‘Can’t do that; just wanted to let you know that I’ve come to reclaim this Cirice for Tabiti.’
They laughed. ‘Who do you think you are? Not even the vanquished one could reclaim this Cirice. It now belongs to the One – Ashtoreth.’
Conn reached into the leather pouch that he carried around his waist and retrieved a single stone – a large red ruby. It immediately started to glow, something Conn didn’t expect.
‘Well, well, well. Tabiti is happy to be home. She seems to think it is hers still.’
Ashtoreth was also very surprised by her sister’s sudden and unexpected arrival, and her confusion distracted her Folgere. Soon, their orders had changed and they fanned out. Ashtoreth wanted him dead and the haligdom crushed.
Conn addressed the glowing ruby. ‘Tabiti, you may have to take care of yourself for a while.’ He then tossed it toward the idol and onto the blankets that covered it. It landed in a crevice and stayed as Conn ducked as a Folgere made to sever his head from his body. It was his only attempt as he then grabbed his intestines as they fell through the hole in his side. In the confines of the room, with the idol of Tabiti in the centre, the five against one battle was not as lopsided as it may have seemed. If it had been five Ancuman wiga, he would have been in serious trouble but the trained, but out of practice, Folgere were no match as he spun around the room, engaging, blocking and striking. It didn’t take long before the last one looked at the wakizashi imbedded in his chest and slid to the floor, dead.
Looking around, the only one alive was the first man, and he was close to death. Conn went to him.
‘You had a chance to leave? Why not take it?’
‘Our … master … is away …he left us ... in ... charge… he will avenge us…’ he then died.
Standing up with a very bad feeling, he went to Tabiti and used his knife to cut the strap that held the ward-stone. Without her Folgere, and with Tabiti in the room, her power was manageable. He then used his kunai to shatter the haligdom into dust.
Almost immediately, Derryth and Hallvi burst into the room. They looked at the bodies on the floor. Derryth smiled.
‘Another typical day, I see.’
‘Indeed.’ Conn was busy cutting the ropes that held on the blankets and as soon as the last was cut, they all fell off as if she was Teflon. He then placed the red ruby, carefully shutting his mind again, on the outstretched hand. Rapidly absorbed into the marble, the room soon was filled with a warm red glow.
Like everyone else there, Beobald was looking at the idol with a mixture of bewilderment and amazement.
Conn called him over. ‘Until Eadhart arrives, I am putting you in charge. Have this place cleaned and everything to do with the Axum burnt as soon as possible.’
~oo0oo~
Returning to the Great Hall in the donjon, Conn addressed all the local dignitaries that were still alive. His address was interrupted firstly by a messenger telling him that Sir Njil was at the docks. He whispered back and the boy went running.
‘As I was saying. There will be no retribution. Eadhart il Kucha is due to arrive in a few days and he is to be your next Healdend, as is his right. In the meanwhile, I appoint Beobald as Steward and he has the full authority that my fyrd of five thousand men can bring. Have I made myself clear?’
He was then interrupted by a runner from the gate. He spoke to Beobald in hushed tones and Beobald kept looking at Conn as he spoke. He came over.
‘Marquis. A Twacuman rider has arrived at the gates – he is near death. He wishes to speak to you urgently.’
Looking at Derryth and Hallvi they rushed out, crossing the ground between the donjon and the gate in minutes.
Inside, being given sips of water, was a very sick looking Wilric. He was barely conscious. Conn asked about his injuries.
‘He has none – he wanted water.’ Conn sent for his medics as they propped him up. He opened his eyes. He was very weak.
‘Feorhhyrde… I … have … failed …. you. Folgere … have taken … Alana .. from Kyme.’
Conn shook his head. ‘You have not failed me Wilric, I have failed Alana. I should never have put her in that danger. Do you know where they went?’
‘Kishdah… ten nights … ago ’
‘Thank you Wilric. That is all I need to know. Rest now.’ He stood and turned to Derryth. ‘We need to speak to Njil.’
He nodded. ‘I have sent Hallvi to tell Njil what has happened. He will be expecting us.’
Predetermining his needs, Njil had maps out in his cabin.
‘When did they leave?’ he asked without prompting.
‘Seven nights ago.’
‘A standard Ancuman cog?’
‘We can assume.’
‘And where are the going?’
‘I wish I knew – somewhere in Axum?’
Using a ruler, he plotted a course.
He then looked at a possible course for them.
‘Marquis, it’s a needle in a haystack. It’s a very big ocean.’
‘It’s not so big if you know where you are going.’ They all looked around to the voice. It was Kutidi. She and Sarun had taken to sailing with Njil when he sailed around Sytha. She said that her son should know about the sea. Conn was happy to allow her whatever freedom she wanted. She continued.
‘It is too hard to reach Kishdah from Sytha or Meshech without replenishing supplies.’ She pointed to a spot on the map. Conn always found it a curious spot because it was where a dogleg happened in the bearing of all the Ancuman sailors between Kishdah and Sytha, judging from their records.
‘Here. This is Aeaea. It is an island. That is where they will go first to get supplies.’
‘An island? Why is it not marked as an island?’
‘So that our maps are protected from thieves. If you didn’t know, you would go around it – just as you proposed to do.
Njil did more computations, and nodded. ‘With a good wind, they will not be there much before us. You can only hope they stay a few days.’
Conn nodded in contemplation. ‘Very well, we depart as soon as we can. You make preparation here and I organize things out there.’
He met with Brictdred and told him to return to Kapisi with the fyrd and let the Pontians sort out their own mess. They knew what he expected. He suggested that Kutidi return with him.
‘No, I will go with you. You will need my help when you get to Aeaea because I have been there before. But I am not taking Sarun, and I suggest that Njil leaves his family behind as well. It is no place for children.’
Several hours later, around midnight, the schooner was heading out to sea. Njil had extra sails and food and weapons on board to ensure that the ship was adequately resourced whatever the eventuality, and that it had the right weight so that it was as fast as it could be. He refused to leave until he was satisfied, after a triple check. He usually had weeks to do what Conn wanted done in hours.
Hallvi joined Conn, Derryth and Kutidi on deck as they started to pick up speed. She had been below to see how Wilric was recovering.
Derryth looked up as she arrived. 'How is he?'
'Sleeping like a baby. He will probably sleep for days.'
Conn looked concerned, and Derryth placed his hand on his shoulder. 'You cannot blame yourself, old friend, for what happened to Wilric or Alana. We are leaves in a storm. You cannot protect them all, all the time. Also, they are taking Alana for a reason and she is safe until she gets to Kishdah. We have time.'
‘I know. Still, if they harm one single hair on her head, what happens next will make the Trojan War look like a nun’s birthday party held in a library.’
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To those who provided corrections, alternations, suggestions and encouragement along the way; you have my sincerest gratitude.
And to the people who found, read and enjoyed “The Aebeling” and “The Eaorl” in a tsunami of alternatives, thank you. You have made the exercise enjoyable, as well as stressful! I wrote the series to be something that is fun to read, and I can only hope it remains so.
Just in case you wanted to know, the final chapter in the series, “The Bretwalda”, will be out early 2016.
“The Aebeling”
http://www.amazon.com/Aebeling-Casere-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00JS8VRV6/
“The Eaorl”
http://www.amazon.com/The-Eaorl-Casere-Book-ebook/dp/B00QE2MBRI
I used lots of Anglo Saxon and Old English words within the text instead of using modern words. The words that remain are genuine and can be found here:
http://hord.ca/projects/eow/
or here:
http://bosworth.ff.cuni.cz/