’s forces moved into Kent, the Danes had been rampaging throughout the shire for over two weeks. Surviving villagers cowered in burnt-out homes; others still took refuge in dense woodlands, too terrified to emerge. The sad task of burying the dead had barely begun, and only once the burials were over would the rebuilding of torched homes commence. The pain of loss and suffering would remain for many years.
    The company of warriors to which Alfred and Aethelred had been assigned scoured eastern Kent for three days, without news of any recent attacks. It seemed the Danes had either moved on or withdrawn to Thanet. Seated cross-legged around the campfire that night, Osric’s attention veered between Alfred and Aethelred. ‘We’ll spend one more day on this – any longer and we’ll need to hunt for fresh food,’ he said. ‘Ceolnoth wants to be sure the Danes aren’t just lying low.’
    Alfred glanced at the archbishop, who was swallowing the barely palatable dried food without a word of complaint beside the Sussex ealdorman. A calmness emanated from him that Alfred decided could only come from his deep faith.
    ‘But we’re in agreement that the Danes have more than likely gone altogether,’ Osric went on, spitting out a lump of beef gristle and prising leathery fibres from between his teeth with his scramseax. ‘I know that if I led a raiding party, and my scouts brought news of forces such as ours heading my way, I’d order a hasty retreat!’ He grinned at their amused expressions. ‘Well, have either of you seen anything left around here worth risking a thrashing for . . .? Exactly,’ he said, as they shook their heads. ‘Time for the Danes to go home, as I said.’
    ‘Except that Thanet isn’t their home, is it?’
    ‘True, Alfred,’ Osric agreed. ‘But we’ve no way of dislodging them from there. They’ve built formidable defences on the isle and their numbers seem to swell by the month. No, we can’t confront the Danes on Thanet. Once they crawl back there, they’ll stay until they decide to move on – or emerge to raid Kent again.’
    Not a man to give up easily, Ceolnoth insisted they should remain a further two days, following leads from ruined settlements. Scouting parties were dispatched in all directions, one led by Unwine of Sussex, which returned to camp on the evening before they were due to leave for Canterbury.
    ‘We met up with scouts from the king’s army sent out to find us,’ Unwine reported, dismounting and seating himself. ‘They’ve had reports of a mass retreat to Thanet by the Danes. Apparently,’ he said, looking enquiringly at the archbishop, ‘Dryhtwald had spies amongst them . . .?’ Ceolnoth confirmed the truth of that. ‘Well, it seems the arrival of our army was enough to convince Weland of the wisdom of rapidly returning to the isle.’
    Osric nodded. ‘The only thing he could do in the circumstances.’
    Aethelred harrumphed. ‘So our journey to Kent has been pointless,’ he said, voicing the thoughts of most of the men.
    Ceolnoth surveyed Aethelred’s scowling face. ‘You may say that, young lord, but I believe your arrival in Kent has served a great purpose. The heathens will now realise that we do not stand alone. When threatened, our king will not abandon us.’
    ‘Then perhaps we should speed up the means of transporting our armies,’ Alfred remarked. ‘It