The Bretwalda (The Casere Book 4) (44 page)

She whispered as she left. ‘Please send for me tonight – you know that I am yours to do whatever you want with. Don’t give me away too soon. At least not tonight.’

The steward looked curiously on the exchange; but he knew that Asvi had been his prisoner. He stood aside to allow Conn access to the throne.

Conn shook his head, and he turned around and faced the crowd. ‘The throne is not for me. I have no claim, and make no claim. Vigbert il Axum, of the house of Geirfrith will arrive in a few days and it is he who will sit on the throne.’ He turned back to the steward. ‘Have tables and chairs brought out; I would like somewhere for us all to sit. Also, have everyone else leave the hall. Only the Steward and any surviving members of the Witan need to stay.’

Asvi turned to leave.

Conn called out. ‘Asvi – stay. My first appointment is you to the Witan.’

‘But I have no demesne…’

‘I’m sure that can be arranged. A lot of Jarls died today, there must be a vacancy somewhere; you can have your choice of the others.’

‘I will take Hazor if it is available – my grandmother is from Hazor.’

Tables had arrived and were being set up, and they waited for Conn to speak. He explained what was happening, and set everyone tasks to undertake. There was much to prepare for the arrival of the new Healdend.

Derryth returned after haven spoken to the Twacuman and nodded. ‘I understand that baths have been prepared, I will see you all in the morning.’

Conn returned to the barracks and found a bath being prepared in a large room – the one for the Folctoga. He started to undress.

‘Would you like a hand with that?’

He turned, it was Asvi.

‘Thank you. That would be nice.’

~oo0oo~

Asvi left before dawn, and when he held another meeting with the Steward in the morning. He was then advised that ships were docking and he heading to the harbour. Asvi went with him and greeted her sister warmly, as Derryth organized workers to unload supplies from the ship. By afternoon the barracks were full of the survivors from the Battle of Axum and Conn finally had a proper security detail around the castle.

His daily meetings with the Steward had everything in place for the arrival of Vigbert, who arrived the next day. The Eagle’s Claw was flying from a hundred nobori as the fyrd made its way into the castle. Conn had organized for his fyrd to be moved to accommodation near the docks and Vigbert’s guards moved in in their stead. As the ships were unloaded of supplies, he filled them with people. He was sending everyone back to Sala. From Sala, they would return to Meshech or Sytha.

Derryth stood by his side as they watched Vigbert arrive in the bailey.

‘Don’t you just love it when a prophesy comes to fruition.’

‘I thought there were no such things.’

‘What do I know – we are looking at one.’

Dagarr was the first to arrive on the steps; and he greeted Conn like an old friend.

‘When you kicked me out of my demesne in Silekia and I had to leave behind my son, I did not imagine that you would give him back to me as the Healdend of all Axum.’

‘You could have told me that he was heir to the demesne…’

‘Safer that no one knew. It has always been a struggle to keep the line alive. My cousin Kolvardur was careless and found himself in bed with a Farstein assassin. He didn’t live to tell the tale.’

Steinvi and Vigbert were next to arrive. Steinvi tried very hard to scold him before she gave him a hug. ‘What is it with you and cleaning the streets – this place looks like one of your kitchens!’ She saw her mother while she hugged him and squealed in delight and ran to her. Asvi was crying.

~oo0oo~

The next morning, Conn had a private meeting with Farrun and Derryth. ‘Krocla is the next problem.’

‘I’ve been asking’, Derryth advised, ‘and I’ve been told that the island is bewitched – none may enter without a folgere by your side. No Ancuman will go near the place.’

‘So I have heard. But I do have a plan.’

‘Is it a good plan?’ Farrun asked.

He laughed. ‘You are starting to sound like Derryth.’ He then went serious. ‘No – it is not a good plan. It is a bad plan – one that is going to get a lot of good men killed – but it is the only plan that I have. But it will work.’

‘Papa?’ A voice appeared from behind him. It was Disetha. She had the girl they had rescued with her. She had not said a single thing since she had been rescued. Conn was almost surprised. ‘Have you noticed how she can creep up behind you?’ he asked Farrun.

‘I have – and she creeps into other places as well.’

She punched him in the shoulder. ‘Scoundrel, you promised not to tell. I’m only did it because you must be lonely without your bedda.’ She looked back at Conn. ‘Papa, what did you say about Krocla? And did you know that there is a cirice here?’

Conn stopped and looked at her. ‘How did you know that there was a cirice here?

She blushed. ‘Did I say there is? Sorry, I meant to say that I heard there was…’

‘As it turns out, I have found about it. While I have been waiting, I have been in the library. It was built around 600 when the when the folgere moved Ashtoreth’s heart from here to Krocla. It seems that it is the last part of the prophecy – the claim of the Geirfrith will be alive why the heart is in Axum – and to ensure that will never happen, they moved the heart away. Now I have to bring it back.’

‘So you are going to Krocla?’

‘I am.’

‘But you will have to go alone?’

‘Not quite. I do have five hundred Twacuman as backup.’

‘I’m going with you – we’re going with you.’

Conn took a deep breath and to Farrun’s surprise agreed.

‘Sir Nil will be ready for us. We need to leave.’

They walked down to the jetty and got on the schooner. It was very quickly out to sea. Njil knew where the island was, he’d mapped it on the way.

Farrun looked at the departing town. He looked at Conn. ‘What did Halla say when you said you were going to the cirice?’

‘I don’t know’ He looked at Derryth. ‘What did she say?’

Derryth looked blankly at him. ‘I didn’t tell her. That is your job.’

Farrun shook his head. ‘So no one knows? We could all die and no one would know?’

Derryth agreed. ‘That sound about right. Let me tell you about our trip in Sytha.’

With the sun behind them they sailed west and it wasn’t long before they had the island in their sights. Njil dropped anchor. The noise in Conn’s head was getting stronger – but it didn’t know he was there yet –it was a general warning beacon. The Gyden did not want anyone to visit the island.

As they waited, there was a call. ‘Cog on port bow’.

Bringing out the telescope, Conn surveyed the vessel.

‘Damn!’

‘What is the matter?’

‘It is full of girls – captives.’

The vessel quickly noticed the schooner, and that alerted the Gyden to his presence and she immediately sent out attack pulses. Conn staggered back as it found him.

Derryth steadied him. ‘You okay?’

‘Yep – but she found me. She is much stronger here than anywhere else. Head for shore at full pace – we need to be landed before she gets her folgere armed on the beach’

The whaleboats were lowered and they powered their way to shore. With the first arrivals securing the area, the boats made several trips until Njil pulled up sail and set to sea. He then led the Twacuman deep into the forest, where they stayed hidden until dark. Around them, armed folgere squads searched to no avail. Conn moved them out and with the faint moonlight headed higher up. They got to a path, and heard voices.

‘Can you see anything?’

‘No! For the tenth time. We need to wait for the moon to get bigger.’

‘Do you think they are here?’

‘NO! For the sixth time. They were heading north. We are just here in case. Now shut up, or I’ll bend you over and drill you like an offering.’

‘Promises, promises…’ He collapsed as Conn knife embedded itself into his chest.

The elder man looked in shock as the youth fell to the ground. ‘What... what happened?’ he asked anxiously.

‘I happened.’ Conn responded, and with a twist the knife was embedded in his chest. He fell to the ground without a word. Retrieving the knife, Conn called Farrun and Derryth. ‘The citadel is at the end of this path. We follow it up and try not to be seen.’

‘Doesn’t the Gyden already know?’

‘Not precisely – she knows I’m on the island but not where.’

‘Any idea how many folgere she has?’

‘No – and I think there must be others as well – mercenaries perhaps. Let’s assume we are outnumbered four to one.’

‘Wonderful. But it is night. That evens the odd considerably.’

They headed up the mountain slope; the going was slow but consistent and as the moonlight hit the side of the mountain, they were safely secluded.

‘Men are coming this way,’ Derryth reported. ‘Perhaps two hundred.’

‘Okay; so let’s party. As soon as one dies, Ashtoreth is going to know exactly where we are. These are just the beginning.

Conn headed up the slope; first slowly and then at pace. He was soon sighted and those that saw him died. Behind him raced the Twacuman and Farrun. Folgere streamed out of the mountain, attacking and they all died. Ashtoreth screamed in his mind. She so wanted him dead. They continued up the slope as men poured out of trees to the left and right. Ducking behind a thick tree as arrows whistled thorough the air, Derryth admonished him. ‘Four to one! This is six to one at least.’

‘Well, five to one now – we’ve killed over a hundred already, surely.’

Conn reloaded his arrows; he had brought a hundred with him and he had used twenty already. He didn’t want to run out. ‘Ready?’

‘Ready as I’ll ever be. You do know that I’m a chief now? I’m responsible for an entire clan.’

‘It’s a very small clan. They’ll hardly miss you. Let’s go.’

As they ran between the trees firing at will, Derryth continued to talk. ‘And two bedda – they will be pretty upset if you get me killed.’

‘I’m sure.’

‘And a son – I have a son – he would be fatherless.’

‘I’ll take care of him for you.’

‘Well, thank you.’ An arrow hit the tree less than six inched from his head. ‘But that it not the point’, he continued as he killed the man who almost killed him, ‘I am now supposed to impregnate more women. You, know to build up the clan. I’ve been very popular these last days. Did you know that?’

‘I do now. What would you want more children for anyway – you keep away from the two bedda you have as much as you can. Well, one of them anyway.’

‘I have to – she is as carnal as most Priecuman – she lacks the indifference to fornication that we Twacuman normally have.’ More people died as the moved up the mountain.

‘Now that is tragic. What happen if you get another bedda from Kishdah?’

They had reached the outside wall of the tower house; the door was still open as anyone who tried to close it died. They fitted arrows to their bows.

‘I hadn’t considered that – having two bedda who want to fornicate all the time. Gyden, my life will be turmoil.’

‘It will probably rub off on the third. Hallvi will be just as demanding as the other two.’ Conn nodded and they lunged through the door way; firing arrows at a speed not able to be done by any other pair. The room was soon clear and Conn raced to the interior doorway while Derryth called in the Twacuman. Soon the room was filled with men – but not as many as he had brought with him. Half remained outside; to ensure that they had a way out.

Derryth returned to Conn’s side. ‘You know, you have just ruined my life completely – three bedda who want to fornicate all the time. How will I survive?’

‘My friend, if we survive today, everything else will be easy. I’m very worried about this door.’

‘Well, I’m not going in first.’

The room had two large wooden doors; hinged on their side. Conn hammered in metal nails and tied a rope to each door. He then removed the hinges and on his mark, the two doors collapsed inwards, and a hundred arrows filled the space, impacting into the fifty men that waited on the other side. Conn raced through firing at others standing behind walls and pillars.

‘This is going to hard work. We need some cover.’ Conn yelled for one of the doors to be brought to him and they inched forward to the exit; everyone that tried to stop them died as they poked their heads or arms around corners. The defenders fell back as Conn arrived at the door way; they were now into the great hall and the folgere arranged themselves a human shield – the girls that they had captured and stolen.

A harsh voice called out. ‘Feorrancund, you need to surrender yourself – we will let the Twacuman go free – surrender yourself and the blood of these children will not be on your hands.’

‘Not happening, folgere. Whatever blood is spilt is purely yours to make amends for in your afterlife. I will make reparation here for their families – with millions of ryals. I will make their fathers Jarl. They will understand the sacrifice their child made for a greater good of their families.’