[Brytenwalda AAR] Cathair - A Dark Ages Tale.

[johnhughthom]

Cathair - A Dark Ages Tale.

Prologue, The bandits:

The bandits, a dishevelled group perhaps a dozen strong, stared in disbelief at the forest clearing. They had left early that morning to raid a village a few hour distant they had heard had a large number of sheep had been reared in the prvious few months. As they crept nearer the village a shout had gone up, a sentry had spotted them and alerted the village militia. The militia had round the same number of men as the bandits, but they were armed with proper weapons and wore poor quality armour. The bandits were armed with clubs and rocks, and dressed in fur and rags. Seeing the futility of the situation the fled the scene and walked back to their camp in miserable silence. At least they had a large amount of dried meat and fur blankets back at camp, they wouldn't starve or freeze to death quite yet. Or would they?

They ran in to the camp looking around for clues as to what had happened, the camp was well hidden, miles from any track used by peasants or other bandits. They had left one boy behind to watch the camp, a worthless scamp of sixteen summers they had thought would never have the audacity to steal from them. It seemed they were wrong, there was no trace of any others having been here, no signs of a struggle. If the boy had hidden nearby surely he would have noticed his companions return and rushed out to tell them who had robbed them? No, it was obvious what had happened here. They looked at each other and immediately set off south, toward Dun lasgach, the only place within fifty miles the thief would be able to sell his ill gotten gains.

[johnhughthom]

Chapter One, A reformed bandit:

Cathair had never been in a large settlement before and stood for a few moments, in awe of the sturdy stone buildings of Dun lasgach. He quickly moved on as he noticed the town guards watching him warily, not catching either man's eye he moved into the town, looking for merchants to pass on the furs and dried meat taken in his flight from the bandit camp. He walked past merchants selling arms, armour, clothing and horses into the town centre where he saw a general goods stall beside a tavern. Excellent he thought, he could unload his items and get a good meal. He got a good price from the merchant for the furs, and sold the dried meat for a nice sum and a loaf of bread. Before going to the tavern he went to the arms merchant and bought a decent bow and spear, the dull knife he had been given to guard the bandit camp would barely cut his hard bread, never mind a man's flesh.

The tavern was warm and brightly lit, a novelty for Cathair who had been brought up in dark hovels open to the elements. As he went toward the tavernkeep to order some food and rent a room a pretty serving girl smiled at him. "Hello my friend, my name's Ceara, what can I get you?" Cathair's face reddened, he was unused to talking to young women. "Err, some broth please..." She smiled again, "Of course, have a seat and I'll bring it over to you."

Cathair sat at a table on his own, there were one or two other customers nut he kept his head down avoiding eye contact, especially with the pretty young Ceara. Soon she brought his food over and set it down in front of him, "So, you new to Dun lasgach? I haven't seen you in here before, you must work for the Ard Tiarna with fine weapons like those?" Cathairn went bright red and grunted. The girl smiled, her expression not showing if she took the grunt as a yes, a rude dismissal or simply the reply of an idiot. "See you around."

Cathair wolfed the food down and fled the tavern, giving a soldier wearing only trousers and a cape a curious glance as he walked past. What a strange outfit for a warrior, still he looked tough and Cathair didn't risk offending him, anyways he was still thinking about the friendly serving girl.

His teenage lust almost cost him his life, as he went to the stables to reclaim the horse he had also taken when he fled the bandit camp he failed to notice a familiar face. One of the bandits had ran ahead of the others to scout the town and see if he could spot Cathair before he left. Rather than wait until the rest of the party caught up he decided to take matters into his own hands and followed the boy until the were alone in a quiet street. Creeping up behind Cathair, he had almost reached him when he stepped in some horse manure and slipped backwards. Cathair turned quickly and drew his dull cutting knife. he had no time to take his spear or notch an arrow, caught unaware as he was. Taking advantage of the fall he quickly drove the knife into the man' neck, the dull blade resisting all the way. As he pulled it out a gush of blood spurted out and the man lay still, dead or dying.

All thoughts of the tavern wench swept from his mind, Cathair knew he was in trouble, the bandits probably had other spies in town or lying in wait outside, it would be difficult to leave undetected, especially with a horse. He had to think of something quickly, or his short life of freedom would be the final chapter of a short, pathetic life.

[johnhughthom]

Chapter 2, A new life begins:

As Cathairn walked through the streets desperately trying to think of a way out of town his thoughts kept returning to the friendly tavern wench, even though he knew he needed to keep a clear head to get out of this situation. Then he remembered the Lord she had mentioned,the Ard Tiarna, perhaps he could help. If the girl Ceara thought he looked like one of the Lord's men perhaps he could pass himself off as a man useful to a great Lord. Steeling himself he went to the castle looming over the town, showing a confidence he didn't really feel he strode past the guards into the main chamber where Ard Tiarna was holding court.

Ard Tiarna Cuan looked disdainfully at the boy approaching him in dirty rags, "I normally cut the throat of impudent peasants who barge into my presence, lucky for you I'm in a good mood. What do you want?" Cathairn tried to stop his fear from showing as he introduced himself and offered his services. "I have a message I need sent to Ri Failbhe Flann in Dun Cethern, the last two men who have taken a message unaccompanied have been killed by bandits. Are you up for it boy?" He clearly expected the boy to decline and run out of his chambers, he was visibly shocked when Cathairn accepted and took the message. Perhaps this was somebody to keep an eye on.

Whether due to luck or superior tracking skills Cathairn reached Dun Cethern without encountering any bandits. He was surprised to realise the man he was bringing the message to was the King of Desmumu, he didn't have a chance to make his acquintance and was ushered out after handing the message over.

As he was leaving to return to Dun lasgach a group of heavily armed soldiers approached, the leader introduced himself as Tiarna Aillil. "I heard you are working for Cuan, boy, I need an unthreatening fellow nobody knows to search out a fugitive my men have been unable to locate." The job paid well and Cathairn accepted.

Cathairn spent a few days asking around the villages in the north of Desmumu and managed to locate him. The attempt to bring him in alive was doomed to failure and Cathairn was forced to slay the criminal.

After returning to Dun lasgach and receiving his payment Cathairn returned to the tavern to see Ceara, as he entered the tavern he came across a drunken stranger threatening Ceara and the tavernkeep with a knife. The drunk raised the knife and slashed it towards Ceara's face, she dodged the knife at the last moment. Cathairn sprinted across the tavern and speared the stranger through the gut, then took out his own knife and slashed his throat. The stranger's blood gushed out across Cathairn and Ceara, who hugged Cathairn and cried. Quickly wiping her tears she smiled and asked, "You hungry then?"

With coin in his pocket and his name known by some of the most important men in the land, Cathairn sat down to enjoy his meal, on the house and served by a girl who's life he had saved. Things were looking up.

[johnhughthom]

I've put this on hold for a week or so until a parch for Brytenwalda comes out next week, will definately be continuing.