Saxon Dawn (Wolf Brethren) (24 page)

She left, as she had entered, majestically.  Ywain said, “Sorry about mother, she has her opinions.”

“Do not apologise Prince Ywain.  I like people to believe in something.  It may not be what I believe in but I can respect it.”

The king nodded at Brother Osric who disappeared briefly and then returned with an amphora. “This
, Lord Lann, is the same wine I gave you last year.  I have acquired some more and the king thought that this would be an appropriate occasion to taste it; especially your younger brothers, who are now men and worthy warriors.”

Ywain, his brothers and Gildas all banged the table and the king frowned and then smiled indulgently.
“I give you a toast.  The future.”

I had tasted before and knew the power of the deep red liquid but my brothers had not and I smiled at their expression as they drank for the first time. They went to take a second swallow and I sai
d, “Slowly boys.  Trust your big brother.  Slowly does it.”

There was
a moment of silence as we all enjoyed the taste.  Even the youngest son of the king who was but ten years old had been given a small goblet. The king looked around the table. “I have been thinking, for some time, how we might make the kingdom more secure. Lann, it was not until your coming that I saw how this might be achieved. You are a leader whom men follow. But you are not alone; your brothers have the same qualities. And Gildas, you showed that you too have those qualities. My sons have them, that goes without saying and they will inherit land but only Ywain will be king.  I want all of you to benefit from our success.”

He nodded to Osric who stood. “Each of you is to be made a lord. There are seven of you
, which is, in pagan terms, a magical number.  As a Christian I cannot subscribe to magic but I cannot deny the power it has over men. You will each be given a settlement to rule and to protect.  You will each raise the men from that area to serve in times of war.” He smiled indulgently at the youngest son of the king.  “Some of you will need my help, at least for a while. For the rest you need to make your settlements defensible. The people in your care will be taxed to enable you to run an effective defence but the king trusts all of you and knows that this is the most equitable way to ensure that fairness and the rule of law flows through Rheged.”

I did not know what to say and nor did my brothers.  Ywain saw our confusion and he continued. “It was father’s visit to Stanwyck that set him thinking.  There was a perfect place to defend and, had there been a leader appointed by
King Urien who could enforce the king’s will then it could have held out against the Angles until help arrived.” He saw my face cloud over.  “There is no disrespect intended to your father.  He could not make the others make the fortress defensible.  You said yourself, Lann, that it took the death of a young couple and a baby before the others even blocked the gates.”

The king shook his head sadly.  “I had thought that my bodyguard alone would be enough to defend the land but I can see that the people must be made to defend their land or they will lose it.  These invaders want the best land and our people live there.”

Brother Osric chimed in, “It is simple economics. If the people want to use the best land then they must pay for its protection and participate in the defence of the land or they will lose it, along with their lives.”

The king stood, “Come and bring your wine.  It would be a waste to let it turn sour.” We went to the next, smaller room in the old Roman fort.  Brother Osric lit the lamps.  There
, on the table, was a deer hide with a map painstakingly drawn upon it. The king smiled and gestured towards the priest.  “Brother Osric’s work while we were away.”

He snorted, “That and a hundred other matters!”

The sea was marked in blue and the land left the natural colour of the deer hide. There were places marked in red with writing next to them.  None of us could read and we waited for the explanation. The priest took a pointer. “Here we are in the centre of the kingdom. There are old Roman forts nearby and they were chosen by the Romans to protect the land.  Some of them are close to settlements where our people live while others are isolated.  We have chosen six for you to occupy.” He smiled at Pasgen, the youngest son of King Urien, “When Prince Pasgen is of an age he will be given his own fiefdom.” Pasgen’s looked disappointed and his father ruffled his head. “Here in the north, the safe fort if you will, for it borders the land of King Rhydderch, is Blatobulgium.” He saw our puzzled expressions. He sniffed contemptuously, “Had you all learned Latin as did the king then you would know these names. This land is rich farmland with many people living there and it will yield many warriors. Prince Rhiwallon this is yours to manage. Here on the coast is the port of Alavna. This is vital for the fish it brings in is a great resource and the fishermen are hardy warriors.  It is most important, Prince Rhun, that it is defended from the depredations of the Hibernians.” The two princes nodded very seriously.

Brother Osric then turned his gaze to Gildas. “Fanum Cocidii is north of the wall
.  Although it is protected to the north by King Rhydderch, to the west there is King Morcant Bulc and it protects the Roman Road.  There are not as many warriors and settlers there but it is vital that it is held to protect the capital.” Gildas too gave a serious nod and I could tell that he was building up to the most hazardous postings.  Ours!

The king put his hand on Brother Osric’s shoulder and the priest moved away from the table and drank a little more of his wine. The king pointed to the land south of Rheged. “Once all this was ours but now it is disputed land and the Saxons to the south will be heading north for the land of the lakes is rich in game and fish as well as the best pastures for cattle and sheep.  There are three forts which are in the way of any army coming north.  Here, at Glanibanta
, on the lake called Wide Water, is a fort but it has fallen into disrepair but there are many people here.  Aelle we would like you to hold this for the king.”

“I will do so your majesty.”

I almost smiled at the serious expression on my little brother’s face but I was proud of the man he had become.  Now scarred, he was a doughty warrior who was adored by his slingers.  I knew that he would win over the people of the lake.

The king smiled and nodded, “I know you will.”  He pointed to a fort not far from the capital. “Here is a Roman fort on the old wall
, Banna. It protects the road and the wall. Like Blatobulgium, there are few people there and it will be hard to defend but the walls of the fort still stand and it will be yours Raibeart to protect.”

Raibeart leaned over to look at the map
. Although he found it hard to understand, as well all did, it gave the relationship of the places to Civitas.

“Finally, Lord Lann we have the most exposed fiefdom.  Brocavum is the furthest west.  It is but twenty miles from your
old home of Stanwyck.   When the Saxons come from the south or the west you will be the first to know. You are the most remote and furthest from help.  The southern Roman road passes by the fort which has fallen into disrepair but there are many people who live and work there.  You must make them into a force which can hold an enemy up until we can reach you.”

He paused to allow it all to sink in.  I was a little intimidated. I had been fighting the Saxons for four years and I had led men for almost three and yet this would be new for I would be alone.  I knew that my brothers would be feeling the same. Prince Ywain must have sensed our doubts for he spoke and there was warmth in his voice. “You should know that I will not be idle.  I will be forming my own bodyguard which will be, like my father’s
guards, mounted.  Our role will be to travel around your forts regularly.  We need the people of Rheged to know that they still have a king who rules and will defy the Saxons.  This is a good time for us.  Our warriors have returned to their homes and they will be telling their communities of our success. There is a dawn of hope and there is a light shining here in the west. My father, King Urien is the light of hope.”

We all raised our goblets impulsively and toasted the king who beamed at us. “I have my seven lords
before me.  You are the Seven Stars of Rheged, you are the new equites.”

Aelle looked puzzled. 
Brother Osric tutted.  “If people only learned to read Latin. “ He sighed and then explained, “The equites were the high born Romans who rode horses and led their armies.  You are the equites now and you have the titles which go with that.”

King Urien went to a casket and opened it. “And here are your chains of office.” He took out seven chains.  They were made of bronze and
each enclosed silver encrusted crosses.  In the centre of each cross was a polished black stone which I knew came from the east coast.  It was a precious metal called jet. “This stone was believed in the old times to bring luck.” He smiled at the three of us who were still pagans. “The cross is for my sons and the black stone is for you.  We are combining pagans and Christians and together we will prevail.” Brother Osric placed the chains around our necks and we became the Seven Stars; the equites of Rheged.

As we walked back to the barracks I was not certain if we were drunk with the wine or drunk with joy. Aelle, of all of us
, was the most serious. “It means we will no longer be together.”

“Not true little brother, we are together here,” I tapped my heart, “and here.” I tapped my head. 
“We have been placed close to each other. I am in the centre, Raibeart to the north and you Aelle to the south. I intend to visit just as soon as I have discovered what my land is like. This is not the end of something, this is the beginning.”

The next day we were summoned, all seven of us, to Brother Osric’s office. He had in front of him seven piles of coins.  Ywain went to touch one and the priest slapped his hand. “The king has deemed that we need coinage.  Thanks to the booty that has been accrued we have minted coins with the king’s image upon them. These seven piles represent the bulk of the money in the kingdom.  Use them wisely. They are sound coins.” He took one and bit it.  “This is what the people will do and it will prove their value. You all need to have a defensible home.  For some of you this will be easy for there will be a fort.  For others it will be more difficult as the locals will have taken the stone for their own use.” He looked at us all and I could see a paternal look upon his face.  He looked like my father when one of us had done something of which he was proud. “Today the king will escort his two sons and Gildas to their forts.  Tomorrow Prince Ywain will escort,” he smiled, “the Wolf Brothers to theirs.  You ha
ve four months to establish your lands and then return here to begin training the army for the spring.  I am sure that the Saxons will have flexed their muscles by then.”

As we left, with our bags of coins, Aelle drew Raibeart and
myself apart. “Lann.  I would like to be wed before we leave the fort.”

I looked perplexed.  “Good.”

“No, you are the head of our family and I need your permission.”

I grinned.  “You have it. 
Freja?” He blushed and nodded. “Then you will also need the king’s permission for they are his captives.”

“Would you ask him for me?”

“Of course.  I will do so now.”

Leaving my two brothers to return to the barracks I headed for the king’s quarters. As I entered Bladud left.  This was the first time we had been this close since he and his men had tried to hurt Aelle. “Is the arm healed Bladud?” I asked innocently.

He snarled his reply, “You were lucky but you will not always be so and you will die by my hand.”

I was not afraid of him and I closed up to him.  “Any time you wish to try it Bladud I am ready and I will even pay for your
funeral.” He was used to warriors backing down and he brushed past me angrily. Somehow it calmed me; now it was in the open. I knocked and entered the king’s quarters.

“Has Brother Osric given you the coin?”

“He has and we thank your majesty I come on behalf of my brother Aelle.  He would marry one of the captives, the woman Freja with the young child.”

He stood and embraced me his face alight with joy.  “This is a sign Lann.  Our peoples are joined and we can survive.  I am even more grateful to you and your brothers now.”

As Aelle and Freja were pagans the ceremony was conducted before the captives and us. However Brother Osric, the king and his sons also attended. Aelle and Freja had become close on the journey across the land and I was pleased that she was happy with the union.  Monca, Aelle’s mother had been forced.  We did not need to do so. I wondered then just how many others would take a Saxon bride.

We had taken Raibeart to the windswept hillside on the wall first.  I found it hard to say farewell to him; even though we would see each other again this was the first time he been on his own, without his big brother watching over him.  When I had gone east he had had Aelle and the rest of the army for company. I could see emotion filling his face as he stood in the ruins of the fort of Banna.  The departing soldiers had done their best to render it indefensible but the locals had not robbed all of the stone and it could be repaired quickly.  It all depended upon the people who lived close by.

Ywain looked unhappy too. “I will send you each a warrior and a cleric to aid you.  This is too much for one man.” We had many clerics.  King Urien’s generosity meant that we had priests seeking sanctuary with us.  There were also many soldiers who were not in the bodyguard and had no families.  It would make us less isolated.