The Eaorl (The Casere Book 2)

by Michael O'Neill

  ‘Go and visit Fiona in Gatina – I’m sure she is missing me.’

  ‘A simple rebellion you said. Just three thousands of us against ten thousand of them – and now you want to have a holiday in Gatina before you rebel, to fornicate with one of your bedda. Priecuman….’ He shook his head but accepted another Lykian Bitter from Conn. ‘I think it made more sense when I was running around the forest, naked, trying to get in touch with my inner self.’

  ‘I’m not touching that. To be honest, there are some people I want to speak to on the way.’

  Two days later Conn led out a group of ten Twacuman wiga. It would take at least twenty days to get to Eriak, travelling in the foothills of the mountains that defined northern Rakia – into Mylae and then into Syra and then Gatina. Being early spring the herds of sheep and goats that would make their way up the higher pastures had yet to arrive and Rakia was impoverished enough to be lightly populated away from the coast. Years of war and other deprivations had restricted growth.

  After eight days, they were in northern Syra and his scouts spotted a group of riders camped in a small glade. It should be Leodhas, Eaorl of Syra, and the colours on the riders suggested that. Nonetheless, they watched the group silently for an hour before Conn fired an arrow that embedded itself into a tree trunk a yard in front of Leodhas’ eyes. They all jumped to his feet and drew their swords. Leodhas inspected the arrow, told them to put their swords away and waved Conn in.

  ‘You do like to make an entrance don’t you, Eaorl.’ Leodhas spoke as Conn dismounted.

  Conn shook his hand warmly. ‘It has been a while, Leodhas, and I hear that you are too the Eaorl! What happen to your brother?’

  ‘Sadly for him, he died from an illness – with only a young daughter. I am raising her and her mother is my bedda.’

  Behind Leodhas, another figure stepped forward. Conn recognized him instantly.

  It was Ibor of Lipara.

  ‘Ibor – I did not expect to see you. You are a long way from home.’

  He smiled a sad smile. ‘I try to stay as far away from home as I can. I serve as Leodhas’s Folctoga. There is not much fun to be enjoyed anywhere near Rakiak.’

  Conn introduced the two men to Derryth and Elva as they joined him. They were very surprised to see Twacuman. Conn explained the whole Feorhhyrde thing. They were stunned. They sat down around the fire. Leodhas was direct. ‘I hope you have a plan to get us out of this mess we are in.’

  ‘Have you heard of Ilissus?’

  They had – but not the finer details.

  Leodhas burst out laughing, ‘Alric will go apoplectic when he hears that. Gyden, I’d like to be there to see that – but it is still too risky. I might laugh. What do you want us to do?’

  ‘Not get yourself killed for starters. But I’m expecting that you might like to join the rebellion – and ask to be returned to Gatina. Devnet, I expect, will be happy for you to return and a fryd of three hundred will provide you with additional protection against any reprisals.’

  ‘Where is the fyrd?’

  ‘In Eriak...it will be in Hera within a week. You will be protected from Hera.’

  They pondered the idea.

  ‘And Devnet agrees to all this?’

  ‘Not yet – but he will.’

  ‘So he doesn’t know yet?’

  ‘Loose lips sink ships. The less that know the better. What I need you to do is write a letter to Devnet telling him what you intent to do. I have in fact prepared the letter for you. I have another one for Fionn.’

  Leodhas took the letter and read it. ‘What do you hope to achieve?’

  ‘I need Fallon to reduce his Fryd to as few competent men as possible; I want to reduce the deaths. There will be enough time for us all to die later – when the Ancuman arrive.’

  ‘Ancuman – why would they want to invade – are they not just advisors to the Healdend?’

  ‘No, not just advisors – they want to keep Meshech in a state of turmoil so that when they invade, there is little opposition. With the turmoil gone, they will have to send a bigger fyrd – but they will send one.’

  ‘When?’

  ‘Not sure – but I have to fix the Ratakian problem as soon as possible.’

  “I hope you are right about this, Eaorl, but I hope you are wrong about the Ancuman. I have seen their wiga.’ Leodhas signed the letter that that Conn has pre-prepared, and handed it back. ‘I do not want to be facing them in battle – even if I am in your fryd.’

  A few days later he met with Fionn il Hera and a week later, Conn arrived in Eriak, his Eaorldom in Gatina. It had been a while since he had visited, but it looked as if building plans had proceeded as expected. It was no longer a small and impoverished town; it was now a strong garrison harbor; strong high walls and imposing towers. It purpose was to ensure that the harbour was protected; and if Conn controlled the oceans, it would remain unassailable for years.

  He had asked that Devnet meet him there and as they got close, it was obvious that he was as there were a significant number of wiga camped inside the walls.

  ‘Well, he certainly brought a few friends.’ Derryth noted dryly.

  Inside the palisade walls, they were surprised to find Ailbe, Healdend, as well as Devnet waiting for him; along with Fiona and the four blue eyes wonders that were his daughters. The girls were enchanted by the sight of the Twacuman and it wasn’t long before Derryth was telling them stories about their siblings. Only half of them were true – Derryth was learning too well.

  They were finally sitting in the hall. ‘Thank you both for coming. I didn’t expect to see you, Ailbe.’

  ‘Curiosity got the better of me. It is a long way to ride for no good reason… and you seldom do something for nothing…’

  Conn handed Ailbe and Devnet the letters from the two Ratakian Eaorls, and they read them with interest. Devnet smelt a rat.

  ‘These two wouldn’t just rebel against Fallon just like that… what else is going one?’

  ‘Let me tell you about Ilissus.’

  The pair were very quiet at the end of the explanation. Ailbe nodded his head in understanding.

  ‘I recall being taught that the treaty was a mistake – if they had waited a week longer Rakia would have fallen. It seems that the Ancuman troops that made them so difficult to fight were now fighting each other. Some kind of internal battle back home was effecting the wiga in Meshech. The Eaorl of Ilissus had won his victory but was asked to stop his advance. He didn’t forgive his Healdend – and they were childhood friends and cousins.’ Ailbe thought for longer, savouring the wine. He looked at Conn. ‘You really think this will work?’

  ‘Akarah will join with Hera as soon as they can – my three companies and your two companies in place to protect Akarah will give Fallon little room. Mylae will fall quickly – the Eaorl has no interest in war, but Lipara and Motya are different. Soloes is Silekian so he could be encouraged to change side as well. I very much doubt that he will want my thousand horses messing up his wheat fields. ’

  Ailbe took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He looked at his son. ‘It seems a good plan. Anyway, Tabiti tells me to do what you request.’ He looked sharply at Conn. ‘Why is it that all the Gyden are on your side? What is it that they know that you are not telling me, I wonder. So yes, we will do as you request. Besides, there is some satisfaction in recovering some of our traditional demesnes.’

  ‘Good; thank you. I am grateful. It is much easier if we do it this way. ’

  Ailbe was curious about Conn’s impending expedition into Sytha. Conn had raised two companies of wiga from Gatina – not to fight in Meshech but to chance their hands at rewards over the ocean. Conn explained it as best he could. There was still so much unclear. They then spoke about the new fortifications around Eriak.

  ‘Should the Ancuman arrive here, they will want to take the harbour – but will find it extremely difficult. It can withstand a siege for years – which ties up huge quantities of wiga. Inside here we
can also support about ten thousand people if necessary.’

  ‘All I can say is that I am glad I didn’t pay for it.’

  Conn smiled mischievously. ‘But you did.’

  ‘Well, I guess that is true enough.’ He shook his head. ‘So let’s drink a toast, Eaorl.’ Ailbe used the title without thinking, and he surprised himself. ‘Let’s drink a toast to future victories.’ They did and Ailbe continued, ‘And there is nothing else you want?’

  Conn laughed – they were getting used to him. ‘No, not for the moment – I’ll let you know.’

  Conn spent a few days around Eriak – spending time with his children – as well as some quality time with Fiona – before he had to depart. His first Witan in Silekiak was only a few weeks away, and he didn’t want to miss that.

  About ten days into their twenty day return journey, in the mountains of Mylae, scouts returned to advise that there was trouble ahead.

  ‘Feorhhyrde, we seem to have a large group of people waiting for us. They are about a day’s ride ahead and seem content to wait.’

  ‘Do we know who or what they are?’

  ‘Rakians, but a few Ancuman as well.’

  ‘How many?’

  ‘About fifty.’

  Conn and Derryth looked at each other.

  ‘Ancuman? Well that makes things interesting. I wonder how they found that we were coming this way. There must be a leak in the bucket somewhere. Can we go around them?’ He addressed the question to Derryth.

  ‘If we go into the great forest, yes – but the way there is very old and hard. We would be better going back.’

  ‘Or we could go through them.’

  Derryth sighed. ‘I was afraid you would say that. There are 5 to 1 odds.’

  Elva noted dryly, ‘And not in our favour.’

  Derryth agreed; ‘Feorhhyrde has always liked to tackle bad odds.’

  ‘I like to give the other guy a chance…’

  They rode on further until they were a distance of a two hour walk to the Rakian. They camped high and secure in a cave against the mountains, with one of the Twacuman left behind to guard the horses. Soon they headed out; Conn and Elva on the downward side while the Twacuman went high. They were slow and methodical; they wanted to get in a close as possible without being noticed – and with the Twacuman on your side, that was easily achieved. A few outlying sentries were silenced without being missed, and at dusk, the camp was visible and a sentry post was on top of a large boulder that Conn was able to get behind.

  Conn could hear them speaking.

  ‘Shouldn’t they be here by now? I hate this waiting.’

  ‘Maybe – but I saw them nearly three weeks ago. When he spoke to the Eaorl he said that he wouldn’t be gone for long.’

  ‘What else did they speak about?’

  ‘I don’t know – I got out of there as soon as I could so I could claim the reward. Once he is dead, I’m going to be a rich man!’

  ‘What about the Eaorl?’

  ‘Dunno – but I think the Healdend is going to deal with them next.’

  Conn had been able to get around so that he could see the two men; he was in the shade, so they couldn’t see him yet. It was time; the sun had just tipped over the horizon. He stepped out and unsheathed his swords.

  ‘Who has to die for you to be rich?’ He asked innocently.

  The Ratakian answered without thinking. ‘The feorrancund of course!’ He then realized it wasn’t his comrade asking the questions and turned towards the voice. His last image before he died was Conn’s sword and face. His comrade had a few moments more. Almost immediately, the empty thud that was the sound of arrows hitting bodies rang out; the Twacuman were finding targets from the high side and as the attack was announced, more men leapt into action from the camp – some into the direct line of fire of Elva, who struggled to provide cover for Conn as he ran up the hill, his bow in hand, firing as he ascended.

  The camp was in turmoil and the first group of wiga who raced towards him with swords met the fury of his two blade attack; possibly not since the time of Musashi had anyone been as deadly with two blades. Leaving the dead and the dying, Conn burst into the central camp, the effectiveness of his attack was demonstrated by the pile of bodies that lay around. Sheltered behind a large tree he signalled to Derryth and Elva to stop firing, and he waited. Sensing the pause, three wiga burst out from under a large tree trunk that lay on the ground, providing them with a perfect hiding place. Conn stepped out as the heading towards him.

  ‘Going somewhere?’ The three were rooted to the ground momentarily before the Ratakian, who would have been the Folctoga, unsheathed his sword to engage Conn in what was a short battle. The other two were Ancuman – an older man and a younger woman; another bonded pair. The man was tall, dark skinned and extremely powerful, and he swung the broadsword with mean intent.

  They attacked Conn with vigour, and Conn struggled to defend against the larger blades; but his speed of foot continued to get him out of trouble. The two katana was not a good matchup to the broadswords given the extra reach and they fact that he was facing two against one.

  Elva had arrived and saw that Conn was being surrounded by and engaging with the pair of Ancuman wiga.

  ‘Do you want me to take care of the girl for you?’

  ‘ No,’ Conn yelled, ‘there are only two of them, and the girl is still fairly young, and’, as he ducked under a sweeping blow from her broadsword, rolling just out of the way of the supplementary from the man, ‘she hasn’t had as much training as the last pair. It would seem,’ Conn said as he leapt onto a boulder to avoid a double strike from both of them, ‘that she is just a new partner. The others were definitely better,’ as a block by his double swords prevented his head being taken off.

  To that point they had been very stoic and unspoken. But the girl couldn’t help herself. ‘What other pair is superior to us?’ she asked indignantly. Her partner looked at her with annoyance and he circled Conn.

  ‘Fara and Anup – they fought valiantly.’ And another side dive and forward roll got Conn out of trouble again, as his statement made both Ancuman pause. His swords were too short. ‘This is ridiculous. Elva, throw me the Claymore.’

  Conn had brought the Claymore with him, as he always did, and had carried it down with him. But he left it with Elva as he came up the hill. Conn rolled out of the way and stood next to Elva. He handed the katana to Elva and sheathed the wakizashi as he retrieved the Claymore. For the first time they noticed that the other voice was a Twacuman. They looked at each other in surprise.

  ‘While are the Twacuman fighting with the Feorrancund?’

  Conn tried to act surprised. ‘The eternal question. You must have missed the memo? I am the Feorhhyrde.’

  The older man snarled as Conn walked down towards him. ‘Then your death will be every more satisfying. ‘

  ‘It is not going to happen today – let’s see what you guys are like when mine is as long as yours. In fact, sweetheart,’ and he looked pointedly at the girl when he said it, ‘I think mine is longer than his!’ Without the disadvantage of length of sword, Conn was soon able to engage fully but he was still fighting two against one, but even so, Conn was still the superior wiga, and concern started to grow on their faces.

  The battle should have been over by now, and around them Twacuman wiga started to arrive, and strangely sit and watch. It was clear to the Ancuman that even if they won, they were going to lose, and in a brief pause, the man whispered something to the girl and she nodded. As they started the manoeuvre, Conn knew he had seen it before – the last time it had nearly killed him, so this time he knew what you do; instead of going left as you felt inclined; to the weaker, you needed to go right to the stronger.

  In a flurry of swinging swords, they attacked as Conn ducked and parried, and then slid under the killer stroke of the male; who was surprised to find the wakizashi embedded into his chest. He sunk to his knees gripping the sword – disbelief written all over his f
ace. Conn let the girl go to his side, and she held him as he died. There was pain but no tears on her face.

  Conn addressed her. ‘Do you want to continue or do you surrender? I know you guys have a thing about surrendering. You know you can’t defeat me.’

  ‘If I surrender, I am Theow; it is the same as death.’

  The girl stood for a long moment in contemplation as she prepared her last act. Elva was getting impatient.

  ‘Oh, hurry up. Attack him with the sword and die or impale yourself with it and die or surrender and live. I can promise you that fornicating with him will not be a disappointment but do something, please, its nearly dinner time and there is so much to do before I can eat. I’m famished. DECIDE!’

  She looked at Elva with astonishment at the outburst. Conn saw the resolve harden as she gripped the handle of her sword and prepare to attack Conn. She charged forward; a swing, a parry and the inevitable ending. It was quick and clean and she fell to the ground; dead before her beautiful face hit the dirt.

  ‘Such a shame.’

  With so many dead it took them some time to have all the bodies interned and they covered the top of the grave with a mound of stones. Conn organized a pyre for the two Ancuman wiga – if nothing else he admired their bushido and after they had joined their ancestors in the wind, they returned to camp.

  Elva responded to Conn’s melancholy.

  ‘I don’t think you can ever expect them to surrender willingly. They are not trained that way.’

  ‘I know – but I can only ask.’ Conn looked at Elva sharply. ‘And you said “not a disappointment” – couldn’t you have said “enjoyable” or even “unbelievable” – “not a disappointment” hardly gives anyone incentive to surrender does it?’

  Elva shook her head. ‘Priecuman…anyway, she was very pretty and she certainly had large breasts, and you still have your strange liking of large breasts. Speaking of breasts – want to go for a walk in the bushes? I’ve found a nice secluded spot.’

  ‘What, now?’

  ‘You seem a little sad – fornicating seems to cheer you up. Especially when we do it your special way… you can always say no…’