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

by Alaric Longward

  'Enough!' Maroboodus screamed from the doorway. His men piled in as we formed a triangle facing all the foes, the ones we knew, and the ones we might still know. 'Enough,' bellowed Maroboodus, as determined Leuthard and astonished Nihta pushed the decrepit men out of the way and then faced us. 'How dare you fight in my own hall, fouling the seat of the Marcomanni with gore?'

  'We have made oaths, eh, lord?' Wandal stammered.

  ‘We are doomed,' Ansbor whispered, while yanking a javelin from a dead man.

  'You don't know the half of it,' I replied back, but neither did I, yet. I was about to.

  Tear stepped forward. 'Peace, Maroboodus, between us all, save with your son who grabbed a spear, and so my men protected me. But since we are all here now,' she gestured at the chiefs of the village, trailing after the warriors in wonder, 'let us speak of a grave matter, one that you should take seriously.'

  I sneered. 'They were going to take me by the backdoor, not to you, Lords!'

  'Lies,' Odo said, calmly, his eyes moist and crazy, his fingers twitching.

  Maroboodus sighed, playing the game. 'Speak, my truth speaker, what is the charge?'

  Tear tore at her hair in agitation as she pointed a finger my way, as if unwilling to even witness my face. 'He has made my daughter pregnant, heavy with a girl child. She is to give birth in nine months to a bastard. He will not marry her, being a foul thing of Hel.'

  The world spun around me, and Wandal and Ansbor shook in surprise. Wandal's eyes betrayed disappointment at my lie of not having slept with Ishild, but even relief, and I understood he had been wondering if I had taken Ermendrud before him after all, but now, as I was condemned, he was momentarily happy, the bastard. He could not understand I had had both. I laughed hysterically, and then went quiet as a mouse, as the chiefs, noble and moral Marcomanni all, scowled in anger at my misplaced mirth.

  Maroboodus stepped forward. 'A grave accusation. What say you, Hraban?'

  I swallowed and trembled, but Father had said he would try to guard me. I stepped forward. 'I do not know if that is the truth.'

  Tear turned to the dark. 'Ishild!' She came, pale from the face, and turned towards me, and her words echoed in my ears. I had left her. I had hurt her. She did not need my friendship.

  'Ishild …' I said, but she turned her face away.

  'I am pregnant. To Hraban,' she said, resolutely. 'So swear I, daughter to völva Tear, the truth speaker of Freya. It is there, growing inside me, the seed of Hraban. I feel it already, even if it is but a few days since he gave it to me.'

  They all believed her.

  I looked into her eyes, and she glanced at a woman on the side. Ermendrud. She hated her, it was in her eyes. She had wanted me, and I had taken another. She had told me I was the only normal man she knew, and when I rejected her, she had suffered, not like a völva but like a girl, and girls, my Lord, are brutal in paying back for insults. Now she had done the deed, and her family used her lust and need of safety against me. Alternatively, they had put her in my bed to start with.

  Maroboodus shuddered in anger. To deny her was to deny the völva who had proclaimed to all Maroboodus and his destiny as leader of the Marcomanni. 'You wish to claim the right to fight?' he asked, turning to me.

  I shuddered in surprise. 'I do,' I said. 'For the truth, I claim a right to fight.'

  'He is no man,' Odo snarled.

  Gernot appeared and sneered. 'No man, nothing. Give him to her, Father.' Maroboodus glared at Gernot, who had pushed into his matters for a personal vengeance, siding with Tear and Odo for power, power for himself and power over me. Gernot would suffer, I knew, but for now I was to fight. I knew I would not die. I was not to die, but to be given to Odo.

  'Choose a champion,' Maroboodus told Odo.

  'Just give him to us, we will …'

  Maroboodus bellowed. 'He is to fight for his truth. He says he does not know if he is the father. I will not have any man go to their deaths without a chance for the gods to intervene. Choose a champion.'

  Odo looked suspicious, but nodded. 'Nihta, and after Hraban is beaten, he will be ours.'

  Maroboodus grinned. 'No. A man of your own. Or a woman. I care not.'

  They looked around their group of stragglers, filthy men with barely a serviceable weapon amongst them. Nihta grinned. 'Surely you have one man to match a boy.'

  Odo's eyes glittered. 'I have one. However, he is far. Surely …'

  My father raised his hands. 'If you cannot decide, we shall speak more, later. I will think on the matter and reach a decision pleasing to all.' He looked at Tear, who did not argue; patient, in control. Gernot's mouth was hanging open, foiled again. Odo walked away, silent. Maroboodus had saved me, for now. He nodded at me and guided me away from under the malevolent eyes of my brother, Ansigar, and Tear's followers. I tore free and strode to Ishild. She looked away.

  'Why?' I told her. 'Why take their side against me? You know I did not know it was you.'

  'Do I?' she said with a small voice. 'I am sorry, love. I have no choice. One day, you will understand, and I know you will forgive me.'

  'I doubt it, Ishild,' I told her as Maroboodus strode up and grabbed me, practically throwing me towards the door. The chiefs were mumbling, shaking their heads. Yet I was saved, for now. I waved my friends Wandal and Ansbor down, both scowling at my duplicity and me mightily, especially after they had risked their lives for me. I loved them and would drag them down with me, and so I cursed myself and begged Woden for help, for things were desperate.

  'Get a horse. We ride, and talk,' Maroboodus said calmly. Soon, we rode east until Hard Hill was behind us. We hunted for deer, and saw fresh wolf tracks in the mossy grounds around the Hard Hill. He smiled surprisingly often, laughed as I fell painfully from a horse stumbling in ferns and gave me fine mead to drink. He spotted a young deer in the bushes, took careful aim with a tall bow and felled it as if it was Donor hurling his famed hammer at a giant's skull. We got down to prepare it. He grew serious as he looked at me across the carcass.

  'Bark has been stirring a lot of chiefs with the story of the club of Hercules, Hraban. The one he thought he saw in your hand that night. I have been very upset about that.'

  'I am sorry, Father,' I told him.

  'Many a man has already died for it, boy, but worry not. I think it might actually be a good thing. Marcomanni must bleed. The old ways have to change unless we wish to end up like the Sigambri are, with some allies, but forever too few. We need a king.'

  I smiled. 'You sound like Gernot, except he thinks the king should be him.'

  Maroboodus laughed at that, hugely. 'That bastard will learn to cross me. He will continue to speak about you and Ishild. Perhaps he will be rash and go even further. I gave him the power to call men to hear law, and he has clamored all night as he has been trying to summon such a meeting. That he would heed Odo over me is a decision he will regret.'

  'Take the power to speak law from him, Father,' I told him with relish. 'Make him count sick cows in some remote hamlet. Or send him to the Hermanduri as an ambassador who demands their surrender and obedience.'

  He grunted, amused. 'It seems clear you will one day kill each other. I will not stop you. It is your wyrd. Manno is dead and buried, and no matter what, you go to Isfried this night. Catualda has been speaking with Isfried, stoking his fears and confusion. I have raided the river near Grinrock, burnt Roman ships. The men who tried to kill me yesterday, well, people blame Isfried for that, and so we will have a war that will split us up, unless I kill him first. He knows this, and does not want such a war either. He hopes there is still a plan, and will go with it, if you play your part well. He dares not bring the commoners. He knows many like me, but his family has some three hundred nobles and their closest warriors, and they are gathered, spies tell me. The cream of the south is sitting in Grinrock, waiting for you to appear, and that will be a sign it is still possible to slay me. That you are a vagabond, is enough to convince him of your sincerity. Hah.' I pul
led at the slippery intestines of the deer, cursing as they were stuck. Then I cursed the stench and fumes, making my eyes run. We cut away at the mess, and he grinned. 'The Matticati have been moving men our way. Armin's plans with Isfried are coming together, yes, but I have more men, and better ones,' he said.

  'There are rumors you are training men in the Roman way,' I said quizzically.

  'We will see,' he grinned. 'My enemies think I am the soft iron to be easily molded and broken between hammer and anvil, but perchance I am more elusive and know how to break such tools as Armin and his allies.'

  'Speaking of Armin, what will become of him, should you thwart his plans?' I asked him.

  'I will have Thusnelda, but Armin has so far been very useful to me. I will spare him, Hraban. He can ride home, and when I marry his woman, he will be double fooled.' We snickered at the thought, Thumelicus, my Lord. I was no friend to your father, oaths or not.

  'Then you will rule the Marcomanni, Father,' I said happily.

  'Marcomanni, and the Quadi, and you shall not speak with Tudrus the Older again. You will take no coin or service from him.' He put down his bloody knife as he regarded me keenly. 'He was Hulderic's friend, but that time is now past.'

  I nodded carefully.

  We worked hard and then, sweating, sat back. The air was hot and humid, and he gave me more mead from a gourd. He looked at me and saw I was brooding. 'Ask.'

  I nodded. 'Is Tudrus in danger?'

  He shook his head. 'Depends on the Quadi. Some of them will join me. Sibratus will take many men to join us in our future wars. If they let Sibratus come to us? We will see. There are young men amongst them who heed me, even near Tudrus, in addition to Sibratus. But if they deny Sibratus's right to join us? Then, perhaps, he is in danger.' He smiled strangely, and for some reason, I thought of Vannius and wondered how deep Father's plans reached. He continued, 'I do not know what Tallo, the eldest brother will do. Nevertheless, I believe in strong nations, Hraban. Not so much in tribes, but nations. Many things will happen, we will war, drive Rome out. Maybe we will grow? Marcus will be back, we will see.'

  'Where is Marcus?' I asked, startled, as I had not thought of him since I was sent to Bero.

  He laughed. 'He is a trader, a far-travelled man and my eyes. He is scouting for possibilities. So, you married Ermendrud to Wandal? You are a piece of gristle. Perhaps you are my boy. You certainly get into trouble like one. Killing Manno means you are lucky, as well. But this business with Ishild is serious, Hraban. You need heroic deeds, tomorrow, today, in the upcoming war. If Isfried dies, I will kill Tear and Odo. Bark dies as well,' he added. 'He must not survive. He is driven, beyond help for his fears of the prophecy. And for his losses.'

  'How will you get by without your truth speaker?' I asked him, hopefully.

  'I will hire some ugly madman to dance badly in drunken stupor and pay him well for favorable omens,' he told me in all seriousness. 'I learnt that in Rome. Their gods are much more pragmatic than ours.'

  'If Tear and Odo really have power, won't they know you will try to …?'

  'If, if. Hraban.' He waved his hands, frustrated. 'A man plans for success, and so we will have a trap, one where all the flies come,' he told me.

  'Ishild? She carries my child …'

  He laughed. 'Ishild. She can live. I would also like to see a grandson. It is possible we could let you marry both Gunda and Ishild.'

  'Tear claimed it is a girl,' I told him, while dreadfully thinking about marrying two women.

  He made a warding sign with his fingers. 'By Jupiter, a daughter. I suppose that is a start. We will marry her off to some kind chief, and we wait for the sons. I may make more. In any case, help me, and I will tell you what to do,' he said, and pelted me with an acorn.

  I smiled at him but thought of Ishild and how hard it was to understand her. She would be in my life though I did not love her.

  'Son, we can make it work,' he assured. 'I will also marry two women, Thusnelda and Gunhild. Obviously, I won’t give her to Bero. She and I will suit each other fine. It is possible, if the gods agree, for men to marry more than once, if a man can bear such a burden. And Tear's god has agreed.' He grinned, and I thought of happy Koun and wondered what Gunhild thought about it. 'Take this when you go to Isfried. Say you stole it from me. Might need to buy men's loyalty.' He threw the pouch to me. It had pieces of silver, some gold coins.

  I swallowed and took it. He saw my face. 'Ask.' He got up to get on his horse.

  'Do I have brothers and sisters in Rome? Mother worried about that,' I said.

  His features hardened; a look of genuine hurt flickering on his face. 'Whatever happened there, Hraban, is past. If Nihta or Guthbert, or any of the other bastards speak about these matters, remember that warriors gossip more than women. Now I will elevate you; you will be my son and then, perhaps, we will have peace in the end. Let us go.' So we rode, the deer before Father's lap. I felt hopeful, the sun shone warmly, flies did not bother us, and the birds sang, and life was good.

  When we got back to the Hard Hill, it was raining, and a man was riding for us. He squinted at me with unguarded hostility, and then whispered covertly to Maroboodus. Father stiffened, obviously angry. 'Hraban,' he called me. 'Gernot has called a law hearing for this evening. He has told everyone you will answer for your crimes. Odo has made him do this. I will teach Gernot his place, and make him live in a pigsty, but tonight? It is best you leave for Isfried now. It will look good, in fact.'

  I nodded, cursing my foolish brother. Odo had found a willing ally in him. I saw Tudrus's standard leaning in a hall near the Red Hall. A plan was formulating in my mind, one my father might not like. I rode up the hill with Father and dropped the deer off to some slaves and Ermendrud, who looked woodenly at me. Then I rode for Koun.

  I was not content on letting Gernot hump me in public, and would only leave after the hearing. I felt sorry for Maroboodus for having two sons with so many issues.

  CHAPTER XIV

  Koun was sitting outside his drab hall, using an old whetstone on a knife, a woman's knife. He was drawn, obviously tired, but he was not alone. Gunhild was there, talking softly with him while he worked on her tool. They laughed and smiled happily. She touched his hand gingerly and briefly, and his eyes shone like stars. I grinned at him as I walked up. He looked startled; Gunhild's eyes were large like eggs.

  'Well. I am meeting Gernot the law speaker soon. You wish to go before or after me?' I teased Koun, nodding at Gunhild.

  'Hraban!' Gunhild said sternly. 'I was bringing him food!'

  'A chore for simple slaves, no?' I asked demurely, and she huffed as she blushed deeply.

  Koun scowled but could not keep his stern composure. He grinned at her. 'She was bringing me food. But I prefer her company to her cooking.' She scowled at him, smiling after a while.

  She ignored Koun and turned to me. 'How are you, Hraban?'

  I shrugged. 'Well, you know. I seduced an innocent woman, made her pregnant. Koun here has beaten me raw for weeks, and Odo wishes to take me for a trip, save for my poor eyes, legs and arms, and possibly other parts that I value above them. I suppose the hapless women will be safe from my charms if he does, however.'

  Koun laughed raucously as he handed Gunhild her knife. Gunhild blushed, but whispered at me, 'Your grandfather told me that you need to be careful.'

  I spat. 'How is the murderer?'

  She scowled at me. 'He is sick. Let time pass, Hraban. Perhaps it was all Bero's doing?'

  'Oh, the one who took the coin from Antius the Trader for the deaths of my family claims it was Bero alone? How is it he had Mother's fibula?' I sneered, regretting it as I saw her face.

  Gunhild looked upset, about to say something, but shut her mouth as Koun placed a hand on hers. The man pushed her on her way. 'Well, Gunhild. I will speak with Hraban.'

  She went, smiled at me briefly and sadly, and Koun nodded at his bench. I sat down. 'The hall is empty but for slaves and a guard in the shadows. T
hey watch me ceaselessly. Dog's life, eh?'

  'Yes. It is. Did you know Maroboodus will marry her?' He stopped, and his face went white. He said nothing, licked his lips, and trembled. 'He will marry Thusnelda too. He will be very busy at nights,' I told him mercilessly. 'I bet he cannot ride for weeks when they both move in.'

  He grabbed me roughly and then let me go abruptly. Then he stood up and sat back down, indecisive if he should scream and cry. 'Hercules curse him!' he said with gritted teeth.

  'He is a goat,' I said hypocritically.

  Koun looked at me incredulously. 'You know what they call you? Why do you torment me so? You are close to him these days. Why do you … does she know she will marry him?'

  I shrugged. 'She might not. She is unlucky in so many ways. Father is a traitor, and she is smitten with a goat-smelling Vangione. There is something wrong with her.' His face brightened as if the sun had come out after a week of rain. I stood and faced him. 'I serve Maroboodus. It does not mean I hate you. If you must know, I arranged it so Gunhild started to come here with the meals.'

  'Not only do you make yourself an immoral bastard by humping women not meant for you, you try to drag me to Hel as well, eh? But I thank you.' He smiled wistfully as he watched Gunhild go up the hill.

  I continued, 'So, perhaps you can pay me back. You would know about the Hermanduri war. I just now heard a man brag as he insulted Tudrus the Older. I hear this man called Tudrus a foul coward. If you heard this, and were to testify so, this evening at Gernot's law speaking, I might try to help do anything in my modest power to free Gunhild from her bonds of marriage. Father might listen to me. He will owe me greatly.'

  He considered it. Desire was playing on his face with deep doubt. 'I cannot have her here. Only if we can escape this place. I doubt your father listens to you, but there are other ways you might help. We will make a plan of escape, and you will provide the means to pull it off. If you help us go, I might swear that this man has done the deed. I do not like to lie, however, you know this. Who is the man who spoke so of Tudrus?'