Rayne

**Rayne** was a male Druid and a member of the White Ravens, summoned to be the Guardians of the Veran. This confused fellow Druid Divis as it was said that Divis was Veran's Guardian, but Rayne clarified that he was the Guardian of the New Veran.

Rayne was present for some of Cwunt's Druid lessons. He observed Divis make him act like a squirrel in a tree, and when Cwunt fell, Rayne offered to help him, but Divis forbade it. Rayne is selected to be a part of Cait's band, but she tells Antedia she doesn't know why, other than he looked fun.

A short time after leaving the Druids, they find the bounty hunter Hella again. They compare their previous experiences with Hella, how she kidnapped Phelan, buried Cait alive, and nearly killed Divis. Hella informs the band that the Romans take their deserters to the Blue Hills in the west, five days' travel from where they were, and that is where Lucius should be. She tells the band that the west is too dangerous for her, so her sister Drella will take them instead.

Guided on their path by Drella, Cwunt continues to ask Rayne about the Spear of the Silver Dawn. Rayne tells Cwunt about the spear and its role in the prophecy - that it will come from the east and the chosen one will use it to reunite the tribes against Lokka and free them from his spell. Cwunt then asks if when Lucius brought the spear to Britannia, if he knew what it was or if he thought it was just an ordinary spear to him, and if Lucius knows his own purpose. Rayne says that Lucius didn't know his purpose, but knew he had one. The band is stopped when they come across a fork in the road, and a tree decorated with red ribbon by the Sun Folk. Antedia says how it's a tree of the Sun Folk despite these not being the Sun Folk's lands, but they at least respect Veran, or at least they used to. Ania offers to travel along one path to the Sun Folk, and if she doesn't return, the band should go the other way.

Waiting on Ania to return, Antedia tells Divis how she thinks Cait and Rayne will soon sleep with each other. Divis is sure that Rayne is a virgin and calls him an annoying cocky virgin, but Antedia is not so sure that he is a virgin. After returning from her trip to the Sun Folk, Ania lies and says the highroads are too dangerous so they should take the lowland way. Divis disagrees as his gut says it is the wrong path. Being the leader, Cait decides that they shall do as Ania says and take the lowlands. On the journey, Cwunt continues to ask Rayne about where the spear came from, what it is made from, and what type of spear it is. Rayne replies that the prophecy does not mention these things, only that it was used to slay a powerful Druid, who was a threat to the kings of the land. At this moment, Divis interrupts, stating that the prophecy of Veran is on a need-to-know basis, and Cwunt does not need to know. Cait senses something is wrong and tells the band to stop, and Antedia can hear the trees talking. Members of the Belgae Tribe emerge and surround the band. Cait tells them they were sent by Veran, but they reply that Veran abandoned them so now they'll repay Veran with the band's blood. They threaten Antedia but recognise her as queen of the Regni, and they all bow before her.

The Belgae Tribe toast to Antedia, who they will always view as their queen. Years before the Romans invaded, Antedia and the Regni once helped out the Belgae in a war with another tribe, but the Belgae had since been slaughtered by the Romans. They know of Veran's prophecy and who Cait is, and they believe in Cait. Cait leaves for fresh air, and Rayne joins her, but Divis interrupts their flirting and Rayne shortly leaves.

The next morning, the band set off from the Belgae. It isn't long before they come across some Romans attacking a village. Rayne tries to convince Cait to leave, saying they are already lost, but she hears a woman call for help so rides back after her, followed by Rayne and Ania. The woman says her boy has been stolen by the Romans, and Cait wants to go find him. Rayne discourages it, but Ania says she will help Cait. As Cait runs ahead, Rayne and Ania follow until because of Hemple's hex, Ania knocks Rayne unconscious with a rock. As Ania regains control, she realises what she's done and waits with Rayne.

After the journey continues, Ania attends to Rayne's wound, but lies and tells him Roman's charged him down and knocked him out, without seeing her. When Cwunt is giving Divis an archery lesson, on Divis' first shot, the string snaps and the arrow fires at Ania and ricochets onto Rayne, wounding them both. Rayne gets angry and confronts Divis, but Divis calms him down through Big Pebble. During Big Pebble's trance, Rayne tells Divis that his responsibility to protect Cait is overbearing and sometimes he weeps because of it.

The next day, Ania scouts the Roman deserter holding camp, but when she returns to the band she says she couldn't see Lucius as she was too far away. She tells them that if they do have Lucius, they do not know who he is, and she also says how the place is barely even guarded and it shouldn't be difficult to sneak in there. Just then, they see General Aulus Plautius arriving at the holding camp, complicating things.

On the road again, the band come across a large Roman aqueduct being used as a transport bridge, and are perplexed as to what it is. Divis calls it a monster, and Antedia says how she has seen one before in Gaul. She calls it a road, and the rest of the band are in disbelief as to how a road can be in the sky. Rayne then points out that to cross it, the Romans will have to break formation, making it the prime location to try and rescue Lucius. Rayne and Cait scout the base of the aqueduct, and he says they should attack at night. Cait points out that if they go up there, they will be trapped, but Rayne replies that their horses won't last another night, so they have to do whatever they have to do now. Cait can't believe that she would have chosen a traitor to join the band as everything she does is prophesised, and she asks what they will do if they fail. They watch Aulus leave with Lucius before making their move.

On the road again, the band come across a large Roman viaduct bridge, and are perplexed as to what it is. Divis calls it a monster, and Antedia says how she has seen one before in Gaul. She calls it a road, and the rest of the band are in disbelief as to how a road can be in the sky. Rayne then points out that to cross it, the Romans will have to break formation, making it the prime location to try and rescue Lucius. Rayne and Cait scout the base of the viaduct, and he says they should attack at night. Cait points out that if they go up there, they will be trapped, but Rayne replies that their horses won't last another night, so they have to do whatever they have to do now. Cait can't believe that she would have chosen a traitor to join the band as everything she does is prophesised, and she asks what they will do if they fail.

Later that night, Cait is sharpening her knife as Rayne tells her she has to believe that she is the chosen one, and everything she does is part of the prophecy. He tells her she needs to release herself from everything and take the step beyond. Antedia then walks up and tells him to leave her alone, and then Cait leaves. Rayne tells Antedia that their faith keeps the land whole, and gives strength in the darkness and hope to the weak, and that Cait is the one that will carry them through, as she is the one that the Gods have chosen. Antedia retorts that the Gods never chose Cait. She then tells Rayne that when she was 14, a Veran different to the current one walked past her three older brothers and chose her to be the ruler of the Regni. She then told Rayne that his faith doesn't come from the earth, the rivers, or the trees, but from the mouths of men, specifically Veran's, and Veran only wants to be feared, worshipped, and obeyed. She once again says that no Gods chose Cait, she's just a brave child called Cait. Rayne then leaves. After Cait talks to Divis, she goes to talk to Rayne, who tells her that they should prepare.

After the band realise that Cait has climbed the viaduct without them, they start climbing themselves. Rayne goes on ahead, and Antedia wants to go with him, but he stops her as he knows her desire for revenge could compromise the mission. Divis starts having a fit as Lokka tries to break through. Cwunt tries to calm him down, and Drella joins Rayne ahead. As Cwunt falls off the viaduct, he grabs a rope to keep himself suspended, and Antedia then joins Rayne and Drella. On top of the bridge, Rayne sets the path on fire, and working with Drella, saves Cait from the Romans. Antedia saves Rayne and takes his bow. She is presented with the option of shooting Aulus or saving Cait from the Roman who is carrying her off, and she chooses to save Cait.

The morning after, Rayne and Antedia start arguing and are overheard by Divis, following their tracks. Rayne accuses Antedia of wasting time pointing his bow at Aulus when she should have been saving Cait, and Antedia argues that she did save Cait, and she storms off. Cwunt is sitting beside them feeling useless, and is told by Rayne that Antedia has no faith. Divis asks where Cait is, and Rayne tells him she's with Ania because he found the breastplate Ania used to cook berries on, but Divis mentions he can't see the signs. Cwunt interjects that he saw Ania's eyes the night before, and thought there was something else behind them, controlling her. Divis gets upset at Cwunt for not mentioning this before and says Ania is the traitor. Cwunt then tells Divis that Drella is dead, falling from the viaduct. Divis, Cwunt, and Rayne leave, but are watched by Antedia. Rayne doesn't believe that Ania was the traitor, but Divis argues that she was because she tried to hex him a few nights before. Cwunt irritates Divis by pointing out that Ania was stronger than both Big Pebble and Divis.

Divis, Rayne, and Cwunt come to the end of a road, where a statue blocks their path. The see Kenrik the Zealot a few paces away, and he asks who they are. Divis tells Kenrik they are Druids, but Kenrik argues that no true Druid would walk the path of the demon. Kenrik states that he has been chosen to be sacrificed to the Horned God, and has such been tied to his chair. He tells them that his sacrifice is supposed to rip up the Roman paths and drive the invaders back into the sea, and as compensation, each of his three wives receive a goat. Cwunt starts to untie Kenrik, but he protests and starts to make noises to alert his nearby tribespeople, who surround Divis, Rayne, and Cwunt.

The tribe does not believe when Divis, Rayne, and Cwunt tell them they are Druids, because they walk the Roman paths. The tribal leader gives them the chance to prove themselves as true Druids by asking Cwunt to identify a plant, but he cannot. Rayne says they are on a sacred mission, and they too hate the Roman road. The tribe asks they prove their hatred of the road, and so strap them to chairs and paint their faces green like Kenrik and are prepared to be sacrificed. Divis hallucinates Cait falling into Aulus' arms, and Kenrik is disembowelled by the tribal leader. Cwunt wants to be sacrificed next, but Drella arrives and slaughters the tribespeople. She interrogates the tribal leader to the location of the Romans, and kills her.

Divis, Rayne, Cwunt, and Drella make their way to the Belgae Tribe, who are attacking the Romans, and are taken to see Antedia who is with them. After going into the prison, Divis picks up a fallen Cait, and he carries her out, supported by the band.

After escaping the Romans, Divis betrays Cait by returning and giving her to Aulus. The band realise Divis and Cait are missing, and are left confused.