The Bretwalda (The Casere Book 4) (13 page)

The Jarl regained his composure. ‘Very well then, it would seem that you are worthy enough to take my daughter as bedda. I would like to recite the history of our great family…’

Farrun interrupted again. ‘She told me…’

‘Well then, I should explain the values and virtue of my …’

‘No need – she showed me.’

‘I did not!’ The girl almost jumped out of her seat in indignation. She was definitely going to be a handful.

‘Well, I must have just imagined that part. But there is no need.’

The Jarl was getting stressed. ‘Well, what do you want to know then?’

‘The dowry.’

‘To the point then.’ He took in a deep breath. ‘I would justify my self but you’d probably interrupt me again. I’m asking five hundred thousand ryals. I mean, you may become a Healdend, but you aren’t at the moment – you are only a Folctoga – albeit at least a Jarl in the future. Come back next year, and…’

Kolbert coughed and spluttered. The sum was huge – perhaps double what the Bretwalda of Kishdah would demand for one of his daughters; and clearly an amount he had no expectation of receiving.

Farrun didn’t react. He had been instructed not to. ‘What estates are included?’

‘Estates?’

‘I’d imagine that such a price would include sizable estates fitting the eldest daughter of the Jarl – if I’ve misunderstood the value you…’

This time the Jarl interrupted. ‘Folctoga, of course there are estates included – and a sizable dwelling here in the town. I should have mentioned them earlier. I overlooked it…’

‘Would it amount to perhaps a thousand acres?

‘A thousand acres…!’ Cornered, he conceded. ‘Yes, a thousand acres.’

‘Excellent – we have an agreement then.’

Even though he was surprised, the Jarl played his main card. ‘I, of course, can only accept the promised amount today.’

‘Of course. Do you accept gold?’

‘You have five hundred thousand ryals with you?’

‘No, of course not. But my father does.’ With that Farrun stood up and carried forward several bamboo boxes, covered in wax. Each box contained four Koban or the equivalent of over a hundred and sixty thousand ryals, and he placed three boxes in front of the Jarl, before handing him a single bar. Kishdah and Sytha had the same currency system – five hundred coppers to a gold, twenty silver to a gold. Each gold coin contained three grams of gold. ‘This is called a Koban and are from Meshech – I’m led to believe they are the purest in any land. I expect that you will want to weigh them, but each is worth forty-two thousand ryals. There are more than five hundred thousand here, and when I get back, we can do the ceremony.’

‘What do you mean – when you get back?’

Vilotta had also been paying attention to the fortune in gold but was the first to react. ‘Where are you going?’

‘It has been decided that I am to fetch my daughter – it may be that she is in some danger.’

‘Is she not in Axum?’

‘She is – but a fair way from the centre; in the countryside.’

‘So you are going on a secret mission to Axum to rescue your child right after you have led a rebellion in Saba against Axum rule?’

‘It is not as bad as it you make it sound, but yes.’

‘Well then, I’m going with you – and don’t even try and argue. She will be my daughter to raise so I will help you rescue her. When do we leave?’

Farrun looked to her father in search of help. He shrugged.

‘Don’t look at me – I’ve never been able to control her. She is your problem now.’

‘But you are not yet sixteen – it would be unseemly.’

She smiled wickedly. ‘Actually I am. I was born in Geda-jo – my grandfather is the Jarl – and there were no folgere to verify my birth. Because I was very small, my mother was able to hide me for a year. My father can perform the ceremony today.’

When Farrun looked at Conn, Conn nodded in acceptance. ‘I think it will work out fine. But your father doesn’t do the ceremony anymore – it will be Fridfina. Ishtar is back.’

Vilotta quickly went in search of the folgere as a servant came in the door and interrupted. ‘Jarl, boats have arrived at the dock. The master of the first vessel says his name is Commodore Volund and he is waiting outside.’

Conn looked at Farrun and smiled. ‘Your vessel has arrived.’

Volund bowed as he came in and greeted the Jarl and then Conn. ‘We have about twenty boats full of prisoners. The folgere all died – they were uninclined to surrender and seemed to think they could swim to Axum. We let them try. We have mostly elderly Axum wiga prisoners. What do we do with them?’

Instructions were given and wiga and servants left to follow those orders. With that in hand, Conn asked Volund when he could be ready to leave again.

‘Is it important?’

‘Very.’

‘Who is going and where?’

‘You will have twenty passengers led by Farrun and Sarun.’ He listed off a few more names – all his Ancuman children and wards. ‘As to where, you will have that information later.’

‘Give me five hours to let my men have a proper bath, meal and a woman or two and we’ll be ready to leave. They’ll have sore heads but they can still row when needed. Who shall I talk to about provisioning the boat?’

‘I’ll help.’ offered Farrun.

‘You are not going anywhere,’ Came the cry from the back of the room. It was Vilotta and Finna – as Fridfina now called herself. ‘Finna has agreed, after consultation with Ishtar, that I can have my ceremony now.’

‘This very moment now?

‘Right now. Father, come here.’

Unceremoniously, Vilotta arranged her father and Conn in the right position and then stood with Farrun in front of Finna. They placed their hands on top of each other’s and Finna placed hers on top and bottom of the “pile”. A white wisp of air seemed to flow from her necklace down and over the hands, bathing them in a white glow. She then spoke. ‘Ishtar accepts their pledges and this pairing. She pledges her love in return.’ The white glow gone, they were officially bedda – the first such ceremony performed by Ishtar in hundreds of years.

‘So when do we leave?’ Vilotta asked Farrun. Farrun turned to Volund.

‘About eight hours.’

‘We have six hours to get to know each other, and then you’ll have an hour to pack. My quarters are this way.’

Conn watched them depart and then assigned the task of provisioning the boat to Vigbert and Eldarr. He was going to send both of them with Farrun. The journey would take over a lunar as a round trip, just on the water. Given they did not know how long it was going to take to complete the impending task on land, they needed supplies to last for longer than that. The young men rushed out, and Conn turned to Agingur and Kolbert.

‘I need to speak to your Folctoga. Can you arrange a meeting please?’

They turned to leave, with Kolbert saying. ‘I seem to have been demoted to messenger boy somehow.’

~oo0oo~

Later, Conn asked the group of men the best way of invading Himyar.

‘Himyar?’ Kolbert was confused. ‘But what about the rest of Saba. There are still Axum wiga and folgere here. Are you going to desert us?’

‘You can take care of them alone. You have Agingur and a thousand men in the Saba fyrd.’

He shook his head. ‘No way I’m staying here. It could be dangerous. I’m going with you – it is much more fun watching you mess with people.’ He turned around and spotted the Jarl. ‘I’ll put Bolger in charge. He and Agingur should do fine without me.’

Conn agreed. ‘After Samria, I doubt if Bolger has a lot of affection left for his Axum masters. However, if there are any folgere left alive, they can be brought to Finna.’

Bolger shrugged. ‘Are you sure I can’t just execute them? We are all dead now if we lose so a few more dead folgere won’t do any harm.’

Conn answered for them both. ‘No – if they are wounded or surrender, bring them here. Finna will take them from your hands.’

In the days since Finna had been called to Ishtar, she had received nearly a dozen new acolytes, varying in age from twelve to forty. She was no longer alone.

‘Okay – I will do as I am told. But if they start to slaughter the inhabitants of any villages, they will all die.’

That sorted, Conn returned to his original question. At the table were the four Folctoga from the other southern nations; Ingesten from Himyar, Rendel from Makurai, and the two replacement Folctoga with the absence of Eldarr and Farrun – Winheld il Latakia in Nobatia, and Cuthelm il Igili in Alwa.

Without Sarun, Farrun and Eldarr with him, Conn was loath to enter these three nations – but wanted to keep the relative Aebelings busy. Together they determined a point of entry into each demesne – an isolated port in most cases – and each had instructions to capture the port, take the Jarl hostage and fortify the port until such time as Conn arrived. Each folctoga had a thousand men and Conn had control of the ocean, so they should not have too much difficulty. With a well-supplied fyrd guarding the town, it was unlikely the Axum would attack given that the Axum fyrds were seriously under strength – and might erroneously presume that that could starve the inhabitants out.

In Nobatia, they would “invade” Latakia-jo. Winheld was the Jarl’s cousin who would be able to get him to play along. It was not so far from the capital of Nobatia-jo but the Aebeling and his Axum wiga should be loath to attack if the first attack was repelled. They would seek reinforcements from the Bretwalda, and that wasn’t going to eventuate.

In Alwa, the demesne of Igili was a long way from Alwa-jo. Cuthelm was the Jarl’s brother, and while the town was not as easy to defend, it would have time to reinforce itself before help came.

As for Makurai, the targeted port was Abdera because it was also a long way from the Makurai-jo – and Makuria was dominated by a high and impassable range down its middle – the only communication was around the coastline and that took a long time. Either way, it would buy them time as every ship they sent would be captured by ‘pirates’ – which were suddenly a major problem in Axum waters! Rendel’s own demesne was too close to Makurai-jo and indefensible, but his mother was from Sipan, which was very near Adbera.

It was decided that Conn, with his forces and the fyrd from Himyar, would head for Agath – a demesne only a few days from Himyar-jo, but the closest to Saba by ship. The Folctoga’s demesne of Adana was too far away.

So when Conn farewelled Farrun and Volund on the docks, he told him where he was going to wait for him – the capital of Himyar.

Farrun was surprised. ‘Himyar-jo? I thought I’d meet you in Alwa.’

‘No, I’ve spent the morning with your Folctoga and we have decided that the best place to wait for you in Himyar – because and despite it being the closest island to Axum. It changes our plans a little but it is still controllable. I will wait there as long as it takes for you to get back – within reason. Don’t make me come and fetch you.’

Chapter 9
The Aebeling of Himyar

With the departure of Volund, Conn was next to leave. He had half a dozen cogs and the rest were his junks. The junks were easy to overlook but the three mast schooner wasn’t. It stayed over the horizon running cover and staying out of sight. After dropping him off the junks and cogs would be buy ferrying wiga around the shallow seas of the Southern Isles.

Conn was on his largest and newest junk. Kolbert had never been on a ship of this size before, and as its bamboo sails filled with wind, he gazed with amazement at the way that it cut through the waves.

‘How fast are we going?’ he asked Njil.

‘Over 10 knot – quite fast really – but certainly not top speed. The other vessels are not as fast and we don’t want to get ahead.’

‘I don’t think I’ve ever travelled this fast before…’

Conn stood at the back and could see the group of ships that followed. Here the land was never far away. They could see coast line on both sides. Soon they would be in open water – before they turned north.

He turned to Kolbert. ‘So what do you know of the port of Agath, and the Jarl?’

‘Small port. The Jarl I’ve met once when I was young.’

‘Will he recognize you?’

‘Very much doubt it. My father thought he was an imbecile.’

‘That’s good, because we have a job for you.’

He was suddenly excited yet scared. ‘I hope I’m in no danger.’

‘None whatsoever. Unless of course you do something really stupid.’

~oo0oo~

Two days later, it was almost dusk as the Saba flagged cog drew into the small port. Kolbert as “acting” as the Master. Conn and fifty Twacuman were concealed in the forward and back cargo holds. They were depending on Kolbert talking his way out of a full ship inspection.

As they reached the wharf, and the ropes secured, Conn could hear someone on the wharf address Kolbert.

‘Why is a Saba vessel turning up at this time of night? This is not the agreed protocol. Who is the Master?

‘That would be me…’

‘So what is the reason for this outrage?’

‘Well, I… you know … got lost…’

‘GOT LOST? What kind of idiot are you?’

‘It was not my fault – the navigator said something about his sister and our beloved folgere … he said she didn’t appreciate her initiation … it was most disrespectful … called you savages … criminals … animals … compared you to dogs … so I had no choice ... I slit his throat. But that was my mistake.’

‘No, you did well ... it is good that you defended the honour of those who serve the Gyden ... we will defend you if it goes to a judgement.’

‘Yes, but he bled everywhere – all over the maps – we were unable to plot our position, so we have had to hug the coastline.’

‘Very well then. What are you carrying? Show us your manifest.’

‘He bled all over that…’

‘Really – most inconvenient – we will have to inspect instead.’

‘Do we need to do it today? I am still very stressed – I had to change clothes twice – I still stink – blood was everywhere. Can we do it in the morning?’

The folgere sighed. ‘Very well – it is late. We’ll set a guard. Don’t want anyone to avoid paying taxes do we?’

‘Of course not.’

Conn had learnt that the main income source for the folgere was a tax on all items that came into their ports. Another seemed to be a reduction in the number of initiations your daughter or sister might “need”.

At midnight, Kolbert tapped on the door and indicated that the guards had been replaced; and the way was clear. It was a dark night and the fifty wiga slunk along the wharf to the shadows between the buildings along the port town.

‘What have you found?’ Conn asked when they were ensconced between decaying buildings.

‘Only five folgere – and twenty Axum wiga. The folgere are in the castle with the Jarl. The Axum are in those barracks to the right of the castle.’

‘What do they know of what happened in Saba?’

‘Nothing – but the lack of visitors is disturbing them – they queried me endlessly. The Jarl’s name is Holmvar. He was very hospitable – has two main bedda – one was very hospitable; insisted on showing me where I could sleep. I could have been here an hour ago but she insisted…’

‘You’ve cuckolded the Jarl? Unbelievable! You’ve only been here six hours.’

It was dark and Conn couldn’t tell if he was embarrassed or not. He doubted it.

Conn continued. ‘Give us thirty minutes and we’ll have the castle under control. As soon as we have, I’ll signal you and you can then take control of the dock with your men, and set up the beacons. The ships will start coming in as soon as we secure the wharf.’

‘How will you signal me?’

‘You won’t miss it – I promise you.’

On his signal the Twacuman disappeared into the shadows. Conn, and Derryth headed to the castle. The folgere were his to deal with. They got to the gate before anyone noticed them and then it was too late; a couple of faces ran into fists and some gonads ran into staffs, and they were in. Across the courtyard and they were into the castle itself. Like everywhere it was a reasonable tower house of about three floors. It was unusually broad and seemed to have two sets of stairs.

A maid was scurrying around the main fire and she turned to find Conn’s hand over her mouth. She was Twacuman and she was about to struggle when she saw Derryth – her eyes widened with amazement. Conn indicated that she should be quiet and she nodded.

‘Who are you?’ she whispered. Conn fished out his medallion and her eyes opened even wider and showed surprise and understanding.

‘How can I help?’ she asked.

‘Where is the Jarl?’

‘His rooms are on the third floor – you are not going to kill them are you? That would be sad.’

Conn shook his head. ‘No – they are in no danger. How many of them are there?’

‘Ten – the Jarl, his three bedda and their six children.’

‘And the folgere?’

‘Second level – they have quarters to the right. You can kill them if you want.’

‘I do want to. Thank you. Can you guide us? Oh, what is your name?’

‘Gunvi. Please follow me.’

She led them silently up the stairs and as they got to the second level, she indicated that the folgere were in the attached rooms. Conn nodded and indicated she should accompany Derryth to the Jarl. She nodded and smiled back as they continued up the stairs.

Clearing his mind, he crept into the room. The five folgere lay in bunks around the room. Three were older in age and there were two teenagers – who were in the beds of the older males in a sleeping embrace. Whilst the folgere initiated both girls and boys – it seemed their regular companions were other men; which was no different from the institutional pedantry that existed amongst the wiga. Sexuality was fluid in both Ancuman and Twacuman camps. Conn made no judgement.

Conn waited until he heard noises and then silence from above. It was however enough for the folgere to stir and after they had stoked the fire, they saw the large shape standing in the room. They leapt to their feet, grabbing their swords.

One yelled out: ‘How dare you come into our room uninvited! You will die for this interruption.’

Conn stepped into the light and drew back the cowl of his cape. He blonde beard and hair flickered gold in the fire light.

‘Hello. I am Conn il Taransay, Marquis of Kerch. I have come to extinguish you.’

For the first time in a long time, Conn opened his mind so that Ashtoreth could sense him – and then only just enough for her to know that he was in her demesne. He hoped that it would confuse her enough to become enraged. He generally had that effect on her.

Judging by the reaction on the three elder men, it was a safe bet that it had worked. They rushed him with their swords swinging – which was a mistake. Within ten seconds, all three lay on the ground grasping their last breaths. Conn unceremoniously bent over and ripped the black stones from around their necks. ‘You won’t need these where you are going.’

He looked up and saw the two teens; half dressed, waving their swords at him. ‘I suggest that you put down the swords and surrender – there is still hope for you yet. Hand me your swords’, they looked at him in disbelief, ‘NOW!’ the swords clattered to the ground. ‘And the necklaces.’

‘We can’t.’ One begged.

‘The alternative is death. Choose quickly.’

Derryth arrived with several wiga as the last one handed over his necklace, before bursting into tears.

He turned to the wiga. ‘Let them get dressed and put them on one of the cogs with a good supply of rum. We will send them back to Finna.’

Derryth nodded. ‘I’ll take care of them – the Jarl is insisting on seeing you.’

‘I’ll bet he is. I’ll send the signal first.’

Conn went to the window and reached in his arrow pouch for a special arrow. Lighting the tiny but very effective flare, he lit it and fired it two hundred yards into the air. At its peak it exploded, a bright ball of white; unmistakable if you knew what you were looking for; very confusing if you didn’t. ‘I think Kolbert will notice that.’

Conn went upstairs to see the Jarl. Wilric waited at the door, resting on his Bo, his bow over his shoulder. ‘He’s very upset.’ He commented as he broke into a broad smile. ‘Keeps giving me orders and expects me to do as I’m told. Very surprised when I don’t.’

Conn walked into the room to find the Jarl walking up and down the room while his bedda and children sat huddled fearfully in the corner. He looked at Conn as he arrived, and was even more surprised.

‘The Priecuman are invading Kishdah. That’s absurd. They don’t have the ability to do that.’

‘At this moment, the Ancuman are invading Meshech – seems only fair that I reciprocate, don’t you think. Anyway, it is only a temporary invasion.’

One of the Jarl’s sons was standing at the window. He cried out. ‘Father, there are huge, HUGE, ships at the docks – and lots and lots of men – wiga – streaming out of them.’

The Jarl looked in disbelief at the child and then walked over to look. Sunrise was thirty minutes away and the action at the dock was clearly visible.

The Jarl turned back and sighed. Resistance drained from his body. ‘It would seem that I and my family are your prisoners. What is it that you want from us? We have little in terms of gold.’

‘No need – we’ll be out of your hair in a few hours. We are on our way to Himyar-jo to see the Aebeling.’

He looked out the window. ‘And you are taking all those wiga with you. Why are you doing that?’

‘To rescue the Aebeling, of course.’ Conn spent ten minutes explaining what he was doing. The Jarl was nonplussed. He’d heard of Conn – some of his men had been in Sytha, but he was also realistic. ‘I am happy without the folgere. They are hated by all, and if what you say is the truth, then it is a good thing. If it can be sustained of course – the Axum do not like rebellions.’

By this time there was a lot of noise coming from the courtyard, and they headed down. The Himyar forces were lined up in parade formation.

The Jarl was astounded. ‘These men are of Himyar – some are of my own people.’ He went along the lines and greeted men he knew – even some he was related to. ‘None of this makes sense. Why are they taking orders from a Priecuman who had Twacuman with him who don’t take orders? These men went with the Aebeling to Meshech.’ He repeated himself. ‘None of this makes sense.’ As he watched, several of his Twacuman theow came and spoke to Conn quietly. Conn nodded and one ran away quickly.

‘What is going on? Why are my servant’s talking to you?’ Before Conn could answer, Kolbert rode in, and dismounted. He bowed to the Jarl.

‘I thank you for your courtesy last night. Your hospitality was impeccable.’

‘You don’t look like a ship’s master anymore. What are you now?’

‘Alas, I was forced to lie to you last night. My name is Kolbert il Saba.’

‘Kolbert is the name of the Aebeling; are you actually him? Aren’t you under house arrest?’

‘I am he and I am no longer under house arrest, thanks to the Marquis of Kerch.’ On that news, one of the Jarl’s family members swooned and fainted. It was his bedda – the youngest – and prettiest. She was only just saved from collapsing onto the stone pavement.

The Jarl was not slow. He looked back and forth between the Aebeling and his bedda. Realization dawned on him as the sun lit up the yard. Conn saw a faint smile on his face which seemed misplaced. ‘You seduced my bedda last night, didn’t you?’

‘I… well… it wasn’t me so much as …’

‘You did – I was wondering why she looked so happy… she is only attentive to me when she has been behaving inappropriately. Sir, you are a scoundrel.’ Then the strangest thing happened; he looked at the bedda as she sat on the ground, looking down, ashamed. He then looked back at the Aebeling, and actually smiled broadly. ‘Aebeling, you know the consequence of cuckolding a Jarl, don’t you?

‘Sadly, I do. It has cost me a lot of ryals over time.’

‘I don’t know about Saba, but the wergild is twenty thousand ryals for a Jarl’s bedda in Himyar.’