The Eaorl (The Casere Book 2)

by Michael O'Neill

  Surprised, Conn turned. No-one should know his travel plans. ‘I am thinking of doing that.’

  ‘Well, I did hear that the weather is getting bad. It may be wise to go east instead – perhaps Moetia?’

  The weather had been excellent and although it was early spring, the seas had been fine so it seemed implausible that this would be the case, but Conn thought it imprudent to argue.

  ‘Thank you for the advice. I will keep it in mind.’

  Conn returned to the donjon to prepare to depart. And whilst he hadn’t forgotten the advice, it wasn’t on top of his mind either. Nevertheless, when Njil arrived to collect them, things had not proceeded as expected. It took Njil longer to load and unload the cargo than expected, and there was also another change of plan – Granuaile had requested to stay in Cyme – ostensibly to finish her training with Torunn, but Conn had already determined that she was more in love with Torunn than him anyway. Granuaile had given birth – twin girls as expected – in Kadash, and had moved with him to Cyme without complaint – but now with Torunn also pregnant … maybe next time…pretty please.

  Conn agreed; she had asked very nicely, and the babies were always going to be safest in Cyme than anywhere else anyway. Fainche, on the other hand, had requested to travel with him. Conn was surprised but he agreed under one condition. He hadn’t said even said what it was before she responded.

  ‘I do not fornicate with men…’

  ‘Nothing so base – no, the necklace you are wearing.’ She reached involuntary to where it dangled between her breasts. ‘You have to give that to me.’

  ‘NO – never! I will never part with this – it was given to me by my grandmother…’

  ‘Was she Ancuman?’

  She paused before answering. ‘She was – what difference does that make?’

  ‘The Ancuman Gyden – she is in the haligdoms – I will not have her listening to me. I will return it when you wish to leave – but if you are travelling with me, you can’t wear it…’

  She stormed off as was her want.

  Days later, as they were about to depart, Fainche turned up at the docks with her luggage.

  ‘Fainche; I’m surprised to see you.’ Conn addressed her from the deck. ‘Do you agree to my condition?’

  ‘I have no choice if I am to leave this island.’

  Conn walked down the deck and met her at the stairs. ‘I’ll swap you.’ He picked out a necklace with a red stone at the end. It was in his pouch. Synne had given it to him in appreciation – with all the younger Folgere around to satisfy his every need, she had been thrilled when Conn had spent a night with her. He handed it over. ‘This belongs to the Gyden of the Rakians.’

  ‘She is not a true Gyden. And she has been cast out. And you might say that the Cirice has been restored but I don’t believe you.’

  Conn ignored the comment. ‘Maybe – anyway – since you are used to wearing a necklace – this will stop you from feeling like you have lost something.’

  After a few moments, she agreed and with extreme reluctance, she removed the black stone and, luckily for her, almost simultaneously replaced it with the red stone. With Tabiti’s help, only Conn heard the scream of frustration from the Ancuman Gyden as it realized what had happened. Fainche was only slightly wheezy – but she probably assumed that that was her sea legs. Like any drug addict in withdrawal, Fainche would need help withdrawing from her Gyden – and Conn hoped that Tabiti would be there to help Fainche detox without even knowing she was detoxing.

  It was perhaps the most devious thing Conn had ever done. He almost felt like reprimanding himself.

  With Fainche on board and with her luggage below, Conn watched as Njil skilfully manoeuvred the large vessel out into the open sea. They were to head NNE for several hours before turning south. Conn joined the captain on the bridge.

  Together they looked at the skies – the weather was suddenly not looking good.’

  ‘I don’t understand – there were no clouds in the south before. We had a clear day…’

  The intended course was Kadash on the southerly bearing

  ‘If that is as bad as it looks, we should have stayed an extra day. It is a very strange storm.’

  Conn shook his head, remembering. ‘Njil, I hate old people.’

  ‘So do I, but what has that got to do with the storm?’

  Conn told him of his conversation with the old lady in the village.

  ‘So where do we head?’

  ‘Keep on this bearing and set course for Moetia. I don’t know why but let’s do it anyway. Old people are driving me crazy…’

  Njil gave the orders and the ship hoisted more cloth and almost immediately picked up speed for its new destination.

  Some hours later, as Conn stood at the bow, Fainche came to see him.

  ‘I understand that we haven’t changed direction. So if we are not going to Kadash, where are we going?’

  ‘Moetiak I think.’

  ‘You think? I thought you were in charge.’

  ‘Not always – it seems that Badb wants me to do something for her.’

  ‘Badb – the Moetian Gyden?’ She thought for a while before asking. ‘I did not know that you followed the instructions of Gyden?’

  ‘I don’t think I do – but what do I know. Do you follow the instructions of Gyden?’

  She ignored him. ‘Halla said that the Gyden Lilith herself restored her bands – because you asked her too. I don’t believe it of course – I think that you did something to fool them all.’

  Conn laughed. ‘Believe what you want. I don’t believe much of what happens either. When things are both implausible and improbable, it is time to look for a new explanation; as an old friend of mine once told me.’

  She stood for a while before asking – a question Conn did not expect. ‘And it is true about the Cirice at Gatina? That the heart-stone has been restored?’

  ‘Indeed. And your cousin Synne is the head Folgere.’

  ‘Synne! I thought she was dead… she should have died years ago…’

  ‘She even gave me the necklace that you are wearing.’

  ‘This?’ She took it off immediately, and made as if to throw it over the side of the ship. It didn’t leave her hand, though it shook as if she was suddenly shivering. She finally placed it back around her neck. She looked back at him. ‘You are ruining everything. I don’t understand why. You are not Twacuman or Priecuman – you are nothing!’

  ‘Well, nothing is a bit strong. And there is only one reason – because it has to be done – the same justification you used to betray your cousins in Gatina.’

  Conn could see the anger and frustration in her face and she was silent for some time as they felt the schooner racing through the waves. With the winds behind them, it was possibly the fastest that it had ever gone. Even Fainche was in awe.

  ‘This is a magnificent ship.’ She couldn’t leave it there. ‘But just because you have the best ships doesn’t mean you will win – we will triumph in the end.’ With that she turned and walked away, returning to her cabin. Njil had joined them and watched her leave.

  ‘Best ships, best weapons, best men…oh, I don’t know, I think we stand a fair chance.’ he said to the departing figure. ‘Eaorl, with this wind, we will be there in about seven days.’

  ‘Travel as fast as you can – this wind is here for a reason.’

  A couple of days into the voyage, Fainche decided to talk to him again. He thought it was because he was bare chested, despite the cold winds, doing his daily tai chi on the deck. Their conversations were fairly truncated events.

  She started with. ‘So Fara is actually dead.’

  ‘Yes, she is – she is buried in Mylae. We buried all of them.’

  ‘ALL of them.’

  ‘The whole warband that was sent to stop me taking Tabiti’s heart-stone is dead – all twenty of them.’

  ‘Now you are trying to tell me that you and a single Valkeri took down an entire squad of Ancuman
wiga. Just when I start to believe you, you go and ruin it.’

  ‘Oh, I had some help. I had a few Twacuman wiga with me.’

  She laughed out aloud. ‘Twacuman are NOT going to go into Rakia and kill Ancuman for any…’ She stopped when Conn leant forward and showed her his medallion. He wore two medallions – one was the pentacle design of his mother’s. It sometimes hid the medallion given to him by Caewyn.

  ‘You haven’t noticed this?

  She went white. ‘Feorhhyrde – you can NOT be the Feorhhyrde!’ She sat on the bench and held her head in her hands. ‘This is NOT happening to me…’

  ‘Well, I don’t know what you think IS happening to you, Fainche, but just think what stories you will have to tell when you get back. It is not anything new to the Ancuman, however, they already know. I think they said pretty much the same thing.’

  Fainche turned, tears in her eyes and stomped down the stairs, back to her room. It would be days before she spoke to Conn again.

  The Schooner was making good speed towards Moetiak, but as they got closer to turning south into the Moetian Bay, the weather was again a problem. For some reason, Conn was not surprised.

  ‘What is the closest deep harbor?’ Conn had deep harbours constructed all over and some were complete and some not.

  ‘Batra is complete. I’ve even been there – three weeks ago.’

  ‘Good, head there. I suspect we are not to enter Moetiak via the harbor.’

  Batra was a good option; Arlen’s brother Aghy was now the Eaorl and he had a very good relationship with him. It was another two days before they arrived in the town.

  On the last night at sea, Conn was in his cabin and someone knocked on his door.

  ‘Come in.’

  It was Fainche and she wasn’t nearly as formally dressed as usual. She was wearing a light shift and coat that showed her mature and well developed body, even in the faint light. She didn’t look well; she was hot and flustered.

  ‘Fainche. How can I help you?’

  ‘Remember I said that I don’t fornicate with men…’ She came into the room and closed the door. Luckily Conn had the largest cabin on the vessel.

  ‘I do – I remember thinking what a shame…’

  She smiled – it wasn’t something she normally did. ‘Well, I have fornicated only twice before – when I was sixteen. I was … initiated … by a Folgere... and then by… another...’

  ‘A male Folgere? Since when have there been male Folgere in Meshech…?’

  ‘He wasn’t Priecuman.’

  ‘Oh. So the Ancuman have male Folgere. That I didn’t know.’

  ‘Anyway, I have never desired to fornicate with a male since. For one thing it was not a pleasant experience. However, since I have been on this boat that has changed … I cannot understand why…’

  Conn could. The red gemstone dangling over her breasts and Tabiti was having an impact. She continued.

  ‘I have been fighting the desire. But it is no longer a desire – I now have a desperate need to fornicate with a male – just once. I know I have been somewhat rude to you over these last weeks and it is a lot to ask but I couldn’t ask any of the others…’ She pulled off her shift and sat naked on the bed.

  Conn was conciliatory. ‘Well, I’m not one to hold grudges.’

  ~x192~

  Chapter 16

  Aghy was surprised on three accounts; to see Njil again so soon, more so to see Conn after so long, and extremely surprised to have the niece of the Healdend of Rakian in his village. He stood beside Conn on the new docks as everyone disembarked. Conn had brought him up to date, and requested horses to carry them to Moesiak.

  ‘And I need five wiga to ride with me. I’m not sure how many are available in Moesiak.’

  ‘Of course.’

  Aghy sent his Folctoga out to organize riders and horses and for them to be ready to leave at first light. They walked to the donjon. Aghy was confused.

  ‘I have heard nothing from Moetiak to suggest that there is a problem. Do you have any idea what is going on?’’

  ‘None, but I do have a bad feeling about all this – and the weather was weird.’

  As they walked, Conn commented on the extensive improvements to his once very modest demesne.

  ‘After I’d heard about what had been done in Susa by your craeftiga, I went myself to investigate – and then Njil kindly took my Reeve with him to Atrak to learn more. He was very impressed that I asked Njil to take me next time. We have been working hard ever since. ’

  Inside the hall, Fainche was even so impressed that she commented.

  ‘It would seem that an Eaorl in Moetia is richer that even the Healdend of Rakia – such is your luxury. I was impressed with Cyme but yours is in some ways superior.’

  ‘Probably because this is a new building; thanks to the Baron…’

  Fainche interrupted ‘Baron? What is a Baron?’

  Aghy explained. ‘A Baron ranks lower than an Eoarl but is above a Thane. It is a new creation in Moesia. We only have one so far.’

  ‘But they are now in Troakia and Gatina as well – I am the Baron Barek in Moetia, Baron Gambi in Gatina, and the Barons Ushu and Hebal in Trokia.

  She looked at Conn. ‘I have never heard of such a thing – I presume that this is your doing?’

  He nodded and she shook her head again in frustration. Despite their one night of lust, there was still a big divide between them.

  Aghy had food and drink brought out, and they ate as they talked. Conn explained what had been happening in Gatina and Trokia. After dinner, Aghy asked, ‘So is there anything else you need me to do?’

  ‘Yes; please send a message to Susa and ask Aerlene to send a full company of Silekian wiga to Moetiak? Wilga should be there by now.’

  ‘Of course.’

  Fainche had been quiet for a long time, but she could no longer hold back. Her curiosity got the better of her.

  She addressed Aghy, ‘Eaorl, with due respect, why do you do as he’, she pointed to Conn, ‘asks? He is not even Moetian? And even if he holds title in Moesia, it is lesser – the Baron thingy.’

  Conn interjected. ‘Baron of Barek to be precise.’

  Argy smiled as he answered. ‘Possibly hard for you to understand, Fainche, and it is a long story, but the short version is that he made my brother an Eaorl, and removed a curse from my house that made us all ill. Also, things seem to turn out better if you do what he says and a lot worse if you don’t. Just ask the Healdend of Kania – an example of someone who didn’t do as Conn asked.’

  Fainche was stunned. ‘Why – what happened to Gorman?’

  Conn had been unsure if news of Gorman’s demise had made it back to Rakia, and this indicated that it hadn’t. Arlen had informed him that the ransom request had not been well received – the response from Rakia was “they have failed – feel free to execute them”. Consequently, Arlen now had all the Rakians working for him; they were ultimately grateful to have a home, having been rejected by their Healdend.

  Only a few had been ransomed home – those with particularly strong connections to the former Healdend and Eaorl of Dor – which is why Conn made the ransom demand for the Rakian prisoners in Trokia a single lot. All or nothing. It must have seriously upset Fallon and Alric. Conn didn’t want to be left with five hundred prisoners.

  Argy answered for him. ‘Gorman died – Esras is now Aebeling of Kania.’

  Conn shrugged; ‘I asked nicely.’

  By the time they retired to their rooms in the new Inn – one of Conn’s design with bedrooms, stuffed mattresses, and bath and waste water systems – it was late and they had consumed a lot of Lykian wine. Conn finished his bath, and was dressed only in the cotton yukata that had been provided for his use, when he answered the knock on the door. It was Fainche. She was wearing only her yukata and it appeared to be a size too small. She was also still wet from her bath and the yukata clung to every curve of her excellent body.

  ‘You know I hate you.�
��

  ‘I do.’

  ‘Well, despite that, I feel I need to fornicate with you again.’

  ‘Perhaps you should come in then.’

  Fainche said, ‘Thank you’, and walked into the room, shedding her yukata as she entered. She was all business.

  ~x195~

  It was early morning when Conn and his entourage said their farewells to Argy and left Batra at the trot. The following days were cooler than usual and overcast, with showers it allowed them to travel quickly. They rode late into the night each day, exchanging their horses at the liveries along the way, and left early every morning. Sadly the Inns were not up to the “Hilton” standard, so Fainche had to resort to asking Conn to go for a walk with her to search out some corner of the village that they could fornicate away from prying eyes. Her needs seemed undiminished.

  After four days they arrived within sight of Moesiak, and Conn decided to make his way inside unannounced. The guards at the gate house were veterans from the Trokian War who still wore their medals proudly – and they agreed not to tell anyone until the morning. ‘Luckily’, it also decided to rain a slow miserable drizzle as they arrived, and they were safely entrenched into the “Boar’s Head” without being noticed.

  At the livery, Conn ordered extra horses to be made ready for immediate departure and hurried into the attached Inn. There he arranged for five of his private security detail to get ready to leave, and sent a boy to raise Finghin from his slumber. As they waited for Finghin, they changed into dry clothes and sat down to eat. Conn was in range of the Cirice now and he opened his mind to Badb, who was strangely uncommunicative – but concerned about something. Gyden were sometime extremely unhelpful.

  Finghin arrived as soon as he could; the stableboy had handed him a Lykian gold Ryal as a clue. Conn was sitting in the back private room eating when he arrived. He expressed his surprise.

  ‘Thane – or should I say Eoarl, what are you doing here? Why have you come unannounced?’

  ‘I’m not sure yet – how are things in the donjon?’

  ‘Fine as far as I know – though Driscol has taken to his bed – not a day ago.’