The Bretwalda (The Casere Book 4) by Michael O'Neill

Kutidi’s grandfather Svengur only had surviving daughters from several Axum bedda – only his bedda from Alwa had a son – Saera, Kutidi’s father. With only daughters, some cousin of the Bretwalda took one of them as bedda – he had the choice – and became Aebeling. He is Borgsyn’s father. In Nobatia?’ He looked to Farrun.
    ‘The Aebeling is Arnben. He is my uncle and is very unwell. He has a son, Erikurl, who is also unwell. He was born a few years ago. I have no reason to hate them. Arnben was of great assistance to me a couple of years ago.’
    Conn looked back at Volund. ‘You said that Makurai doesn’t have an heir. No children at all?’
    Rendel, the Folctoga of Makurai, answered the question. ‘None officially. His inclinations are almost exclusively otherwise directed. But he has inadvertently sired a son with a girl who was not his official bedda. She was fifteen at the time. Their son’s name is Eldarr. He is my adopted son as his mother became my bedda.’
    ‘I see. And where is this Eldarr now?
    ‘He is here – in my fyrd, as a junior Folctoga. He is a good and capable wiga – like Folctoga Farrun, he achieved his rank the hard way. Although I have raised him as my own, I know his father is aware of him, and has acknowledged him.’
    ‘So Saba, Himyar, and Makuria have Aebelings that we need to worry about. The question is how do we do that?’ He looked around the table. ‘Farrun, after we land on Saba, what is going to happen?’
    Farrun was stunned. ‘After “we” land?’
    ‘Yes, I’m going with you.’
    ‘You are intending on going to Kishdah – with your fyrd?’
    ‘Of course. I don’t think that you can do it without me – not without causing a lot more deaths than necessary. Most of the Axum forces are in Gatina so resistance will be minimal. After I help you rid the Axum from the southern isles, I’ll return to deal with the Axum here.’
    Farrun laughed aloud. ‘So you have a whole plan to – what – restore the Healdend to rule.’ He stopped laughing when Conn didn’t join him. ‘You’re serious – but you have forgotten the folgere.’
    Suddenly very serious, Conn shook his head. ‘No, never – I will never forget the folgere. That is my sole motivation. They have chosen to attack one of mine and for that they will all pay. They are on the very top of my list. When we get there, you’ll deal with the Axum and I’ll deal with the folgere.’
    ‘I guess you haven’t forgotten anything then.’
    ‘I don’t think so.’
    ‘I’m starting to believe that myself. Anyway, I can’t think of a better plan, so if everyone agrees,’ he looked around and all his commanders nodded, ‘then I guess that is what we do. It will take us two days to be ready to ride.’
    ‘Good; we will leave in the morning and expect you in a few days after we arrive.’
    ‘I don’t really know what I’ve got myself into; but okay.’
    Conn stood to leave. ‘Farrun, I have another question. You have no Twacuman in your camp? I hear the Aebeling has many.’
    He nodded. ‘I chose not to bring any. A report I read – though it was not reported in ANY of the official reports of the military failures in Meshech or Sytha – said that you are called the Feorhhyrde. If you are really the Feorhhyrde, then I could not trust any Twacuman under my command. There was no point in having people here I could not trust.’
    ‘The Aebeling ignored your advice?’
    Farrun smiled. ‘I forget if I remembered to tell him my thoughts on the subject. Besides, as a half breed, he doesn’t listen to me anyway. We’ve had a few clashes in the past.’
    ‘His instructions would not have been to settle in Kania either.’
    It was a broader smile this time. ‘Indeed; he wanted me to attack Kaniak and then Moetiak. A fool’s errand. I would like to think that we would have held our own but eventually we would have all died. Folctoga Volund was very insistent about us NOT attacking your fyrd. So I