The Eaorl (The Casere Book 2) (36 page)

‘Oh, hurry up. Attack him with the sword and die or impale yourself with it and die or surrender and live. I can promise you that fornicating with him will not be a disappointment but do something, please, its nearly dinner time and there is so much to do before I can eat. I’m famished. DECIDE!’

She looked at Elva with astonishment at the outburst. Conn saw the resolve harden as she gripped the handle of her sword and prepare to attack Conn. She charged forward; a swing, a parry and the inevitable ending. It was quick and clean and she fell to the ground; dead before her beautiful face hit the dirt.

‘Such a shame.’

With so many dead it took them some time to have all the bodies interned and they covered the top of the grave with a mound of stones. Conn organized a pyre for the two Ancuman wiga – if nothing else he admired their
bushido
and after they had joined their ancestors in the wind, they returned to camp.

Elva responded to Conn’s melancholy.

‘I don’t think you can ever expect them to surrender willingly. They are not trained that way.’

‘I know – but I can only ask.’ Conn looked at Elva sharply. ‘And you said “not a disappointment” – couldn’t you have said “enjoyable” or even “unbelievable” – “not a disappointment” hardly gives anyone incentive to surrender does it?’

Elva shook her head. ‘Priecuman…anyway, she was very pretty and she certainly had large breasts, and you still have your strange liking of large breasts. Speaking of breasts – want to go for a walk in the bushes? I’ve found a nice secluded spot.’

‘What, now?’

‘You seem a little sad – fornicating seems to cheer you up. Especially when we do it your
special
way… you can always say no…’

Conn stood up. ‘When have I ever said no?’ He offered her his hand, and she stood beside him.

‘Besides, I want to see if you can go beyond “not a disappointment”.

~x309~

After almost ten days on the road, they arrived in Tovio, where they stayed for a week before they continued on to Mantu, and then went by ship to Silekiak. Sileas and Lile weren’t in Tovio; as they had proceeded them to the town in preparation for the Witan. Being the first full gathering of all Eaorls in some years, it was a special occasion.

From the docks in Silekia, it was a ten minute walk to the great Hall – and Ailidh greeted them at the door of the Great Hall. He kissed her warmly and patted her stomach. ‘How is it going?’

She rubbed his hand as it lay on her stomach. ‘Very well; this time I have Morna to protect the child.’

As Conn looked up from her, Morna was standing there. Conn was ‘almost’ startled to see the Folgere, dressed in white.

He gave her a hug and kiss.

‘I’m so glad that you got out alive.’

‘There was only eighty of them – we had Inanna on our side. They were the ones lucky to get out alive – in fact one didn’t – he died in the arms of one of the Folgere.’

Derryth and Elva moved to where Lile waited and sat with her at a large circle of tables to eat and drink. It took Conn some time to join them – though he soon had a cup in his hand and he was continually being refilled. Today was celebrations – tomorrow was the Witan.

That being said, Ailidh took the opportunity to award medals – lots of campaign medals, some Silekian Valor Medals, as well as new appointments to the Order of the Cirice. After breakfast the next day, they gathered for the Witan, and it was going to take some time to get through everything on the agenda. The first item was the reading and confirming of all the Eaorls in Silekia – some had never been officially confirmed due to the usurping of the demesnes. After the Silekians Eaorls were confirmed, including Sileas, and their designated heirs registered, they moved on to Ilissus.

The librarian read out all the information they had collected, and Ailidh made her proposal. There was no dissent, and Conn was declared Eaorl of Ilissus in Silekia, and the new crest, designed by Conn and incorporating his golden sun standard with the Cirice motif, was unfurled for the first time ever in Silekia. Conn then stood and read out the letter that he was going to send to Fallon.

Fallon il Rakia, Healdend.

As per the accompanying proclamation from the Witan of Silekia, I have been proclaimed Eaorl of Ilissus as per the desires and intentions of the last Eaorl, and have accepted the obligation and responsibilities of that position.

As Eaorl of Ilissus, I have determined that your actions and policies in my demesne are unconscionable and intolerable, and I regret to inform you that I find myself unable to kneel in submission to your overlordship, and thus declare myself Rebel, as is the right of all Eaorls since the first Casere.

As your rule cannot be consideration anything other than despotic and unjust, and thus contrary of the obligations of a Healdend, I invite all others who find themselves of the same opinion to join me in rebellion. I have sent this declaration to all members of your Witan, as is my right, and I await your justice, as is your right.

Conn il Taransay, Eaorl of Ilissus, etc.

Sir Sebbi could hold back his laughter. ‘I would love to be there when he reads that. How are you getting it to him?’

‘Njil has captured a few Rakian vessels – I have bribed one of the Captains to take it back – with a full cargo of wheat. He will be rich once he sells that.’

‘And how are you getting your wiga into Ilissus?’

‘That is a plan in progress, but I will be leaving tomorrow for Piada – I have a rebellion to lead.’

After the Eaorls were confirmed, the Witan also proclaimed the creation of Barons and Lairds – Conn was the first in Silekia when he was made Baron of Mantu. Conn’s other reforms were carried as well; primarily the Guilds and the People’s Assembly. Not well understood by all present, Conn’s championing of the causes and their level of indebtedness to him carried the day. They had trusted him this far without question – it seemed churlish to stop now.

With the formalities out of the way, Conn joined Derryth and Njil on a topsail and sailed for Ilissus; where, a couple of days later, they docked in the new harbor of Piada. From the harbor itself, Ilissus was just a short trip over the ocean – some hours away. With the installation of the harbor, Njil had been sailing the entire coastline; he hadn’t attacked anyone – he was just mapping the coastline. He had also dropped in groups of Twacuman to investigate the villages of the former demesne of Soloes. The information was then compiled onto maps

Conn stood in front of the resulting map.

‘So this is the largest village on the north side of the peninsular? How big is it?’

‘Less than a hundred families. It belongs to the Thane of Ilissus.’

‘And the dock; can we use it?’

‘I don’t think the schooners will fit – but I have all your cogs arriving soon – we should be able to use those until we can extend the dock. Perhaps fifty horses a day.’

‘Very well; let’s go and ruin the Thane’s day.’

It was daybreak, and Conn and Derryth were on a cog while Njil was ahead on a schooner. Conn surveyed the village of Ilissus with his telescope.

‘So we have confirmed that the third building past the hall is derelict and no one lives in it?’

‘We have.’

‘And Njil thinks that he can hit that without taking out the hall? The mangonel are not the most accurate.’

‘He says he has been practising.’

They watched as the schooner did what it hadn’t on previous passes via the village; it turned and came in closer—and as it passed the village the deck borne mangonel let fly. Conn watched a boulder fly through the air and landed directly on top of the derelict building. It shattered into a million splinters.

Conn was impressed. ‘Not bad – not bad at all. Which is the second target?’

‘There is an old guard tower; also unused, at the end of the harbour. They should be coming up to it now.’

They watched the second volley of stones –this time from the fore and aft mangonel; and the building crumbled before their eyes. By this time the village had been aroused and people were streaming out to the docks; the wiga were rushing to arm themselves against an unseen foe. When they saw the tower fall it was clear that their entire village was about to be destroyed so when Njil turned to pass the village again, they brought out the white flag.

This was Conn’s cue, and the smaller vessel, with the golden sun on the brown sails, eased its way into the harbour. Docked, a hundred wiga descended into the village; lining the walkway from the dock to the hall. Conn walked along, with Derryth and Elva at his side. At the doorway to the hall, a middle aged man and his family waited; the children gathered behind the bedda and the bedda behind the Thane. They looked terrified.

Conn stopped in from of the man. ‘Are you Ceolred, Thane of Ilissus?’

He nodded.

‘Good. I am Conn il Taransay, Eaorl of Ilissus.’ Ceolred was about to say something but Conn held up his hand. ‘Before you ask, I wish to present you with a proclamation sealed by the Wealdend of Silekia that grants me the title of Eaorl. Are you aware that the Wealdend or Healdend of Silekia is actually the Eaorl of Ilissus?’

Ceolred nodded. ‘I am aware of that – my ancestor refused to do the will of the Healdend of Rakia – that was his revenge.’ He looked at the proclamation; and then he read Conn’s letter to Fallon. He actually laughed. ‘It is well that Thanes are not allowed in Rakiak – I would have had difficulty not laughing when that insufferable child abuser read that.’

Ceolred looked at the increasing number of ships on the horizon. ‘Eaorl, it appear that I am yours to command – and I do that happily. What do you want me to do?’

‘I need to take over your village. I promise to give it back in a better condition.’

‘Do you need us to leave?’

‘Not necessary. We will need your men as well.’

‘Your wish is my command, Eaorl.’ He yelled at his Reeve and gave him instructions. Conn had been joined by the commander of his Engineer Corp, and the Reeve was put under his control. Ceolred’s Folctoga and wiga were put under the control of the Major of the fyrd.

‘All settled – lets go inside and sit down. If we stay out here, we’ll just get in the road of people who know what they are doing.’

Conn followed the Thane inside, and they sat down in the shabby, dusty and smoke laden hall. Conn coughed, he hated smoke. One of the bedda apologized.

‘Eaorl – we have little but what we have I will send for. It has been a hard winter – and the wiga that once guarded the Cirice took what extra we had.’

‘Have the wiga left?’

Ceolred answered. ‘Yes – for some reason what they tried to prevent happening happened so there was no purpose to them being there anymore. But they took all our supplies before they left.’ He shrugged. ‘It could have been worse.’ He looked between Conn and the Twacuman. ‘Eaorl – I don’t understand why you have Twacuman in your fyrd…’

Conn found the only way to answer the question was direct. ‘I have been rude – this is Derryth of Halani, and Elva of Halani.’ They were then joined by a dozen people carrying in supplies. And as for your previous question – I am also the Feorhhyrde.’

‘Feorhhyrde? The Feorhhyrde has returned!’ He looked at Conn a bit knowingly. ‘You are the same man who defeated the Gatinan forces in Troakia aren’t you – and of course expelled the Rakians from Silekia…’

‘I am.’

‘Well, well, well. This is all very interesting. I’m going to look forward now – rather than back. My family has had to call itself Rakian for two hundred years – and we are Rakian no more. We are Silekians again.’ Tears started to run down his cheek and he wiped them away. ‘We are Silekians again!’

The Logistics Corp was now up and running and it wasn’t long before food and drink was brought into the hall. It was an early lunch and everything looked like they could do with a decent meal. Of course, nearly everyone one in the village was starting to congregate in the hall, and the Thane was hard pressed explaining and informing. They were also there for the food.

Conn left the Thane to it and went outside. The first of the horses were being unloaded, and as soon as they could, squads of Sagittari were out to secure the harbor vicinity and beyond. Archers had been the first to be dispatched, but their range was limited.

Pontoons had been towed from Piada and were being used to expand the jetty so that the schooners could dock and after two days, with that possible, larger numbers of horses and men were accumulating in the village. The Engineer Corp had every available man working on something, and new buildings – barns – appeared daily for horses or barracks.

After ten days Ceolred could hardly recognize his village. He and Conn were astride horses overlooking the harbor and the road east.

Ceolred was stunned. ‘If I hadn’t seen it I wouldn’t have believed it. The skill of your men is unsurpassed. I think my home is greater than even that of my former overlord.’

Conn was looking to the east. ‘Speaking of which; it appears that we might have had movement from Soloes.’

A day after his arrival, Conn had sent wiga from the Thane’s staff by boat to Soloes and Lipara; telling them that the Eaorl of Ilissus had just arrived and brought his Fyrd of five hundred into Ilissus and they could either join the rebellion and stand aside or be prepared for battle in three weeks. He reminded them that it was unlikely that Fallon would have reinforcements to them in that time frame – and they would be fighting battle experienced wiga from the war in Trokia.

In the distance, Conn could see a group of his wiga escorting a dozen other riders; they displayed the guidon of his force as well as the guidon they had prepared for the Eaorl of Soloes. Conn liked to know in advance what was happening. Conn watched and waited as the Eaorl was escorted into the village and then descended from his vantage point to join him. A little waiting never hurt anyone.

When Conn arrived with the Thane into his modernized hall, without smoke, there were two men waiting for him. Ceolred introduced them; his former overlord, Meilseoir, and his Folctoga Beohart.

Conn asked them to sit and gave them some of his best wine.

‘Meilseoir, I must say that I am surprised to see you – all you had to do was send a message.’

Meilseoir agreed. ‘Indeed – but you have put us in an invidious position – we know that we cannot compete against your wiga – but if Fallon defeats your forces, we will be treated as traitors and executed. To avoid that outcome, we would be better fighting your forces and being killed then and there – maybe some of us will survive. If we rebel and Fallon wins, none of us will survive.’

‘I see your problem. You know that I have five hundred wiga here – I believe that you have met some of them?’

‘Indeed I have – and they compare to nothing I have seen before. And the Twacuman – we saw Twacuman when we arrived…they have not ridden with Priecuman forces since Sherric.’

‘Indeed, and I have another fifteen hundred Priecuman wiga waiting in Tovio. They are gathered on the border. Breasal will be thinking that rebelling is his best option – he at least can be assured that I can protect him. Then there is Lipara – I have been in contact with Ipan – he was my prisoner for a year as you might know – and he serves as Folctoga to his brother Godmund. Ipan will, I’m sure, present a solid case for rebelling. The Eaorls of Hera, Syra and Akarah will also have indicated their desire to return to Gatina by now.’