Chronicles of the Brittany Kings Chapter 26

 26

During that season there were two unions on the land. One was the receiving of the young princes by the King of Amorica, a part of Gaul between the Seine and the Loire that includes the Brittany Peninsula, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic Coast. The princes were placed at Blois among the earlier Britton migrants. The kingdom of Amorica was ruled by their King then, Aldrien.

“The kins of King Constantine are also mine. I am also descended from Brittany; from the realm of Ivomandus then with Lord Vortigern when King Constantine send the army here to battle the Romans. I recalled your brother Constan was with the army but we never met in person. Sadly, he died at such a young age.”

Aurelius who was the one to meet the King kept his silence on the matter. He knew that even then, Amorica was in chaos, with the ongoing war with the Huns and Vikings invading the land. During his journey there, he saw the funeral pyres and the maimed taking refuge away from the war.

“I can offer you land to live in but the protection of it will be yours to handle.” King Aldrien told the two princes. “My army is at the battle as we speak.”

“I welcome your offer, King Aldrien.” Aurelius thanked the King and soon formed a small kingdom there with the migrating Brittons. He was greeted by the remnants of an earlier invading army under Riothamus who was proclaimed the King of the Britons when he crossed the channel to Gaul.

“We rode with Riothamus and his army of twelve thousand warriors to fight the Romans. It was a huge army but none that could stand against the might of the Romans. We were battled and weakened not only by the Romans but also by the mercenaries from Visigoths near Bourges.” The survivors related their predicament. “We can return to Brittany and take the call to dwell here. With the surviving army of Riothamus scattered, we now come to pledge our loyalty to you as your people.”.

Aurelius welcomed them to the fold of Brittany in exile. He was met by Uther who wanted to return then.

“Aurelius, I vowed to go back to our land.: Uther stood at the shore of the sea facing the isle of what was his land. He had grown taller in the last few seasons while Aurelius with the added responsibilities of the two, had sought more lessons on the art of war.

“We will, young brother Uther but the time to do it will be later.” Aurelius was without his mentor, the druid but gathered on the new land, he found others there he could mentor with on their experiences. “I need to look at the stars.”

“Enough of that, Aurelius. We are outcasts here>” So was Uther looked to the other. “We must regain our kingdom.”

“I shall but when I can do so. Are we to march in like Riothamus and be defeated once more?” Aurelius made sense with his statement. “A war will be there, but the battles must be fought with wits and not brawns alone.”

If it was brawning, then Vortigern was at the losing end. He was at the feast arranged by Hengist and for the first time, the King felt the emptiness in his heart. He was introduced to the daughter of his ally, Rowena. There were tales of beauty that bounds the heart of man and this was one.

“She is a beauty.” Hengist saw the King staring at his daughter. “I likened her to Queen Cordelia of your people.”

Cordelia was Leir's favorite daughter, being the younger sister to Goneril and Regan. When Leir decided to divide his kingdom among his daughters and their husbands, Cordelia refused to flatter him. In response, Leir refused her any land in Britain or the blessing of any husband. Regardless, Aganippus, the king of the Franks, courted her, and Leir granted the marriage but denied him any dowry. She moved to Gaul and lived there for many years.

Leir became exiled from Britain and fled to Cordelia in Gaul, seeking a restoration of his throne which had been seized by the husbands of his other daughters. Cordelia raised an army and invaded Britain, defeating the ruling dukes and restoring Leir. After Leir's death three years later, Cordelia's husband Aganippus died, and she returned to Britain and was crowned queen. She ruled peacefully for five years until her sisters' sons, Cunedagius and Marganus, came of age. As the dukes of Cornwall and Albany, respectively, they despised the rule of a woman when they claimed proper descent to rule. They raised armies and fought against Cordelia, who fought in person in numerous battles. She was captured and imprisoned by her nephews. In her grief, she committed suicide.

“A worthy Queen to bear resemblance with.” King Vortigern agreed. “She is of the Queen’s lineage.”

“How was I to have not seen her here?” King Vortigern asked of his host.

“She came with the last sails from my land,” Hengist replied. “You consented to bring in more of my warriors and their families to settle here.”

“Yes, I did.” The King nodded. He was besieged by the uneasy alliance of the Lords which forced him to look at the mercenaries as the stand-in to quell any possible war. The request was not received well by the rebelling Lords but none dared to question him in the hall.

“I have to tell you this. Rowena is my daughter whose mother has not been lost to me.” Hengist roared out. “I have one too many lovers that I lost count of whom I was with. Such were the antics of mine.”

Vortigern though not attached to any lady, had his fills. He has a son which had taken to follow him in the army but was not acknowledged by him as his bloodline. Some had said it was his bloodline sister but the denial was his.

“He is not muy bastard.” Vortigern has constantly reminded one of his broods was there to wait on him. “I hold no sister who is a harlot.”

“He adopted Vortimer as his name after your great name.” The aides had told him then.

That day, King Vortigern heard a different call that he was to remember.

“Lauerd king wachi hei!”

Vortigern does not understand the words and his interpreter assured him of the meaning.

“It’s the lady saying to drink for your health.” King Vortigern was told the meaning. He smiled when he saw the lady offering him it was beyond his expectation.

“Trinke meinen konig..” The lady refilled the goblet with mead, with her body bent forward, it was an eyeful to the King with the sight of the mammaries. The King was taken aback by his embarrassment but further to it, he was then sat on his lap by the lady.

“Trink dich nach herzensluts…” The lady motjoned to him.

“Steh auf, weib. Er ist ein Konig.” It was Hengist who came to the rescue of the King. He pulled the lady off the King’s lap. “I am sorry about this, King Vortigern. She may have been drunk.”

That interruption was somehow to move the King’s relationship with Hengist into more favorable terms.