The Bretwalda (The Casere Book 4) (18 page)

‘Yes… Mende is the main home of the ninth Clan. That was my home. From the time of my ancestor Ewan, we have waited for the return of the Marquis. If the Marquis is here, they will come here. That is our destiny.’

Svenben couldn’t help himself. ‘Are you saying that different clans serve different areas? Who serves here?’

‘The third; the first is in Saba, the second in Alwa, the fourth in Nobatia, the seventh in Makuria, and the fifth, eighth and ninth in Axum. I thought everyone knew that…’

He shook his head. ‘I had no idea. Here I was thinking that the Twacuman were just theow.’

She smiled her disarming smile.

Svenben turned back to Farrun. ‘So why are the ninth clan here?’

‘It is all Volund’s fault. After we had sought and received the assistance of the Twacuman in hiding us and then getting Arna, Volund accidently mentioned something about Sytha and the Kerchian wiga. They then found out you were my father, and they decided that they needed to send a host of people with us. We then needed a bigger boat.’

‘What about the Jarl?’ Svenben asked. ‘He has lost a hundred theow. Surely he will complain to the Healdend.’

Farrun laughed. ‘I don’t think so. Aldkel’s father gave him over three hundred thousand ryals. He bought the freedom of these people. It was an interesting conversation with the Jarl – but he is so poor, he couldn’t refuse. The Bretwalda has drained all Jarl of funds for his war in Meshech.’

Farrun fetched out a document and handed it to Svenben. ‘Here; it states that every single member of this company is free. It is under the seal of the Jarl.’

‘Where did they gather that many ryals?’ Svenben was amazed.

‘They have been gathering ryals for nine hundred years – a very dedicated group.’

By this time, they had arrived back at the castle; Farrun made a mistake about asking how things went and Kolbert was exaggerating his role in the freeing of the castle from folgere and Axum, and his role in the battle with the fyrd from Olbia.

~oo0oo~

A few days later, they held a huge feast to welcome everyone back. Together they discussed the next step; invading Makurai.

Kolbert had suddenly decided to go home – a messenger had arrived to inform him that Saba was now free of folgere and Axum – the Jarl of Calpe and Agingur il Sinjar had done a great job, and were both waiting for him in Saba-jo. Kolbert thought he’d better not let Bolger have too free a hand; he might think to keep everything for himself. He also remembered that the Jarl of Lixi had a daughter about to turn sixteen – and he remembered her as plump and buxom. His wiga maidens were anything but that; they had more muscle than he did.

Conn reminded him about Farrun and Asbera’s inheritance.

Kolbert sighed. ‘I was hoping that you would forget that. But what if he does inherit Nobatia – he can’t then inherit a demesne in another domain – it is against the law.’

Conn laughed. ‘Now you want to follow Axum laws! But I take your point. I think you should make Arna the Jarl of Sala instead because she will not inherit in Nobatia.’

‘Very well. I also have to reward Agingur – I will have to make him Jarl of somewhere – I know – what if I do both things together – I will make Agingur the Jarl of Lagash – it is vacant – or will be – the Jarl is Axum. Agingur has no heirs so it can go to Asbera after him.’ He paused. ‘But who will run Sala for Arna?’

‘I have asked Aldkel to work with Saekell to organize a team of people to manage it on her behalf.’

‘Saekell is doing that for you… good of him. I keep forgetting the Twacuman do everything you ask – most annoying. Anyway, I’ll make the arrangements. It is the least I can do. Of course, there are all those other things I’m doing as well.’

Conn laughed. ‘Yes, but not just for me. If you don’t do those things, you will not become the second or third richest person in Kishdah.’

‘That I find very appealing – and I don’t mind being poorer than my cousin. So when will this Dengor il Elis arrive?’

Conn had a business partner in Pontia who just happened to be Ancuman. He was left behind, with several dozen others, after the withdrawal some years ago. Being merchants and not wiga, Conn took the opportunity to train them in his form of business and help them set up trading networks throughout Sytha. Prosperous, they were now ready to come “home”, and the first business they would set up would be in Sala next spring. Conn’s global business network would soon cover the known world.

~oo0oo~

With Farrun’s return, Conn oversaw the final step in the rebellion by witnessing the crowning of Svenben as Healdend of Himyar and his fifteen-year-old son Anrikur as Aebeling. The ceremony itself was performed by Kasdis. She did the same for Saba – Kolbert was now officially Healdend but still without a son, he had Farrun officially made Aebeling and heir of Saba.

‘I’m definitely going home now. I need to make sure that my bedda are pregnant. And get a few more to ensure I have sons.’

Before he left, both he and Svenben issued a proclamation as their first official act as Healdends. It stated that everyone was
born
free – theow were only those that had reason to be sold or legally made theow. It was a small step but an important one in Conn’s mind.

Kolbert left the next morning; even though he had asked repeatedly, Conn declined to give him one of his schooners. He would just have to take the slow boat home. While Conn prepared for his own departure, Svenben’s fyrd was starting to return – and they brought with them not insignificant numbers of Axum prisoners, who were stripped of their weapons, and set to work as theow.

~oo0oo~

At dusk the next day, Svenben farewelled him and Larena at the docks. Already most of his fyrd were on board and at sea. Conn’s was the last to leave.

Svenben was very philosophical about the last few days – with it now late summer. ‘When the histories are written – do you think they will write that we led our people well or poorly?’

‘History is written by the victors, so if we keep winning, we’ll do fine.’

Svenben laughed. ‘Until we meet again then, Marquis il Kerch. It pains me to say it, but I wish you success. If you fail now, things are going to get very bad for a lot of us.’

‘I know,’ Conn said earnestly. ‘Until the next time’.

~oo0oo~

An hour later they were in the open sea and headed for the demesne of Bakan in Makurai. Whilst he had the Makurai troops stationed in Abdera, much further south, Larena had convinced him that her brother Bertlund, who was Jarl in Bakan, would be loath to confront him militaristically. She said that he was so insignificant that there were no folgere or Axum wiga stationed there. Although not the shortest route, it supposedly had a good port that would allow the horses to be unloaded easily. With two days of good sailing he would be there. Larena was in his cabin when he arrived later that evening.

‘I’ve never fornicated in a ship – what’s it like?’ She said by way of introduction.

‘Hard to describe so I guess you will just have to find out for yourself. One thing for certain, there is no real need to take off much of your clothes.’

Chapter 10
The Aebeling of Makurai

As they headed to Bakan, it was late autumn. They had left Dor mid-summer and a full ninety days had passed since that day. Four days after leaving Himyar, they were off the coast of Makuria, and by mid-afternoon they had positioned all the vessels to show up off the coast of Bakan at the same time – which they did. It would have been a terrifying sight; the eight large and strange ships all arriving and then anchoring just out of bow range. Conn had Njil test-fire a catapult with a mud bomb at one of the stone walls of the castle. It hit with a bang and left a stain on the wall. Conn supposed it was preferable than a hole.

Twenty whaleboats were launched and Conn joined Larena and Eldarr into the lead boat as they rowed to shore. As they got closer, Larena pointed out a short rounded gentleman, who seemed to not know what to do, amidst the dozens of men gathered on the docks.

‘My brother. He’s a coward at heart.’

As they arrived, twenty men stood with their bows in hand; defiant to the last. Conn called out.

‘Gentlemen – we come in peace – but if I accidently get one of those arrows in my leg, all hell will break lose, and you will all die – probably in less than a minute. I suggest you put down your bows.’ They failed to do so immediately, so Conn repeated himself. ‘NOW!’

This had the desired effect – the arrows were undrawn and then unnocked. Conn helped Larena out of the skiff, and on to the dock. As she walked towards the group of men, she drew back her cowl.

‘Bertlund, when you were a child I told you that you shouldn’t eat so much. You haven’t listened to me have you?’

‘Larena! By what is all that is holy are you doing here – with – all of them!’ He gestured wildly at Conn and the fifty wiga – Kerchians – assembled on the beach.

‘I’m here to annoy you, brother,’ she indicated to Conn, ‘he’s here to start a rebellion, I think.’

‘Do you know who HE is?’

‘I know him
very
well – as you can imagine. Do you?’

‘Err, no – but he’s a Priecuman – and there is only one that would be powerful enough to arrive
here
on a ship. The one that was responsible for many deaths in Sytha and Meshech.’

‘In my defence,’ Conn interjected, ‘I didn’t start it… I just finished it. Your Axum friends started it.’

The Jarl corrected him sternly. ‘They are
not
my friends – they are my masters.’

Larena smiled at him as she drew in the frustrated man for a hug.

‘The Marquis of Kerch is a good man – despite everything everyone says about him. You can trust him. There is much we need to talk about but I need a bath. Take us to your measly little donjon. I do hope you have made repairs or extensions since the last time I was here.’

‘The last time you were here was over forty years ago!’

‘You haven’t then. I thought it looks like it was when I left. What do you do with all your time?’

‘Try to stay alive. Times are tough.’

‘Just as well that we brought supplies then.’ Larena indicated to the group of Twacuman wiga that they should follow her. They had unloaded more whaleboats and had a significant amount of food supplies to carry to the castle. She called over one of her brother’s servants and told him to guide the wiga. She then called over the two young people that stood with Conn. ‘I should introduce these two. This is Eldarr, son of Sigkarl – have you met him before?’

‘Yes; when he was a child.’

‘And this is Albega – she is the daughter of Agdis il Axum and granddaughter of our sister Sedlyn. Do you remember Sedlyn?’

He nodded. ‘Our father sold her when I was young. To a wiga from Axum – a grandson of Feygurl. I remember that.’ He contemplated the information he had to hand. ‘Wait a moment – both these are scions of the house of Makuria? What is going on?’

Larena laughed. ‘And I told the Marquis that you are a bit dim witted. When we get inside, the Marquis can tell you what he has in mind. In the meanwhile, do you mind if he unloads his ships?’

‘Do I have a choice?’

‘Not really. I was just being polite.’

Bertlund shrugged. ‘In that case, go right ahead.’ He turned to one of his servants. ‘Let them do whatever they want.’ With that Eldarr turned and left with the servant, chatting easily as they headed down to the docks.

Already the word Feorhhyrde had been whispered around the settlement and as the request was made, people seemed to materialize out of everywhere to help.

By evening, the task would be complete – the eight boats were able to dock and be unloaded. It was indeed an excellent harbour. The small fyrd would be very quickly ready to march south east.

Beyond the curtain wall and inside the bailey, they found the beginnings of a tower house – mostly incomplete. It wasn’t where the Jarl lived – he lived in a collection of longhouses that surrounded the structure.

‘I thought you’d have had that finished by now?’

‘I thought so to – but the Axum have drained us of every extra ryal. The twenty years of wars have not proven to be very profitable – no thanks to your friend here.’

He showed them into a long room; the fire was in the centre and it was used for light. ‘Speaking of supplies, did you happen to bring any wine? My supplies are down…’

‘Indeed we did.’ The Jarl’s Ancuman servants brought in a veritable feast from Conn’s stores – wine, bread, pickled and salted meats and fish and a variety of sweets. As they cooked foods with herbs and spices, these also appeared – as did the foods with sugar. The sweetness was unlike anything they had tasted and the food loving Jarl stuffed himself until he could eat no more. It also brought out the rest of his family – the kids were tempted by the rumour of sweets.

‘I do not know if I can believe anything you have told me – the folgere gone from Saba and Himyar – the Axum all gone as well – as well as the two Aebelings are now calling themselves Healdend – it is all too fantastic to believe. But I have to admit that is some of the best food I have ever eaten. Your Priecuman sure know how to cook.’ He paused to take another gulp of wine. ‘Splendid wine; the best I’ve ever drunk. So what does this have to do with poor Sipan – he has been under siege for a lunar. Only the Gyden know if he is still alive.’

‘He’s fine – he is in no danger. I assume that he is probably better off now – the fyrd is providing him with food and repairing his castle for him.’

‘They are your troops in Sipan?’

Conn shook his head; ‘No – they are under the command of a Makuria Jarl - Rendel, Jarl of Tarsus. He led the Makuria fyrd in Meshech before we brought them home. But they are doing what I asked.’

‘Rendel? The scoundrel – invading his own cousin’s demesne. And what is that you asked him to do?’

‘Annoy the Axum. I’m led to believe that the Axum forces here are insufficient to take on a thousand wiga bedded down in Sipan-jo. It is a strong castle and the occupiers are well equipped to defend the walls. They also don’t know that they are very well resourced so they will be trying to starve them out. They may have realized that this isn’t working so well.’

‘So what are you going to do now?’

‘With your assistance, I’m going to march to Sipan-jo and confront the Axum fyrd. I’d like you to go ahead and tell all the Jarls along the way – and any Axum forces they have – that I’m only interested in killing Axum and folgere. If they oppose me, they will die.’

‘I gather you hate the folgere.’

‘I do; because they decided that they wanted to ‘initiate’ one of my daughters, so they kidnapped her from Sytha. I was able to intercept them and already at least fifty folgere have made the ultimate sacrifice for that error of judgement. If the only way I can protect my children is by eradicating all Axum folgere, I’m doing it.’

‘Every single one? Not that I don’t understand your views – I have two daughters who have been ‘initiated’ already, but that is a lot of people to kill. Still, everyone should have a hobby, I guess.’ He paused to drink a little more. ‘Do I recall you saying you want me to ride ahead?’

‘If you don’t want the Jarls along the way killed as well. I have no argument with them.’

‘Seems like a plan – but I really don’t know… I am not one for riding such a long way.’ The Jarl was obviously not the bravest of men.

‘Very well, I would hate to put you in any discomfort. By the way, I’m looking for a person – I call him my Comprador – to manage the buying and selling of commodities for this half of Makuria. Would you happen to know anyone interested? Perhaps some of the Jarls along the way?’

He was immediately interested. ‘Trading what, exactly?’

‘Mostly wine, oils, grains, hides, and such – almost anything, in fact. We buy and sell. I see you have lots of trees – I could buy them all off you – or at least from whoever becomes my Comprador in this part of Makurai.’

The Jarl was definitely not slow. ‘You want a Jarl to be the Comprador?’

‘Definitely – there is a start-up bonus of five hundred thousand Ryals for that person as well – to allow them to buy goods for sale, and build warehouses. I just need to find the right man.’

He was stunned into silence. ‘I see. Anyway, back to our initial discussion, I’m starting to see the merit in your plan – it would indeed be a shame for any unnecessary deaths. Most are my kin. I think I should go ahead. When do you think I should leave?’

‘Tomorrow – that will give you a day’s head start. Do you happen to have a map of Makuria?’

The Jarl sent for what he had, and compared it with the map that Conn had been able to create so far. They now had a greater idea of the scale of Makuria. Conn already had an idea; he had learnt that the Healdend would do a circuit of the entire nation every year and it would take all summer – over a hundred days – with a few days stay with the eighteen Jarls, who were spaced six days apart. The tour was designed to keep them poor. From Bakan to Sipan was fifteen days of riding, and there were two Jarls in the way.

When Conn headed down to the camp to sleep, an elderly Twacuman bowed as he passed.

‘Good evening Feorhhyrde. Might I have a word…’

‘Of course.’

‘I gather you are to march to Sipan-jo. Do you require every Twacuman to know of your plans and to provide you with assistance along the way?’

‘That would be excellent.’

‘You should know that there is another road to Sipan. I suggest that you take it. When you leave here, and have reached the forest, there will be someone there to guide you.’

‘Thank you.’

‘You are welcome, Feorhhyrde.’ He then turned and disappeared into the darkness.

~oo0oo~

By mid-morning the next day Bertlund was gone; he and his sons and a dozen wiga. Conn was preparing to depart the next day but Larena was not going with him.

She had alternative plans, and she had gathered six of her brother’s wiga and a few servants to help her. ‘I’ll leave for Makuria-jo instead.’ It was a twenty-day ride. ‘I will be there when you arrive. I can do you more good inside the castle than outside. Please try not to kill too many people. Everyone here is family.’

‘And try not to take too many risks’, Conn instructed. ‘Nothing is worth anyone losing their life over. The folgere are getting very nervous.’

‘Don’t worry, I know the Aebeling quite well – we use to play “games” together when I was young. Not that they were games children play – if you know what I mean – and he was definitely no child. Certainly the folgere were disappointed when they found out what we had been doing.’

~oo0oo~

With its huge mountain range in the middle, like most of the Ancuman demesne, each major settlement was centred around long river valleys that descended from the central range. The major road network went from town to town along the edge and was quite slow. The quickest form of transport was definitely the small coastal boats; like a dhow, with their steering oars at the stern and a single lateen rigged sail.

Conn led the fyrd out along the road east and it wasn’t long before they were out of the farmlands and into the forest. Waiting for them was a small group of Twacuman shepherds. They didn’t seem surprised to see him; they were waiting. Conn halted the troop and rode over with Derryth. He had told him about the encounter.

One walked forward and bowed respectfully to both. ‘Feorhhyrde, I understand you want to get to Sipan as soon as possible.’ Conn nodded. ‘Do you want to avoid being seen by the fishermen?’

Conn nodded again. ‘Probably a good idea.’

‘We agree; so you need to move inland – off the road. If you go high enough the land is flat enough to traverse quickly – if you know the way. The only ones that go so high are shepherds and flock of goats and sheep. The shepherds will show you the way. They are all Twacuman and they are waiting for you.’

As a result, they travelled freely and easily – and unseen – through the high country. The shepherds seemed to be there just when they needed them, giving them the directions to ensure that the fyrd found every ford and river crossing, and every easy road.

By the time they arrived outside of Sipan, twelve days had passed, and they saved almost two days. They were also in a much better position than they would have been if they had followed the road. Conn sat on a hilltop overlooking the Axum fyrd that surrounded the castle walls. He also saw that Njil had made it into the harbour – the schooner was clearly visible off the coast. Both sides were ready.