The Aebeling (26 page)

‘That is my plan.’

‘Sound reasonable. So that’s settled; tell me now why you have a Twacuman girl with you – from Piada? I’d even forgotten that Piada existed.’

It took a while to explain the whole story, and by the time Herewald had finished asking questions, there was only the two of them left. Everyone else had gone to bed. The next morning, formalities completed, Conn hired every spare worker in Sabatah and put them to work. He also sent out work to neighboring domains that he was hiring. Both his new domains were heavily forested and full of large trees – Pines, Firs and Cedar, and these were cut down to build the docks and buildings they needed. The Cedar was made into floating pontoons from which they built the docks.

Within weeks Sileas and her girls arrived in Atrak; leading a large contingent of craeftiga and supplies from Hama. With a thousand people on the payroll, things were starting to happen quickly, and the port of Atrak was already capable of docking the schooners that arrived everyday with supplies. Conn had invited Sileas to be the Burhgerefa of both domains as the buildings would form one large village.

With work well underway, Conn sent for Eggar.

‘Thane, you wished to see me?’

‘How would you like to take a trip to Silekiak? You didn’t visit last time, did you?’

He shook his head. ‘No – I had no intention of visiting any ports – Pelva was accidental as I explained. I’d be happy to go.’

‘Good – we’ll organize as much food and weapons as you can carry, and take an additional a squad of bowmen to ensure that any Rakian silly enough to try and attack you is taught a lesson – sink them if you can – you can consider it further sea trails.’

Eggar smiled broadly. ‘Be delighted to. I’ll go and prepare for departure.’

Conn handed Eggar a document. ‘Find the Eaorl of Pelva, give him this, and go from there.’

By the end of the week Eggar had loaded cargo and headed to sea. It was getting late in the season for sailing, the westerly winds were treacherous in winter and the cape that formed the southernmost tip of Silekia was extremely dangerous for small boats as it was a meeting point for two ocean currents. Safely around the cape, the next problem was that Rakians controlled the seas from a harbor in Ilissus. Eggar would do well to return in one piece, but it was something that had to be tried. Conn wished he could have gone himself – he loved sailing.

Eggar arrived back on one piece several weeks later; he only had to sink one Rakian vessel before they left him alone. The Healdend of Silekia was most grateful for the supplies and the Eaorl of Pelva had sent a shopping list of goods for the flotilla of ships that would depart Atrak and Sabatah next spring. Something else he could do for the Silekians.

The one incomplete task was taking Oisin to Halani before winter but that proved impossible with the amount of work on hand; but she didn’t complain, she seemed content to stay in Atrak with Allowena and his girls, and she was soon like another daughter.

CHAPTER 13

With the arrival of his fourth spring in Meshech, Conn left Atrak and headed for Halani with Oisin and Daray. After ten days on the road they left their escort of wiga in Hama, and the three of them headed on alone. Conn had sent a pigeon – carrier pigeons were a much more efficient system than an arrow in a tree – telling them they were coming. Pigeon breeding programs were now established in all his domains and, secretly, in most of the cotlifs. As well as a communication system, they also served as a source of chemicals and food.

As they rode up the road that led into Halani, a group of riders were waiting for them. Conn was surprised; normally he made it a day into Halani before he encountered a welcoming committee, and he was certainly didn’t expect to be met by Caewyn and Derryth. They rode up with their normal heartiness, until they got close enough to see the third rider. Derryth was in mid-sentence.

‘Conn, what a pleasure to see you...’

Caewyn didn’t pause; she rode straight up to Oisin and greeted her like an old friend. ‘Well met, cousin, welcome to the great forest. My home is your home.’

Oisin, who had had time to prepare for this meeting, responded equally. ‘Thank you cousin, I am honored to be your guest.’

Derryth regained his voice; ‘Gyden, a cousin from Piada. You don’t see that every day.’ He greeted her formally and Caewyn rode back and gave Conn a big hug. She admonished him.

‘Feorhhyrde; it has been hundreds of years since we have had a visitor from Piada – you could have given us some warning. And you have brought another visitor – a Lykian no less. Are you going to introduce him?’

‘My apologies, Caewyn; Daray il Erbil, please meet Caewyn il Halani. She is singularly the most important person in Halani. Caewyn, Daray is my apprentice.’

She smiled. ‘Apprentice ‘what’ exactly – you are a man of many talents.’

Caewyn rode forward and stretched her hand out.

‘I am pleased to meet you, Daray il Erbil. I know that we will be friends.’ As she held his hand, she continued. ‘And with the Feorhhyrde as your guide, you are destined for great things.’

‘Of that I’m not so sure, Caewyn, but certainly there is not a day that I am not learning something new.’

Conn introduced Daray to Derryth; and then spent the next two days explaining how he came to have a Piadan in his possession – and why he thought Caewyn was more important than him.

As they rode, Derryth pointed to the pinto that Oisin rode. ‘You can see why we were confused. That is a real Elfina horse. I’m even surprised to see her.’

Oisin patted her mare. ‘She is the last of her kind. Once she is gone, there are no more.’

‘Perhaps she will breed with my colt?’ Caewyn asked; she was riding the colt, and the two pintos seemed very comfortable riding side by side.

Oisin agreed. ‘I hope so.’

Daray was curious. He had spent a lot of time with the Elfina filly – she only tolerated him looking after her – much to his annoyance. Stable hand to a horse was well below his pay grade. ‘I don’t understand why they are so different…’

‘Ahh, Priecuman, have you never heard the legend of the Elfina? I thought everyone knew…’

He shook his head.

Derryth sighed. ‘The Priecuman live so few years they never have time to learn anything. Anyway, it was during the time of the first Casere, and the forces of the Ancuman were equally matched with the forces of the Casere, and it seemed likely that the Casere would lose. On the morning of what was destined to be someone’s last day, a rumour spread that a Gyden was seen walking amidst the horses; she was seen to do nothing but pat the horses; and those that she patted were the pintos.’

Daray protested. ‘Is it not true that Gyden are unable to interfere in human affairs?’

Derryth laughed again. ‘So much you know, so little you understand. Gyden have always influenced events – we are but leaves in a wind. Of course you Priecuman believe in so many Gyden, it is hard to know if the breeze is blowing for you or against you and for someone else. Anyway, they say her touch created the Elfina; and those that rode the pintos into battle were victorious – the Ancuman were routed where they might have been victorious. The Casere granted all surviving Elfina to the Twacuman as a boon.’

Conn was confused; ‘This doesn’t match up with the history of Meshech … which Casere is this?’

‘Not any that lived here – that story came with Osstan.’

‘So there was a Casere in Osstan’s homeland – as well as Twacuman and Elfina.’

‘That is our understanding.’

Daray was still unsure. ‘But what is so special about them – I know that she is probably the most intelligent horse I’ve ever seen – and I swear she actually understand what I say sometimes…’

‘There are many things said about an Elfina – that there is no safer horse to ride and that it will die – and kill – to protect its rider. It is impossible to steal an Elfina because it will not do anything it doesn’t want to do. It would rather die. Which is why they died out over two hundred years ago – they refused to breed – and why we ride normal horses.’

That knowledge also confirmed to Conn that there was something that Oisin wasn’t telling me – her getting captured was just too easy, and for a ten year old girl to attempt the three week journey all by herself seemed extraordinary. There were so many questions and so few answers.

Conn asked why they were at the border waiting for them, as he looked at the two girls riding side by side.

Derryth shrugged. ‘We got your pigeon and when Caewyn found out she said she wanted to come and meet you.

‘Any reason why?’

‘No – and of course I didn’t ask…’

By the time they arrived in the main village, they had dozens of riders with them; news was spreading fast, and when they arrived in front of the keep; the streets were lined with Twacuman; with even more interest than when he had arrived. But Oisin didn’t flinch. She rode with Caewyn and they behaved like sisters.

Brina, Elva and Jowan were waiting for them. Brina walked to the horses and Caewyn introduced Oisin to her grandmother. Brina had tears running down her face. After greeting her warmly, Brina addressed Conn, whipping away the tears off her cheeks.

‘Again Feorhhyrde, we have much to thank you for; you have succeeded in joining our two halves, and the Twacuman are whole once again. Thank you.’

The Aebeling stopped to look at Daray. ‘Caewyn told me that you brought a young Lykian with you. Welcome. What is your name, young man?’

Daray again surprised Conn with his togetherness. He bowed and answered. ‘Aebeling, I thank you for allowing me into your forest, I feel greatly honored. My name is Daray ap Calbhach il Erbil.’

The Aebeling was thoughtful. ‘I knew your grandfather, Conlaoch il Erbil. I called him a friend. But that was a long time ago, when we roamed the lands. Welcome to Halani, young man, too few Priecuman come to Halani for the right reasons.’ She turned to lead them inside.

Beside Brina stood Elva and shying standing behind her was the soon to be three year old Jowan; he was holding her leg and peering at the new arrivals, his blue eyes flickering from person to person. Conn was making faces at him and he was giggling behind her leg.

Oisin saw him there and held out a hand. Surprisingly, Jowan disengaged himself from his mother and grasped it. Oisin smiled.

‘Is he your son?’

‘Yes.’

‘And his father is the Feorhhyrde… how amazing. I think we will be good friends.’

‘Thank you’, Elva said, ‘I’m sure he can have none greater.’

They turned and followed Brina into the longhouse, which was now full of people. Brina was soon in her usual position sitting at the front. She directed them to sit with her.

When she raised her hand, the hall went quiet.

‘Kinsmen, today is the day that we have hoped for many years – the day that our parents and their parents hoped would happen in their lifetimes but it didn’t – but it has happened in ours; and for that we rejoice. But we are also filled with sadness. It is fitting that the Wordloga remind us of the story of our people.

The Wordloga stood and spoke in his slow monotone. ‘Over five hundred years ago, Torhallur, the second son of the Wordloga of Halani, my ancestor, took Ingeulfur, the daughter of Sherric, Casere of Meshech, as bedda and together they created the nation of Piada as their home and home to many of our kin. For the next three hundred years, there was regular contact between the two domains, but after the fall of the last Casere, contact has been more difficult – until it stopped completely. The last visit was our Aebeling Freyotta, who went to Piada around 660 and returned with Ulfkarl as her bedda. That was the last that we have heard from our cousins. We have waited for the contact for two hundred years. Today is a great day; our clans are reunited once more. However, we have sadness in our heart as we have learnt that Oisin is last of her line, and our Aebeling has no son to offer Oisin as bedda.’

He signalled to the drummers and they commenced a deep slow beat that resulted in the crowd bursting into one of the saddest songs or laments that Conn had heard. It continued for about 10 minutes, and spoke of the suffering and illness that plagued the people since the separation. There were tears everywhere, and he thought they really needed some bagpipe music to add real suffering. After the song, Oisin rose to speak; her little frame rocked by emotion, tears rolling down her face.

She was still a child but she composed herself, and spoke heart-fully, ‘We have a song that is similar; it also speaks of the time that our people stopped being one and became two; when those that left for the great forest failed to return. I too am filled with sadness as I am the last of my line, and Caewyn the last of hers, and my house has no son to give to Halani.’ She turned and looks Conn. ‘In Piada, we have so few people we have little to offer anyone, and we are in decline. Of course, if they knew that the Feorhhyrde had returned...’

Conn was glad she left the statement open because he wasn’t sure what he could do.

The Wordloga continued. ‘Indeed, both our houses have failed. When there has been a need, an extra son was always available to be bedda to the other. We have had so sons since Freyotta. We have waited for the line of Sherric to provide this house with a son. If that house has no son, then the wind has misguided us.’

The Wordloga, Hanavan, sat down with a worried look on his face; he had seemed much happier earlier.

Conn had a question. ‘If Ingeulfur became bedda to your distant uncle Torhallur il Halani – surely then your family is destined to be the provider of the son for Oisin.’

He shook his head. ‘We are all too old – my son has a different destiny – one that is no longer clear to me. Fate would never generate such a mismatch such as Derryth and Oisin. No, the son is to be found somewhere else – and we now need two. I think we have misunderstood the words of our ancestors. We need to reflect on the consequences.’

Conn still had questions, but the festivities began soon after, and it was late when Conn retired with Elva to her longhouse. She commented on his mood.

‘Feorhhyrde, you seem concerned.’