‘Yes; so were members of my hird – but it was out of my control. As I said, I was being controlled.’
‘Also, I believe that you have a young woman, her name is Kytha, as theow.’
He nodded, ‘I do. Angatur – the Steward of Tanais…’
‘Former – I sent him packing back to Kishdah.’
‘The former Steward brought her here to sell to a theow trader who was buying for brothels in Kishdah. I intervened and bought her myself. She was – is – a beautiful girl – and I also understood that she is one of Blood. I thought it wrong to remove her from Sytha to be handed over to those… Folgere.’ He paused for a moment. ‘You said you are the Steward of Sinope – Kytha is from Sinope…’
‘Indeed. Kytha is my Mundborak’s younger sister. So she is still well?’
‘Yes of course, very well. She has never been mistreated and we even had a child together, Vigbert. He is eight.’
By the time Conn had travelled to the harbour with Dagarr to determine that the Ancuman had indeed fled, and then returned to the village, the rest of the Fyrd had caught up and were on the outskirts, setting up camp. They let Dagarr go ahead to settle the nerves of the inhabitants and prepare to welcome them appropriately.
The village looked well managed, and Derryth commented as such as Conn led his smaller group through the clean and organized streets to the central roundhouse where several people waited. As soon as Cynilda was spotted, a young women raced towards her crying. Cynilda almost fell from her horse trying to dismount and embrace her.
The group paused to avoid trampling the two sisters. Dorte made her way forward to be beside Conn. ‘I know him.’ She indicated to the Ancuman waiting outside the roundhouse.
‘Dagarr? Are you relatives?’
She shook her head. ‘Not close. We are both of the house of Axum but I am from the blessed side; he is from the impure side. We have never met but I heard rumours of him being sent to Sytha. He is an outcast.’
‘Is he is a descendant of Geirfrith?’
She looked at him in astonishment. ‘How is it that a Priecuman would know of Geirfrith?’
‘So is he?’
‘Yes – but why would you know of such things?’
‘Knowledge is power, Dorte, knowledge is power.’
~oo0oo~
Inside the roundhouse, Dagarr apologized profusely to Cynilda for his rudeness in not attending the festival and explained why he couldn’t. The Mundborak, a youngish but short, homily and very plain woman, who must have been a cousin to the girl that Osnoth were so despairing of, was also extremely apologetic but confirmed his disappointment. Cynilda had to forgive him, mostly to stop the Mundborak from talking as she had a voice that would scare off wolves.
As they ate, Conn explained the situation to the Ancuman, and the conclusion that he had arrived at.
‘Dagarr, I need you to relinquish this demesne but I don’t feel inclined to deprive you of everything because it is evident that you have been an excellent Steward. What profession did you have before taking this on? You do not look like a wiga.’
‘Indeed. I had a ship and I traded or carried goods and people as I was directed. I was starting to get less work so I took an offer I couldn’t refuse and I bought the Mundborak and settled here. I was once a wiga but they said I was not to be trusted.’ He pointed to Dorte. ‘I see you have one of Axum as a theow – her name is Dorte if I am not mistaken. She would have informed you that I am considered impure.’
‘She did. It seems that those that descend from Geirfrith are not much revered.’
Dagarr laughed. ‘You are well informed, Marquis, because that is certainly not something that Dorte would have told you. Those of her side of the family dare not say his name.’
‘So are there any other Ancuman here in Bata?’
‘There are – twenty men – all from the Southern Isles. They were my crew. They work as craeftiga in the village.’
‘Very well. I have a proposition. I have a ship off the coast and it will be here tomorrow either with the escaping cog in tow or with a report of its sinking. If it is salvaged, you can have it, and use it to return to Kishdah. If it isn’t, I have another Axum cog in Tanais – I confiscated it from Angatur. I will give either to you, with a full cargo of wool and timber and hides, in exchange for Bata.’
‘You would be Steward of Bata?’ His question was almost incredulous. He leant forward and spoke quietly. ‘What the Mundborak lacks in beauty she makes up for in loudness. The previous Steward practically begged me to buy her and I had little choice. After I agreed, I have yet to see a man so happy. Even my Axum minders felt sorry for me.’ He shrugged. ‘She is a nice person so if that is what you want, be my guest…’
Conn was quick to point out his misunderstanding. ‘No, I have enough responsibility. I will sponsor someone else.’
Dagarr laughed and toasted Conn with his beer. ‘You would not wish her on your worse enemy. It seems to me that your wiga would step in front of an arrow for you, but I don’t think they’ll do that. Her voice is worse than death. If I knew then what I know, I’d have seriously considered it.’
It was a problem. Conn discussed it with his Colonel and Majors the next day and asked their advice; hoping one would volunteer. None did, and he couldn’t really blame them.
If you look hard enough however, a solution usually presents itself, even if it is masquerading as something else. As they spoke a messenger arrived from the port to say that Njil had arrived, and that he had the cog in attendance.
The messenger was mid-twenties – and somewhat old for an errant boy. After passing on a return message and watching him leave, Conn asked Brictdred who he was. He wore the insignia of the Logistic Corp, and his rank was Cornet.
‘That was Edgard. He is related to the Mundborak of Kirman and lacks the physical attributes of a wiga so she had him trained as a scholar. However, with the raising of the fyrd, they asked if he could join with his brother who is a Captain. We finally placed him in Logistics where he is doing well – despite his other shortcomings.’
‘Shortcomings?’
‘Hopeless on horseback, hopeless with a sword and can’t hit a barn with an arrow. I mean, he knows what to do, but just can’t do any of it. He is in fact dangerous to stand near if he has a bow. Never seen anything like it.’
‘You said he was trained as a scholar?’
‘Yes. He was working with the merchants and traders writing agreements and contracts. His mother and father wanted more for him than a merchant’s daughter as theow so asked for him to be allowed to join. But no amount of money will buy him one of Bloo… surely you are not serious?’
‘Brictdred, I am. Someone has to become Steward in Bata.’ He looked around to the other. ‘Would any of you like to volunteer?
They all shook their heads vigorously.
‘Very well, get him back. His parents will be very proud of him. As we will all be.’
‘You could give him a medal for bravery?’ Derryth suggested. ‘For service beyond the call of duty?’
‘No, but I will make him a Knight. Sir Edgard, Knight of the Kerch Order of Merit. If he agrees, I’ll have yet to see a braver man.’
Edgard il Kirman was surprisingly open to the idea as he quickly realized that it was an opportunity that he couldn’t afford to pass up – despite the shortcomings of the Mundborak. He only showed some disappointment when he realized that he couldn’t keep
all
of Dagarr’s theow.
Dagarr himself was astounded, but extremely happy. Conn told him the good news as they rode to the harbour to inspect the cog. None of the wiga on the vessel had survived being boarded by Sir Njil, ex pirate; the last two jumped overboard rather than be captured. Dagarr got his crew together and they prepared the ship for the voyage.
~oo0oo~
He then broached the idea first with his hird. Cynilda had questions and concerns.
‘What of Kytha? Edgard cannot be sponsored to gain two of blood?’ It was one of the rules.
‘No, Kytha will stay with me – us. As will her son Vigbert. Dagarr does not feel that it will be safe for him to go with him to Kishdah.’ Dagarr and Conn had a conversation about him the previous night. He requested that Conn raise him away from Kishdah – he didn’t want the Folgere anywhere near the boy.
‘But you cannot have two sisters in your hird.’
Conn nodded. It was another rule. ‘I understand. Kytha will not be part of my hird. I will be her protector until we find someone appropriate for her.’ Conn found that rule a little annoying; Kytha il Sinope made her sister look plain – and Cynilda would never be described as plain.
Having floated the idea, Conn left it to the women to decide, and they finally agreed that the proposal was acceptable. The next day he had a meeting with the Mundborak of Bata to inform him of his decision. She was disappointed.
‘So I am not to join your hird?’ She fluttered her eyelashes at him. ‘You have gained a right to this demesne and me by conquest. I was looking forward to our night together…’
‘Alas, that is not to be.’ Conn was very stoic. ‘I already have three of Blood in my hird and… and well, it would be unfair on the others…’
Derryth was with him and he had to excuse himself. He said that he was suddenly feeling very ill.
She watched him go and turned her attention back to Conn. ‘I can understand that. So who are you sponsoring to be my Steward?’
‘Sir Edgard il Kirman. He is the second son of the Mundborak of Kirman and he is a Captain in my Logistic Corp.’ Edgard had a meteoric promotion and no one complained. He was also rewarded for his services to his nation with a knighthood.
‘Thank you Marquis, he sounds like an excellent choice. I will go and organize a joining feast for this evening.’
Without further ado, Dagarr moved out and down to the inn at the docks while Edgard moved into the roundhouse.
They had a huge feast to celebrate the transition. Everyone toasted the self-sacrifice shown by Edgard. There were even tears which the Mundborak luckily mistook as sadness at his departure.
~oo0oo~
A week later Dagarr and his men were ready for departure; the cog was fully loaded with trade goods and enough supplies to make the voyage home. Conn went to farewell him with Dorte and Cynilda in attendance.
That morning he had asked Dorte if she was agreeable for him to give her to Dagarr. They were in bed at the roundhouse he was utilizing as his personal residence in town, and it was her turn in the rotation. He had purchased the roundhouse from the Mundborak and it would become the home of his Comprador when he arrived. Trade was everything and more Compradors were in training.
The naked woman sat up suddenly, shocked at the suggestion.
‘Are you unpleased with me, Master? Have I not been pleasing you? I may have resented it at first but I find our time together enjoyable, and everything I do, I do willingly.’
‘No, Dorte. I am more than pleased with you. I just think that being in my hird is not the right place for you. It will not be long before I am fighting your cousins.’
‘So you doubt my loyalty?’
‘Strangely no. I just think that you should go home. This is the best way that I can find.’
Dorte stood and dressed herself as she considered the proposal. She brought Conn coffee from the fire and sat down beside him. ‘If you must. There is little honour in being theow to one of Geirfrith.’
‘As compared to me – a Priecuman Marquis?’
She laughed. ‘As bad as one of Geirfrith is considered, it is probably more acceptable than a Priecuman. Those of us of Axum that are females of lowly birth – my mother and her mother were theow as well – know that there are many ways to fight for our people. I did what I could – using my body to achieve the aims of my Bretwalda. There are many such as me – including cousin Agthora who died so needlessly. Sometimes our role is to be bedda to Priecuman or other clans, and because it is not our choice, it brings honour to our families. Those of Geirfrith rarely take bedda from Axum but tend to take bedda from the southern isles because no one would choose to be bedda to one Geirfrith.’ She smiled. ‘It is tolerable I guess – I am not doing it be choice, am I.’ She removed her gown and climbed back into bed. ‘If this is to be our last night together, perhaps it should be more memorable – for both of us.’
Dagarr was very surprised to see Dorte at the docks, and even more so when she bowed to him politely after Conn did the formal introductions.
‘Dagarr, I have a final request. I would like you to take Dorte with you.’
‘Marquis, I’m not sure that I can do that. Dorte is a theow so she cannot go as a free person, and you cannot free her. Axum theow are never freed.’
‘I understand – that is why I am giving her to you as part of the deal for this demesne. I have drafted a document to reflect that transaction. If, however, there is something she would like you to do for her in Kishdah, I would ask that you do it, if possible.’
‘You do not seem the type of man who would do such a thing against person’s will – even a theow. Am I to believe that Dorte is in agreement with your proposal?’
Conn looked at Dorte and she nodded as she addressed Dagarr. ‘Yes, Aebeling, I am. But I will never repat that sentence again.’ All scions of the Royal House of Axum had the title of Aebeling, even the outcast ones.