The Bretwalda (The Casere Book 4) (38 page)

‘So he gave something in return for his grandson’s life?’

‘Yes – he promised that his house would one day give freely a daughter to be bedda to the Healdend.’

‘Why did he want a daughter from the house of Geirfrith as bedda anyway? They seem more trouble than they are worth.’

‘Because of the prophesy – it had an out clause. It says that if ever the Bretwalda has the blood of both houses, the prophecy will end.’

‘I see – so the Farstein house has sought to have a son with a bedda from the Geirfrith house – but he took Asvi il Jamut not as his first bedda but his fifth – when he already had sons.’

Sigrin nodded. ‘Indeed – it was the wrong time to invoke the agreement – but I am told that Asvi is reportedly so beautiful that he had to have her as bedda – whatever the cost. And I wonder if he knows that he has sealed the death of his house – according to the prophesy.’

‘She is very beautiful. So which houses have the blood of Geirfrith in them?’

‘The Jarls that provided most of the supporters of Geirfrith during his campaigns took his daughters as his bedda: Siri, Mende, Kura, Zemar, Perusa, Jamut, Volci, and Nora. Jamut and Volci are all on the south or east of Axum. Most are poor – like my own demesne, and have been kept impoverished in fear of rebellion.’

‘I understand that Siri is the only demesne held by the male line?’

‘Yes, Geirfrith moved around a lot. When he was visiting Uman, he either raped or seduced the bedda of the Jarl and she got pregnant. They had a son, Vigkel. He was raised as the son of the Jarl, and trained as a wiga. His grandson was sent to the house of the Bretwalda to be a servant, as many young men are when they are before they are initiated. Something about building the anticipation for their introduction to the Gyden. He survived that but almost died when he saved the life of the Bretwalda’s son when the Bretwalda was assassinated by the Jarl of Siri whose son the Bretwalda had seduced into becoming a male folgere. The grandson, Kolva, was rewarded with the demesne of Siri – the entire family of the former Jarl was executed – except for one daughter which Kolva got to choose from amongst the doomed, and who he took as his bedda. It is tradition that if you save the life of your master, you will be rewarded with a suitable demesne. The Bretwalda had no choice but to give him one – even when he found out that he was of the house of Geirfrith.’

‘What of Sigkarl’s line?’

‘They have served as Folctoga in all the Jarl demesnes that claim kinship – and have taken bedda from that house. If ever they have more than one son, the second son would seek employment in the southern lands – and would take bedda from those houses. They have done enough to stay alive as a house. Dagarr, Vigbert’s father, came and served as Folctoga with my father when he was young. He then went to seek his fortune in Sytha with his cousin Kolvardur. Kolvardur had service in the Makuria fyrd in Sytha. I heard that he died there – without sons. I did not even know that Dagarr had returned or that he had a son – I was fearful that I was the sole male of the line left – which I think is why I was commanded to join this war. I think they hoped that I would be killed in battle – and thus ending the prophecy.’

~oo0oo~

Later as they drank alone, Conn mused. ‘Do you think that Asvi knew the prophecy to that level of detail?

‘When she was sixteen? Seems unlikely.’

‘True, but her father must have known the ramifications of the Bretwalda’s request – even if the Bretwalda didn’t; he chose to sacrifice his sixteen-year-old daughter to the bed of an aged letch to end the possibility that the Farstein would ever end the prophesy.’

‘If the option was the sacrificial alter of a folgere, it probably was an easy choice.’

‘I doubt that it would ever be easy; easier certainly. And I still want to know where this prophesy originated. No one can tell me that yet.’

Chapter 16
The Thane of Panua

A day later, as the ships started to arrive and the village started to return to normal, Conn sent for Brenna. Brenna had been working with the Trokian wiga as they laboured in repair works. Everyone was an engineer in Conn’s fyrds; and with all their skills, they were making immense improvements to the town. A year of habitation by the Axum had not improved it. She walked in with her clothes muddy, and she was wearing her worst outfit.

‘Papa, you sent for me?’

‘Brenna,’ Conn spoke as she arrived, ‘I would like you to meet Redbert il Panua. He is the Thane of this village. I don’t believe that you have met.’

She bowed, and like all young girls when they meet a good looking young man, she blushed because she wasn’t at her best. She then sent daggers at her father for putting her in this position. Conn ignored it – but he knew he would pay later. She recovered quickly.

‘No, papa, I don’t believe we have. Redbert, I am Brenna il Trokia,
second
daughter of the Wealdend of Trokia. I am pleased to meet you.’

Conn, as did Tulia – who noticeably harrumphed, caught the word “second” in her introduction. She had never said that before. It was something. Tulia was sitting on a seat; she had been riding the hills with Derryth on patrols. She looked like she hadn’t washed in two days because she hadn’t.

Redbert bowed respectfully. ‘I am humbled, Brenna il Trokia, to see you working so hard in a demesne that is not your own.’ He took a cloth from his bag and walked towards her, ‘you have mud on your face – would you allow me to remove it?’

She did so and ask he walked back to his chair, she picked up and apple and threw it at her father. She hated him this very minute. Of course, Conn caught the apple as if it was just a casual throw – which annoyed her even more. And this was the gentle twin.

Conn started his story, as he munched on the apple, ‘Tulia encountered Redbert in the hills – it seems he had been living there for some time, keeping tabs on the Ancuman and when they saw them retreating, he headed this way. Would you mind being his guide and showing him around. I have asked him to put his men in the Trokian camp while he is here.’

‘Of course, papa, I’d be delighted to do that.’

Redbert added his thoughts. ‘I and my squad are at your service, Brenna il Trokia. Your wish is my command.’

It was too much for ‘uncle’ Derryth. He had been biting his hand to stop laughing. ‘Excuse me, I have to do something outside.’ and left as soon as possible. Laughter could be heard from the distance.

Redbert continued. ‘So where is this mud that you have been working in – I would like to see what you have been doing – and please allow me to do the dirty work – I would not have my host injure herself in any way.’

With nothing else to say, Brenna indicated the way out of the door. Redbert walked ahead of her and she stayed long enough to stick her tongue out at her father. Her face was brought to a smile however when she saw her sister in the corner of the room looking away from her having a little hissy fit. Being the eldest sometimes had its drawbacks.

Brenna ranted and raved at her father and uncle later, but they just laughed more. When everyone arrived for supper, both Tulia and Brenna were not dressed in their worst clothes – they tried hard to show as much flesh as was appropriate for a military camp. Redbert knew without doubt, however, that they were both extremely beautiful females. He was quickly besotted.

~oo0oo~

With the village functioning again, and the immanent return of more of its former inhabitants from Oxmon, Conn headed south. The Grey Jackets had proceeded south carefully; pushing the Axum back without actually fighting. The Axum were now extremely under strength, and morale would have been devastated by the loss of the company of Siri cavalry. Trust would be at an all-time low. Still, Conn re-joined the regiment as soon as he could.

Engaging the enemy was not Conn’s main concern; if fact, Conn had no real desire to confront the Aebeling in Meshech at all. What he really wanted to do was push him off the island and into the boats – and to that effect he had removed all his war craft from the oceans to the south and sent them to Gambi and Rakiak. He had also sent instructions that all cogs from Axum were not to be turned around but were to let pass, and even boats docking in Aeaea were resupplied and sent on their way – none the wiser for the lack of appearance of the Thane or other Ancuman wiga. Most of the work was always done by Twacuman anyway.

They caught up with the Grey Jackets a day out of Oxmon late at night and on the morning, from the high vantage points, they could see the village in the distance. Or just. It was cloudy, foggy day; and the fog at yet to rise. Thorough the haze they could see smoke arising from a multitude of dwellings ablaze.

‘It would seem that the Axum are leaving?’

Eldhart agreed. ‘There didn’t seem to be many here yesterday – but it seems that they pulled out this morning for Mazra. Shall we go and have a look?’

‘Let’s.’

Conn led the fyrd down the hill and on the river flats and headed towards the castle in a slow canter. As they got closer to the castle village, they slowed down and Conn soon signalled that the fyrd were to stop.

When he received Oxmon as part of a bedda dowry, it was nothing but a field of stones. Over the years the stones had been used to build up the mighty walls and the donjon in the centre. It wasn’t big but it was high. It was mostly for intimidation purposes. Outside the walls a village had sprung up; first for workers and then for villagers who worked as craeftiga or merchants. Much of that had been destroyed by the Axum. They had tried to use the stone from the houses as weapons but every time they had set up an artillery battery, the superior batteries inside the walls would destroy it. They appeared to have tried many times, and Conn’s wiga had inadvertently destroyed their own town. It was a sorry sight. The fields around the town were littered with makeshift dwellings, ablaze. The batteries had been authorized to target any Folctoga seeking to live a better life in a house rather than a tent, and that contributed to the destruction. As they watched the town, people could be seen scurrying out of danger. Some were wiga, they hobbled so they were injured, and others were women – and even a Twacuman or two. They were packing – a dozen ox carts were in the process of being loaded. As soon as they heard the horses, they had retreated into the village as an unsafe alternative to being cut down in the fields.

‘Who are these people?’ Derryth asked. ‘It is nothing but a rabble.’

‘Camp followers – obviously the main force has debunked for Mazra and left everyone unessential behind.’ He turned to Eldward. ‘Send in the wiga – on foot. And signal the Steward to open up, and send out the town-guard. Get everyone inside.’

~oo0oo~

By lunch everyone was inside the walls and by evening the main body of the Green Jackets had set up camp on the fields deserted by the Axum.

One of the first people to greet Conn as his Brown Jackets entered the bailey was a young woman; she rushed down to the bailey from within the donjon. Derryth recognized her first. Conn had seen her for a while. ‘Oslinda – what are you doing here?’

Conn dismounted from the stallion and went and hugged her. ‘My question as well. What are you doing here?’

‘This is my demesne – I should be here. In one year I will officially be the Baron of Oxmon. I arrived last week – Sir Njil was gracious enough to allow me on board.’

‘I had no idea I had given Njil so much liberty to make his own decisions. Someone should have a chat to him about that.’

‘Not me.’ Derryth offered. ‘He’s a pirate.’

Oslinda had moved on. ‘Tulia. Brenna.
Hello
– who are you?’

Redbert discounted rapidly. He bowed. ‘I am your neighbour – I am Redbert il Panua. I believe we are cousins.’

Her smile shallowed. ‘Well, that is disappointing.’ Brenna had joined her and gave her a hug and an evil look. ‘Yes, it is a shame, sister. Now why don’t you show us around this heap of rock of yours. It is very impressive from a distance.’

Conn watched them leave. ‘I’m starting to feel….’

‘Unnecessary? Unneeded? Unwanted? I’ve noticed that.’

‘Don’t you start. Let’s talk to the Steward. Maybe he has some information for us.’

~oo0oo~

He did. When the girls, Eldhart, Wilric, Bricwahl il Kerch, and Kenoth il Enak finally joined them, Conn report on the findings of a report from Sir Njil.

‘Sir Njil says that over thirty cogs have been sighted passing Aeaea. Some stopped but others haven’t. He believes that there are more on the way but they will in in Mazra il days.’

Just south of Oxmon were the towns of Katane and Mazra. They were sister towns; each on different sides of the same river that was fed from high up in the mountains. Once the same demesne, a Healdend of Gatina had rewarded a favourite with a new Eaorldom and punished another, by dividing Mazra into two. Consequently, it was large and sprawling and impossible to defend. That was part of the justification for Oxmon and the huge amounts of money Conn spent building it. Those from Mazra had a place of sanctuary just a couple of days away. Not that it worked for both Eaorls – they had been killed in a battle with the Axum who had surprised them by crossing the mountains north of Panua rather than following the coastline. They were the only “major” causalities.

Mazra and Katane, however were captured with a significant amount of citizens still inside its walls, and the Axum had occupied it for over two years now. It was the only port they had easy access to. It had rich and extensive fields and they were sure to have put to use. With no access to plunder, and little arriving by sea, growing was a necessity.

‘What are they carrying?’ Derryth hated reading, even though he could.

‘Mostly supplies it would seem – also some reinforcements. I’d say recruiting would be hard with the Eagle’s Claw back.’ Conn stood and looked out the high window, and then looked back at the men. ‘We are going to have to go around him; which means through the hills to Enak. Steward, send a message to Sir Wystan, and get him to send Colonel Egstan and the Blue Jackets to Enak to meet us – in 14 days. We will push them south. Wilric. Lead the Twacuman out today to find a road. The rest of us will leave tomorrow.’

Wilric got up and left while the others filed out. Oslinda got up as well. ‘I’ll go and get ready. I’ll go and get a uniform. Papa, I going to be in the Greens – the Grey Jackets doesn’t suit me. And Kenoth loves me. I have an Academy rank of Captain – can I keep that?’

Tulia complained. ‘She cannot! She will outrank me. I’m going to be a Wealdend!’

Conn wasn’t going to agree but did anyway. ‘Yes, she can. Tulia, such is the price of arrogance.’