The Bretwalda (The Casere Book 4) (31 page)

‘We have a few hours.’

By the time they had arrived in the town, Torvarr was fully up to date and totally bemused. ‘If you didn’t tell me yourself, I wouldn’t have believed it. It was when they were collecting a fyrd for an invasion of Meshech that I decided that army life was not for me. I didn’t think my luck would survive a second encounter with you – and Geirnarr had told me about his time in Sytha so we decamped and invaded this island.’

Farrun was waiting outside the town with the other men under guard. Conn did the introductions and asked?

‘Any dead?’

‘No – a couple of sore heads though. Many of these men are from Nobatia. They were actually happy to see us.’

On their signal, Njil brought in his schooner, as well as one of the schooners. It was loaded with food and other supplies for Nobatia but had it fully unloaded and then sold the contents to the merchants in town. The village was soon surrounded by the Kerchians exercising their horses and the Twacuman who let their animals go for a run. Torvarr watched as the galloped off into the distance.

‘I have heard such a lot about the Elfina but never thought I’d see so many. And they will come back?’

‘Yes, I told him two days – he will be back then.’

As they turned around Torvarr had to stop himself from falling over a young adult.

‘My apologies… I didn’t hear you arrive.’

‘Apology accepted. Who are you?’

‘Umm’, he looked between Conn and the girl confused. When Conn didn’t say anything, he chose to answer. ‘I am Torvarr il Axum, grandson of Farstein the 3
rd
.’

‘Really. I’m Steinvi il Axum, daughter of Farolfur the 3
rd
.’

Torvarr looked at Conn in disbelief. ‘You have the
Bretwalda’s
daughter as a hostage?’

‘Accidentally, I can assure you. Don’t quite know what to do with her.’

He looked back at the pretty little girl as she trailed along behind them as they walked back to the Inn. ‘Who is her mother?’

‘Asvi il Jamut. I have her and her sister Vila in my entourage as well. Vila is my bedda – She happened to be the bedda of the Aebeling of Alwa but he died.’

‘Couldn’t happen to a better man. Borgsyn was an idiot. He was a grandson of Finnrun the 2
nd
. You are a lucky man to have a bedda from Jamut. It cost Borgsyn’s father a fortune. If I was so inclined, I’d be jealous.’

With the ships needing ballast, Conn asked what they had to sell. One of the men in the Inn called out. ‘Slate – this island is full of it.’

Conn called him over. ‘The stuff that is on these rooves is all from here?’

‘Yea, there is a mine not far from here. As much as you want.’

The next day, all willing hands were paid to quarry and carry slate to the schooner while others loaded the ship for its trip home.

As they ate dinner a couple of days later, with the ship ready to depart, Torvarr asked what Conn had in mind for them all – except to mine slate. Orders had been made for future shipments.

Conn brought out a map of the island. He divided it into three. ‘I don’t have any names yet but I’m proposing to create three Thane fiefs – one for you Torvarr, another for Geirnarr and the last for me – or rather for the new Jarl; Kutidi and her bedda, the current Thane of Aeaea. My plan is to swap Aeaea for Mersin. The schooner is on its way to Aeaea to collect the Dagrun and Kutidi.’

Torvarr was the first to speak. ‘I have yet to really understand why you do the things you do, Marquis. It defies my training and my logic.’

‘Is the proposed arrangement not suitable for you?’

‘I don’t understand why I – or Geirnarr for that matter – deserve such largesse. And I say that even understanding that you have sons who will be Healdend in Kishdah.’

Derryth posed a question. ‘Will Dagrun accept the offer?’

‘He has no reason not to – and Kutidi will be happy. A win-win situation. She is ten days from her son – and it will keep Volund on his toes.’ Conn handed the document to the two Ancuman. ‘So, do you agree?’

Torvarr reached for the quill. ‘Be stupid not to. One day, I might even be able to return to Axum and see my family – if you haven’t killed them all, that is.’

Chapter 13
The Aebeling of Nobatia

Mercian was quite close to Nobatia and the port of Latakia-jo, but they had to drop in to Saba first. There they met with the Healdend of Saba – Kolbert was very happy to see them. He was extremely impressed with himself, and very impressed with Conn’s entourage – if totally confused after his interrogation by Steinvi. She was a cousin to him as well.

‘Did you know that I have got all three of my bedda pregnant? If it wasn’t for the folgere, I don’t know what I would do in my spare time.’

‘You haven’t taken extra bedda yet?

He shook his head. ‘The Jarls do not have particularly attractive daughters – something needs to be done about that. I’ve decided to go and visit the other Jarls. Or, I don’t suppose you would care to relinquish Vila il Jamut to me?’

They sat in the tower house in the castle in the town of Lagash-jo – it was small but adequate for their requirements. Vilotta took to opportunity to catch up with her cousins, and have a nice hot bath. They were also collecting a passenger. Conn was taking Finna with him to Nobatia, as she was of Nobatia and he wanted her there when he opened up the cirice there.

Conn declined. ‘What about a merchant’s daughter. You need to consider your options – it will be your fourth bedda – and you are in the business of trade these days.’

He sighed. ‘Now that you mention it, it is a good idea. I’ll consider it. It is a real drag being Healdend, I can no longer take advantage of my position to seduce the bedda of other men. I’m expected to lead by example. Being responsible is so boring. Asbera hasn’t changed her mind, perchance?’

‘No she hasn’t – now, tell me what you know about what is happening in Nobatia. Farrun tells me you have been in touch with the Jarl of Latakia?’

‘I have – I even went to see him – or rather the Jarl of Leptis. I am considering one of his daughters as bedda – she is very beautiful – but he isn’t playing nice. He is only offering fifty thousand ryals because she will be bedda number four…’

‘What about the Axum?’

‘Oh them – they have the port surrounded. It will be impossible to get in or out. Of course, the Axum have no control over the seas so everyone is travelling by boat. I even met the Jarl of Cirta there. They are looking forward to seeing Farrun and you.’

‘They know about me?’ Conn was surprised – he hadn’t wanted everyone to know.

Kolbert was a little ashamed. ‘I kind of mentioned it when I was talking to the Jarl of Leptis about his daughters. Such a shame. The Jarl of Cirta has a sister – but he wants me to pay him, the upstart.’

‘Jarls? More than one Jarl knows?’

He nodded. ‘I do believe that I may have recounted our travels to Himyar in front of the Jarl of Latakia, and he may have mentioned it to the Jarl of Leptis and the Jarl of Cirta when we met … but I’m not really sure.’

Derryth burst out laughing, and did Farrun. Conn wasn’t up to laughing. ‘Farrun, what can you tell me about the Jarls? Will they blab to the folgere?’

‘I don’t know them too well because I was insignificant and Kinjan is on the other side of the island. I only met them properly when the fyrd was being raised. The Jarl of Leptis is quite elderly while the Jarl of Cirta is young – his father died recently in an accident at sea. I do know that Leptis is close to the Aebeling. There is no love lost between them and the folgere.’

‘Great – just great.’ He looked back at Kolbert. ‘What of the Aebeling?’

‘I know nothing – though I did hear that his son very unwell.’

Conn drank down his mug of ale. ‘Well, we have to stick to plan A – I don’t have an alternative yet.’ He stood. ‘I’m going to bed. See you all in the morning.’

Farrun and Derryth did the same. Kolbert complained. ‘Easy for you to all go to bed – you have beautiful women waiting for you. Mine are all pregnant… I wonder if Finna is busy…’

~oo0oo~

From Lagash-jo to Latakia-jo was four days by ship. As they headed into the harbour that was controlled by Farrun’s wiga, Conn had a feeling that things were not going to go as planned. As the large ship tied up and the planks lowered, a group of men stood waiting for him to disembark. Farrun headed down earlier and greeted a few of them with hugs, and the others with bows. They waited patiently as Conn arrived.

Farrun introduced them as he arrived. ‘Father, this is my uncle, Arnben, Aebeling of Nobatia. He says that he has come to see you.’ He moved on, ‘This is Vigill, Jarl of Latakia, Anolfur of Leptis and Enbert of Cirta.’

Conn greeted them formally. ‘I would be lying if I didn’t say that I’m very surprised to see you all here – especially you, Aebeling.’

He smiled a slight smile. ‘It is not every day that someone invades your demesne in such a civilized and organized manner – it behoved me to come and see for myself.’

The Aebeling was not old for an Ancuman – just over forty but he looked very unwell. Conn stated the obvious. ‘I’m surprised that the Axum or the folgere would let you go so easily.’

‘That’s the thing – they don’t know. I’m sure they are searching for me frantically. I have a friend – a Twacuman theow that I have known my whole life. I complained to him that I wanted to know what was happening and why and he said – ‘why don’t you go and ask’, and I said, ‘I can’t do that’ and he said ‘of course you can – if you want to’ and he made it possible. I had no idea the Twacuman were so organized.’

Conn relaxed. If the Twacuman wanted him here, there had to be a reason. Conn introduced his fellow travellers – his daughters, Derryth, Wilric, Vigbert, and Finna, the folgere. The presence of the bedda of the Bretwalda of Kishdah, and his daughter, caused the most confusion. Nobatia asked the obvious, and Conn explained.

‘They were captured when we liberated Alwa – a total accident. I’m arranging for a boat to take be back to Axum in the near future.’

‘I’m amazed.’ Was all the Aebeling could say.

Conn asked questions as they were escorted up to the hill to the castle. Winheld il Latakia, Folctoga of the fyrd, joined him as he walked.

‘What is the situation regarding the Axum outside the town?’ How many are keeping up in?

The Aebeling answered – which surprised Conn. ‘Over two thousand, I think, with another two thousand waiting in Nobatia itself. Morale is in severe decline as no one know what is going on. The folgere are beside themselves – they are tormented by something. And it is only the folgere that keeps the wiga together – and it is fair to say that some are fairly terrified themselves. Some of the senior folgere have in fact left for Axum themselves – you have even created doubt in the hearts of the most resolute and unwavering.’

‘Unless they can swim, they will probably not have made it to Axum. The Jarl of Adana is keeping watch.’ The walked up to the castle and on to the battlements overlooking the Axum camp. Winheld handed Conn a telescope.

‘I presume the catapults are in position?’’

Winheld answered. ‘Yes, with fifty rounds each.’

‘What percentage are in range?’

‘We have been operating at 80% – the distance of their catapults. They have no idea.’

‘Good. So let’s see if we can annihilate their camp sites then – it’s about to rain, so a cold and wet night is just what they need. The cavalry will be ready at dawn so sixteen hours of catapults should make them ready to receive us.’

Winheld, nodded and ran off. Soon the order would be given and the catapults would start to rain destruction on the Axum camp. Conn gave a second order to Bricwahl, Colonel of the Kerchians. ‘Have the Cataphracts ready to ride in the morning.’ He then followed the unusual collection of men up to the castle.

By the time they got inside, the first of the catapults could be heard to whistle through the air. It was going to be a long night for everyone. Inside they gathered around a wooden table and the Jarl ordered drinks for his guests.

The Aebeling was the first to break the awkward silence, addressing his question to Conn.

‘So, tell me what has happened. I gather you have been very busy. Kolbert tried to tell us but we started to fail to see which was fact and which was fiction.’

Conn nodded. ‘I understand. It was spring last year when we arrived, as you know.’ It took an hour to explain the entire campaign, with answers to questions along the way.

The Aebeling nodded as he went. ‘I see – so all that is left is Nobatia. I would take it that you intended to make Farrun the Healdend?’

Conn shook his head. ‘That is not my intention. You are young – you have a son. I understand that Farrun is a Jarl – that will be sufficient. My main concern has always been the folgere. I will not have them touching my daughters – or granddaughters.

‘I understand.’ Arnben nodded again and he looked at Farrun carefully and then back to Conn. ‘Your son has a powerful reputation as a Folctoga, and when I learnt that he was Elddis’s son, I was both confused and relieved. The mystery of his father and the fact that he was a twin was troubling.’ He looked around to see Asbera, and smiled at her. ‘And my niece is so much like her mother.’ He then continued. ‘I was also determined that the Bretwalda not take him away from us by fair means or foul. He didn’t help with his shenanigans with that Jamut woman. All of that cost a lot of money.’

‘I have happy to pay you back. With interest.’

Arnben smiled. ‘You can – but not to me. My friend, the Twacuman theow, gave me the gold. I do not know where it came from – some of it was so old I did not even recognize the numbers. We smelted it into new coins and sent it to Jamut.’

Farrun was shocked. ‘I thought you provided the ryals.’

‘Alas, nephew, I do not have access to that kind of money. And why the Twacuman would want you to have the money, I can only guess.’

Conn was confused. He looked around to find Derryth nonchalantly looking out the window. ‘Derryth?’

‘Yes, Feorhhyrde?’ He was trying to act innocent.

‘Is it feasible that the Twacuman here in Nobatia knew who Farrun was?’

‘It
is
possible – if for example if a message could from Sabatah to Aeaea on a Ancuman merchant trading ship that happened to get captured by pirates off the coast of Sabatah and then mysteriously let go – and then for that message to find its way from Aeaea to Saba and from Saba to Nobatia. Improbable but possible.’

Conn shook his head in amazement. ‘Caewyn?’

‘Well, it certainly wasn’t my idea to spend six lunars on a boat in the middle of the ocean looking for a lost Ancuman trading vessel. It was terrible.’

‘Really – six lunars? And Caewyn sent you?’

‘Perhaps not six – perhaps one lunar – but it felt like six. It was a very small ship.’

Bemused, Conn returned to the Aebeling who had been watching the discussion in astonishment. ‘That explains that.’

Farrun was still confused. ‘So the Twacuman theow who read to me and trained me and protected me when I was young, knew that you were my father?’

Derryth shook his head. ‘No, knowledge can be dangerous. All they knew was that you were to be protected – at any cost.’

With the discussion settled, for now, the Aebeling returned to the topic at hand. ‘Marquis, I think there is a way forward. I have no son anymore – he has succumbed to his illnesses a few days ago. His death was the catalyst of me coming here. In short, I will be happy to make Farrun my heir. You would only need the support of the Witan as he is not a male line heir – and there are others who are also in that position.’

The Jarl of Cirta took his chance. He was young, perhaps thirty. ‘Also Marquis; now that we are talking about heirs and such, this is possible now the right time but I would have you know that I am without a bedda. Should you happen to know of a suitable
first
bedda for me – given your travels around the Southern Isles – I would welcome your input.’ He then casually looked around the room, stopping noticeably longer on Asbera that on the others. Conn noticed the girl almost flush – it was hard to tell with her ebony skin, but she did look away.

‘And’, the Jarl of Leptis quickly added, ‘when the Folctoga’s bedda Vilotta has her child – I’m sure that I can convince my daughter Asema – who has almost seen fifteen summers, and is by all accounts a beauty – to be acceptable of becoming a second bedda. After all, is not the Folctoga the heir of the demesne of Kinjan? And if I have to give her to Saba, I will be beside myself.’

So many open statements, Conn looked back at the Aebeling. Arnben nodded his approval. ‘With the support of these two plus Kinjan and Latakia, it will be unnecessary to be too heavy handed with the rest. Of course, you must first deal with the Axum – what do you intend to do.’ The whistling of the catapults was unrelenting in the background, every ten minutes.

‘Once the catapults have finished with them we’ll ride over the top of them.’

~oo0oo~

When they gathered on the battlements at dawn and looked down over the Axum forces as they surrounded the castle, the Aebeling was very impressed with the effectiveness of the catapults. Devastation was everywhere. Latakia was chosen as Conn’s entry point as it was a small port with a large and long castle wall surrounded the vast majority of the inhabitants. Although they had been unable to leave the walls, most of their homes had not been ransacked by the Axum, though their fields were fallow and had been commandeered by the Axum. With the catapults at work all night, their lodgings had been destroyed. With the rain overnight, they were a sorry sight.