The Bretwalda (The Casere Book 4) (40 page)

Without thinking, she retorted. ‘He doesn’t have one leg shorter than the other – and NO, I am NOT going to measure the length of your horse’s legs to prove it – anyway he is fine, I used to ride him myself.’

‘Ah, that would be why then – he is used to an off balance rider…’

‘I am NOT an off balance rider.’

‘You look a bit off balance to me. Perhaps I could adjust your position…’

‘Touch me and I cut off your head!’

‘Just trying to help – but you do look off balance…’

‘I am not off balance…’ and so it continued.

Conn had chance to ask Derryth how things had gone on his ‘trip’.

‘Good – he now has a chance – especially if he keeps riling her like this. If I had a bit more time…’

‘We take what we are given. You have to be a fool to challenge her – I heard that Ewan hasn’t beaten her yet.’ With the Bo, Tulia was highly skilled, as were all his children. Despite their inability to instil humility in the girl, the Twacuman in Halani had trained her to be a great Bo fighter. Because she was so used to being unchallenged she still found that fact that she couldn’t defeat her father or Derryth illogically galling.

The town was safely in hand by the time they had arrived; the brawl had distracted everyone enough so that no-one got killed; they immediately surrendered when confronted by a thousand bows. A group of women waited at the front gate for them – the two Eaorls headed out in advance and Conn saw them dismount and hug people. At least everyone was in one piece.

It was actually better than that. Conn learnt that this Ancuman fyrd was made up of a lot of women – female wiga from the Southern Isles paired with male Axum – or even female and female or male and male. As a result, almost no women had been assaulted – widows had offered themselves in lieu of girls and women who were bedda.

The Eaorl of Katane’s mother greeted him as he arrived. She bowed formally. Conn had met her some years previously. ‘Thank you Eaorl. We lived in hope of rescue.’

~oo0oo~

It was a few days later before Conn was ready to march further west. The Blue Jackets had arrived with the two Eaorls and the Ancuman forces had to be sorted. Conn had created a company of Southern Isle wiga within the Brown Jackets, and the Axum had separated into Farstein and Geirfrith forces. It was only the Farstein forces who remained under guard and who remained unarmed.

Everyone however was set to work rebuilding the town; all three tribes worked digging, ploughing, building, repairing, cutting and carting. Despite the lack of materials, the town was quickly returned to a dry and clean environment.

Tulia had had her bout with Wulfgar, and she had been disappointed in her inability to crush him ‘like an insect’. He was now skilled enough to evade her. After a few bouts, he even managed to land her on her butt for a moment. She was frustrated and complained to her father.

‘I don’t understand it… a few days ago he had difficulty holding his own against his own men and now he won’t stand still long enough for me to beat his head in.’

‘Hardly surprising. He is obviously a quick learner.’

‘Too quick. And he is the first person other than you two to make me fall on my butt since I was thirteen. That move he used was very much like…’ she stopped and turned to look at Derryth. ‘Of course, I remember now; you low down, conniving, devious, deceitful … you have been training him, haven’t you? All these trips away – that is what that is all about.’ She looked back at her father. ‘And it’s all your fault! You have spoilt my fun…ooh! I hate you two both.’ She stomped out.

Derryth looked at Conn. ‘Are you sure we are having a positive impact?’

‘Have to wait and see. And why did you use one of your signature moves?’

‘I had no choice – he’s a natural using it – and it works. If I hadn’t, he’d have been, you know, crushed like an insect with his head beaten in. Not a good look for an Eaorl.’

Wulfgar was not the only one trying to avoid getting their head beaten in. The Thane of Panua and the Kadwahl of Katane soon gave up – it did their self-esteem no good at all to be beaten
all
the time. The Axum wiga thought about it but decided that discretion was greater than valour. Instead the girls were made to train others – and the female wiga from the Southern Isles became their students. They were good but Conn’s girls were better again.

~oo00oo~

They left the Eaorls of Elam and Katane with the Blue Jackets., who were to push south but not attack. The Blue Jackets would also be guarding all the Farstein Axum wiga prisoners they had – and there were almost five companies of wiga.

The Twacuman guided Conn and his fyrd through the mountain range that separated Enak and Sedina and led the to where the Red Jackets and the rest of the Blue Jackets had been resident for almost two years; the western front of the war against the Axum. He felt sure they would be happy to see him.

Conn had to presume that the Aebeling of Kishdah would be getting nervous. He would have heard that Panua was lost – that Siri had defected and the Oxmon was now back in Conn’s control. All he had left was Mazra and the ten thousand troops between them and Gatinak. If he was feeling hemmed in, there was only one way to go, and Conn was planning to leave it open for him.

Four days ride across the range and they turned downhill towards Gatinak, would arrive on the left flank of the Meshechian fyrd directly across from the main Axum fyrd.

There was a cheer as they arrived and Wigbert il Neh, commander of the Red Jackets, met them on the outskirts of the very large camp. Very soon the Browns and Greys were directed to suitable places to set up camp as Wigbert escorted Conn to the command tent.

Wynstan il Tabae, a man that had known him for his entire time in Meshech, was more than happy to see him. He embraced him.

‘About time. I’m getting very sick of living in a tent – and although my bedda do visit me, it just isn’t often enough.’

Conn laughed. ‘Good to see you too Wynstan. I have some new friends to introduce you to.’ With that Vigbert and his Captains came in and were introduced to the Brigadier. They saluted respectfully.

‘Tell me again why we are now on the same side?’

‘I will but first we need some beer – and lots of it. And coffee – Derryth has run out.’

Later as they sat around giving him a history lesson on Axum politics, he was stunned into amazement.

Conn summarized. ‘Who knew that there has been a three hundred-year old feud between two branches of the Axum royal family? It makes sense now because that is why the First Rakian War came to the conclusion it did – Ancuman were fighting Ancuman.’

Wynstan was still confused. ‘And you don’t want a full on assault of our “friends” across the river because some of them are actually our friends – and they don’t know it yet.’

‘That sums it up. And how are our friends across the river?’

‘They are certainly very agitated.’ He sent for one of his junior officers and he soon arrived. ‘This is Egward il Syra. His is the adopted son of the current Eaorl and son of the deposed former Eaorl.’

‘I didn’t know he had any sons.’

Egward bowed in greeting. ‘My mother is the daughter of a merchant. No one knew.’ Egward then turned his attention to Tulia, as he was introduced. He bowed respectfully again. ‘Tulia il Trokia, I am honoured to meet you, Aebeling. I had thought they exaggerated when they spoke of your beauty in Gatinak – and indeed, they were wrong. The words they used failed to even come close.’

Tulia actually blushed, though it was hard to see under the grime. ‘They speak of me in Gatinak?’

‘Of course – and in Rakiak as well. Word has passed of your intelligence and skill as a warrior as well. When you get to the Gatinak, you will learn of your fame.’

Derryth looked at Conn. He held his finders together to indicate a narrow gap. ‘And we were that close.’

Wynstan laughed before pulling the young Captain back into line. ‘Egward likes to play games with the Axum cavalry – I think he has a death wish. I think he has some ideas that you might find interesting.’

Chapter 18
Egward il Syra

Midday the next day, Conn, Vigbert and half of the Eagle’s Claw Brigade, headed north up the valley that was on the other side of the range that separated a small tributary from the major river that led down to the sea. It wasn’t huge but was wooded and high enough for them to not be seen by the Axum wiga that lined the other side.

There they waited, and before long Egward and ten men galloped over the top of the hill and down into the valley, their horses lathered and almost exhausted from the gallop. They pulled up in front of Conn and the Eagle’s Claw. Very soon, twenty Axum arrived in hot pursuit; their horses fresher, they had been gaining and were confident of catching the riders until they saw what awaited them; a huge line of horses, men and bows.

They reefed their horses to a halt and tried to turn around; but as they did the opening closed as the hill behind them was suddenly full of more Eagle’s Claw.

Their horses milling around, Conn yelled. ‘If you want to live, do not touch your weapons.’

Sigrin il Siri was at Conn’s left shoulder. ‘As I expected, they are Geirfrith – the Folctoga is Baldfrith il Zemar, second son of the Jarl.’

Baldfrith was very confused as he was surrounded by country men as well as Twacuman, and the Twacuman had bows. He held up his hand to stop his men doing anything suicidal and Conn rode forward with Sigrin. He took a double take when he saw Sigrin.

‘Siri – what in the name of the Gyden are you doing here?’

‘I’ve changed sides.’

‘You’ve joined with the Priecuman? Why would you do that?’

‘No, you idiot – I’ve changed from Farstein to Geirfrith. I’m taking my place in the prophecy. It just so happens that the Marquis of Kerch is also on the side of Geirfrith. I gather that if he is on the side of Geirfrith, then the Twacuman and the Priecuman are as well.’

‘So it is true? I heard that the Aebeling executed someone in Mazra for spreading the rumour that the prophecy was coming true. Where is our new Healdend?’

Vigbert went forward and introduced himself. Baldfrith addressed Siri again. ‘Are the three conditions met?’

‘They are. He is of the blood, he has a Farstein as bedda and he has the sword.’

‘Which bedda?’

‘Steinvi il Axum il Jamut.’

Baldfrith actually smiled. ‘You lucky dog. A Jamut as bedda. So it is possible to have everything. Show me the sword.’

Vigbert did, and Baldfrith soon returned it. ‘I’m satisfied. I surrender then – actually, I’d rather not surrender – that had such a bad ring to it, can I just change sides as well? But I’ll even surrender if it means those treacherous bastards will finally have their reward.’

Conn nodded. ‘No need to surrender. But you can tell me how you are going to extract the rest of the Geirfrith from the forces that face the combined might of all Meshech in about an hour when we attack.’

‘I have to come up with a plan?’

‘Yes, and a good one.’

He paused momentarily. “That’s not hard at all.’

~oo0oo~

Twenty minutes later, Baldfrith and his men headed out of the valley ahead of the Eagle’s claw, galloping fast. To their right they could see the entire Meshech cavalry mounted and poised; full of colour and Nobori, the over one thousand cataphracts lined up at the front. Baldfrith had enough lead to get to the water in time to make it across before he was struck down. Vigbert pulled in his men and returned to join the left flank of the Meshechian, where the rest of his Brigade waited. As he arrived the Nobori were released and the Eagle’s Claw was over half the front line.

Conn watched Baldfrith’s men pulled up into the front line of Axum; legionnaires in structure, they were armed with long shield and short swords. Let through, he then continued down past the infantry and axemen until he had joined with the massed line of cavalry; lancers predominately. He then rode up the line, until he turned it ended and then rode north, his men following along behind. As they moved, a whisper became a hum, until it became a roar. Geirfrith! Geirfrith! Geirfrith! Geirfrith! Geirfrith! Geirfrith!

As soon as Conn noticed the first line of cavalry turn to follow Baldfrith, he indicated that his drummers star. Soon more and more of the Axum cavalry were moving and Conn could hear the yelling from here. Folctoga and folgere was demanding orders be followed. Whilst the infantry stayed solid, the second line was disintegrating and the front line was starting to bend and waver.

‘The irony here,’ Vigbert added as they watched the chaos unfolding, ‘is that the cavalry is almost all provided by Geirfrith loyalist. Their lands are the best horse lands in Axum. Farstein’s lot are the axemen and the swordsmen. Geirfrith won his battles because of his superior cavalry.’

‘It is time I think. Conn looked behind to his signallers. ‘Pipers. Sound the attack.’

As soon as the pipers started, bowmen fired flares into the air and three hundred yards up, they exploded. They were followed by a mighty roar as the Red Jackets cataphracts surged forward. The river was wide and shallow and the whole line in front of them was fordable. As soon as they hit the water’s edge, the artillery companies commenced shelling the line with their catapults. A thousand long bowmen, just in range, released volley after volley on the distracted front line of infantry. Once they were across, the cataphracts headed directly for the wavering front line of infantry.

Vigbert kept his troops in reserve. Their job would come later, in the aftermath.

If you have a broken defensive line, after a thousand men leave their posts, it is hard work to be victorious, despite superior numbers. To their credit they rallied, but they had no chance – the revenge of the Geirfrith was sweet. Conn’s cataphracts dented the front line and Conn and his Kerchians, in front, ploughed their way through with lance and then mace. Conn headed straight for the command tent where the folgere in their black gowns could be seen, screaming and then running. and he ploughed through their tent with malice. Circling, he dismounted, and withdrawing his swords, he headed for the folgere as they drew their swords to attack. It was short work before the dozen men were dead on the ground. Protected by his Kerchians, Conn remounted and his bugler sounded the retreat.

Just as quickly as they arrived, the Priecuman turned and retreated across the river, leaving a very bewildered Ancuman fyrd behind them. They were replaced by the thousand Eagle’s Claw and the entire Geirfrith cavalry who had returned to surround the Ancuman fyrd.

It wasn’t long before a surrender – or at least a truce – was negotiated.

Colonel Wynstan was watching events unfold as Conn returned. ‘War on this scale is horrifying – even for me. Do you really think this is the end of it?’

‘Well, the Aebeling isn’t here to see it for himself.’ They knew he was in Mazra having heard of the arrival of cogs from Axum. ‘But, he will soon. I can’t image he wants to die here. He has to go home now.’

By sunset, Vigbert had returned to advise that, as part of the truce, all the Farstein would start withdrawing in the morning. Vigbert had allowed them as many horses as they needed to get to Mazra. It was five days away. A day away was Gatinak, and Vigbert had ordered the Farstein Folctoga to ride and tell the men there that they were pulling out, immediately. He had promised him that all injured would be taken care of and not ill-treated, and would be sent back to Axum when they were well. He also promised them that if they at Mazra in ten days, when he would be there, the neither the Priecuman nor the Geirfrith would show no mercy to the Farstein.

The next day, after the majority of the Axum had decamped, they fully understood the outcome of the Battle of Sedina, as it would become know. Of the over six thousand Axum, men and women, around five hundred died or succumbed to their injuries. Another five hundred were wounded. Of Conn’s troops, less than fifty deaths and around three hundred injured. The heavy axes favoured by the Axum were effective against cavalry and whilst he was able to prevent deaths with the mail and brigandines his troops wore, injuries such as broken bones were impossible to stop.

It took them two days for all to leave, and a day after than Conn left the battle field and headed for Gatinak. Everything between the two front was devastated by a year of Axum occupation. Devnet was going to be busy, and not happy.

They arrived in the evening to a distressed town; it was filthy, buildings were destroyed and ransacked, and like Oxmon, anything within the range of the Axum catapults were destroyed until they gave up the idea of being able to take the castle. With the Brown Jackets as escorts, Conn travelled through the town to the outer gatehouse. The drawbridge was down after two years, and he rode straight in. There was a welcoming party.

‘You’re a year late!’ was Devnet’s greeting as he gave Conn a warm embrace.

‘Yes, sorry about that. I got distracted. Hope you haven’t been too inconvenienced.’

Devnet’s son, Brictbert il Gatina, also greeted him, as did Cordelia. Brictbert had taken daughter Cordelia il Haran as first bedda, five years ago and they had a son, Alred, who would one day be Healdend. Conn had missed the birth but Cordelia and Brictbert came and visited him in Sytha for a summer soon after they became bedda.

He took her in a bear hug, and held her for a long time. Derryth tapped him on the shoulder. ‘Let her go, it’s my turn.’

After Derryth had let her go, she crinkled her nose. ‘You both need baths. you stink.’

‘That I do. Show the way to the wine first. You should still have stuff in your cellar.’

He walked beside Devnet into the great hall of the donjon. ‘Old friend, you are not looking well. I hear you have been ill.’

‘Old wounds never heal properly – and some of us age. You are like the Twacuman – you don’t appear to age.’

‘Perhaps not so much on the outside, but on the inside, rest assured, I’m certainly getting very old and very weary. I have seen too much suffering. Sadly, I’ve caused my fair share of it.’

‘It is good that you never seem to tire of victory?

‘I do – I hate to win; but I’d hate losing more.’ He turned to Brictbert. ‘I’m sorry but your town is a mess?’

Brictbert grimaced. ‘It can be rebuilt. We have lost too many lives – again – but you seem confident that this is the end of it.’

‘Yes – I am assured that they will go home with him or without him. A mutiny may be on the cards. Whatever happened next, his campaign here is over.’

‘Here. So you go on the offensive now?’

‘Not yet – I thought I’d have the winter off. I might even have a bath like my daughter suggests.’

‘I don’t understand’, Devnet interrupted, ‘but surely we don’t want him to recover and get reinforcements?’

‘He won’t be getting reinforcements – no boats are getting out of Kishdah with wiga aboard – only those with crew. We are letting those through – and we’ll let them get home.’

‘You want them to leave unharmed?’ Devnet was incredulous. ‘Why don’t you exterminate them all here.’

‘I do want them to get home – especially the Aebeling. And when he gets home, I’m going after him. This cannot be finished here. Have you heard the expression ‘two birds with one stone’?’

They looked at each other blankly. ‘No.’

‘I didn’t think so. Anyway, less people will die if I confront the Aebeling and the Bretwalda together. I will also have a civil war – not an invasion, with a large Ancuman fyrd on my side – it got bigger today. People don’t like invasions much.’

Devnet nodded. ‘I concur with that sentiment, and I think I understand. I’m still confused about the Farstein and the Geirfrith problem. Brictbert told me that he had met Vigbert in Sytha – but not that he was the protagonist in a civil war. Would you care to enlighten me?’

‘My friend, it is going to take more than one bottle of wine, and I’ll be back in a few days to tell you all about it. First the bath, then to make sure the Aebeling doesn’t burn down Mazra.’

~oo0oo~