Northumberland
|
Bedanford
|
Bedford, Bedfordshire
|
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Blaneford
|
Blandford Forum, Dorset
|
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Buccingahamm
|
Buckingham, Bucks
|
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Buchestanes
|
Buxton, Derbyshire
|
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Ceaster
|
Chester, Cheshire
|
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Cent
|
County of Kent
|
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Cippanhamm
|
Chippenham, Wiltshire
|
|
Cirrenceastre
|
Cirencester, Gloucestershire
|
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Contwaraburg
|
Canterbury, Kent
|
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Cyninges Tun
|
Kingston upon Thames, Greater London
|
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Cracgelad
|
Cricklade, Wiltshire
|
|
Cumbraland
|
Cumberland
|
|
Cytringan
|
Kettering, Northants
|
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Dumnoc
|
Dunwich, Suffolk
|
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Dunholm
|
Durham, County Durham
|
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Eanulfsbirig
|
St Neot, Cambridgeshire
|
|
Eleg
|
Ely, Cambridgeshire
|
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Eoferwic
|
York, Yorkshire (called Jorvik by the Danes)
|
|
Exanceaster
|
Exeter, Devon
|
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Fagranforda
|
Fairford, Gloucestershire
|
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Fearnhamme
|
Farnham, Surrey
|
|
Fifhidan
|
Fyfield, Wiltshire
|
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Fughelness
|
Foulness Island, Essex
|
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Gegnesburh
|
Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
|
|
Gleawecestre
|
Gloucester, Gloucestershire
|
|
Grantaceaster
|
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
|
|
Hothlege, River
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Hadleigh Ray, Essex
|
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Hrofeceastre
|
Rochester, Kent
|
|
Humbre, River
|
River Humber
|
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Huntandon
|
Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
|
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Liccelfeld
|
Lichfield, Staffordshire
|
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Lindisfarena
|
Lindisfarne (Holy Island), Northumberland
|
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Lundene
|
London
|
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Medwæg, River
|
River Medway, Kent
|
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Natangrafum
|
Notgrove, Gloucestershire
|
|
Oxnaforda
|
Oxford, Oxfordshire
|
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Ratumacos
|
Rouen, Normandy, France
|
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Rochecestre
|
Wroxeter, Shropshire
|
|
Sarisberie
|
Salisbury, Wiltshire
|
|
Sæfern
|
River Severn
|
|
Sceaftesburi
|
Shaftesbury, Dorset
|
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Sceobyrig
|
Shoebury, Essex
|
|
Scrobbesburh
|
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
|
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Snotengaham
|
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
|
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Sumorsæte
|
Somerset
|
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Temes, River
|
River Thames
|
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Thornsæta
|
Dorset
|
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Tofeceaster
|
Towcester, Northamptonshire
|
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Trente, River
|
River Trent
|
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Turcandene
|
Turkdean, Gloucestershire
|
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Tweoxnam
|
Christchurch, Dorset
|
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Westune
|
Whitchurch, Shropshire
|
|
Wiltunscir
|
Wiltshire
|
|
Wimburnan
|
Wimborne, Dorset
|
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Wintanceaster
|
Winchester, Hampshire
|
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Wygraceaster
|
Worcester, Worcestershire
|
PART ONE
The Sorceress
One
‘Every day is ordinary,’ Father Willibald said, ‘until it isn’t.’ He smiled happily, as though he had just said something he thought I would find significant, then looked disappointed when I said nothing. ‘Every day,’ he started again.
‘I heard your drivelling,’ I snarled.
‘Until it isn’t,’ he finished weakly. I liked Willibald, even if he was a priest. He had been one of my childhood tutors and now I counted him as a friend. He was gentle, earnest, and if the meek ever do inherit the earth then Willibald will be rich beyond measure.
And every day is ordinary until something changes, and that cold Sunday morning had seemed as ordinary as any until the fools tried to kill me. It was so cold. There had been rain during the week, but on that morning the puddles froze and a hard frost whitened the grass. Father Willibald had arrived soon after sunrise and discovered me in the meadow. ‘We couldn’t find your estate last night,’ he explained his early appearance, shivering, ‘so we stayed at Saint Rumwold’s monastery,’ he gestured vaguely southwards. ‘It was cold there,’ he added.
‘They’re mean bastards, those monks,’ I said. I was supposed to deliver a weekly cartload of firewood to Saint Rumwold’s, but that was a duty I ignored. The monks could cut their own timber. ‘Who was Rumwold?’ I asked Willibald. I knew the answer, but wanted to drag Willibald through the thorns.
‘He was a very pious child, lord,’ he said.
‘A
