decided to wait and see what you were going to do.’ He paused before asking. ‘What would you have done about me?’
‘I honestly don’t know.’
~oo0oo~
Conn took his family – except for Sarun and Asbera who wanted to stay with their kin, and headed out the next morning. At the head of the Browns, he headed north towards Dor, a six-day ride. It was not as comfortable as it could be with all the villages along the way deserted and the fields abandoned. Luckily for Kania, they could quickly return to their fields and homes as the Ancuman would be going home, and Farrun hadn’t burned anything to the ground.
As Conn arrived on the outskirts of Dor, he sent forth a messenger telling the Eaorl of Dor that Conn was on his way. The Eaorl was expecting him – he just wasn’t sure when – because Sir Njil was sure to be in the castle already, waiting.
Inside the huge walls, Conn headed for the main hall where Arlen and Brit and their families waited for him; it had been 17 years since Conn had arranged their joining and they had three children together. Conn knew that the eldest, a boy, was serving in the Meshech Navy as a Cadet. Arlen also had several other children with other bedda.
Conn dismounted and gave the pair a hug. It was over ten years since he had last seen them in Rakiak.
Conn looked around. ‘I see that Dor has prospered.’
Arlen bowed gracefully. He was still fairly fit and athletic. Prosperity hadn’t gone to his head – or worse, his waist. ‘With no little help from your kind self. Why don’t you come inside and tell me why I have three hundred ships in my harbour? Njil has been keeping me company but hasn’t been telling me much more.’
After a long discussion and not a few pints of beer, Arlen was extremely bemused. ‘So let me get this right. You are taking the invading fyrd from Kishdah back to Kishdah to invade Kishdah.’
‘It’s not like I’m invading – I’m just helping the oppressed against the oppressor. I won’t be attacking anyone other than Axum – and folgere of course. All good fun stuff.’
‘It really doesn’t pay to get on your bad side! So when do they start to arrive – all five thousand of them?’
‘Within three days. I will leave it to you and Njil to organize it so that we can get them straight on to the ships and away. It should take no more than a few days – and we’ll load the smaller, slower vessels first – the Ancuman vessels. We need to speak to the Ancuman ship Masters – all those that are not Axum of course.’
‘I’ll send for them. I’ll be very happy to get rid of them. They are very good eaters. Thank the Gyden you are paying for their food.’
So by the time the first of the Ancuman wiga arrived, the Masters were ready – their crews more than happy about going home. As it turned out, most of the ships in harbour were crewed by men from the Southern Isles. The Axum had mostly sunk their vessels, and what crews had survived were spread out amongst all the other boats.
Volund and the Alwa forces were the first to arrive, and steady streams of riders started to appear. They were guided down the cobbled streets in ordered columns to the wharf. There they dismounted, loaded their horses on before settling themselves on board. As each ship was filled, it pulled away from the wharf, and was replaced by another. The loaded vessels headed north for open water, and then turned to the north-east for Kishdah.
As the last of the ships were being loaded, Volund went in search of Conn. ‘Have you considered my request?’ he asked.
‘I have. I trust you to take care of him, so he can go with you.’
‘He is as my son.’ He smiled. ‘In this I actually fear Kutidi more than you. And that says a lot.’
Soon after he arrived in Dor, Volund requested that Sarun be allowed to continue to travel with the men from Alwa, as was fitting for an Aebeling from Alwa.
Later, Conn stood on the docks and watched his third son wave goodbye,
‘I honestly don’t know.’
~oo0oo~
Conn took his family – except for Sarun and Asbera who wanted to stay with their kin, and headed out the next morning. At the head of the Browns, he headed north towards Dor, a six-day ride. It was not as comfortable as it could be with all the villages along the way deserted and the fields abandoned. Luckily for Kania, they could quickly return to their fields and homes as the Ancuman would be going home, and Farrun hadn’t burned anything to the ground.
As Conn arrived on the outskirts of Dor, he sent forth a messenger telling the Eaorl of Dor that Conn was on his way. The Eaorl was expecting him – he just wasn’t sure when – because Sir Njil was sure to be in the castle already, waiting.
Inside the huge walls, Conn headed for the main hall where Arlen and Brit and their families waited for him; it had been 17 years since Conn had arranged their joining and they had three children together. Conn knew that the eldest, a boy, was serving in the Meshech Navy as a Cadet. Arlen also had several other children with other bedda.
Conn dismounted and gave the pair a hug. It was over ten years since he had last seen them in Rakiak.
Conn looked around. ‘I see that Dor has prospered.’
Arlen bowed gracefully. He was still fairly fit and athletic. Prosperity hadn’t gone to his head – or worse, his waist. ‘With no little help from your kind self. Why don’t you come inside and tell me why I have three hundred ships in my harbour? Njil has been keeping me company but hasn’t been telling me much more.’
After a long discussion and not a few pints of beer, Arlen was extremely bemused. ‘So let me get this right. You are taking the invading fyrd from Kishdah back to Kishdah to invade Kishdah.’
‘It’s not like I’m invading – I’m just helping the oppressed against the oppressor. I won’t be attacking anyone other than Axum – and folgere of course. All good fun stuff.’
‘It really doesn’t pay to get on your bad side! So when do they start to arrive – all five thousand of them?’
‘Within three days. I will leave it to you and Njil to organize it so that we can get them straight on to the ships and away. It should take no more than a few days – and we’ll load the smaller, slower vessels first – the Ancuman vessels. We need to speak to the Ancuman ship Masters – all those that are not Axum of course.’
‘I’ll send for them. I’ll be very happy to get rid of them. They are very good eaters. Thank the Gyden you are paying for their food.’
So by the time the first of the Ancuman wiga arrived, the Masters were ready – their crews more than happy about going home. As it turned out, most of the ships in harbour were crewed by men from the Southern Isles. The Axum had mostly sunk their vessels, and what crews had survived were spread out amongst all the other boats.
Volund and the Alwa forces were the first to arrive, and steady streams of riders started to appear. They were guided down the cobbled streets in ordered columns to the wharf. There they dismounted, loaded their horses on before settling themselves on board. As each ship was filled, it pulled away from the wharf, and was replaced by another. The loaded vessels headed north for open water, and then turned to the north-east for Kishdah.
As the last of the ships were being loaded, Volund went in search of Conn. ‘Have you considered my request?’ he asked.
‘I have. I trust you to take care of him, so he can go with you.’
‘He is as my son.’ He smiled. ‘In this I actually fear Kutidi more than you. And that says a lot.’
Soon after he arrived in Dor, Volund requested that Sarun be allowed to continue to travel with the men from Alwa, as was fitting for an Aebeling from Alwa.
Later, Conn stood on the docks and watched his third son wave goodbye,
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