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

by Alaric Longward

  'Oh, that is just a small inconvenience,' I told him. 'Here.' I handed him the pouch with coins. 'Appreciation from Maroboodus. You know what you have to do?'

  He nodded and told me things that made me shiver. 'Indeed. I will wake Tudrus up tomorrow evening, claiming Sibratus is here, and I will tell him that his brother has dire news of the Matticati, who have killed his son. He will rush to see Sibratus, and that is when he will be swiftly surrounded, and … killed. He trusts me.' He did not look happy, but determined.

  I nodded; sweat pouring onto my brow, and it took me a supreme effort not to hurt him. 'And then you will …'

  'Will ride with my men, take over Tudrus's men, those who will, and join Sibratus as we go and war with the Matticati. His sons … won't join us.' Vannius said, looking sad.

  'You have qualms,' I asked him brusquely.

  He nodded. 'They have been good to me. But I am the youngest son. I have no prospects with the Vangiones, and if Koun and I escape, and one day oust Hunfrid, I have no prospects over Koun. I have to build my own land, my own fame.'

  I nodded, grinned, and turned. 'Keep at it, Vannius. You are doing well. Those coins are a pittance, but more will come, and you will lead many men. I will tell Maroboodus, but best keep clear of him until Tudrus is gone.'

  He grabbed my arm. 'Just remind him that he promised me men and lands when the Boii war is over.'

  I inclined my head, hiding my confusion. 'I will.' Then I left. Boii? Father had far reaching plans, and my stomach churned with disappointment, as Vannius was closer to him in these plans than I was.

  Vannius was left standing, frowning after me as I stalked up the hill where my friends waited. I was torn with my loyalties again but determined to navigate the shoals. They were going to kill Tudrus. I had to warn him and make him believe in the terrible danger, but without losing my hard-won place with the Marcomanni.

  The boy about to judge me was in trouble, for Tudrus had made good time. I saw he was nearly there, and I sprinted. I saw how Tudrus stopped impatiently behind a thick crowd of men and women, fuming at the delay. I edged towards the Red Hall. I froze, for Balderich was there, coughing as he sat outside in the sun. The bastard looked sick as Gunhild had claimed. I remembered his words of care and perhaps of love, and his foul betrayal, and spat in anger. My father stood behind him in a simple tunic, speaking sternly with Gunhild who looked not happy at all as she gazed at the crowd while she was talking bitter words to my father. Her eyes were fixed on a spot in the vast crowd, and I gazed at that direction, and then I saw Koun.

  I tried to move for him, and he noticed me. Our eyes locked. I saw him hesitate. He had Marcomanni warriors near him, guarding him. He mouthed Vannius. I made a sad throat-cutting motion. He understood. He nodded bitterly, his face dark with betrayal, but then looked at fair Gunhild, and seemed happy enough.

  I noticed my grandfather stiffen as he pretended not to listen to his daughter's complaints, and I felt sorry for him, despite the fact that I hated him. Months ago, he was the great master. Now, he had the clothes on his back, and had to remain silent as his daughter argued with my father, over the marriage, no doubt. Then Maroboodus whispered to her harshly, and her face turned red. She nodded, placing a slender hand on his hand. Koun and Gunhild stared at each other, very much in love, yet bound by circumstances while she held Maroboodus's hand. Balderich stiffened, but said nothing. Gunhild was in as much trouble as I was.

  Gernot was prospering and powerful for now, despite Maroboodus's simmering anger. My brother sat next to his famed grandfather, in a bright red tunic, his spindly arms lazily reclining on the great armrests as he listened impatiently to the complaining men and angry women in front of him while making imperious gestures. There was also Ansigar, fetching men before Gernot. They finally noticed me, and Gernot nodded in my direction while I saw Odo and a group of dirty men getting up, having spied me as well. If my plan failed, they would have me unless Maroboodus interfered, and he had told me to go. I saw Wandal and Ansbor on horses, sitting there at the back of the people, perplexed.

  Before Gernot stood an old man, and a warrior who stepped up to Gernot, and my brother waved his hand impatiently at them, anxious to get at me. He spoke, his voice nervous. 'Speak then. We will soon hear the case of foul Hraban, the boy who has no decency or manners, but you are first. What ails you?'

  The older man shrugged and pushed to the front of the younger man who had been about to speak. He was a grubby, poor-looking man. 'This man, Herulf, is my neighbor. He planted his barley in my field, claiming it was agreed that he could do so. Yet we made no such agreement.'

  'We did!' yelled the younger man, Herulf.

  'We did not! We talked about it, yet I told you that I am trying to clear some wood for a new field this year, and if you helped, I would agree. Well, you did not help, and the field I ploughed is not large enough to feed my poor animals this coming year.'

  'I loaned a horse to you! You have none! Is that not help?' Herulf growled.

  All eyes turned to Gernot who sat there, staring at me like an owl, unblinking, and after a while Ansigar leaned on him and whispered something. Gernot roused himself.

  'Herulg, did you …' he started.

  'Herulf. That is my name. Son of Namor.'

  'Yes, yes. Did you loan a horse to him?' Gernot asked, distracted by my calmness, and Ansigar's jaw tightened as I looked at him. He would have hurt me and Ermendrud had Manno not stopped them. That was beyond repair.

  'I just said I did!' Herulf said.

  'I see,' Gernot said and went quiet, and I saw my father scowl deeply at him. Then Father saw me, his eyes large as he understood I had not left the village as he had told me to. I saw him cursing, and he looked away to whisper with the disapproving Nihta.

  To be fair, Gernot was not a fool. He had the wits for law, but here he sat, unable to focus, for he wanted me dead, or gone. He knew he would pay a price for what he had done; nervous as Father was whispering sibilantly to Nihta, and so he dithered. I sneered at him. He would get his soon.

  The old man cried pitifully. 'I saw no horse. No. I was there alone, an old man, ripping trees and trunks out of the ground, my hands bleeding, lifting rocks that a jotun could not move, rolling them out from the solid ground with my feeble arms. We will starve this year, and I blame Herulf!' the old man said, his voice stuttering, taking unsteady steps.

  Herulf laughed. 'You returned the horse and thanked me! I have men who …' It was then when I made lewd hip movements in Gernot's direction, mocking him for a woman. He noticed, ran out of patience and forgot his fear of Father.

  'Enough!' Gernot got up, and men looked at him uncertainly. 'We have heard enough.' Herulf smiled happily. Gernot was fidgeting, glancing around nervously. He was to make a quick decision. 'Heruld, I order you to give half the harvest from the field you sowed to the old man, and as a punishment for lying, you shall give the horse as well.' Gernot was scowling as he laid the verdict, brushing his clothes, and Maroboodus was about to step up to intervene when Tudrus pushed the surprised onlookers away from him. He appeared before Gernot, who forgot about me. Tudrus's sword was bared, and his men flanked him. Unwashed, drunk, and angry, they pointed at Gernot, and I saw Ansigar's face go white. The Quadi strode forward.

  The man who had received the verdict did not see the Quadi as he raged. 'Herulf. That is my name. You must have me confused with someone else, for you keep calling me by the wrong name and then issue insane verdicts! You have not even heard my witnesses …' Herulf started but went quiet quickly, for Tudrus walked up, pushing poor Herulf aside. Maroboodus looked at him uncertainly, and I saw some of Maroboodus's men rush up in chain mail and armed to the teeth, Leuthard leading them.

  'Lord Tudrus. I welcome you. Can I help you?' Maroboodus said carefully, and Balderich glanced in my direction with a hint of a smile on his old lips. I wanted the man dead, so I did not smile back, no matter how keen he was.

  'Yes! In fact, you can!' said Tudrus, leaning on his drea
d sword.

  'Go on then, anything for you,' Maroboodus said, his eyes measuring the crowd quickly. 'Herulf, please excuse us,' he added to the younger man, who nodded inquisitively. The older man staggered aside, as well.

  Tudrus was shaking his head furiously, trying to calm himself. 'Tell me, Maroboodus. Who broke the Hermanduri at the battle of the Quadi hills?'

  Maroboodus looked confused. 'I broke them on the left. You on the right. Then we wrapped them up in the middle? Was this not so?'

  'Yes, that was how I remembered it.' Tudrus was fuming.

  'What is the problem, then?' my father said with a low, careful voice.

  'There is a man claiming he led the Quadi in battle. A man who is a coward and a liar. I claim a feud on him,' Tudrus said, grimly. Gernot cleared his mouth, and I saw Ansigar frown and start to say something, but Gernot waved him away.

  Gernot spoke, grasping back the control. 'Is he here? In the Hard Hill? If this is true, we shall hear him,' he said and glanced at my father, looking for his approval, but Maroboodus was being circumspect and silent.

  'You do not ask for them, but I have witnesses!' Tudrus waved his hand. 'Yes, he is here,' he confirmed and growled.

  Gernot again waved Ansigar away. Gernot was scowling at the fuming Quadi chief, and he likely remembered the day when Tudrus had mocked him in the feast, the feast where Gernot had refused to receive the food I offered him. Therefore, Gernot adopted a brazen attitude and raised his eyebrow at the old, high Quadi. 'Indeed. Yes. But is it not likely that his word is against yours, and he has witnesses, as well?'

  'All my men heard it as well!' Tudrus said evenly, ignoring the fool. All his men suddenly remembered hearing the man speak thus, and they all added colorful facts about the rumor.

  Gernot got up. 'Silence!' None did.

  'Silence!' yelled Tudrus. There was silence. Father was whispering something to Leuthard, who shrugged and nodded resolutely. Balderich was laughing raspingly in the general silence, and Gernot glanced at him uncomfortably.

  Gernot was soon gathering his confidence, and was nodding furiously. 'It is true that your men say so, but as I said, it is his word against yours. Do you have any reliable witnesses?'

  He did.

  Koun stood up. 'I heard this man mock Lord Tudrus as well. He called the Quadi a walking corpse and a cowardly hairless ball sack.' Men murmured at this. Some spat in anger, for Tudrus was popular. Maroboodus looked at me, then at Tudrus and finally at Koun. I prayed he would not make a connection, but, of course, he would, and Vannius would tell him eventually. I hoped the outcome would satisfy him. I noticed Odo's devious, moist eyes suddenly delving on Koun, and wondering about his connection to me.

  Gernot considered going against Tudrus, but the old man's eyes glowed like coals. My brother slumped and consented to the mumblings around him, mostly supporting Tudrus. 'Very well. If he is not willing to pay a wergild for this slander, we shall give him the option to fight you, or your champion.' I saw Gernot's eyes grow large with sudden hope as the culprit might be a strong, irascible, and famous man, one to break any Quadi champion. Indeed, what kind of a man would dare to make such claims unless a hero?

  All the Quadi begged the right to be champion for Tudrus. Tudrus growled at them. 'My champions are few, currently. I seek new ones. But in the meantime, I will cleave the gutless worm and see his insides.'

  'So be it. It is decided!' Gernot said with savage finality.

  A silence.

  I chuckled so hard I was afraid they would hear me. Ansigar whispered something.

  Gernot nodded his head furiously. 'Oh! Yes, right. Who is the man, call him forth and let him speak! If he will not pay a wergild, which I order to be a hundred cows since it is so high a lord who has been insulted, he shall fight!' His voice was sarcastic, but that would change in a bit.

  'Get up then,' said Tudrus to Gernot. Gernot looked about him and glanced behind him, where stood a man.

  'You?' He pointed at a bearded slave. The slave's face went white, and he shook his head empathetically.

  'No, you.' Tudrus was pulling a shield on his left hand, a huge thing.

  'Me?' asked Gernot, as if in a dream.

  'You.'

  Gernot was shaking and slobbering, getting up and down on his seat. 'I have not done this!'

  'I have witnesses who say you have. You have lied about a lord under whom your father made you fight. You have called me a man lover, a whore master, a lord of rags, a spineless dog-kisser, and you have claimed to have lead the Quadi in battle while I tottered around, pissing my pants.' Gernot was shaking his head at his executioner. 'Amongst other things,' growled Tudrus. Gernot was whimpering, looking around, and Balderich laughed so hard he was wheezing. Gunhild was about to step forward to go help Gernot out of the seat, but my father stopped her, shaking his head.

  'I have not done so!' Gernot said weakly.

  Tudrus shrugged. 'As you said, it is my word against yours, and let us forget Koun's testimony. Let us fight.'

  Gernot was trembling. 'No, he testified. It is allowed by law for me to pay a wergild, as I said!'

  People quaffed and laughed. Tudrus did, too. 'Fine! A hundred cows, and you shall kiss my foot and beg for mercy. Alternatively, you fight. Or a man of yours.' He grinned at Ansigar who just looked away.

  'Ansigar, will you …' Gernot started.

  Ansigar took a step back, blanching. 'I am not a fighter to defeat him.'

  Gernot scanned the crowd. 'Leuthard! Will you champion me!'

  Maroboodus grunted, enjoying the chance to punish his wayward son. 'He is my oathsman. He will not fight.'

  Gernot licked his lips. 'Father, I do not have a hundred cows …' The men were laughing at him, and so the tears came. Gernot wept in terror. Gods, I was filled with so much happiness as the multitude of Marcomanni pointed their fingers at the fool draped in finery, shuddering and crying in terror, and knowing he was forever ruined by his weakness.

  Maroboodus shrugged in disgust. 'Lord Tudrus. Will you accept a deal with me? He is my son, and I cannot guarantee I would not find it hard to see him dead, and I would hate to break our alliance.' He glanced at Leuthard, who looked hard at Tudrus.

  Tudrus the Older sneered. 'Yes, of course. But he will kiss my shoe on his belly. He is your son, but I understand you educate them to deserve their place, and undeserved boasts should be covered with humble acts of humility, no?' Maroboodus nodded, his eyes flashing in anger. Tudrus did not back down.

  'Do it, worm,' Maroboodus said.

  Never had I seen such a look of despair on the face of a man. Gernot licked his tear-smeared lips, wept and shook in shame, his fame forever gone, and he obeyed. Gernot went on his knees, then on his hands, and then I stepped forward. 'That man echoed his master's words, I heard it.' I pointed at Ansigar.

  Ansigar looked at me with morbid hate. Maroboodus spoke, 'I see. And Koun and all the Quadi heard this, no doubt?' They all did.

  'I have not done so!' said Ansigar nervously and indignantly.

  'Then you can fight me,' I growled. 'Or crawl in shit.'

  He huffed. 'Men do not fight boys.'

  My father sighed and growled. 'You, follow your master, and do what he does.' Maroboodus pointed at Ansigar, who went white as a cloud and gritting his teeth, dropped his spear and shield. Soon they both slithered on their bellies for Tudrus. He took some steps backwards to the amusement of the crowd and then stepped on horse dung with both feet. He cursed, smiled, and then smeared the shit all over the shoes while the two unhappy bastards looked on at the disgusting deed.

  Tudrus looked around, raising his eyebrows at the onlookers. 'Would have to discard them after the act anyway. Liar's lips would make them as dirty as the dung did. Now kiss them, long and hard, and mumble out your weak apologies amidst the turds, your brothers. You, the right boot, you, the left one,' he said, when he finally let the panting pair crawl near him. I watched in perverse fascination as their lips connected with the smeared shoes, Gernot cry
ing, Ansigar gagging. 'Good, long kisses, boys. Pretend it is a maiden,' Tudrus said, and the crowd laughed in tears as my foes were pursing their shit-smeared lips for repeated kisses.

  Then, Gernot tried to get up, but Tudrus placed the other boot on his back. 'Never lie about me again.' Gernot got up and ran away, weeping, something that would be remembered amongst the Marcomanni forever. My father looked at me deliberately as I stood there. He knew I had not obeyed him and had seen Tudrus, and his face was unreadable.

  Maroboodus pointed at Herulf. 'There will be no more justice here today, but you, Herulf! As the old man is clearly drunk, and is likely too drunk all year around, too drunk to work on his field, means you owe him nothing. He will work for you coming summer, if he has not starved.' Herulf nodded and bowed. Maroboodus came to me. 'Take your horse and go. Gernot made a mistake; many mistakes. He will suffer. Suffer even more than the songs they will make up from his tears. He thought he would get away with a little displeasure, but what I told you goes with him, too. I can have other sons. I will beat him, and make him live in a pigsty. You know the plan?'

  'I know the plan,' I said, while I saw Balderich get up. He shook his head at me and left.

  'Good,' my father said. 'Do it, and you will be mine, and I will be yours, Son. Do not speak to Tudrus and Koun again. I asked this of you once. I shall not ask again, but I forgive you for not leaving as I told you. It would have been better if you had, being truly a vagabond, running from the law, but it will be enough I do this.'

  He struck me in front of the people.

  I fell on my back amidst the Marcomanni, who nodded in approval. Maroboodus went on his haunches before me and whispered to me, 'You are now on a run. When you come back, we will solve your issues.'

  I nodded and spat blood, cursing the pain and shame. For some reason, be it the shame of being hit by Father or something else, I thought of Koun and the important secret he now owed me. For some reason, I also thought it would be important to know about it before I left, but I could not go to him. Maroboodus's men were on horses, looking at us. They would shadow us to the Grinrock. I could not approach Tudrus either, and my heart fell. I found it hard to approve of my father's plans, but he was my father, and so I mounted up.