The Eaorl (The Casere Book 2) (31 page)

Conn called over a wiga who carried a large box, and he opened it up on the table. It was full of medals.

‘This are for Silekia?’

‘They are’.

He stood and asked her to stand, and they went and stood in front of the table.

The crowd went silent. Conn indicated to Derryth and he cleared his voice before speaking.

‘Wilgar, Eaorl of Melnik, please come forward.’

Wilgar went forward to Conn; he had experience this before.

Conn spoke. ‘The Eaorl of Melnik is commended for his participation on the battles that have achieved freedom of his homeland, and he is awarded the campaign medal for Silekia.’ He handed it to Ailidh, and after some confusion, she clipped the round medal with the green ribbon on his chest.

‘For his leadership and selfless participation he is appointed as a Knight Commander in the Order of the Cirice, to add to his existing rank of Knight in the order.’

The neck medal was hung around his neck, he now sported seven medals.

Even Wilgar was surprised. ‘I don’t know what to say.’

‘No speech required.’ Conn shook his hand and gave him a hug. ‘It has been a long journey. I told you I’d see you home; and here you are.’

Wilga got chocked up. He nodded his head, whispered ‘thank you’ and returned to his chair. Derryth took his cue.

‘Cathal, Eaorl of Salvia…’

The ceremony took some time; lots of Campaign medals, several Bronze, silver and gold stars, and a few more members of the Order of the Cirice – including Sir Sebbi as Knight Commander.

After they finished toasting everyone, Conn had a question of the Healdend and Sir Sebbi; who sat looking proudly at the Breast Star now that it had been properly affixed.

‘What can you tell me about a Torc?’

They looked surprised. ‘A Torc? There has never been mention of a Torc for hundreds of years … since the last Casere. It is a strange question, did you know …’

‘…that the Casere wore a Torc. Yes, I did. Brina of Halani told me about it. Also,’ Conn held up his wrist and the gold band gleamed, ‘I was inadvertently given this in Trokia and I think that it is the Torc. It had ancient Sythan writing on it – but I’m not sure why it ended in Trokia.’

Not for the first time, Ailidh was surprised. ‘You have the Torc! None of this makes sense to me. The only thing missing now is Inanna’s heart-stone.’ She turned to look and Conn, ‘you know we looked and…’ She stopped. ‘You don’t have that as well, do you?’

‘As a matter of fact I do. It was found in Moetiak.’ Conn told the story about how it was found. ‘But I have yet to understand how it got to Piada.’

Sebbi has a thought. ‘Something occurred to me – Goibniu, the last Casere died quite young, and if I remember rightly, his mother was the daughter of the Trokian Aebeling, and after he died, she returned to Trokia. Of course why she took the Torc with her is something I can’t explain.’

‘Maybe she didn’t know’; Conn explain how that had fallen into his possession.

They all agreed that they might never know. Tomorrow was the beginning of the last leg as the remaining town in Rakian hands was Tovio. They both wanted to know more about the Order of the Cirice. Conn thought it time to mention the Trokian new House of Assembly as well.

When Ailidh visited his tent later that night – it was late and she was always discrete in her visits, leaving well before sunrise – she asked to see the heart-stone. Conn retrieved it from its hiding place and held in his hand. There was a very faint green light emitting from the stone, and it was reflection from the lamps or transmitted, it was hard to tell. She reached forward to touch it but stopped, inches away.

‘I can’t touch it. I physically can’t get closer – and yet you can. Why does nothing make sense?’

‘Only Folgere are supposed to be able to touch a heart-stone. I don’t know why I can.’ Conn thought he did – it was the same reason he could replace the haligdoms and destroy the guard stone – he had the ability to shut out whatever the power they have to control people’s minds. At least that was his theory.

‘Do you suppose that our fornication is more intense because of the presence of the heart-stone?’ She stripped and lay naked on the bed; and reached to pull him towards her.

Conn feigned mortification. ‘And here I was thinking it was just me and my sexy body.’

She ran her hand down his body until she found what she wanted. ‘Well, part of it probably help a bit…’

‘Is it a large part or a small part?’

She giggled. ‘It is a
huge
part…’

~x264~

The distance between Melnik and Tovio was another ten day journey; and after seven days the main fyrd of Ailidh’s joined them; they had successfully liberated Abri and were in pursuit of a large body of Rakian wiga who had vacated prior to their arrival. A tactical retreat.

A day out of Tovio, they encountered Rakians scouts on the hilltops, and they scampered before Conn could get close. Conn’s fyrd was now significant in number – after peeling off wiga into the seven Eaorldoms that they had liberated, and gaining the rest of Cathal and Wilga’s wiga, Conn was left in charge of just under a thousand wiga – and the Wealdend had over three hundred. Consequently, they marched all the way into Tovio without conflict. The Rakians had decided to discretion was the greater part of valor had had gone home.

Thankfully, they hadn’t left much destruction behind them, just desolation and dereliction, and without much fanfare Tovio was back in Silekian hands.

Tovio was one of the larger towns because it was on the border; and the hall and barracks were in reasonable condition still. The residents watched silently as Conn and the Wealdend rode right up to the main hall and donjon of the Eaorls of Tovio. The captain of the Tovio squad, decked in their white and green embossed Stag tabards, set his men to work, securing the building and manning the guard posts. Given the all clear, Conn dismounted and addressed the people gathered before him.

‘Who is the Reeve?’

A middle aged man walked forward and bowed. ‘The current Reeve is no longer; he left yesterday. I was Reeve to the former Eaorl – until I was replaced.’

‘You must be Radwulf?’

He was surprised. ‘I am…’

‘Sileas send her regards. She said that you would know her.’

There was general happiness in the crowd behind them. ‘Sileas is alive? Thank the Gyden. We thought that all the family had been killed.’

‘She is very much alive.’ Conn led the Wealdend and others into the hall. ‘And if your Wealdend is in agreement, I hope that she will be back with you within a couple of weeks.’

Ailidh was also surprised. ‘I am happy to hear that Sileas as well. Sileas is my cousin and…’

Conn interrupted her. ‘When you say cousin, what do you mean exactly?’

‘Our mothers are from the same house...’

Conn interrupted again. ‘Ilissus?’

‘Yes. How did you know?’

‘Long story. I have a very strange connection to the house of Ilissus. I’ll tell you about it later.’

Ailidh looked bemused. ‘As I was saying – so what is Sileas doing now? Where is she anyway?

Conn looked at Sir Sebbi. ‘You haven’t told her?’

Sebbi was confused. ‘So that Sileas is this Sileas?’ He indicated with his fingers to the two locations. ‘It hadn’t occurred to me.’

‘Very well.’ He looked back at Ailidh. ‘Sileas il Tovio is the Reeve of Atrak. She is a former bedda of mine, and she is currently bedda to Sir Sebbi’s cousin. She is the mother of six little girls, and ...’

Ailidh interrupted him. They were being served drinks from Conn’s supplies and meals were being prepared by the Logistics Corp. ‘She survived six pregnancies?’

Conn shook his head. ‘No, it’s worse than that – she survived three pregnancies – we had three lots of twins.’

‘So you have six daughters; you poor man.’

Derryth had joined them; he burst out laughing. ‘No, it’s FAR worse than that – he has thirty children.’

Poor Ailidh was getting more and more confused. ‘I’ll have to think about these other things later – but back to Sileas. You said you want her to come here – and I’m presuming that you want her to be Eaorl.’

Conn nodded.

‘Even though we haven’t had female Eaorls in Silekia before.’

Conn agreed. ‘There is no rule against it – I’ve had every edict published by every Casere codified, and there is nothing stopping it happening – the Witan just needs to approve it. They have just never had a need before.’

She laughed. ‘The Witan composed of a majority of Earls who owe their very existence to you?’

Conn smiled. ‘I like my chances of getting their agreement.’

They all laughed at that – but it was true. Conn could get anything he wanted approved. His resources was also going to provide the working capital to get them back on their feet. The MIFIC was already active in Silekia, and it was the only bank in town.

By the time they were ready for bed on the second night, Logistic had cleaned out every room within the hall, and had prepared rooms at different ends for Conn and Ailidh. Barracks outside had been organized for everyone else; a large bath tub had already been constructed and Conn was soaking in the hot water when Ailidh arrived in his room.

‘You are a bit early.’

‘I’m intrigued.’ She felt the water. ‘Is there room in there for two?’

‘There is if you sit on my lap.’

She smiled. ‘I can live with that.’ She stripped and after a bit of effort to get comfortable on Conn’s lap, as he washed her naked body with soap, Conn asked the question.

‘Intrigued about what exactly?’

‘You and the House of Ilissus… you mentioned that there was a thing…’

Conn told her.

She was stunned. She stood up and turned around so that she was now facing him and sitting on his lap. ‘So you are saying that not only is it possible that I’m already with child, and if I am, I’m probably going to have TWINS!

‘Very definitely possible. Most probable in fact, given recent experiences.’

She cupped her hands around his face and started kissing him.

‘I think I can live with that too.’

~x268~

Conn led Sir Sebbi and his fyrd further south to the border; just because the Rakians had deserted Tovio wasn’t any reason to assume that they weren’t regrouping. The border was less than a day from Tovio; and less than a day on the other side was the town of Mylae. In between was a river, which was easy to ford at this time of year.

‘So we are going across?’ Do you think that is wise?’ Derryth was always cautious.

Opposing them in the distance was a collection of wiga, probably fifty, on patrol. They seemed nervous, even at this distance. They didn’t seem to be wiga escaping from Silekia.

‘We’ll just take the Twacuman – they don’t observe borders anyway. And we have to give that lot back.’ Conn pointed to a dozen men women and children on horseback. It was Riddock il Motya and his family, as well as several other families that hadn’t managed to get out in time.

‘We do – our own.’

With a hundred waiting on the other side, Conn rode across with Derryth and twenty Twacuman wiga, and the Rakians. They were less threatening from a distance because of the lack of tabards and shiny armour, but up close they would be terrifying to the Rakians. Conn got to a middle point and stopped. It was open and the Rakians were in the trees. He wasn’t going to be silly.

After some apparent internal discussions, the Rakians decided to come out of the trees to join them, and they cantered down on their smaller horses, stoping some yards away from Conn. The twenty riders were soon in confusion on arrival – the word Twacuman being whispered around.

One rode out in front of the others. He tried to be brash.

‘What is the meaning of this intrusion into Rakia? I…’

Conn interrupted him. ‘I presume you said the same thing when your Healdend authorized intrusions into Silekia not ten years ago, did you? And every other time wiga crossed your border to kill, rape and pillage in Silekia, did you? Or when they sent over enough wiga to set up demesnes in Silekia? Were you silent then, or did you are them the same question?’

‘Umm… they were brigands…’

‘How did you know we are not brigands?’

‘You don’t look like brigands…’

‘We are just very organized brigands….’

‘Very colorful too.’ Derryth added.

‘True – organized and colorful.’

The banter was getting the Rakian confused. ‘Brigands don’t have …Twacuman ... amongst their wiga.’

Derryth looked at Conn. ‘He’s got you there.’

Conn ignored him. ‘When was the last time Twacuman were in any fyrd?’

The young man thought for a moment. ‘Sherric had Twacuman in his fryd. After than I'm not sure – I don’t think Goibniu did.’

Conn laughed. ‘A student of history. Good to see. Then you will recognize this.’ Conn released the medal from around his neck. The ancient words were clear to see.

‘Feorhhyrde…!’ The Rakian took a deep breath. ‘That would explain the Twacuman then.’ He shook his head; he suddenly looked sadder than he had already been, and he took another deep breath. ‘My name is Breasal, Eaorl of Mylae. I am the third son of Luchar – this was not my destiny but the Gyden have thought otherwise.’

‘Where is your mother from?’ Everyone looked surprised at Conn’s question.

‘My mother? What does my mother have to do with this?’

‘I’ll know the answer to that question once you answer my question.’

‘My mother? My mother was from Soloes. Her mother was from…’

‘Ilissus?’

Breasal was shocked. ‘Yes, how did you know?’

‘Lucky guess. It seems all roads lead to Ilissus. And you are right; it has no bearing. Now, am I correct in presuming that you have not recently been living in Silekia and have recently departed in haste?’

He shook his head. ‘No. Those you are asking about passed through here yesterday. They are were in a hurry, and heading for Lipara and beyond.’

‘In that case, I’d like you to convey a message to your Healdend. Tell him that ANY incursions – even a merchant – into Silekia from Mylae will be considered an act of war, and I will respond accordingly. Tell him also that the Wealdend of Silekia will be sending a demand for reparations for the damage that subjects of his demesne has caused to Silekia over these last years. His response to that demand will determine what happens next.’

‘You are asking him to capitulate – I don’t know that he will do that. There are those that will stop that from happening.’

‘I know; but we should all do what is best for our people. Sometimes the price is high.’ Conn pointed to the group of Rakian riders. ‘These were left behind. Can you make sure that they get home please?’

Breasal looked surprised. ‘You are not going to ransom them?’

‘No – Motya doesn’t have any money left, I think’

Conn turned to leave. Breasal called after him. “Eaorl – you are the Eaorl of Eriak aren’t you?’

Conn nodded.

‘How do we stop that price from being paid by everyone – even those without blood on their hands?’

‘Breasal, we try to find a way.’

‘I hope you are successful, Eaorl. Goodbye.’

As they rode away, Derryth looked at him curiously. ‘You lied to the Eaorl.’

‘For his own good, Derryth, for his own good.’

Back on the other side of the river, Conn turned the Fyrd east for the ocean, and recounted the conversation – or most of it – to Sir Sebbi.

Sebbi was not so enthusiastic. ‘The Wealdend can send the demand but he won’t pay it – and your threat is not going to work because Rakia has an agreement with Gatina that if it is invaded, they will assist. It would be hard for them to avoid that agreement. It was only the very visible participation of Ancuman in 633 that allowed Gatina to excuse itself. This time they are not so visible. Ironically, as an Eaorl of Gatina, your wiga could be forced to fight each other.’

‘So an invasion is off the cards. We’ll have to go to plan C.’

‘What happened to plan B?’ Derryth was usually confused about Conn’s plan numbers.

‘That was plan B – plan A was that Fallon try and defend Silekia – and even he wasn’t silly enough to do that.’

‘So why are we heading this way – Tovio is in the other direction’. Derryth pointed for emphasis. “I remember you got lost in Kania once…’

‘I’m not lost – let’s see what the engineers have found for my new harbor.’

Tovio was so underdeveloped that there were several sites along the ocean front and the best found by the Engineer Corp was a small fishing village called Mantu. It had a population of about twenty families. Conn stood on the rudimentary jetty and looked west towards the flat lands and huge forests that continued all the way to Halani. The river they rode alongside was sourced in Halani and fed by the very lake that Conn had sailed on so many years ago.

‘Derryth, I think we need some help. There is a lot to do any we could use the craeftiga from Halani again. There is a lot to do.’

‘I’ll send some riders.’

‘You could send a pigeon?’

‘No. I’ll send riders. I hate these new ways of doing things. I haven’t found a pigeon yet that could say more than twenty words. Useless things.’

The first significant dock was finished by the Engineers within two weeks, and Njil was able to tie up and unload the first of hundreds of shiploads of goods that would arrive over the next week and months. One of his first deliveries was Sileas and the girls – and the squads of Valkeri who looked after them – as well as Lile and Fainche.

They all rode together back to Tovio on the rapidly improving road network; having many idle wiga on hand gave the Engineer Corps significant resources to get work underway. They also had a hundred Rakian prisoners who decided to stay and work rather than go home. The food was better – it also existed in quantity.

The first major residential building construction they encountered along the way was the military camp; high on a hill, it overlooked the valley and river below; extensive barracks, lookout towers and stables made up the facility that would house five companies of Sagittari on a permanent basis. Around it now were the tents that housed the other five companies of wiga Conn had with him at the moment.

Inside the renovated hall in Tovio, Ailidh greeted her cousin with a few tears, and then greeted her Sythan ‘cousin’ with astonishment. On top of which, she was confronted by the Rakian traitor and eight little blue eyed girls. There was a lot to deal with and Ailidh retired to the inner halls and its comfortable seats. She ordered wine.

‘Let me get this straight. You had an Ancuman prisoner that you didn’t want to execute so decided to send him home. And to do this, you sent two of your best ships out into the middle of the ocean to capture an Ancuman vessel, and not only did you capture the vessel – an amazement in itself – but Lile and her party were on board on their way to Kishdah.’

Conn nodded. ‘A good summary.’

Ailidh looked at Lile. ‘Tell me again why you were on board.’

After she had explained more of the history of Sytha, and the agreement Ailidh returned to Conn, who had two daughters asleep on him. It was taking some time.

‘That brings me to the bigger question – how did you even know they were there – the ship I mean?’

‘Njil has travelled west on more than one occasion to avoid storms – sometimes he is a little overweight and doesn’t want to tempt fate – and the Ancuman ships are occasionally seen. Usually we avoid them, but this time they went hunting – and it just happened to have Lile on it.’

She paused to consider the information. ‘I don’t understand any of it – and you are proposing to assist Sytha in their war against the ---what was it …Pontians?’

‘I am – but it isn’t the Pontians alone. I’m sure the Pontians are being assisted by the Ancuman.’

Ailidh then looked at Fainche. ‘And Fainche was kidnapped by you but can’t go home because she will probably be executed by her own uncle. Another fine mess.’

She took another drink of her wine. ‘At least I have your delicious Hama wine to drown my sorrows in. I have no idea what is going on anymore. Surely things can only get simpler from here on?’

Naturally enough it didn’t get better. With Sileas back in Tovio, Ailidh moved into a different room – she insisted – and Conn moved out into his newly constructed Inn – leaving the girls to their own devices.

With the campaign for the liberation of Silekia completed, Conn had another awards presentation; a full parade of the fryd was conducted over several days to hand out the medals – including more bravery awards. Ailidh spent the days with him pinning on medals. Many of Conn’s wiga now sported two campaign medals; and while some took the opportunity to leave and become farmers – Conn provided all senior ranks the opportunity to become Lairds in Tovio, others stayed in the fryd – the job was not yet complete.

Even after the celebrations were over, Ailidh stayed around or a few more weeks; she was interested in everything that was happening. She would also make a few late night visits to Conn in his new room at the Inn; which was called ‘The Stag’s Head’ in honour of the emblem of Tovio.

Sir Sebbi, Sileas and Ailidh were having lunch with Conn when Derryth joined them. He ordered a meal and sat down to eat, and when he had a chance, he informed Conn that he had some information for him – two bits.

‘The first information I just received is about Jowan…’

Conn was immediately anxious. ‘Is he okay?’

‘Yes, yes, nothing to worry about. He is with Elva and Oisin.’

‘I thought he was with Caewyn and Brina…’

‘No.’ Derryth answered natter of factually. ‘Jowan is not in Halani at this very moment…’

‘If he isn’t in Halani…’

‘He is in Piada – with Oisin and Elva as I said. With the road safe, Oisin decided that it was time to go home – and she took Jowan with him.’

‘In Piada? When did you find out?’

‘Just this morning – the first of the riders from Halani are back. You’ve been busy…’

‘Oisin?’ Sebbi was having flashbacks. ‘Wasn’t she the girl you rescued from slave traders in Tegeste?’

‘She is – turns out that she is the Aebeling.’

Ailidh had to interrupt.

‘Who is Jowan?’

Sileas answered for them, ‘Conn’s son – his mother is a Twacuman.’

Ailidh looked at Conn accusingly. ‘You hadn’t mentioned that you had a son that is half Twacuman – in fact you said that you only have daughters and they arrive in pairs... and yet Ana is a single…’

Conn winced. ‘I may have overlooked mentioning Jowan and Ewan…’

‘Ewan? Who is Ewan?’

Sileas smiled broadly as she answered. ‘Ewan’s mother is the Aebeling of Cyme, and the Valkeri never…’

‘…have boys. What is going on around here? Why has the whole world gone crazy? You have two boys with one woman who doesn’t have children with Priecuman and a second with a Valkeri whose Gyden protects them again male children.’

‘I can’t answer the second but I can answer the first. That has happen before.’

‘In Meshech?’