Conn smirked. ‘I apologize for interrupting your sleep. We will try to be quieter in the future.’ Conn made sure the opposite happened.
When she was strong enough to move around unaided, Conn arranged to take her for long walks to build up her strength, and he designed exercises to help repair the damaged stomach muscles – for one thing, she would never swing a sword again. She found it hard to understand his motives.
‘All I ask is that you tell me about yourself. I know nothing about you.’
‘I will not betray my people.’ She responded defiantly.
‘I will never ask you to. Tell me only what you think I would learn if I visited a tavern in – in wherever you are from.’
Finally she told him that she was from Nobatia.
‘Nobatia – is there more than one kind of Ancuman?’
She shook her head scornfully. ‘For someone who can sew a body back together, you certainly know nothing about other things. Nobatia was once one of six independent island nations in Kishdah – now we serve our masters in Axum.’
It transpired that the Axum leader took the title Bretwalda some five hundred years ago to consolidate his position as undisputed Healdend of all Ancuman, and he and his descendants have ruled all nations with an iron first since – squashing any sign of rebellion brutally. The Axum Gyden was the only one allowed – the Gyden of the other nations had long been driven from existence. The Axum Folgere had absolute authority and were loathed and feared – for what reason Conn was unable to ascertain. Kishdah was a complicated place – it was also a collection of large islands rather than a single landmass. Conn didn’t mention that he knew that Elddis was connected to a Gyden that wasn’t the Axum Gyden. She may have been banished but she was still around.
With her condition vastly improved, Conn took her to meet the imprisoned crew of her boat as they worked in his salt plant. They decided that they would leave in three days; and Conn arranged for the boat to be fully provisioned.
The night before she was to leave, Conn returned her clothes and her travel kit; including her sword. She refused it point blank.
‘It was my father’s sword – and the sword of the last true independent Healdend of Nobatia. To return it is an act of generosity and kindness – but one that I cannot accept. For me to return with my sword would indicate that I have betrayed my nation and my tribe. The least consequence I must have for my defeat is the loss of my sword. It is yours to keep.’
‘Very well. Then perhaps you will take these.’ Conn then handed her a pouch of gold Ryals.
‘What is this? Why do you give me gold?’
‘I don’t think that you will be very popular when you get home – you or your crew. If you have gold you can ‘arrange’ things so that no one is executed. I’d hate to go to all this effort to have you all killed as soon as you arrive.’
‘I don’t understand why you would do that – did I not try and kill you? You owe me nothing.’ She tried to hand them back.
‘No, keep them. And you were only following orders – I do not believe that you suddenly decided to search me out to murder me. You didn’t even know who I was.’
Elddis shook her head. ‘No, there you are wrong. My Folctoga – the man you killed – told me that Fallon was extremely upset about the defeat in Salvia, but no one knew it whom it was until some of the survivors of the skirmish near Tegeste described you and your colors.’
Conn nodded. ‘One of the unavoidable downsides of letting people live…’
She smiled a thin smile. ‘One you seem continually prepared to take. After that, it was obvious that you were also reinforcing the Silekian Healdend and Fallon something needed to be done...’
This was also as much information that he had gotten from her all this time so he didn’t press it. She added.
‘But I don’t think they realize just how much an adversary they have. I fear that the Axum will continue to underestimate you, Conn il Taransay.’ She stopped to consider. ‘And where is Taransay anyway? The Ancuman have sailed the oceans for two thousand years and we have not heard of Taransay…’
Conn had been fending off questions about his origins from Elddis for days; he had yet to create a plausible story about how he landed in Meshech. He tried his magical cave story again and she seemed to buy it.
As she answered, she held her necklace. ‘Gydens have great powers – perhaps you stumbled into something that had been built by a Gyden.’
Ignoring the proposition; Conn rifled through the bags. He brought out a necklace; finely crafted gold links that held a brown stone at the end. ‘This belonged to the Folctoga. Do you want to return it to his family?’
She shook her head, her hand involuntarily going to her own necklace again. ‘No – he was from Axum and that is something that every member of the family of the Bretwalda wears. It is also powerful – it links them to their Gyden.’
‘He was an Aebeling?’
‘No – nothing so important – he was a cousin of some kind. The Axum Bretwalda usually has many bedda and many children. It is said that the current Bretwalda has over fifteen theow to use as he wishes.’
Conn put the brown stone back in his bag. He didn’t know why, but he thought it might become useful.
‘Very well, I will see you in the morning. You will leave at high tide.’ He stood to leave, and just as he reached the door, she called him back. He turned to see her standing, and releasing the light gown that she had been wearing. She was now naked, the wound from the wakizashi still a definite pink line over her shiny ebony skin. The rest of her was however in excellent shape, and she was a very full bodied female.
‘There is something else we can do before I leave. If you won’t take it, I guess I’ll have to offer it – willingly. I’m sure the Innkeeper can spare you for one night.’
A night with the tall Ancuman was not an unattractive proposition – and it would have been rude to say no – especially since she had gone to all that effort to get undressed.
The next morning, Conn escorted her to the wharf, where the boat was ready to depart. Conn hoped that she would make it home safely; despite the fact that she was probably a murderer and had tried to kill him, he actually enjoyed having her around. She waved ever so lightly as the boat rowed its way out of the harbor. Eaorl Herewald moved to stand beside him as the boat faded away.
‘I do hope you know what you are doing, Thane. I really think we should have executed the lot of them.’
‘Eaorl – I’m hope I’m right too. Only time will tell.’
The Ancuman boat was not gone a day, when one of his new schooners turned up. Amongst other items it had a communique in code from Abrekan. He wished to advise Conn that there was trouble brewing between Trokia and Gatina – and all normal relations had been suspended. Gatina had accused Trokia of sinking a number of its commercial vessels and was demanding a wergild of five hundred thousand Ryals – an absurd amount. Abrekan said that Trokia had refused to pay.
Farewelling Sherlinda, Conn returned to Tabae on horseback, with the five buckskin mares in tow. He arrived as autumn settled, to be met by Annisa and their four daughters, and an amazed Eaorl Octa.
‘I don’t know if I’m game enough to ask you why you have these horses. They are not Lykian and they are not your own breed. The saddles are also not Meshechian.’
‘It’s a long story.’ Conn followed Octa into the keep.
Octa looked at him strangely. ‘Do I need to be sitting when you tell it?’
‘Very probably.’
‘Drinking?’
‘Definitely.’
Later, after lots of good ale, Octa mused on his life. ‘It is only three years since you turned up, but it seems like so much longer. I’m sure that I have aged at least twenty years. I know for certain that some of the other Eaorls have. Certainly nothing is the same anymore. So, as usual, you were right about the Ancuman. Things are going to be a mess if we don’t get an Aebeling. At least there is one year left before the Moetia
n Healdend makes the decision for us.’
After they had emptied another flask of Hama Beer, Octa looked at Annisa and then suspiciously at Conn as he dangled four rowdy daughters on his knees. ‘Have you told her?’
Annisa was surprised. ‘Has he told me what?’
Octa shook his head, ‘Taransay hasn’t told you why you are here, has he?’
Annisa looked at Conn. ‘I’m not following.’
Conn smiled sheepishly. ‘It is just that … well… I’m requesting that Octa transfer the title of Thane of Haran to you.’
Annisa was truly surprised. ‘Since when are females allowed to be Thanes?’
Octa answered for them both. ‘This summer – at the last Witan, Conn convinced the Eaorls to change the law. It wasn’t that hard actually – there were very old laws dating back to the Casere’s time that said that women could become Thanes if that was the only choice available. Who knew? The Thane had the entire Library in Lykiak transferred to those Codex things and indexed. Ridiculous waste of money but it’s not mine.’
‘But why?’
‘You have heirs and you are doing an excellent job as Burhgerefa – I’m hardly there anymore anyway.’ Conn suggested. “And if the Ancuman are still displeased with me, they might try again – and I don’t want my daughters at risk.’
‘What about Hama and Veii?’
‘Hama doesn’t need a Thane in place as it has no Lairds to control. Haran does. Veii, I will leave under your control as well’
Octa interjected. ‘Let me take this opportunity to remind you how much I hate your new Lairds. One of your Lairds has taken one of the daughter of the Earl of Erbil as bedda. Another has already taken a Thane’s daughter as bedda. Another…’ he was starting to froth by now; ‘is asking to court another of my daughters!’
‘What is the world coming to, Octa. What is the world coming to? Anyway, you have a few to spare. Let us drink to change. May it be our friend and neighbor and not our enemy.’
‘Change is fine – just as long as it doesn’t happen too quickly – or affect me adversely.’
Annisa left a few days later as the Thane of Haran. She was not unpleased – and she was not his bedda anymore – one Thane could not be bedda to another. After four daughters, he wasn’t welcome in her bed anyway. After a short visit to Hama to leave the mares behind, Conn instead headed for Halani. He had decided to spend the winter with Elva and Jowan. He hoped that Elva still wanted him in her bed, and he needed Derryth’s help – Gatina was becoming a concern.
CHAPTER 15
Conn was back in Lykiak by mid spring; even earlier than usual. He had left Halani as soon as the snow allowed – just after the arrival of his fourth Meshechian spring. He visited Hama to collect Allowena and Wilgar, and Daray met them in Tabae. Daray had spent the winter in Arbella with the Lykian cavalry patrolling the border. With the spring rains, the river was impassable so he made his way to Lykiak to report to the Witan. The border patrol was now pointless anyway – after Conn’s visit to Pelva, no Rakian was game to enter Lykia, so the cavalry had seen no action at all. It still trained and patrolled, however, under Wilgar’s command.
The three men were eating a late breakfast when they noticed a crowd gathering outside the Inn in the main square. Conn sent one of the Inn staff outside to see what was happening.
She bowed politely on return. ‘They said it’s a slave trader from Gatina…’
‘A slave trader from Gatina – now that is not something you see every day. What is he doing here?’ Conn led the two men outside and they walked towards the crowd of people who milled around several riders on horses.
The buying and selling of slaves was historically a common activity in Meshech – mostly because of economic causes as war had been uncommon for some time. It was better to sell your daughter into servitude than for her to starve to death. It had declined considerable in Lykia over the last few years as economic prosperity reduced the need.
Conn asked one of the townspeople if he knew why the trader was in Lykiak.
‘Apparently his ship sank off the coast near Sabatah – it had been damaged in a storm. He needs money to get home so has come here to sell his goods.’
Thanking the man, Conn edged closer. He continued his way forward; the crowd parting as he walked. Conn was unsure why there was so many people gathered – no one of these would be buying a theow. As he got closer, he realized why – one of the theow – a female –was not Priecuman but Twacuman, and it was probably the great grandparents of the residents of Lykia who last saw Twacuman riding in the streets of Lykiak.
There were four men supervising the handful of theow; a large one sitting on a horse was now speaking out aloud.
‘Ladies and Gentlemen – tomorrow at noon – these young theow are for sale. This is a rare opportunity for you to purchase hard working Gatinan men and very attractive and amenable Gatinan girls as well. All paperwork is in order. A rare opportunity – tomorrow at noon in the square and...’
Conn interrupted him. ‘Excuse me; are you selling the Twacuman lady as well?’
Both the girl and the slaver looked in surprise at Conn as he interrupted. The slaver was shocked when he saw the tall blond warrior standing in front of him. ‘Who the heck are you?’
‘I am Conn il Taransay.’
‘Well, Feorrancund, go and ask your question elsewhere – you are rudely interrupting a discussion here. I’m a merchant advertising my goods.’
‘I am asking if you are selling the Twacuman.’
‘No I am not. None here could afford her.’
‘Is she theow?’
‘Yes she is.’
‘Very well, I’ll buy her for five thousand Ryals. That is a reasonable price for a theow.’
The slaver laughed. ‘You are a fool if you think I will accept that amount of money. She is worth at least twenty thousand Ryals at...’
He stopped talking when he suddenly saw the edge of a Katana two inches from his throat.
‘So how many Ryals would you pay for your life, then?’ Conn’s tone was serious and malicious. The slaver kicked his horse to push past Conn, but Conn had prepared for that and with a quick step and a reef on the sleeve of the trader, the merchant found himself flat on his back on the cobble stones, winded. He struggled to get to his feet. His men had rushed to his aid but stopped when swords appeared to prevent them from getting close. The Town Guards had also observed the goings on and were rushing over until they saw who it was and decided that Conn knew what he was doing.
Con walked over to the horse that carried the Twacuman woman. She looked about fifty, beautiful and proud. Conn did not know her and she certainly didn’t know him.
‘You can get down if you wish.’
She looked at him defiantly.
He spoke to her next in the Twacuman language; ‘Do not be afraid – I am a friend of the Twacuman.’ He eyes filled with astonishment and then softened.
‘Why didn’t you say so?’ She responded quietly, also in Twacuman. She dismounted and followed Conn as he went over to the slaver.
‘So Slaver, tell me where and when this lady become a theow? Show me the papers that give you the right to sell her.’ Conn knew the extensive rules about Theowdom.
The slaver had gotten to his feet and was brushing the dirt from his clothes. ‘I don’t have to answer your questions – you miserable Feorrancund bucket of scum – I am an authorized merchant from Gatina.’
‘Well, I’m not Lykian, I’m from Taransay, and I asked you a questions. I expect an answer.’
‘Never heard of Taransay – where is that?’
‘Over the hills and far, far, far away. Where are your papers?’
‘Here.’ The Slaver turned as if to fetch papers from his pocket but then spun to attack Conn. Conn swayed, and using his weight and force, grabbed the arm of the slaver and using his weight and momentum, flipped him over to his back on the ground, for a second time. Winded again, the slaver looked up at the Katana direc
tly above his nose.
‘I give you points for trying. Do you wish to answer my question, or would you like to go a few more rounds – I’m happy to put my sword away.’
Somehow the Slaver thought that this was not a good idea, so declined. ‘I don’t have any papers.’ he muttered.
‘Well that is surprising…’ Conn looked at the Twacuman lady. ‘Can you please tell the crowd where you are from and how it is that you came to be here?’
‘My name is Caronwyn il Halani. Over ten years ago, I was with my kin in a hunting party on the edge of the great forest in Halani – near the border with Rakia. A number of Rakians ambushed us; they killed our men and took the women. We were sold like animals in a market in Rakia. I don’t know what happened to my kin. Last year I was traded to a merchant in Rakiak in exchange for a gambling debt. He sold me to this man.’
Conn was momentarily stunned into silence – no one in Halani had mentioned a missing Caronwyn. Finally, Conn readdressed the slaver who had his eyes on the top of the blade. ‘Given the circumstance, I’ve reduced my offer to three thousand Ryals. Accepting it is your least life threatening option.’
Given his choices, the slaver quickly agreed, and Conn stood, retrieved the coins from his purse and dropped the five gold Ryals on the ground and walked away. His men followed. With distance, the slaver struggled to his feet, and yelled out. ‘I will have you before the Magister, you thieving scum.’
Conn stopped and turned to look at the slaver, who immediately took a step backwards. ‘Good luck with that.’
As Conn headed back to the Inn, the crowd cheered and clapped. Later, Octa could hardly contain his laughter. Caronwyn had been taken away by Allowena and was in a room having a hot bath. Allowena was now buying her a change of clothes from a cousin’s shop.
The Aebeling Page 24
