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Authors: Michael O'Neill
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longhouse, Brina, with Caewyn holding her grandmother’s hand, waited. Conn stopped and alighted from the horse. Caewyn came to him and they hugged.
‘I will miss you’, she whispered into his ear, ‘but we will meet again soon. You have also given us hope, though my grandmother doesn’t see it yet. When you need me, I will be there, just as you were for me; I’m building a Fyrd for you.’
‘A Fyrd?’
‘Yes, you will need a Fyrd one day – five hundred wiga with your mighty bow, on your horses. They will be magnificent. Oh, and I almost forgot; take special care of any Silekians you find. They need your help, and they will be of use to you. Goodbye.’
‘Goodbye Caewyn; I’ll remember what you said.’ And as she walked back to her grandmother, she turned and waved, and at her heels was the Maremma pup that he had given her. He had only recently found out that her mother had been abducted by Rakians, seven years ago. All the wiga guarding her had been killed, including Caewyn’s father, and her mother and a cempestre had disappeared into Rakia. It made him even more curious why she had not been more distressed when he had rescued them that many months before.
‘Farewell Feorhhyrde’, Brina spoke, ‘Fair travels, until we meet again.’
‘Farewell and thank you.’ Conn said as he rode away, confused. He didn’t know why he was going to need a Fyrd.
CHAPTER 04
On the third day they passed through a narrow valley that provided the entry from Tabae to Halani; around them high peaks still had a covering of snow. The final entrance was a narrow canyon that provided excellent defense against an invasion. Finally in Lykia, they headed downhill into the Eaorldom of Tabae, through an honor guard of wiga who would be going no further.
Derryth was disappointed, ‘It is a long time since we have ridden amongst the Priecuman; so this is as far as we can go today.’ He broke into a broad smile. ‘I think that you will be enough surprise for them all by yourself – I would really like to be there to see that!’
‘I think you have too much fun at my expense, Derryth.’
They laughed together until Derryth got serious and pointed to the forest. ‘Feorhhyrde, do you see the tall trees at the edge of the forest?’
‘I do.’
‘Well, if you need us or you are coming into the great forest, put an arrow in the tree at the highest point. You can see a gap in the branches… at that spot? Then we will come as soon as we are able.’ He looked at Conn suspiciously. ‘Do you think you could put an arrow into that tree?’
‘I can but try.’ Conn responded.
They both laughed, and he hugged Conn and rode away, leaving Elva with him.
Elva smiled. ‘Farewell, Feorhhyrde; until we meet again.’ She reached over and kissed him. ‘It has not been so bad being bed-mate to a Priecuman. I don’t know why everyone complains so much. We will take care of your son.’
Conn was surprised, ‘It is a boy?’
‘Yes, I am told it is a boy’, she replied. ‘In case we don’t see each other before he is born, what name do you wish to call him?’
Conn thought for a while – until the idea suddenly was very clear to him. ‘Jowan. Jowan was my grandfather’s name.’
‘Jowan il Taransay…’ She stopped to consider. ‘Jowan – yes, he is happy with that name.’
Conn laughed, not realizing that she was serious. ‘I’m glad he’s happy. Bid him adieu for me then. And farewell to you as well, Elva, travel in peace; I am truly sorry that we must part.’
‘But part we must; though I don’t believe that it will be for that long. I’m sure that we will see each other again soon. Perhaps you will need to fornicate again – your werhad certainly is large.’ She broke into an even bigger smile. She kissed him again. ‘Travel in peace.’ And with that she rode away. They all waved, rode into the canyon and were soon out of sight.
‘Well, that is not something you see every day.’ Abrekan stated, as
‘I will miss you’, she whispered into his ear, ‘but we will meet again soon. You have also given us hope, though my grandmother doesn’t see it yet. When you need me, I will be there, just as you were for me; I’m building a Fyrd for you.’
‘A Fyrd?’
‘Yes, you will need a Fyrd one day – five hundred wiga with your mighty bow, on your horses. They will be magnificent. Oh, and I almost forgot; take special care of any Silekians you find. They need your help, and they will be of use to you. Goodbye.’
‘Goodbye Caewyn; I’ll remember what you said.’ And as she walked back to her grandmother, she turned and waved, and at her heels was the Maremma pup that he had given her. He had only recently found out that her mother had been abducted by Rakians, seven years ago. All the wiga guarding her had been killed, including Caewyn’s father, and her mother and a cempestre had disappeared into Rakia. It made him even more curious why she had not been more distressed when he had rescued them that many months before.
‘Farewell Feorhhyrde’, Brina spoke, ‘Fair travels, until we meet again.’
‘Farewell and thank you.’ Conn said as he rode away, confused. He didn’t know why he was going to need a Fyrd.
CHAPTER 04
On the third day they passed through a narrow valley that provided the entry from Tabae to Halani; around them high peaks still had a covering of snow. The final entrance was a narrow canyon that provided excellent defense against an invasion. Finally in Lykia, they headed downhill into the Eaorldom of Tabae, through an honor guard of wiga who would be going no further.
Derryth was disappointed, ‘It is a long time since we have ridden amongst the Priecuman; so this is as far as we can go today.’ He broke into a broad smile. ‘I think that you will be enough surprise for them all by yourself – I would really like to be there to see that!’
‘I think you have too much fun at my expense, Derryth.’
They laughed together until Derryth got serious and pointed to the forest. ‘Feorhhyrde, do you see the tall trees at the edge of the forest?’
‘I do.’
‘Well, if you need us or you are coming into the great forest, put an arrow in the tree at the highest point. You can see a gap in the branches… at that spot? Then we will come as soon as we are able.’ He looked at Conn suspiciously. ‘Do you think you could put an arrow into that tree?’
‘I can but try.’ Conn responded.
They both laughed, and he hugged Conn and rode away, leaving Elva with him.
Elva smiled. ‘Farewell, Feorhhyrde; until we meet again.’ She reached over and kissed him. ‘It has not been so bad being bed-mate to a Priecuman. I don’t know why everyone complains so much. We will take care of your son.’
Conn was surprised, ‘It is a boy?’
‘Yes, I am told it is a boy’, she replied. ‘In case we don’t see each other before he is born, what name do you wish to call him?’
Conn thought for a while – until the idea suddenly was very clear to him. ‘Jowan. Jowan was my grandfather’s name.’
‘Jowan il Taransay…’ She stopped to consider. ‘Jowan – yes, he is happy with that name.’
Conn laughed, not realizing that she was serious. ‘I’m glad he’s happy. Bid him adieu for me then. And farewell to you as well, Elva, travel in peace; I am truly sorry that we must part.’
‘But part we must; though I don’t believe that it will be for that long. I’m sure that we will see each other again soon. Perhaps you will need to fornicate again – your werhad certainly is large.’ She broke into an even bigger smile. She kissed him again. ‘Travel in peace.’ And with that she rode away. They all waved, rode into the canyon and were soon out of sight.
‘Well, that is not something you see every day.’ Abrekan stated, as
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