Chronicles of the Brittany Kings Chapter 25

 25

Vortigern, then no more to be called Lord but King. He was crowned earlier that day. It was a grand affair with the gathering of the Lords. He was not welcomed initially by all the Lords to be their King.

“Where are the princes?” One of the gathered called out. His call reverted with others in support and some objecting. It was the expected moves by Vortigern then. He looked across the hall and saw the split of the Lords into several groups including his own with Lord Cornell by his side.

“Where is young Aurelius? Or Uther?” Another called out.

“They have… left for their own …their journey. I know not where? The scouts have not reported back.” Vortigern replied. It was untrue for his scouts reported earlier that the two princes were headed north with some guards. Vortigern told them to shadow them till the borders.

“Left? How can that be? Shall we not bring them back?” That call was made out.

“I am but we need to find them,” Vortigern replied but the murmurings among the Lords did not augur well for him. It was Lord Cornell who intervened.

“The land needs its King. If we are without the princes, let us elect one of ours to be the King.” Lord Cornell’s allies voiced the unison call for that. “The barbarians are at our borders now. If we are not united, we may lose the land to them.”

The mention of the barbarians ignited a different call then.

“The season had passed when we left the fighting to the barbarians. Now, we are to battle but who will lead us?”

“He who always does.” Lord Cornell replied. He then stood by the side of Vortigern. “Vortigern fought for us in many battles and won the war. He is the one to lead. He is of Britton.”

That was undisputed then, and the call rallied back towards Vortigern which he took to address the gathering.

“The death of the King weighs on my shoulders. I have always fought for the Kingdom, for the King that reign, and now without the King, that call weighed heavier on me.” Vortigern looked to the Lords. “I am no more as before. Age has taken its toll on my body. I seek one to replace me here.”

“My Lord,” Lord Cornell bowed to Vortigern. “We won’t deny the woes of your body but your mind is still keen. Guide us with your strategies to battle the war. Fight with us, not on the battlefields but lead us from here.”

It was a subtle call that Vortigern was their leader and therefore their King.

“Lead us while we locate the princes.” Lord Cornell added. “Be the King in wait for us.”

Lord Cornell’s support was with mixed feelings but the reality was soon felt by the gathered. The shift toward Vortigern was favorable and soon the outcome was clear.

“We named Lord Vortigern as our King in waiting.” The majority of the gathered roared to the call. It. The crown was then handed to the Lord.

“Hail King Vortigern.” It was the penultimate aim of the Lord and he claimed it.

“Hail the King!” The words brought the newly crowned King Vortigern to the surroundings then. He was in the forest once more to meet his ally, the Anglo-Saxons.

“It’s …” King Vortigern brushed the call but Hengist held out his right hand to his chest in salute.

“Hush, my friend. You are King and I am glad.” Hengist smiled. “We shall hold a feast for you.”

“The feast can wait, Hengist. I need your assurance that ….”

“We give you our oath not to raid at the borders. We would like to return to your castle as allies.” Hengist cut in. “After all, you are the King.”

“I was to say, let the departing princes leave but guard the borders and do not allow them to return.” The new King looked to the Anglo-Saxons.

“It shall be.” Hengist agreed. “Now can we hold the feast?”

Some distance away, Lord Cornell was told of the meeting between the King and the Anglo-Saxons. He dismissed the scout and then looked to the gathered Lords.

“Our King still allies with the barbarians.” Lord Cornell spoke to the Lords there. “I was told that the Anglo-Saxon had requested land on ours. They claimed it was to allow them to group and stored their supplies for their warriors.”

“I had broken bread with them once before and now they want to share my bedding; I say nay. Even their womenfolks are unappealing.” One of the gathered was annoyed at the request.

“We may deny them but the King had agreed. His troubles are our the disunity among us.” Lord Cornell looked to the Lord. “Brittons are weak as we meet. Our war cries are not hoarse but dimmed in courage. While we build, we will let the barbarians battle themselves. A dead barbarian is one less to fight.”

“Aye, but I heard they are bringing in more of their warriors, and our land requested to build their castle.” Lord Cornell was told.

“Aye, they asked for a piece of land with the skin of the bull. The King had agreed but the Anglo-Saxons had deceits on their mind. What he took was to suckle the tits turned out to be to also slice their manhood.” One of the other Lords voiced out.

“No, Lord Ian. They took your arse with it.” The gathered roared out in laughter. It was Lord Cornell who sober them down.

“Aye, they took the King’s words and sliced the skin into a long thread to extend far into the treelines and carved out a tract of land over a hard rock hill where the castle of the Anglo-Saxon was built. Now that tract of land was cleared of trees to erect their stronghold. They have named the place Thancastre.”

“The name was heard before.” One of the Lords’ voiced out. “It was at my border at Kaercorrei.”

“Vortigern brought the barbarians to our halls, and this having the previous King killed by them.” Lord Cornell brought the killing to look for the reaction of the gathered. He saw then the mixed expressions of the gathered; some still thinks he had done the killing although the blame was on the Picts.

“I heard more that Anglo-Saxons are gathered there, and soon they will widen their borders.” The Lord was affected by the new stronghold added. “Why were the Picts killed before we could torture them for the reasons?”

“As much to preserve the sanctuary of Vortigern from being accused.” Lord Cornell replied.

“And why are you on his side?” Lord Cornell was confronted on his loyalty.

“I am to save the kingdom. My loyalty is to the rightful King. It was my call to send the young princes away. They are still raw to the administration of the throne. We cannot have the King rely on his advisers in all matters. The king needs to make his decision for he is the King. The young princes will return soon when they have mastered those skills.”

“We are to preserve the kingdom for the return of the rightful King even if we are living with a tyrant on it for now. Our main tasks are to battle on or the victors will be the barbarians. We need to defeat the enemies at the borders before we can do within.”

“My army stands strong against Vortigern but it will be bloody if we battle. I need to be at his side to do what he did with King Constan.” Lord Cornell declared his intention. “Are you with me?”