They were cleverly using the excess funds to lure mercenaries to their cause. They had their sights set on the ultimate prize. The rich lands on the western banks of the Danube.
Although tempting, it was too risky to follow the war band. They would soon realise that their scout was missing and if they found us, the odds were not good.
We travelled at least five miles to the north and then resumed our course to the Gothic fort.
We must have wasted a day or even two, but eventually our Huns found the settlement of the Thervingi.
Unsurprisingly, it was a hill fort, but much larger than I had expected. The fort was more or less square, protected by a wooden palisade on all four sides. Each of the sides of the palisade was at least half a mile long.
I could see guards with spears patrolling the walls. Bradakos had told me that the iudex of the Goths was called Argunt. The same ruler who had engineered the incursions into Pannonia.
My plan was simple. Marcus, Cai and myself would just ride up to the gates of the fort and announce ourselves. I tried to come up with something better, but I could not. Neither could Marcus or the ever wise Cai.
I instructed our Hun scouts to remain hidden and wait for us for at least seven days.
Marcus and I groomed our horses, made sure our armour and clothes were spotless and walked our horses out of the forest to the gates of the Gothic town, with Cai trailing behind.
We were moving slowly towards the open gates. Nobody noticed us at first. The only thing that set us apart from other travellers were our distinct Roman military garb.
A guard at the gate had the clarity of mind to call out an alarm and soon we were surrounded by a dozen guards addressing us in some unintelligible Gothic dialect.
As we rehearsed I spoke in Scythian: “We are ambassadors from the great King of the West, come to pay homage to the King of the Goths.”
The captain of the guard stared at us blankly, but one of his subordinates walked up to him and spoke to him in a low voice. I assumed he knew some Scythian.
We were taken inside the fort and the captain of the guard gestured for us to wait. Within a sixth of a watch, a man arrived. His hair and beard was nearly white with age, but his bearing was that of a noble. He was dressed in rich furs and a longsword hung from his belt.
The man spoke to us in passable Scythian and said: “My name is Hildebald, Erilaz of the Thervingi. What is your business in the lands of the Goths?”
As Marcus were unable to understand or speak a word of Scythian, I answered.
“Earl, I am called Lucius, and this man is Lord Marcus.” I did not mention the name of Cai, as he was a servant and not worth a mention.
“We are ambassadors of the Roman Emperor, come to deliver a message to the iudex of the Thervingi.”
I inclined my head as a sign of respect.
“You are welcome to our land, Romans. I offer you my hospitality.”
Hospitality is not only a word in the land of the Germanic tribes. When you are offered hospitality, it means that your safety is ensured and that you have the right to be granted any reasonable request. The reverse is also true so that should you accept hospitality, a reasonable request put to you may not be refused.
We followed Earl Hildebald to his home. His home, or rather compound, was enormous.
There were three large buildings made from wooden logs. His oathsworn warriors were lounging around one of the halls, which was clearly where they resided. Some were engaging in talk while others trained with swords and spears.
“Your servant will stay in the stables with your horses”, Hildebald said and pointed to one of the large buildings. He exchanged some words with a servant, who led Cai away with the horses in tow.
We walked to the great hall of the earl.
In the dim light of the interior, a woman, of the same age as Hildebald, walked towards us. She fell in next to Hildebald and he said: “This is my wife, Avagisa.”
Marcus and I both inclined our heads as Hildebald introduced us to his wife.
Avagisa looked at me and replied in perfect Scythian: “I was the one who taught Hildebald Scythian. I am from the Greuthungi of the northern steppes.”
She looked at me curiously and asked: “How come a Roman officer speaks fluent Scythian?”
“My mother was of the Roxolani, Lady”, I replied.
I noticed that Hildebald flinched when I mentioned the name of my people. Avagisa was a perceptive woman. She winked at me and said: “Do not be concerned about my husband’s reaction, they have had little success in their effort to bring the Roxolani to heel.”
Contrary to my expectations, I immediately warmed to Hildebald and Avagisa. For some reason she made me feel at home, like the mother I never had.
I turned to Marcus and related my conversation to him.
Marcus shrugged and said: “We have no decision making power, we are only messengers. I expected to be killed on sight. This looks to be a much better alternative. Let’s just relax and enjoy our time here.”
Hildebald said: “I have sent a message to the iudex. When we are summoned, I will accompany you.
Unlike me, my brother Argunt is a very suspicious man.”
Chapter 19 – Kniva
Hildebald had hardly finished speaking when someone burst into the hall.
A girl, maybe three or four years my junior walked briskly towards the earl and embraced him.
“Thank you, Father, the horse is magnificent.”
She was tall for a woman, with white blonde hair. What drew my attention was her eyes which nearly matched her hair.
She turned to me, said something in her language and smiled.
All I could do was to smile back like the idiot I was.
Her mother came to my rescue and said in Scythian: “These men are from the lands of the Romans, Segelinde. They are emissaries come to see your uncle. Your father has extended hospitality to them and they will be staying with us. This here is Lucius and the other is Lord Marcus.”
I was so focused on Segelinde that I did not see the young man who appeared on the other side of the earl. He spoke and it made me jump, only to appear a greater fool in front of the beautiful girl.
Like his sister and mother, he spoke Scythian and said: “I am Cannabaudes, but please call me Kniva.”
I could not help but notice that he shared his sister’s good looks with a fierce intelligence emanating from his blue eyes.
I decided to match his spontaneity and replied: “I am Lucius, but you may call me Eochar.”
Marcus tapped me on the back bringing me back from the spell and I quickly added: “And this is Lord Marcus.”
We were shown to our quarters, a room within the hall, separated from the rest by wooden panelling.
Cai delivered our baggage to the room, which included our weapons.
“I am sorry that you have to sleep in the stables, Cai”, I said.
He replied: “Horse better company than Goth”, and winked at me.
Cai never did mind to play the willing servant and although I felt a bit bad about it, he did volunteer. It also placed him in a position to scout the area without drawing too much attention to himself.
Later that afternoon Segelinde invited us to share some drinks with the family.
She poured each of the men a horn of an unidentifiable substance, which smelled like mead. As I had a less than satisfactory experience with mead years ago, I was reluctant at first. Segelinde explained that it is a brew made only for special occasions. It contained barley, honey, meadowsweet and mint. Just to be on the safe side, I drank sparingly.
I was not accustomed to the presence of women when it came to family gatherings, so it was the closest I have ever come to a real family feast. Although I tried not to show it, I was infatuated with Segelinde.
Throughout the evening I acted as interpreter between Marcus and the others. Our hosts were extremely inquisitive about the Romans. All they knew was that the Romans are a war like people
who lived to the west, beyond the great river. They understood that the Romans, not unlike the Goths, had subjugated many tribes and races and had incorporated them into their empire. It was also told that the Roman lands contained unimaginable treasure and wealth, available to the warriors strong enough to conquer its countless legions.
We tried to be as honest as possible in our answers, obviously refusing to answer any question that could be seen as giving away military secrets. Our hosts were respectful and understanding.
I never imagined that I would feel so comfortable among the Goths. I did not forget that they were my sworn enemies and although I liked the family, I was destined to face the Goths on the field of battle.
As was our habit, Marcus and I awoke before sunrise the next morning. We soon realised that we were the only ones awake. The last thing we wanted to do was to wake our hosts prematurely. We stayed in the room in hushed conversation for what felt like a watch.
The sun was already high when servants carried in two wooden baths. Soon they had them filled with hot water.
Romans believe that barbarians are filthy savages. That was far from the truth.
We enjoyed the bath, afterwards drying ourselves with the pieces of linen provided. The servants had added herbs to the bath water which left us smelling good and feeling refreshed.
The smell of grilled smoked pork filled the hall as we emerged in our clean tunics.
The food was placed on a table close to the hearth fire. I was confronted with another difference in culture. Rather than the family taking their food together, seated around a single table, each person took the food that was to his liking and sat apart from each other.
Kniva was putting an edge to his sword, while Segelinde was stitching a garment, intermittently picking at the meat in her bowl.
Hildebald was sitting at a small table, eating and already enjoying some of the brew we shared the previous evening.
Before we could object, a servant handed each of us a sizeable horn filled with the same brew. It did go down well with the fatty meat and rich cheese that accompanied the meal.
While we were enjoying the meal, a messenger arrived for Hildebald.
Once everyone had finished eating, Hildebald walked over to us and said: “I have had word from Argunt, or rather from his household. The Costobocci on our Eastern borders have been causing mischief and the iudex has travelled there to address the problem. They could not tell me when he would be back.”
He continued: “Do not be concerned. You are welcome to our hospitality until the king returns.”
Segelinde was sitting within earshot and I could see her smiling at the news.
Kniva suggested: “Father, why do we not go hunting today. I am sure our guests would enjoy it.”
The earl allowed Marcus and me to use two of his horses. I was surprised at the quality of the animals.
Hildebald walked up to me while I was stroking the flanks of the gelding and said: “It is not good that you ride around on the horses used by our mortal enemies. People will talk and it will reach the ear of the king.”
He did not look at me and I did not reply. What could I say?
I took my Hunnic bow, unstrung within its leather holder. My jian sword was strapped to my saddle. Kniva handed me a boar spear.
Marcus took only his sword. He was given a spear as well.
The forest that we rode through teemed with game.
Kniva must have noticed my surprise and said: “This part of the forest is reserved for the nobility.”
As we rode deeper into the forest, the canopy became denser and it was as if it had become early dusk.
One of the oathsworn that accompanied us rode thirty paces in front. He held up his hand and all of us came to a stop.
I heard the unmistakeable squealing made by juvenile wild boar. Kniva dismounted.
Thirty paces to my left, a huge sow appeared, sniffing the air.
Kniva did not hesitate. He took a step towards the animal and threw his spear. If I had not witnessed it, I would have thought it impossible to launch a spear with such force. The heavy spear struck the sow like a thunderbolt. It went straight through the thick ribcage, slicing through the heart and vital organs.
I was still in awe of what I saw when a massive boar burst from the undergrowth close to where the sow lay.
Kniva proved to me that his first feat was not by chance. He calmly launched the second spear at the enormous animal, running at full speed.
The spear hit the animal so hard that its legs buckled. It skidded through the dead leaves, coming to a rest about ten paces away. Marcus and I were ready to save Kniva should the animal rise again, but the throw had been so powerful that the animal was killed instantly.
I had always been proud of my martial prowess and it was a rude awakening for me to realise that there may actually be men that possessed more skill or talent.
Marcus was still staring at me, wide eyed, when I turned to a grinning Kniva and said: “Kniva, I have never seen anyone yield a spear the way you did just now.”
His father replied from ten paces away: “That is why I never go hunting with him anymore. I never get a chance to kill anything.” He pointed with his spear to the dead boar: “This is how they all arrive.”
At least we did not go home empty-handed. Both Marcus and I ended up spearing a small boar from horseback, although it was nothing as impressive as Kniva’s feats.
We did not go hunting again, but we spent the following couple of days riding with Kniva and Segelinde.
We explored the forest and inspected the cattle herds of the earl, or just rode to view some interesting landmarks. At least four of Hildebald’s oathsworn accompanied us every time. They were hard men. I counted the scars on their forearms and faces. I am sure that I could have dealt with them without breaking a sweat, should I had wanted to, but I did nothing to imply that I possessed such skill.
Chapter 20 - Feast
A messenger arrived and informed Hildebald of the return of his brother, the iudex.
Argunt let us stew for three days before granting us an audience.
During that time we learned that he had dealt the Costobocci a crushing defeat. It might not have been a war, but it was a major skirmish at the least.
The victorious army consisted of five hundred Goths and five hundred Heruli. No prisoners were taken. The Costobocci had apparently laid down their arms but the Heruli slaughtered them to the last man.
Allow me to digress. Only a Goth is allowed be king of the Thervingi.
The Goth warriors will only follow a brave ruler, who leads from the front. Argunt, like his brother Hildebald, was past his prime. The king had no children.
All this I gained from my conversations with Segelinde and Kniva. This played a major role in the events that were about to unfold.
Hildebald accompanied Marcus and I to the hall of the king.
We left our weapons at the home of our host and the guards ushered us inside after searching us for concealed weapons.
Argunt was a powerful, muscular man, even though he was past his prime. Like Hildebald, his beard and hair was grey.
The king was seated on an elevated chair. To his right stood a monster of a man. His broad shoulders were covered with the skin of a white bear. His braided hair matched the hair of the animal. His chain mail extended to his knees, with his lower legs protected by bronze greaves.
Strange tattoos were etched between the white scars on his forearms and his left cheek. They were the magic writings of the Heruli, the masters of the runes.
All in our group went down on one knee. The king did not give us permission to rise.
Marcus held the leather tube containing the scrolls in his hand and offered it to the king. A servant took it and handed it to the king who inspected the seal and nodded.
He opened the tube and took out the scroll. The message was written in both Latin and Greek.
The king called out a name and a man appeared who bowed to
him. Argunt handed him the scroll and he read the content in silence. I assumed the man was a Greek.
He approached Argunt and in a low whisper related the content to the king, who was clearly pleased.
He smiled and said something to Hildebald, which none of us could understand. Hildebald turned to me and said in Scythian: “King Argunt accepts to meet with your emperor. He will compose a message for you to take back to your master.”
Argunt dismissed us with a wave of his hand. We bowed low and backed out of the hall.
When we were outside Marcus said to me: “That was easier than I expected. I initially thought that this was a suicide mission but it turned out to be more like a holiday.”
“Do not tempt fate, my friend”, I said. “But I do tend to agree with you.”
During the afternoon we were all summoned to attend a feast that same evening. Hildebald and his whole family were to join us.
Marcus and I dressed in our official military garb. Marcus’s bronze and black muscled cuirass and plumed helmet made my centurion’s uniform look bland in comparison. Hildebald and Kniva both wore brown woollen leggings with richly embroidered tunics and soft brown leather boots. Both were draped in thick green woollen cloaks fastened with large silver brooches.
Avagisa and Segelinde wore blue cotton dresses. Their cloaks matched those of the men, but their brooches were studded with a variety of precious gemstones.
I struggled to keep my eyes off Segelinde, worried that all would notice.
Hildebald lived close to the hall of the king and at the appointed time we left, escorted by his oathsworn. The Gothic warriors walked at the front of our retinue, clearing the streets for their earl.
The feast was not an intimate family affair.
There were at least a hundred people in attendance. I did not mind, as Marcus and I were seated opposite Segelinde and Kniva. Hildebald and Avagisa sat with the important elders.
Slaves brought platters of meat. Mutton, boar, deer and pork.
Unlike a Roman affair, the guests were laughing and shouting out load. Not that different from a Roxolani or a Hun feast.
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