As Vortigern occupied himself with building a palace for his new wife Aemma the Saxon, her father Hengst and his brother Horsa were busy recruiting an invasion force from the continent.  Dozens of Saxon ships were landing at Deira, Bernicia, and all the way up the coast to the northernmost islands.  The unprepared tribes of Briton proved no match.

Cerdic was also preoccupied with thoughts far removed from defensive battlements.  He and the new Queen’s young cousin Harlee were full of the laughing and cooing and sudden contact of fingertips and lips that is seen with first love.  Often they were not seen at all, sneaking into the shadows at mid-day, or first light, or as prompted by unseen...

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