The Oath Breaker: A Novel of Germania and Rome (Hraban Chronicles Book 1)

by Alaric Longward

  'Leuthard,' said Guthbert. 'Where is your hair? Someone cut if off after you lost in single combat?'

  The bald man spat. 'Turd. I will make your skin into a drum, or perhaps I shall stretch it over my shield though I will have to paint it. Yellow is the coward's color,' Leuthard said, idly swinging his sword.

  'Kill him, Leuthard. Then Maroboodus will be proven false by the gods,' Bero urged the man, not letting go of the boat but tugging at the rope to release it.

  Leuthard spat on his palms, rubbing them together. 'I am sad it is not that little braggart, Nihta, shaking like you are. He would know how to make this interesting, at least.' His baleful eyes went over Nihta on his horse.

  'Alas, he is also tired, having killed Fulch the Red and others this night. He is weak as a kitten, I tell you,' Guthbert noted. 'He just promised to bring your wife to me as a reward for doing this in his place. I hear she yearns for a real man.' Nihta grinned at his words.

  Leuthard grunted, his skull-like face in a terrible grimace, hefted his huge black shield and pointed his bloodied sword at the Batavi. 'My wife? This is my wife. And yes, you will get her. Right in your gut, through your ass. Are you ready?'

  'I'm ready, brother!' Guthbert said, happily.

  'Is Mother all right?' asked Leuthard with concern. 'Last time I heard of her, she was sick.'

  'She died last winter. They sent me a message from Batavorium. But father is remarried. He lives, and is grossly fat now,' said Guthbert, leaning on his axe.

  'He is a goat,' said Leuthard, scratching his neck with his blade.

  'He is, but I wish to grow up just like him!'

  They laughed happily together as the southern Marcomanni and the surviving men of Bero ogled at the uncanny sight.

  'You are my man, kill him …' Bero stammered.

  'Alas, Lord. You ask the impossible. I have made oaths to my brother here, even before you. I cannot kill him. Therefore, I will leave your service, you sniveling worm. Here, I return your sword,' Leuthard said, and threw the thing at Bero's feet. Isfried's men were snickering in the circle around us; Bero's face was a thing of terror.

  'Leuthard!' boomed my father. Leuthard turned to him with a sneer.

  'Lord?' he said.

  'I hear you have no lord?' Maroboodus asked.

  'I do not, Lord,' he said.

  'Here, give your oaths to me later,' Maroboodus said, and threw a huge battle sword at his feet. The bald champion took it. Leuthard bowed deep before Maroboodus, turned to Bero and grabbed the man by his throat, snake-fast, yanking the poor man into the air and threw him in a bone breaking arch through the air. Bero's remaining men retreated in confusion and fear, and Isfried nodded at his men. None of Bero's men survived.

  Bero was on his face before Maroboodus and Head Taker hovered over his back. He dared not move as Father was contemplating his next move. 'Kill him then, Maroboodus. This is what we want,' Isfried said, his men done with their killing and dragging their wounded aside. 'I lost many men this night. He commands many men still.' Nihta had grabbed Bero's standard and pulled a sword as he swung to look at the woods, where he had heard a noise.

  'He is promised to me,' Tear said, as she glided out of the darkness. She was dressed in furs similar to what Wulf had been wearing, and Odo followed her, surrounded by strange, filthy men and women, creatures of dark lands and mad paths, who were of their strange clan. 'We had a deal, Maroboodus. He is of the high Gothoni blood, and for my help, you will give him to me.'

  'That is the deal,' Maroboodus said calmly. 'I will need you up there, this night.'

  'It is agreed,' she said, her eyes flickering my way. 'I hear Romans killed vitka and völva in the Meadows.'

  'This is true,' Maroboodus said with a smirk. 'Bero's servants.'

  'Lies!' Bero started, but Maroboodus kicked him hard, and he moaned in pain.

  'He will die, Isfried, though not by our blade. He is promised to Freya, as Tear needs him for her dark magic.'

  'Yes, I see this,' Isfried said, licking his terrified, dry lips, unsettled by Tear who kneeled next to my great uncle.

  'Remember what you tried to do to me, Bero. You watched as they did their deeds. I shall see you suffer as we use you. You will fuel our efforts,' she hissed at him, but I heard her.

  Odo was staring at me. His eyes were moist, his thin face sweaty. 'Where is she?' he asked urgently, and Maroboodus flashed him a warning look as Isfried was present and looking on.

  I spat at his feet, refusing to acknowledge him. Father pulled me to him, his face close to me as he considered me. I saw Gernot grinning at my discomfort, and I cursed him. Maroboodus whispered to me. 'You will obey me, I told you. But I knew you would not. You are a traitor. Yet, I do not wish to give you a bad death. So tell me, are they going to be displeased? Tear and Odo?'

  'Likely, Father. I did not take the girl, but let her go,' I told him resolutely.

  'You will not tell them this, boy,' he said, cursing me.

  'Here,' I said, and handed him the bloodied hair of Veleda. 'She is dead. Tell them that.'

  He took the hair and grimaced at Tear, who came forward slowly, eyeing the bloody hair. She took the hair, sniffling at it, and her eyes sought mine, and while I did look back steadily, there was doubt in her. She nodded. 'We have what we need for many answers, Hraban. We will find what is the truth. It takes time, but not long, no.'

  'What is this you are discussing?' Burlein asked. 'We should …'

  'Wait,' Maroboodus said. 'I have to decide what to do with you,' he whispered in my ear, and so I took out an item and held it up to his face.

  'Gunhild,' Isfried said bitterly, 'should leave here with us.'

  'I said wait!' Maroboodus told him and eyed the item in my hand. It was a club of the statue I had left at the Meadows.

  I gathered my courage, a massive undertaking as he eyed me dangerously.

  'She was promised to me,' Isfried said evenly, challenging Maroboodus, but Father was only nodding while looking at me.

  He spoke to Isfried. 'We must give Gunhild time to mull on it, Isfried. She will come to you in a few weeks’ time.'

  'What?' Isfried asked, angry and surprised, but Maroboodus raised a finger at him imperiously and turned to me.

  'It is a club, boy. Does it have other uses than picking your nose?' he asked me dangerously.

  'Bark has the statue at the Thing, and whatever you will try to convince the Marcomanni about would be seen in a very different light, should this surface. I might explain to Isfried here what it is, and even he might find it hard to trust a man who kills priests. No matter if Bero had sold us to Rome, this is no better deed.'

  'You killed them, boy,' he told me evenly. 'It is your deed.'

  I glanced at Odo, whose eyes were still staring at me balefully, the orbs moist. I hated him for what he had done to me. 'You wish to see who they believe? You will give me a chance, Father, a fine spear and round shield, and I will serve you. I betrayed you, but you made it so.' Shame enveloped me for the dishonorable acts of the past and the snake-like extortion I was attempting, but he nodded carefully, apparently agreeing.

  'Is Bero here?' asked Bark balefully from the side. Men quickly turned his way. 'Balderich wants you to get up the hill and send men to find Maroboodus.'

  'He is alive?' Maroboodus asked me carefully.

  'He was not in the Meadows. This is not my fault,' I hissed at him.

  'What has passed here?' Bark asked, and then his eyes focused on my hand, where the club could be seen, and his face went white as he knew I had been in the Meadows. He fingered the statue in his hand, going pale as he saw Tear raising up to her full height, her haggard face challenging him.

  'Zahar!' he hissed. 'What is this? Bero …'

  Tear cackled and kicked Bero's comatose head. 'Here, Bark.'

  Bark took a step back, but Maroboodus's riders approached him. Bark shook his head in denial. 'Treachery.'

  'Bero's treachery,' Maroboodus hissed. 'But you are safe, Bark, if
…'

  'I shall not obey you. Maroboodus the Foul, no? I know you. The Bear and a similar bastard to the Raven. Is my brother Wulf alive?' I swallowed at the painful memory of the man running and dying, Bark saw this and went to his knees from rage. 'And the women? Tell me they are alive!'

  'I think, Bark, my men should take you to your house to rest. These terrible news have …' Maroboodus started, but Isfried stepped up, scowling at Maroboodus.

  'No,' he said, and his remaining men surrounded him. 'I will wait for Gunhild, Maroboodus. However, Bark waits with me until I know what has passed here and what is the truth. I hope you are a better man than Bero was or you will face a split tribe and the vast family I head. Come, Bark, and we leave this place.'

  Bark went, shaking in pain at his terrible loss. His eyes sought mine and devoured the sight of the club, and I knew there would be great trouble.

  Maroboodus sat there for a while, mulling it over. Finally, he nodded, grabbed Bero's banner of crow's wings and skull and started to ride up. Odo and his men tied Bero and took him to the woods, and Tear followed Father.

  We rode to the meeting, just some twenty men of the best kind, and we faced the silent throng of men. Maroboodus, bloodied, threw Bero's standard on the ground before Balderich. Balderich sat down, terrified as he saw Leuthard and Catualda with Maroboodus, knowing his plans were hopeless, and stayed quiet, hoping to survive the evening. Tear shuffled forward, her elbow apparently broken, hollering incoherently as spirits took her over, speaking of Bero's treason, of his deals with Rome, and how Maroboodus's family was slain as a favor to Rome at Bero's commands. Maroboodus wept at that, and in the end, threw the infamous scroll at the feet of Balderich, who, as a proper actor, cursed Bero and embraced Maroboodus as a long lost son. Most of the champions who had served Bero rode away, their men leaderless, but not for long as Nihta and Guthbert gave them their needed honor back as they purged the few loyal men of Bero, and that night many men hung by the river. Nihta purged the harbor, the Romans fled when they could, and blood flowed as the chiefs bowed down to Maroboodus and acknowledged him as the lord in Bero's place, which was properly for Balderich to grant, but he was just nodding.

  Maroboodus threw Bero's standard to the flames and celebrated that night, granting men favor and riches, speaking of his plans of war and proclaiming his hatred of Rome, and men roared. He showed them a sack full of heads, one of the great Roman Agrippa, a mighty blow against Rome, others of the beaten Hermanduri chiefs and a few Matticati skulls, one of which was the cousin of Matticati Lord Hengsti, dead at the Hermanduri war. They roared and banged their shields with spears so hard the hill wobbled at the noise. Dread Tear made auguries of great success of Maroboodus and greatness in arms for the Marcomanni and proclaimed Maroboodus as the man who would return Marcomanni to the glory of Aristovistus and men, though mortally afraid of Tear, celebrated the bright future happily, forgetting Bero in a blink of an eye.

  During the evening, Maroboodus presented Gernot with a shield, a spear. Father cast me a glance, inviting me to speak, and enjoyed my furious face. He welcomed Catualda to his service, a man who was meek, submissive, and fawning to his new master. Gunhild sat next to Maroboodus, speaking in hushed tones, Father holding her hand paternally. She had tears of joy in her eyes, but she also cast admiring eyes at my father, and had she not thought him handsome, when he had wooed Sigilind all those years ago? Had she been working with him, too? She had served me food in the feast. Surely, she had not been the one to poison me? I did not know, feeling alone and paranoid.

  I, the traitor, stood aside, waiting for my shield and spear in vain. Adalfuns came out of the dark and kneeled next to me. 'Well, you chose your sides. Why did you take his?' he asked.

  'Balderich and Bero were going to betray me, and their hands were red with my family's blood,' I told him, miserable. He hummed, waiting, and I shook my head as I told him what he wanted to know. 'I let her go. I gave Maroboodus a lock of hair, but she is alive.'

  'Is she hurt?' he mumbled, in deep thoughts.

  'She was not, when I saw her. Only … sad,' I said, tears in my eyes. He grunted.

  I continued, 'I told Tear she died, that the wolves took the girl. Perhaps …'

  'I'm sure she will believe you, especially now that they will use Bero's lifeforce to find more about the prophecy,' he said sarcastically. 'They will know. You see, that girl is her youngest daughter, Veleda,' he told me. 'She has a bond with her. She will know.'

  I looked at him in wonder. 'And Odo would kill her, his own … This was the price she dreads?'

  Adalfuns nodded. 'It is a heavy price to pay. She hoped you would go, and Veleda would not be in danger. Ever has it been the duty of their youngest to be the one they need for the prophecy's fulfillment. It does not necessarily mean Veleda will die. Indeed, her blood might be enough. But it might not. She will find out, one way or the other.'

  I nodded, in shock. 'So, throughout history, the Raven of Woden was expected to find an errant younger daughter of this treasonous, filthy god?'

  He shook his head. 'Prophecies are strange, Hraban. It is a game for the gods. When Woden is close to losing, he removes the pieces, and if the Raven is a fool, she is found.' He rubbed his face, tired. 'Well, you did not do what I asked you to do, but neither did you disobey me. I will help you. It will be a rough road; much grief and many tears ahead, Hraban. One day, you have to commit fully to something, for half measures leave you helpless. Three times, Hraban, I will help you. I promised Hulderic. What will you do?' I shook my head and put my face on my palms, crying. He spoke. 'You have lost your family. You have lost friends. Guilt gnaws you. You killed women, and men, and broke everything that you have been taught to be holy. Your words, your honor. You will have to find a way to live through this, Hraban, and regain the man you were, or hoped to be.'

  I nodded, miserable. 'I will try. Perhaps my father will accept me, and I can fix what I have done. I have a vengeance to take. On Balderich, for killing my family. On Vago, for being his tool. On Odo, for making me a … murderer. Koun, Gernot.'

  He huffed. 'By the gods, you are a murderous one. You are the oath breaker, Hraban. To your father, to Balderich. Make sure the rest will not know you as one, and try to change your wyrd,' he told me as he went to bow before Maroboodus.

  Later, in the evening, Maroboodus came to me, waving Gernot off his heels. He stood before me and looked at me strangely, with little emotion. Apparently, he was drunk from Balderich's mead and his victory. He grunted and waved his hand lazily across the land. 'This night, Nihta is hanging men out there. He will take over the confused men of the champions, kill those few who resist. They took the sodden harbor, burnt the Roman buildings, and killed their masters. Any man loyal to Bero and Balderich will find their lives shortened. That leaves only you alive.'

  'And Balderich?' I asked him sullenly.

  'He has now embraced me, boy, and is safe. He will sit in his hall, and be silent,' Maroboodus said, and glanced at Balderich who was already silent, sitting amidst revelry, trying to fathom what had happened.

  'I hate him,' I told Father. 'But did you know the vitka would die?' I asked him with doubt in my voice.

  'Yes,' he told me frankly. 'Of course, they had to. Don't be stupid, if you can help it.'

  'And it had to be me?' I asked him angrily.

  'I need Tear and Odo, and they insisted you fetch this girl, and would have to be the one to find her, and hence, the one to do the deed. Otherwise, your role was a simple one. I needed you to tell Bero of Maino. That is all. Everyone played the game, Hraban. I made you mad as a wingless bee, hurting you bitterly, doubting Sigilind's honesty, and throwing away Hulderic's irreplaceable armor. You hated me, and you betrayed me. This was your role. I can hardly blame you, but still, you did betray me.'

  'And Catualda betrayed his …'

  'Ah,' he smirked. 'You hate Catualda for manipulating you. He found solace in me, Hraban. Bero and Balderich, damned traitors, would give us to the s
cheming Rome, and they had killed my family. In my eyes, he is above you.'

  'A toad is …'

  He nudged me with his toe. 'Shut up. Bark lives, Hraban, and that will spell trouble for us. Isfried was a useful tool this night, but now he expects Gunhild, and to be elevated. I am happy it did not occur to him that they might have killed me as well and risen above both Bero and myself that way. He is a bit dull, as I knew he is. Now, what shall I do with you? I have some men I have to consider, you and that Hands I hired to help you.'

  'Hands?' I asked.

  'He is missing,' Maroboodus said sullenly. 'I do not know if he did his job, and I paid him.'

  'Oh, he helped me kill the innocent bastards,' I told him with spite.

  'Fine, that leaves you. You betrayed me, Hraban. I knew you would as I drove you mercilessly. I think Gernot would have, too, but you are braver than him. I know that now, after the Hermanduri war, for he is no warrior. You stabbed me in the back, believed in them, and so you handed Bero to me and served me well. I should dispose of you, for it would be prudent, but I cannot. Tear and Odo might need you. They will never believe the girl dead, never. As I need Tear, she needs me. I need her to make sure Marcomanni serve me, and she is my truth-speaker in a land suddenly near devoid of other holy men and women. She needs me. I have Woden's Gift. And you. So, now, you will obey me.'

  'I gave you my oaths,' I said, softly. 'And I knew about Isfried, and said nothing.'

  'Truly?' he looked surprised.

  'Felix, that Gaul,' I mumbled.

  He stretched, looking bored. 'So, you did not speak of Isfried to Bero. That would have ruined everything, so I suppose I am grateful. Without Isfried, this would have been impossible. I needed his spears, and he deserved to know of Bero's real plans. He is dull as stone, as I said, but a true honest Marcomanni. For that, and the fact I need you for Tear, I take you back, Hraban. I am grateful for that one drop of decency in the sea of treason. Tomorrow, you will join a feast when the sun sets. The days after, you will suffer. Nihta will train you in the mornings; Koun will do so in the afternoon. Koun serves me now, thanks to Vannius. You understood this, right? You will be hurt, you will obey, and in the end, it is up to you how I will treat you.'